Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-06-25
GOLDEN JUBILEE
NEW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT
KiRKvILLE DEDICATED.
0TTUMWA MINISTERS TAKE PART
Rev. j. M. McElroy Reads Historical
Sketch Dealing With Early History
! of church-Dr. F. F. stoltz Delivers
Csaicatory Sermon.


The golden jubilee of the Presbyteri-
an church at Kirkville was celepfateu
yesterday by an all day meeting with
morning, afternoon and evening ser
vices, and with dinner served IN the
church for all in attendance. Mihls,
tiers and friends from a distance anu
the people of the town and from tne
surrounding country filled the new ana
elegant house of worship to its utmost
capacity.
The Services.
At the morning service BRIEF MS
tory of the church was read by Key.
/. NJ McElroy of this city. The dedi-
cation sermon was by Dr.. f. f. Stoltz
Master of the First Presbyterian church
Of this city, his theme being: Ihe
4 Church and the Living God, the Pillar
and the Ground of Truth" Then follow
ed the impressive dedicatory services
in charge of the pastor, Rev. A.G.AieA-
ander.
In the afternoon there was praise
service with addresses by Rev. II. +.
Chambers of Newton, Rev. George n.
DUTY of Bonaparte, Dr. f. f. Stoltz OF
this city and the pastor of the Kirk
Vile church. At the evening service
there We're congratulatory remarks
by several ministers and discourse
by Rev. Duty, who is moderator OF the
Iowa presbytery.
The New Church.
The present ruling elders of the
! church are: Samuel Mccullough, Jas.
Mcclure, r. P. Johnson, Charles Nc
Kee. The trustees are: James Car
son, Albert Black, Peter Lykens and
James Myrten.
The structure is built in modern
style. It is some forty-two feet square
with the Sunday school room sixteen
by twenty-six, with doors between,
which can be thrown open to accommo-
date a large number. The seating ca
pacity is two-hundred and fifty. The
cost was nearly $4,000. Great credit
is due the people of Kirkyille for their
generosity in donating the money for
the erection of this church and espec-
tally to the building committee, George
Forsythe, Charles Mckee, Albert
Black, Verne Welch and to the treas
nre- James Carson, who reported all
A.rrls paid except $17.5G, and included
In the report that no collection would
be taken for that small amount, but
that it would be taken care OF by the
members of the congregation.
One statement in the excellent adj
dress given by Rev. j. M. McElroy OF
which a very small part is published
herewith, will be of interest not only to
the Presbyterians of the Iowa Pres
bytery but to the large number of
students who are interested in the his
tory and progress Of the country.
When the Church Was Founded.
when the church of Kirkyille was
founded" said Mr. McElroy, 'it was
In the extreme western part of the
Presbytery of Iowa, and is at the pres
ent time. Then it was. bounded on
the west by the Rock mountains and
on the north by the British posses
sions. Today an empire lies west and
north of u.s. The services were inter-
esting and instructive and no doubt
put new life into the people of Kirk
vile and surrounding country.
DR.. McEIroys Address.
The following is the substance of DR..
GcElroy's historical sketch:
The church was organized at Eddy
vile, April 27, 1850, by Rev. Salmon
Cowles, with nine members, VIM. Coch-
ran, the potter, being chosen ruling
elder. The church was reorganized as
the church of Kirkville with James
Crossan as ruling elder, March 10,
1854.
For the first four years they had
no regular minister, and for eight
years no house of worship. Rev. w.
j. Fraser was their first minister,
about 1854. Rev. J. M. MeElroy Of
Ottumwa gave them one-third of his
time from 1855 to 1867, and also was
their supply at a later time for several
years. In all nineteen ministers have
served the church during the SO years,
the present incumbent, Rev. A. G.. AL
exander having been on duty about
three years.
Their first house of worship was
built in 1858. The second, a neat and
commodious building, erected in 1874
was destroyed by fire last August The
new church, arising from the ashes,
a tasteful, modern and elegant struc-
ture, is today dedicated to dlyine SER
vice.
"The Kirkville church has accom-
plished good work and has good
prospects for further and better SER
vice. They have a good parsonage,
and two missions. Fremont and Will
son have become organized churches,
the latter still belonging to the Kirk
vile churge. The roll of commune
cants for these so years contains
about 470 names with 10 ruling ell
ders."