Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-02
South Ottumwa Methodists Now
Have a Large Church.
WILL DEDICATE IT OCTOBER IA.
Many Prominent churchmen Will At
tend on That occasion-History of
the society-lmprovement Will Cost
About $4,000.
From Fridays Daily.

For three days next month the men,
bers of the Willard street Methodist
Episcopal church will hold services in
their rehabilitated edifice at the cor
ner of Church and Willard streets, and
on the second day, Sunday, October
IA, it will be formally dedicated to the
service of the Master. Rev. DIR. G. B.
Spencer, editor of the Central Chris
tan Advocate, will deliver the dedIca-
tory sermon aud on Saturday preced-
ing and Monday after, sermons will
be delivered, principally by former
pastors.
A new wing has been built to the
church that about doubles its seating
capacity, new furniture has been add
ed, the bell tower has been removed to
another place, new electric lights have
been installed, the walls and ceiling
redecorated, and altogether it presents
the appearance of a different place.
The Methodist people of South Ottum-
wa are greatly pleased with the num-
Der of accessions to the church and
with the fact that they were enabled
to accommodate the needs of the
growing congregation. The cost of
the improvements has been about ST.
500 and the result entirely justifies the
expenditure outside of the fact that
more room was absolutely necessary.
The Program.
The program embraces services on
three days but the dedicatory sermon
will be preached on Sunday, October
IA, by Rev. DIR. C. B. Spencer, editor
of the Central Christian Advocate, as
sisted by the presiding elder, Rev. ].
w. Lambert, and several other min
| listers.
| On Saturday evening Rev. w. S.
Gardner, of Keokuk, the first pastor
of the church, will deliver sermon
! On Sunday at 1880 a. m, DR.. Spencer
will deliver the dedicatory sermon as
above indicated, at the close of which
an offering will be taken and the
church formally dedicated. AT 2:1S
p. M, the children's meeting will be
held, addressed by Rev. ]. McClelland
of Marengo, who supplied the pulpit
of the church for time, while stu
dent. AT 3 O'Clock a general rally ser
vice will be held, addressed by promi
nent laynen who have aided the en-
terprise, and by former pastors ant
others. At 1880 p. M, there will b,
| preaching by Rev. w. H. Hoppe. o.
Mt. Pleasant, at the close of which
Holy Communion will be administered
by the presiding elder, who will con
duct evangelistic services.
| On Monday following, at 2:3O p. m
there will be preaching by Rev. w. N
Groome, of Beacon, and at 7:SO p. m
preaching by Rev. e. c. Brooks o.
Brooklyn.
History of the Church.
| The Methodists of South Ottumwa
/ prior to 1898, attended the churches o
that denomination on this side of tn,
river. In 1889 DIR. w. B. Smith, lat
of Ann Arbor, Mich, a man of larg,
property interests on the south side
made it known that he would donat
two lots IN his fifth addition, providet
4 church and parsonage were erecte'
upon them. In 1889 C. E. Brooks or
ganized the society which was nonlin
ally attached to the Main Street Meth
odist church. After time work wa
commenced on the new building i,
South Ottumwa, and in October, 1890
it was finished and dedicated. Rev
w. S. Gardner was its first pastor
He was followed by Rev. I. P. Tete
who was succeeded by Rev. w. Fl
Hoppe and one year ago Rev. d. {
Smith, the present pastor, was sent t
this charge by the conference.
4 The membership grew until itreact
ed about 800. The old edifice was en-
tirely too small to accommodate tn
growing Congregation, and last Marc
I it was determined to build an addition
Subscriptions were taken and in Apr
it was found that the new additio
had passed beyond being mere pos
sibility. The pastor i'll conjunctio
with members of his congregatio
outlined plans which finally were pr