The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-06-09
History Of the Church from 1879 to 1904,
Compiled by Mrs. Anna Curry.

Taking up the history of this church
at it's Goth anniversary, that is, the first
Sunday in June, 1879, with Bro. A. b.
Cornell as pastor, we will try to give
you something of it's history for the
next Is years which brings us down to
the present time and to the celebration
of the golden anniversary of this organ
iZation.
The history of the last % years may
not be as varied as has been that of the
first, for generally the struggle, the
great effort that must be put forth by
almost any organization, is at it's begin
ming, and to this we think perhaps the
church was no exception. And while in
this great work there are perhaps. COM
paratiyely speaking, only few of the
present membership that know what
this signifies, yet there are still living
and among us as members of tn con-
gregation, some of the older ones who
have been through almost the entire
church history Of this people, such as
Grandma Kirkpatrick, Grandma Howard,
Uncle VIM. Gardner, Mr.. and Mrs. W, J.
Darr, Mr.. and Mrs. A. 4. Kemp and per-
haps others who might here be mention
ed. Then there are still living here
and who have membership with the con-
gregation two of the charter members.
Mrs. Amanda McClelland and Mr., John
w. Gardner. These two for fifty wears
have been interested in the work of this
congregation. For this period of time
they have been permitted to rejoice in
it's successes, and also have they been
cast down over it's failures. But these
two are not all of the charter members
still living. There are Mrs. J. G. Porter
OF Norwalk, CAL, Mrs. Ann Porter, of
Garfield, Oregon, Mrs. Catharine Gard
ner, of Decatur City, and possibly others
of whom we have lost trace. But were
we able, (Which we are not) time would
not permit us to mention the entire
membership of AL members of the first
20 years, saying nothing of those added
during the last % years.
But to go back to the 10Th annivers-
airy with Bro. A. B. Cornell as pastor,
there are some things we would note.
His stay OF something over three years
among US seems to have been especially
memorable; for the work along certain
lines and one of these was the organi-
zation OF new forces to help carry on
this work. Among these may be mem
toned the Aid Society, the G. w. B. M.
and the Young Ladies' Prayer meeting.
The Aid Society has been an active
worker and a strength to the church
here. It's especial work has been along
the line of finance. l cannot tell the
amount of work done for I do not know.
But Miss Belle Thompson has been
president of this society for the last
eight years and during the time she has
filled this Office has been awake to the
opportunities that have presented them
selves, and up to the present time there
has been over 81 300 paid out by the
society.
And it was during the work of Bro.
and Sister Cornell that the G.. W. B. M.
was organized and started in the work
which they have done and are still do
ing. To speak of this in detail will be
unnecessary as only short time ago
a splendid paper was read here, written
by Mrs. John Chastain, telling us of the
work done and some of the ways in
which this work was done, such as mis-
sionary quilts, missionary jugs, socials
and some other ways. Up to the pres
emit there has been over $500 paid out
by this society, and the finance has
only been small part Of their work, for
at each meeting there is programme
the thought of which is to bring them
into closer relationship with their
Master, and to give them a better
knowledge Of the work done, and to be
done, and to devise ways and means by
which this work may be done. Perhaps