Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1895 — Laying Corner Stone OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, RENSSELAER, IND., [ARTICLE]

Laying Corner Stone OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, RENSSELAER, IND.,

Tuesday, October 15th, 1. CHURCH HISTORY. Tne comer stone of the new Presbyterian Church edifice will be placed in position with appro* priato ceremonies, Tuesday after* noon, October 15th, (see program on eighth page) and we have deemed it a fitting occasion to rep. o* duce the History of the First Presbyterian Church of Rensselaer, as prepared and read by Wm. R. Austin, Esq., on vacating the old house of worship, with additional records bringing it up to date. It has been said that railroads are the forerunners of civilization. That this is true is undisputed, but speaking from the standpoint of a somewhat aged resident of this town I believe-we would still have been in;heathen darkness had we waited on railroads to enlighten us. The church came here in 1847,the railroad in 1877thirty years later. Like th_t of the Puritans and Pilgrims of old, the history of the ohnroh at this place ha* not been altogether roseate. Niue persons, headed by James YanRensselaer,—the father of the townformed the nucleus from whio has been evolved the church society of to-day. There were times when the church had apparent prosperl y, but on the other hand, for long stretches of years- at one time from 1866 to 1883—not one ray of light oame. That the organization did not entirely disband waedne altogether to the efforts of a few faithful ones in maintaining the Sunday school | and in sowing seeds which in later years has ripened and been harvest d, and to-daylform the bulwark of the church at this place. Man is of a peculiar nature, he is not always satisfied with hie lot. A minister of the Gospel is but a man, has a man’s wants and inclinations consequently if he is not paid for bis services Le oannot be expeoted to continue his employmen , and hence it is that this struggling congregation In its early distorv had four pastors in that many years. The first minutes of the church society read as follows:

Rensselaer, Ind., Feb. 20th, 1847. At a meeting of persons friendly to the organization of a Presbyterian Uhurch in Jasper county, Rev. E. W. Wright was called to the chair. Astor prayer it was resolved to prooeed to constitute a church and Rev. Jesse Edwards and Z. Sheets, Elder, from the chnrch at Montioello,

weie invited as a session to judge of the testimonials of membership. The following persons Were eooived on cert 16 on to: James Vanßenssolaer,|gnsan Vstißansselaer, Busan 0. Weston, Kara Wright, Martha Wright, Luoinda Mahaffle Henry Barkley, Ira Allen, Lois B. Allen. Resolved that we new prooeed to the eleetion of two elders, and the vote being oonnted Ezra Wright and Henry Barkley were deolared duly eleoted, and it was agreed that t ese brethren be ordained on tomorrow at three o’olock p. m. Resolved, That this Chnroh be denominated the Presbyterian Chnroh of Rmsselaer. Whereupon the meeting adjourned. EDWARD WRIGHT, Chairman. Rev, Edward Wright was a supply fer the new organization, whioh met whenever convenient, until 1848, when Rev. Thomas M Chestnut was duly installed as pastor, and continued as snoh until 1862. Mr. Chestnut was he fath-r of our food sisters and friends, Mrs. Fletcher lonrntt and Mrs. Sharp. The minutes of June 2d, 1850, are as follows: Session met ond was opened with prayer, Rev. T. M. Chestnut, moderator.— Elders pre ent—Henry Barkley and Ezra Wright. The following persons were received on certificate from the Church of CoalCieek: John Coen, a ruling Elder, and Asanetb Coen his wife, as members of this Church."

The pioneers of our ohnrch, like the pilgrims of old, were very strict in disci* pline, and although the old-time Calvinistio doctrine of election even in that day received manv assaults, yet the session stood manfully by the Confession nnd at one time declined to grant but a modified lettei if dismissal to James J. Porterwho to some extent questioned the striot Calvinistio interpretation < f this dootrinsjof election A somewhat amusing ino dent to older members, was the ohuroh trial of Dr. Joshua Clark for alleged slandering of the LaJies Sewing Society. The trial commenoed April 7th, 1862, and occupied about fifty pages of the minute book. It seems that Dr. Clark had taken exception to certain exercises which occurred at the Sewing Society whioh met at Col. Work's residence, on the farm now occupied bv Mr. Wm. Matheisen, and wrote and circulated a paper the substance of which is as follows: “Whereas the present Sewing Sooiety was principally gotten up for the purpose of procuring funds for the completion of the Presbyterian Church; And whereas, Certain gymnastic exer oises are to a certain and proper extent to be desired, and are promoters of the health of the members; And, whereas, In the conduct of thete exercises certain small improprieties have of late crept out to the just scandal of the good name and fair fan eof said Society ; And, whereas, It is apprehended that unless these indiscretions are corrected soma of the strictest may be disposed to withdraw their connection and support from us, whioh mnst materially hinder our success; Therefore, be it Resolved, By the Ladies Sewing Society of Rensselaer, that hereafter, in t e exercses of the meeting, there shall not be more than one polka dance of an evening, and in B”ch dance no member shall raise her loot more than so high, etc.” The evidence shows ti at a lady member had edified the Society with a polka step, a dance whioh was then new, and had sung the song ‘Ben Bolt.’ The ev.denoc does not show that Uncle John Coen or a -, y other gentleman indulged in the dance, but it is presumed that some one did. Rev. Thomas Whallon was pastor in 1855 to 1859, and Rev. H. A. Mayhew from 1859 to 1865, then occurred one year pastorates of Revs L. D. Wells, J. S. Patterson, Wm. A Patton and Mr. Goodeson | Then for a long period of seventeeyears the churoh was without a pastor “ struggling for life. During this t d came the trouble involving Cicero 1 Tfttmrn, Ezra Wright and Geo. r. J

Milroy; and John Keller, Stephen Donaldson and Flejoher Monnett moved away. During this period the spiritual life and corporate existence of this society rested entirely on thO two MUs Smiths and Elder John Coes. Within the memory of the speaker Mr. Coen has carried wood from his resjdenoe on the outskirts of town to waitn th< chnroh for Sunday Sohool on ot>ld Sunday mornings. As one of the yettnger generation I say, “All hall to those spirits who, through the ohaoe aotendaut upon the alosi g of the war and other troubles, carried our chnroh ship through and 1 ndod her safely in the harbor." Who will doubt that a charitable Jehovoh watched over the Struggling congregation with a pifyingglance! In 1883 Rev. Gilbort Small came, and after him Rev. Aug. Taylor. ■And from then many students«amo to us from the MoCormiok Seminary whioh terminated in us installing Rev. M. L. Tress! er as pastor in 1889. The ohuroh began to build up in 1886, and is now on s fair footing spiritually and financially. This building was ereoted in 185;.* at a oost of SI2OO and was without Incident exoept that the ohuroh was susd for the seats aud judgment entered, whioh was soon paid.

There is to some extent a feeling of buoyancy within us at ths thought of the new ohuroh building. But we will experience many pangs of regret at the tho’t of leaving forevtr this house that has proteot d us during iafsnoy, ebilabood and manhood. U ’ - pyv Here was the cradle of Preebyterleniem in this county, Here have been baptised as infants and adulte representatives of almost every family in the town and surrounding oountry; and from this altar have been carried the remains of many of those who have gone to that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns. It is meet that we should on this ooeasion dwell upon the past—for ae past links ns to present, so present links ue to the f u ture. We of the present generation can but return to those pioneers onr heartfelt gratitude, and onr hope is that we oan In our feeble way oarry forward in e worthy manner the work thev have began. This old ohu oh will pass from our sight, but not from our memory. To the speaker some of the fondest and sweetest memories of childhood and youth are entwined with this old building. The ahlldish Sunday Sohool Songs, “Come to Jesus, *• “Climbing Up Zion's Hill," end many others, were first tanght us w'thin these wallß. Xne Songs, the Sunday Sohool, the Christmas entertainments, the festivals, the harvext homes, the choir practices, the installations.; havd engraven themselves upon my mind so that the lapse of years will not eradioate them, and I doubt not but many ean testify to the same ex erienoe.

I say all hail to the old church; all hall to its bell and pu pit; and the faot that it is supplanted by a gran ier edifloe does not detraot one whit from out honor and reverence for the old building. It is but one way whi h God has provided .hat His cause goes marching on that we sho ild pull down our old ohuroh and build a grander, larger one. We know Dot the ways of God; they ai« post finding out, out we believe that when Gabriel, with one foot on land and one on sea,s hall pioolaim that time is ne more, and t o Lord shall give due credit to the instruments msde use of by Him in making up His jewels, that the old Presbyterian Cbtftch of Rensselaer will have its due credit in the Lamb’s Book of Life. There is reason for all this. All religion. all eoienoe, all law, all wisdom of history, and al l noble present energies are centered upon the future, not upon the past. Pietv, patriotism, and progress are not so muoh concerned about the “From whence?” ns with the *Whcreunto?“ of the world, and the people thereof. Nature'repeats, and progress is a perpetual pioneer. On and upward are her impel alive commands, and have been from the day man turned from the barred gates of Eden, until he shall come again redeemed and rejoioing through the wide open gates of the Eternal City. We welcome the new churoh with open arms; we will be proud o it, its modern seats, pulpit, windows, towers, conveniences, and its magnificent pipe organ (for we doubt not we will bav- one). We willbe proud to show it to our friends as the offspring of the present generation, and it will prove a blessing to the town and county. July 24th, 1870—Elder Ezra Wrifht and Martha, his wife were, at their own request dismissed to unite with the Presbyterian ohuroh of R'ohwood, 111. He had served this church faithfully and wellfer nearly twenty three years. During Rev. Wells’ stay with us (a little kss than a year) three members were received. threejsuspended. and two di miss' edby letter. June 17, 1871—Rev. Goodison, stated -supply. During his stay with us Jthero were six members received and three dismissed. Dr. James Ritohey and Stephen Donaldson were eleoted elders. Seven children baptized. June 20, 1874.—Rev. R. L. Advms commenced nis labors with us, and during his pastorate (one year eleven members were received and two dismissed. February 8, 1879—During the next two years we had no regularpreaohing. Rev. Gilbert Small gave us a part of histime, and one member was received,

April 17, 1881 B«v. August™ Taylor began his ministerial labors with us, and during his stay of a little over a year eight members were receive J and two dismissed. June 1883.—Bev. Gilbert Rm&ll again preached for us until October of the same year, during whioh period seven members werejadded. Maroh 29, 1886—Bev. Gilbert Small again oame to the rescue, and during ’BS- - twenty-seven members were added to the ehuroh under the ministrations of Mi. Small and other stated supplies. From Maroh 12, ’B7, to June 24, 'BB, Bev. Duncan and Bev. Mr. Treseler discoursed to us very aooeptably. when Mr. Tressler was installed as pastor - the first installation servioe that had oocurrod in the history of the Presbyterian ohurch of Benaselaer. During his stay of about a year and a half forty-seven members were reoeived and five dismissed. July 8, 1890.—Bev. I. L Gorby oommenoed his labors with this church, snd during his pastorate of eighteen months thirty-eight members were received and seven dismissed. August 3, 1893 Bev. Edward Baeoh aooeplod a oall, and during his stay of a little over a year thirteen members wore received and ten dismissed. Ootober 2. iß94.—Rev. M. B. Paradis oommenoed laboring with us as supply and up to April 14, 1896, reoeived thirtyseven members and dismissed three. At the expiration of six months as supply, Mr. Paradis aooepted a call to continue as pastor, and was soon thereafter duly installed.