East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-05-31

W men the MetnOblStS UtGlCate q
their splendid new church on Sunday
they will possess one OF the finest
houses of worship in eastern Oregon
ana most satisfactory feature will
be the fact that the property will be
free from debt. Under the rules OF
the Methodist Episcopal church no
church building can be dedicated un-
Ill all debts upon the building have
been removed.
This being the case the local
churchmen have had the enormous
task of raising $4,000 with which
to pay for their new building and To-
cation. BY Sunday morning this will
be all raised or provided for in the
snaps of contributions not yet paid
in full
History of the New Church.
The movement for the erection of
the new church is one that has been
on ever since the arrival of Rev.
Robert Warner In Pendleton. He
came In September. 1902, and during
the winter of that year a subscrip-
ticn was started for the purpose Of
raising money with which to pur-
. chase a building site. The sum of
5000 was raised that winter and the
church bought the property at the
corner of Main and Water streets
now owned by the knights of Pyth-
las. That property was held for three
years, when 1t was sold and the pres
ent church site purchased.
In March, 1906, ground for the
church building was broken and the
work of excavating for the basement
commenced. on September IL last
the cornerstone of the new church
was laid with impressive ceremonies
and on next Sunday the church will
he officially dedicated.
Committee I'm Charge.
In the work of financing and 9TH
erwist providing for the work of erect
ing the new church much earnest and
patient work has been done by Pastor
Warner and by the members of the
trustees and building committee.
Tho trustees of the church at pres
ent are as follows: r. L Oliver, X.
r.. Coon, ]. b. Mumford, John L.
Stockman, George r. Roberts, T. d.
August Gun darian. The building
committee having charge of the erec-
ton Of the new church is composed
of r. L. Oliver, Geary Kiubrell, r. f.
Tarhott John l.. Stockman, George
l.. Roberts, F. VI. oliver and ]. B.
Mumford.
Since the arrival of Rev. Warner
In the city the membership of the
church has grown from 160 in 1902
to 300 at this time. This gain has
been made in spite of the fact that
r1any members of the church have
left the city. The congregation is now
strong and enthusiastic one and
with the new church now in readi-
ness the organization will doubtless
make still further gains. Rev. Rob-
e-t Warner succeeded Rev. John
u'Ren in 1902.
Historical Sketch.
The church life and work of Pen
dleton commenced in the summer of
1871. when the Rev. II. B. Lane,
member OF the Willamette confer
encc, preached to n class of six mem
bers at the old court house building
on Main street. These meetings were
continued at irregular intervals un-
til 1874, when the charge was at
tached to the East oregon and
Washington conference, generally
termed the Walla Walla conference,
That year 1S74) Mr.. Lane secured
a lot on Thompson street and COM
menced the work of building n
church. Rev. Mr.. Lane was succeed
ed that fall by the Rev. Columbus
Derrick, who completed the small
church In 1875.
The next protestant church that
commenced preaching in Pendleton
was the Episcopal, the Rev. Lemuel
Wells, afterwards bishop, commenced
preaching here in 1872. They soon
commenced the erection Of a church
building likewise. 1t was opened for
religious services in 1875. The same
year the Methodist church building
was dedicated and opened.
Their church was opened FOR serv-
Ice a little earlier in the year, but
though the Episcopals dedicated and
opened their church building for
services a few months earlier than
the Methodists, the Methodist church