pletion in 1857. The building was located on the west side of Lot No. 8,
Block No. 70, across the alley, east of the present public school
building named Webster.

Happily the building committee was made up of two of the most
experienced carpenters known in all the country roundabout, namely,
Greenwood and Hamilton. The responsibility, however, of planning and
leading in lhe work was thrown upon Mr. R. G. Hamilton, and the
foundation was done by Mr. Luke Stallard, a native of England, who had
learned his trade in that country, working at it for many years before
coming to America, so that no better workmen could be employed, from the
foundation to roof, than this committee, a full guarantee for as
substantial a building as could at all be erected.

So the first Methodist Episcopal church in Pella was ordered, provided
for, and built and occupied in the year 1857, just about ten years
subsequent to the time of the arrival of the Hollanders from the
Netherlands, and their landing on a spot they named "Peila." The exact
date of the dedication of the completed church is not mentioned, but
evidently it must have been near the middle part, or towards the latter
part of the year 1857. The building thus erected was a frame
construction, 30 feet east and 40 feet north and south, with double
front door in the south end, fronting on "Peace Street, with sundry
windows on the east and west sides, and two also in the north end, all
for light and ventilation. The customary brick flue, extending from the
overhead ceiling, through the attic and roof, was also provided for file
usual stove heating arrangement incident to those days. A series of neat
and rather ornamental small shelves, one foot long by six inches wide,
supported by fancy sawed brackets, were placed on the wooden ceiling
along both sides and ends, on which to place the candle holder, with
tallow candle each, to be lighted to furnish sufficient light to see to
read the old fashioned "Buckwheat" notes during night service.

Those were days somewhat prior to the introduction of kerosene lamps,
and certainly a great while prior to the introduction of the more modern
electric manner of our present day churches, whose choir leader and pipe
organ operator must be provided with forty candle power lamps in order
to enable him to see to properly manipulate his double keyboard and
forty-four piped great pipe organ, with which to properly lead his high
toned great choir of trained masters of music, as they perform wonderful
anthems of praise for the entertainment of their discriminating
audience. A great difference existing between seventy years agone and
the present.

This church building of the long ago limes was built entirely of "native
lumber" procured from a nearby sawmill, operated by an enterprising
Hollander, some four or five miles north of Pella, in the vicinity of
Skunk river, and consisted of white oak, elm and black walnut,
principally the latter, as that was the finest as well as apparently the
most plentiful that grew along the rivers, and was the best for
buildings of any description, and could be had at no more price than any
of the others, so this little church building was constructed largely of
material, which if existing at the present time, would be of a value
that would enrich the membership of lhe present Methodist church of
Pella to such an extent as to enable them to erect a cathedral, and then
justify them for putting in same a pipe organ equal to any in New York
City or Brooklyn, and to allow their minister a princely salary,
compared to what was paid him at that time, or perhaps now.

This new building was beautifully lined all inside, over head, sides and
ends with this black walnut lumber cut from the choicest of that species
of timber, and all the other inside finish as well as all the seats or
pews were furnished in the same, also the pulpit and platform, window
and door frames. The floor was made of the best white oak that the mill
could produce. There was no market for black