St. John's German Methodist Church.—This mission was organized in September, 1871, with the following constituent members: John Schmidt and wife, Otto Lawrenz, Hanna Kamphoefer, Louisa Held, Louisa Derwein, Carolina Derwein, Conrad Miller, Eliza Miller, Conrad Peiff, Elizabeth Peiff, Catherine Derwein, John Freitag and wife, Johanna Freitag, Pone and wife, John Wagner, Lizzie Wagner, Kate Hemig. The first Pastor was Christian Piesch, and the present one is George Enzeroth. The present number of members is sixty-five and the property of the church is valued at $3,000.
South Street M.E. Church.—At the twenty-eighth session of the Iowa Annual Conference, held at Mount Pleasant October 4-9, 1871, the Committee on Missions recommended the establishment of the South Burlington Mission, and that $150 be appropriated to its support, which recommendation was concurred in by the Presiding Bishop, E. R. Ames. The same Conference appointed Rev. W. G. Wilson to this field, who organized the society with six members—Edgar Bloomer, Sr., Eliza Bloomer, Edgar Bloomer, Jr., Clementine Bloomer, George Mantor and Mrs. M. M. Mantor. In the same year, the present church edifice was built, a neat frame structure, situated corner South and Thirteenth streets. Prior to the occupancy of this building, the society held services in the West Madison Schoolhouse, on Summer street. The first Stewards were appointed at the first Quarterly Conference of the South Burlington Charge, held at Spring Grove December 11, 1871. They were George Mantor and E. Bloomer, Sr.; and at the second Quarterly Conference, held at South Burlington (South street) Chapel March 23, 1872, Philip Chrissinger, B. T. Deal, E. Bloomer, Jr., E. Bloomer, Sr., and G. Mantor, were elected Trustees, having been previously nominated by the Pastor, Rev. Mr. Wilson. At the same meeting, R. Findlay was elected Recording Secretary. The society reported ninety-one members, including seven probationers, to the Annual Conference of 1874. To the Conference of 1878, the membership was reported at eighty-seven. A new parsonage is now about completed, valued about $1,500. Rev. W. G. Wilson served the Church as Pastor from September, 1871, till October 9, 1872; Rev. J. H. Power, D.D., from October 9, 1872, till removed by death, January 26, 1873; Rev. Mr. Leonard filled the vacancy till September 21, 1873; Rev. J. G. Barton was appointed Pastor September 21, 1873, and served till September 12, 1876; Rev. N. Wells was appointed September 10, 1877, and served one year; Rev. G. W. Byrkit, the present efficient Pastor, was appointed in September, 1878. A flourishing Sunday school is connected with the Church, with about one hundred and fifty members, and the society is growing in numbers and influence. Mr. Byrkit was a Burlington boy, formerly, and a compositor in the Hawk-Eye office twenty-one years ago. The present Trustees of his Church are Dr. Moss, I. S. Shoutz, C. T. Patterson, George Mantor and J. F. Jordan. Samuel Crownover is present Superintendent of the Sabbath school.
Congregational Church.—This Church was first formed in the year 1838, by Rev. James A. Clark, a missionary of the American Home Mission Society, who was then stationed at Fort Madison. On November 25 of that year, Christian friends, to the number of twelve, met in a house on Court street, then occupied as a schoolroom by Park Stewart, and associated themselves as a church, which was known and recognized as "The Constitutional New School Presbyterian Church of Burlington." James G. Edwards and wife, Mrs. Ellen T. Edwards, William H. Starr, Mrs. Frances C. Starr, Dr. Knapp, William Jaynes, _____ Bronson and wife, Arthur Bridgman, Joseph Bridgman, Mrs. Helen M. Lamson, Mrs. Lockwood and Mrs. Ruth Sheldon, composed the infant organization, from which has grown the present large and prosperous Congregational Church. Of this little band of pioneer Christians, very few are living, and only one, Mrs. Edwards (now Mrs. J. M. Broadwell), resides in this city. She was formerly a member of the famous Old South Church, Boston, having come to the West in 1829. Arthur Bridgman resides in Keokuk, and Joseph Bridgman in Muscatine. The house in which the Church was organized was destroyed by fire January 6, 1867.
   For several years after its establishment, the Church was ministered to occasionally by Rev. Mr. Clark, before mentioned, Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., of Denmark, Iowa, Rev. Reuben Gaylord, of Danville, Iowa, and Rev. W. C. Rankin, of Yellow Springs, then laboring in the Territory under the patronage of the American Home Mission Society. The same society aided this infant Church for ten years, expending upon this field nearly $1,500 in that period. For several months, in 1842, Rev. John M. Boal, a graduate of Lane Theological Seminary, officiated for the society, during which a revival was experienced. In October, 1843, the Church invited Rev. Horace Hutchinson, a graduate of Amherst College and of Andover Theological Seminary, to become their minister, which invitation was accepted, and he continued their Pastor until removed by death, March 7, 1846.
   A re-organization of the Church was effected December 28, 1843, and the Congregational name and form of government adopted. The meeting for this purpose was held in their room on Main street, Rev. A. Leonard presiding, and A. S. Shackford acting as Secretary. There were also present at this meeting R. Armstrong, W. H. Starr, Charles Hendric, Mrs. D. Leonard, J. G. Edwards, Mrs. A. Leonard, Mrs. M. J. Kelley, Mrs. McCash, Mrs. E. T. Edwards, Mrs. L. Buel and D. Leonard. The motion to re-organize as a Congregational Church was unanimously carried, and other members of the old organization, not present at the meeting were to be recognized as members of the new, on assenting to the Constitution, Confession of Faith and Covenant. At this time the membership included forty-one souls. January 4, 1844, James G. Edwards and Albert S. Shackford were chosen the first Deacons of the new Church, which, as re-organized, was incorporated by an act of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa, approved February 12, 1844. This act authorized the Church and society to hold property to an amount not exceeding $15,000. Abner Leonard, William B. Ewing, Seth T. Ransom, James G. Edwards and Albert S. Shackford are mentioned in the Act of Incorporation. The act was amended June 19, 1844, giving the society more explicit authority as to rules and by-laws, and making valid previous transfers to or from the society, and a farther amendment passed by the Legislature, approved March 30, 1866, authorizes the organization to hold property to the value of $100,000, and to dispose of pews and other property for the support of the Church. The Constitution adopted, December 28, 1843, was then, or soon thereafter, signed by Abner Leonard, Elizabeth Leonard, David Leonard, Mary S. Leonard, Jane Wilkins, Benjamin Lewis, William H. Starr (2d), John B. Fry, Ruth Sheldon, Eliza Kurtz, James G. Edwards, William H. Starr, Robert Armstrong, Albert S. Shackford, Sarah McCash, Louisa Buel, Margaret J. Kelley, Ellen T. Edwards, Sarah S. Prince, Mary M. McGuire, Ann E. Chase, Catherine Nealy, Frances C. Starr, Susan E. Bruner, Maria Pitt, Mary Allen, Rebecca Field, Matilda B. Ransom, William and Jane Moore. On the same day the Church signified their wish to become connected with the Denmark Association, to the next meeting of which A. S. Shackford was chosen delegate. And thus was completed the organization of the Congregational Church of Burlington, destined to increase in numbers and power, and to wield a wide influence in the city and among sister-churches.
   The building of the society's first house of worship was commenced in June 1843, 40x50 feet in size, built of brick, completed at a cost of $6,000, and dedicated December 29, 1846, the Pastor, Rev. William Salter, preaching the dedicatory sermon from the second chapter of Isaiah, third verse.
   The former Pastor, Rev. Mr. Hutchinson, having recently died, at a church meeting held at the old meeting-place on Columbia street, near Water, where the McCutcheon House now stands, March 15, 1846, an invitation was extended to Rev. William Salter, then of the church in Maquoketa, Iowa, to become their Pastor. The invitation was accepted, and Mr. Salter, who had preached his first sermon in Burlington, March 1, 1846, was regularly installed by the Ecclesiastical Council held December 30, of the same year. At this Council Rev. Reuben Gaylord, of Danville, Iowa, was Moderator; Rev. T. M. Post, of Illinois College, Jacksonville, preached the sermon; Rev. Asa Turner, of Denmark, Iowa, offered the prayer of installation; Rev. Benjamin A. Spaulding, of Ottumwa, gave the charge to the Pastor, and Rev. James A. Clark of Fort Madison, the address to the people. Mr. Salter has ever since remained Pastor of the Church, sharing their joys and sorrows and triumphs, through the long period of over thirty-two years; the membership under his devoted and efficient labors, increasing from fifty-three in 1846, to two hundred and ninety-three in 1879. It is not often that any church is blessed with the ministrations of a single Pastor for so long a period.
   The Hawk-Eye of January 7, 1847, speaks with pride of the "new Congregational Church on Fourth street." It was 60x40 feet, well proportioned and surmounted by a graceful spire. The internal decorations were tasteful, and the "bell had a pleasing tone." The church cost about $6,000, $279.18 of which was raised by the Ladies' Sewing Society. The installation of Rev. W. Salter as Pastor was alluded to as having taken place December 29, 1846. The services attending this interesting and now historic event lasted during the day and evening. Rev. R. Gaylord led the introductory exercises, and Prof. Post, of Jacksonville, Ill., preached the sermon from Ephesians, iv, 15. The installing prayer was offered by Rev. A. Turner. The charges were delivered by Revs. B. A. Spaulding and J. A. Clark.
   This house was enlarged by an addition twenty feet to the west end, in 1854, and was taken down in 1866 to make room for the building of the new house on the same site, on Fourth street, between Jefferson and Washington streets.
   October 13, 1852, the Church organized a Missionary Society and adopted a constitution for the same. D. Leonard was the first President and M. S. Foote, first Secretary of this society, which has been active and liberal in aiding the extension of the Gospel. During the months of October and November, 1854, the services of the Church were held in Marion Hall, during the building of the addition to their old house of worship. February 28, 1864, Rev. Almon Underwood, of Newark, N. J., was invited to assist this Church in a protracted meeting. He came and preached thirty-nine sermons, beginning March 6, of that year, from which much good followed. June 30, 1864, the Pastor was granted leave of absence for six weeks to go to the Army of the Cumberland in the service of the Christian Commission, where he rendered invaluable service to the sick and wounded of the Union army. April 16, 1866, Mr. Salter preached his twentieth anniversary sermon as Pastor of the Church.
   The society having voted to build a new and more commodious house of worship, to be erected on the site of the old, and necessary expenses having been provided for the purpose, the last services were held in the old house September 9, 1866, and the last prayer-meeting in the same, September 13, on which occasion the Pastor lectured from Haggai, ii, 1-4. This house having to be removed, the society occupied the basement of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, beginning September 16, 1866, and till September 12, 1867, going thence to Marion Hall, which they occupied till December 19, 1869.
   At a church-meeting held July 1, 1867, arrangements were made to lay the corner-stone of their present beautiful church-building, which memorable event occurred July 4 of that year, under the supervision of the architect, Mr. Charles A. Dunham. In the afternoon of the day appointed, invitations having been extended to all the Pastors in the city and others to be present, the congregation and friends met at Marion Hall, and marched in procession to the designated site, headed by Robert Donahue, Marshal of the Day. Appropriate hymns were sung; Psalms lxxxiv and xcii were read by Rev. G. D. Stewart; an address was delivered by the Pastor, Rev. William Salter; the corner-stone was laid by the Deacons and Trustees representing the Church, the congregation singing the 548th hymn:
"Here in thy name, eternal God.
We lay this corner-stone for Thee;
O make the house Thy fixed abode,
And keep it, Lord, from error free," etc.
   The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Asa Turner. Hymn 605 was sung, and Rev. J. B. Fuller pronounced the benediction. Under direction of the committee appointed for the purpose (the Pastor, Clerk and Dr. Charles Beardsley), a metallic box was placed in the corner-stone, containing the articles named as follows: The Bible, the church hymn-book, manual, list of officers and members of the church, copy of Burial Hill Declaration of Faith of June, 1865; a copy of the Declaration of American Independence, of the United States Constitution, of Washington's Farewell Address, of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, of the Constitution of Iowa, a copy of the Burlington City Charter and Ordinances, copies of Burlington newspapers, copy of the Religious News Letter, of the Congregationalist and Recorder, and a copy of the Independent, a photograph of the old church-building, and of the plan of front elevation of the new, and specimens of national currency. The building thus begun, progressed as rapidly as means and circumstances would permit, till December 26, 1869, when the vestry, with other rooms in the first story, was dedicated with appropriate services, Rev. William Salter preaching the dedicatory sermon, Rev. W. F. Baird and Prof. J. T. Robert taking part in the exercises. In the afternoon of the same day, the vestry was dedicated by the Sunday school, at which addresses were delivered by Dr. Charles Beardsley, Robert Donahue and by A. E. Millspaugh. The work necessary to complete the house was pushed forward, and the magnificent edifice, complete and beautiful, was finally dedicated December 25, 1870, with the following programme: Invocation by the Pastor; reading of Scriptures by Rev. D. E. Jones; sermon by Rev. J. P. Gulliver, D. D., President of Knox College, Galesburg, Ill.; prayer of dedication by Rev. Asa Turner, Hymns 548, 549 and 550 were sung at intervals, and at last, after having worshiped in private dwellings, schoolrooms, halls, and in a house of their own inadequate to accommodate their numbers, and after years of trial and various vicissitudes, the First Congregational Church of Burlington were permanently at home in a church edifice in which both the congregation and the entire city feel a commendable pride.
In the construction of this beautiful house of worship, some materials of the old were used, the stone sills of which are placed at the gateway on the south side. The front walls and tower are of stone from Long Creek quarries; the side and rear walls are of white limestone; the frescoing is rich and beautiful, harmonious in design and coloring. The arched ceiling 97 feet in length and 42 feet high, presents a most attractive appearance; the stained-glass windows (that in front the gift of Gen. John M. Corse, as a memorial of his mother, an old member) are beautiful in figures and colors. The main audience-room is lighted by the aid of two large reflectors, diffusing a clear light over the entire room, and the whole building is warmed by one large stationary and two portable furnaces. The organ, furniture, carpets and upholstery, chiefly furnished and paid for by the ladies of the Church, are costly and elegant throughout. There are 141 pews in the audience-room on the main floor and 24 in the gallery, capable of seating comfortably 825 persons, and 200 more may be accommodated as occasion may require. From the desk to several of the pews pipes have been laid to accommodate deaf persons, and the entire structure is most creditable in solidity, convenience and architectural beauty and taste. The house completed, cost $80,000, including the organ and furniture and for generations to come thousands after thousand will come and worship in this beautiful temple.
The first baptism in this congregation, of which we can find a record, took place April 28, 1844, when Mary Jane and Eben, children of George and M. J. Kelley, and Henry, son of Mrs. Ann E. Chase, received the rite, since when not less than two hundred and sixty have, at different times, been baptized. The present officers of the Church are: Clerk, I. N. Stevens; Treasurer, T. R. Rankin; Visiting Committee, Mrs. W. S. Berry, Mrs. J. L. Brown and Mrs. Troxel. The regular expenses of the congregation are defrayed from pew rents, amounting to about $5,000 per annum, and of the extraordinary expense it may be stated as a fact most creditable, that the Ladies' Benevolent Society of the Church, within eight years, as per report of 1875, had contributed for the furniture and building of the new church, $8,376.78. There is also a Woman's Missionary Society connected with the Church, to help in supporting missionaries to women in foreign lands. The Church library contains, according to report of 1878, 220 volumes. It was founded in 1844, by a donation of fifty books from avails of a fund left by Samuel Phillips, in 1802, in the hands of the Trustees of Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. This library is open to all members of the congregation.
At the organization of the Church, the members co-operated in a Union Sabbath school, which was opened June 2, 1839, and was held in Old Zion M.E. Church, and of which James G. Edwards was Superintendent for two years, as he was subsequently of the Church Sunday school, organized in 1841, and of which the gentlemen named below have in different years, acted as Superintendents: Albert S. Shackford (1843), Charles Hendrie, David T. Sheldon, David Leonard, T. D. Crocker, H. B. Spelman, James Morton, John Darling, R. Donahue, Charles Beardsley, James R. Nairn, George A. Miller. The school has a library of well-selected books, a large membership, and is accomplishing a glorious work in training the youth of the fold in the ways of piety and virtue. The present officers are: Superintendent, George A. Miller; Assistant Superintendent, I. N. Stevens; Secretary and Treasurer, Gray Foote; Organist, Mrs. Bessie Kendal; Librarian, Mrs. John G. Foote.

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