Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-06-26
STORY OF TOWN Of
LIBERAL, MISSOURI
Rev. Spiker of harrisburg Recites
Failure of Attempt to Create
Goddess City.

| : Il N 'NR
Rev. spiker, pastor of the Con
gregational church in Blairsburg
told the very interesting story Of
Liberal, Mo-, at the Congregations
church in this city Sunday p. m. Lib
eral was established many years age
by gentleman. a Mr.. Watcher, who
was we'll educated and a man OF
parts, but did not believe in God
This man was away above the aver
age in ability and intelligence. He
represented his district in the state
senate for some time; was member
of the railroad commission of Mis-
souri,; was refined and moral gen.
tleman and very wealthy. He owned
| 10000 acres of land in his state and
| railroad ran through the center
of it. The company built depot
| upon his land and Mr.. Watcher con-
ceived the idea of starting a town
with men of his own thinking. He
advertised the scheme far and wide
through circulars, and the place
finally grew to some 1000 or 1900
inhabitants, all unbelievers and all
opposed to the church and religion
men who did not believe in a God
or devil, or heaven or hell-like the
owner of the town. The citizens
erected public hall to be used for
debates and the discussion of their
own particular beliefs. They also
built college or university to pro-
mulgate education in accordance
with their views. They further built
a high fence around the town, with
two gates for entrance, and every
body who desired to enter was asked
If he believed in God. II he replied
in the affirmative he was command
ed to go around the town. A promi-i
nent official of the railroad COM
pany was notified of this proceeding
and he called upon the '6ftizens, In
forming them that if the fence were
not removed the company would re-
move their depot and build another
outside the town. The fence was re-
moved
1t was not long until the people
of the community found they could
not agree, and, many controversies
arose. Come of these became so bit
ter that free street fights were nu-
merous. They did not know how to
forgive, and righteous forebearance
was foreign to their religion" A
factional fight finally developed be-
tween banker and Mr.. Watcher and
the latter was driven out of his own
town.
The place began to deteriorate, |
real estate decreased in value, many |
who had settled in the community |
on account of the scheme upon which
it was founded, became disgusted |
and sold out and moved away.
In the meantime. Mr. Watcher had
a vision" and Joined the spiritual
lists. He started another town south
of the first one and determined to
give his new found religion a try
out. Free love finally followed, and
the place was very properly called
Sodom.
Matters going from bad to worse,
the citizens of Liberal finally made
up their minds that church was
needed and their public hall was
turned into a Methodist meeting
house. The university" was rented
for a blacksmith and wagon shop.
Rev. Spiker was the first minister
called, and he served the church in
Liberal for three years. Most of the
members were Christians who moved
into the place after many of the orig
inal settlers had sold out and moved
away. -
In closing his story, Rev. Spiker
says the blighting effect of the
towns early experience made it very
difficult to arouse the people to any
sense Of sacred things, or to persuade
them to join the church of Jesus
Christ. The story reveals the fact
that without the moral and spiritual
uplift of the church, the people are
bound to degenerate in character,
and that material values are also af-
fected.
New Ulm, Mimi, was founded many
years ago to try the same experiment
dreamed of by the builders of Lib
aral, Mo-. and it's history is practical
ly a duplicate of that of Liberal.
A New Daughter.
Mr.. and Mrs. Barrett Brown are the
parents of bouncing new daughter,