Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-31

binds our hearts In Christian love-
Looking back, see only the hilltops all
aglow with the sunshine of Christ's
love, overlooking any shadows that
may lie. in tho valleys between.
"At the earnest solicitation Of Dr.
Willis G. Craig of Chicago, who said
he had made an appointment for me,
! first visited Ottumwa In, February,
1881. On my way from Chicago was
snow-bound for eighteen hours, arriv-.
| ing in Ottuwa at o'clock on Sunday
| morning-weary, cold, hungry and dis
couraged, asking myself, How shall
| ever be able to preach today?. The
streets We're blockaded with snow; no
conveyances We're running, and with
one fellow passenger waded through
! the drifts to the Ballingall hotel, to
find but one room vacant. which was
not very inviting, as one window was
| broken and the bed clothing very scan
ty That day preached In the old
| frame church at the corner Of Green
and Fourth streets, now occupied by.
our colored brethren, to an audience OF
forty or fifty persons. The church at
that time, as I was informed, was not
IN very flourishing condition. Short.
| ly afterwards, returning home, I re-
ceived call to become the pastor For
a month hesitated about accepting
| the call, but the freedom with which
! preached on my first visit under such
discouraging circumstances and the
pleasure enjoyed in attending the
young peoples meeting, which I was
informed had been kept up for over
| fifteen years.. led me to accept.
A Population of 5000.
Eat the time came to Ottumwa, the
population of the city was rated at
eight thousand The church reported
a membership of one hundred and sew
| nr,tH 4I,,~ -
bership was about one hundred and
forty-four. During the following thir-
teen years, ass were added to the
church-three hundred and sixteen on
\ profession and examination, and one
hundred and fifty-thr by letter. OF
those whom had the privilege of re-
ceiving into the church, seven have
the pleasure Of ordaining. Several 9TH
ers have been efficient officers in the
church and state; two are now hon
ored and useful ministers Of the gos-
pei, and several Of our most beloved
| young people are foreign missionar-
| les. ill,
The First Mission Established.
"The limits of this letter will not
permit me to write at length Of the
many causes of gratitude which oc-
Cured during the period Of my pas
torate among the most notable Of
1 which were the erection and dedica-
ton of the new church building and
the organization of the East and West
End; churches. In February, 1884, a
mission Sabbath school with thirty
4 four members was organized In. the
mems old dining room of the East End
packing house. Under the superin-
tendance of Knox Boude and w. S.
Coen, assisted by the faithful labors
of the members of the church and 9TH
i ers. and under the fostering care of T.
D. Foster, the school grew in numbers
and usefulness The Rev. DR.. McElroy
became its missionary and when the
church was organized, it's supply and
! pastor. To his faithful labors and the
efficient help of the earnest workers to
i whom l have alluded, together with
the generous liberality Of Mr.. Foster,
the success of the mission was largely
4 owing.
..In May, 1888, the church was or
| ganized with, think, 1872 members,
| one hundred and ten of whom were
| dismissed from the mother church for
that purpose The Rev. Dr.. McMil-
Ian was the second pastor whose SER
vices, together with those of his ex-
cellent wife Of blessed memory, con-
| tributed to it's growth and usefulness,
4 city set upon a hill, we see the beau
tiful building SO admirably adopted in
all its appointments, to be the home
/ of its members.
/ The West End Mission.
Another cause of gratitude during
my pastorate, was the establishment
| Of the West End mission school, I'M
! der the superintendence OF Messrs. J..
F. SterrHt and George A. Brown, as
sisted by a faithful band Of teachers,
most of whom were from our Chris
tan Endeavor society. In connection
with this mission. an Industrial school
| of great usefulness was organized and
superintended by Mrs. w. S. Summers.
4 There are many incidents connected
4 with the pastors personal intercourse
with his people that touch the heart
more tenderly than any others, which
are too sacred to be mentioned In, pub
lie. His ministrations to the sick, the
sorrowful, the bereaved and the dying,
bring him nearer to those with whom
he sympathizes than any other func-
lions and nearer also to the heart OF
Christ, who came to bind up the
wounds of the broken hearted. Then
i too. the spiritual and unseen blessings
of the past are far greater than those
which are the objects of observation
j We are largely unconscious Of the i'm
i fiuences that have moulded our lives
and characters. Often and often, COM
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