The Meeker herald., 1919-03-08
OF a Reminiscen, Turn

OF Reminiscent Turn
The recent passing away OF Bishop
Williams brings 70 mind interesting
episodes which had . bearing on his
coming TO Mesksr.
Referring TO our flles We note the
following which appeared In the L.
sue Of THE HERALD Of September
10, 1887:
IA gentleman asked Us the otheI
day why It was that We did not have
. church In Meeker, remarking d
the same time that It wss the largest
town In Colorado without some kind
Of . church organization. We could
not answer our Christian friends 10.
terrogatory In any. more satisfactory
manner than by observing that the
good were getting along very we'll
without religion and the bad were
beyond redemption. There 10, how
ever, . good opening and . large field
to operate In for an energetic and
God fearing sky-pilot right here"
The person referred TO above was
mono other than our old friend, the
late Colonel Ben Price, and his re.
mark did lead to results. Tho follow
ing. day, which was Monday, we
wrote to Bishop spalding at Denver
appraising him Of the opening At
Meeker for . minister In due time
We received . reply from the bishop.
In which he stated that he had often
thought Of the White River Country,
and hoped that ut no distant date he
would be able to make . missionary
trip into this section.
CHANGING further over our dies,
We ind that on the evening Of
December 2, 1887, Leslie e. Houston,
died ct the residence of his brother,
John v. LES" was buried the fol-
lowing Sunday forenoon (December
ath) In the soldier burial ground, on
the mesa back Of town.
later, when Highland Cemetery
was established, Mr.. J. v. Houston
had the remains Of "Les" removed
to the new burial ground and suit
ably marked.
At Lesiie's funeral services, which
were largely attended, - the boy was
, general favorite, and only SEVEN
teen past-Mr George 3. Allsebrook
ofnciated and read the burial service,
the Prayer Book being supplied by
Mr.. Thomas Baker. After the fun.
eral Messrs. Allsebrook, Baker and
David Smith happened to meet It
the residence Of the late Mr.. Newton
Major. The conversation drlfted TO
the need Of . minister ct Meeker,
And resulted In action being taken
right there. A petition was drawn
mp pledsing the sIyners to contribute
The amount set opposite their names
toward the support Of minister Of
the Gospel It Aeeker. The petition
vas headed by Mr.. Major, followed
BY Messrs. Ailssbrook, Baker and
Smith. each pledging yearly con.
tribution Of $500 .
Mr.. Baker happened to know Of
THE HERALD editors correspon-
denos with Bishop spalding, and In
forming Mr.. Allsebrook, that gentle-
man brought the petition to this Of
lice . few days aftSrward and re-
quested CO to take hold Of tho matter,
which We did.
BY the fret Of April there were
signatures to the petition carrying
over seven hundred dollars III
pledges. During the early part Of
the month the editor having occasion
to 60 to Denver. took the petition
along and calling on Bishop spald-
Ing laid the matter before him. In
tho conversation which ensued, he
stated that he had In view an ideal
man for the position, and he named
Mr.. Williams, the future bishop,
then (as previously noted) = divinity
student at the Western Theological
Mr.. Williams hadn't
finished his course. but the bishop
said he would take him out Of the
seminary and let him finish hts
studies later. He said he would add
800 himself TO the fund already
pledged, which, he thought, ought to
be raised to u 800. We Informed the
bishop that the signers to the petit
ton represented various cveeds and
religious views; that IL might be pos
stble some Of the signers might not
want an Episcopal clergyman. 10 It
was agreed To report the matter back
70 Qesker. On our return home the
signers, OF - many Of them ~ could
be reached, were called together and
Bishop Spalding's offer was laid be-
fore them. The meeting was unsni.