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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA
SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02999 1483
Gc 977.702 C32f
First Presbyterian Church, the seventy-fifth anniversary
First Presbyterian Church The Seventy-fifth Anniversary
Cedar Rapids Iowa 1922
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Stroet PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
THE TORCH PRESS CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA
The Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church Cedar Rapids Iowa
This church enters on the final quarter of its first century of service in no mood of reverie. It looks on the past with reverence; it does honor to the de- voted men and women who laid the foundations and began the building of the structure; but its face is turned to the future. We honor those who have gone before us because they believed in and served their own time; if we would be worthy of them we must be- lieve in and serve our own. We celebrate these anni- versaries, not for reverie but for inspiration. There are yet beginnings to be made and enterprises to be undertaken. We, not less than our fathers, are pio- neers, seeking out new paths and breaking virgin soil. Some of the things we do are but the crude begin- nings of those structures that shall be the pride and power of the future.
We are grateful for the heritage into which we have entered. We can show our gratitude best by improv- ing well the day that is our own, that we may leave behind us a like inheritance for our children. Nor
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are we without the help of men and women whose lives are a constant testimony and whose powers and possessions are as truly consecrated as were those of the devout disciples who first worshipped within these walls. It would seem to the pastor of this church less than justice did he not take this opportunity to bear witness to the splendid christian citizenship with which he is surrounded and the loyal faith of many, on whose shoulders rest the burdens of the present and in whose hearts the hope of the future glows.
The papers that follow have been rather freely edited. This was made necessary by the limitations of space and by the fact that the writers prepared them for reading rather than for printing. For such liberties as have been taken, let this be both explana- tion and apology.
Certain extracts from papers read at the fortieth anniversary in 1887 have been printed here because they are the words of eye witnesses to the events they describe.
ALVIN E. MAGARY, Pastor
Program of the Anniversary Celebration
The following program was carried through with great interest to the members and friends of the church. The other Presbyterian churches of the city joined with us in several of the meetings:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1922
Morning Service, Sermon, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel," by the Pastor, Rev. Alvin E. Magary, D. D.
Historical Meeting at 4 p. m., Historical Address by Rev. Edward R. Burkhalter, D. D., Pastor emeritus.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16
Meeting of the Women's Missionary Societies in the afternoon.
Missionary Meeting in the evening, addressed by Rev. John A. Marquis, D. D., General Secretary, Board of Home Missions.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17
Reminiscence meeting at 5 p. m.
Church supper at 6 p. m. The members of the con- gregation seated at tables arranged in the order of the decade in which they entered on their connec-
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tion with this church. The supper served by the ladies of the Chapel Society.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18
Congregational Visitation in afternoon.
Address in the evening by Rev. H. C. Swearingen, D. D., former Moderator of the General Assembly; Pastor House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, Minn.
History of the First Presbyterian Church
BY DR. EDWARD R. BURKHALTER, Pastor-Emeritus
The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad .- PSALMS 126:3
The original record, what we might call Genesis 1:1, reads as follows: "The First Presbyterian Church of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was organized on the ninth day of July, 1847. According to previous appointment, a sermon was preached by Rev. Julius A. Reed. The Moderator, Rev. Bennet Roberts, called the meeting to order. It appeared that John Vardy, Fredrick Grambo and his wife Martha, Barnet Lutz and his wife, and Isaac Lichtebarger and his wife were members in good and regular standing in the Presbyterian Church of Marion, Iowa, and Alexander L. Ely and Mary, his wife, were members in good and regular standing in the Dutch Reformed Church of Allegan, Michigan. These nine persons entered into covenant to walk together in gospel ordinances. After which John Vardy was chosen ruling elder and Alex- ander L. Ely deacon. These brethren were duly set apart and ordained to their respective offices on the following Sabbath." This was eight years after the arrival of Robert Ellis, the first white settler, and but
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a few months after the admission of Iowa into the Federal Union, which event occurred in December, 1846. It was also some twelve years before, in 1859, that the first railroad entered our city - the railroad from Clinton and Chicago, which developed into the Chicago and Northwestern.
This was the first church organized in Cedar Rapids, being preceded only by a Methodist "Class," which was supplied with preaching with as much regularity as the circumstances permitted.
It was the day of small beginnings. Pioneer settlers were coming very slowly, and by 1847, when this church was organized, there cannot have been more than a few score of white population. I say white population, for the red man was still nigh, and made his appearance often. We can but imperfectly com- prehend how welcome he was to the lonely white pio- neers, far from home and few in number.
During the years 1837-1870 the Presbyterian Church in the United States was divided into two branches, the New School and the Old School. We need not stop to analyze the causes of this separation, which ended in complete reunion in 1870. Suffice it to say that, in Iowa, as elsewhere, the two branches of the church promoted their respective organizations with much zeal, so that in very small communities two feeble Presbyterian churches would be planted. Thus the First Presbyterian Church was organized by the New School body in 1847, and the Second Presbyterian Church by the Old School body eight
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years later, in 1855. Even in those days of division there was often felt to be no need of two Presbyterian churches in so small a community, each of them de- pending upon missionary aid for its very existence. Efforts were put forth to unite them, but in vain, and they have both lived on, side by side in happy harmony, for half a century - the second church be- ing now known as the Westminster Church.
This first feeble church of some nine members, slow- ly increasing by few additions, was ministered to as supplied by Presbytery and as circumstances admit- ted, but had no stated under-shepherd. In the early part of 1849, the church met at the call of the Modera- tor of Presbytery to call a minister and Rev. Willis- ton Jones was invited to act as stated supply for one year. The church adjourned to meet again April 2, 1849, when Rev. Williston Jones was present and signified his acceptance of the call. He is therefore to be remembered as the first pastor of the church, a good man, faithful, ardent, never-wearying, walking with quick step, shepherding the flock with zealous care, preaching and practicing the Gospel to win souls, and most conscientious to keep them in the straight and narrow way. A portrait of him in oil, adorns the wall of Sinclair Memorial Chapel, and well does it deserve to be hung there, for he was the founder of Coe College. The college, with all that it means for past, present, and future, had its birth first in the heart and then in the house of Williston Jones. Thus it may be thankfully said that our church has
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been favored of God in being the seat of the founda- tion of such an institution of Christian education as Coe. It goes without saying that Mr. Jones did not and could not by himself alone organize, promote, develop, and conduct the instruction of this college. Indeed he knew very little of what he had accom- plished, for he removed from Cedar Rapids and from earth very soon after the work began. But it happened here, as happens usually in this world; he planted and others have gathered the harvest; he labored and others have entered into his labors.
The "Little Muddy" church, as it was fondly called, was built in this city for the use of the First Presbyterian Church. Prior to 1850, the services were held in the school-house on the north-west corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street. The church, organized in July, 1847, was incorporated in June, 1849. A lot was obtained, deeded by its owner, Addi- son Daniels, at the south-east corner of Second Ave- nue and Third Street, the site of the present post-office. The church building did not occupy the entire lot, but stood at the rear, near the alley which now sepa- rates the Post-office from the Cedar Rapids Savings Bank building. It was built of "grout" walls. It was enclosed in the spring of 1850, and dedicated Sunday, January 12, 1851. It served its purpose well during the pastorates of Williston Jones, Lafay- ette Dudley who succeeded him (1857-1859), I. W. Atherton (1859-1864), and the first five years of the ministry of James Knox (1864-1869). It was en-
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larged twice, first in the spring and summer of 1859, when twenty feet was added to its length, increasing its capacity about fifty per cent and later, in 1869 during the erection of the new church building. The first addition was of brick, plastered to correspond with the rest of the building. The second addition was a frame structure, added on an angle on the east side and rear end, affording forty additional sittings. The last public service was held in the Little Muddy, Sunday morning, February 28, 1869, but for several years thereafter the Sunday School was held there, as well as the prayer meetings and social gatherings. It was taken down in the late summer or early fall of 1876. I am happy to remember that it stood on the rear end of the lot now occupied by the post-office, when I visited the church with a view to a possible call to its pastorate, in June, 1876, but when I return- ed as pastor-elect to take up my work here, in Sep- tember, 1876, it had been removed.
After eight years of faithful service, Rev. Willis- ton Jones removed to Iowa Falls, where he labored for seven years. In March, 1865, he left Iowa Falls and engaged in the work of the Christian Commission. He was in the army of the Potomac when Richmond was taken.
I dwell upon the memory of this devoted man with fond admiration. I love to think that to keep in mind his ceaseless energy in the constant unbroken devo- tion to his Father's worship, is a blessing to every one who succeeds him in the pastorate of this church,
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of which he was the pioneer pastor, and indeed should stimulate the whole membership of the church to follow his example. Mr. Carroll, his biographer, to whom we are much indebted for what we know of Mr. Jones, tells the following story about him, which seems to me beautiful and sublime : Mr. Carroll says that he once read a little notice in the New York Evangelist, in which attention was called to a church in Rolla, Missouri, as a promising field of labor for some faithful minister who was not afraid of hard work and self-denial. Said Mr. Carroll, "When I read that notice, I said to myself, Mr. Jones would be attracted to that field, if he saw that notice. It is just the kind of notice that would secure his atten- tion and enlist his services." And sure enough, this was the case. It was to that field he went, and there he ended his earthly labors, and it was said of him by his good wife, "He enjoyed every hour of his labors here and never had a field he liked better." We may well rejoice that this church started with such a pastor. May none of his successors be un- worthy to follow him !
The pastorate of Mr. Jones was followed in quick succession by those of Rev. La Fayette Dudley, and Rev. Isaac W. Atherton. The former remained with the church two years, and the latter, four. It was a time of financial weakness. The limited abilities of the few professing Christians were divided among several congregations, two Presbyterian and a Con- gregational, and the salaries of the pastors were pa-
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thetically insufficient. Mr. Dudley speaks inciden- tally and uncomplainingly of a salary of five hundred dollars and one hundred and sixty house-rent to pay out of it.
During the pastorate of Mr. Atherton, the Civil War broke out, and he tells the story of the patriotic labors and sacrifices of the men and women of the First Presbyterian Church in going to the battle front or, in the case of the women, who have always been a most vital part of this church, in preparing hospital supplies and promoting all sorts of sanitary work, furnishing, as they never failed to do, a moral support in the patriotic spirit to those who were fighting their battles in the field. It was a time of stress and struggle, disturbing if not destroying the ordinary lines of religious endeavor.
In 1864 came the Rev. James Knox. Born in 1807, he was fifty-seven years old when he took up his work in Cedar Rapids. He was licensed to preach at the age of twenty-one, and was ordained four years later as pastor of a church in the state of Delaware. He was never a man of robust health, and his ministry was interrupted in his earlier life by periods of ill- ness. In spite of this, he was the pastor of prominent churches in the eastern states, in such cities as Wash- ington, and in New York City, where he served a church for six years. He was very acceptable as a preacher and faithful as a pastor and administrator, a man of sound judgment, equipoise, patience, gentle- ness, strength, friendship, and self-control. Under
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his ministry, which continued eleven years until his death in 1875, the church made very perceptible pro- gress. He had come at an opportune time. When the Civil War came to an end there was a tendency to seek this portion of the country, and many came to take advantage of the rich possibilities of Iowa. Railroads were developed which brought our fertile acres and young, thriving cities into close connec- tion with the eastern states, and Cedar Rapids, the center of several of these systems, received a generous share of the new prosperity. Large manufacturing industries were started here, and happily for our church, several of the founders of these industries attached themselves to it, becoming prominent among its members and officers.
A leading step in the progress of the church was its bold decision to erect a new church building of greater capacity, more impressive architecture, and costlier material than the "Little Muddy." It was also determined to seek a site for the new edifice that should be more suitable for the city of the future, which some of the wisest in the church saw to be approaching. Thus it was decided to build a church of stone, at a cost of at least fifteen thousand dollars, which was considered by many to be too low an esti- mate, but which the congregation dared not exceed. It was also determined to cross the railroad tracks and build in the new part of the city, just beginning its development. It will not surprise you to learn that all this was regarded by not a few of the members of the congregation as a very hazardous enterprise.
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They shrank from the large expenditure and deemed it a great hazard to build so far from the center of the town. At that time the main portion of the congre- gation lived between the railroad and the river, and between what is now First Avenue and Tenth Avenue.
Under the leadership of pastor, elders, and trus- tees, the church went forward "having a mind to build." One who relates the whole story very pic- turesquely in our memorial volume of 1887, Edwin E. Leach, chairman of the building committee of that day (who still survives, at the age of ninety-three, having lived many years in California), tells us of the joy that followed the driving of the last nail in the Chapel, just before midnight of Saturday, February 27, 1869. And he shows his business carefulness and accuracy by telling us the cost of the structure which, including the cost of the lots, was $27,121.77. Eleven thousand dollars of this remained as an indebtedness, which was slowly made up and was not cancelled en- tirely until some seven years afterward. The last sermon preached in the "Little Muddy" was on the morning of February 28, 1869, by the pastor, Rev. James Knox, from the text "And God requireth that which is past." In the afternoon of the same day the new house was dedicated. A sermon was preached by the Rev. J. A. Priest, of Quincy, Illinois, from Psalms 90:17: "Establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." At the close of the form of dedication the pastor repeated the words of the ancient scripture, "Arise, Oh Lord into Thy rest. Thou and the ark of
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Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with right- eousness and Thy saints shout for joy. Say, O Lord, this is thy rest forever. Here will I dwell for I have desired it and let all the people say, Amen." Mr. Leach, who was present as a participant, records, "There was an audible Amen from all the people."
This may be the suitable place to record the fact that, in the year 1886, this building was very consid- erably enlarged and improved by an addition at the rear, and by other .beautifying changes, whereby it has been made a most worthy and attractive place of worship. Everyone who enters it surely feels its reverent influence at once and continues to feel it as often as he enters and lingers within its walls. From an aesthetic point of view it leaves nothing to be de- sired. This change was completed December 11, 1886, and the whole building was re-dedicated on Sunday, the day following.
The ministry of Mr. Knox was marked by a feature of advancement in the church which signified much at that time and which remains to signify much now. I refer to the call to the women of the church to take a prominent part in the work of Missions. This was a new era for woman, placing in her hands a vast power for good in the development and execution of plans and works for the bringing in the Kingdom of God at home and abroad. The open door into this vast field stood before her in the period of which we now speak (say from 1869 to 1874) whilst Mr. Knox was the pastor of the church. Doubtless there were
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not a few men and women in the church who regarded this advancement with fear and misgiving; probably some questioned not only the expediency of the step and its wisdom, but even its propriety and its Scrip- tural authority. They asked the question, "May not this introduce the women of the church to a freedom and independence of action in matters of great re- sponsibility that may not be wholesome?" When the matter was submitted to Mr. Knox he met it as he was accustomed to meet everything in church admin- istration, with good judgment and encouraging advice. There were women in the church endowed by the grace of God with that mingling of ardent zeal with prac- tical and executive wisdom, which encouraged the or- ganization of Missionary Societies of Home, Foreign, and City missions. These societies soon shed both light and heat throughout the whole church organiza- tion and the records of that period join in testifying to the church's indebtedness to its pastor for his wise and helpful leadership.
In the summer of 1875, after a pastorate of eleven years and at a period of life on the threshold of three score years and ten, Mr. Knox's health visibly failed. He was greatly occupied that summer with cares and correspondence relating to the incipient institution of learning, Coe Collegiate Institute. He worked be- yond his strength, and at the latter part of the sum- mer he sought rest and recovery by taking a trip to the east. But it was too late. He died on the tenth of October of that year, 1875, and was buried in
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Cedar Rapids on the thirteenth. His body rests be- neath a simple monument.
In June, 1876, I was led to visit the church by the invitation of its Session, with a view to the pastorate if everything proved to be acceptable. If you ask how I came to be selected from so many others that might have been similarly invited, I can only refer you to that Divine Providence which, according to the testimony of Holy Scripture and the experience of those who observe it, watches with such minute and tender care over human affairs. I arrived in Cedar Rapids on Sunday morning, June 17, 1876, and re- maining over the second Sabbath following, was called to the pastorate of the church on Wednesday evening, June 28, by unanimous vote. I accepted the call, was released from my charge at New Rochelle, New York, and began my ministry in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, October 1, 1876. On Sunday evening, Octo- ber 29, I was installed by the Presbytery of Cedar Rapids. My pastorate continued from that day until December 21, 1914, when on the seventieth anniver- sary of my birth, I was kindly, gently, and lovingly released from my active duties and responsibilities, was made Pastor Emeritus, and have continued in that happy relation until the present hour. My active pas- torate therefore extended to thirty-eight years and three months, and my present reationship has lasted most pleasantly some eight years longer. Practically the whole of my ministry in the Gospel has been spent in this church. The six happy years of my ministry
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at New Rochelle, where my ministry began, I look upon only as approach to the main building, a vesti- bule to the temple. Here I have lived, here I hope to spend in the midst of you the remainder of my earthly days. I have preached from this pulpit three thou- sand sermons. I have conducted your prayer meet- ings and Christian Endeavor meetings some three thousand times, have led your Men's Class for more than five years, have received one thousand five hun- dred and nineteen members.
I cannot but believe that it will be profitable to all who read this history and a matter of deep interest to them all to be informed or to have their remem- brance refreshed, concerning the following incidents in the life of the church during the period from 1876 to 1914.
In the year 1876, a very sightly and commodious building was presented to the church by two of its ruling Elders, Dr. J. F. Ely and W. W. Walker. This was the chapel, erected upon the lot immediately contiguous to the church. It was understood that it was to be used for social gatherings and for the Sunday School and devotional meetings. It was eminently adapted to its use, and was happily em- ployed for these purposes for more than forty years, when it was taken down to give way to the present building which stands on the same site.
The donors of the chapel made the condition that the enjoyment of the use of the building should be postponed until the cancelling of the debt which still
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remained on the main church edifice. It is a happy recollection of the writer that this condition was sat- isfactorily met in June, 1876, and that he was permit- ted, with many others, to worship in the new chapel and to join here in the Sunday School exercises for the first time on the Sunday on which he first visited the church, June 18, 1876. Many pleasant recollec- tions of social and spiritual blessings are associated with that chapel. The famous "Chapel Teas" which added so much to our social pleasures were begun and regularly given in that building.
The organization of "Hope Mission" denotes the religious and spiritual life of this church from its earliest days and, we deeply and fondly believe, marks it as a true branch of the vine. Abiding, as it has done in the vine, it has brought forth much fruit. The Mission was a movement to give Christian in- struction and nurture to the neglected children of our city by gathering them into a Sunday School. At that time there was in our membership a saintly woman, Mrs. E. J. Lund, of whom we shall come presently to speak again in connection with another similar work, relating to the mothers of those chil- dren. She was a teacher in one of our public schools and was ardently enlisted in the spiritual nurture of her pupils. She found that many of them had no religious instruction of any definite kind, neither at home nor anywhere else. She began thinking and talking of a mission Sunday School. In her sugges- tion of the project to one and another of her friends,
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