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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 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF AUDUBON."An encouraging prospect appearing for the organization and establishment of a Presbyterian church in the new town of Audubun [sic Audubon], which had just become the terminus of the railroad, located centrally in Audubon county, with assuring promises of soon becoming the county seat; and with an urgent demand for such a church being manifest, on the part of a large number of the business men and citizens of the surrounding country the presbytery of Council Bluffs, at an adjourned meeting, held in Council Bluffs, November 12, 1878, appointed a committee, consisting of Rev. John Herron and Elder J. G. Cotton, both of Atlantic, to look over the field, and, if the way be clear, effect an organization at their earliest convenience. "That committee at once proceeded to a more thorough canvass of the field during the following winter and early spring, while the young town was growing rapidly, and, after a number of services, held in the school house in town by Rev. John Herron and Rev. Ed. B. Cousins, of Clarence, Iowa, the prospect brightened, the demand on the part of the people became more urgent and the way appeared clear to effect the formal organization. "A public meeting of the congregation was held in the school house on Monday, April 14, 1879, at three P. M., and after a sermon by Rev. John Herron, the committee proceeded at once to the organization. "It was found that only seven were then fully prepared to become members of the organization, five by letter and two by examination and confession of faith. Three others reported having sent for their church letters, but had not yet received them and only one of that number ever received his letter and formally united with the church. So this church was organized really with only seven members. The roll of original membership is as follows: By letter, E. C. Brown, Alex. A. Campbell and wife, Mrs. Maggie Ross, Evan Davis; by examination and confession, Robert Henderson and Mrs. Janet Griffin, and George W. Newcomer by letter, April 28, fourteen days after organization. The membership thus constituted chose the name by which the new church should be known and enrolled upon the records of presbytery as the First Presbyterian Church of Audubon. This was also the first and only Presbyterian church in Audubon county. "E. C. Brown and A. A. Campbell were elected and ordained the first ruling elders. Capt. Charles Stuart, A. A. Campbell, E. C. Brown, Wilson Burnside, Evan Davis, Robert Henderson, John L. Dynes and George W. Newcomer were elected as a building committee, the latter five of whom were also elected as the first trustees. The newly organized church at once made a pastoral call and extended the same to Rev. Ed. B. Cousins, of Clarence, Iowa, to become its first pastor. "The formal organization, thus completed, was reported by the committee to the presbytery in session at Walnut, Iowa, April 18, 1879. The report was approved and the church enrolled by presbytery. "The pastoral call previously made by the church was presented to presbytery by Elder E. C. Brown. That body, according to form, placed said call in the hands of the pastor-elect, who accepted it formally, but, on due deliberation, it was thought best, both by himself and the presbytery, to delay the consummation of the pastoral union until reasonable time and opportunity were granted for pastor and people to become better acquainted. On motion, the call was returned to the church, with the suggestion that, 'In view of the youthfulness of the church, the formation of a pastoral relation be deferred until the next stated meeting of the presbytery.' "The church then engaged the services of the pastor-elect for one year as stated supply. Services were held in the school house each alternate Sabbath until the new church could be erected and completed, which occurred about one year later. The building committee diligently prosecuted their work. The required funds were readily raised, the people generally responding liberally according to their means. Plans and specifications were procured and adopted. The contract was let so that, early in June, 1879, the building (thirty-eight by sixty feet) was raised and rapidly approaching completion when a severe wind storm leveled the entire structure to the ground. After a serious delay, however, the work was taken up again with renewed vigor and zeal and, with a force of twenty or more men, from the ruins of the old, a new structure was soon erected upon the original foundation. The work was carried along to completion at an extra cost of about four hundred dollars, and on Sabbath, January 18, 1880, the first service was held in the church. The text of the discourse was Psalms 122:1, "1 was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord," and the appreciation of the truth of that text was greatly attested by an immense audience, both morning and evening, with congregations who appeared glad to be permitted to again attend divine service in a church building. After holding service the next Sabbath, the building was closed for inside painting and finish, until Sabbath, March 28, when it was again occupied, and after a sermon by the pastor-elect, the sacrament of the Lord's supper was observed, with a number of accessions to the church membership. Regular services were held until the day of formal dedication, May 9, when Rev. Thomas H. McClelland, D. D., of Council Bluffs, preached the dedicatory sermon. The dedicatory prayer and address were made by Rev. Ed. B. Cousins, pastor-elect, and the house was formally dedicated to the service and worship of Almighty God, free from debt. The entire cost was something over four thousand dollars, of which the presbytery board of church erection gave seven hundred dollars. The two valuable lots, each fifty by one hundred and fifty feet in size, were donated by the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad Company. The magnificent gift to this church of the premium four-hundred dollar Mancely & Kimberly Troy bell is due to the good offices of Capt. Charles Stuart, since deceased, who not only secured the donation of one hundred dollars each from three of the prominent officers of the railroad company with free freight from Chicago, but generously footed the balance of the bill himself. "After nearly one year's services as stated supply, a new call for the pastoral services of Rev. Edward B. Cousins was issued and forwarded to the presbytery in session at Emerson, April 16, 1880. The same was accepted by him. Rev. John Herron preached the installation sermon. Rev. S. L. McAffee charged the pastor. Rev. Thomas McClelland charged the people at installation day, May 9, 1880. On April 4, 1880, the Sabbath school was organized, with a membership of fifty, which, within one year, about doubled itself in numbers and during two following years grew to and sustained an average membership of one hundred and twenty-five. A choice library of two hundred and sixty-four volumes was put in, at a cost of one hundred and fifty dollars. "From its organization until the present time (July 7, 1899), a little over twenty years, only six different ministers have been engaged to serve this church for regular stated term. Of these, three have been regularly installed as pastors, and the other three served as stated supplies. The first pastorate closed on May 13, 1883, after a little more than four years' service, by Rev. E. B. Cousins. After trying the weekly supply system, on October 25, 1883, Rev. D. A. Blose was installed as pastor, and served until the spring of 1885. In May, 1885, Rev. J. H. Bartlett came as stated supply for one year and in January, 1886, left the field and presbytery. The church then remained vacant until September, 1886, when Rev. Edward Dickinson came and engaged as stated supply. He continued in that capacity for nearly ten years, an able, efficient preacher and successful laborer in the Master's vineyard, until the close of August, 1896. He was followed by Rev. Joseph Austin Cahill, who, in September, 1896, engaged as stated supply for one year and again the church was vacant. In 1897 Rev. John F. Hinkhouse began serving the church as stated supply, the engagement being for twelve or fifteen months, with a view to settlement as pastor, if the way appear clear. He came from Lenox, where his labors had been abundantly blessed, and his cordial greeting in this new field gave encouraging promise of successful work and blessed results in the Master's cause among us. That promise has been verified even in a much larger measure than could be hoped for, even by the most sanguine. During the winter of 1897-8 he secured the assistance of Evangelist Foot in conducting a series of meetings of two weeks, with blessed results, some of the precious fruits of which were the gathering into church of many by letter and by confession of faith in Christ. His ministrations, thus proving so satisfactory to the church and congregation, also accomplished another most important result of effectually bringing to a premature end the un-presbyterian stated supply system so long in vogue in this church. "On April 3, 1898, a formal ballot was taken with a view to calling Rev. Hinkhouse to a pastorate of the church, resulting in one hundred yeas to one nay. The call, after the usual form by the presbytery, was accepted by Rev. Hinkhouse. The formal installation ceremony occurred on May 13, 1898. Under the new pastorate the work has gone forward very encouragingly for more than a year, showing in good results a steady, healthful growth and a continued increasing interest on the part of the membership and congregation." The old building proving to be inadequate for the needs of the congregation, a congregational meeting was held on February 15, 1899, to consider the question of building a new one. It was unanimously voted to proceed to the erection of a new edifice. A building committee was appointed, consisting of Rev. J. F. Hinkhouse, Thomas Oliver, W. Burnside, R. L. Harris, H. A. Arnold, W. H. Cowles, J. M. McKarahan and Samuel Switzer. The committee at once proceeded to the work of soliciting funds and selecting plans for a beautiful and commodious (seventy by eighty feet in size) building, which was built of frame, veneered with pressed brick, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. This is the largest and best appointed church building in the county. It was dedicated on the l0th of December, 1899, free from debt, through the generosity of Mrs. Lois G. Stuart, who gave one dollar for each dollar subscribed, and then made up a deficiency at the end; recently this church has also received five thousand dollars, bequeathed to it by Mrs. Stuart in her will. During the pastorate of Rev. Hinkhouse the "Sunday Meetings" were held, from which this church received a wonderful inspiration, gathering in about two hundred new members, some of whom have proven strong factors and burden bearers in the church work. Rev. Hinkhouse remained as pastor till January 17, 1904, when he removed to Sioux City. The next pastor was Rev. Samuel Conybeare, who began his work on the first Sunday in May, 1904, and continued the work in a very acceptable manner until February 24, 1907, when he severed his connection to accept a call to Cedar Rapids. The services of Rev. D. C. McIntosh were then secured, he beginning his labors on March 31, 1907, and continuing until January 24, 1909. The next pastor was Rev. A. B. Miller, who came on April 11, 1909, and continued until September 8, 1913, when he accepted a call to Tarkio, Missouri. The next to accept the pastorate was Rev. Thomas B. Greenlee, who begun his work on January 25, 1914, and who is still pastor, doing acceptable service and under whose ministry the church still prospers. A strong and active Ladies' Aid Society and Woman's Missionary Society have done and are still doing excellent service in carrying on the work of the church. A Christian Endeavor Society has also been no small factor in helping the young people in the Christian way, and the Sunday school, a greater portion of the time under the superintendency of Rev. E. B. Cousins, has been a power for the building up of Christian characters among the children and young people. In 1891 this congregation purchased a two-story, eight-room house, across the street, for a parsonage, which was remodeled, a hot-air furnace put in, and other improvements made, at a total cost of about three thousand dollars. This church also organized what was known as the "Old Hamlin" Presbyterian church, a branch of this church, the membership there being members of this church. The present membership of the church is two hundred and ten. OLD HAMLIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. |
