USA > Nebraska > Congregational Nebraska > Part 7
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"But especially do we need to bestir ourselves for in- creased contributions. With this fact in view, the board has given much time of late to this aspect of the work. The sessions have not been simply to pass upon applications but to advance the interests of our Congregational Zion. One result of these deliberations has been the publication in a red-letter circular of a statement and an appeal to the churches for the raising of $8,000 the present year. Enough of these have been prepared to circulate among our fam- ilies, or at least in groups of families. This is a red-letter edition, and it is hoped that pastors will make free use of them in connection with their annual collection. Take sam- ples of them to your homes. The other is along a different line and I can not use three minutes of your tinie to better advantage than to read it.
"TIIE CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP BAND
"Dear Friend-In view of the abundant means now in the hands of Congregational Christians in Nebraska, many of the more conscientious are seriously asking the question whether it is right for us to look to eastern givers-many of whom are less able than we-to provide two-thirds of the financial help needed for the home missionary work in our state, when the Lord has placed in our hands ample means for this work if we are willing to use it in any way.
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A movement is therefore on foot to band together such as recognize the claims of Christian stewardship, for the pur- pose of doing more thoroughly our fair share of this im- portant work within our own state. Recognizing the fact that the amount received from church collections is not suf- ficient for these important lines of Christian work, many persons in the East contribute annually, as individuals, to the work, because they firmly believe that no agency is as
FALLS OF THE NORTH LOUP RIVER
well fitted to strengthen and develop the institutions of free- dom inherited from our Pilgrim forefathers as are the churches and Sunday schools, and that these should be planted and kept actively at work in each local community. Many in Nebraska share in these convictions, and to such this letter is addressed.
"Out of over 16,000 Congregational Christians in the state it is believed that from 300 to 500 at least can be found who are able and who will be willing to contribute in sums
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of $10, $25, $50, or $100 a year for this specific work in addition to what is usually given in connection with the annual church offering. In this way it is hoped at least $5,000 additional can be raised for this work. At present, of the $12,000 and more of home missionary money used in the state, the Nebraska givers furnish less than $5,000. The Christian Stewardship Band is a recognition that this sum is no fair proportion of the abundance with which the Lord has blessed us and is an effort to organize a 'band whose hearts God hath touched,' to the end that Christ's work may receive the same businesslike attention which is given the less important secular enterprises of the state.
"If this movement meets your approval and you are will- ing to join us in it, please fill out the enclosed pledge form for such sum as you are willing to invest in the work and forward it to Supt. H. Bross, D.D., Lincoln, Nebraska. DO . IT NOW.
"Yours in the Master's service, "S. I. HANFORD, "W. A. SELLECK, "H. BROSS, "Committee."1
At the Geneva meeting steps were taken looking toward the incorporation of the Nebraska Home Missionary So- ciety. This was accomplished a year later at the Lincoln meeting, and the Nebraska Home Missionary Society is now a corporate body, and is looking forward to the near fu- ture, when it shall be independent of the National Congre- gational Home Missionary Society and administer its own funds, commission its own missionaries, and be able, through the C. H. M. Society so long its foster mother, to do something for "the regions beyond."
1 Minutes, 1903, pp. 44-47.
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In incorporating, the society elected the following officers : President John E. Tuttle, D.D., Lincoln; Secretary Rev. A. E. Ricker, Aurora; Treasurer Rev. Lewis Gregory, Lin- coln. Board of Directors: Prof. A. C. Hart, Franklin; W. A. Selleck, Lincoln ; Rev. J. D. Stewart, Aurora ; Rev. S. I. Hanford, Weeping Water; M. A. Bullock, D.D., Lin- coln; Rev. George E. Taylor, Pierce; Rev. A. E. Ricker, Aurora; Supt. C. H. M. S. for Nebraska Harmon Bross, D.D., Lincoln. Officers of the board: M. A. Bullock, D.D., chairman ; Rev. George E. Taylor, secretary.
Before, however, the State Home Missionary Society can become self-supporting there will have to be a vigorous growth of the feeling of responsibility for our home mis- ยท sionary work on the part of our churches. Our contribu- tions will have to be increased three-fold before we can as- sume self-support, and four-fold before we can do an ag- gressive work in the state. The society awaits the response of the churches. The society has secured the help of Rev. N. L. Packard as general missionary and he entered upon the work November 1, 1904. He combines evangelistic work with that of caring for pastorless churches, and great good is expected from his labors in the state.
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PHASES OF CHURCH GROWTH
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PHASES OF CHURCH GROWTH
We have noted in a general way the growth of our churches throughout the state "beginning at Jerusalem,"
REV. CHARLES LITTLE First pastor First Congregational Church, Lincoln, 1867
in this case Omaha; seeing the little church organized by Father Gaylord growing in strength and numbers, sending
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colonies here and there in the rapidly growing city until our Congregational Zion numbers in that city eight churches. We have seen Fremont become a strong and leading church under the successive pastorates of able men. We have noted the increase in the number of churches and men, but have felt constrained rapidly to pass by the development of church life in various places.
A chapter devoted to some phases of church life in differ- ent parts of the state may be of positive value. Especially is this true since the writer has been able to call to his aid
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, LINCOLN, 1868
the help of men who were on the field and entered largely into the work concerning which they write.
It is a source of great gratification to the writer that these busy men have been willing to take the time to give this valuable service to the churches. The first to respond is Rev. Lewis Gregory, who for twenty-three years was pastor of the First Congregational Church in Lincoln, and is now president of the American Savings bank in that city. Mr. Gregory writes of
CONGREGATIONALISM. IN LINCOLN
"Congregationalism in Nebraska was ten years old and had ten churches when it began regular services in Lancas- ter county. This was one of the least settled of the eastern
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counties. Only 116 votes were polled in the county at an exciting election in 1866. A county seat, the present site of Lincoln, was laid off in 1864 and named Lancaster.
"Rev. E. C. Taylor preached here occasionally as an out- station of Greenwood. In August, 1866, a little church of
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, LINCOLN, 1905. Cut loaned by the Lincoln business College
six members was organized. This is the oldest existing church in Lincoln. The minutes of the council state that there were then seven buildings in the town, viz., a school- house, a store, a blacksmith shop, and four dwellings. In the following summer it was decided to locate the state capital here, and call the town Lincoln. In December of
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the same year (1867) Rev. Charles Little, having been chosen pastor of the Congregational Church, set about se- curing for it a meeting-house. This was erected in 1868 at a cost of $2,778, and was the first permanent building dedi- cated to the worship of God in Lincoln.
REV. LEWIS GREGORY
"For a few years there was an ecclesiastical society con- nected with the church, after the old New England fashion, but was discontinued in 1873. After an arduous and self- sacrificing pastorate Mr. Little resigned in 1870, leaving a church of thirty-four members. Mr. Little afterward re- turned to Lincoln, where he and his wife are buried.
"His successors, Rev. L. B. Fifield and Rev. S. R. Dim- mock, were men of scholarly ability and oratorical gifts.
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Considerable additions were made to the church, but there was so much going as well as coming that the residue was sniall. However, the congregation of strangers kept in- creasing. The church building was enlarged and mortgaged.
"By act of the state legislature of 1869 lots were given to churches erecting buildings within two years. As a con- sequence there was an unfortunate division of effort and multiplication of church edifices. All the parishes were in debt ; religious interest declined. When Mr. Dimmock re- signed in 1875 there were only about fifty active members on the roll.
"The church seriously considered whether it was not best to disband. In the good old Congregational way they called a council to advise on the matter. The council dis- couraged the idea of disbanding, and the church decided to go forward.
"The failure to ask advice, and the mistake of looking only on the surface for the results of the first hard years of pioneering have wrecked many Nebraska churches. They abandon the foundations laid, and leave the good seed sown in tears, when only a little more persistence and patience are necessary to justify the years of labor seemingly spent in vain. Later in the same year (1875) a call was ex- tended to Rev. Lewis Gregory who continued in the pastor- ate twenty-three years. He was succeeded in 1898 by Rev. W. H. Manss, followed in 1903 by Rev. J. E. Tuttle, D.D., the present minister.
"These thirty years have witnessed a steady growth. The church is now the largest of our order in the state. It shares with its seven sister churches of our order in the city, with their united membership of 1,773, the honor of contributing largely to the religious life of Lincoln and Nebraska.
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"It is to the credit of our denominational fellowship that none of these churches, Lincoln First, Plymouth, First German, Vine Street, Butler Avenue, Swedish, Zion, and Salem, sprang out of dissension or rivalry. Each, with the approval of all, is located in a distinct parish in centers of influence. Each has been established in turn to meet the growing needs of population and the general interests of Christ's Kingdomn.
"The history of the German churches of Lincoln is of special interest. The largest German church of our order is located in Lincoln. More German Congregationalists are here than in any other city of our country. The origin of this work in 1889 came of the helping hand extended by the Congregationalists of the city in suggesting and contribut- ing to a place of worship for the German people coming here, poor but thrifty, to escape the exactions of Russian despotism. In the way of sympathy, advice, and little courtesies, mutual good will has grown until in apprecia- tion of its liberty and fellowship Congregationalism has no more loyal children than our German brethren of Lincoln."
It may be added that Mr. Gregory's characteristic mod- esty prevented him from saying how large a factor he him- self was in building up the First Church, erecting its present attractive church building, establishing the other Congre- gational churches, and in helping our German brethren to see in our church polity the freedom for which they had hungered when in their German villages in Russia. Whole villages of these Russo-Germans emigrated in a body from Russia to Nebraska. A people intensely religious and de- voted, liberty loving, and loyal, they soon found in our fellowship a congenial church home.
We now have German churches in Alliance, Butte, Crete, Deweese, Friend, Germantown, Guide Rock, Hallam, Hast- ings, Hayes County, Inland, Lincoln, McCook, Napier,
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Omaha, Princeton, Stockham, Superior, Sutton, Timber Creek, and Turkey Creek.
The church at Crete, organized in 1876, is the oldest, and in that town for some years was located the German Pro-
REV. WILLIAM SUESS, CRETE
Seminary which for a time had a loose connection with Doane College. This pro-seminary, designed to prepare students for the German department of Chicago Theolog- ical Seminary, was transferred to Wilton Junction, Iowa, and became the Wilton German-English College in Septem-
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ber, 1894, the Wilton Congregational Academy, with two brick buildings and several acres of land, being turned over by its trustees to the German brethren for this purpose.
In September, 1904, the Wilton school was consolidated with Redfield College, South Dakota, and the property in Wilton was disposed of for about $4,500 in favor of the town, and the sum applied on indebtedness. The location of Redfield College is near the territory from which a large number of German students come, and the change is thought to be desirable in every way.
Rev. F. C. F. Scherff of Minden, Iowa, writes :1
"The new articles of incorporation of Redfield College provide a full German course for German theological stu- dents. It is believed that the college under the new condi- tions will have more sympathy and financial aid from the German churches. Prof. H. Seil has been elected presi- dent."
This digression has come naturally through following out the history of a Nebraska institution, sprung from our German work, a large part of which is in the city of Lincoln.
CONGREGATIONALISM IN THE ELKHORN VALLEY
Col. S. S. Cotton of Norfolk has kindly furnished the following account of church life in the Elkhorn valley :
"Until the year 1867, the Elkhorn valley was uninhabited by white people. Only Indians roamed over it in search of game, or interchanging visits among the different tribes. This was a part of the country considered by eastern peo- ple to be 'the great American desert.'
"It was Albert D. Richardson who, perhaps half a century ago, traveled through this country in company with Horace
1 Letter, August S, 1904.
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Greeley and published a work, 'Beyond the Mississippi,' and gave a faint idea of its wonderful possibilities, its vast commercial, mining, and agricultural resources. What he prophesied as possibilities then are realities now.
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COLONEL S. S. COTTON
"With the march of progress, the mission church has held a foremost place. From the beginning until now, Norfolk Church has been a center to which the younger churches have looked for inspiration and help.
"Col. Charles Mathewson, the main founder of the Nor- folk Church, was a man eminently fitted to be a leader in this work of beginnings. He was clear headed, with a
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great heart full of sympathy for everything looking to the upbuilding of church life. A royal welcome to his home always awaited the workers in the little sister churches. They could not fail to catch encouragement from his genial, hopeful nature and inspiring advice.
COLONEL CHARLES MATHEWSON
"The Norfolk Church had its beginning with the settle- ment of the town. In the summer of 1869 Colonel Mathew- son, with his family, located in Norfolk, building a flouring mill and the first house. His birthplace was Pomfret, Con- necticut, a town noted in history as the home of the Revolu- tionary patriot, General Putnam.
Geo. Scott, D.D. Rev. M. B. Harrison
Rev. J. W. Kidder Rev. Geo. E. Taylor
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"Religious meetings were frequently held in the Mathew- son home, but in 1871 it was decided to organize a church and erect a church building. When this was known in Pomfret, $200 was forwarded from the friends there as a greeting to the Norfolk organization. I have the names of the donors in my possession -- thirty-four in number. All but five have joined the Church Triumphant. Of the five, two are now living in Norfolk, enjoying the benefit of that early benevolence.
"In all $900 was raised for the church building. The Congregational Union added $500 more. In May, 1871, a church was organized with ten members: Rev. J. W. Kid- der, from Michigan, was called to the work. He continued his services until. 1878, when he was succeeded by Rev. M. H. Mead, who in turn resigned May, 1881. In February, 1882, Mr. Spencer was called as pastor and remained three years. During these pastorates, a period of fifteen years, the church was fostered by the Home Missionary Society.
"At its organization and for several years afterward this was the extreme frontier church in northern Nebraska of any English speaking denomination, and the only Congre- gational church west and north of Fremont, except the one at Columbus.
"In 1885 the town had grown so much that our little church seemed about to be crowded out by the business blocks, which were approaching very near, and the building was too small for the growing audiences, so a beautiful church was 'erected upon new lots in the residence part of town.
"Rev. J. J. Parker of New York was called to the work. His coming had almost the touch of romance. Some one had heard of Mr. Parker in a roundabout way. The clerk of the church wrote, inviting him to come and preach four Sundays, and if there was mutual satisfaction he was to
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become the pastor of the church; otherwise he was to return to New York. A distance of 1,000 miles to travel, unacquainted with a single person in the town, $30 for re- muneration-it took a brave man to accept such conditions, but it was done to the lasting satisfaction of all parties. Some men are born preachers. This was Mr. Parker's good fortune. Sixteen years this pastorate continued, with strengthening affection between pastor and people. It has many times been said that during this period Mr. Parker never preached a poor sermon.
"A temperament capable of preaching with great earnest- ness and fire must sometimes flame. If this was so with Mr. Parker, we must recall the words of President Roosevelt, 'The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.' Norfolk Church and the name Parker will go down the years together.
"August 5, 1899, a great grief came to Mr. Parker and the church in the death of Mrs. Parker. The mother of ten children, she was of necessity a home keeper, but no 'servant question' troubled her, for she took care of her own family, yet found time and strength for all the devo- tional meetings. Mrs. Parker was a woman of calm, sweet nature and great spirituality. The uplifting power of her prayers will always remain as a benediction upon this church.
"I think every one present at a State Association in Nor- folk will recall Mrs. Parker's coming forward, holding her baby boy, and saying, 'I have not silver nor gold, but I give this baby boy to the Lord, and to His service.' Who can estimate the meaning of such a gift? Perhaps the sainted mother can.
"Rev. W. J. Turner was called to the church in 1902 and is still the pastor. He preaches good sermons, is of sweet spirit and fine social nature. The church prospers under his influence in all departments of its activity. The mem-
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bership now numbers more than two hundred. The church has had its vicissitudes, but out of small numbers and weak- ness and poverty it has arisen, strong and vigorous, to do valiant service for the Master.
"Every little town in the Elkhorn valley wanted a church. It was needed as a check to lawlessness, and as an induce- ment for respectable citizens to settle. This idea was illus- trated in a neighboring town. The citizens wanted a church. There was not a church member among them. Not one had attended church enough to be interested in any particu- lar organization. They decided to take bids from the differ- ent societies. The Congregationalists offered the most inducements.
"In the early times home missionaries often passed through Norfolk, as it was a railroad center. Many times it was convenient for them to stay over a day or two. A large corner room was always ready for them in our home, and one of our greatest privileges was the entertain- inent of these heroic pioneers.
"Chief among them, and counselor for them all, was the Rev. Dr. Bross, General Missionary, and afterward Superin- tendent of Home Missions. He was many times an honored guest in our home, but never for long. It was always 'move on.' I well remember one Sabbath. The Doctor told a most eloquent story of his work in our church in the morning. He was due at Pierce in the evening. At noon a blizzard began. Snow falling fast; wind blowing faster still. Unavailing were all entreaties to prevent his ventur- ing on the perilous drive of twelve miles. His faithful wife insisted on keeping him company. The Lord needed them for future work, and they arrived safely. Where is the ro- mance to home missions ?
"Many interesting experiences were related by these visitors in our homes. One missionary said, 'I shall never
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forget the day that fixed our choice on this work. My hus- band came in with two letters. One contained an offer of a home missionary church in Nebraska with a salary of $700; the other an invitation to a church in a pleasant east- ern town with $1,400 salary. He looked at me, "Which shall it be?" he questioned. I answered, "You say," and he did. It was to go to the frontier on $700 a year.' Then she spoke of some of their hardships. One winter the roads were all blocked, and very little fuel could be bought. They shared what they had stored with others. When all was exhausted, the mother and two children went to bed to keep from freezing. They stayed there one week, not knowing but it might be a month; then relief came. One day, she said, her husband dug down eight feet and hauled out five sticks. She said, 'I cried when he gave a neighbor two.'
"Another missionary told of work in a little mountain town, where even the saloon-keepers closed up and attended church. In the same town were men living in tents, who baked cakes and sent them to a children's entertainment.
"A pleasing incident comes to mind in connection with Green Island (now Aten) Church. In 1879 a niece of Colonel Mathewson was teaching in the Pomfret, Connecti- cut, Sunday school. She had a class of well-grown boys, restless, eager, young fellows, and, anxious to interest them in home missions, she conceived the idea to have them raise money to buy a bell for the little church at Green Island. The boys entered with enthusiasm into the plan, and soon the bell was pealing forth on the little mission church. Later the Lord called this teacher into His higher service. The boys scattered and entered life's work. In 1882, the year of great floods, I one day read in the paper that Green Island was entirely swept away by an ice gorge in the Mis- souri. The church was seen floating down the river, the bell ringing. Instantly there came to mind the bright class of
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boys, the devoted teacher, the ringing of their bell drowned by the roaring water of the Missouri. Was its mission ended? Or will its tones echo down the ages, kept in tune by those who know the story-by the seed sown in the hearts of young manhood in their first effort for home missions ?
"Do we not sow sometimes better than we know? A little seed dropped here and there. Only the Master Gardener can tell of the harvest. What encouragement for weary workers! If the outcome of their working, watching, wait- ing was only what their eyes could see, they might well be faint-hearted. But with the Master's touch upon it all, and all effort is in vain without it, how can these heroic workers be cast down?
"The work grows so gradually. Its magnitude can hardly be realized except as we pause and take in the retrospect. Thirty years ago, how few the churches in all this region of country ! How bare and unadorned they were! How small the congregations! With what struggling they main- tained the preaching! Now, dotting the landscape every- where, are beautiful houses of worship, with earnest and increasing memberships.
"And let it not for one moment be forgotten that the home missionary and the church building societies are the parents of them all. They have all been helped into exist- ence, and sustained until strong enough to stand alone, by these societies.
"The dear little church on the prairie! If all the boards could speak, what a story they would tell of the dollars that nailed them there! But the record is not lost. God has the story written down in His own book. All the consecration, all the self-denial that has planted His houses is put down in letters that time can never blot out."
S
Rev. W. S. Hampton Prin. A. C. Hart
Rev. R. S. Pierce Prin. F. C. Taylor
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Colonel Cotton in this attractive story of church life speaks as a pioneer who has witnessed the development from the beginning. One riding to-day through the Elkhorn valley thickly covered with beautiful and productive farms, with good houses and barns, thriving towns here and there, can hardly realize that a little more than a generation ago this was virgin soil, the home of the Indian and hunter, where occasionally the buffalo might be seen. Now it is one of the richest portions of the state, and in these prosper- ous towns and settlements Congregationalism has taken deep root, has already a history which is the prophecy of a bright future of service in the Kingdom.
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