The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-08-22
THE NEW CHURCH.
Corner Stone to be Laid by
Bishop Morrison To-day.

! Arrangements are completed for
new St. James Episcopal church
this afternoon at three O'Clock.
The public is cordially invited to be
present. Bishop Theodore Morrison
of the Iowa Diocese will have charge
of the exercises which will be brief
but interesting and impressive. The
Rector, Rev. W. H. Frost has pre-
pared history of the parish, and
this together with a complete list of
the membership, copies of the city
+ papers and other documents will be
placed in the box. Revs. HOLSTER
Lynch, of Ottumwa, Peter Wolcot,
of Chicago, and seven or eight
other Episcopal rectors will be
present. Following is the history Of
the parish:
! Very little accurate information re-
garding the early history of St James
! Parish is to be found. as the records
were not kept in a book belonging to the
parish. The earliest meeting looking
toward the organized work of the church
was held at the home of Mr.. NJ. +.
Williams, and little later, at a meeting
held in the Associate Reform Church,
May p. 1855, a mission to be known as
St James Church, was organized unler
the leadership OF the Rev. Edward w.
/ Peet. Henry Blackburn and Abner Al
len were elected Wardens and the fol-
lowing gentlemen were elected to be
Nestrymen; \. &. Seeberger. L. ID.
IngerSoll. J. Y. White, George Russell,
and VI. +. Williams On the goth OF
May of the same year the mission was
fadmitted into union with the Convention.
McssrS. J. n. White and L. ID. lHgersoll
being the delegates, and the Rev Ed
ward w. Pect representing the mission
As minister n-chargc. August I, 1857,
this church was Incorporated pursuant to
The laws OF the State of Iowa, the Rev.
D. F. Hutchinson presiding at the meet
in. and presenting the usual articles,
which were adopted and signed, Mr.. Abb
ner Allen being appointed a committee
to see to the recording OF the same.
From this time on the Rev Mr.. Peet
and the Rev. Mr. Hutchinson held Oc-
casiOnal services, but just how long we
do not know The Rev. F. 4. Johnson
was next appointed to the charge of the
mission, and it was during his ministry
that the lot upon which we are now
building was secured. He seems to have
remained for some time.
After short vacancy the Rev John
fochuly took charge OF the work, but
sOon became discouraged, and resigned
During the next five years only one ser
vice was held, that being held by the
Rev Joseph f. Ryan on the second or
third Sunday in Lent. 1868 On the first
Sunday after Easter of the same year,
the Rev. I. B. Kemp. who had been or
dered Deacon by Bishop Lee in the pre-
ceding year. held his first service in Os-
kaloosa. Mr. Kemp made two or three
visits after this, and on the goth of Nay
held a service in the Congregational
Church, at which time he presented three
candidates for confirmation, Bishop Lee
confirming this being the first recorded
confirmation held in Oskaloosa. At the
close of this meeting Mr. Kemp was ap-
Ipointed as minister-in-charge of ST.
James Church, and from that time, for
about year, held services here on alter
nate Sundays.
In November, 1868, a meeting was
held to con.ider the ACCESSIBILITY of at
tempting to build house of worship
Eight hundred dollars was raised at this
time, and within two weeks the amount
had grown to $1,000, when plans were
presented by Mr.. Kemp to the Nestry,
and they resolved to build During the
building of the church Mr.. Kemp Sc
cured $I,4oo additional subscriptions
The building was completed and formal
| ly opened for divine service April rs,
1860, Bishop Lee officiating, assisted, by
the Rev. Joseph T. Ryan, of Ottumwa,
and the Rev. Mr.. Kemp. While the
church was being built, the question of
Mr.. Kemp's removal to Oskaloosa, so as
TO be able to give his entire time to the
work, was agitatedS and finally. when
the matter was preached to him, he said
that he would come gladly il they would
provide home for him. This resulted
in the building Of the rectcry, next to
the church, just three months after the
church was finished, On Easter Sun