The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23
GROWTH OF A
SAPULPA CHURCH
Progress Has Been Steady
From Early Days Until
Present Time


sAPULPA. April 22.--Tho history
OF the growth aud progress Of any
city is not complete without a rec
ord OF the growth OF her public IN
stitutions, such as churches. schools,
etc. Hand in hand win tho devel-
opmcut OF Sapulpa has progrcsscd
tho First Christian church. Back IN
the old territorial days. In tho year
OF 1909, this church rounded Itself
into an organization which has seen
steady growth over since. In IT,
ranks have been many cltlzoua who
have dono much toward develop
ment Of the commercial and bust
noss lifo Of the community.
4 summary OF this church's
growth and development. which has
been Cleaned from various sources,
Is as follows.
The First Christian church was or
gnuIzcd in May, 1909. at the nome
OF Capt j. n. Baylcss, lG North pop
AZ street prior To this there had
been meeting conducted by Rov
George Black. which WAS held partly
in tho baptist church ana parity IN
tho Methodist church, Tho first Of
ficcrs elected were: Elders J ~
PHyloss Ghcn postmasicr), J. Car
michael. dcacous W T. Smith. j.
A. Buyd. .. VI. ttelnu and Mr.. lcy-
nolds. trustees, j, 4. Boyd. .. NJ.
Irelan. W. +. smith; church clerk.
Mrs. w. II. Smith. There were be-
tween % and 30 charter members
among them. licsidcs the above
mentioned were Mrs. ]. r. Gillctt,
Mr.. and Mrs. Jim johnson, MIR, aud
Mrs j. w. Bass. Mrs. Taught, Miss
Amy Baylcss. now Mrs. LovotL and
j. w. Bayless,
The first pastor was Rev. ~ r. O..
Geizentanner, from 1902 to 1903. In
July. 1902, Reverend MIR. Black re-
turned for n short series OF meetings
held In the old Dewey avenue school
house. which stood where tho pres
ont courthouse building stnnds. At
this time tho Sunday school was or
ganizod and this school has never
missed n Sunday since. II was start
ed with four classes. ns compared
with the present 2i. The first teach
ers were o. NJ. lrolan, Bible class
for adults, Mrs. w. f.. Smith class
for girls; Miss May ldon. class for
boys, and Mrs. j. w. Bass, primary
department.
This church has been fortunate In
maintaining n pastor practically all
the time. Following Reverend Mr..
Gei2entanner were Rev. Herbert A.
Moore, l903-05: REV A, NJ. IIarrol,
1905-01. Rev. RAY A. Toener. 1907
Rev. oscar A. Ingold, first ak
months OF 1912; Rev. NJ. 4. Ingra-
ham. l913-17; Rov. ". NJ. Woods,
1871; Rov Roy Harp. 1921 to
present.
Following the organization In 1902
services were held In the old Dewey
avenue schoolhouse; later In Shields
hall on South Main street near the
present Empress thestcr; then In
the Menifee hall on Hobson avenue
near whore the gas office is now.
later In tho Harper hall. where the
Sapulpa art studio Ia now.
During 1903 a lot was purchased
nj d15 East Dewey and In 1905 seats
were arranged on this lot. Evangel-
istlc meetings were held thore, first
by Reverend Mr.. Hilderbrant, then
by Rev Oscar Ingold. Quite an In
gathering was had during these
meetings, and as u direct result the
present church building was erected
In 1g05-06. Other eyangclists who
have done their part In the upbulld
of the work hore were the Reverends
Vance. Bulgin, Lowery, Kitchen.
Taubman ana Wickizer. The organ
ization has never had any outstand-
ing revival meeting, but has gone
forward with n steady growth. Per-
hnps the largest ingathoring at any
one time was from the Lowery
meeting In 1907.
Tho Christian Endcayor was or
ganized soon after the erection OF
the present building. and has been a
prominent feature OF tho work ever
since. Now there are three branches
OF this organization. young peoples s
intermediate and junior.
The new building campaign has
been agitated for several years, ano
In tho first part of 1921 Il tool
definite form and today we see oui
new house OF worship at the corner
or Lee and Elm streets In course o,
construction. 1t viii cost when com
pleted 100000.
There IL an average OF over 600 n
attendance at Sunday school. Th,
church membership IL around 200
with 30S active contributors. Ther,
were II of our young mon To answc
their country's call during tho re
cent war