Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-24
HUNDR EDS ATTEND CENTRAL
CHURCH COMMISSIONED LAYING

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pastor of the united church. and the
services shall be held in the Second or
new school church for the present, and
within the year either of the church
buildings may be sold by a two-thirds
vote of the elders and trustees in joint
meeting
The first session OF the united church
met June 3, 1870, and were as follows;
From the former First or Old School,
church, A. K Philleo, James Kelly,
J. B. PIummer, J. NJ. Buford. Those
from the former Second or New
School, church, NJ. B. Osborn, c. j.
Williams, L. B. Requa, AMI e. A Smith
The first board of trustees was COM
posed of ]. NJ Buford, E. A Smith, C.
l. Bascom, Mylo Lee, DR.. ]. w. Stew
art, Judge George Peasants, r. r.
Cable, and DR.. Calvin G. Truesdale.
Shortly after the union, the First or
Old School church was sold for the
sum of $4,000 to the Roman Catholic
congregation. and is still the st. Jo-
seph's church, Fourteenth street and
Second avenue. Rev. DR.. H A. Newell
continued as pastor until August, 1873.
In December of 1873 Rev. John r.
Findley was called to the pastorate,
which continued until June, 1878. Dur
ing this passionate, on Sept. Is, 1874,
fearful tornado demolished the church
building. Then there was diversion
of opinion as to the future plan OF the
church Some favored remodeling and
rebuilding, while others deemed the
time ripe for the construction of new
building in another part of the city.
The majority voted to rebuild on the
old site, and this was done. The min
ority who voted to change location re-
solved themselves into body of petit
TONERS to Rock River presbytery to
organize, if the way be clear, new
church in Rock Island, and a record
of the presbytery is as follows:
"The committee appointed to organ
ize a church in Rock Island report
that they visited Rock Island on the
9th of April (1S75), and after care
full survey of the field and thorough
conferences with the brethren of both
churches. We deemed it wise TO grant
the request of the petitioners, and ac-
cordingIy. on the Goth of April, 1875,
we organized a church, to be known
as the Broadway Presbyterian church
of Rock Island with So members, As
by letter and seven on confession of
faith"
Under the same date, Sept. Is, 1876,
minute of presbytery reads: Upon
motion. the name of the Presbyterian
church of Rock Island was changed to
that of the Central Presbyterian
church of Rock Island The next
pastor was Rev. H. E. Westwood, DID,,
from November, 1878, to June, 1880,
followed by Rev. ]. A. P. McGaw, June,
1880, to July. 1881. The pastorate of
Rev. 8. 9. Cryer marked period Of
special growth in the congregation
from November, 1881, to October, 1886.
During this pastorate, in February.
1885, the Aiken street Sunday school
was organized in the little frame
school house in South Rock Island, by
members Of Central and Broadway
churches, with J. H Cleland as super
intendent. and full care was assumed
by the Central church officers
After an interim OF seven months
without a pastor, a call was accepted
by Rev. a. B. Medium of San Fran
cisco, who served from July l, 1887, to
December. 1889 During this pastorate
the 50th anniversary of the organiZa
ton was held with appropriate SER
mons and addresses, Nov. 81, 1887. On
Oct "a, 1899, a merchants carnival
was held in the interest of the church,
which was a financial success, netting
some $500.
Rev. John II. Kerr was called April,
1890, and resigned in January, 1895. 1t
was during his pastorate that the
Aiken street property was purchased.
Dec. 16, 1890. and the chapel building
was completed and dedicated Dec. 4,
1892, located on Aiken street between
Eleventh and Twelfth streets. The
next pastorate was that of Rev Ira w.
Allen, IT., from May. 1895, to Septem.
Der, 1900 during which time the church
building was rearranged on the in
terror and new circular pews were pur-
chased.
In December, 1901, a call was ex-
tended to Rev. William Torrance, DID,
Of the Central Presbyterian church of
TeTre Haute, Ind, who served the
church until May, 1905. In the second
year OF this pastorate a Sunday school
was organized by a committee compos-
ed Of representatives from Central |
church. together with like representa- |
ives from the Broadway church of |
Rock Island, and also from the pres |
Dytery of Rock river. The sessions of |
this Sunday school were held in the /
printing establishment at the corner of |
Seventh avenue and Eleventh street, |
and in 1905 a chapel was erected and /
dedicated on the lot purchased at the |
corner of Twelfth street and Eleventh |
avenue. and became known as the
Bethel Presbyterian chapel.
In July, 1905, the congregation call