Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-12-30
Preaching im
Obe EARLY Days
Rev. Thomas Harwood.

1t is not certain who preached the
first sermon in Spanish ia Old Albu-
querque nor when it was preached,
but as superintendent OF the New
Mission | made frequent trips up and
down the Rio Grande, and often pass
ed the night and sometimes a day or
two in Albuquerque, and generally
preached wherever ] could get a con
gresation and a place for the services,
but generally in English. Ny first
visit was in October, 1871. / came
in my own conveyance and passed the
night at the house of a prominent
Mexican In Los Ranches, about four
miles north of Albuquerque, whose
name has gone from me, but he treat
ed us kindly. | had a sermon in
Spanish, THE Invitation of Jesus"
from the text. Matt. 11:2S: Come
unto me all We that labor and orc
heavy laden, and | will give you rest"
My host pronounced it 81 good ser,
mon. 1t disappeared at that place,
and never knew what become of il.
A young man, a student from Tip
tonville, was with me, Benito Garcia.
He thought | left it at the house, but
didn't know whether my friend liked
it and wanted to keep 1t, or whether
ne didn't like it very well and thought
il ought to be destroyed.
Rev. Jonn Steele, our preacher at
Peralta, preached quite often In AL
buquerQue, between 1872 and 1879,
but mostly in English.
In 1884 we organized our first Span
ish church in Albuquerque, of nine
teen members I'M probationers. In
1888 we built and dedicated our frat
Spanish church in the town of Old
Albuquerque. Bishop Bowman held
our conference at that time and ded-
icated the church. In 1887 We organ
lied our Spanish church in Ladera.
or, as it is now called, La Placita de
Los Martinez, close to where the
Spanish Presbyterian church is now
located. In 1898 We purchased, re-
paired and dedicated the little chapel
near nat place in which we now hold
services. In 1901 we erected " our
chapel at Les Griegos on the land
now belonging to the Boys Biblical
and Industrial school of the Albuquef4
que college, dedicated by the writer
the same year. In 1904 we purchased
the site, built and dedicated the
church at Los Barelas. Bishop l.. B.
Wilson, who presided at the confer
ence. dedicated the church. In 1887
the Woman's Home Missionary so
ciety commenced work in Albuquer-
que. Mrs. Norton, now Mrs. Dr..
Norton of Manila. p. l., and Miss Ida
Brimmer, now Mrs. Armstrong, of FL
Paso. had charge of the work. Mrs.
NJ. j. Trip and others, assisted in
the school work. The building
known as the Harwood Girls Indusf
rial school was finished in 1896 and
dedicated by the writer The new adj
dition was finished in 1905 and dedi-
Gated by the writer of this sketch.
Mrs. Anna Kent, Of East Orange, n.
D.. SUPERINTENDENT of the WOman's
Home Missionary society for New
Mexico and Arizona, deserves much
credit for her efficient supervision in
the construction of said building. At
This writing there are siEty.three pu-
pills in the school, under a wise and
energetic superintendent, with asl
sistants and able teachers.
The Boys Biblical and Industrial
school If the Albuquerque college, on
Fourth street, two miles north of AL
hruueraue, has 200 acres of land, sew
eyal new buildings on said land: 3lS
acres in Missouri; lots and buildings
In Socorro, n, NJ; a house and seven
acres of land IN Old Albuquerque;
farming implements, printing press
and nearly 1000 volumes in a library,
the total valuation all of which Is
$4,000.