El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-02-14
. 1rHIN the past I've years. an

THIN the past i've years, dur
M ing the pastorate Of Rev.
w charles L Overstreet, the
v;rs+ PRESBYTERIAN church Of FL Paso
o55od A21 new members and has
Las ~ round numbers 100000 for
Is-I2et tanance and Indebtedness and
s50 060 for missionary benevolent and
charity work. -,
...-i,ad in ApriL 1882, by Rev. J. A. Mer-
IN oDd was one Of the very Ilrst OF the
It-1otestant churches to enter Ine nelo OF
Yt++Ie' viIIage Of adobe structures. The
LL-I ----s.+fo77 took place IN the little frame
building occupied by I5l1lty G It sleIon'
and q names were IecOI - - 80 - u. ny II
80 80 ~ The church. The sermon on Inat occa-
- 1,-as preached by Rev. James D. 1aston,
n fading the place Of Dr.. Henry Little,
Zvas DELAYED by a late tram:
va 1859 Mr. Merrill solicited the money
--ifb vrbiRh to build stone church on Myr-
~ aveT1Ie The church was built ana oc-
cupied by the Prespyterlans dlllL Ine Lall OF
1o67 The stone for the MyrLs avenue
church was hauled from mount FF "a p ~
and the building, when flnlshe9 cost SiI,VOO.
80 vas dedicated during the month Of
Veterinary 1888. In 1899 an auultloh was
built to the church, costing sSogy' GIVING
tbe church a seating capacity OF about 400;
II BAILEY was the first elder elected
1,v, fI,a congregation. Some two years later
elected members Of the session rms was
,,rSsr Tbe Dastorate Of Rev. J. K. Fowler.
The church has had up to the present time
about 80 elders, there being ~ acIVes Iul-
no elders at the present time. The first
trustees were R. NJ. Mchle' "; W.. WH-
ii7rns and Rev. Mr.. Merrill This church
VAS organized by what is now known as the
I5rasl,vfarfan church u. S. A, and was the
onlv Presbyterian church in FL Paso Tor
many years. -, -.
mission churches, the East FL PasO Presby-
terian with whose organization ana mann
tenance the First church has had con-
rTsa--1 IL a RI
si'ei'''N'J mas as received 1900 Members.
The First church has received into Its
membership almost 1900 members since us
organization, the present membership Delng
considerable over 800 In addlulOn 70 TINS
the church has always enjoyed large
constituency, or adherent following Whlch
has made it the strong religious organization
--''' List Of Pastors.
The pastors of the church have been: Rev.
7 A. Merrill from 1882 to 1884; Rev. J. K.
Fowler, January, 1885 to June 1885; Rev.
w s keyeS D. D., september 1922, 1902 70 -o07
March. 1887 to June, 1887; Rev. J. Easton
Brown, September 1887 to December 1SS4 ;
Rev. II. NJ. Whaling, from NOVEMBER 1855
to January, 1891; Rev. c. F. Richmond from
February, 1891 to January, 1898; Rev. J. E.
Jones February 1898 TO December 1898;
Rev c. A Hyland, December 1893 to No
vember, 1895; Rev. A. n. Elliott. November,
1895 to October, 1896; Rev. Henry W. Moore,
from October. 1886 till his death in NOvem-
Der, 1905 Rev W E. Mcleod, april 1906
TO December 1908, Rev. Charles Leslie Over
street, April, 1903, and is still serving the
church.
It viii be seen that the Rev. Henry Moore
served the church longer than any Of its
pastors. For nearly 10 years he was the be-
loved leader Of this congregation, his brill
liant sermons attracting a large following
outside his own membership His death was
greatly mOurned by the entire citizenship OF
Ell Paso. 1t was during Mr.. Moore's pastor
ate that the church became self supporting.
Church Edifice Cost 100000.
Previous to that time II received aid from
the board Of home missions. Today the
church is thoroughly organized in all de-
partments of church work. Since the fall
of 1907 the congregation has wOrshiped in
the present commodiOus building which,
with the lots, cost over 100000 The church
is modern in every respect and is equipped
for all lines Of Christian effort The sunday
school is organized and graded according TO
the latest approved methods and, with the
home department and cradle roll. has q