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Audubon County |
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CHAPTER XV.CHURCHES AND RELIGION.From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
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THE COUNTRY CHURCH.By Jeannie Pendleton Ewing.
By Alexander Holt Roberts. Justinian, the Roman lawyer, in defining the highest duty of man to man, said, "The perfection of human duty is, to do good to all men; injure none; and to render to every man his just dues." Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher, expressed a similar thought in a different form, when he enjoined upon his followers the following negative rule, "Whatsoever ye would not that others should do unto you, that do ye not unto them." These are both good in so far as they go, but it remained for a young Hebrew, whose spotless life, teachings and character gained for him, among his followers, the name "Divine Lawgiver," and who was the original of the Christian religion, to give affirmative expression to the great law of human action in a form now called by all men, the Golden Rule, "Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so to them," and then that other great commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" and "thy neighbor as thyself." Each has his adherents, and fortunate indeed were the American people to have such ancestors as the Pilgrim Fathers, who, upon Plymouth Rock, acknowledged their thankfulness, and allegiance to Almighty God. As civilization marched westward, in the front ranks of the pioneers have always been found the followers of the "Man of Galilee," and it is not surpassing strange that so early in the life of our county we find, assembled in a log cabin, those who were desirous of clearing the way, and casting up a highway for the Master's army to pass over in coming years. The presence, or absence, of churches in a community is of great significance, and reveals at once to the observer the general character and makeup of its people, for the highest civilization is only to be found where church spires abound. To those pioneer men and women of God, those first sowers, preachers and teachers of the Word, we acknowledge our obligation and cherish their memory. We regret that, after the lapse of sixty years, one who endeavors to record their deeds finds himself handicapped for want of records. Our state has such a complete system of records, that the writer of civil history has little difficulty in ascertaining and establishing certain facts, whereas, the records of the average church are so meager, and so little effort is made to preserve what they do have, that the historian is compelld [compelled] to search for oral testimony where he may find it. And so, in this way, we find that in 1855 Rev. Moses F. Shinn, presiding elder of Council Bluffs district in the Methodist Episcopal church, delegated Rev. James S. Rand, a Methodist, to organize the work in Audubon county. Hence we find Reverend Rand, in the first week in June, 1855, preaching in the first public religious service held in the county, in the pioneer cabin of Walter J. Jardine, on section 28, now Exira township. After the service he organized a Methodist class, with Walter J. Jardine, as class leader and William H. H. Bowen as steward. The following were enrolled as members: W. H. H. Bowen and wife, Eliza; Walter J. Jardine and wife, Jane; Isaac V. D. Lewis and wife, Mary J.; Thomas S. Lewis and wife, Josephine B.; Richard M. Lewis and wife, Elizabeth; Mrs. Sarah G. Lewis; Mrs. Miles Beers; Emily J. Beers. Isaac V. D. Lewis, to whom we are indebted, and to whom we extend thanks, for this information, is the only living member (1915) of that first class, the others having all been "gathered to their fathers." At variance with this, is "A History of Audubon County," published by W. S. Dunbar & Company, Chicago, in 1889, its editor being anonymous, which says: "A Rev. Mr. Mann came to the county as early as 1854 and first sowed the seeds of Methodism. He gathered a few of that faith together at the home of William H. H. Bowen, one mile southwest of Hamlin's Grove. Later on, quite a number of Methodists settled about Exira and a class was duly organized at the home of Levi Montgomery near the present plat. Rev. James Rand was the first preacher, coming in 1856-57. The names of those forming this first class, which was also the first in Audubon county, are as follows: Levi Montgomery and wife," etc. This "history" is undoubtedly in error, as Isaac V. D. Lewis, who still lives on the old place south of Exira (his postoffice is Brayton), insists that Rev. Mr. Rand was the first preacher, and it appears reasonable that a mistake may have been made, as the sound of the names "Mann" and "Rand" are so similar, that evidently the party who gave the information as to Mr. "Mann," had forgotten the real name, or the reporter to whom the information was given misunderstood the name. This view of the case is further supported by the fact that the records of the Iowa conference, which had jurisdiction over all Iowa at that time, did not contain the name "Mann" at that time. This, without reasonable doubt, establishes the fact that the minister referred to was Rand, as he had charge of the Cass mission at that time. The first quarterly meeting was convened in the first week in September, 1855, in the grove at Mr. Jardine's place (section 28), and was presided over by Reverend Shinn, I. V. D. Lewis being elected recording steward. The residence of Peter Sylvester now stands upon the very ground on which those meetings were held. Later, a class was formed at Exira, and one at Oakfield, with Richard M. Lewis as leader. This class became obsolete many years ago. The work continued, under direction of those in charge, taking up new points and forming new classes as opportunities presented, until about 1870, when the Exira circuit was formed, which continued to cover the whole field of the county until the annual conference of 1875, when Exira circuit was divided into two separate works in regard to preaching, but left united with regard to quarterly meetings. Rev. E. M. H. Fleming was presiding elder; Rev. W. T. Reed, pastor for Exira circuit, and Rev. J. M. Bay, pastor for Hamlin circuit. At the first quarterly meeting held at Luccock's Grove, November 13, 1875, Joseph McFadden, H. K. Emory, D. E. Rich, W. C. Luccock and F. A. Cobb represented Hamlin circuit, Exira circuit not being represented. The pastor's salary for Exira circuit was fixed at $240, apportioned as follows: Exira, $110; Louisville, $45; Grove, $40; Oakfield, $25, and Thomas Grove, $20. The salary for Hamlin circuit was placed at $200 and apportioned, Hamlin, $65; Luccock's Grove, $65; Sanborn, $40, and Graham, $30. The next quarterly conference met at Exira, January 22, 1876, with T. A. Lampman, presiding elder. A class of ten was reported organized at the Green school house. At the next quarterly conference, held April 28, 1876, at Hamlin, E. Weaver was elected steward and two new points were added, Earhart's and Diggs'. Charles Walker was recommended for license to preach. In 1877 we find Rev. John Histwod as presiding elder, Rev. G. H. Detwiler, pastor, and the following classes represented: Hamlin, Miller's, Sanborn's, Diggs', Graham's, Earhart's, Viola and Baker's. The following official members were in attendance: Charles Walker, P. McKinley, E. S. Weaver, F. A. Cobb, C. H. Earhart, J. C. Bonwell, L. Miller, William Wilde, S. D. Conrod, H. C. Diggs, W. S. Smyth, A. Dixon, J. W. Brackney, Auntie Meek, C. H. Sampson, Aaron Eby, George Eby, C. H. Cross, J. T. Bell, A. Hollenbeck, William McAfee, D. C. Bartshe. Up to this time, aside from the Methodists, these were but two other denominations holding services in the county, the Congregationalists and Christians, both at Exira. Up to 1877 there had been but two church buildings in the county, to wit, the Congregational church, in Exira, and the Methodist church, in Exira, the religious services at all other points having been held in school houses or in the homes of some of the members. About this time, with a large influx of settlers and immigrants, the various preaching points took on new life and pretensions, and this was especially true in 1878 with the incoming of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, and for some years following, so that we will now take up the individual churches of the various denominations. But, before doing so, we wish to record two especial events affecting the religious life of the county. These were the revival meetings held by Rev. W. A. Sunday in Exira and Audubon. |
