History of Linn County Iowa Part 83

Their church was built in 1889 and is valued at $5,000.00.

The Calvary Baptist church was organized on September 5, 1890, and its first pastor was the Rev. E. F. Perry. It has been served by four pastors, and has a membership now of 165. The present church was erected in 1891 and is valued at $5,000.00.

The John Hus Methodist Episcopal church was organized May 15, 1892, and its first pastor was the Rev. John Tauchen. The church has had three pastors and has now seventy members. They have property valued at $7,000.00 and their present church was built in 1897.

The Bethany Congregation church came into being in 1893 and its first pastor was the Rev. E. M. Vittum. They now enroll 106 members and have had six pastors. Their present church is valued at $3,000.00.

The Central Park Presbyterian church was organized May 4, 1893. Its first pastor was the Rev. R. A. Van der Las. They have now 205 members and have had three ministers. Their present church was built in 1904 and is valued at $20,000.00.

The Danish Lutheran church was organized in 1893. They have forty-eight members, have had six pastors and have property valued at $4,000.00.

The Danish Baptist church was organized April 1, 1895, and its first pastor was the Rev. A. Charlsen. They have had six pastors and have now 17 members. Their church was built in 1899 and is valued at $700.00.

The first church organized in the last decade was the Second Christian church which grew out of a Bible school organized in 1901 and has a membership of 125 and has been served by three pastors. They have property valued at $5,000.00.

The Olivet Presbyterian church came into existence on May 15, 1904. Its first and only pastor is the Rev. C. F. Ensign. They have today 160 members, a church property erected in 1904, and valued at $8,000.00.

The Dunker church has been in existence for several years, but was not formerly organized until 1905 under the present pastor, Dr. S. B.

Miller. They have been served by five pastors, have a church property valued at $4,000.00 and have thirty members.

The Reformed church came into formal existence March 29, 1906. The pastor is the Rev. Frank S. Bromer. Services were held for about a year before this organization by the Rev. Rohrbach. They have now twenty-nine members and are building a new church. The present value of their property is estimated to be $2,900.00. At the completion of this new church their property will be worth $6,300.00.

Fifty years ago this town had about 1,500 people. Of these 386 were members of the six churches, one in four. Today, with a population of 30,000, the thirty-three churches report 10,286 members. With five and one-half times as many churches and five times as many ministers we have twenty-seven times as many members.

The city has twenty times its former population, and the churches have twenty-seven times their former membership.

The total value of the church property today, exclusive of schools and outside property, is above $750,000.

All of this goes to show that the churches are very much alive and are among the most progressive inst.i.tutions in the city.

Two hundred and forty ministers have served these churches since the beginning of their history.

RECAPITULATION

Members

The Catholics report today 3,700 Presbyterians 1,814 Methodists 1,315 Lutherans 820 Baptists 547 Episcopalians 505 Christians 475 Congregationalists 466 United Brethren 260 United Presbyterian 225 Universalist 100 Dunkers 30 Reformed 29 ------ Total 10,286

[Ill.u.s.tration: FATHER LOWRY]

CHAPTER x.x.xVIII

_Catholicism in Linn County_

BY REV. P. J. FLYNN

All honor to those pioneer clerics and laity for the work they accomplished under trying and difficult circ.u.mstances. In the pioneer days no musical sound of silvery bell, from lofty steeple or tall minaret called them on the Sabbath morn, no swelling peal of organ or trained choir entertained or invited the worshipers in those early days, there were no G.o.dly ministers to bury the old and instruct the young, no books, or papers to read and to gather wisdom from their pages, to strengthen the weak and enlighten the dull. No need to be scandalized if in some instances, we find men grow weak under such trying circ.u.mstances. No wonder that pioneer conditions among miners and others, were such as to indicate little fear of G.o.d or little regard for men. Little do we know, in this age of ease and facility, of the difficulties and dangers, offered in those days to priest and people.

The effort of the writer of the following pages will be to chronicle facts, well established and authentic, relative to the church in Linn county, rather than to draw on imagination or to give color to his a.s.sertions from a rhetorical viewpoint. It is the scope of history to chronicle events relating to the past, for present and future use.

There is no a.s.sertion made in these pages that has not been investigated and truthfully established, in most cases by those who were eye and ear witnesses to the events referred to.

In order to understand how difficult it is to obtain correct information about the early days in a new country it is both educational and interesting to engage in such research. One would not imagine that information concerning things and conditions of less than fifty years ago would be so difficult to obtain. Yet the fact remains, and this fact is in itself a strong argument in favor of works like the present.

It is hardly credible that the early settlers could accomplish what they did under circ.u.mstances as they were in those days. What strength of character and determination of purpose these early settlers showed in the face of difficulty and danger is truly admirable. What n.o.ble ideals they had, and how earnestly and well they strove for their attainment. The present prosperity is due in no small degree to their untiring efforts in laying the foundation of present advantages.

Posterity may well hold their names in benediction, and the heart may with pride and reverence swell with admiration for the hardy pioneer whose heritage is now enjoyed. The present moral standards of the people, the numerous schools and churches and the general intelligence have been builded on the foundations laid by our ancestors and are monuments and tributes to their character, influence and enthusiasm.

When Linn county was but a mission district from Iowa City, meetings were held whenever and wherever the priest found it convenient for the best results or for the convenience of the greatest number of souls.

Sometimes service was held in a log cabin, sometimes in a district school house. When the missionary contemplated a visit his intention was announced through the district; the date and place of meeting were made known and thither the scattered settlers gathered on foot or on horseback or in wagons. They were happy in their inconvenience at being allowed even in such circ.u.mstances to make their peace with G.o.d and receive the consolations of religion.

Such were the conditions in Linn county half a century since. How little we realize the advantages we enjoy in this day.

Few and far between, however, were the visits of the shepherd to the scattered hamlets of the early settlers. Missionary men went about, preaching and teaching and their lives were an example to all with whom they came in contact. Of such men and their life work, we have now to treat.

The first record we have of the interests of Linn county in things Catholic was in 1853, when Father Emmons of Iowa City with apostolic spirit and Christlike zeal journeyed through the trackless wastes to cater to the needs of the children of the faith.

In those days, fifty-seven years ago, it is needless to say Cedar Rapids was not known as the Parlor City. Its pretensions were very modest. It consisted of only a few small residences with a few stores to supply the needs of the people.

THE CHURCH IN CEDAR RAPIDS

The chief business industries in those days were the lumber mills of Mr. J. J. Snouffer, Sr. The wild and trackless wastes were being gradually cleared, and the logs were being fitted for the formation of rough log cabins to shelter man and beast. Rough fords or bridges were thrown across the irregular and meandering streams which flowed in undisturbed tranquillity on their way towards the Father of Waters. It was nothing unusual frequently to find that the temporary bridges were carried away over night and the log dweller found himself in the morning isolated and compelled patiently to wait the subsiding of the waters to furnish himself with the necessaries of life.

In these days the missionary priest pa.s.sed along giving his blessing to the work as he went, and in log cabins or improvised chapels fed the bread of life to the hungering sheep of the fold.

The first record there is, and that in the memory of those who were present, of ma.s.s being offered in Cedar Rapids was in 1853, when Father Emmons of Iowa City, celebrated the holy sacrifice for the first time in the old Dubuque House in B avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets.

It is a regrettable fact that the location has since been turned to uses less holy. During his visits afterwards from his home town to Cedar Rapids he always stayed, and officiated at the Snouffer home on Second street, which in those days occupied the site on which now stands the Denecke store.

In those days the Catholic settlers came for miles around to Cedar Rapids, and a.s.sisted at divine service whenever the goodly priest found it possible to come among them. In wagons drawn by oxen they wended their way from the western part of the county, from Fairfax, and along to the Benton county border line, and even beyond. Often their journey meant days of delay owing to impa.s.sable ways and washed out bridges.

All honor to those pioneer Catholics who so prized their religion and their faith. No wonder that seed sown under such trying circ.u.mstances brought forth fruit which abides. Among the early settlers who gave such proof of their worth and dared difficulties for their religious opinions we find the names of Murray, Keenan, Cook, Hayden, Lilly, Kehoe, Meehan, Flaherty, Cahill, Langan, Christopher, Villeen, Harrington, Hager, and others.

Another pioneer of those days was Father Smith who occasionally visited the itinerary of Father Emmons when the latter was unable to do so. Fr.

Harmon, also of Iowa City, came a few times into this territory and a.s.sisted in sowing the seed and nurturing it in its tender years.

After Fr. Harmon's departure the duty again rested upon the shoulders of Father Emmons until Father Gillespie was sent by Bishop Smith to form a new parish in Cedar Rapids, along in the early sixties.

The first effort that was made to establish a church in Cedar Rapids was when a piece of property was secured on Sixth avenue and Sixth street, near the present residence of Dr. Skinner. Those who were leaders in this laudable undertaking were J. J. Snouffer, Sr., Alexander Hager, and Francis Lilly. Objection was made to the selection of the site on Sixth avenue and Sixth street from more sources than one and attention was next directed towards the present site on Third avenue and Seventh street. Through the efforts of the above mentioned men three lots were secured, and operations were begun and a little church constructed large enough for the needs of the time. The lumber was obtained at Snouffer's mill, the workmanship was contracted for by Alex. Hager, who was a carpenter, and the means were supplied by Mr.

Lilly, Mr. Thos. Murray, Andrew Stark, John Meehan, Flaherty, and others. After Father Gillespie came Father Enlinbrook, who retained the charge only a short time. After his departure Fr. Shields came occasionally in missionary work.

In 1865 Fr. Cannon a.s.sumed charge and remained about two years.

In the fall of 1867 Father P. V. McLoughlin came and remained about six months.

One would naturally expect that by this time the congregation should have grown considerably, but the fact is that on the first Sunday of October, 1866, rosary Sunday, the congregation consisted of between 20 and 30 souls and they were from the surrounding country as much as from Cedar Rapids.

In 1870 Fr. Lowry (who was a convert to Catholicity) took charge of Cedar Rapids and from that date we have a continued resident priest and a regular history. Soon after his arrival he set to work to build a church more in keeping with the needs of the place, since at this time many settlers had come from Illinois and things began to look more encouraging for our religion.