LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

Source: Morning Sun Herald, July 14, 1898
Transcribed by Sheryl, August 6, 2022

HISTORY OF THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Morning Sun, Iowa

The Reformed Presbyterian congregation of Morning Sun was organized July 9, 1873 by a commission of Iowa Presbytery consisting of C. D. Trumbull, the pastor of Lind Grove congregation, John P. Kirkpatrick of Washington, and Wm. O. Linday of Kossuth. Rev. James Wallace of Illinois was present and sat as an advisary member of the commission. The meeting of the organization was in the M. E. church, which had been granted for this purpose by the courtesy of the brethren of that congregation. There were 46 names enrolled at the organization, all from Sharon congregation. Of these A. W. Cavin and James McCaughan were elected and ordained elders and James Montgomery, W. J. Cubit and W. F. Cook deacons. Soon after the organization the congregation resolved to proceed to the erection of a house of worship. About $2500 was raised within and without the congregation and the building which is still the main building of the church edifice was completed that year. The first sermon in the new building was preached by the present pastor the first Sabbath of December 1873. A call was moderated March 9, 1874 which resulted in the choice of C. D. Trumbull as pastor. The call was presented April 1, following and was accepted. The pastor was installed April 14, 1874 and is still in the service of the congregation in the same relation. Previous to his installation one of the original members died and five new names were added to the roll making at that date just 50 names on the roll. Since that time 317 members have been received. Of the original members six are still actively connected with the congregation, A. W. Cavin, J. W. Cavin and his wife, W. J. Cubit, Thos. Cummings and Thos. Garvin. Two others, Mrs. Alma J. Pearson and Mrs. Martha B. Stormont, though absent from the bonds, still retain their connection with the congregation. Sixteen others are still living, but scattered from Indiana to the Pacific coast. Twenty three have passed out of the church militant to join, as we trust, the church triumphant. Of the 317 who have united with the congregation during the present pastorate, 132 are still members. Of the others 42 have departed this life and 175 are connected with other congregations or other churches, most of these having removed to Kansas or Nebraska. Of the original officers one elder, A. W. Cavin, and one deacon W. J. Cubit remain. James McCaughan elder, and W. F. Cook deacon, are in the west. James Montgomery, deacon, died July 28, 1887. Additions were made to the session from time to time as follows: Stephen Bagles, May 21, 1874; Thos. Reid Sept. 5, 1874; John McIntyre and G. Cunningham, Sept. 28, 1877; S. E. McElhinney, J. W. Cavin, and Jas. S. Bell, Oct. 1, 1886; A. M. Armstrong and D. Kilpatrick, May 10, 1896. Of these Mr. Bagles died March 2, 1879; John McIntyre Dec. 21, 1895. Jas. S. Bell removed from our bounds in the spring of '90. The others are still members of the session. J. T. Hensleigh was added to the Board of Deacons in 1880; J. C. Elliott, T. M. Edgar and J. D. Boal in 1896.

The Sabbath School was organized in May 1874. The records show John McIntyre, Dr. McCaughan, G. Cunningham, A. P. Hensleigh and J. W. Cavin have been the superintendents since 1875. The first and second superintendents are deceased. The others are still members of the congregation.

The teachers' association was organized twenty years ago and the records of its meetings have been kept. From these it appears that the Sabbath School has contributed in that time $2,045.91 of which $1,784.91 has been for missions, home and foreign, and only $269 for school expenses. A. P. Hensleigh has been treasurer all this time except two years. The Missionary Society was organized July 1, 1870 with 15 members at that time. 62 others have been enrolled. Of the members 17 have been called home and 25 have removed from the bounds or have withdrawn from active membership. The present memership is 35.

This society has raised during the nineteen years of its existence $2,242, nearly all of which has been devoted to missions.

The youngest of the organizations of the congregation is the Y. P. S. C. E. organized Jan. 22, 1902 with 12 members. The present enrollment is 53.

The members are for the most part faithful in attendance at the prayer meetings and in helping to make them profitable and interesting. For a year or more no money was raised for church work. Since 1893 there have been regular collections. The total contributions have been $425 of which $230.00 have been raised the past two years for church work in Chicago. The church building was enlarged and remodeled during the summer of 1895 at a cost of about $2,500.

The total contributions during the quarter of a century of her existence has been $48,208, an average of $1,931.82 per year and of 816.70 per member. Of this $14,219 have been given for missions, an average of $508.76 each year and $4.94 for each member. These contributions have all been made directly to the Lord's work with out resorting to festivals or fairs or any other device.