The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-04-27
CHURCH HISTORY
HAPPILY RECALLED
Event of Importance Takes
Place At St. Peter
OTHER DAYS LIVED
Meeting of the Mankato Pres
tytsry Was Held This
Week

The Cn!on PRESBYTERIAN church
c. 81. Peter and their friends
a. an aIniversary meeting held In
correction With the Mankato pres
iEe S.. Peter church Is the oldest
Presbyterian congregation in the
Northwest and was one Of the very
irst o. the pioneer religious organ
izatiors founded IN Minnesota. In :
,red among the celebrants where
s. delegates 10 me Presbytery
meeting. which was one or the
most successful ever held in this
section OF the state, says The 81,
Pete Herald
At he Presbytery business SEES
sions Raid Wednesday, DR.. John II,
Ss!hs OF lie Sueur. was elected mod :
eraic: and Rev. Simpson 7. Syden-
str!cker OF Fulda, was elected tenn
rorary clerk. The other officers o.
the Presbytery who hold over are
Dr.. Arthur G. Bailey OF Wtnnebagoo,
stated clerk. and Rev; z; p Lineli
Anniversary services Wednesday
night. arranged by DR.. Nathaniel
Coffin. local pastor, were unusually
impressive and commemorated a
phase o. ST. Peter history OF which
much has been written. Many OF
the cider residents OF the city out
side the church were present to
hear the strong program and to as
sist IN observing the big event. The
program began at 1880 O'Clock with
On organ voluntary by Miss Kate
Forhush, ors1nist. The new mod
orator, DR.. Sellie, presided and att =
Ell the doxolosy, he asked the In
vocation. A hymn by the consre-
sation and a scripture reading by
Rev. F. c. Bailey, followed.
Address BY Henry Mol.
Judge Henry Mol, the yenera BILE
historical chronicler. delivered the
opening address composed OF recol.
lections OF early church history. He
opened his speech with the remark
that he had been q member or the
local church for so years. having
Joined when a lad Of Is years, IN
1868. Although, his parents were
Baptists, he was won over to the
forts, of Elder ]. n. Treadweli, an :
other OF the pioneer workers Of the
church.
Judge Moll concluded by reading
a letter written by Mrs. Jennie tPet-
tijohn) Tyler. Sunday school
teacher OF the pioneer church. II
contained the religious philosophy
OF the pioneer church and was well
written.
Judge Moll's address was fea-
t'.-e of the evening, and his descrip-
tons, thoroughly sailed with hu-
NOR. were filed with glowing des-
captions OF the faith Of early days.
Ne recounted them as no other
could
Tr. A. w. Ross o. Redwood Falls,
for several years pastor OF the To-
est friends OF the community was
toe second speaker. His subject
was. Seventy Years of Church His.
tory" He had delved through the
archives OF the church. and had
collected historical data concerning
many OF the pioneers whose names
are linked with the brave deeds OF
tee frontier and are known even to
the present indifferent generation.
esq to every student Of st. Peter
history and were Interestingly and
entertainingly set forth by the VEN
cradle orator.
Records show that the first
semblance OF a church at Treaverse
des Sioux was a small mission
house, used also for dwelling,
DR.. Ross. 1.-The Indians were not
interested in these activities, and
before that time no place OF wor-
ship was provided. Those pioneer
missionaries. Rev. Williamson, Rev
Riggs and the Pond brothers, spread
the gospel by contact in the tepees
of the primitive tribemen. and there
were none to attend a fixed church
at the early trading post. This was
the beginning OF the church move
ment in this community"
Assumed Greater Importance.
In 1852 Traverse des Sioux as =
sumed greater importance with the
influx of white immigrants. That
year Alexander G. Higgins wrote to
Rev. NJ. n. Adams of Lac Qui Parle,
to come down and organize a
church. On November s. that year,
he organized the Free Presbyterian
church in the Higgins Mission
house. acting as moderator of the
moderator Dakota Presbytery. There
were IL charter members, Alex G.
Ldia p, Jane S., Mary A and Eliza
W. Higgins. Jones and Fanny Pet
tijohn. William P. and Lucinda r.
McMaster. Anna w. Adams. Mary r.
Spooner and Julia A. LaFram boise,
The first elders were Jones. Petit
john and William McMaster.
In 1854 the budding congregation
outgrew the mission store. and II
was decided to build a church. Rev,
Adams went east to raise funds
but received very little aid. He
preserved and finally on December
13. 1857, the new church was dedi-
Gated. Rev. James Thompson
preached the dedicatory sermon. AT
the end of 16 years, the congrega :
ton had INCREASED to ninety nine
members During those years the
church was under the pastoral care
Of Revs. Adams. Peck and Thos
Marshall. On July 20, 1869, plans
were contaminated for a union with
the First Presbyterian church OF
st. Peter, and the old church was
deserted.
The speaker then traced the OWL
ership of the old building down tC
the present time. 1t is~now the
property of John b. Rausch and i.
used as an abattoir by the KopI
market. The speaker made a stronf
plea for support Of the Presbytery
and congregation for the preserva-
ton of the old church as a histori-
cal monumen and also for the up
keep OF the pioneer cemetery al Ira
yers. He is chairman OF a commit
tee now raising money for the reno.
vafion of the cemetery and for tht
building Of a replica Of the old
church to be used as a chapel at thu
burial esaund The amount needec
10 complete this work Is Sz.I00 and
thus FAR, 500 has been raised.
The DeakerSth SpluuH28- tnta