Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-05-23
A NEW CHURCH ORGANIZED
Organization of the Christian
Church is Effected.

Organization of the Christian
Church is Effected.
Seven weeks ago, Evangelists c. III.
DeVoe and II. K. Shields, of. Roches-
ter, Indiana, came to Grand Rapids,
and began evangelistic work in the
q. A. &. hall, under the auspices of
the Wisconsin state missionary
society Of the Christian church.
The preaching of Mr.. DeVoe, and
the singing OF Mr.. Shields soon at
tracted many people to their services
and Hakened much interest in their
work. Large audiences greeted the
evangelists each meeting and the
interest seemed to deepen till the
close.
Some twenty-five persons presented
themselves for baptism and were im-
merSed In the river by Mr.. DeVoe.
A service was held Sunday afternoon,
at which time forty-fve persons
enrolled as charter members of the
First Church of Christ in Grand
Rapids. The following officers were
chosen: as elders, J. G. Thurman and
B. G. Eggert; as deacons, Thomas
Reding, Robert Rowland, Clyde
Renne, Minard Duncan, and Charles
Packard.
The congregation then instructed
the Missionary Board and church
officers to secure as soon as possible a
suitable minister to become pastor of
the new church. An invitation was
extended the state board to hold tue
annual state convention next Septem-
Der here in Grand Rapids, which was
accepted.
Monday evening reception was
held in the hall for the members of
the new congregation and their
friends. Mr.. Shields left for his home
In Indiana, this morning, Tuesday
MIR. DeVOe will remain for a few
weeks longer and conduct the meet
ings in the G.. A. R. hall till regular
pastor is secured.
The undertaking of this work was
largely due to the efforts Of MIR. and
Mrs. B. G. Eggert, who moved here
last fall Finding no church of their
denomination in the city, they ar
ranged with the state board to have
evangelists sent here. Messrs. DeVoe
and Shields were sent, with the result
previously given and which are very
satisfactory to all concerned.
History Of Church.
In 1907 Thomas Campbell, Pres
byterian minister came to this
country from Scotland, and settling
at Washington, Penn, began preach
ing to the scattered Presbyterians in
that part of the country. His family
remained in Scotland, where his son
was a student in the university of
Glasgow.
Mr.. Campbell noticed the divided
condition of the Christian people in
this country, and came to consider
this condition wrong and unscriptural.
He was sharply criticized for inviting
to communion people of other
churches, and was finally excom-
mHnicated from the church on &C
count of his views on Christian union.
He believed that human creeds and
confessions Of faith had split the
[church, and advised doing away with
them, preaching unity and independ-
ance Of faith, taking the Bible as their
rule, aud calling themselves only
Christians.
Mr.. Campbell's family joined him IN
this country in 1909, and his son, then
a graduate of Glasgow university,
pleased with his fathers views, de-
clared he would devote his life to the
restoring of what they called the
New Testament Church.
First was organized the Christian
Association Of Washington, Penn, in
ACOOS ouO 1 IL 1910 w 40 vi SdulLCu tuC III oU
Church of Christ, with it's members
known as Christians, at Brush Run,
West Virginia. From this little con-
gregation Of believers, pleading for
the union of Gods people on the
Bible alone, and the restoring of the
New Testament church, has grown
the great religious body known today
as the Church of Christ, and having
a million and quarter members.
The people of this church are very
eyangelistic in their work, having
missionaries in all the foreign fields,
and in British America. At present
they have II, l6l, churches, 1926 Sum-
day schools, 1851 ministers, publish
So religious papers, have IS colleges
and universities, large number of