Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-21
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
REV. J. M. MoELRoY TELLS OF THE
OF THE PROGRESS MADE BY
CHURCHES OF oTTuMWA.
Interesting Address Delivered at the
Flftleth Anniversary Celebration Of
the First Baptist church-EarIy
Church Workers.

the First Baptist Church-Early
Church Workers.
FIFTY Years Ago and Now, Relig-
iously," was the subject Of an inter-
esting address delivered by Rev. ]. M.
McElroy at the fiftieth anniversary cell
ebration of the Baptist church held last
Tuesday evening. Rev. McElroy spoke
as follows:
"At the opening Of the year 1855,
the little town of Ottumwa had pop
ulation of about 700. five organized
churches, and two small church build
ings. with church membership of
persons residing in town of less than
~. Now, after fifty years, we have
a city of 10000 population, with TWEEN
ty-eight houses for Christian instruc-
membership, Catholic and Protestant,
estimated to be between five and six
thousand
Migration has carried away very
many Ottumwa people. Members of
our churches have gone to the west,
to the northwest. to the southwest and
elsewhere, during these fifty years,
and have been identified with the de-
velopmcnt and growth of new commun-
tiles and taken an important part in
Christian work and enterprise. These,
If enumerated would amount to many
hundreds, perhaps several thousands.
So that religiously, Ottumwa has not
withstanding some drawbacks, contrib
uted something in fact, quite largely,
to religious progress and conquest.
Ministers Of OttumWa.
"The ministers of Ottumwa and
! Wapello county would furnish, If
names were written out, lengthy and
very interesting roll-more than 100
of them known to me personally The
worthy, earnest. consecrated workers
did not all wear the same denomina-
tional label, and the unworthy excep-
tions were few. Bro. Spalding the Con
gregational pioneer, was graduate of
Harvard university.
Some Of the early preachers were
men of but limited education. One
who made good deal of noise could
not read. Another admitted that he
had never learned to write. There
were some in the rural districts, who
boasted that they had never been to
college. And in some communities a
|
and showed any symptoms of being q
college man. was stigmatized as sky.
scraper. In that early and happy day
we had no doctors of divinity. Fifty
years ago there were, l think, only
two d. DIS in Iowa, DR.. Jeptha Harri
son of Burlington and DR.. Elliott, pres
ident of the college at Mt. Pleasant.
''Now we have more than fifty Pres
byterian D. DIS in Iowa, with one OF
| two hundred more enrolled in other
denominations. Whereunto will this
thing lead? VIII all the ministers OF
| 80 years hence be doctors? Or will
there be reversion to the Original
rule that only those engaged in acad
emic and professional instruction shall
be eligible to such honor?
Change In Sermons.
"The sermon, during these so years
has undergone some change. The first
sermon I heard in Ottumwa was ar
hour and twenty minutes in length
DR.. Flint was reported as preaching
as much as two hours in the ole
wooden court house. My own f1rst
sermon in the same building-was
rather short, forty-five or fifty minutes
ut seemed to be the practice ,ir
those times to make the sermon ex
haustive. leaving nothing unutteret
which text or subject would afford
leaving out Of view the possibility O.
overtaxing the attention and exhaust
ing the patience of hearers.
1 "The shorter discourses of the pres
ent often give few points driver
home with power and great profit. Tht
ten minute discourse has never beer
much in vogue in Ottumwa and will
4 utterances on sensational themes
ought not to pass for gospel any
where.
''The sermon has undergone anothe
very marked change. Fifty years ag,
it was often controversial, able per
haps, and sound. but severely doctrina
suitable to the church militant Thi
was specially in evidence on the iron
J tier, where there was sharp competi
ton. A stranger introduced himsel
to me on one occasion, saying: M
| name is SO and so. am Hard Shel
Baptist and defy the world
The First Presbytery.
"The first meeting of the De
Moines Presbytery that attended wa
in 1856. Three Of us were in the sac
die, going from Knoxville to the plac
of meeting, at Abba, place none O