The Anniversary was at Delhi June 10.
Sermon by Rev. James Hill of Cascade, Moderator, and
Wm. Aitchison Jr. clerk. Baptisms 84, other additions
56, whole number of members 794. A year of some
spiritual quickening, in which Cascade, Dubuque, and
Maquoketa have shared most fully, reporting 14, 26,
and 13 baptisms respectively. Epworth have let
contract for building without help. A movement was
inaugurated to combine the aid of the Churches in the
Association to help one, where most needed, each year
in building, and by this unity of effort, in a few
years, almost every Church in the Dubuque Association
was provided with a house of worship. Rev. A. Whitman
has succeeded Brother Chapin as pastor at Dubuque.
Rev. Wm. Tilley has followed H. L. Field at
Maquoketa, and Rev. Asa Prescott has settled at
Delaware Centre and Delhi, succeeding J. Z. Zimmerman
after a short pastorate at Delaware Centre, and J. C.
Johnson after an interval at Delhi and Delaware
Centre. The history of the LaMotte Church is given
this year. It was organized first at Andrew, January
4, 1845, “By the assistance of Rev. Horace Eaton
of New Hampshire.” He was called to the
pastorate, but declined the call and seems to have
remained in the state only about a year. Horace Eaton
seems to have been under appointment of the Home
Mission Society in Davis county 20 weeks in 1844 and
26 weeks in 1845. The church was removed from Andrew
to LaMotte, and in 1848 Rev. Joshua Currier became
pastor. During his pastorate of nine and one-half
years the membership increased to 62, and a
comfortable house of worship was built. Since that
time the Church has declined in membership and
influence, and when the history was written in 1870
there were only 17 members.
1871. Met at Epworth, sermon by Elder
John Brown, James Hill Moderator, Wm. Aitchison
clerk. Brother C. W. Skemp of Dubuque has been very
acceptably supplying the Church at Epworth and Farley
for two or three years past. They have completed a
house of worship at Epworth, at a cost of $2,125, and
are rejoicing. There are now 15 Churches, 8 pastors,
and 15 meeting houses, including those under way;
members 753. Only 14 baptisms are reported for the
year, and a net loss of 41 members. A series of
“Regulations” were adopted at this meeting
for a “Church Building Fund.” The name and
wise councils of Rev. A. Chapin are missed from the
deliberations of the body. The stay of his successor
at Dubuque has been short, and they are without a
pastor. Maquoketa have expended $1,500 in repairs on
Church edifice, and have now the best in town.
1872. Maquoketa enjoys the
anniversary. Rev. Asa Prescott preached the sermon
and was elected Moderator. Rev. Wm. Aitchison still
clerk. Baptisms 63, of which number 46 are at
Dubuque, where Rev. L. F. Raymond has become pastor
and has been assisted by his father, the veteran
Lewis Raymond, of Chicago, in a remarkable revival.
Whole number of members in the Association, 775.
Cascade have had some trouble, but the Church is
nevertheless prospering. Manchester have no pastor,
by building a meeting house, and Monmouth have
recently dedicated.
In 1873 the Association met at
Manchester. L. F. Raymond, preacher; Asa Prescott,
Moderator; L. M. Newell, clerk. For a number of years
there have been no new organization, nor any change
of boundary of the Association. This year the
Monmouth Church s dismissed to the Davenport
Association, and the Forestville Church is received
from the Turkey River. Rev. T. F. Thickstun is
present as State Superintendent of Missions, and J.
E. Rockwood as State Sunday School Missionary. Of the
14 Churches comprising the body, six are without
pastors. Baptisms 55, members 775. Rev. L. M. Newell
has become pastor at Manchester. Maquoketa reports 14
baptisms, but Brother Tilley has resigned. Rev. James
Hill is pastor at Cascade, and they report 18
baptisms.
1874. The Twentieth Anniversary was
held at Dubuque. Rev. Wm. Aitchison, Jr., preached
the introductory sermon, and was Moderator; T. H.
Bowen, clerk. The churches all send letters except
Spring Brook. Fourteen churches, 57 baptisms, 41
other additions; loss 83. Present membership 776. Of
the baptisms, Delaware Centre reports 19, Manchester
11, Maquoketa 10 and Cascade 7. These annual figures
are interesting in as much as they indicate, at least
in part, the process of spiritual growth. Sympathetic
mention is made of the loss by death of the beloved
wife of Rev. James Hill, of Cascade, who was called
up higher, March 12th, 1874. North Bend Church asked
dismission to unite with the Davenport Association.
The request was deferred for one year, and the Church
seem not to have renewed it, nor to have made any
further report to this body. The name stands upon the
record for a few years and then disappears. Rev. J.
M. Ferris is pastor at Dubuque, N. F. Hoyt at
Maquoketa and W. H. Irwin at Manchester. The LaMotte
Church are reduced to 10 members, and ask advice of
the Association. They are advised to sell their
meeting house in order to pay a debt of three hundred
dollars, and to retain the balance, if anything
remains, in the Association. Rev. M. T. Lamb was
present as Sunday School Missionary, having succeeded
Brother Rockwood in that office.
Met May 28th 1875 at Delaware Centre.
Rev. N. F. Hoyt, of Maquoketa, preached the annual
sermon. Rev. James Hill was again elected Moderator,
and J. W. Beatty is clerk. It appears that a
committee had been appointed to consider and report
upon the propriety of disbanding the Association and
uniting with the Linn. This committee reported, and
after some discussion, it was resolved that “as
a Association we discard all idea of disbanding the
body and uniting with any other.” At this
meeting a constitution was adopted organizing an
“Iowa Baptist Church Building Society.”
Resolutions were passed in tender memorial of Rev.
John Bates, long a member of this body, who had
recently deceased in Canada. Maquoketa mourns the
death of the loved wife of their pastor, Rev. N. F.
Hoyt. Rev. W.H. Irwin has resigned at Manchester. It
is evidently a time of great spiritual dearth. Only
six baptisms are reported in the entire Association.
Whole number of members 781.
1876. Cascade is the entertaining
Church. Rev. J. Hill was Moderator protem, but at his
earnest request to be released from the duties he had
discharged so long and well, Rev. N. F. Hoyt was
elected permanent Moderator for the year. Rev. J. W.
Beatty, of Cascade , clerk. Allen Curr of Dubuque,
preached the annual sermon. Rev. James Hill has now
been preaching at Cascade since 1873. The letters
from the Churches are hopeful but report no great
revival. Only 8 churches report this year. Baptisms
17; whole number of members 738. Spring Brook has
become extinct, and the name is dropped. Rev. J. M.
Ferris, pastor of Dubuque for the last two years, has
withdrawn from the denomination and united with the
Methodists. He is succeeded by Allen Curr, and they
are much encouraged and are engaged in building a
house of worship. Rev. L. M. Whiting has become
pastor at Manchester and Epworth. Rev. C. W. Skemp,
of Dubuque, who has been supplying the Church at
Epworth eight years, surrendering, with much honors,
the trust, for a time at least, to others.
1877. Met at Maquoketa. The veteran
Moderator, Brother Hill again at his post, and J. W.
Beatty again clerk. Brother Hill also preached the
sermon. The returned missionary, Rev. T. J. Keith has
become pastor at Maquoketa and welcomes the
Association handsomely. Brother Hoyt after four years
of honorable service here has removed to Minnesota.
The hopeful spirit of last year is on the increase
and some fruit has appeared. Forty have been
baptized, 15 of them at Maquoketa. LaMotte, Delaware
and South Fork Churches have not reported for three
years, and committees are appointed to inquire into
their state. Rev. H. D. Weaver is pastor…
1878. …assembling at Delhi on
the 18th. The annual sermon was preached by Allen
Curr. H. D. Weaver was Moderator and J. G. Johnson,
clerk. There 9 Churches, 42 baptisms reported, of
which 28 are at Manchester where L. M. Whiting is
still pastor. Total membership 682. The Convention
Minutes this year report ten Churches and 700
members. Rev. James Hill has closed a five
years’ pastorate at Cascade, and Rev. J.
Bodenham is his successor. Dubuque has made progress.
The value of Church property is now estimated at
$21,000. The pastor having been absent about
three-fourths of the year, the pulpit has been
acceptably supplied by Brethren Millard and Skemp.
Pastor Keith has resigned at Maquoketa to accept a
call at Waverly. The Church at Maquoketa has paid a
debt of $500.
1879. Met at Epworth September 12.
Sermon by Rev. L. M. Whiting, Rev. T. S. Crandall
Moderator, Prof C. S. Chapman clerk. Churches 8,
baptisms 29, members 680. Of the baptisms 16 were at
Dubuque, where Allen Curr has been succeeded in the
pastorate by Rev. C. H. Kimball. Rev. T. S. Crandall
has settled at Maquoketa. Dubuque is greatly
embarrassed by debt and her property endangered. A
memorial to the State Convention, to meet at Dubuque
in October, pleads earnestly for some method of
deliverance to be devised for this Church. It may not
be too much to say that, to all human appearance, the
interposition of the State Convention and Home
Mission Society in the fall of 1879 saved the Dubuque
Church from ruin. As we now write, 1886, the Church
is out of debt, self-sustaining and prosperous.
Probably no Church in Iowa of its relative strength
has made a better record, raised more money, nor by
greater devotion and personal sacrifice, and at the
same time been more blessed in its spiritual work
than the Dubuque Church during the last six years.
In 1880 the Association met at
Manchester. Rev. H. D. Weaver was the preacher, Rev.
James Hill Moderator, C. S. Chapman clerk. Very
little spiritual growth is reported, but there is a
hopeful spirit. Some progress has been made in
removing debts and financial burdens. Rev. J. B.
Thomas has begun the work in Dubuque, and starts the
imperrilled interest there upon the noble effort the
success of which is anticipated in a previous
paragraph. The financial record of the Association is
a decided improvement upon the past. There were
reported for current expenses $3,053, against
$1,941.52 last year. Grand total for all purposes
$5,851.94, against $2,967.30 last year. In 1881
Dubuque entertains the Annual gathering. Rev. T. L.
Crandall of Maquoketa delivered the annual sermon.
Rev. A. D. Abbott Moderator, C. S. Chapman clerk.
Churches 8, baptisms 42, members 619. Five of the 8
Churches share in baptisms. Dubuque with 14 and
Manchester with 18 are the most fortunate. The
financial record is still improving. Pastors Weaver
and Bodenham have resigned and leave the Association,
the former to take charge at the Church at Ames,
Iowa. Rev. A. D. Abbott is pastor at Delhi and
Delaware Centre. D. Howard Hall of Dubuque is
preaching both this year and last at Epworth.
1882. Met at Delaware Centre. Rev. F.
Bower, of Jessup, was the annual preacher. Rev. Wm.
Aitchison was elected Moderator, and Mrs. S. E.
Harger, of Delhi clerk. The Independence and Jessup
Churches, from the Cedar Valley Association, and the
Winterset Church, from the Linn, were received into
this body, with an agment of strength that must
greatly encourage the members of the Association.
There are now 11 churches with, 829 members, of whom
38 have been baptized within the year. The pastors of
the three added churches are, Rev. C. F. Hahn,
Independence, Rev. F. Bower, Jessup and Rev. John
Couch, Winthrop. Rev. L. M. Whiting has closed at
Manchester, seven years of devoted and
self-sacrificing toil in this Association, that will
not be easily replaced. Rev. W. E. Walker is his
successor. Brother Wm. Aitchison has again been
called to the pastorate at Cascade. Pastor Thomas, at
Dubuque, reports encouragement. They are grappling
manfully with almost insurmountable difficulties.
1883. Independence entertains her
newly adopted sister churches in Association this
year. Rev. Wm. Aitchison preached the annual sermon,
and was again called to preside. Rev. C. E. Higgins,
the new pastor at Independence, is clerk. The Dubuque
Baptist Association, after a long and heroic struggle
to hold the fort, and to lay permanent foundations,
seems now to see the day of prosperity set over
against the day of adversity. Over 100 additions are
reported, 64 of them by baptism. The financial record
is far in advance; $12,078.26 are reported for all
purposes. Cascade are building a new meeting house,
and have expended over $4000.00. They are also
building the spiritual house; 18 have been added by
baptism. Dubuque reports 39 baptism. Epworth and
Maquoketa are without pastors. Brother Hall having
ceased his labors at Epworth the 1st of July, and
Brother Crandall having closed a four years’
useful pastorate at Maquoketa. Brother Hahn has given
place to C. E. Higgins, at Independence, and J. W.
Allen has succeeded Brother Couch at Winthrup.
1884. Met at Cascade. Sermon by J. W.
Allen, J. B. Thomas Moderator and C. E. Higgins,
clerk. Churches 11; pastors 8; baptisms 79;
membership 890. The largest membership since the
organization of the Turkey River Association, 25
years ago. The Churches all, or nearly all, seem to
be in a healthy condition, and give promise of
continued usefulness and prosperity. In 1885 the
Association met for it’s Thirty-first
Anniversary at Maquoketa. The annual sermon was
preached by Rev. C. E. Higgins; Moderator and clerk
the same as last year. Eleven Churches, 24 baptisms
and 889 members. Rev. George Houghton has become
pastor at Delaware Centre and Epworth. Rev. J. W.
Hough, at Maquoketa, and Rev. J. Y. Aitchison, D. D.,
at Manchester.
In 1886 – baptisms 74; members
910. Foreign missions $288.39; state missions
$240.13; total local expenses $8,090.16;
denominational benevolence $810.38; grand total for
all purposes $8.900.64. On July 4th the Dubuque
Church celebrated their own independence from debt
with the National Independence, by publicly burning
the notes, mortgages, etc. which had constituted the
evidences of indebtedness against them. Rev. R. J.
Langridge has become pastor at Maquoketa. Rev. James
Hill, of Cascade, who has been preaching at the
Little Church at Worthington nearly or quite ever
since its organization in 1861, has baptized five
there this year, and they report ten members. This is
a remarkable instance of fidelity and vitality.
Rev. J. W. Beatty is pastor at
Cascade, O. W. Catlin at Jessup, Wm. Swinden at
Manchester, succeeding Rev. J. Y. Aithchison, D. D.,
who resigned on account of poor health. Rev. C. E.
Higgins resigned at Independence to accept the
appointment of General Missionary. At this writing,
Rev. D. N. Mason is supplying the pulpit with great
acceptance and hope of his returning to the work to
which he is so well adapted in the pulpit. He has
been for a few years engaged in teaching, for which
work he has also special adaptation.
There is perhaps, no part of Iowa
that has required greater fortitude and courageous
faith to maintain the cause of the Master during the
whole 30 years of it’s history, than that
occupied by the Dubuque Association, and in none have
these qualities been more fully evinced. The largest
number of churches reported any one year has been 25,
and the smallest number 8. There were 25 churches in
1860, before the Organization of the Turkey River
Association, and in 1878 and 1879 only 8, which
number has been increased to 11. The number of
members since 1860 has ranged from 550, in 1864, to
910 in 1886. Only twice has the membership reached
1,000, and that in 1859 and 1860, and only two years
the number of baptisms has reached 100, and that was
in 1858 and 1850.
Historical sketches of Iowa Baptists;
by S.H. Mitchell; Burlington, Iowa: Burdette
Co., 1886,
537 pgs.; Page 209 – 218
- transcribed for Clayton co. IAGenWeb by Constance
Diamond
