Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-27
UNITING OF WEAK coNGREGA.
TloNs BEING TRIED At Girls.
VOID, IOWA.
STRONG SOCIETY FORMED
BY CONSOLIDATION OF TWO
Will Build commodous House of Wor-
ship-Union Brought About Thru
Efforts Of Rev. Charles e. Luck,
Formerly of Marshall county-PIans
For New Edifice.

Griswold May 27.-In the fall of the
year 1908 the Christian church being
without a pastor, issued call to Rev.
Charles e. Luck then Of Clemens, Ia.
Mr. Luck accepted the pastorate and
came to Griswold in September.
The membership of this church was
small, but MIR. Luck, being man of
ability as a speaker. woke the people
up and the church was filed to over
| flowing. The trustees of the church
decided to enlarge the church. Work
was commenced Immediately and for
| two or three weeks they had no SER
vices. Then the Presbyterian congre-
cation, also being but little larger in
number than the Christian and being
without a pastor, invited them to come
and hold services in this church. They
accepted the invitation and held SER
vices there for some months. Then
some one preached the subject of unit
| ing and it was met with much en-
thusiasm. AT congregational meet
| ing it was decided to unite. sell one
church property and hand it over to
| the new organiza ton, with the under
standing that if this new project tailed
| to materialize the property would be
! given back to the Christian church, and
| they accepted Rev. Mr.. Luck as their
pastor. "A few weeks later some of
| the members became pessimistic and
objected to what was going on and
rather than provoke a quarrel the I'm
| ionites vacated. They then held SER
vices in the new opera house and it
was packed full every service.
The Disciples Church Of Christ, also
without a pastor, wanted to unite, but
as they could not agree on baptism
they hired preacher.
Revival Meetings Start Move.
! In February, 1910, the Unionites be-
gan holding revival meetings and DR..
Henderson, formerly of Atlantic, but
now pastor of the largest Congrega-
tional church west of Chicago at Mus
catine, Iowa, assisted Rev. Mr.. Luck
during the meetings. He was very en-
| thusiastic over the movement and
prophesied that in a few, years all the
Protestant churches Of the United
States would be united. Within a
radius of ten miles of Griswold, not
Including the neighboring towns, there
are about twenty-seven churches and
about one-flfth Of them are able to
support pastors. The rest are all idle.
At the time Of the revival meetings the
trustees of the Christian church finish
ed up the business. of that church, re-
Signed and became members of the
United church. Samuel H. Lamborn
was the first charter member of the
4 new church About the first of March
4 ~ no 0vtv
bers, now the number has increased to
about 200.
Almost all the wealthy men of Girls
. void and vicinity are members Of this
new organization so it is but small
wonder that they decided to build a
house Of worship. The trustees of the
church were Authorized to buy suitable
building lots and succeeded in getting
a corner lot on the south side of Main
| street. They consulted architects and
! finally accepted the plans of Mr. Erick-
son Of Red Oak. 1t was decided to
build brick building and some of the
male members Of the church took their
horses and wagons and hauled eighty
three big loads Of sand in less than
three days. There will be a basement
under the entire church. 1t will be
divided into three parts, namely. the
furnace room, gymnasium, and room
for holding socials, etc. The building
will be built Of Holtman's dark gray,
hard pressed brick.
Plan of Building.
The building will be seventy two
feet long forty-four feet wide and
twenty three feet high to the caves.
1t will be surmounted by steel dome.
The roof will be covered with asbestos
Ishingles. The basement will be four
fleet below the ground and five feet
above making it nine feet high. The
whole building will be electric lighted
and steam heated. There will be
a corner entrance The entrance will
open into a vestibule which leads either
Ito the main floor or to the gallery. OPP
posite the vestibule will be the rostrum.
On the south side will be another en-
trance which will lead into a cloak
room just behind the choir box. The
pastors study is also on the south
There will be three stained glass VIM
|dows on the east and west sides. while
on the north will be one very large
frosted Mate glass window The
church will be finished in hard yellow
pine The pulpit rostrum and choir
box will be Of oak. The seats will also
be or oak. ne SedllUS CdPd1iIy WI
be 500. The floor will be elevated.
The walls and ceiling will be frescoed.
The cost Of the church will be about
$4,000. The work of building the
church will begin in from one to three
weeks It will be great improve
ment for the town.
Rev. Charles E. Luck, pastor OF the
Union church OF Griswold, Iowa, was
educated at Antioch college and receiv-
led his oratorical training at the Elmer
son College Of Oratory, Boston, Mass
He has travelled extensively in Europe
His earlier life was spent on the lee
ture platform, being employed by the
COOPERATIVE Entertainment Bureau OF
Boston, Mass. He is regarded as an
orator Of unusual ability.
oS7EcSaTHHs APPLAUD MILLER
Approve Efforts to Defeat Owens Bill
Officers Elected.
1 a. sNntf 0ve