Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-11-03

oons, butt she plead with all her
strength for old as well as young
to join the pledge. That is, to
never drink Intoxicating liquors.
smoke or chew
THE last but not least l wish to
mention is the first woman l ever
heard pray aloud in public. 1t was
Adeline Hushaw, in 1885, in the lit
tie white school house. can see
her rise to her feet to kneel and
hear her voice going to God in
prayer as though it were yesterday
Ever afterwards / always looked at
her as a grand, good, noble Chris
tian woman. it is wonderful the i'm
pressions implanted upon child's
heart Who knows what boy or girl
is watching us? If we could but real
ize this l am sure there would be
more of us on our knees calling to
God in prayer
Mrs. A. @. Conner then gave the
following paper on
The First Methodist Church In Rocky
Ford.
When we came to Rocky Ford Nov. II,
1887, Sunday school and church services
were held in what was called Capron
Hall. used also for school purposes and
is now occupied by Bro. Schott's grocery
store. There was no organized church
at that time. all services being union.
Rev. j. T. Wood of the M. E. church To-
Gated at La Junta. was the preacher
preaching here once or twice month
after Sunday school in the afternoon.
At this first service | attended only
fourteen were present. remember Mr..
and Mrs. Eastwood. Mr.. and Mrs. Cap
ron, Mr.. and Mrs. Kane, Mr.. ard Mrs.
Kellogg. Mr.. and Mrs. Robb, Bro. Lar
more and our family. Mrs. Kellogg pre-
sided at the organ. We sang familiar
songs from the Gospel Hymns. | re-
member Rock of Ages" was sung.
don't remember his text, but Brother
Wood told US to not do as some were do
ing, coming west and leaving their church
other side Of the river, but emphasized
that we live just as religious here. And
along that line of thought, during the
time Of those early services.
Sunday was the great day of the week,
for all stores and saloons were open: cow
boys. round ups" and most all people in
the valley around came to town to trade.
The COW boys would get drunk, shoot ana
halloo and have gay times. while the rest
of the week was very dull and quiet.
The COW boys were not so bad after all,
for was told they paid for the organ
used in the services.
A few months after we came, some
time in the early spring, the Presbyter-
ians organized with S members and the
Methodsts with seven, but having no
regular pastors, listened to who ever
came, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or Methodist.
and when no preacher came some Of the
brethren of any denomination that was
here would exhort to US; so we worked
together as union till we had our regular
pastors. always glad to welcome the
new comers who came into our town.
Leroy b. Elser followed with a
paper on
The First Place of Worship In Rocky
Ford.
"A description of the First Method
ist place of worship will not, think.
exhaust either my time limit or my
vocabulary. l. will, therefore, preface
my remarks by introducing tie first
regular Methodist pastor assigned to
Rocky Ford.
THE Rocky Ford Enterprise of
Aug. 2, 1890, says: Rev ID. w. Burt
was assigned to Rocky Ford by the
Methodist conference held at Canon
City. Mr.. Burt is expected in Rocky
Ford shortly and will hold services
in the Hall, Sunday afternoons The
issue of Aug. 23rd tells of his jour
ney and arrival in the following
words: Rev. ID. w. Burt, the gentle
man chosen by the Colorado Confer
ence to minister to the people OF
Rocky Ford in Methodist things spir-
itual, arrived in town Wednesday. He
came overland from Lansing, little
town in the northermost part of the
state, 200 miles in prairie schoon-
er, accompanied by his wife and four
children. There were periods of "a
hours in the journey in which they
met no human being and passed no
human habitation and for one twenty
four hours they sighted no water at
which to which to slack the thirst
of their horses. Such a trip must
have been fatiguing in the extreme.
but the reverend gentleman resolute-