Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-01-17
CHRISTIAN CHURCH DEDICATED.
With Appropriate And Interesting
Ceremonies.

Ceremonies.
A Large Crowd Present To Witness The
| Dedication.
Sunday, January 10, 1901, occur
red the dedication of the church of
Christ, in thiscity. Several months
ago the members of the church de-
cided that the old structure, which
had been used for years, would no
longer supply their needs, owing to
its insufficient seating capacity, be-
sides considerable money would
have to be expended in repairing it,
as time had marred it's beatty and
destroyed, very materially, many of
the different parts. so it was decided
to remodel and build to the old
church editice, in all it's compart-
mentS.
Various committees were appoint
ed, such as would be necessary to
look after the detailed interests of
the project. Everyone went to work
with will and as result of their
labor and sacrifice and money, with
the aid and assistance OF friends of
the church and the generous and
loyal public they now have a mod
ern church edifice sufficient, suita-
able and convenient to their needs,
to which they can point with pride
and building that is credit to the
town and community and will, in
years to come, stand as a monument
to heroic toll and sacrifice and fit
ting tribute to the mercy and love
of an All Wise Creator who has
allowed the contributors to reap
bountiful harvest and store up treas
ures from the roducts of the mate
rial world which He has created
and permitted them to use.
| The entire audience room is 3Ox4S
feet, neatly papered and painted
and furnished with elegant oak
seats that adds materially to the
finish and appearance of the church.
The lecture room, on the east, is
l6X3O feet and is connected with
large folding doors aud is seated
with neat folding chairs. The pull
pit and choir loft is 6x24 feet, while
just behind the pulpit is an arched
alcove SKA feet where is located the
baptistry, and on either side is a
robing room 5xS feet The vestibule
is SIS feet from which there is en-
trance to each the lecture room and
the main body of the church.
AT the time set for the dedicatory
service the house was filled and
packed, every foot of available seat
ing room beng occupied. The vari-
Gus churches of the town closed
their services and joined IN the ex-
ercises of the day. The interior of
the church, being fresh and new,
presented pleasing sight, with
every seat filled, when Professor
Sweetman and wife and twenty of
the best local singers of the town
opened the service by singing
Praise God, From Whom All
Blessings Flow" while the large
audience stood and Joined in the
singing. Rev. E. III. Votaw, of the
Congregational church, offered a
short prayer, after which the choir
sang number of appropriate
songs, putting the audience in the
| best of humor and in harmony and
| in sympathy with the meeting.
Rev. II. L. Wissler read the scrip.
ture lesson after which the pastor,
Rev. l.. ii. Humphrey, offered a
iervent and eloquent prayer. Rev.
u. ). Denny, Corresponding Secre-
tray of the church for the State
preached the dedicatory sermon,
presenting PLAIN gospel truths in a
clear, logical and consistent man
ner that carried conviction to his
hearers, making them realize and
feel his sincerity aud earnestness
and the needs and necessity Of
christian men and women in the
perpetuity and the onward march
OF our high civilization which, as a
nation, and as individuals we are
privileged to enjoy. At the close of
the sermon N. P. Christensen, as
Chairman of the Finance Commit
tee, made statement of the entire
expense created in the building and
the receipts and expenditures and
the amount needed to pay off all
Indebtedness and leave the church
free from debt. as follows:
Total Cost of Lumber, Hard
ware, Labor, Etc $2O36 ~
Amount Donated in Cash and
Labor 1893 IA
Amount to be Raised. 7O3 IS
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS O36 u 2O36 Y
We might say the entire amount
Of Indebtedness was raised without
effort, before anyone was aware of
of it. The members of the church
had subrcribed literally but, seeing,
the amount needed. they fully and
willingly made greater sacrifices
and gave amounts that showed ex-
cessive liberality and proved their