Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-11-03

Ladies and gentlemen:
81 want to apologize to my friend
Dr. Van Puskirk, w. l.. jackson AMI
many others who have come out tc-
night especially to hear me preach
my first sermon. OF course, you ex
pected to hear a full sermon but the
hour is getting late SO 1 will not bel
hour and thirty minutes. have
waited long time to Preach myl
first sermon. When l was boyl
my fathers house was the stopping
place for all the preachers and I'll
Then hymn No. 2l0 was sung
by the audience, GLORIOUS Things
of Thee are Spoken" after which
p. j. Reifel spoke on
The Old Church.
The erection of this much needed edi-
fee was begun in the fall of 1892. and
finished in April. 1898. under the pastor
ate of Rev. H. r. Antes. 1t was built of
, brick, the foundation was 54x6o feet,
work-the brick being made at their
yards. N. w. Terry was the carpenter
in charge. and WD Gellett did the paint
| ing. Besides small windows there were
two large alcove windows on either side,
all windows furnished with stained glass.
Ceiling was about 20 feet high. There
were two class rooms 12xl5 feet in
front with ,vestibue zxl5 between.
These class rooms were SO arranged that
they could be opened and space used is
part of auditorium
The spire was nine feet square at base
by galvanized final ten feet high, max
ing total of 80 feet.
Credit is due to Brother Walter atkins,
an active young brother. whe raised the
moeey with which our beil-still doing
active service-was bought.
! As was the case with the beginning of
our second church. the erection of the old
church was begun under the most favor
able outlook. The cost of the church was
about $4,000. OF this sum $4,000 had
already been subscribed and provided for.
The Church Extension Society loaned US
$500. payable IN yearly payments of
Sloo. When the work was well advanc-
ed the panic of 1898 occurred and failure
seemed for a time to threaten the society,"
While all helped according to their ability
yet special credit is due Brothers A. C.
Conner and H, E. EllIngwood who at
7 . rYfeie 49, tba bap ,l
several thousand dollars on their in6ivid-
ual names, and thus tided the church over
I for a short time. The church was dedi-
Gated on April l6. 1898. by Bishop
Henry White Warren, free from debt. the
balance needed. $500, having been
raised that day,
OF the work of this church, blessed so
bountitully. too much cannot be said
We can truly say, ''the Lord hath done
great things for US, whereof we are glad"
Tne old church was occupied 3 years
from 1898 to leo6-when the growth of
our church demanded a larger place of
worship. Many who worshiped with US
in the old church have gone to their re-
ward and are now in the Church Trium-
phant--Brother John B. Eser. of spot
less character; Brother D. w. Barkley. |
who did so much in season and out, by
line upon line. to rid our city of saloons:
Brother A. C. Conner. who was always
at his post, father and mother Willard, |
Brother Edward J, Swlnk; Father Sam
pies. and those fsithful sisters. Mrs. J. H. |
Burr. Mrs. w. n. Hickox and Mrs J. H. |
Burris and others of blessed memory.
''Life's labor done,as sinks the clay.
Light from its load the spirit flies
While heaven and earth combine to say: |
How blest the righteous when he dies"
Mrs. w. d. Lewis gave a very
interesting talk on "The New
Church" told of the laying of the
corner stone, the dedication, the
cost of the church proper, and the
names of those who so literally
contributed to the furnishings of
the church. She also gave the
names of the different pastors
since the time of the dedication.
Mayor Coffman then gave
The Outlook of the Hethodist Church
In Rocky Ford.
was my duty to curry and take care
of the preachers horse and wait on
the preacher. And l made up my
mind then to be a preacher when [
become man and have the boys
wait on me, but when | was about 10
or - years old ] was a member of
n Sunday school class and one of