Arizona republican., 1908-04-01
Phoenx--capa/ and Chief City of the Golden Empire
THE CHURCHES OF PHOENIX.

1896 was entrusted to the care of the ! Franciscan Fathers of the Province
 of St. Louis, Mo. The present pastor ! is Rev. Novatus Benzing under whose
 rectorate was built the Franciscan Fathers residence; St. Mary's Pri- mary School with St Andrews Hall
 and a new residence for the Venerable [ School Sisters. In 1902 the above mentioned adobe church was replaced 1 by the construction of the basement of
 d new church at cost of s16,00O. This | building was dedicated lst of February 1903, under the title of the Immaculate i Conception e the Bl V. NJ. The seat ing capacity of this basement is 800 | It is probable that the edifice will be completed at no very distant date. 1 Services are held in both Spanish and English. Since 1892 a parochial school i has been conducted. The present at
 tendance is 263. St. Josephs Hospi- i tai is under the care of the Venerable l Sisters of Merc".
 : The first Protestant church OrganiZ- ! ed in Phoenix was the Methodist Epis-
 copal Church South in December. 1871. ! This church has 9 fine, modern brick edifice valued at S25,000 and seating 500 persons. It is located in the heart of the cir-. opposite the Post Office and near the business center Its
 membership is about 300. It is practi- cally free from debt and owns a par sonage valued at 5000. Money rais- ed in 1907 for all purposes amounted to S6.470.10. The Pastor, Rev. R. C. Douglas, was President of Bolton Col lege in 1892. and came tG Phoenix from Santa Ana, California, where a fine house of worship was erected dur | ing his castorate. This church has
 been noted for its aggressive evangel- ism with the assistance of various well
 known evangelists. The Arizona Dis
 trict of the Methodist Episcopal Church South consists of five churches having a total membership of 5S5 and church property valued at over $4O,OOO. The First Methodist Episcopal Church was formed April 4, 1874. with three members and one probationer
 Ii now has 900 members and IS proba- tioners. There was no regular pastor
 for several years but services were
 held occasionally in an adobe building on First avenue which was also used as a Court House. In 1878 and 19 ser vices were held jointly with the Pres byterian church in brush-arbor structure on Jefferson street not far
 from tho present Court House. In
 May. 1881, brick church, on the cor ner of Washington street and Second avenue. costing 5000 was dedicated, In october. 1896. the old church having
 been long since outgrown. new house was dedicated on the corner Of Monroe street and Second avenue. at q total cost os :25.O0O. This is one of the largest and finest church buildings in the city. seating about 500 in the auli-
 torium. It h-s a,so g large vestrv and other rooms in tka base ment. A handsome parsonage adioins the church. valued at 5000. Monies rais- ed for all purposes last year amounted to :5,O76.
 The Arizona Mission. embracing the churches of tie Territor.- consists of 21 churches with total membership Of 1,f57 and v probationers. The pres ent pastor. Rev. John Allen Geissin- ger is :',st abo,:t to take charge of the field.
 On the first Sunday in September, 1878 was preached the first sermon by q Presbyterian clergyman in Phoenix, Rev. William Meyer, sent out by the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions. At that time there were but two mem bers Of the Presbyterian church in the whole community. The earlier ser vices of the church were held in the unfinished building of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in carpen- ter's shop north of the City Hall and afterward in the brush -arbor" church erected by Rev. Mir. Meyer and Mir. Henry Ryder. Ryder's Chapel was then put up only to be blown down by an Arizona storm. From the wreck enough material was saved to con struct a one-story building which now stands in the Jefferson Street front of Ryders lumber yard. It was in the brush -arbor church. June 10th, 1879, that the First Presbyterian church of Phoenix was organized. with eight members. five by letter and three on profession. In the spring of 1889, the present church building was begun. On the first Sabbath in December, 1889. the congregation worshipped for the first time in the lecture room of the new church. The edifice was dedi- cated April, 1892, during the pastorate of Rev. Preston Mckinney. In 1898, Rev. Lapsley 4. McAlfee accepted a call to this church and continued it's pastor for seven years The present pastor. Rev. Henry Martyr Campbell served important churches in St Louis Kansas City and Pueblo. Colorado be- fore his settlement in Phoenix. The church is strong in character and numbers and makes itself felt as one of the most potent moral forces in the community. The present membership is nearly 500. Value of church prop
 Continued on page 2)