Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-01-13
The PASSING
Of REV. Call
ITEl' '----
Pioneer Pastor and Widely
known Citizen Passes
Qlietly Into Great
Beyond.
FUNERAL TOMORROW
Was Pastor of the Baptist
Church Here Twenty
Years.

the gospel. prominent citizen, wide
II known worker in educational fields
. and man who had inspired hosts. of
men and women to better things, slept
peacefully to his death at his home
in this city yesterday morning. The
funeral will be held at o'clock to-
morrow afternoon ut the Baptist
church, which building stands as
monument to the untiring energy and
the long and faithful labors Of this
good mar. The services will be in
charge of the local pastor, Rev. L. E.
Vets, assisted by several out of town
ministers, close friends of the deceas-
ed.
/ known in this city and community,
but largely over the state of Iowa.
Tor more than quarter of century
he had served on the executive COM
mittee Of the Baptist State Board Of
Missions and had 20 been on the
board I, of trustees of several Baptist
colleges and Summaries In Iowa. He
held the pastOrate of the Baptist
church in this city twenty years,
from 1876 to 1896. He was forceful
man in his denomination, yet he took
great pride in the fact that his acti-
vities for the betterment Of mankind
lay largely in INSTRUMENTATION
fields.
Vigorous to Last.
His last illness dates back to the
middle Of October and much of the
time since then he had been up about
the house. Even during the last few
weeks of his life his interest IN world
events never Jagged. He had been a
close student of the world war and
held fixed and firm belief that it
had not been all in vain-that it |
augured better things for the world,
" higher manhood and wOmanhOod |
md firmer hold on things making |
for the brotherhood Of all men.
Born In New York.
Rev. Cali was born Feb. g. 1888, in
CORTLAND, n. Y. His theological edu-
cation was gained by individual study |
under private instructor, to which
he also added course of lectures at
y ter Jed during absences from the
al I've duties of his church. He was
married May &c, 1866, to Miss Mary
Guyon Of Huntsville, N. Y.
In February, 1867, Rev. and Mrs.
Call located at Hampton, Iowa, then
a village of $50 inhabitants. They
were there more than eight years,
during which time they erected a
cOmmodious house of worship in the
little town. Rev. Call was also presi-
dent Of the first school board organic
ed there, indicative Of his constant
interest in things educational.
Came Here in 1876.
Later Rev. Call was financial agent
for the Cedar Valley seminary at
Osage and was successful in securing
.an endowment for that institution.
In 1876 he entered upon the Baptist
passionate in this city (which place he
the longest pastorate ever held in
Webster City. 1t was during this
time that the present church was
built, largely through his tireless eff
forts and influence. He was a man
of moral earnestness, practical phil II
aQtllrOpy, progressive and of ready
sympathy with anything that made
for public uplift.
In 1883 he served as president of
the State Sunday School association.
The most Of his life had been devoted
to ministerial and educational work.
During the time he pursued Ills higher
studies, he taught five years in
schools and seminaries in West vir-
ginia and Pennsylvania. In 1896 he
accepted astorate at Sac City and
later one in Humboldt. But he con-
sidered Webster City his home and
when he retired from active preach
ing he returned to this city.
Inspiration to Young.
1t was always one of Rev. Calls
fixed purposes to inspire young peo-
pie to get a college education. He
had assisted at the ordination Of
many young ministers and mission-J
aries and these are now scattered al
most all over the world. Thirteen
years ago when he and Mrs. Call cele-
brated their fiftieth wedding anniver-
sary, congratnlatory letters came
from scores of ministers and mission
aries, at whose ordination he had
assisted, and other successful men
whom he had inspired to higher
education. There were enough of
these to make large volume. They
came from all parts Of the United
States, from India, China, Japan and
elsewhere, where are working many
ministers and missionaries, who re-