The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-18
FIRST NJ. (. CHURCH
p. 1. Bonebrake, Oldest Living
Member, Writes It's History.
Was Founded ON 3Oth of
March, 1866.
THE CLOCK STILL STANDS
One Donated and. Used in First
Edifice.
Has Had 25 Pastors Since Its
Organization.
The CLOCK STILL STANDS

The following brief history of the
| First NJ. E. church of Topeka was writ
| ten by Mr.. P. 1. Bonebrake, one of the
| Oldest members of the church:
| Rev. John d. Knox was considered
the historian of the First Methodist
church of this city and prior to his
! death had gathered much material
! for church history, but before he had
| arranged his facts and put them IN
shape his health failed him and finally
death came and all his work and labol
was lost, as no one living is qualif1ed
! to write its history. He was a MEM
Der of the First church for a longer
period than anyone connected with II.
The honor of being a member for q
longer period than any other has now
fallen upon me. 1 believe that I have
| been a member of the First church
longer than any one living
The First church was organized on
the 3Oth of March, 1855, 81 years ago.
The Town company gave to the church
lots ISL to 167 on Quincy street. Upon
these lots there were some fort1f1ca-
lions hich had been erected for de.
tense against the border ruffians and
pro- slavery hordes of Missouri. Part
of this Fertilization remained on the
north side of the church for years
after the church was built. Its first
pastor was ]. T. Griffin. Rev. Mr.
Griffin was a farmer as we'll as d
preacher He owned farm between
Topeka and Tecumseh. 1 presume his
descendants own it now. He farmed
on week days and preached on Sun
day.
In 1860 a church building was COM
menced during the pastorate of Rev.
Ira Blackford and used, although MOI
finished until the year 1867. The build
ing was of stone and concrete, and
had a steeple as has the present
church. 1t also had a bell donated by
friend and clock bought and paid
for by public subscription. The clock
still stands but never runs. "Boreus-
the storm king" seems to have a spite
at the several steeples as they have
been struck by lightning several times
but still stand and mar the beauty OF
the present structure. The building
was scarcely completed when it was
ascertained that owing to the increase
of the membership of the church and
the growth of the Sunday school, the
building was too small to meet the
proper demands. An extension was
added on the west end. This was
found to be inadequate and another
extension added on the west and final
ly one added on the east and gal
lery added. With all the enlargement
the demands for room We're not yet
met, and a new church building wa
determined upon. Lots on the corner
of Sixth and Harrison streets were
bought ard new iedifiee erected.
which together with the cost of the
organ made total cost of about $50
600. The building of the new church
was a great task because almost all
of the members were of moderate
wealth, but all men and women work
ed as one to succeed. Many of those
noble men and women now lie in the
silent city on the hill The church
stands as monument to their zeal
and sacrifices
Just here I want to pay a tribute
to the memory of w. D. Gossett, de-
ceased, who for 16 years was super
intendent of the Methodist Sunday
school. In my opinion he did more
for the advancement of the interests
of the Sunday school and the church
through the Sunday school in early
days than any other person connect
ed with the church. He was a noble
tendent.
From the organization of the
church, March 80, 1855, to the present
date the church has had twenty-five
pastors; twelve have been from the
Kansas conference, the remainder
were from other states. Eighteen have
passed away, six are in active minis
try, one superannuated. With one ex-
ception all were able, jealous and
faithful ministers of the gospel. The
most eloquent orator that ever filled
the pulpit of the First church. He in
herited an appetite for strong drink
He labored earnestly to overcome this
weakness but failed and fell He wan
dered away and his fate is unknown.
The following is. "a list of pastors who
have served the First Methodist Epis-
copal church in Topeka, Kansas, since
its organization: !. S. Griffin, G. w.
Piper, James S. Holiday, Baxter Den
mis-, Ire Blackboard, John Paulson,
Thomas A. Parker, James H. Hawley,
John d. Knox. Thomas ]. Leak. Daniel
P. Mitchell, John j. Thompson. D. ].
Holmes. James E. Gilbert, John A
Gray. o. J. CowlCs, G.. w. Waters, ].
A. Lippencott, A. s. Embree, E. L.
Thorp. J. T. Mcfarland. Samuel E.
McChesney, W. c. Evans, Frank n.
Lynch, Frank Lafayette Loveland.
With the growth of the city and the
of the church and Sun
day school. an additional improvement
was added within the last year at
cost of $4,000. Today the First NJ. E.
church of this city has the largest
church and Sunday school building of
any Protestant church in Kansas. 1t
has a membership of about 1,40o and
a sunday school enrolment of about
500. p. 1. BONEBRAkE.