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Historical Sketches of Iowa Baptists, 1886
S. H. Mitchell
Published
by Burdette Co., Burlington, Iowa
CHAPTER XL
East
Nodaway Association Organized 1874.
Between the Southwestern and East
Grand River 1875 to 1886
----
AT the meeting of the Southwestern Association held at Bedford,
Iowa, in 1874, a committee reported in favor of the formation of a
new Association between that Association and East Grand River, on
the east of it; and a meeting was appointed to be held at Corning,
in November of that year for the purpose of organization. In 1875 we
find a record, accordingly, of the East Nodaway Association, with 15
churches, 9 pastors, 45 baptisms during the year, and 694 members.
Ten of the churches were from the East Grand River Association, and
only three from the Southwestern. The names of the churches, with
their pastors and the number of members in each, were as follows:
Adams County 1st Church, D. C. Ellis, 80; Bedford, G. W. Robey, 118;
Buchanan, I. M. Seay, 35; Corning, P. Andrews, 65; Goshen, E. Ellis,
44; Hayden Grove, I. M. Seay, 50; Hickory Grove, M. M. Case, 17;
Memory, I. M. Seay, 29; Mormontown, Wm. Golding, 28; Mount Zion, E.
Otis, 20; New Hope, E. Otis, 20; Platte Prairie, D. T. Smith, 23;
Platteville, E. Otis, 26; Prescott, Wm. Golding, 30, and Union, E.
Otis, 47. The first clerk of the new Association was J. A. Marley of
Memory.
1876 ... The Second Anniversary was held at
Prescott, in 1876. J. A. Marley, clerk, then of Clarinda. Hickory
Grove and Platte Prairie were dropped from the record, but 1876
three new churches were added, viz: Grant Center, Kent and Lennox.
D. T. Smith is pastor of the first two and Wm. Golding of the last.
Eighty-three baptisms are reported and 746 members. The East Nodaway
Association may be said to have sprung into being full-grown, to
have been launched on its voyage of usefulness under favorable
winds, and possessing elements of strength and vitality. In 1877 it
met at Bedford. Brother Marley still acts as clerk. The Conway
Church was received with 9 members, J. B. Ritner, pastor, and
Hopkins, Missouri, 27 members, Joseph Yates, pastor. Rev. J. D. Burr
is pastor at Corning. The First Church Adams county entertained the
Association in 1878. One hundred and seven baptisms were reported
and 1,029 members. Bedford Church, Brother Robey still pastor,
reports 75 baptized and 80 by letter, and a total membership of 278.
1878 ... This church, in 1878, ranked third in the State in
members, Davenport being first with 372 members and Waterloo second
with 342. Rev. J. D. Adams appeared as pastor at Mt. Zion and J. W.
Hough at Prescott. The anniversary of the State Convention was held
at Bedford in 1878. The first and only time it has ever been held
southwest of Des Moines. The Association met in 1879 at Lennox. The
Hopkins Church was dropped and Creston received from the East Grand
River Association. Buchanan also disappears and Carbon comes from
the Southwestern. Carbon enjoyed a revival in 1878, in which 17 were
baptized and the membership raised to 91.
1880 ... In 1880
the anniversary was at Carbon. The Summerset Church was received
with 21 members, H. S. Cloud pastor. W. K. Miller is preaching; at
Corning; E. J. Lockwood at Hayden Grove, and J. L. Blakely at
Union Church. Conway entertained the anniversary in 1881, J. D. Burr
clerk. Brother Marley had served as clerk up to 1880. Rev. G. W.
Robey closed his honored pastorate of six years at Bedford, and
removed to Moberly, Mo. Rev. C. E. Taylor, recently of
Grinnell, Iowa, is his successor. Rev. T. K. Tyson appears as
pastor at Conway, Grant Center and Lenox. Rev. William Carpenter is
supplying Prescott in connection with Alton in the Murray
Association. Brother Andrews is preaching at Goshen, and R. Bosisto
at Summerset. Every pastor dates the beginning of work on his
present field this year, 1881, except two. H. S. Cloud at Bethel
dates back to 1879, and E. Otis at Hayden Grove to 1880. The latter
is a return to an old field where Brother Otis preached for many
years. Bedford was the place of meeting in 1882, T. K. Tyson clerk.
Rev. G. T. Colvin is preaching at Carbon and Corning. Clearfield is
added to the list of churches. There are now 20 churches, 9 pastors,
88 baptisms reported, and 911 members. Rev. A. B. White
succeeded a little later to the work at Corning and some other
points. Brother White was a man of considerable ability who came
from Springfield, Ohio, and after securing recognition and honors,
and doing some good work among our churches in Southwestern Iowa,
discovered that he was not in sympathy with the teachings and
practices of our denomination, and withdrew from us.
1883
... In 1883 the Association met at Creston. The former clerk.
Brother J. A. Marley, returned to his post. Rev. James M. Smith
returned from Indiana, where he had been for several years, and is
living at Bedford. Rev. Edward Otis, for seventeen years
pastor of the Hayden Grove Church, died, September 1, 1882. He
preached his last sermon only the Sunday before his death. The
meeting in 1884 was with the Adams County First Church. Rev. I. M.
Seay was moderator. Rev. A. Jacobs had succeeded C. E. Taylor at
Bedford. Revs. W. C. Shepherd and A. B. Buckner were ordained at
Mormontown on April 5, 1884, and Rev. H. C. Nash came from Marley,
Illinois, and succeeded G. A. Hertzog at Creston. Brother Hertzog
settled in Creston in 1883. The eleventh annual meeting was held
with the Mount Zion Church in 1885. I. M. Seay Moderator, H. C. Nash
clerk. The names of five churches. Carbon, Clearfield, Grant Center,
Lenox and Platteville, are erased from the list. The Delphos, Gay
Street and Mount Pleasant churches were added. Rev. W. G. Howard was
ordained at New Market, February 21, 1885.
1886 ... The
report for 1886 brings inspiring news with which to close this
sketch. Number of baptisms reported 129; members 900. The number of
members is less than in the recent years, but the number of baptisms
shows a good degree of spiritual life. Thirteen of the 20 churches
are represented in the baptisms, in numbers ranging from one to 45.
The larger sharers are Mt. Zion, 45; Mormontown, 25; Delphos, 12;
Creston 11 and Gay Street 10. Rev. A. Stott is pastor at
Bedford, George E. Eldridge at Gravity and New Market, Samuel
Meacham at Pleasant Hill and W. J. Howard at Corning. Other
pastors are H. S. Cloud, W. C. Shepherd, H. C. Nash, Wm. Golding and
J. M. Smith. The East Nodaway Association bids fair to be a growing
force in the field which it is to till for the Master.
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