Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-22
Is the Largest Protestant
CONGREGATION in the
Entire City

Tor the sum OF S5,40l. 40. The work
was pushed rapidly and the building
was completed in 1891.
w. G. Wilson'S Passionate.
Rev. Stafford resigned the pastorate
to accept the presidency of the Iowa
Wesleyan university at Mt. Pleasant
and w. G. Wilson was appointed by
the conference to this charge. Rev.
Wilson presided at his first meeting
October s. 1891. During Rev. Wilson's
pastorate series of revival meetings
were conducted by Evangelist Shaw
han and large number were taken
into the church. Rev. Wilson served
the First church with entire satisfac-
ton until September. 1896 when he
was appointed presiding elder of the
Oskaloosa district.
DR.. F. e. Brush.
A petition was presented to the con-
ference asking that DR.. r. E.
Brush Of Dubuque be assigned to
the Ottumwa church. DR.. Brush
was installed that same month.
On January IL, 1899 pipe organ was
purchased at a cost of $4,000 and was
installed in May Of that year. Dur
ing DR.. Brush's pastorate Rev. D. G.
Smith finished six years term OF
service as presiding elder of the OF.
tumwa district and the church passed
resolutions of esteem for his good
service. Rev. j.. w. Lambert the pres.
ent presiding elder succeeded Rev.
Smith.
The Present Pastor.
Dr. Brush resigned the pastorate
and the official board of the church
prepared expressions of regret and es-
TEEN. May 6, 1901 DR.. A. E. Craig,
pastor of the First Methodist church
at Albion, Mich, was called to the pas
torate. Soon after DR.. Craig was in.
stalled as pastor Judge M. A. Rob.
erts prepared and presented resolu.
lions favoring the enlargement of the
church and these were passed in May
1902. A committee of five was ap.
poineed to work out plans for the new
Improvements. The committee was
composed of George Haw, J. T. Hack
worth, T. P. Spilman and j. w. Nea-
sham.
Repairs Completed.
The plans for the repairs were com
pleted and contractors were asked for
bids for building an addition at the
rear Of the church for erecting gal
Iery in the main auditorium of the
church and for frescoing the interior
throughout The total cost Of the
improvements was approximately $13,-
900 and the remodeled edifice was ded.
icated November 90, 1902. Invitations
were sent to all the former pastors to
attend the services, which proved to
be great success.
The Dedication.
During the morning services the re.
suit Of the soliciting committees work
was announced and with the pledges
received at the meeting the sum OF
$4,000 was announced. With the
completion Of these improvements the
First church was given house of wor
ship that was then and will be. for
years to come eminently suited to its
requirements and fully adequate to
its demands. The church is one OF
the strongest Methodist Episcopal
charges iii the state and under the
efficient guidance Of DIR. Craig and the
,superintendents of the Sunday school
and other departments it has become
more and more from year to year a
power for good in the community.
Sketch of DR.. Craig.
DR.. A. e. Craig, was born July 2S
1861 in the county of Wellington, Can
ada. He attended country school in
the summer and worked on his faith.
er's farm in the winter until he was
IL years of age, at which time he en-
tered high school in Listowel, Cana.
da. After remaining in the Listowel
school for some time, he taught coun.
try school for two years. He attend.
ed collegiate institute at Gait Can.
ada for six months after which he
taught one year in a Friends academy
in Pickering Canada, during which
time he matriculated at Toronto
university.
Removed to Michigan.
In 1884 DR.. Craig went to Michigan
and preached two years on the circuit
In the fall of 1886 he entered the
Northwestern university at Evanston
ILL., He graduated from the UNIVERSE
ty in classical course and also from
a theological course in the Garrett
Biblical institute in the year 1890 com
plotting a seyen-year course in four
years. During the time he attended col.
lege, he preached in the suburban
towns of Chicago. After leaving I'LL
nois, DR.. Craig went back to Michigan
locating in Hillsdale where he had
been appointed pastor of the First
church. He served there for three
and one-half years, until he was call.
ed to Benton Harbor. serving as pas
tor of the First church at that place
for two years.
Comes to ottunwa in 1901.
In May 1892. Rev. Craig was married
to Miss Clara Tucker of Galva, Hi.
nois, who was his classmate at the
Northwestern university Albion, Mich.
was the next charge DR.. Craig filed
and after serving the First church
there for period of five and one-half
years, he accepted the call from this
city, coming here in April 1901. In
1895 through an examination he took
the degree of doctor of philosophy
from the Syracuse university of SYRIA.
cuse N. " DIR. and Mrs Craie trav.