The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-06-30

|
just recovering from the affects of the
Indian war. There were three other
ministers on the field, who took turns
/ in holding services in an old govern
ment building, which was bought at
government auction sale by Mr.. L. E.
Tubbs for $500. We are told that
the little town was full of enterprise
and the business centre for an extern
sive territory lying round about. 1t
was moreover station on the old
government road from St. Cloud to
Fort Abercrombie, and the arrival
and departure of the stage was an
event. The long train of oxen with
/ their so-called Red River carts made
all of wood were marked feature of
the traffic on this road in the olden
| times.
| There were four hotels, five large
general stores and two or three gro
ceries besides, all doing large bust
ness. But there was no protestant
meeting house within sixty miles.
In the spring of 1867, the Presby-
terians and Congregationalists began
to build opposite each other on Main
St. and strove for first place. The
Congregationalists built the smaller
house, completing it first and dedi-
eating it in November of the same
year. This was the first protestant
church building west of st. Cloud.
| This building is now a store on the
north side of Bird street and occupied
by S. c. Bjone. The Presbyterian
church, finished month later, after
wards was purchased by the Congre-
gationalists and used until 1903 when
it was superseded by the present
structure and is now used as one of
the exhibit buildings on the fair
grounds. Eighteen sixty-seven was
the year of the big freshet, which
tore out the mill-dam here as we'll as
every bridge and mill between Sank
Centre and ST. Cloud.
The church was organized on JAN
uary 20, 1867, with thirteen members,
two of whom are still living, Mr.. 0.
r. Heath, of Walker, n. d. and Mrs.
Julia Tubbs, the latter of whom is
with us on this occasion, though now
living in California. Owing to poor
health, Rev. Mr.. Fox was compelled
to close his work in August 1868 when
the church numbered II members.
Rev. A. j. Pike followed him, arriv-
ing here from Massachusetts OH Sept.
10, of the same year. The substance
of what follows is taken from paper
prepared by Bro. Pike on the occasion
of the 18th anniversary of the church.
celebrated in 1892. He reported q
membership of "a, and congregation
of 40 to Is.
The site upon which the town was
built was an open prairie, the sloughs
were all full of water and these were
lowered with water fowl. Deer were
then plenty in the neighboring wood:
and sometimes ran through the vii
lage; and bear were killed just across
the river. Indians dressed with thei
moccasins, blankets and feather
were frequent visitors to the village
People were not SO particular in re
gard to their dress and equipment O
their homes as at the present time
and many would come to church
especially at the evening service, il
the same clothes in which they work
ed during the week. Yet there wa
in the society as it existed here,
geniality and a sociality and a genera
sense of equality that is no longe
found.
| About the time of Rev. Pixies ar
rival, Rev. Elmer was sent here b.
the Presbyterians, who lived AM
worked together on the terms o
mutual friendship and respect. Blu
as the Presbyterian church was small
and did not show much signs o
growth, Mr.. Elmer was removed t
Moorhead in the fall of 1871 and tn
church left vacant. The next year
committee of Presbyterians visite
the place, the result of which wa
: that the way was opened for such
union of the two churches as coul
: be effected. Soon after the congre
jgationalists agreed to take tn
Presbyterian church property and t
pay about $1,000 to the Presbyteria
church building society which it ha
; advanced to the local society. 1
voluntary subscription raised fund
to place brick foundation under tn
church, plaster the walls, put in me-
pews and purchase bell. The whol
, repairs cost about nine hundred do
lars. The renovated church wa
| dedicated Dec. Is, 1872, the sermo