LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

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THE CENTENARY METHODIST CHURCH
Morning Sun, Iowa

Transcribed by Beverly Gerdts, August 20, 2016

        As nearly as can be ascertained, itinerant preachers by the names of Wilson, Prather and Wayman held revival meetings in or near Morning Sun before the Civil War. In the late 1860’s the first class was organized by Rev. Mr. Paschal of Columbus City, the charter members being Mr. & Mrs. Robert Delzell, Mr. & Mrs. Meyers Jarvis Sr., Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Hamilton, Dr. & Mrs. Oliver Reynolds, and a Mrs. Cramer. This class was supplied with preaching by local preachers by the names of Pell and Bird and pastors form neighboring charges. The services were first held in the home of William Brown, and afterwards in the Presbyterian Church and still later in a building located where the former White Implement Co. building now stands.

        Morning Sun was officially organized as a charge of the Iowa Conference in 1871 and Bishop Ames appointed Rev. Morris Bamford as the first pastor. In 1872 and 1873 under his pastorate the membership grew quite rapidly, reaching 120 according to early church records.

        The early church membership roll listed the following names:

J. G. Anderson	Samantha Jarvis	Robert Owens Sr.
Docia Hunt	Mary Caparoon	Mary Owens
Mrs. James Jarvis	John Henderson	Margaret Owens
Mr. & Mrs. H. H. Howey	Amanda Henderson	Mrs. Joseph Owens
Elizabeth Hunt	Myers Jarvis	Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Hamilton
Mary Henderson	Jane Jarvis	Mrs. William Delzell
Josephine Hunt	Mrs. John Hungate	Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Gregory
Margaret Wood	Isreal Rice	Mr. & Mrs. Levi Bozman
Mary J. Chapman	Harriet Rice	Mrs. Peter Chrissinger
Alma Lyman,	Philena Whicher	Susan Wade Johnson
L. A. Nevitt	Mr. & Mrs. J.D. Sweeney	Clara Wade
P. C. Lyman	George W. Stroup	John McWatson
L. A. Lyman	Sarah Stroup	Jennie Butler
John Mickey	Rachel Ristine	Mrs. Joseph Butler
Susan Mickey	Katie Neal	Isabel Myers
Scott and Lillian Ashbaugh	Irene Brown	Asa Knight
Mrs. Munshower	Lizzie Huffman	Mrs. I. Siverly
Mr. and Mrs. A. Farmer	Robert Delzell	Matthew Jamison
Mrs. Hornsby	Polly Delzell	Samuel Jamison
John D. Bates	Oliver and Maggie Reynolds	Hattie Jamison
Ann E. Gilmore	Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Johnson	Margaret Deihl
John Gardner	John Johnson	Susan Deihl
Leucretia Gardner	Hiram and Matilda Fickle	Jane Banks
Mr. and Mrs. Moses Wright	Mary Stafford	Mrs. Carey
Mr. and Mrs. John Brownfield	James Childs	Susannah Hamilton
Marie and Mary Curran	Jennie Morgan	Keziah Chrissinger
Zadok Jarvis	Samuel Hamilton	Mr. & Mrs. William Plants
Charlotte Jarvis	Poll Hamilton	Jane Kirk
Leucretia Jarvis	Sarah Hamilton	Mrs. Jennie Delzell
Etta Earl	William and Hattie Copeland
John B. Jarvis	Mr. & Mrs. William E. Smith

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        The First Methodist Church building was erected in 1873 under the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Bamford. The original building was comprises the large Sunday School room. In 1884 a small class room at rear, balcony and South entrance tower were added. Rev. J. W. Lewis was pastor at the time.

        Some of the officers in 1872 were: Trustees: R. Delzell, Samuel Hamilton, Lewis Huffman, Oliver Reynolds, Samuel Reid. In 1874 William E. Smith was a trustee. S. Hamilton and Myers Jarvis Sr. were stewards in 1874 and William Copeland was recording Steward, J. D. Sweeney and William Copeland, Class leaders; Rev. J. R. Johnson was the resident local preacher. Isreal Rice was Sunday School Superintendent. Dr. Oliver Reynolds, Zadok Jarvis Sr. and J. F. Holiday served in the years 1876-1877 as district stewards.

        The erection of the parsonage building was begun around 1890 during the pastorate of Rev. Henness and completed during the years of Rev. Hoober, (1890-1893).

        Concord, Otter Creek and Virginia Grove were on the Morning Circuit until 1890, also Bethel in 1874, when this appointment was dropped and in place of Virginia Grove a class was organized at Marsh. A new church building was dedicated in Marsh on June 6,1895. Marsh remained on the Morning Sun Circuit until 1908. Then they were made a part of the Mt. Union Circuit and later a part of the Marsh-Yarmouth Circuit.

        The remodeling of the present church was done during the summer and fall of 1896. The 50th anniversary of the completion and dedication was celebrated in 1946 during the Rev. J. Milton Kinney pastorate. The old church was built in 1873 and added to in 1884 and vacated in March 1896.

        The following nine months (1896) were devoted to the adding of the large auditorium, and choir loft, with its large art glass windows. New windows were also placed in the old structure. During the rebuilding operations the Sunday School was held in Landon Hall, which was located above the present City Hall. Fred Courts, Stephen McKinley and the pastor served as the building committee: J. G. Bergen, carpenter, J. M. Kinkead, Frank Enke, James Kerr and son were the painting contractors. The foundation was laid by A. G. Johnson and William Horn, assisted by others did the plaster work. The stone in the foundation is native to the community and many were so large that it took three men to put them in place. The first lighting system was an acetylene gas plant. This was replaced when the city had their own gas plant and again later by electricity. The art windows were placed by the Haywood and Brown Company of Minneapolis, Minn. The large window on the west wall of the sanctuary was a gift of the Epworth League. Special contributions covered the cost of the south window.

        The east window in the Sunday School room was a gift of the Junior Epworth League. The fine pews and pulpit furniture was furnished by the Manitowoc Seating Society. The first carpets were gifts of the Ladies Aid Society. Some changes were also made at this time in the Sunday School room. The total cost of the new annex and the furnishings was $5,000.00.

        Formal dedication of the remodeled church was held Sunday, December 20, 1896. It was a beautiful winter day and the program opened with a sunrise service at 6:30 A. M. During the worship service the crowd was estimated at 600 people. Many from some distance. Dr. B. I Ives of Auburn, New York, delivered the dedicatory sermon and spoke at the evening program. The Epworth League opened the evening program, with Mrs. H. M. Adams and Guy Tomlinson in charge. Special music was furnished by the choir: Tress Frazier, Inez Mellinger, Myrtle Vertrees, Josie Johnson, Mrs. Van Horn, J. W. Smith, Ethel Adams and Miss Nellie C. Curran as organist. $2,400.00 was raised at the morning service to complete the cost of the improvements.

        The church was repainted and redecorated several times during the first fifty years. A portion of the basement was refitted for Sunday School use. New heating systems were installed in 1944 and the latest in the late 1980’s. Mrs. Fannie Adams left a fine piano for the church. Other memorial funds have been left for church improvements.

        Laymen from the church during the early years took part in various movements throughout the conference. Hon. J. F. Holiday was a delegate to the General Conference held in 1906. He was also a member of the Iowa legislature in the 1890’s. Henry Smith served as class leader for many years.

        The great Hamilton Revival was held during March of 1917. Rev. L. H. Lanning and William Hamilton of Sigourney, lay evangelist conducted the meeting for three weeks. The interest of the entire community was centered on these meetings. Around 143 people were converted and a class of 30 were baptized at a special service at the close of the meetings. A large number enrolled as members of the church and other churches in the community also received new members. Fairview was made part of the Morning Sun Charge in 1928 and continue as such until 1945.

        The following were members in 1946 who were also on the rolls in 1896 when the church was built: Mrs. ….

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… Tressa Frazier Whitham, Mrs. Maude Mellinger Mehaffey, Mrs. Ida Hamilton, Mrs. Maude Javis, Mrs. Josie Johnson Jones, Mrs. Irene Webster Hudson, Mrs. Alice Maxson Ross, Jesse C. Ross, Mrs. Mary Nichols, Miss Etta Ross, Mrs. Elda Willson, James R Willson, Miss Nellie G. Curran, Henry Smith, J. K. Latta, Mrs. Veda Maxson Latta, Mrs. Agnes Grim, J. A. Whitham. There were others who were members of the church in the 1896 that are still living in Iowa and other states.

        The church history from 1946 to 1971 will begin with 1950 since the records for the years 1946-1950 are not available.

        There were ten new members received in 1950. In 1951 Mrs. Maude Mehaffey bequeathed the sum of $5,000.00 to the church and the official board had begun talks of expanding the basement. There were 31 new members in 1951. The booklet published during the pastorate of Rev. Robert T. Dodder included class pictures, a church calendar and a history of Methodism in the early Morning Sun years. A God’s portion sale was held in 1952, that netted $390.00 and 14 new members joined the church. In 1953 Father and Son banquet was held with the principal speaker being “Pops” Harrison of the University of Iowa. A new Connsonata Organ was purchase and dedicated in October, there were seven new members during the year.

        In 1954 a Wesleyan Service Guild was organized. These ladies were working mothers with small children. Rev. David Mack published a church newspaper. New members were 13 in 1955 and 16 in 1956. The Iowa Wesleyan Choir gave a concert in March of 1956 and were served a luncheon. New cupboards were added in the kitchen.

        The official board turned thumbs down on the young people dancing in the basement. By 1958 with 20 new members added the total rolls showed a membership of 245. A turkey dinner was served by the men of the church with proceeds going to the Babe Ruth baseball league and Sunday School equipment. A Mother-daughter banquet was held in May. Alice Cheney a missionary spoke at the W. S. C. S. meeting in March and ladies from the Yarmouth, Marsh and Winfield Guilds were guests.

        In 1959 the parsonage was renovated and remodeled. Rev. and Mrs. A, V. Weigel were hosts to an open house at the parsonage. Guest speakers at special services were Mrs. Frances Swan of Oakville, showing slides of a European trip, Miss Virginia Kierney, a Missionary to Rhodesia showed slides of that country. A uniform “Church Night” for Louisa County communities was established. The Methodist men’s group was organized and received their official charter. A new bulletin board was erected in front of the church.

        The first foreign exchange student, Wolfram Murer of Germany arrived. The ladies society joined others similar groups in furnishing a room in Trieschmann Hall at Iowa Wesleyan College.

        Rev. Joseph Brookshire of Lexington, Kentucky conducted a week of special meetings in 1963, nine new members were added to the rolls. Graduating seniors were presented with prayer books. A supper was held for the teachers of the local schools in September.

        The Robert Evans family were hired as janitors of the church. The second foreign exchange student was Reinhard Bergholtz from Germany.

        Six new classrooms were built in the upper half of the church in 1965. The work was accomplished by volunteers from the congregation and a study for the minister was added on the north side of the building. Also in 1965 several ladies were volunteering with cooking for migrant workers in Muscatine. They held a Untied Nations Tea in October and the God’s portion sale netted $2,300.00 and 23 members were added.

        New red hymnals were purchased in 1966. A Senior M. Y. F. was reorganized. Vivian Linder was hired as church secretary. The 1966 budget was $10, 102.00. Several Laymen attended a retreat at Lake Darling and two M Y F members attended an Inner City Seminar in Chicago. A public address system was installed and live broadcasts of the morning worship was being sent to the Care Center over telephone wires. The chancel area and choir loft were remodeled and carpeted in Stately Oak Gothic Furniture. A dinner was held with special honors to all members of the church that were 80 years of age or older. The M Y F and their counselors made a canoe trip to the Boundary Canoe waters in Canada. Two M Y F members attended an Inner City Seminar in Kansas City.

        The large art glass windows were repaired by a firm specializing in that work in 1968. In April the Clarinda Junior College Choir presented a concert and the singers stayed in the homes of church members, The Wesleyan Service Guild presented a new clock for the sanctuary. M Y F members and their counselors visited New York City and other points of interest in the east. The congregation purchased property next to the church that was formerly owned by Gladys Kerr. Rev. Gene Mathews, formerly of Wapello, but now of Korea spoke at a Sunday morning worship service and $1,000.00 was pledged to help build a church in Korea. In 1969 U M Y F and their counselors visited and worked on an Indian reservation in South Dakota. With the merger of the Methodist denomination and the Evangelical Untied Brethren, there was a change in the district boundaries, but since there was no E U B church here this congregation was not affected. This church is now part of the Muscatine district.

        In 1970 funds were raised to host another internal exchange student. Geraldine Nelson, a missionary from Ethiopia was the speaker at a special tea. Her mother Mrs. Ben Nelson of Mediapolis also attended.

        Ronald Samuels left in July for an enrolled foreign exchange student at Michelfeld, West Germany. Also in ….

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… July, Doris Nachtigall of Breuninsweiler, West Germany arrived in Morning Sun as a student in the I C Y E. program. A set of 25 Schulmerich Hand Bells was purchased with memorial money from several members.

        The Vacation Bible School was held jointly with the First United Presbyterian Church. As the year 1971 came to end a special recognition was held for Jesse Ross, age 94, who had been a member of the church for 81 years.

        The Centennial Celebration held in 1971 was a great success with 450 people in attendance.

        In 1974 the Handbell choir furnished special numbesr at some of the worship services as well as giving concerts at Spring Run and Crawfordsville churches, and a concert during the July 4th celebration. Hans Joachim Steinruch of Germany was the exchange student. The U M Y F cranked ice cream freezers for their project at the 4th of July Celebration. A church picture directory was completed. A carnival at the parsonage was open to the community and all proceeds were allocated to the Muscular Dystrophy Drive.

        In 1975 a new Baldwin Organ was purchased. The U M Y F trip was to the Ozarks, and in October they visited the Eldora Training Center, as well as having a skating party for the Merry Notes.

        In 1981 the observance of the 110th anniversary of the church’s founding featured visits and talks by previous pastors.

        Pastors who have served the congregation are as follows:

Morris Bamford	1871-1874
J. R. Noble	1874-1875
G. M Tuttle	1875-1878
J. E. Corley	1878-1880
S. S. Martin	1880-1881
George Nulton	1881-1883
L. W. Lewis	1883-1886
J. H. Armacost	1886-1889
P. J. Henness	1889-1890
J. M. Hoober	1890-1893
P. J. Henness	1893-1895
A. S. Loveall	1896-1897
A. E. Buriff	1897-1899
D. C. Bevans	1899-1901
J. A. Boatman	1901-1902
F. W. Adams	1902-1905
C. R. Zimmerman	1905-1909
George Blagg	1909-1913
C. B. Hankins	1913-1916
L. H. Lanning	1916-1918
J. S. Decker	1918-1920
J. E. Newsom	1920-1922
W. E. Tinney	1922-1924
H. W. Munster	1924-1928
W. G. Barr	1928-1933
O. G. Orcutt	1933-1935
J. F. Arnold	193591936
E. W. Frohardt	1936-1938
J. A. Worrell	1938-1939
C. W. Richardson	1939-1941
E. L. McClure	1941-1943
R. V. Pike	1943-1946
J. M. Kinney	1946-1950
Robert T. Dodder	1950-1954
David R. Mack	1954-1957
O. R. Thome	1957-1959
Aldreth V. Weigel	1959-1965
Oren L.Reger	1965-1966
Frank L. Greenwood	1966-1971
Robert B. Winter	1971-1973
David R. Holmes	1973-1977
Frederic G. Harris	1977-1984
Dick Clark	1984-1987
Paul Best	1984-1985
Associate Ed Elliott	1986-1987
Associate Dennis McMillan	1987-1989
Associate Tom Zeleny	1987-1991
Associate Nancy Kaye Skinner	1989-1991
Associate Chris Ebbers	1991-

Picture: Rev. Chris Ebbers, Centenary Methodist Church Morning Sun

Picture: Geneva Samuels, Organist

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Picture: West Window, Centenary Methodist Church, Morning Sun.

Picture” M. E. Church Morning Sun, Ia.