The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-02
FOUNDATION
LAID By EARLY
PIONEERS Il
Builded Slowly and Well
History of Congregation
Is Interesting
FIRST
r YEARS AGO
Constant Progress Since the
Society Was Organized
in 1879
R SERVICES
r YEARS AGO

~Oo
in 1879
The big bell that for the first time
Summoned Grand Forks Presbyterians
to their house of Worship in 1880 will
Sunday morning peel forth Its note of
cheer. calling the congregation to the
new rditicc thai stands on the site OF
the old building. For q year the DELI
has been silent. 1t sounded last when
it called the church members to at
tend the farewell service in the for
mcr house of God. II will ring with
the same story Sunday morning of
Peace on Earth Good Will Toward
Men" that it has sent out on the
breeze for so many long years n the
old story will be brighter because the
boil will he in a new home.
The bell was the gift of a Mr..
| Bishop who visited Grand Forks in
1850. When the visitor returned to
his home in Now York city he pur-
chased the bell and sent it to the
Grand Forks congregation. sending
word that he had become Interested
in the work here and wished to do
something to show his appreciation of
the efforts of the good people of the
church.
The magnificent cdiice in which
hundreds of persons will listen to
words of encouragement Sunday. will
be in unique contrast to the first place
of Worship for Prcsbyterians in Grand
Forks away back in 1872. In this
year Rev. o. II. Elmer. pastor at
Moorhead, visited the little band.
prayed with them. blessed them. read
from the bible those verses that tend
to make lighter life's burdens. and
preached in the home of Captain
Griggs.
Rev. Elmer received a hearty well
come everywhere. The Presbyterians
! We're not organized, but their little
band grow. Children were baptized
then some dear brother or sister was
laid to rest in a peaceful burying plot.
Rev. Elmer did not come regularly.
He came every chance he had, how
ever. and his work bore fruit.
In 1875 steps were taken to organ
ize the Presbytcrians. Rev. T.. w.
Iddings of Escanaba, Mich. visited
He came at the solicitation of Rev.
D. G.. Lyons, synodical missionary Of
Minnesota.
Used Methodist Church in 1873.
The church problem Immediately
made itself felt. The only house of
worship on tho townsite was a small
structure erected for the Methodist
Episcopal congregation. Evincing the
true teaching of the golden rule"
the Mcthodists came forward and Of
fered their little church to the Pres
%byterians. For a time Il schedule of
meetings was carried out that per-
mittcd the members of both denomin-
ations using the small building for
worship. One choir furnished music
for both congregations then II it
was evident too that the good old
hymns sounded just as sweet and car
ried just as far when sung on Meth
odist Sunday as on "Presbyterian
Sunday"
At least two members of that splen-
did old choir are now living. They
are Mrs. Sue r. CaSwell, who acted
in the dual capacity of organist and
leading soprano, and Don Mcdonald.
who took part in the farewell services
at h old Presbyterian church a year
ago.
Formally Instituted in 1879.
Rev. ID. G. Lyons of St. Paul. assist
eel by Rev Elmer of Moorhead, and
Rev. Iddings vi Grand Forks, formal
~ instituted the Presbyterian church
in this city. April a. 1879. Rev. Id
dings was installed as the pastor.
The first session was composed of
fSoOeil ANDERSON, DOnaiQ Vi. GuT0
and Robert Stewart. Robert Ander-
son is still an attendant. but holds
his membership in East Grand Forks.
OF the charter members, Mrs. Iddings
still has her membership here. Mrs.
Katherine Keen. too. has attended the
church whenever she could in all
these Years. Ii has lived apart from
the city, but nearly every Sunday
morning when the weather has per-
mittcd she has been in the church
that she loves.
IN 1850 work was begun on the
building which a year ago was va
Gated and RACED. The work was start
cd early in the spring of that year
and by June the building had pro-
crossed far enough to permit benches
being placed in the structure. From
cdifice. which in those days was looked
upon as quite a great church."
And it was Il big church, a fine place
In which to harken to the words Of
the gospel. No thought Of a church
like the just completed entered
the minds of the congregation. But
times have changed. Everything has
those days. but the wore of God.
which remains the same blessed story
that the pioneer Presbyterians lis
tened to back in the dream days OF
1872. when Captain Griggs' house af-
forded a place for holding the re-
lgious gatherings.
The ground upon which the magnii-
cent new edifice stands was given to
the Presbyterians by Frank Vets.
hoy Power" for Pipe Organ.
When the first pipe organ ever put
up in the territory of Dakota was
contracted for in 1885, a small ex-
tension had to he erected on the
church to house the instrument. The
organ worked by hoy power mostly
and it was considered quite an honor
in those days to be allowed to pump,
pump. pump. and then pump some
more. Boys who in those days fur
nished the power for the first pipe
organ in the territory. will on Sunday
morning listen to the dulcet tones Of
an instrument that will seem almost
as wonderful to them as the hydro
%aeroplane does to the balloonist of a
few years ago.
In 1887 the old lecture room was
added to the church on the southwest.
The auditorium was later enlarged to
seat almost twice as many persons.
This improvement seemed at that
time TO threaten the very. existence
Of the Presbyterian congregation. The