The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-05-20

DOAlSdISN4 vi 1OLi
l. o. Kemble, president OF the Minis
terial association.
Evening Session.
Another large congregation filed
the house for the evening program
that was fully as remarkable and
noteworthy as its companion services
of the morning and afternoon. Scrip
ture lesson and prayer were by
Rev. Snowden and Red Adkins, with
a sermon of particular strength and
earnestness applicable to the day
and the special occasion, delivered in
a masterful way by Rev Martin of
Marshalltown.
History of Local Church.
Some one has said, Sweet are the
uses of adversely" Not a soul OF
the old Congregational church mem
bership dreamed of the possibilities
before them on the morning of the
burning of their former home, Sec
ond avenue west and A street, in the
Gibbs Building fire, April 4, 1913.
They had been moving along I'm the
even tenor of their way" until
brought suddenly against the stone
wall presented by the total loss of
their home and its contents. With
courage and determination that has
been as remarkable as fruitful in ac-
complishment this people have come
back" with a splendid new home in
a little more than two years since
the fire. Now that the thing has
been accomplished the membership
acknowledges itself wondering how
it was ever done And here they
are, 10 go forth into a new field of
effort, to a harvest they would not
have entered but for the destruction
Of the former home.
Oskaloosa Congregational church
dates Its existence from 1874 and the
first place was in old Union Hail.
third floor over the Hub clothing
store of today. Thirteen years later
in the fall of 1857, the church went
into its first property, building 30
by 30 feet costing about $2,2OO.0O, and
dedicated July "a, 1857, by the Rev
Spaulding OF Ottumwa This was
quite q pretentious building for that
day and many of the old time resi-
dents recall it today. 1t was a rath-
err plain frame building, facing A
street. 1t was painted white and
had rather tall spire rising sixty to
seventy feet from the ground and in
the belfry beneath was the bell that
did constant service until the fire of
1913.
But this place became too small for
the growing congregation and i'm
provements were made in 1873. The
old part was moved to the west, adj
ditions built on the east and the
whole structure veneered with brick,
giving the appearance OF very sub
stantial property at cost of several
thousand dollars, and in its time a
model place. In ten years, however,
the church had again taken on new
proportions and new quarters be.
came necessary. The church made
a wonderful stride the following year
in erecting a fine new building that
occupied the entire lot to the south
of the old house of pioneer days,
which, however, was preserved. 1t
was too sacred a place to be re-
moved or done away with and was
made a part of the new building.
The new church was q model edifice
with an audience room AZ by 6S feet
seating six to eight hundred people,
and costing in round numbers about
ten thousand dollars. This is the
building together with it's splendid
pipe organ, the gift of Mr. and Mrs.
II. l.. Spencer, presented in 1885,
that was destroyed by fire April 4,
1913. The. building at this time rep
yuit 20 fn1 igh
ings and equipment, property worth
about twenty thousand dollars.
The Early Founders.
Going back in the history of the
church, in Oskaloosa the first records
give credit to Mr.. and Mrs. James
Sewers, Mr.. and Mrs. William Bowel,
Henry Temple and Mrs. Jane VIII
kinson for the organization OF the
first church. This was accomplished
October "a, 1874, and Rev. j. A.. Read
and Rev. B. A. Spaulding were the
first officiating ministers, Rev. Wes-
tervelt was the first resident pastor
and was in charge at the dedication
of the old time white church on
South A street. Rev. Westervelt
was succeeded about 1859 by Rev.
INOucItS, Wy ieCNs " II.
whose ministry among the people
covered a period of about Is years.
Rev. G.. ID. A. Hebard of Iowa City
became pastor in February, 1869, and
the following year had sixty acces-
sions to his church. He passed
away Dec. IA, 1870. Rev. J. E. Snow
den of West Virginia, who was in
the city at the time for the marriage
of a sister, was asked to occupy the
pulpit the following Sunday. The
impression he made resulted in
call to the pulpit which he accepted
and arrived to take uD the work the
month, January, 1871, and
no minister of the city has ever
stood In higher regard In the estima- /,
ton OF the public and the hearts of !
his people than this grand old man" |,
who was privileged to be in Oska, |