The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-02-08

meeting of the congregation. On
August s, 1881, when the trustees re-
ported that they could sell the prop
erty to the Baptist church for $500. |
possession to be given September lst,
congregation, and the property sold
to the said church. Arrangements
were made to hold preaching serv
ices and Sunday school in the opera
house for enc year. And the trus
tees in the meantime looking for
ported to the congregation that they
could purchase lot on the corner
of First avenue and Second street,
being the present location Of the
church, for $1500. Under instruc-
ticns from the congregation the trus-
tees purchased the said lot. Plans
for G new church were obtained,
which were adopted, and the trustees
instructed by the congregation to
proceed With the erection of the new
building, to cost $4,000. The con
tract was Let to Mr.. David Robertson
and John d. Byers for $4,000. In ac
ccrdGnce with instructions Of the
congregation, and after the contract
vas let there were great number
Of changes made both as to material
and construction, and the church was
completed about November, 1888, at
q cost Of 6,709.S6, but not all paid
for, leaving several thousand dollars
Of debt, which was carried by the
congregation for several years. which
proved to be somewhat of a financial
! burden to the church and hindrance
to its spiritual gOod and prosperity.
| November g. 1890, the congregation
| held q meeting to devise ways and
means by which the Indebtedness of
the church could be raised, which was
| nov about $4,000, at which time there
were committees appointed to visit
members OF the congregation and
community in order to procure the
money or obligations Of individuals in
payments to liquidate the indebted
ness. After two weeks of arduous
/ labor the committees reported that
/ they had raised over $4,000 in money
and notes Of yearly payments, for
three years, thus relieving the
! church OF the obligations, and suffi-
cient to liquidate the Indebtedness.
The Semi-centcnniaI.
A very pleasant event of the
church was the celebration of the fiji
tieth anniversary in the month of
| February, 1895, lasting for two or
three days. The celebration was
impressive and was attended largely
/ by the members of the church living
here and former members and min
! isters and the community who came
! to honor the occasion. The pro-
gram was of decided interest, adj
dresses and "reminiscences. One of
! the pleasant features of the occasion
! was the music of the choir of forty
/ years prior to that time. The mem
bers of the choir were Mrs. Mitchell
Wilson, Mrs. DR.. Jackson, Mrs. James
McQuiston and Mr.. A. NJ. Rodgers, all
of whom have passed away except
Mrs. McQuiston.
/ In the year 1897 Rev. Baugh's
health failed and the congrot3 alton
gave him leave of absence for one
year from April 1887 The pulpit
was supplied by local ministers until
January, 1883, wis. Rev. c. s, McEl-
Kinney was employed as stated sup
ply until Ma, 1883, when Rev.
Baugh returned and resumed the
pastoral work.
Pipe Organ Inst1lIed.
h Through a movement originated bv
friends of the church and pastor in
| the year 1S96,-which was greatly
appreciated Ia new pipe organ was
purchased and installed in the
church at a cost of $1,000 the said
friends donating $500, and the con-
gregation paid the balance of $4,000.
Rev. Scott w. Smith, who we are
I pleased to have with us on this occa-
sion, was chosen as pastor in Octo-
1 Der, 1898, and was installed Novemr-
Der Is, 1898, as pastor and served the
congregation three years. closing his
services October /. 1901, Tho mem
berahip at this date was two hun
dred and twenty-five. There was a
remainder OF q debt on the church