The Irish standard., 1915-09-01

AuOkd udS pOpuldtlOH OF ABOUT
1900. 1t is the county seat of Anoka
County, has ten churches, public Ii
brary, public hall, four schools, con-
vent school. The city has an excel
lent sewerage system and considera-
BILE undeveloped water power. About
1900 farmers do their trading here.
Anoka is we'll supplied with newspa-
pers, hotels and theaters.
A brief review of the history of St.
Stephens church will prove of inter-
est to many. The history of this
church has been a history of good,
teaching the principles of temper
ance, honesty and good citizenship.
No other church organization has
done more for the general prosperity
of this community than has the Cath
Ollie church. St. Stephens church edi-
fee stan DIS out in bold relief, hand.
some monument of rare material
advancement, manifesting the noble
zeal and living faith of those who
worship beneath its sacred roof. 1t
is styled "Anoka's Pride" because it
city.
The present church occupies the site
of the old one. 1t is 124x15O feet,
with wing for sacristy 32x24 feet.
The body of the church is 1OOx5O, con-
tanning four rows of pews of twenty
FIVE each, or one hundred in all, hav-
ing seating capacity of 900. The
gallery is 20x5O feet, and will accom-
modate 100 persons. There is still
some room in the rear for more pews
that will increase the seating capacity
when needed The interior is lighted
by sixteen stained glass windows and
a number of smaller ones. The walls
of the building are twenty feet high
and from these the ceiling rises much
higher till it reaches, in the center, a
point only a few inches below the
roof. The building is made from
cream colored brick, trimmed with
red stone from Lake Superior. 1t is
heated by two furnaces. Recent i'm
provements have added much to the
exterior beauty of the church. A SUBJ
stantial stone walk has been laid, to-
gether with a flight of stone steps
leading to the front entrance.
Rev. Thomas Duane assumed
charge of St. Stephens church as pas
tor, October 26, 1891, and has presi-
ded efficiently over the destinles OF
the parish for the past eleven years.
When he entered upon the active du-
ties of his pastorate the parish was
$4,000 in debt. Many members of
the congregation felt that the indebt-
edness was more than they could hope
to liouidate, and they considered it
useless to continue the payments OF
interest and the other expenses. Some
advised a possible sale, while others
remained reticent. An effort had
been made by the former pastor to
enforce the payment of subscrlp-
ton and an assessment held against
several of the members, but failed OF
success.
Father Duane understood that the
problem of liquidating the debt was
a serious one, and it was with the
greatest difficulty that he inspired
hope in the discouraged souls OF his
people.
1t was a time of financial depres-
sion in Anoka; the mills that had con.
tributed much to the prosperity OF
the city for years, were beginning to
pass out of existence. In the sur
rounding country the condition was no
better; the crops were poor and prices
low. No large contributions were to
be expected from even the most pros
porous, and it was only by encourage
ing the members of his congregation
to the giving of small sums to fairs
any festivals, that any success was
possible. The good ladies of the par.
ish nobly seconded his efforts and
many a fair and festival have since
been scored to the credit of the parish.
Through his means the indebtedness
of the parish has been completely
wiped out, and the repairs and i'm
provements of the church PAID. tor
in due order. The property has been
increased materially, adding in the
line of improvements three fine affairs,
a splendid bell, church decorations,
stone steps and fine cement side