The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-12-24
FIRST REFORMED
Church DEDICATED
COSY NEW HOME FOR A GROW
ING CONGREGATION.
REV. CARL @. pETRI PASTOR
Structure Cost Over Four Thousand
Dollars and is Complete in Ev-
cry way--Sermon by Rev.
q. S. Fouse.

1
The new First Reformed church at
1.-THE corner of Third avenue and d
street was formally consecrated Sun
iday, December 20, at 2:S0 o'clock in
ltae afternoon. Conspicuously located
lon a good corner the new edifice
islands as model OF beauty and eff
Iciency considering its size and the
lmoney expended in its erection and 1t
loNcrs accommodations for all branches
lpf the church work To the congrega-
tiom which worships therein 1t is a
great relief from the accommodations
Iofered by the little hall at 1902 South
In street where they have faithfully
conducted weekly services for the past
1.-TWO wears. And while they realize
THAT a building does not in itself con-
Istitute a church they can with the ia
Ieilities for better work that it provides,
Hook forward to the accomplishment of
bigger and better things.
\ The conservation service was held at
1880 O'Clock in the afternoon and the
lseating capacity of the new building
Twas taxed to its utmost, the two sets
lof folding doors having been thrown
lupen to unite the three rooms in one
large auditorium to accommodate the
crowd ReFgCarlG. Petri, the pastor,
conducted The Service and a special
musical program. was rendered. A
quartette from Leighton composed Of
Dr. and Mrs. Howe, Mrs. John Gun
bingham and .. w. Richardson, accom-
panied by Mrs. Hilda Harris, rendered
1.-Two selections; Mrs. Howe sang" Face
Ito Face" and duet was rendered by
Mr.. and Mrs. Chester Amsberry of the
local congregation. The sermon was
preached by Rev. ID. s. Fouse, d. D.,
of Lisbon, Iowa, who took for his text
the passage, How amiable are Thy
ltabernacles, o Lord" Rev. Ellison R.
Purdy of the Friends church offered
a prayer and the benediction was pro-
nonncad by Rev. Eugene Allen, ID. d.,
of the Central Methodist Episcopal
church.
At the regular hour for church in the
morning. Rev Carl G. Petri was for
mally installed as pastor of the new
church, the service being conducted by
Rev. D. S. Feuse, of Lisbon, and Rev.
J. B. Bloom, of Wilton, Iowa, the lat
tier preaching the sermon. A vocal
Iduet was rendered by Mr.. and Mrs.
Chester Amsberry and solo by the
latter. Rev. Petri came to 0skaloosa
land accepted the pastorate OF the First
Reformed church just two years and
four months ago when the meetings
were being held in the United Presby-
terrain church. Soon afterwards they
moved into the hall on South ID street
where they have since conducted their
services. Although the membership is
small and the means with which to
work are very limited, Rev. Petri has
rallied the workers around him and
placed the church on solid founda-
tion and through persistent efforts per-
fected the plans for a new church edi-
fee and has at last carried them into
execution. The old Simmons property
was purchased and the lot extends a
full 120 feet in length, allowing room
for an addition to the church building
at some future time. The whole prop
erty now represents an expenditure OF
lover $4,000; tof this amount the mis-
sion board gave the church some as
sistance and the remainder of the
amount was provided for by the men,
bers of the local congregation and a
Jew liberal business men of the city.
While in charge of the parish here
Rev. Petri has also conducted regular
services at Leighton and he will con-
tinue to do so in the future, driving
out to Leighton Sunday afternoons and
after preaching there, returning in
time for the evening service here.
The Sunday school was held at the
usual hour in the morning with Supt.
Henry Jepson In charge. The primary
department and various classes were
organized and assigned places in the
room. The school has now an enroll
ment of about seventy-five and with
the new members which will. be re-
Iceived in a few Sundays this number
will be increased to at least one hun
dred. .. h. .t-
In the evening a free service was
conducted, deyiating from the usual
oFder, and Rev. Bloom preached. Spe-
cial music was rendered by the church
quartette composed of Mr.. and Mrs.
Amsberry, Miss Mary Kissick and s.
B. Onstine; Miss Emily Kissick, Or
ganist.
| Hereafter regular services will be
conducted In the new church each Sun.
day as follows:
9:45 a. M, Sunday school.
1890 a. m, preaching.
500 p. m.. preaching.
| II Is expected that fifteen or more
new members will be received into fell
lowship with the church next Sunday,
and on next "Wednesday night the
lChristmas exercises will be conducted
by the Sunday school.
1 The design Of the new church is
simple but attractive and efficient.
The main entrance is at the northwest
corner, the double doors opening into
la vestibule with doors opening into
lboth the church and the Sunday school
rooms. The main body OF the build
ing consists OF rectangular room d.