Tomorrow, September 24, 2017, at 2:00 pm, a dedication services is being held at the new Clarinda First United Methodist Church at 923 West State Street. Please find below what I have copied from a booklet printed in 1983 at the time of celebration of 100 years in the now"old" building.
Interesting read of all the difficulties in building and paying for that building.
100
Years of
shelter for Clarinda Methodists
First United Methodist Church
Building Centennial
1883-1983
Clarinda, IA
Written in 1983
For 100 years the present First United Methodist Church building has
sheltered the Clarinda Methodist congregation.
The third building occupied by the congregation since its inception in
1853, it has served nearly four times as long as the smaller earlier building
was completed in 1883.
The first building was located on the site of the present Trinity United
Presbyterian Church. The second building
was located at the present site of the Heitoff Building near the northwest
corner of the square.
The church bell was hung in the belfry of the second building in
1869. It cost the then impressive sum of
$150.
Rapid growth of the congregation led to the succession of larger
buildings. Pastor B. F. W. Cozier first
stated the need for the present building in his report to the Official Board on
October 16, 1881:
“Toward a gracious revival of religion and a mighty enlargement of the
church I shall daily pray and labor. I
suggest that all concerned immediately begin to think and plan for a new
church, an improvement urgently needed.
I think this year money seems to be so abundant and the enthusiasm so
decided in our town that the auspicious hour has most certainly arrived for the
first steps in such an enterprise.”
Our present church building was born when the Board of Trustees of the
Methodist Episcopal Church met in the office of McPherron Bros. on Tuesday,
Dec. 20, 1881. Present were Brothers W.
E. Webster, W. C. Burk, J. R. Hinchman President and Ansbach Secretary for the
conference year.
Webster, Ansbach and Burk were appoinited as a committee “to carry on
negotiations with parties desiring to purchase the church property and
ascertain on what terms it could be sold and report to the board and further to
estimate the cost of a new church building, procure necessary plans and take an
estimate of the funds that could be raised for the enterprise.”
On Dec. 31 the committee reported to the board and a resolution was
adopted that a minimum value of $2,500 for the parsonage and a minimum value of
$3,500 for the church building be fixed for intention of selling same. The board adopted another resolution “to sell
the church and parsonage to the best advantage possible, providing that after
having circulated a subscription it be found that the subscription was
sufficient, together with the proceeds of the property sale to buy the Malim
Jones property and to build a church to cost about $10,000.”
Page
County Democrat January 5, 1882
At last our Methodist friends have gone to
work in earnest to build a church this present year, and they are taking a good
start and if they continue will be ready to let the contract early, and by so
doing, be able to complete it before cold weather comes on.
The subscription is now being
circulated. Let all do their duty and
with the old property sold, there will soon be money enough in sight to put up
just such a building as they want.
The Committee to sell the old church
property and the old parsonage are S.M. Crooks, C.R. Vance and J.R. Hinchman,
so anyone who wishes to purchase, can consult these gentlemen for price and
terms.
The site has been selected and no doubt
the one that will be secured to build the church and parsonage is the Jones
lot, west of Capt. Morsmans. A nicer
place for a church is not in any town.
At
the next trustees’ meeting, on Jan. 11, 1882, Brother S.M. Crooks reported an
offer for the parsonage and church building of $6,000 from Elijah Beal. The church building was on Lot 7 of Block 19
of the original Clarinda plat. The
parsonage was located on Lots 1 and 2 of Block 20, which was the northeast
quarter of the block in which the present church property is located. Possession was to be given on March 1, 1882, “retaining
all loose furniture and bell.” The sale
was ratified by the board.
William McPherron reported “a bonafide subscription to reach $5,500 and
that it would reach $6,000 beyond doubt after some more exertion.”
Page
County Democrat January 12, 1882
The new Methodist Church building is now
certain to be built and all will be pleased to know this, as it is something
much needed. The money is not all
raised, but enough in sight to set the managers to work in earnest.
All money should have been put up by this
time, but there are men in all churches who expect to get to the better world
on 15¢ and get a front seat and the best robe and harp and then they will growl
because their wings and crown do not fit.
There are a few of these kickers and as time goes on they will get warm
under the collar and do their duty, a better church will be got then if the
management is not done in a slovenly way.
At an adjourned meeting, later in January, Crooks reported that the
committee had purchased Lots 4 and 5 in Block 20, known as the Malim Jones
property, for $2,000, of which $500 had been paid with the balance to be paid
on March 1. These are the lots on the
east side of 18th St. between Washington and Chestnut St.
The board appointed a Building Committee consisting of Crooks, W.W.
Russell, Hinchman and Ed Henshaw and charged them with contracting sufficient
brick for the church building and to “mature” plans and submit them to the
board as soon as possible.
Arrangements were made later with Beal to rent the old church building
for use while the new building was under construction. It had been planned that the pastor, Rev.
Cozier, use the house on the new church property but it was found to be too
small and he was authorized to rent quarters elsewhere at a rent not to exceed
$15 per month.
At a meeting on Feb. 11 Brother Crooks reported the purchase of 260,000
bricks from the Crabill kiln at $7.50 per thousand.
At a meeting on Feb. 14 the committee on the parsonage reported that
they had been unable to rent a house acceptable to the pastor and they
recommended that a 12 by 16-foot addition be built onto the house on the new
property and remodeling as necessary to be accomplished prior to March 1.
Meeting with the trustees on March 14, 1882, N.A. Olston presented plans
and specifications for the new building, which were adopted “with modifications
that platform in auditorium be raised from 18 to 21 or 24 inches as the
Building Committee might later determine.”
It was reported that the improvements authorized to the parsonage property
had been completed and the treasurer was directed to pay the cost per an
itemized bill, the amount of which was not recorded in the minutes.
Page
County Democrat March 9,
1882
For some time our Methodist Brethren have
been looking at plans and churches which they thought would suit them, but
failed to find just what they wanted.
They then ordered our townsman N.A. Olston
to get up a plan and submit it to the building committee. He went to work and got up plans and they
have been approved and the church will be built after them.
We will give an outline of the building, so
that our people can have some idea of it.
The size of the building on the ground will
be 54 feet by 76 feet. Built in the
shape of a cross with 2 towers in front, a large one and a small one. The basement lecture room will be 33 feet by
49 feet. There will be 2 parlors, each
18 feet by 20 feet and connected by sliding doors. A cloak room, 9 feet by 9 feet, a kitchen, 8
feet by 10 feet and boiler room 8 feet by 20 feet. All in the basement story.
The ceiling in the basement will be 12 feet
high. There will be 2 entrances, one in
each transept. The entrance to the
audience room will be from the front and go in straight with wide stairs and
stone steps on the outside. The auditorium
will be 48 feet by 50feet, study room 12 feet by 13 feet, gallery 14 feet by38
feet, rostrum 10 feet by 33 ½ fet, height of ceiling 28 feet. The seating capacity of the church will be
500 persons.
The main tower from the grade line will be
116 feet high. The building will be of
brick trimmed with stone in the Gothic style of architecture. When completed it will be an edifice that
will for years to come stand as a monument of the enterprise of the
church. We are proud to know that
Clarinda has an architect that is not excelled by any who can get up plans and
specifications that equal those of the best architects of the great
cities. The church when completed will
cost about 15,000 dollars.
On April 21, the bids were received and opened by the board. J.P. Berry bid $11,500. Olston bid $9,685. The trustees accepted the architect’s low
bid.
Page
County Democrat April 6,
1882
The old Methodist Episcopal Church is being
taken down. The Methodists will hold
services in the Opera House until their church is completed.
May
4, 1882
Excavating is being done for the church.
May
18, 1882
Brick was brought to the site for the new
Methodist Episcopal Church.
June
8, 1882
Work progressing on building at a wonderful
rate. Stevens and O’neal, have the
contract for brick work and 6 brick layers helping them and the work is being
rapidly pushed forward. The basement
window frames are set and it will not be a week, if good weather continues,
until the second joists are up.
June
8, 1882
Laying the corner stone: Friday next, at 5:30 o’clock, the corner
stone of the the Methodist Episcopal Church will be laid by Rev. Cozier, Trustees,
and Building Committee. The ceremonies
will be interesting, and all are invited to be present and witness it. The History of the church and other important
papers will be deposited for the future generations, who takes it down to
inspect.
No
further meetings of the trustees were recorded until June 12. At this time they got into the topic of
heating the building, a topic which was to recur a number of times during and
after construction of the edifice.
The Building Committee was instructed “to arrange for two flues in
lecture room and one each in ladies’ parlors and pastor’s study with view of
heating by stoves.” A motion was passed
that the committee “make inquiry as to cost of heating apparatus for audience
room and basement, either separate or together, either steam or hot air.”
Page
County Democrat June 15, 1882
On Friday afternoon last, the corner stone
of the new Methodist Episcopal Church was laid without any display of trumpets,
as is usually the case on such important occasions. There was a large number of people on the
ground and the ceremony, as laid down by the Methodist Episcopal Church was
carried out to the letter, Rev. Cozier being the conductor.
As to the building itself, a good
description of that was published in the Democrat some time ago and of course
we refrain from making any mention of that at this time.
After singing and reading of a portion of
scripture, Rev. Malcom offered up a prayer.
Bro. Bresee, who had been telegraphed for
and was present, then came forward and delivered an address in his usual easy
and eloquent manner, but we are not stupid enough to attempt a synopsis of it.
Rev. D.C. Wilson then made some appropriate
remarks and congratulated his Methodist friends on their good fortune at being
able to erect so fine an edifice to worship in and hoped it would not be many
years until his people would be able to build themselves a better church
building.
Rev. Tucker, at the request of Br. Cozier,
then appeared and talked in a very pleasant vein. He remarked that he was a short man and as it
was getting late he would make a short talk.
He said, from what had been said, and from those present, it was almost
impossible to detect that it was the laying of a corner stone for a Methodist
Church. That in years gone by,
especially at the laying of a Baptist Church corner stone, this would not have
been the case, as much would have been said about water – DEEP WATER.
After this Bro. Cozier deposited in the box
a Bible, a Methodist Hymn book, a Methodist Discipline, a historical sketch of
the church, list of subscribers to the church, a sketch of the history and
incorporation of the church, a copy of the Democrat, Herald and Star, list of
county officers, Westminister SS Lesson Leaf “THE TRANSFIGURATION”.
Champ Ballard, the tinner, who had made the
box, was on hand and soldered it up.
A.G. Dixion, had prepared the stone by
engraving the figures “1882” on its face and chiseling a hole for reception of
the box. After the box had been properly
sealed, Bro. Cozier deposited it in the hole, in the stone and then pronounced
the Benediction.
Just at this time O.H. Park photographed the
stone and the crowd surrounding it, and if Bro. Bailey’s beautiful face does
not appear in that picture, it will be on account of his unbelief of
ungodliness. Mr. Dixion placed some
slate over the box and cemented it nicely and thus ended the ceremonies and the
crowd dispersed, glad to see the work progressing so finely and hoping to see
it finished without accident or hindrance.
Page
County Democrat July
13, 1882
The young people of the Methodist Episcopal
Church have an eye to business. They
have undertaken to raise $500 for furnishing the new church and they will do
it, too.
Mrs. Hinchman, their President, is full of
push and energy. They expect to cool the
multitude at the county fair with ice cream, lemonade and also run a lunch
counter all in connection with the Methodist boarding house.
Page
County Democrat August 3,
1882
The Methodist Episcopal Church begins to
loom up and look splendid. It will be
equal to any in this part of the state when completed.
Page
County Democrat September
13, 1882
Methodist people are just roofing in their
new brick church, which stands on the hill above the center of town.
(Extracted from Conference Archives at Mount
Pleasant, Iowa, by Helen Volkman, Archivist.)
The Des
Moines Annual Conference, with Bishop Matthew Simpson presiding, was held at
the First Methodist Church, Clarinda, Sept. 12, 1883.
In preparation N.A. Olston, contractor
agreed to complete the building to the satisfaction of the Buiilding Committee
at the total of $9,685. Two of the
trustees had already purchased 260,000 bricks.
The Young Peoples Aid Society raised $560 toward gas fixtures.
Presiding Elder H.H. O’Neal of the Corning
District reported that the new church is completed and ready for
dedication. “The Clarinda charge is one
of the best equipped charges in the Des Moines Conference.”
Clarinda’s statistics were reported as: 135 probationeers; 315 full members, 2 local
preachers; 2 baptized children; 37 adults baptized; $19,500 probable parsonage
value; 2 Sunday schools; 27 teachers; 250 enrolled in church school; $227 give
to missions; $1335 pastoral support; $54.35 paid for conference claimants.
On Sept. 17, 1883, the Annual Conference
expressed thanks to Rev. B.F.W. Cozier for his work in entertaining the
conference. Thanks was extended to the
people of Clarinda for their hospitality.
In his report, Brother Cozier, the pastor,
rejoiced in 150 souls in a summer meeting.
Page
County Democrat Sept. 18,
1882
Gables are now shooting up like huge saw
teeth.
Meeting next on Sept. 25, the trustees resolved to heat the church
building by steam and light it with gas.
Crooks and Hinchman were named a committee to accept the most favorable
bids and execute the contracts.
Page
County Democrat Oct. 5, 1882
Roof is on the Methodist Church and is being
painted.
The board met on Oct. 30 to accept a report by Treasurer McPherron dated
Oct. 17, 1882. This report showed a
total of $190,017.88 received from the sale of the old church building and
parsonage and subscriptions of members.
Of this, $6,000 was from the sale.
Expenditures to date total $9,930.26, leaving a slender $87.62 cash
balance.
This report was a harbinger of financial problems that were to face the
church through the “eighties.”
At the same meeting Crooks mad e report in regard to the purchase of a
gas generator that is a 55-light generator that could be purchased from Mathews
and Falk in Chicago for $327.75.
Page
County Democrat Nov.
13, 1882
The new Methodist Episcopal Church is to be
heated with steam, lighted with gas, have a pipe organ and cushioned and
gilded, grandly, beautiful. A matter of
pride; pride to the membership and pride to the young city that can point to
this splendid church.
But there is an undertone of sadness in the
reflection, that inevitably the rich church must be the church of the
rich. The poor and poor dressed will not
feel at home there. To be sure this is
not intended. Those who can dress
finely, do not mean to keep away those who cannot, but this is the natural
effect, and the great unchurched multitude will grow more numerous.
Page
County Democrat Nov. 20,
1882
The top most point of the Methodist
Episcopal Church spire was put up today, 120 feet from the ground. This is the highest point in the city,. It is said that from the top of the
scaffolding, Creston can be seen with a field glass.
The
Young Peoples Aid Society of the church came to the rescue by giving the sum of
$560 on hand as of Nov. 28, 1882, to the Board of Trustees “to be applied first
on financing lamps, lights, and gas fixtures for lighting the new church and
the balance to be applied on the gas generator.”
In a resolution adopted by the trustees Dec. 6, 1882 it was stated “that
we admire the zeal of the members of the Young Peoples Aid Society in their
heroic efforts of raising fund to provide a place of worship…that it is the
sense of this board that the members of the Young Peoples Aid Society have done
good work and we wish them Godspeed in the furtherance of their undertaking,
and we hope that they may not grow wearing in well doing.”
On Jan. 16, 1883 Building Supt. Ed Henshaw stopped the contractor’s work
in the main audience room due to severe cold weather.
At a meeting on Jan. 24 the topic of a loan was discussed. McPherron and Rev. Cozier were named as a
committee to negotiate a loan of $2,000 from the M.E. Church Extension Society
at a rate of interest no higher than six percent. Brother Crooks reported that the basement was
nearly ready for occupancy and that 13 dozen chairs had been purchased.
Meeting on April 17 the trustees
rejected the proposition offered by the M.E. Church Exension Society. McPherron and J.M. Davis were appointed a
committee to contract a loan of $2,000 elsewhere and “give the church property
as security.”
At a meeting on Aug. 6 the secretary was ordered to notify M.E. Herbert
of St. Joseph, the lighting and heating contractor, that the heating apparatus
was not working to the satisfaction of the board.
On Aug. 13 the trustees met with the building contractor, N.A. Olston,
to attempt a settlement. Superintendent
Henshaw was not satisfied with the roof and plastering. Olston offered to pay $600 for not completing
the building in the time specified in the contract, plus $500 to be held by the
trustees until Jan. 1, 1884. If the roof
and plastering were not done by Olston to the satisfaction of the board by that
date, it was to be financed from this fund and any balance reverting to the
contractor. Also, Olston was to pay $572
idemnify for all deficient and faulty work per the report of the building
superintendent. The board voted 6-2 to
reject the offer.
The board then offered as an “amicable compromise” that they would
accept the sum of $2,042 for all damages to the building, voting 5-2.
The trustees, hence the congregation, finally took possession of the
building on Aug. 14, 1883. In a meeting
at the Valley Bank Olston rejected the last offer of the trustees and said he
would accept $1,500 as the balance due him and deliver the building free from
all encumbrances. A number of mechanics’
liens and garnishments had been filed against the property while the building
construction was nearing completion. The
trustees were unanimous in rejecting Olston’s new offer.
They hen voted 5-1 that they would accept $1,700 from Olston for all
damages and would take possession of the building after liens and encumbrances
totaling $1,302.43 were cleared.
Finally, Olston signed a compromise proposition calling for the
deduction of $1,700 from the contract price and allowances for extra work to
the building for faulty construction and not completing in the time specified
and turning the building over to the Board of Trustees. The board agreed to pay the encumbrances
against the building. Brothers I.J.
Poley and Ansbach were appointed a committee to contract a loan from Valley
Bank and pay off the encumbrances.
At a meeting on Aug. 18 Poley reported that the claims had been paid in
full and the dockets cancelled, the plaintiffs paying the costs. The secretary was instructed to make a note
in the amount of $1,302.43 to Valley Bank at 10 percent interest.
Between then and Sept. 6 three more mechanics’ liens were filed against
the building, totaling $597.61 The board met on that date at Valley Bank,
contracting the loan of $1,000 for a year at 10 percent interest from Isabel
McElfresh.
At a meeting on Oct. 15 a bill of $699.52 for gas fixtures from M.E.
Herbert was read and the secretary was instructed to notify the St. Joseph
contractor that the balance of the unpaid bill would be “at his disposal as
soon as he fixed gas jets and other uncompleted work on gas piping line.” The Building Committee was instructed to
construct a cistern, repair the roof and have “tin gutters and conductors of
sufficient capacity to carry off the water.”
The board met in the pastor’s study on Oct. 22. Brother Crooks was authorized to appoint a
committee to “construct a chimney of sufficient capacity to carry off smoke
from the heating apparatus and boiler.”
M.E. Herbert was present and asked to collect the balance due on the
lighting bill and an advance of $400 on the heating equipment which the board
accepted. The board appointed Brother
Crooks to superintend the fixing of all repairs necessary to the church edifice
at compensation of three dollars a day.
On Nov. 16 newly assigned Pastor T. McK. Stuart was authorized by the
trustees to call the membership of the church together in regard to “future
action to the policy of finance, in clearing church debts.”
At a meeting on Dec. 11, 1883, Brothers Poley, L.P. Crouch and Davis
were appointed to collect arrearages on the church subscription.
On Jan. 29, 1884 Brothers Stuart and Poley were appointed a committee to
confer with the choir Association regarding the loan of funds on hand in their
society. Brothers Russell, Davis, Poley
and Crooks were appointed as a committee to contract a loan of from $1,5000 to
$2,000 from one to two years, giving the church property as security.
Meeting on March 14, Pastor Stuart appointed a committee to procure a
loan of $2,000 from the Church Extension Society of Philadelphia, PA for a term
of four years at six percent interest, “trustees to give individual obligation,
assign insurance policy and give mortgage on church property.”
The trustees met next on April 9 to discuss “insufficiency of heating
capacity and defects in steam heating apparatus.” Brothers Crooks and Russell were appointed as
a committee to examine the contract with M.E. Herbert and report was “faulty in
material and construction of system.”
The trustees met with Herbert on April 24 to discuss defects in the
heating system. He promised to bring
skilled workmen to fix everything to the satisfaction of the trustees. The board adopted a resolution “that heating
pipes in lecture room and parlors be lowered and condensed steam be discharged
through a trap into the cistern, and that after repairs completed and tested by
the board the secretary issue an order for the balance due the contractor.”
On May 2 the trustees met again with Herbert. The repairs having been made, the secretary
was ordered to draw an order for $925 to the contractor and specified that he
sign a guarantee. He signed the guarantee
with no expiration date or time limit.
This was not the end of the problems with the heating system,
however. On Jan. 8, 1885, the Board of
Trustees met and discussed “the insufficiency of heating of the audience room.” A committee was named to correspond with the
St. Joseph contractor.
On Jan. 12 the trustees met again and a committee was appointed to
investigate if the “breaking and bursting of pipes and headers of heating
apparatus of basement of church was caused by faulty construction or negligence
of janitor.”
The committee reported the following day that the fault was that of the
janitor and recommended “services of same be dispensed with.”
At a meeting on May 18, 1885 the trustees discussed dedication of the
church building. This was referred to a
committee of three trustees. The
committee reported on July 13 that the services of Bishop Bowman were not
available during August and the committee was “discharged”.
At the July 13 meeting the treasurer reported that on order of the board
he had transmitted $1,000 to the Church Extension Society of Philadelphia as
part payment on the loan. The trustees
refused to pay a bill in the amount of $74 from Herbert for repairs and extras
until the board was satisfied ab out the heating capacity. This was in the presence of Herbert’s
workman, it was noted.
This bill was resurrected for discussion on Jan. 13, 1886. The board again refused to pay, holding the
$74 “as damages on account of the steam heating apparatus does not give the
heat in the auditorium as per contract.”
It was noted that even additional pipes erected by Herbert had little
effect when the temperature was below zero on Sunday, Jan. 10. The minutes stated, “Janitor commenced
heating on Saturday night at 10 o’clock and kept steady at work with the
apparatus and after all the labors during the night and forenoon could not get
over 20 degrees of heat in the auditorium.”
The worship service was held in the basement that morning. The trustees decided that it would be best to
try the experiment of creating more cold air ventilation and a committee was
named to have an air viaduct constructed under the rostrum to the chimney.
The building was at last dedicated on Jan. 6, 1889, “delayed by embarrassing
indebtedness.” M.D. Collins was pastor
then.
Clarinda
Herald
Jan 9, 1889
Last Sunday, January 6, was a happy day to
the members and friends of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Five years ago, during the pastorage of Rev.
B.F.W. Cozier, the Society here built the third church they have occupied since
the organization in this place.
Determined not to dedicate the structure until it was paid for, the
church has remained until Sunday without this act of consecration. The ladies of the Society have been laboring
faithfully and steadily toward the liquidation of the debt, and at last gave
the key to unlock the tangling impediment to progress.
During the last year they have raised
$500.00. This fine sum of the ladies
accumulation made it feasible to attempt the payment of this debt. So about 10 days since the Pastor, Rev. M.D.
Collins, began a private canvass to secure the sum, which added to the ladies
fund would pay the debt. For this
purpose $681.00 were needed. Mr. Collins
succeeded in raising $801.00 and on last Sunday the dedication was
consummated. The other churches
adjourned their services and with their pastors came to rejoice with the
Methodist people. By 11 o’clock the
Audience room gallery and every available place was filled to its utmost
capacity. Mr. Vance had prepared a chorus
choir of over 60 voices, who rendered some of the choicest selections as this
famous choir only can do, filling the house with inspiring melody.
The Rev. J. Ragan of the Christian Church
read the opening declaration of the ritual and the first hymn; Rev. Mr. Pringle
of the United Presbyterian Church made the opening prayer; Rev. Mr. Eddy of the
Baptist Church read the scripture lesson and Mr. Collins, pastor of the church
preached the sermon.
The text was Psalms 97: 1-2. The Lord Reigneth; Let the earth rejoice; Let
the multitude of Isles be glad thereof; Clouds and Darkness are round about
him, righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his throne.
Following the sermon the congregation were
given another opportunity to make contributions to the debt fund, and over
$140.00 was quickly given, and making a grand total of money given and raised
by the ladies for their disenthrollment of the church of $1,443.00 and this had
been done readily and gladly.
The services closed with the Methodist
Ritual. Rev. Mr. Smith of the Presbyterian
Church read the Declaration.
Mayor Good, as president of the Board of
Trustees, standing with the Board before the altar, presented the church for
dedication.
The Doxology has not been sung in our midst
by a happier people, than sang it out in the Methodist Church last Sunday,
closing the happy services of dedication.
During
the pastorate of A.S. Woodard the Sunday school rooms were added to the
building at it was remodeled into the present structure. This work was completed in 1915.
No comments:
Post a Comment