USA > Idaho > A brief history of Idaho and western Montana: as settled and district organized by the Church of the Brethren > Part 2
USA > Montana > A brief history of Idaho and western Montana: as settled and district organized by the Church of the Brethren > Part 2
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Eld. Stephen Johnson was asked to take charge; G. W. Thomas was requested to be assistant minister. C. J. Fike and Levi Thomas were appointed deacons, C. F. Thomas, clerk, C. J. Fike, treasurer, and J. M. Cox, correspondent. Since then sev- eral of these members have died and others have moved away. This congregation, up to 1913, had called six brethren to the ministry : B. J. Fike, J. F. Edmister, J. S. Culp, W. C. Lehman, Arthur Brallier and Jesse Walker. All of these, except Bro. Fike, have moved away. He has been promoted to the elder- ship of the church, and is left alone in the service of the min- istry.
Sister Lizzie Johnson led the first prayer meeting, in 1898. The first Sunday-school was organized in April, that year, and she was chosen superintendent.
The first love feast was held in Bro. Silas Johnson's barn Sept. 9, 1899. Preaching services were held in the town hall till a churchhouse, 32 x 40 feet, was built in 1900. The congre-
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gation has increased in such numbers and strength that they built a very large and beautiful new house, which was completed in 1912. The membership west of the Boise meridian was divided and now forms the Winchester church, with Jesse Walker as minister.
PAYETTE VALLEY.
The Payette Valley congregation lies west of the Boise meridian, and between the first and second parallels, north.
The first members to settle in this territory were I. L. Harader, wife and son Edwin, in the spring of 1899. They were followed in November by Eld. Levi Whisler, wife and son Ezra, John Carl and wife, T. J. Beckwith (deacon), wife and son Harry. On the first Sunday of January, 1900, these families met at the home of Eld. Harader and organized a Sunday-school. Their first officers were: T. J. Beckwith, superintendent; his wife, assistant; Dora Harader, secretary ; Edwin Harader, treas- urer. They held their services at this home until warm weather came, when they decided to go into the shade of the trees. Later in the season, with cooler weather, they found it necessary to build a house in which to meet. In October such a house, 18 x 24 feet, was erected and served their need well. Eld. Fogle, of Nampa, was asked to assist them in organizing the church. This was done March 17, 1900. It was named the Payette Valley church, with the officers-I. L. Harader, in charge; Edwin Har- ader, treasurer ; and T. J. Beckwith, clerk. In the evening of the same day this congregation held its first communion.
Before the next quarterly council six more members arrived, including Lemuel Pratt, a deacon, and by the end of the year the membership had increased to twenty-five, including Eld. John Garber and wife and Jeremiah Hoff (deacon). In 1900 one died and five moved away. During 1901 thirteen moved in, three were baptized, and six moved out, leaving twenty-nine. During 1902, fifteen moved in and two were baptized, making forty-six. During 1903 twenty-seven moved in, one was baptized, four moved away, two died, leaving sixty-eight. During 1904 three moved in, twenty-eight were baptized, twenty moved out, and one died, leaving eighty. During 1905 thirty-one moved in, twenty-seven were baptized, eight moved out, leaving 130. Dur- ing 1906 seven moved in, thirty-four moved out, one died, leaving
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100. Thus they came and went, till in 1914 the congregation included six ministers (four ordained), ten deacons and 124 members, with two churchhouses and a full line of services.
About two years later a very good churchhouse was built, which was the regular meeting place for the church until, as the membership mostly was located on the rich agricultural and orchard lands south of town, they built another and larger house in the vicinity of what they call Fruitland. This has be- come the regular meeting place, and is where the principal ex- ercises of the church are held.
FLOWER
Brethren Churchhouse at Twin Falls.
TWIN FALLS.
Twin Falls is located between the second and third standard parallels, south, and townships 14 and 16 east. The main mem- bership of the church is at Twin Falls, about five miles south- west of the Shoshone Falls, on Snake River.
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The first members to settle here were J. E. Steinour and wife, at Murtaugh, in 1905; Sister Moon and Bro. H. A. Swab and wife, Twin Falls, the same summer.
The first services were held from Jan. 11 to 15, 1906, five at that time. Eld. L. E. Keltner was located here that year by the Mission Board, and in the fall of the same year the Board erected a churchhouse, which was dedicated Jan. 20, 1907. Feb. 3, 1907, the congregation was organized. For a short time be- fore the church was finished the brethren held their services in the M. E. church. It was at the first council in 1907 that Bro. J. E. Steinour was called to be a minister and H. A. Swab was chosen a deacon. In the fall of 1907 Bro. S. S. Neher, then a minister, moved into the church, and March 6, 1908, Eld. C. Fahrney and Fred A. Flora (minister, first degree) arrived. In August of this year Eld. Keltner removed to Boise, and the local brethren took charge and conducted the work. The con- gregation now has an official body of two elders, five ministers and seven deacons. They maintain a full line of services, besides teacher-training and other Bible study classes. They conduct regular services at three points outside their city, and have mem- bers at Buhl and Hollister, seventeen and twenty miles, respec- tively, away. Twin Falls is a young and growing city ; clean, sober and prosperous ; surrounded by a fertile, rich and splendid agricultural country.
THE WEISER CHURCH.
In Idaho, from where the Snake River enters the bounds of the State, stretches a valley along the river westward and north- ward, descending and narrowing, until it ends in a deep canyon at the west boundary, 160 miles south of Lewiston. This valley, growing richer and more beautiful as it contracts and deepens, is the luxurious home of eight organized congregations.
In the extreme northern end of the valley is the Weiser church. We lie west of Boise meridian, and between the second and third standard parallels, north, adjoining the Payette Valley church, there being about sixteen miles between Weiser and Payette.
The first members to settle within our territory were our aged Brother Abraham and Sister Sarah Nodle, who located here
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Weiser Churchhouse.
Abraham Nodle.
Sarah Nodle.
Bro. Abraham Nodle and his wife were the first members to settle in the valley, the home of the Weiser church, and were directly responsible for the planting of the church here.
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1
Chapel in Weiser valley in which the first services by the Brethren of Weiser church were held.
in 1897. They held their membership at Payette, and occasion- ally attended services there. The first meetings held and preach- ing done by the Brethren were on Saturday night, Sunday and Sunday night, April 18 and 19, 1903, in the C. E. chapel, five miles northwest of Weiser, by A. I. Mow. He being well im- pressed with the country moved into the locality the same month. Services were regularly continued every Sunday and Sunday night during the summer. In October of that year the Mission Board of Oregon, Washington and Idaho took pos- session of the field. From this time the work was concentrated at Weiser. Members came, and by April 14, 1904, an organiza- tion was effected. The new congregation consisted of seventeen members, including three ministers and one deacon.
Sunday-school was in progress at two places before the or- ganization. The one in town was strictly Brethren, while the one in the chapel, five miles out, was union. The winter follow- ing the organization, in order to give all the strength to the work in town, the outside school was dropped. Other members continued moving in and the strength of the congregation in- creased.
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During the winter of 1906-07 preparations were made to build a new churchhouse, which was finished and dedicated April 14, 1907. The Mission Board continued its work until June 27, 1908, with seven baptized, and a total membership of forty-four. Most of those members have moved away, but others have moved in, so that with the accessions by baptism and letter we now have a total enrollment of more than seventy.
The organization is in good condition and, comparatively, the church is in a very encouraging way. It maintains a full line of services; besides Sunday-school, teachers' training class, and other Bible study classes. They have preached, in all, at six- teen different places, thus in a manner covering all this territory.
Winchester Churchhouse.
WINCHESTER.
The Winchester church embraces the territory west of the Boise meridian and from the Clearwater River southward to the forty-sixth parallel. It is an outgrowth of the Nezperce church.
The first members to settle in this territory were Bro. John Shuss and wife, Maggie Shuss, and Lottie Wilsey. The first services were held in 1901.
The segregation from the Winchester church and organiza- tion into a congregation were effected Feb. 17, 1911, with a mem-
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bership of thirteen, including Bro. Jesse Walker, a minister, and Brethren J. S. Lehman and John Wilsey, deacons. There being at that time no ordained elder convenient in that part of Idaho, the newly-organized congregation called on a brother in Wash- ington to preside.
The Sunday-school was soon organized and progressed very encouragingly. The membership now is nineteen and the Sun- day-school is prospering.
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1
ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE DISTRICT OF IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA
After thirty-five or more years of occupation of this great Northwest by some of the Brethren the church has gained a foot- hold which means much for the future of the Brotherhood.
It is hard for us to picture the intrepidity of those daring ones who encountered the austerity and deprivation necessary in taking this country for civilization-the state and the church. But they did it, and their record is kept in heaven.
A single family set out into the field, and years of isolation followed till others joined. Eventually a church was organized ; but it enjoyed no organic association outside of itself for many more years. Thus, one after another, these feeble beginnings developed until they could so get in touch with each other as to form the greater organization-the District Meeting. In this way the District Meeting of Oregon, Washington and Idaho came into existence. She kept on growing until, in 1910, she found that both her territory and her great number and diversity of congregations were too much for the one organization success- fully to handle. It was plain that three separate organizations of the kind, one for each State, would put more men into the great work of the church, and consequently do three times as much work and do it better. Consequently, a resolution was passed to segregate these three States from each other and ask Annual Meeting to grant them separate organizations.
Pursuant to this end the elders of Idaho met and organized the Elders' Meeting of Idaho and Western Montana. At this time they issued a call to the several congregations of their ter- ritory to send in delegates to the first District Meeting, set the time and place of meeting, and appointed a committee of three to prepare " Rules for the future guidance of District Meeting of Idaho and Western Montana." The committee was composed of A. I. Mow, J. H. Graybill and S, F. Brower.
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Accordingly, Aug. 3, 1911, this first District Meeting con- vened in the Boise Valley church, and was called to order by Eld. L. H. Eby, moderator of the Elders' Meeting. He stated its purpose. Eld. L. E. Keltner, our member on the Standing Committee, announced the order of Annual Meeting permitting us to organize.
The roll call of the churches brought out thirteen delegates approved by the Elders' Meeting, and twelve churches. Five churches did not send delegates.
The meeting then proceeded to form the permanent organ- ization, which chose Eld. L. H. Eby, Moderator, Eld. J. E. Sham- berger, Reading Clerk, Eld. A. I. Mow, Writing Clerk. Then a season of devotions was engaged in.
First, the District Meeting ratified the Committee on Rules. The committee then reported what they had prepared, and the following were adopted as the constitution and rules of action of the District Meeting of Idaho:
RULES FOR DISTRICT MEETING OF CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN IDAHO AND MONTANA.
CONSTITUTION.
I. Name and Territory
1 .- This District shall be known as the DISTRICT OF IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA.
2 .- The DISTRICT OF IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA shall embrace all the territory of Idaho, and the western portion of Montana.
State District Line: A communication was received from Eld. J. E. Keller, of Enterprise, Mont., corresponding committee, "Relative to boundary line between the State District of North Dakota, Western Canada and Eastern Montana, and the State District of Idaho and West- ern Montana. We have decided, if agreeable with the latter, in favor of the crest of the Rocky Mountains to be the dividing line."
Answer: The State District of Idaho and Western Montana cheer- fully accepts the line proposed by the State District of North Dakota, Western Canada and Eastern Montana.
3 .- It shall include all the organized congregations at present with- in this territory; viz., Boise City, Boise Valley, Clearwater, Flathead Valley, Lost River, Madden View, Nampa, Nezperce, Payette Valley, Twin Falls, Weiser and Winchester; and any others which may here- after be organized in this territory.
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II. Organization.
1 .- The organization shall consist of Moderator, Reading Clerk, Writing Clerk, Treasurer, Timekeeper, two delegates from each congre- gation, a Committee on Credentials, a Missionary Board, a Sunday- school and Christian Workers' Meeting Committee, a Ministerial Meet- ing and Bible School Committee, a Committee on Homes for Orphan Children, a Temperance Committee, and the Elders' Meeting.
III. Election and Appointment of Officers and Committees.
1 .- The Moderator, Writing and Reading Clerks and Treasurer shall be elected by the majority of ballots cast by the delegates.
2 .- The Timekeeper shall be appointed by the Moderator.
3 .- The Committee on Credentials shall be appointed by the Elders' Meeting.
IV. Tenure of Office.
1 .- The Moderator, Writing and Reading Clerks shall be elected at each annual meeting of the District; and shall be the officers of the District during the ensuing year, until their respective successors are elected. None of these officers shall succeed themselves in the same office. Only elders may be elected as Moderator. The clerkships are not necessarily confined to the ministry.
2 .- The Treasurer shall be elected for a period of one year. Any faithful brother with good business tact may be elected as Treasurer.
3 .- All the committees specified shall consist of three members, who shall be elected, one for one year, one for two years, and one for three; and thereafter, as their respective terms expire, their successors shall be elected for three years, except the Committee on Credentials. These are annually appointed by Elders' Meeting and are qualified by the following credentials:
Credential to District Meeting Idaho and Western Montana.
This is to certify that and are duly elected
by the congregation to represent her as delegate- at the District Meeting of the Church of the Brethren assembled at Idaho, April -, 191 -.
We heartily endorse the faith and order of the Church of the Breth- ren, and pledge our loyalty to the Gospel, the regulations of Annual Meeting, and our own District Meeting. We are willing to counsel and be counseled for the upbuilding and maintaining of our beloved Broth- erhood.
We do not use nor handle tobacco in any way.
We do not carry life insurance. Signed, and
Provided, that in the first election of the Mission Board the Chair- man shall be elected for three years; the Secretary for two years; the Treasurer for one year.
Provided, that any vacancy o curring in the Board by either death or moving away shall be supplied by the remaining members and the Moderator of District Meeting; their appointment to hold only till District Meeting convenes.
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Provided, that the Mission Board may be composed of either officials or laity.
The Weiser church, assembled in council March 15, 1913, asks Dis- trict Meeting to adopt the following method of selecting members on the District Mission Board:
Let nominations be made by the churches, and reported by the delegates to the elder body, who will discuss the fitness of the nominees and recommend two or three names to the delegate body for election. (Signed) D. H. Holl, Clerk.
Answer: Paper read and passed.
Provided, that any member of the Mission Board, when his term expires, may be reelected.
Provided, that all expenses connected with the mission work shall be paid out of the mission fund.
It remained for each District Meeting to determine the levy per capita per annum which was fixed and continued to this writing at $2 for Missions, 50 cents for District.
V. Disbursements from the District Treasury.
1 .- Expenses of printing District Meeting Minutes, queries for Dis- trict Meeting, of Annual Meeting Minutes, of delegate on Standing Committee, sent by District Meeting, of any fixtures pertaining to the District for their meetings, and any assessments made upon the District by the General Brotherhood are to be paid from the District Treasury.
Provided, that churches calling for committees for ordination or for settling other matters shall themselves pay the expenses of the same.
Provided, that this foregoing provision shall not debar weak churches or mission points from getting needed committees. In such cases the committee may decide for the District to pay any part or all of such expense.
VI. Authority and Method of Procedure.
The DISTRICT OF IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA herein declares and pledges her allegiance and faithful adherence to the councils of the General Brotherhood of the CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, as set forth and published in the Minutes of Annual Meeting.
1 .- For the conduct of the District Meeting the Moderator shall preside according to "RULES OF GOVERNING," p. 10, R. M. of A. M.
2 .- For rights and privileges she finds her authority in " DISTRICT MEETINGS," pp. 14-16, R. M. of A. M.
3 .- For directing the faith and personal habits of individuals and the constituent churches she shall seek the councils of Annual Meeting.
4 .--- For Elders' Meeting and its functions see p. 70, R. M. Art. 16.
VII. Specific Conveniences.
1 .- The names of all delegates and all the queries for District Meet- ing shall be in the hands of the District Clerk one month before District Meeting convenes. The Clerk shall have the queries printed and several
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copies sent to the elders in the different congregations for distribution, and shall retain some for the use of District Meeting.
2 .- Churches entertaining District Meeting may collect for meals as follows: Adults, twenty cents per single meal, or six meals for one dollar; children, between five and twelve years of age, fifteen cents per single meal, or eight meals for one dollar. All surplus resulting there- from shall be turned over to the District Treasurer.
3 .- Time for holding District Meeting.
Boise Valley church asks District Meeting to consider the last half of April as the proper time for holding District Meeting.
Answer: Passed.
COMMITTEES
In accordance with the provisions of the constitution there are five executive committees, who administer these five depart- ments of church activity.
The District Meeting of 1912 considered and passed the fol- lowing resolution :
Weiser church asks District Meeting to require of her several con- tinuous committees and Boards, to present to District Meeting, for adoption, rules of action for their respective departments; and that those rules, when adopted, be printed and kept on file along with the rules for District Meeting.
THE MISSION BOARD
FLOWER
S. S. Neher, Treasurer. Twin Falls, Idaho.
L. H. Eby, President. Payette, Idaho.
D. Betts, Secretary. Nampa, Idaho.
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BY-LAWS OF THE MISSION BOARD OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN FOR THE DISTRICT OF IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA.
ARTICLE I.
Section 1. The corporate name of this corporation shall be the Mission Board of the Church of the Brethren for the District of Idaho and Western Montana.
Section 2. The corporate seal of the corporation shall have engraved thereon the following words: "Mission Board of the Church of the Brethren " "Idaho."
ARTICLE II.
Section 1. The business of the association shall be to carry out the objects of the corporation as specified in its articles.
ARTICLE III.
Section 1. The corporate powers of this company shall be vested in a board of directors to be elected by the delegates as provided in the articles of incorporation, and the officers shall be a president, secretary and treasurer. The officers shall be elected by the board of directors at their first meeting after election, and shall hold their respective offices until their successors are elected and qualified.
ARTICLE IV.
Section 1. The regular meeting of the board of directors shall be held at the office of the association, the time and place of meeting to be designated by the call of the president; and special meetings may be called by the president or any two members of the board of directors by giving personal notice to the several members of the board, or by five days' notice in writing, the place of meeting to be specified in such notice.
Section 2. A majority of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and any action by the majority, although at an irregularly called meeting, if record thereof is assented to by the other member of the board in writing, shall always be as valid and effective in all respects as when passed by the board at a regularly called meeting.
Section 3. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to exercise and have supervision over all the affairs of the association; to direct the disbursement of all moneys; to purchase, sell, or otherwise acquire and dispose of, property, and in every particular to have full charge of the affairs of the association.
Section 4. The duties of the officers shall be such as are usual in the respective offices in a corporate way.
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ARTICLE V.
Section 1. The books of the association, and such papers as may be placed on file, shall at all times during business hours be subject to the inspection of any of the directors or members, and the book of by-laws shall be kept in a separate book for that special purpose.
ARTICLE VI.
Section 1. The annual meeting of the corporation shall be held at the office of the corporation at such date as may be designated or fixed by the adjournment of the previous meeting. Special meetings of the corporation may be called by the board of directors by giving notice as required by statute for other corporations.
ARTICLE VII.
Section 1. Delegates selected in manner provided in the articles of incorporation shall constitute the membership at the annual meeting provided to be held.
ARTICLE VIII.
Section.1. No debts shall be contracted for the corporation except by the vote of the board of directors in favor of such indebtedness, and no salaries shall be paid to the directors, as such, but each director may have his expenses paid in connection with the discharge of his duties.
ARTICLE IX.
Section 1. These by-laws may be changed, amended or revoked at any time by a vote of two-thirds of the delegates at an annual or special meeting; or, the power to make or amend by-laws may be, by such vote, delegated to the board of directors.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
Of the Mission Board of the Church of the Brethren for the District of Idaho and Western Montana.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That we, L. H. Eby, David Betts and S. S. Neher, citizens of the United States, have this day voluntarily associated ourselves together, and by these presents do hereby associate ourselves together, for the purpose of forming a corporation under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Idaho, and we do hereby certify:
I.
That the corporate name and style of our said corporation is: The Mission Board of the Church of the Brethren for the District of Idaho and Western Montana.
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II.
That the purposes for which this corporation is formed are:
1. To carry on general mission work in the State of Idaho, and elsewhere, in the various church forms.
To establish and maintain field and city workers.
2. To negotiate and receive funds and endowments and to take and hold securities, all in the carrying on and furthering the work of this association.
To build, lease, or otherwise obtain, churches and buildings to be used and disposed of by the board of directors under the by-laws.
3. To acquire by purchase, lease, or otherwise, such real estate as may be necessary and convenient for the carrying on of the business and objects of the association; that the title to all property so acquired and held, real or personal, shall be held, owned and controlled by the association, with full power in its board of directors to dispose of the same whenever, in their judgment, the interest of the association will be advanced there- by; and to purchase and otherwise acquire, sell and dispose of property from time to time. This corporation shall have power to mortgage, alienate or convey its real or personal property in the same manner as other private corporations, and its corporate power may be exercised in such manner as may be provided by its by-laws.
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