Page 26OUR PRESENT CHURCH The only official record of the organization of our present church we find in a little paper bound book kept by John Stocker as Moderator of the Session and Clerk of the congregational meetings covering the period February 2nd, 1842, to November 18th, 1848, and in order that we all may have a copy of this record, I quote the first entry as follows:
“Publick notice, given on the Sabbath in Bloomington, to be made a subject of record in the session book.
Jany. 30, 1842.
It is well known that the subject of old and new school has been agitated by this community of late, and that the Presbyterian Church here did in a public meeting vote in relation to it, which vote shows an equal number on each side the chairman, not voting, but known to be on the old school side, yet the new school claims to be the church. Wherefore we feel at liberty to act for ourselves, and a meeting is hereby appointed to be held on Wednesday the 2nd day of February, 1842, at the house of Rev. J. Stocker, 2 o’clock P. M. for the purpose of organizing a Presbyter- ...
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... ian Church to be connected with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States. All those members who voted in favor of the so called old school together with any others who are members of Presbyterian, good standing and wish to unite with us are invited to attend.
Bloomington Feb. 2, 1842.
At a meeting of members of the Presbyterian church at the house of Mr. J. Stocker, in accordance with previous public notice for the purpose of organizing a Presbyterian Church to be connected with the Iowa Presbytery, the following individuals were present. Harvey Gillette, Azel Farnsworth, Wm. Hill, Ann Farnsworth, Elizabeth R. Stocker, Martha Vanater. Meeting was opened with prayer. Rev. J. Stocker was called to the chair and Harvey Gillette appointed Clerk pro tem.
It was unanimously voted that the following preamble with the names appended, and such others as should hereafter be appended, be presented to the session of the New school church.
PREAMBLE The undersigned being satisfied that the New school branch of the church claiming to be Presbyterian has departed from the standards of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States both in government and doctrine, do hereby withdraw ourselves from the First Presbyterian Church so called, of Muscatine county at Bloomington, for the above reasons. Harvey Gillette, Azel Farnsworth, Ann Farnsworth, Elizabeth R. Stocker, Jane Lathrop, Martha Vanater, Priscilla Burditt, Rebecca Smith, Wm. Hill, Almira Lockwood, Issabella Ogilvie. It was then moved that we proceed to organize, and unanimously voted that the church be known by the name of the First Presbyterian Church of Bloomington. The meeting next proceeded to elect a ruling Elder by ballot.
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Whereupon Azel Farnsworth was elected but declined. Then the votes were taken again, and Harvey Gillette was elected who also declined. The meeting then adjourned to meet at the same place on Wednesday previous to the 4 sabbath of February, 2 o’clock P. M. Harvey Gillette, Clerk, and J. Stocker, Chairman.
February 25, 1842. Met according to adjournment. Opened with prayer. The members present after some consultation thought it not practicable to elect an elder, but on motion it was resolved that Mr. Harvey Gillette be authorized to receive the subscription list from Mr. Deshler and collect, and disburse the funds of the church as their trustee. Being no other business before the meeting adjourned to meet at the same place on the second Saturday of March, 2 o’clock P. M.
J. STOCKER, Moderator and Clerk pro tem.
March 12th, 1842. Met according to adjournment, opened with prayer. After some consultation, in committee of the whole, Mr. Farnsworth considered his declining the office of ruling Elder in this church and finally concluded to accept and the meeting then appointed Sabbath, the 20 of March a day for the administration of the ordinance of the Lord’s supper to this infant church. The meeting to commence on the 19th, and the Elder elect to be ordained and installed on the said 19th of Mar., 1842. No other business being before the meeting it adjourned sine die.
J. STOCKER, Moderator and Clerk pro tem.
March 19th, 1842. After sermon by Br. M. Hummer, the Elder elect, Azel Farnsworth was ordained and installed as ruling Elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Bloomington. March 20th, 1842. The session of the First Presbyterian Church of Bloomington met and was constituted by prayer. Whereupon Joseph Brown and Ann Brown, his wife, having presented letters of membership in good and ...
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... regular standing with the Presbyterian Church of Oakridge, Jackson County, Indiana, were cordially received into this church at their own request. Being no other business, session adjourned.
J. STOCKER, Moderator and Clerk pro tem.
At that time the organization had no house of worship. They held their services as Rev. Stocker had been holding them in the past, in a meeting house known as the “Peoples Church.” After S. C. Hastings had withdrawn from the church and united with the Methodist Church, he arranged things so that the Methodist secured the sole control of this meeting house. Our congregation then moved to the Episcopal Church which was erected in connection with the Masonic Order on the present site of the Episcopal Church, being Lot Two, Block Eleven, of the Original Town, in 1841. Although we had no building, we did have a bell, which was a gift from an Eastern foundry and was one of two bells sent to Iowa. The other one passed into history as Hummer’s Bell of the First Presbyterian Church of Iowa City. Our bell first hung in a little side vestry room of the Episcopal Church until 1849 when it was removed to our first church building which was erected on Mulberry Avenue across the street from the Court House square, being Lot One, Block Sixty, and when our present church was built it was removed to the church tower where it remained until it was broken and removed sometime about 1875.
OUR FIRST LEGAL ORGANIZATION Our first legal organization is nowhere recorded except in John Stocker’s session records above mentioned, which, for the sake of the record, we here copy in full.
“Organization of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Bloomington.
Be it remembered that on this the 25th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ...
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... forty-five (1845) the members of the congregation as well as those in full communion with the Presbyterian Church at Bloomington in the Territory of Iowa, heretofore and now under the pastoral charge of the Rev. John Stocker and connected with the Presbytery of Iowa, met at the Episcopal Church in said town pursuant to public notice given for the purpose of affecting a legal organization with perpetual succession, agreeable to the provisions of an act of the legislature of the Territory of Iowa approved the 7th of February, 1844—Whereupon the Rev. John Stocker took the chair as Moderator and R. P. Lowe was chosen secretary of the meeting. After an appropriate prayer by the Moderator it was resolved by the Meeting that the Presbyterian Church aforesaid should hereafter be designated the 1st Presbyterian Church of Bloomington and that its officers shall consist of one Minister, one or more Elders as the necessities of the church may require, one Deacon, three Trustees to whom shall be committed the management of the temporal affairs of the church, one recording Clerk, who shall Ex officio be the Clerk of the Board of Trustees, and one Treasurer who shall also by virtue of his office be librarian. The Trustees, Clerk and Treasurer shall be elected by the congregation annually on the 1st Saturday after the 1st day of January in each year, and to hold their office till their successors are appointed, and their duties shall be defined and specified in the by laws and regulations adopted under this organization. If for any cause there shall be a failure to elect officers at the time above specified, the existing board of Trustees in conjunction with the Pastor and Elders of said Church may call a meeting of said congregation any time within three months thereafter to hold said election.
In testimony whereof we the officers of said church do here subscribe our names and affix our seals for the purposes above specified.
Moderator of Session, JOHN STOCKER (SEAL)
AULEY McAULEY, Ruling Elder (SEAL)Page 31
The subscribers having been duly elected officers in the congregation of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Bloomington do hereby unite with the foregoing officers of the church in subscribing our names and affixing our seals to the above statement which is designated as a legal organization of the Church.
R. P. LOWE (SEAL)
THOS. M. ISETTE (SEAL)
JOSEPH BENNETT (SEAL)
Trustees
T. S. PARVIN (SEAL)
Treasurer & LibrarianAfter the following statement was made and adopted the meeting proceeded to the Election of a board of Trustees, one Clerk and a Treasurer, Whereupon Joseph Bennett, Thomas M. Isett and R. P. Lowe were duly elected Trustees—Auley McAuley, Clerk, and Theodore Parvin, Treasurer, the meeting then adjourned without day.
Bloomington, Iowa Territory, Jan. 25th, 1845.
JOHN STOCKER, Moderator
R. P. LOWE, SecretaryWednesday, February 12th, 1845.
Pursuant to notice previously given for the purpose, the members of the church met and after prayer by the Rev. John Stocker, Moderator, the members present proceeded to the election of a Deacon by ballot, the votes being taken, Samuel Gilbert was duly elected. Sabbath next (being the 3rd Sabbath of Feby.) is appointed the day to ordain and install said Deacon Elect may he choose to accept of said office. Whereupon after prayer the meeting adjourned. Sine Die.
JOHN STOCKER, Moderator
A. McAULEY, Clerk of SessionPage 32
The deacon elect upon mature consideration declines to accept the officer of Deacon of the church.
By order A. McAULEY, Clerk.”OUR FIRST BUILDING PLAN At a congregational meeting held on February 14th, 1846, at Three O’clock P. M., the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
“That it is the sense of the members of this congregation that the period has arrived when consulting the best interest of the church they should build for themselves a house of worship to cost about two thousand dollars.
That in order to effectuate this object a subscription be circulated soliciting the aid by money, labour and material of all who may be willing to contribute.
That a building committee of three be appointed whose duty it shall be to obtain by purchase or otherwise a suitable lot on which to build, also to procure materials, to contract for, and superintend the erection of said Church, when they shall have complied with the terms of the following resolution.
That before concluding a contract for the purchase of said lot, the building committee shall report to a meeting of this congregation called for that purpose, the price of the same, its location, also a plan of the building, specifying the size and probable cost thereof and be governed by the action of said meeting.
That while all should unite in the procurement of subscriptions in aid of this enterprise, it shall be the special duty of the building committee to attend to this matter.
On motion and second, Joseph Bennett, Adam Ogilvie and Ralph P. Lowe were elected the building committee, and on motion of Adam Ogilvie, George W. Fish was added to said committee.
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Whereupon the meeting adjourned Sine die.
A. McAULEY, Clerk.”On the Sabbath, April 6th, 1846, we find the following recorded:
“By a call of the Rev. F. A. Pratt, minister in charge, a collection was taken up for the commissioners fund which was done and the amount raised was $2433/4.
Also same day at afternoon sermon a collection was taken up for foreign missions and raised $1.81.”
Regardless of this brave beginning nothing more seems to have been done to carry out their plans until after the arrival of Reverend John Hudson in November 1847. If a lot was purchased, there is no record of it although later on July 5th, 1866, a quit claim deed from Samuel Breese and Niles Higinbotham to Wm. Gordon, Jacob Butler and Theodore S. Parvin, Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church in the Village of Muscatine, Iowa, conveys to them of Lot One in Block Sixty. This deed is recorded in Book 2 of Lots, Page 302, in the office of the Recorder of Muscatine County, Iowa, and refers to a former deed which had been lost. After the arrival of Reverend John Hudson who displayed a great deal of energy and enterprise in the building was erected on the lot above described which was a very imposing edifice for that day and age. It was 35 x 40 feet and was substantial enough so that its side walls still stand at the north end of the Automatic Button Company building. It cost about Four Thousand Dollars and Reverend Hudson saw it cleared of debt before he gave up his work here in 1849.
Some controversy must have occurred between the Session and the Board of Trustees while the church was occupying this building for we find in the Session Minutes of October 1st, 1849, the following overture submitted to Presbytery:
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“Be it resolved by this Session that the following interrogatory be presented to Presbytery for decision: There being a Board of Trustees consisting of three members and the Clerk of the Congregation who by virtue of his office is Clerk of the Board of Trustees—two of the Trustees not being members of the church, are these two Trustees without the knowledge or consent of the other Trustee and Clerk of the Session of the church competent to call a meeting in order to take action on the temporal or spiritual affairs of the church? Resolved that J. H. Wallace be appointed to attend the meeting of Presbytery to convene on Friday, the 2nd instant, at Iowa City.”
Then follows the following item: “The above overture was decided by the Presbytery in the negative at their Session in Iowa City on October 3rd, 1849. J. H. Wallace.”
This building served our congregation until the year 1855.
OUR PRESENT CHURCH BUILDING Although there is no record of the congregational meeting called to consider the erection of a new church, we find from the records kept in the office of the County Recorder of Muscatine County, Iowa, that in the year 1855 the Trustees purchased at least Lot Two of Block Seventy-seven (our present church being located on Lots One and Two) and among the old files and papers kept in the vault at the church, we found the following subscription paper which, in order that it may be made of record, we copy in full as follows:
“We the subscribers agree to pay the sums set opposite our names for the purpose of erecting a new House of Worship on the corner of Iowa Avenue and Fourth Street in the City of Muscatine for the accommodation of the First Presbyterian Church and Congregation of said City, ...
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... “In the following subscription it is provided as follows: viz.
1st - The building to be erected shall be of plain Gothic style of such capacity as to seat about six hundred persons and cost about Ten Thousand Dollars
2nd - Each subscriber—so soon as the requisite amount is secured—will be expected to close his subscription by notes payable in Bank and due from time to time as may be agreed upon by the parties, the ultimate time being October 1st, 1856
3rd - Unless Seven Thousand Dollars be subscribed no part of this subscription shall be collected.
JACOB BUTLER $1,000.00 A. OGILVIE 1,000.00 CHARLES NEALLEY 400.00 ELIZA A. CUMMINS 500.00 MRS. DESHLER 250.00 W. de HENS 50.00 A. O. PATTERSON 200.00 F. MARKOE CUMMINS 300.00 JAS. G. BEGGS 5.00 J. H. CANON 25.00 G. A. GARRETSON 100.00 SAMUEL J. BAIRD 75.00 CHAS. O. WATERS 150.00 MRS. M. B. WILLIAMS 100.00 JOSEPH BRIDGMAN 50.00 J. H. WALLACE 250.00 T. S. PARVIN 150.00 G. W. SCHOLEY 150.00 HENRY G. IDDINGS 100.00 F. HOPKINSON 75.00 GABRIEL LITTLE 100.00 W. W. HINE 20.00 S. G. STEIN 40.00 GEO. D. MAGOON 25.00 Page 36
WM. SMALLEY 50.00 J. SCOTT RICHMAN 50.00 CHAS. CUMMINS 500.00 EDWARD STEWART 50.00 ALEXANDER DUNSMORE 25.00 JOHN LEMP 250.00 WM. GORDON 150.00 J. A. GREEN 30.00 G. B. EDGAR 100.00 GEO. WILEY 100.00 S. BURGESSER 25.00 J. G. GORDON 25.00 J. E. HOOPES 20.00 CHARLES STONE 5.00 F. W. STONE 25.00 JAMES M. KERR 250.00 JAS. S. HORTON 250.00 ABRAHAM SMALLEY 75.00 JOHN WILEY 5.00 J. D. BRODHEAD 5.00 NOTE: Lest someone wonder at S. G. Stein’s subscription of this paper, I wish to state that the subscription book of the Trustees shows that although this subscription here was $40.00, he actually paid in that year $500.00
The contracts for this new building were let in August 1856. The work was completed and the building dedicated in 1859; Reverend W. S. Plummer, D.D., of the Western Theological Seminary of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, delivering the dedicatory address. Irving B. Richman in his History of Muscatine County says of the church, “The auditorium of this church is a paradise for speakers, the acoustic properties of the room being such as to render it very easy for a speaker to make himself heard.”
In the annals of Iowa, we found the Thanksgiving Sermon preached by Reverend E. L. Belden in this auditorium, and because he summarizes the history of our church down to that date, we set that sermon out at ...
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... length regardless of the fact that we personally are inclined to agree with J. P. Walton and think that Rev. Belden was in error in his first statement to the effect that the Methodist Church was organized before July 6th, 1839. The article is as follows:
HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH OF MUSCATINE, IOWA.Extracted from a Thanksgiving Sermon preached November 24, 1859, by its then pastor, Rev. E. L. Belden.
The first Church ever organized in this county, (Muscatine) was the Methodist Episcopal, which was organized in May 1839. July 6th of the same year the Rev. John Stocker, originally a Congregational minister in Vermont, but who, on his removal to Indiana, several years previous, had united with the Presbyterian Church, and whose name is found on the minutes of our General Assembly for 1837, 1839, 1841, and so on until his death in 1846, organized at the house of Stephen Whicher, a church consisting of the following persons: H. Q. Jennison and wife, Samuel Lucas and wife, Stephen Whicher and wife, Erastus Scofield and Mrs. Elizabeth Stocker, with Harvey Gillett, who was admitted on profession of his faith the same day; making in all nine, none of whom are now members of this Church. S. Whicher and Samuel Lucas were elected ruling elders. The name given to the organization was, “The First Presbyterian Church of Muscatine County, Iowa Territory.”
It was resolved at the first meeting “that we cordially receive the Presbyterian Confession of Faith;” also, “that in the formation of this Church, remote as we are from sources of information in regard to what has been done, or is doing, in the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States on the subject of a division of that Assembly, we do not intend in the event of a division to connect ourselves with that part which united in exscinding the Synod of Geneva, and others in 1937.” The Church, therefore, remained unconnected with either the ...
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... Old or New School Presbyteries for some three years, during which time Mr. Stocker ministered to it, the congregation worshipping sometimes in the Methodist Church, which stood on Iowa avenue, nearly opposite the Nevada Mill, in a room on Water street, above the Ogilvie House; sometimes in the upper room of a building on Second street, where Wilson’s grocery now is; and sometimes in a log house on the corner, where Mr. Brewster’s dwelling-house now stands. April 10th, 1840, Mr. Azel Farnsworth and wife were received from the Presbyterian Church of Alden, New York, Mrs. Ogilvie, from the Presbyterian Church of Keith, Scotland, and three other persons from Congregational Churches in the East. From this time until January, 1842, there were added to the communion by letter from Presbyterian Churches, 3; from Congregational 2; and on examination, 7; and one was dismissed, so that in the beginning of 1842, there were 26 members. About the 1st and 2nd of June 1842, there were 26 members. About the 1st and 2nd of June 1842, some proceedings seem to have been had, concerning which the records are profoundly silent, and in regard to which, those who were present disagree. It is admitted that, Mr. Stocker, insisting that the Church should connect itself with either the Old or New School Presbytery, a meeting was held to decide which they would join. At this meeting, it is claimed by those favoring the New School, that the vote stood 14 to 11, giving them a majority of 3. Of this their record says nothing, though they give the proceedings of a meeting of session January 1st, 1842, of which Rev. Wm. C. Rankin, a New School minister, was moderator. Also, of a church meeting the next day, at which H. Q. Jennison and Pliny Fay were elected deacons. At this meeting there were present, besides Mr. Rankin, Mr. and Mrs. Stocker, twelve persons, all belonging to the New School. They engaged Dr. Wood, of Iowa City, to preach to them half his time, worshipping for some months in the Court House.
They united with the New School Presbytery, sent a delegate to its meeting at Yellow Springs, when their rec- ...
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... ords were approved by Presbytery for the first and last time, Sept. 9th, 1842. Sept. 24th, 1842, they had their last regular meeting of session. Sometime in 1843, the Congregational Church was organized, and all the members of the New School Church joined it except Mr. Whicher. The New School Church had a nominal existence in him until the summer of 1845, when the organization was formally dissolved by Presbytery, and sometime after he entered the Congregational Church.
To return to the Old School.—In our Session Book are the records of a meeting held by the Old School members, Feb. 2nd, 1842, according to previous notice from the pulpit; in which notice it was stated that at the previous meeting to decide between the Old and New School, there was an equal number of votes on each side, the chairman not voting, but known to be on the Old School side; that therefore, and for the additional reason that “the undersigned being satisfied that the New School branch of the church claiming to be Presbyterian, has departed from the standards of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, both in government and doctrine,” the succession rightfully belonged to the Old School. At the meeting held at this time, it was voted that this church be called the first Presbyterian Church of Bloomington, and be connected with the Presbytery of Iowa, which was done, and this church appears on the minutes of our General Assembly in 1843 for the first time. At this meeting Azel Farnsworth was elected ruling elder, and subsequently accepting the office, he was ordained and installed March 19th, 1842, after sermon by Rev. Mr. Hummer. The next day, the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, was administered. Of the twelve persons who were members at that time, only two are now in communion with this church. Mr. Farnsworth and Mrs. Ogilvie. Five are known to be deceased, and five have removed from the place. Jan. 25th, 1845, a legal organization of the church, enabling it to hold property, etc., was effected agreeably to an act of the Territorial Legislature, passed ...
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... Feb. 7th, 1844. Joseph Bennett, T. M. Isett and R.P. Lowe, were elected the first trustees.
The congregation met for worship first in the old Episcopal Church, then in a building where Stines’ block now stands, and then in the basement of the Baptist Church. Feb. 14th, 1846, the congregation resolved to make an effort to build a house of worship to cost about $2,000, and appointed J. Bennett, A. Ogilvie, R. P. Lowe and Geo. W. Fitch, building committee. This effort however, did not succeed, and the first building owned by this church was the one still standing on Mulberry street, which was built in 1849, at a cost of about $4,000. That house was sold in 1855, and the erection of the present edifice commenced in 1856.
While it was building, the congregation met for more than a year in Hare’s Hall. The first sermon was preached in this room by Rev. Dr. Cummins, Dec. 1856, and we first occupied the upper room in May 1858. This building has cost as near as I can get at it, about $22,000. Our present indebtedness, 1859, is in the neighborhood of $2,400, with it is supposed, assets to the amount of $1,000, leaving some $1,500 to be raised, which ought to be, and if all will do their part, can be paid off in the course of two years. Since 1842, nine persons have held the office of ruling elder in this church, six of whom still continue in office:--A. Farnsworth, ordained in 1842, left to join the Congregational Church in 1844,--was again received in our communion in 1858; Aulay McAulay was ordained, Nov. 1843, resigned Jan. 20th, 1850; J. H. Wallace, ordained in 1848, resigned Jan. 15th 1853; T. S. Parvin and J. S. Horton were ordained Dec. 22d, 1850; Gabriel Little and Chs. O. Waters, April 6th, 1856; David Hoyt and Chas Nealley, Jan. 30th, 1859. This church has never had any deacons, though three members were elected to that office a year ago. It has had eight ministers, three of whom have been pastors, and five have been stated supplies. Mr. Stocker’s relation to the church ceased sometime in ...
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... the spring of 1845. He was succeeded in June of the same year by the Rev. F. A. Pratt, now of Lakeville, Minn., who remained here till the spring of 1847. Sometime in that year or early in 1848, the Rev. John Hudson commenced his labors here, and preached as stated supply till early in 1849, though during this period he was absent some months in the South collecting funds to aid in building a house of worship. Oct. 28th, 1849, Rev. Justus T. Umsted, then a licentiate of the 1st Presbytery of Philadelphia, preached his first sermon in Muscatine. A call for his service was soon after made out, which he accepted and commenced his labors here, and was ordained and installed the first pastor of this church, Nov. 10th, 1850, at the first meeting of the Presbytery of Cedar. Mr. Umsted continued its pastor until Oct. 12th, 1852, when the pastoral relation was dissolved, and he soon after removed to Keokuk. The same fall Rev. Hugh Hutchinson, then a licentiate, was employed as stated supply, he remained here a little less than a year, removed to LeClaire, where he died in 1855. Rev. Saml. J. Baird, now of Woodbury, N. J., commenced his labors here Dec. 25th, 1853, was installed pastor sometime the next year, and left in Nov. 1856. In Dec. 1856, or in Jan. 1857, Rev. J. B. Stuart, now of Oxford, Ohio, was employed as stated supply, and supplied the pulpit till Feb. 1858, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent, who was ordained and installed May 5th of the same year. The whole number of members who has been connected with this church since its organization is 336; 217 of these have been admitted by certificate, and 119 on examination.
It may furnish some idea of the progress of the church to give the numbers admitted during certain periods. From 1842 to 1846, ten persons were received on examination; from Jan. 26th, 1846, to Jan. 19th, 1850;--not a single person was received on profession of his faith. Four years without one addition from the world!!
From 1842 to 1850, 63 persons were received by letter. During Mr. Umsted’s ministry, 29 were received on exam- ...
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... ination, 41 by letter; from Mr. Umsted’s time till Mr. Baird’s, 1 on examination, 10 by certificate; during Mr. Baird’s pastorate, 32 on examination, 67 by letter; during Mr. Stewart’s ministry, 1 by letter; since he left, 47 on examination, 40 by certificate; or to sum up, in the space of 10 years under five ministers as stated supply, there were 11 accessions to the church on examination, and 74 by letter while in the space of 7 years under three pastors, the accessions were 108 on examination, and 148 by letter. In 1845 this church reported to the General Assembly, 25 members; in 1847, 39; in 1853, 60; in 1858, 110; and in 1859, 172. Of the 336 communicants, 124 have been dismissed to other churches; 22 have been suspended or stricken from the roll; 3 have been excommunicated, and 26 have died while in connection with this church. The present membership numbers 161; of these 134 are living in this city, or the vicinity, 27 being either temporarily absent or having removed without yet taking their letters of dismissal. Three members of this church have been licensed to preach the gospel,--Jno. L. Cummins, Joseph Iddings and C. O. Waters.
When we look on the field already white for the harvest, and see how many more laborers are needed, let us pray the Lord of the harvest, that He will raise up, qualify and send forth from among us many more, who shall be efficient in gathering in His sheaves.
From 1842 to 1851, this church received aid from our Board of Domestic Missions, without which most of the time, it would have been unable to support a pastor. The total amount received from that source, must have been some $2,000, as $300 was supplied by the Board in one year. Now that we have become self-sustaining and able to help others, let us, remembering our obligations to this Board, contribute liberally to its treasury, that it may be able to plant and nurture other churches, from which shall flow out streams of blessing to gladden the world.
In 1834, the first settlement was made in this county. In 1839, the first brick house was erected in Muscatine.
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In February of this year, the population was 71, with only four or five children. Now the estimated population of the city of 7,000 with more than 1,000 Sabbath School scholars.
The church has also made progress, not only in this city and State, but throughout the entire North-West, as well as in the whole country. At the first meeting of the Presbytery of Schuyler in 1832, that Presbytery embracing the whole of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and about half of Illinois, consisted of five ministers and three churches. Now within the same limits we have 15 Presbyteries, 220 ministers and 318 churches, leaving out of view the New School. When this church was organized, there were but two Old School churches in the Territory of Iowa. In 1842 the Presbytery with which this church connected itself embraced the whole Territory, and contained 7 ministers, 18 churches, and 323 members. Now there are in this State 2 Synods, 6 Presbyteries, 80 ministers, 128 churches and 5,300 members. The number of Old School Presbyterians in this State exceeds that of the Congregationalist’s some 500; of the New School some 3,000 and is I believe exceeded by no denomination except the Methodist.
OUR FIRST ORGAN Our first pipe organ was purchased in the year 1869. While there is no record of the cost of this organ, we found an old itemized bill dated April 12, 1869, rendered to the Trustees of the church by Mr. A. Johnson; the agreed price given as $2250.00 received in part payment by draft of $1,000.00 and in cash $800.00 together with ninety day note for $450.00. The bill bears an endorsement that if the Trustees will pay cash instead of the ninety day note, the bill will be reduced by a discount of $10.00.
Another item of interest in connection with the paying of the debt due in the building of this church edifice is the fact that the Trustees sold the pews and executed deeds therefor, the price being (as shown by the. deeds found in ...
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... the archives) from $200.00 down to $50.00. As a matter of curiosity, we show the form of the deed, as follows:
“NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA.”—Ps. 127. THIS DEED, Made this. day of. . . . day of. . . . . . . . . . . ., 18. . . ., by and between the FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MUSCATINE, of the first part, by SIMON G. STEIN, JOHN LEMP and GEORGE G. MAHAN, Trustees thereof and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of the second part, WITNESSETH, that the said party of the first part, in consideration of the sum of . . . . . . . . . . . . Dollars, paid to the said party of the first part by the said party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, as also of the conditions hereinafter contained, doth hereby forever quitclaim unto the said party of the second part the PEW, in the First Presbyterian Church of Muscatine, known and designated on the plat thereof as Number . . . . upon condition that the said party of the second part pay to the Treasurer of said Church the annual assessment for the purpose of paying the Pastor’s salary, contingent expenses, et., as shall be levied by the Trustees of said Church upon the said Pew, and upon this further condition that in case said party of the second part shall fail to pay said assessment within one year from the time the same is due and payable agreeably to the order of the Trustees aforesaid, then and in such case it shall be lawful for the said party of the first part into and upon the said demised premises to re-enter and the same to have again, repossess and enjoy as of its former state, and to sell the same, at such time and place and in such manner as the said Trustees may direct, for the payment of the said assessment so remaining due and unpaid as aforesaid.
In WITNESS WHEREOF, The said party of the first part, by SIMON G. STEIN, JOHN LEMP and GEORGE G. MAHAN, Trustees thereof, hath hereunto set its hand and seal the day and year aforesaid.”
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Each deed was signed and acknowledged by the three Trustees.
OUR PARSONAGE The very first entry on Page 1 of Volume III, the last volume of our Session Minutes, we find the following entry which speaks very eloquently for itself:
“Resolution adopted by the congregation by rising vote June 15, 1902.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED During the course of the morning service, Rev. J. N. Elliott read the following resolution, which was adopted by a rising vote of the congregation.
Doctor and Mr. S. G. Stein having presented a parsonage to the First Presbyterian Church of Muscatine to be used hereafter as a residence for the pastor of the church, the congregation do resolve.
That the sincere and hearty thanks of this congregation be tendered to Doctor and Mrs. Stein for this munificent gift.
That the congregation note with pleasure and satisfaction that the gift is a memorial in remembrance of Simon G. Stein and Cathrine Ann Stein, parents of Doctor S. G. Stein, who were for many years faithful adherents and loyal supporters of this church.
That a copy of this resolution be sent to Doctor and Mrs. S. G. Stein, and that copies thereof be spread upon the minutes of the session and minutes of the congregation.
Signed:
REV. J. N. ELLIOTT.
E. H. KING
E. E. COLLINS Com.”Page 46
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDING At the congregational meeting held in April 1914, E. H. King, Clerk, records the following: “Considerable discussion was indulged in regarding the rebuilding of the church and a plan proposed for the canvass of the congregation for means of carrying on of this work.”
On November 28th, 1915, the Session records contain the following item: “During the past season the church building has been remodeled, a new organ installed and a parish house and S. S. addition built. Today the church was rededicated with appropriate ceremonies, Rev. J. B. Rendall, pastor, preaching the dedicatory sermon.” Pasted in the Session record is a photograph of our present organ with a note beneath “Cost $4,000”. The specifications for this organ were drawn up by Prof. Robert J. Jones of Muscatine and the organ was built by Hinners Organ Co., Pekin, Illinois. The organ was dedicated November 25, 1915.
On December 19th, 1915, the Session records read as follows: “The S. S. Building and parish house was dedicated at 9:30 A. M. with appropriate ceremonies. W. D. Stern, Secretary of State Sunday School work was present and made an address. He also occupied the pulpit at morning and evening services. Also a service at 3 P. M. at which the Sunday School workers and teachers of all the churches in the city were invited. E. H. KING, Clerk.”
At the annual meeting for the year ending March 31st, 1916, the following report of the building committee of the First Presbyterian Church, Muscatine, Iowa, is found in the Session record:
“Constructive work, including carpentry, masonry, and cementwork, materials, hauling, excavating, grading and extra labor $28,529.00 Architect 810.00 Supervisor of work 750.00 Heating and plumbing 4,579.35 Decorating 400.00 Painting 405.85 Windows and glass 891.65 Seating 1,842.06 Lighting 1,302.49 Carpets 876.73 Sodding 91.00 Ash Cans 22.70 $44,500.83 Less amount received for old organ $500.00 $44,000.83 ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~