Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1915 — Church Merit Card to Chicago Family of Nine [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Church Merit Card to Chicago Family of Nine

CHICAGO. —Mrs. Edwin H. Danegemond of Morgan Park rose early on a recent Sunday morning. Then she awoke her husband and seven children. When all were dressed she lined them up for inspection and called

the roll. When all had reported present and she found that all were warmly dressed, she took her husband's arm, and telling her children to walk ahead, marched to the Morgan Park Congregational church. The smallest, three years old, led the parade, which marched in single file through the slush. The oldest, eighteen years old, captained the expedition, while Mr. and Mrs. Danegemond acted as rear guard. As the family entered the church

exclamations of admiration greeted its members. The church was filled with many other children of varying sizes, but no one family group was as large as that of the Danegemond family. It was the annual “family service” at the church. The pastor, Rev. Philip Yarrow, in an endeavor to bring back the old custom of having the family attend church in a body, had offered a hand-painted certificate to the largest family, all of whose members attended church that day. When Reverend Yarrow had finished his sermon he glanced over the parents and their children. His eyes rested on the pew where the Danegemond family was seated. He looked at the smallest Danegemond, who was trying hard not to fall asleep, and counted up the row. “FYntr boys and three girls,” he exclaimed. “Has anybody else brought more than seven children?” There was no reply. “The certificate of merit will be awarded to the Danegemond family,” he said. ;