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Audubon County |
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CHAPTER XV.CHURCHES AND RELIGION. (CONT'D)From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
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FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AUDUBON."At the meeting of the Des Moines conference in 1875, Exira circuit was divided and a new circuit formed named Hamlin, and including all of Audubon county north of Exira. Rev. J. M. Bay was sent as pastor and, at a salary of two hundred dollars, served one year. Then came Rev. G. H. Detwiler, who served very acceptably two years. By reference to minutes of the fourth quarterly conference, held August l0, 1878, we find that S. D. Coonrod was appointed a committee to secure church property in the new town (as Audubon was then called). At the conference of 1878, Rev. Detwiler was succeeded by Rev. J. W. Lewis, under whose pastorate the class in Audubon was organized. At the first quarterly conference of this year, held at Irwin, November 7, 1878, the pastor's salary was placed at $500, and apportioned as follows: Irwin, $225; Viola, $200; Audubon, $100; Diggs, $30. This would indicate that the membership of that quarterly conference had faith in the new town; for there had not up to this time been any religious service in the town, neither was there a public building in which services could be held. But the school building on Davenport street was then in course of construction and on December 15 following, the first service was held, being a sermon by Rev. J. W. Lewis, the congregation consisting of fifteen persons, viz: Frank Hobart, J. W. Pollet, W. E. Campbell, E. M. Funk, A. H. Roberts, John Schaly, J. H. Thorp, M. Leach, Peter Theilen, Doctor Brown, William Cloughly, P. McKinley, W. H. Scott, Noah Keller, and George A. Atkinson. "The unique thing about this congregation was that it was composed entirely of men, not a woman being present. When we remember that in the ordinary congregation women are largely in excess of men, this strikes one as being at least peculiar, but the explanation is, there were not at that time to exceed five women in the town. "From this time on, services were held every two weeks. First in the above mentioned school house, then in the court house, and later in the new school building, and finally in the new church. As time passed the services were increased to one service each Sunday, and later to two services. "The second quarterly meeting for the year of 1878-9, was held in Audubon, February 8 and 9, 1879, at which time A. H. Roberts was elected trustee for Audubon and a committee appointed to solicit funds for the erection of a parsonage in town. The committee did not meet with the success deemed necessary in order to undertake the work, so the matter was dropped. "The first communion service held in the town was at this meeting and Audubon was reported as having paid five dollars to support the ministry. "On April 13, 1879, a Sunday school was organized and the following officers elected: Superintendent, A. H. Roberts; assistant superintendent, Chester Wheeler; secretary, Miss Kate Cameron; treasurer, E. W. Beghtol. Number of scholars present, twenty-three. For more than a year this was the only Sunday school in town. Some time during the same month the society, or class, was organized and M. D. Bailey appointed leader. "At the third quarterly meeting at Irwin, May 1, E. W. Beghtol, S. H. Schryver and Chester Wheeler were added to the board of trustees. At the fourth quarterly meeting a resolution was passed, requesting the name of the circuit be changed from Hamlin to Audubon. Accordingly the annual conference, in September, 1879, changed the name to Audubon circuit and sent Rev. A. W. Armstrong as pastor, whose salary was placed at $500, apportioned as follows: Audubon, $150; Irwin, $150; Viola, $150; Cameron, $50; the Diggs appointment being dropped. On September 22, the board of trustees, composed of P. McKinley, Chester Wheeler, J. A. Miller, S. H. Schryver and A. H. Roberts, executed articles of incorporation as provided by the laws of the state, and steps were taken looking toward the erection of a church edifice, a subscription being started, headed with three fifty-dollar subscriptions. The first money paid toward the enterprise was two dollars by S. W. Smith, September 26, 1879. "After the completion of the court house, we were permitted to use it until January, 1880, when through the kindness of the board of directors we were permitted to furnish and use the east upstairs room in the new school building. This we continued to use the balance of the year. The trustees having put in the foundation on May 17, the contract for enclosing the church was awarded to R. A. Chaplin for one thousand three hundred and seventy-five dollars. "At the fourth quarterly conference, held July 17, the trustees in their report said: 'We have during the year incorporated according to law and have received as a donation from the Rock Island Railroad Company, lots 26 and 27, block 7, of Audubon, upon which we have in course of construction a church thirty by fifty with a corner tower ten by ten. The contract for enclosing the same, including laying the floor, was awarded to R. A. Chaplin for one thousand three hundred and seventy-five dollars. We have received from the Church Extension Society five hundred dollars. Two hundred dollars as a donation and three hundred dollars as a loan." "Although Bro. A. W. Armstrong had been in the ministry but one year, yet he took hold of matters with a master hand, doing a great amount of hard and faithful work during the summer in soliciting, collecting, etc., and even to performing of manual labor on the building. For well do I remember having seen him seated upon a scaffold near the top of the belfry, with brush in hand, doing the work of an artisan. He closed a very acceptable year in September, in proof of which he received from the class in town $223.95, being $75.95 in excess of, our apportionment, the outside points, however, not having paid their apportionment in full. Thirty-eight were received by letter on the circuit during this year. Rev. W. C. Smith was the next pastor, coming in September, 1880, whose salary was fixed at six hundred dollars and one hundred and twenty dollars for house rent, the preaching points being the same as in the previous year. "After many hard struggles by the official members, for you must remember we had no wealth in the church then, unless it was a wealth of perseverance and trust in God, the church was in December, ready for dedication, having cost about two thousand three hundred dollars. Presiding Elder Smith conducted the dedication services on December 12, at which time seven hundred and fifty dollars were raised and the church cleared of indebtedness excepting the three hundred dollars due the Church Extension Society, which was paid in annual payments. At the expiration of the first year, Reverend Smith, in accordance with the wish of the charge, was returned, his salary this year being $800 including house rent. The apportionment was as follows: Audubon, $600; Irwin, $120; Lone Willow, $80; Viola and Cameron having been cut off and made the nucleus for a new circuit. During the two years' pastorate of Reverend Smith, the church gained strength quite rapidly by accessions by letter, also twenty were received on probation. The conference of 1882 sent Rev. L. M. Campbell as pastor, who served one year, at a salary of six hundred dollars and one hundred and ten dollars for house rent. The circuit at this time consisted of but two points, Audubon and Lone Willow. Sixteen were received on probation this year and a goodly number by letter. Rev. J. W. Bott was appointed pastor in September, 1883, and served three years. The first year the salary was six hundred dollars and one hundred and forty-four dollars for house rent. The second year six hundred dollars; the third year five hundred dollars, and parsonage rent. During the year 1884, Lone Willow as a preaching point was dropped, the membership having moved away and dissensions having arisen within the class to such a degree that it was impossible to keep up the organization, thus leaving Audubon a station. During the year 1885, our parsonage was bought and moved to its present location and repaired, at a cost of about four hundred dollars. Three hundred dollars of this debt was paid by borrowing from the Church Extension Society, and this obligation was canceled in December, 1890. From the pastor's report to the last quarterly conference of his pastorate we glean the following: Probation record during the three years, 32; received by letter, 32; total accessions during the three years, 64; removals in various ways, 69 ; removals in excess of accessions, 5. "In September, 1886, Rev. J. B. Harris came as pastor and Methodism at once began an advance movement. Members were seen in the pews who had not been there for months and the outside world began moving our way. Brother Harris remained three years, the salary being six hundred and fifty dollars and parsonage rent the first year; eight hundred and fifty dollars and rent the second; and one thousand dollars and rent the third year, all of which was paid in full. In 1887 repairs were made on the church, including the putting in of the gallery, painting, papering, etc., at a cost of some six hundred dollars, and in 1889, a kitchen was added to the parsonage, at a cost of about one hundred and thirty-five dollars. There were received during the three years eighty-two probationers, the church experiencing some gracious revivals, the membership quickened and the attendance at the social meetings increasing to a fair-sized audience, the membership at the close of the third year being one hundred and forty-three. It was the wish of Presiding Elder Blodgett that Brother Harris be returned for the fourth year, but being fearful that his physical strength would fail, at request of himself and nearest friends, a change was made and in September, 1889, Rev. E. E. Ilgenfritz was assigned to Audubon and remained four years, under whose ministrations the church continued to prosper. Many of us remember him as a tireless worker, and one whose ability to get to the bottom of our pockets has seldom been equalled, and never excelled. We had for some time felt the need of more room in order to accommodate those who desired to attend our services, and had at various times discussed the matter of adding to the old church or building a new one, but the old building being in such shape that it could not well be added to, and the cost of building a new one so great, the matter was put off from time to time, until at a meeting of the official board held January 26, 1891, the members of the board pledged two thousand five hundred dollars, and a committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions. "The members and friends responded so readily and liberally, that the trustees, on February 9, voted to at once make preparations for building. Foster & Libbe, of Des Moines, drew the plans and bids were asked from contractors. Closing services in the old church were held from April 8 to 12, a number of former pastors participating and 'goodbye' was said to the old church, Sunday, April 12. The building, exclusive of foundation, tower and furniture, was sold to T. J. Campbell for two hundred dollars. "On April 27, Hart, Markley & Eddy were awarded the contract for building the church above the foundation, and Cavinaugh, of Atlantic, given the contract for the foundation. The corner stone was laid by P. E. Franklin, assisted by Rev. Ilgenfritz, and in it was deposited a Bible, hymn book, discipline, history of the Audubon church, names of presiding elder, names of pastors, names of trustees, roll of membership of the church, copies of the Audubon Republican and Advocate and North Western and Central Christian Advocates, etc. "While erecting the new church, our services were held in the court house and on October 25, the church, being complete excepting the basement, was dedicated by P. E. Franklin, assisted by Revs. Ilgenfritz, J. B. Harris, A. W. Armstrong, E. Dickinson, pastor of Presbyterian church, and R. A. Smith, pastor of the Baptist church. The cost of the church was $8,042. $1,752 was needed to free the church of debt. A subscription was taken and $1,949 was pledged. In 1893, the basement was finished and in September of that year the annual session of the Des Moines conference was held in Audubon and, although our resources for entertainment were taxed to the utmost, by the help of outside friends and the members of the other churches, we were enabled to win the praise of the ministers for our hospitality, and in this connection, I am sure we owe our Presbyterian friends a debt of gratitude for the royal manner in which they assisted, opening their homes as freely as our own members. "This conference assigned Rev. A. T. Jeffrey to Audubon, who remained with us one year, and spiritually, this was one of the best years in our history; prayer meetings being very large and the attendance at Epworth League being so large the rear room would not accommodate them, but were held in the basement. "In September, 1894, Rev. W. M. Dudley was assigned to Audubon and did excellent work for three years and was sent back for the fourth year, but was soon promoted by the presiding elder to fill a vacancy at Atlantic and Rev. W. H. Shipman was transferred from Dexter to Audubon. Brother Shipman remained two years. It was during his pastorate that the saloons were opened, under a petition that the board of supervisors declared sufficient, but which the courts declared insufficient. I am of the opinion that the saloons would still be here were it not for Brother Shipman's courage in fighting them. "In September, 1899, Rev. R. W. Matheny was assigned to Audubon and rendered two years of acceptable service. Especially were the evening congregations large, the young people flocking to hear him. It was during his pastorate (in 1900) that the present parsonage was bought at a cost of two thousand dollars, one thousand two hundred being paid on it. "The salary from Brother Harris up to this time was one thousand dollars per year and parsonge [sic parsonage] rent, excepting the last year of Brother Shipman the salary was placed at eight hundred and fifty dollars, but nine hundred and thirty-seven dollars was paid to him. "In September, 1901, Rev. P. J. Vollmer was sent to Audubon and remained two years. In January and February, 1902, the 'Sunday meetings' were held and one hundred and eighty probationers received into our church; one hundred and twelve of these were received into full membership. Rev. Vollmer's salary was placed at one thousand one hundred dollars, but only one thousand twenty-nine dollars was paid the first year and one thousand forty-seven dollars the second. "In September, 1903, Rev. A. A. Walburn was sent to us and remained two years. Under his able preaching and wise administration the church again began the advance movement, but Brother Walburn was very seriously handicapped first by the illness, and later by the death of Sister Walburn, who was taken home July 5, 1904. Brother Walburn's salary was one thousand two hundred dollars per year and parsonage rent. "In September, 1905, Rev. A. R. Grant was assigned to Audubon, and under his ministration our church continued to prosper and take on new life and activity in all departments; the prayer meetings showed increased interest and attendance, perhaps more than any other service, and the raising of a subscription of one thousand two hundred dollars, with which to liquidate the debt of eight hundred dollars on the parsonage and four hundred dollars to provide a steel ceiling for the auditorium of our church indicate that our members and friends were still very much alive. The salary remained at one thousand two hundred dollars and parsonage. "At the annual conference in September, 1907, Rev. P. V. D. Vedder was assigned to Audubon and did efficient and acceptable service until August, 1908, when, while taking his vacation, which he was spending on his farm in North Dakota, Brother Vedder was stricken with paralysis and from that time on was unable to preach. At the annual conference in September, at the request of our fourth quarterly conference, Brother Vedder was again assigned to Audubon and his salary again placed at one thousand two hundred dollars and parsonage rent, which was paid in full, notwithstanding he was never able to preach, but the pulpit was supplied by neighboring pastors by arrangement with Brother Vedder until the first of May, 1909, when he secured Rev. D. B. S. Prather, who had just graduated from Northwestern School of Theology at Evanston, as assistant pastor until conference in September, 1909. "Brother Prather had done such acceptable service and had so endeared himself to our people that a unanimous request was made, and a committee consisting of E. Bilharz, W. C. Elliott and A. H. Roberts, was appointed and went to Ames to plead for the appointment of Brother Prather as our pastor, but the plea was refused and Rev. J. P. Morley assigned to Audubon, who served one year. In September, 1910, Rev. J. H. Freedline was sent us and is now serving his fourth year, this being only the second time in the history of the charge where a pastor has remained longer than three years and our church now thinks we have one of the best preachers in the Des Moines conference. "For some time we had felt the need of some improvements at the parsonage and of a choir room. So, in 1911, we boldly waded into the matter and made improvements costing three thousand dollars, consisting of a choir room eighteen by twenty-two, veneering the foundation and basement story of the church with Des Moines flint brick and painting the outside. The addition of the choir room fills a long-felt want, for it not only means a comfortable, commodious and pleasant place for the choir to meet, but is also used for other small meetings as well as making a new and needed entrance and vestibule to the church parlors. "While upon the subject of choirs, it is but proper to say that our large chorus choir is one of which our church is proud, and has been one of the strong elements in our work since the organization of our church, the best musical talent of the town having been associated with us in our choir. "At the parsonage the one-story kitchen was raised to two stories and a modern bath room installed above, a porch built in front, a hot-air furnace put in, the whole parsonage repapered and painted outside and in, and this year the Ladies' Aid Society has refrescoed and decorated the church inside, and recarpeted, with Wilton velvet Brussels carpet at an expense of five hundred dollars. "Revival meetings have been held at various times, and at the meeting this fall upwards of sixty decided to live Christian lives and forty-three were added to the church. Our Sunday school, Epworth League and other societies of the church have all been helpful factors in carrying on the Master's work, and as we enter upon the thirty-sixth year of our work as a church, we do so with a firm faith that the Master will still use us for the advancement of his cause. "The presiding elders serving during the existence of the charge are: Rev. John Hestwood, September, 1876 to 1880; W. T. Smith, September, 1880 to 1882; W. C. Martin, September, 1882 to 1885; C. W. Blodgett, September, 1885 to 1890; D. C. Franklin, September, 1890 to 1896; W. W. Ramsey, September, 1896 to 1899; W. O. Allen, September, 1899 to January, 1904; William Stevenson, January, 1904, to the time of McDade's appointment; Rev. E. W. McDade, 1909 to 1915. "The Sunday school has during these years in the main continued to prosper, although, being a branch of the church, has, of course, felt the waves of depression that have come to the church, yet it has had no small influence in sustaining and upholding the church and moulding Christian character. In fact, twice in the church's history, we believe the Sunday school was the principal factor in binding and holding our people together. Our Epworth League was organized in 1891 and has been a strong factor in training our young people to be Christian workers and loyal supporters of the church. The first cabinet was: A. H. Roberts, president; M. Johnson, first vice-president Ella Van Scoy, second vice-president; Ellis Harper, third vice-president; Myrtle Sharp, fourth vice-president; Myrtle Wilson, secretary; Hettie Van Scoy, treasurer. The present cabinet is: President, John M. Renftle; first vice-president, Gladdys Fancher; second vice-president, Hazel Mooreman; third vice-president, Lucile Wrigh ; fourth vice-president, Vina Fancher; secretary, Margaret Weston; assistant secretary, Wanda Wright; treasurer, Etta Kennells; organist, Eloise Buck; chorister, W. W. Smith. The Junior League, Ladies' Aid Society, Women's Foreign Missionary Society and Women's Home Missionary Society have each done their share in sustaining and carrying on the work, although I have not the statistics of their work at hand. "God has been gracious in sparing the lives of our members, and yet, while the shadows have been falling on homes all around us, we could not but expect that some of our members would be called from the church militant to the church triumphant. Some have peacefully fallen asleep, others have died triumphantly, and because of these bright examples of Christian living and dying; because of the severing of heart strings, many of our members feel that they have stronger ties to bind them to the eternal world than before. There are many who, by their lives of piety, Christian zeal, liberality and devotion to the cause, are worthy of special mention, but time forbids, and although their good deeds may not be recorded here, there is the assurance that in the record written on high, they will receive the proper recognition and there will be no errors there." Since the above was written, the church has continued to prosper. Rev. Freedline completed his four years of very successful pastorate in September, 1914, and the conference sent Rev. Jackson Giddens as pastor, who is giving very acceptable service. The present membership of the church is three hundred and forty-five, and of the Sunday school over three hundred. A. H. Roberts is now serving his thirty-seventh year as superintendent of the Sunday school. At her death, in 1913, Mrs. Lois G. Stuart remembered this church in her will by a bequest of one thousand dollars, which is greatly appreciated by all the members. The following have served as lay delegates to the lay electoral Conferences: 1879, Charles Walker; 1883, A. H. Roberts; 1887, A. H. Roberts; 1891, John Van Scoy; 1895, Dr. C. W. DeMott; 1899, A. H. Roberts; 1903, A. H. Roberts; 1907, Mrs. A. L. Brooks; 1911, A. C. Ross; 1915, A. H. Roberts. In 1900 A. H. Roberts represented the Des Moines conference as a lay delegate in the general conference at Chicago. |
