Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1883 — Church Matters. [ARTICLE]

Church Matters.

LaPorte county is about to build a ne*r court house, to cost $90.000.00. The Rochester Sentinel reports a chronic wife-beater in that town and thinks the institution of a whipping post would be the proper thing for such wretches. To which we cry amen. The sudden sharp freeze last Friday while being very disagreeable, was at the same time a benefit inasmuch as it checked at cnce the further rising of the water in the already flooded streams. Out of town readers of the Republican who failed to get their papers on time last week can attribute the delay to the damaged condition of the mail carrying They were put into the post-office at Rensselaer at the time, or a little earlier if anything. The Schools closed. The measles and scarl&t fever scare so much diminished the attendance at the public schools last week that the trustees thought it advisable to order a vacation of at least one week. In order that the Spring term may be finished as early in the year as usual, there will be no vacation between the Spring and Winter teims.

The High Water.— On Thursday of last week the Iroquois rose fast all day and the ice began to break up and move downward at an early hour. An immense gorge was formed below the mill which extended nearly to the bridge. At the bridge itself the moving ice masses constantly threatened to form a gorgo which would undoubtedly have been destructive to that ornamental structure. The citizens of the West side, however, who did not enjoy the prospect of being cut off from the center of civilization by a bridgeless river, iallied to the rescue and with the help of a small but ardent band of volunteers from the East side, under the gene Val command of David J. Thompson, Esq., and by the constant use of pikes and picks and prodding poles a gorge was prevented and the bridge saved. On Friday the water was higher even than on the day before, but not nearly so much ice moving. At one time the sidewalks at the west end of the bridge were covered with water on both sides of the street. The water at that time so nearly touched the road way of the bridgo that had any considerable amount of ice been moving its destruction would have been inevitable. At about live o’clock the gorge below the mill broke nway and for a short time the water rapidly subsided; as much as a foot within five minutes. Some old settlers say that al* though they havo seen higher wat. os 1 in Rensselaer, owing to ice-gor-ges, they never saw a greater body of water moving in the river than on Friday afternoon. Throughout the country travel was generally suspended by the swollen streams. Carpenter’s creek was reported to have been higher than at anytime for sixteen years. The “.Big origh” was outside -of dll reasonable bounds. Mr. S. H. Duvall, the mail carrier on the Morocco route carried out the .mail on Friday as usual but was unable o return with his horse at all. but

succeeded in crossing on foot on the ice Sunday. The high water at Louisville, and the damaged bridge across Monon creek, caused an almostcomplete suspension of the mail service upon the L. N-A. & C. R, R. for an entire week, from Feb. 12th to the 19th. An occasional through sack from Chicago comprising about all the mail received during that period. On Monday, of this week, the mail became regular again, and the quantity distributed at the Rensselaer post office was immense. The Southern mails for a whole week previous came, by way of Chicago, upon the morning train. Subscribers for the Indianapolis Daily Journal received at that time six of the paper. The mail from the South, in the evening, was larger even than that of the morning. Seven large sacks coming in at that time.

Some weeks since the statement was made that the great disasters which had already taken place since the beginning of the present year exceeded in number and fatality all that had happened during any intire year previous since 1874. Since that statement was made, has occured the unexampled deshuction occasioned by the floods along the Ohio and its tributary streams, and the dreadful accident at the coal mine near Braidwood, in Will Co., Illinois, where the accumulation of water on the surface caused a caving, and flooding of the mine and the loss of over seventy lives. A year of disasters truly.

Rev. Mr. Taylor, of Rensselaer, Ind., a Presbyterian home tnitaionary, in company with Rey. Mr. Work, called at the Tribune headquarters, last Monday. If there is an unbelieving community that needs the services of Mr. Taylor more than the village from which he hails we pity their Ingersull condition. ‘‘Rochester Tribune.” The Rochester Tribune above quoted, is edited by Major Bitters of blessed memory once editor of the Rensselaer Republican. Major evidently thinks ill of the people of Rensselaer, and does not take into consideration the great improvement effected in the moral tone of tliis community—after his departure.

The “lengthened sweetness long drawn out,” still continues in the courtroom at Lafayette. Judge and jurors seem to have become accustomed to the diluvium, and; saving perhaps some occasional qualms of the stomach, appear to be enjoying their usual health. The turkey buzzards are already said to be hovering over the building attracted by the carrion odors, and should the trial last until hot weather; as it now threatens to do, there is danger that it will breed a pestilence. Died: —Sunday, Feb., 18, 1883 at her residence in Rensselaer, Mrs. Minerva J. Kirk, of lung fever after a short illness. The funeral took place Tuesday afternoon from the IVL E. Church, the Rev. J. J. Claypool officiating. A number oi Rensselaer people have heard the Swedish Lady Quartette and they all, without exception, pronounce their entertainment to be of a very high order of merit, first-class, in fact, in every particular. Rerdell, one of the Star Route conspirators, lias withdrawn his plea , of not guilty and entered one of guilty instead, and turned state’s evidence against his feilow co aspirators. It looks very much as if Brady, Dorsey and the rest were really quite likely to receive their just deserts at last. iw»rtiiwwy.»in— m 1 ■*— Braid wood. v ill Co., Ilk, the scene of the terrible cord mine disaster of ’last Friday, is not more than (16 .riles from Rensselaer, in a direct line.

Owing to the sickness of Mr. Cleypool, the sermon at the M. E. church; Sunday morning, was delivered by the Rev. Geo. Havens. N 6 services were held in the evening. Last Saturday afternoon was the regular time for holding the monthly business meeting of the Free Will Baptist church. Owing to high water,'bad weather, and the sickness of his brother, the Rev. B. F. Ferguson discontinued his protracted meeting at Badger’s Grove, in White county. Bad weather and iU health eonbined compelled The Rev. J. J. Claypool to abandon the protracted meeting at the Sayler school house. The regular weekly evening prayer meetings at the different churches take place as follows: Tuesday evening, at the Free Will Baptist church, Wednesday evening at the Baptist; Thursday evening at the M. Er. Church. Tke Rev. Philip Me Dade closed the protracted meeting at the Baptist Church on Wednesday evening of last week, some days earlier than was intended, on account of the prevalence of contagious diseases in the town.