History Of Presbyterian Church

BROWN, CAMPBELL, JONES, SWAN, WILSON

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 10/27/2016 at 20:28:36

Interesting Story Of Birth And History Of Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian church of Newton was organized seventy years ago next August with ten members, all of whom are now dead. Rev. George H. Swan, a very eccentric preacher of Oskaloosa, was appointed by the presbytery to organize the church, and Rev. John M. Jones was the first pastor.
At the time of the organization an old frame building formerly used as a carpenter shop and commonly known as “the swayback” for the reason that the central part of the roof bowed down in a long curve from end to end of the building, was used for a church. It stood on the west lot of the present property of the church.
In 1857, the church leased the second floor of the John Meyer block, still standing at the northeast corner of the square. While there, the church people bought the bell which has done duty in calling the members to church for sixty-seven years. The bell was an important part of civic life in an early day.
It regulated the hour of service for not only the Presbyterians but for all other churches in the town for a number of years. It was the first official fire alarm of the city. All important meetings of the citizens began at the stroke of this bell and on the Fourth of July and Christmas it rang out in honor of liberty and joy to the world.
Two years later (1859) the church bought the piece of a lot where the warehouse now stands in the rear of the Routledge plumbing shop. An old building was bought and moved onto this lot.
The building served the purpose very well for nearly ten years, but in 1868 the church bought the two lots which it still owns and on which the church about to be dedicated now stands. On these lots, the members built a small brick church costing $6,000, having the cash in hand to complete the work.
Unfortunately, the building proved to be of poor construction, the foundation especially being insufficient,
And in 1889 the building was declared unsafe and was torn down to make room for the erection of the frame church which has in turn given way to make room for the new structure. The frame church was erected at a cost of $4,875, and the annex built in 1898 cost $1,200. In the erection of these structures, the Presbyterians adhered to the pay-as-you-go-plan.
Rev. David Brown was the pastor at the time of the frame church was erected and he together with John C. Wilson and C. w. Campbell, were the building committee, of which committee C. W. Campbell alone survives.
The building just torn down has served the church for thirty-five years and for its size was very pleasant and convenient, but it has for a long time been inadequate for properly carrying on the work of the church and especially for modern Sunday school methods. The church felt compelled to erect the new structure and in November 1922, after very complete discussion, the resolution to build was passed and building and finance committees were appointed, and Vorse, Kaetsch & Kraetsch secured as architects.
In April 1923, work was commenced and in September 1923, the cornerstone was laid with appropriate ceremonies.
While the building is architecturally beautiful and will have a splendid setting at the rear of the lots with adequate space for landscaping the lawn, the building committee has devoted their attention especially to making the church complete in every detail for the purpose intended.
The building is 115 by 50 feet and has a massive tower 24 by 24 feet. This tower is a new idea in church architecture in that the second, third and fourth stories are fitted up into very pleasant classrooms.
On the ground floor is the auditorium, 50 by 50 feet, which, with the gallery, will seat 525 people, all directly facing the platform. In order to make the acoustics perfect, the walls of the auditorium are finished with a beautiful tapestry and the result is not only very elegant but one in which it will be easy to speak and which will accommodate itself in any modulation of the tones of the organ.
The fine Austin pipe organ, the gift of f. L. Maytag, is the pride of the congregation. It is build in the most modern style, all pipes being concealed behind a grill work, only the console showing on the platform, and it is moveable so that it can be changed about to accommodate any kind of service. Mr. Maytag spared no expense in providing the church with an organ which would be a great gratification not only to the congregation but to the whole city.
The west part of the ground floor is taken up with Sunday school classrooms, of which there are five, one of which is fitted for use as a department assembly room or of being divided into three rooms, also a secretary’s office. The second floor has five class rooms, one of which is capable of being used as an assembly room.
The primary room is in the basement and this, too, is arranged for division into three rooms, and it is being fitted with the latest in primary equipment. One feature which will be much appreciated is ample closet room throughout the Sunday school department for securely caring for the wraps of pupils and teachers.
In the basement also are splendid social rooms, a dining room 72 by 31 feet, capable of seating comfortably 300 people. The kitchen is ample in size and equipment and has four large serving windows.
On the first floor is the ladies parlor and rooms for the choir and pastor. The third floor will, for the present, be left unfinished.
A novel feature is a regulation movie booth, which will provide for this form of entertainment, now being made such good use of in many of the larger churches.
The cost of the building is about $65,000, exclusive of the organ.
Source: Newton Daily News; November 17, 1924