Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-08-07
WILL DEDICATE NEW MEETING
HOUSE At SAME TIME
Doub'. Event Of Great Importance to
ouaksrdom-othsr Yearly Meetings
70 Send Rsprsssnta Observation-Disclosures
a. Adjunct to Meeting houss-Rsv.
Ellison R. Purdy to Preach.
special to Times-Republican.


anniversary of the founding of Iowa
yearly meeting of Friends. At the
same time will also occur the dedica-
ton Of the new Iowa yearly meeting
house which has been erected during
the past year.
Fifty years ago Iowa yearly meeting
was established. being "set up" to use
Quaker phraseology. by Indiana year
ly meeting. The founding of new
yearly meeting is an event of much
purport among Friends. The occasion
Is always attended by, delegates from
other yearly meetings. So at the es-
tablishjng Of Iowa yearly meeting
fifty years ago there were represen-
tatives from London and Dublin year
ly meetings. At the time Iowa yearly
meeting was established it was the
farthest west Of any Of the American
yearly meetings. Iowa at that time
was prairie state and was really on
diana to Iowa at that date was no
easy matter.
At the present time there are twelve
yearly meetings in the United States.
oskaioesa First Homo.
A few years after the establishment
Of Iowa yearly meeting the necessity
for a meeting house became apparent.
A tract Of land lying northwest OF Os-
kaloosa was purchased and q large
two-story brick building erected. This
has served as the home OF Iowa yearly
meetings until now. Recently the M.
& St.sL. has extended its switch yards
to the yearly meeting property. The
noise from engine and moving trains
has rendered the old property unfit
for use, consequently it was necessary
to abandon it and seek q location else
wkereNot far distant from the yearly
meeting home is located Penn college,
a college supported and maintained by
Iowa Friends. They have splendid
campus Of ten acres. athletic field OF
five acres, and a tract of land forty
nine acres adjoining the campus. The
building site for the new meeting
house was secured at the corner OF G
street and College avenue, upon which
during the past year, has been erected
a modern structure at a cost upward
Of $4,000. This building is Of colon
ial architecture, and Is constructed for
the purpose Of worship and service
It is splendidly equipped for all lines
Of church work, with special attention
given to Sunday school work. It has
an excellent equipment for the social
life of the community. It will be fit
ted for serving meals to Friends who
attend Iowa yearly meeting. Being
located near the college campus ample
space is given for the handling of
large crowds Of people.
Auditorium a. Adjunct.
Only short distance from the
church is located large auditorium
for the accommodation. of vast crowds
Of people who attend the yearly meet
ing occasions. This structure is of
the umbrella type: the frame work is
of steel-only one post being visible.
The building is 135 feet in diameter
and will seat comfortably $500 people.
The transplanting of Iowa yearly
meeting from the old to the new home
is an event Of much more than ordinary
significan:e to. the Friends church in
the middle vest. 1t will without doubt
be the beginning Of a ne" era Of
church activity. During the past three
years Iowa Quakerisln has manifested
much vitality Three significant 'hinss
indicate this. First, thu raising Of
1925, 900 a Il ltional endowment for Penn
c. .!ege, all Of which was given by the
lE,'nediat, friends Of the institution.
70, do;'A- OF it coming f:oln phiitn-
-hropic .'ntrces IHside The immediate
supporters Of tn. college. Second. the
erection o1 the new yea.:v meeting
house as descr:bel above. Third, the
erection OF d spi .ndid ..aw> -chirch
building in the city of Dies aIsiucs a.
cost Of 100000 Aside from these
larger items. there are n.Iny others
which, so far as the community In
Which they have iraaspire,: IS cs'H-
cernel, ars Of as ;-t"t Importance as
these One, illustration will serve. Mhe
CID com1rnnity of Salem, LEA. where
Friends first located west Of the Mis-
sissippi river, had the great misfortune
to lose its meeting house by fire. While
this seemed to be great loss, 1t has
turned out to be a blessing In disguise
The old meeting house was located out
side the town limits and was difficult
of access. Since 1t was burned new
and modern structure has been erected,
well located in the center Of the town.
There are many other happenings
which demonstrate the increased vital
ity and new life to Quakerism in the
middle west. V-
Few Pionssrs Left.
There wiil be few people in attend
ance at the .fftieth anniversary who
were present at the founding of the
yearly meeting. There is only one Of
the committee appointed by Indiana
yearly meeting still living: namely,
Charles F. Coffin, 1892 Groveland ave-
nue.. Chicago, III. It is hoped that 1t
will be possible for Mr.. Coffin. altho he
is now in feeble health, to be present
at the anniversary exercises Rev. Ell
lison r. Purdy, now pastor OF the
Friends church at Wilmington. Ohio,
and who formerly served the Oskaloosa
Friends as pastor for seven years, will
preach the aeatcatory sermon. Rev.
Charles w. Sweet, Of Muncie. Ind, also
a former pastor Of Oskaloosa Friends
meeting, and who afterward served for
a dozen years rs pastor of the Des
Moines Friends church, will be present
and participates in the exercises. he
49, 4sn