Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-22
HELD JUBILEE SERVICE
Congregational Church at Grin
nell Celebrates Fiftieth An
niversary of Its Founding
PARKER MAKES AN ADDRESS
History of the Church Since Its Be-
ginning Reviewed and the Progress
of the Years Noted-Union Of the
Church and coIIess-News of the
State.
Special to 1imes-Repub.ican.

| Grinnell, May 22.-The Congrega-
tional church was we'll filled yester-
day morning at the opening OF the
"Jubilee Service" in honor OF the M
tieth anniversary of the founding OF
this church In Grinnell The usual
morning service was varied by the IN
PRODUCTION of Professor Buck or Iowa
College, who led the congregation In
prayer, and of Professor L. F. Parker,
who gave the address Of the morning.
This was historical, partly reminds-
cent. and eulogistic of those who EN-
dured hardship like good soldiers" and
have passed on to their reward. He
referred to ]. B. Grinnell and spoke of
his direct descent from both John AL
den and John Elliot, the Apostle to
the Indians and of the same spirit In
the early pioneers on these ppaires as
that of their sturdy puritan ancestry"
The Long Home was the first meet
ing house here. April s, 1855. the
church was organized with twenty
charter members. The first church
building was erected in 1855 of green
logs and lumber and did not last long.
Another was built in 1856, ohat was
forty feet square and two stories high.
The membership was forty-six in 1855
and had grown to 230 in 1850 when the
first house was built upon the present
SITE The present stone structure was
erected in 1879. The difference in
church government was emphasized by
the fact that More time was given to
church discipline in the first dozen
years than in all the time since" The
missionary spirit and work Of the early
church were brought to notice, there
being room for most Of the work
amongst the immigrants on the prair-
les Of Iowa in the early days. Miss
Hester A. Hills was named as the first
foreign missionary to be sent out and
supported by this church. The stand
of this body upon the questions of
temperance and slavery was made
plain, and the terse but comprehensive
platform written by Rev. Asa Turner
was given. The union Of church and
college in spirit and work was referred
to as the "Siamese Twins" Mention
was made Of the younger sisters in
church formation here. the Baptist
church beirlg forty-seven years old,
and the Methodist forty An adj
dress had been prepared by Rev. e. NJ.
Vittum, but it was laid over for want
of time.
The evening service was opened by
remarks by Rev, Rowland s. Robinson
of the Baptist church. Mayor r. c.
Coutts followed in a threefold capacity
giving first his personal impressions,
recalling the first time he attended
church service in Grnnell, thirty years
ago, when, just over from his native
Scotland, he found welcome here that
was very comforting to "a stranger In
a strange land" next. extending con-
CALCULATIONS to this church from the
sister Methodist church Of which he
is member; and, last, giving con-
gratulations on the past and hopes for
the future from the city of which this
church has been so large q part and
for which 1t has done so much. Two
letters were then read from the only
two surviving resident charter mem
bers, MIR. Emory S. Bartlett and Mrs.
j. B. Grinnell, both of whom were de-
tanned at home by lack Of physical
ability to be present. Professor Dudley
L. Smith then sang Mrs. Heman's
poem, "The Breaking Waves Dashed
High" after which President Bradley
of Iowa College, gave a brief address
and Mr.. Vittum read letters from for
mer pastors, and the exercises of the
day so full Of tender and precious
memories was closed. A history Of the
fifty years Of life and activity of this
church has been prepared with great
pains, including roll of the member
ship past and present which will be
ready for distribution this week.