Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-09-14
new PASTOR breaches
REV. HOWARD MCCONNELL BE-
LIEvES IN CHRISTIAN UNION
Minister Prominent in Temperance
Reform of State-Will Soon Be-
come Pastor of Dallas Church.

The Rev. Howard Mcconnell, who
has accepted the pastorate of the
Christian church of Dallas, and who
will enter upon his duties here the
latter part of October, after having
concluded an evangelistic engagement
in another state, is a native of Kan
sas, having first seen the light of
day at Andale, that state, in 1887.
His parents were Scotch Irish, moth
er Of the pioneer stock Of Kansas.
His father was school man until
1897, when he began preaching the
gospel. Moving west in 1902, young
Mcconnell attended school at Pal
ouse, Washington, where he gradual
ed from the high school in 1902, lat
er entering the Eugene Bible school,
from which he graduated in 1910. As
student preacher he was pastor of
the Woodburn church for three years,
during the. last year of which time
he also served Coburg. About five
years ago Rev. Mcconnell accepted
the pastorate Of the Christian church
at The Dalles, and during his con-
nection with that institution received
nearly 400 into communion. A visit
ing minister to the church at The
Dalles recently paid Rev. Mcconnell
a compliment by saying that his
church was the most spiritual and at
the same time the most progressive
church he had ever had the good for
tune to come in contact with. While
the minister's work at The DalIes is
said to have been most peaceful in
the church, it was at the same time
full of turmoil because Of the refor-
nation which has and still is taking
place in that city.
Rev. Mcconnell was one of COM
mittee of three that drafted the con-
stitution of the somewhat famous
"Committee of One Hundred" and
was one of the seventeen who raided
the underworld of The Dalles, which
movement ultimately put a stop to
lawlessness of this character in that
city. He was conspicuously identi-
fed with the movement which ushered
DR.. J. E. Anderson into the political
arena. Being something of a poll
tician for the uplift of the communi-
ty he campaigned in four city cleo
tions in The Dalles. and stunned
Wasco county twice. While here last
Sunday to fill morning and evening
preaching engagement in the church
which has elected him to its pastor
ate. Rev. Mcconnell told a represen-
tative of The Observer that The
Dalles of early days is past, and that
The Dalles of today is thriving in
business, religion and general COM
munity morals. He loves the city in
which he resided during the past five
years, and is firmly convinced that
its progress will be far greater in
the future than in the years that
have fed.
81 believe in practical christian
union, and when ] come to Dallas to
reside I want to be personal friend
to every minister. I come from
place where Baptists. Lutherans,
Methodists, United Brethren, Congre-
gationalists and Episcopalians work
in harmony, shoulder to shoulder, as
it were, for the cause of the Master, "
said Mr.. Mcconnell, "and this r
shall hope to do in beautiful Dallas.
In looking back I believe that I can
say honestly that the secret of what
ever power I have has been the abili-
ty to meet people as a man and as a
personal friend rather than a pro-
fessional minister. His character
istics in this direction appear to be
pronounced. He tells the old truths
without the atmosphere of clericalism,
his sermons being powerful express
sions of faith, told as between man
and man.
The Dalles newspapers recently
chronicled the farewell reception ten
dered the Rev. Mcconnell when he
left the ministry at that place. when
a banquet was held in his honor, at
tended by hundreds of townspeople
who gave expressions of regret over
his determination to cast his lot
among another people, Rev. Neon
nell will return here from Kansas,
whittier he goes to conduct evangelis-
tic meetings, the latter part of Octo-
ber. when he will bend his energies
to the further upbuilding of the Dal-
las Christian church, and that his
influence will be felt throughout the
community is quite evident. Judging
from the good work accomplished by
him in the other communities with
which he has been identified. Both
his sermons last Sunday were well re-