Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-17
THANKSGIVING OF
1867 REMEMBERED
REV. J. M. M'ELRoY TELLS OF
GATHERING OF THE PASTORS
OF oTTuMWA
Dined at the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
George w. Bowen-Presidins Elder
Burgess Present-Reparte over Re.
ligous Differences.

Following is an account Of a Thanks
giving dinner of about forty years ago,
contributed to the Courier by Rev. j..
M. McElroy:
In November. 1867, Mr.. and Mrs.
George W. Bowen invited the ministers
of Ottumwa and their wives to a
Thanksgiving dinner at their hos
pitable nome on East Main street. The
menu was all that could be desired for
quantity and quality and kindly SER
vice, but the feature of the occasion
was the lively discussions and inter
change Of views during that hour at
table. At the head sat Mr.. Ryan, the
Episcopal rector, and at the foot Bur
nam, the Baptist; and on either side
the ladies, with Pastors Waring, Bross
and McElroy, also Presiding Elder Bur
| CESS.
After the blessing Wesley Warning
asked the head of the table to explain
about that Presbyterian union conven-
ton in Philadelphia in which Bish-
ops McIvaine and Lee were attendants
and participants. Are you Episcopal
lians changing ground and now dis
posed to favor church union?" Ger
tainly not" was the reply of Episco-
plus. "The attendance Of those bish-
ops was unofficial and personal. The
church stands where she has always
stood. And now, Mr.. Wesley, you
Methodists claim to be Episcopal, why
can you not come and join with us and
be thorough Episcopalians? ?" "Yes,'
replied Wesley, eve claim to have a
moderate Episcopacy, and have room
for you. Why cannot you Episcopalians
come and join with us Methodists?
And it Is especially in place for the
invitation to come from the larger
body" After further interchange OF
Invitations and refusals one Of the
brethren suggested arbitration.
| Cotton Mather spoke: For my part
don't think either Of you get your
Episcopacy from the Bible" Then fol
lowed a half hour of earnest inquiry a.
to Christian unity, Christian charity
inter.communion, cooperation and or
ganic union The general sentiment
was for good will and cooperation SO
far as practicable, but organic union
was thing not to be looked for
4 John Knox suggested the difficulty
was with the extremes. We here ir
the middle would have no difficulty IL
: recognizing the validity of Episcopa
tism by immersion. If the brethren a
the head and foot could do as much
for us the problem of cooperation ant
even of union would be already solved
Allusion was made to the Christian
commission and the cordial union o
Christians of every faith in the goot
work of caring for the sick and wound
ed in the army, and from this wa.
drawn a lesson of hope for like cor
dial union of all Christian forces IL
the Masters service in the not distan
future.
The interesting occasion closed witt
scripture reading and prayer by Broth
{ ers Bross and Burgess. About one
half of the twelve guests have passe'
to the other shore Mr.. and Mrs
Bowen have resided for many years il
Kansas and are occasional visitor
among relatives and friends in Ottun
: wa. Three of the ministers, Waring
: Bross and the writer are yet in tn
land of the living; and the cause Q
Christian union goes marching on