The fiftieth anniversary of the organization of Unity Presbyterian
church in Union township, Johnson county, was celebrated in an
appropriate manner last Sunday in a special service at the church. This
is one of the vigorous growing religious organizations of the county,
and has contributed much to the character and worth of its citizenship.
At this golden jubilee service the pastor, Rev. Harrison Scott Condit,
delivered the following anniversary address:
Members of the Unity Presbyterian Church and Friends: We are
undertaking in this one brief address to cover the history of this
church for fifty years. Of necessity we can only touch the high places
as we rapidly move down the years.
The New School Presbyterians had an organization several years prior to
the present organization. But it had died out. In the spring of 1851
the first Sabbath school was organized that had to do with the present
Unity church. It was held in the old log school house located about two
hundred yards south of the farm home of Geo. Stevens. Mr. Holmes of
Iowa City, assisted in the first organization. Lock Williams was the
first superintendent, Jacob Sehorn librarian. The school continued
about seven months.
The following spring the Sabbath school was re-organized with the same
officers. Allison Davis served as superintendent for one of more
summers. Iowa City pastors occasionally preached. From Rev. Shearer's
autobiography we learn that he preached in Sehorn's saw mill, on Old
Man's creek, September 2, 1855, and administered the sacrament of the
Lord's supper.
In the spring of 1858 the Sabbath school was reorganized in the Union
school house. That was the building that formerly stood on the corner
south of the present church building. It is now used by Elder Davis as
a corn crib. Mr. George Shelton, a member of the Episcopal church, was
superintendent for several summers. The school had a good library. Much
attention was given to the memorizing of scripture verses. The school
rewarded the pupils memorizing five hundred or more verses with a book
of their choice from the library. The Methodist people were active in
the early days of the school. Mr. Gardner was superintendent three or
four summers and Mrs. Gardner was the leader of song. After the church
was organized, for a number of years, the M. E. pastors from Iowa City
preached alternate Sabbaths with the Presbyterians.
January 29, 1859, in answer to a petition that had been presented to
the Presbytery of Cedar Rapids, which request had been granted, a
committee of the Presbytery or rather one member of it, viz. Elder John
Shupe of the first Presbyterian church of Iowa City, together with Rev.
F. A. Shearer, who was then laboring as a missionary for Cedar
presbytery, met the petitioners at the Union school house and proceeded
to effect an organization. After a sermon by Rev. Shearer, the
following were admitted as charter members of the church: William
Hanlon, W. B. Hanlon, Charlotte Hanlon, Edward Williams, Phebe C.
Williams, Allison Davis, Polly Sehorn, and Ann Mariah Williams from the
First Presbyterian church of Iowa City, and Moses Hanlon and his wife
Rhoda, from a church in Ontario, O. The newly organized church then
proceeded to elect two elders by ballot. Moses and William Hanlon were
elected. These brethren not seeing their way clear to accept the
ordination and installation was postponed until the next day. Monday,
the congregation met and after a sermon by Rev. Shearer, the newly
elected elders, under a deep sense of their unworthiness, having
signified their acceptance of the offices, where ordained and
installed. A motion was made and unanimously carried to call the new
church Unity.
Of the charter members there is but one now living, viz. Mrs. Ann
Mariah Williams, of Marne, Iowa. She is a sister of our present Senior
Elder Thomas O. Thomas. Special meetings were held the week following
the organization, conducted by Doctor Shearer and on the following
Sabbath at a meeting of the session over which Rev. Shearer presided by
request, the following persons were received to the communion of the
church on examination: Milton Davis, David W. Davis, Arminda Davis,
Ellen Harris, Susanna Carson, Fidelia Carson, Mary M. Sehorn, Harriet
Thomas, and Eliza Jane Williams. Of these there are still living the
following: David W. and Arminda Davis, who reside at McPherson, Kansas.
They celebrated their golden wedding on January 4th last. He is a half
brother to T. T. and R. M. Williams and Mrs. Hardy, Ellen Harris
residing in Iowa City, Fidelia I. Carson (now Mrs. Wood, a widow,
residing at Los Angeles, California), Mrs. Emma Carson of Iowa City,
who is still a member, Eliza Jane Williams (now Mrs. Hardy, the widow
of a former pastor of Unity).
Rev. F. A. Shearer, who had been for four and a half years pastor of
the First Presbyterian church of Iowa City, had closed his work there
and for a number of months was a missionary of Cedar Presbytery,
preached a number of times for the new church.
Rev. McLain, who was an early pastor at Iowa City, also supplied Unity
a few times. Rev. John Hudson supplied for a short time about 60-61.
Rev. Jonathon [sic] Osmond became the first regular supply of the
church, serving Unity in connection with Fairview church. The first
session meeting at which he presided was May, 1867, but from the
recollection of the older members of the church and from Presbyterian
Iowa, he must have preached here from 1863 to 1868. During his
pastorate he resided in Iowa City and in order to support his family he
also served as county superintendent of schools. He was a great student
and a fine pastor but would not be classed as a great preacher.
Rev. A. M. Heizer was stated supply following Rev. Jonathan Osmond. He
served the Oxford church in connection with Unity. His was a short
pastorate but a very successful one. He was a fine Sunday school worker
and a faithful pastor. It was during his short pastorate that the
church building was erected. He was present and presided at the
dedication of the church on August 23, 1873. The sermon was preached by
Rev. Samuel Osmond of Iowa City, a brother of the former pastor at
Unity.
The winter of 1870-71 the Sabbath school continued for the first time
throughout the winter. The attempt was successful and from that time to
the present Unity has had a evergreen Sabbath school. The young people
of the Sabbath school organized a Concert club and gave entertainments
to raise money to help build the new church.
The following is a complete list of the Ruling Elders who have served
this church: Moses Hanlon, William Hanlon, James P. Jones, Peter
Mooney, Thomas Bowles, Robert D. Thomas, Thomas O. Thomas, Robert
Davis, John Justice, Frank L. Lee, Thomas T. Williams, E. Fenton, Jacob
L. Propst, Earl Custer, and William Breese. For the entire fifty years
of the church's history, the Ruling Elders have been elected for life
unless removing from the community and being dismissed to another
church. |  | 
REV. H. S. CONDIT
Pastor of Unity Church.
| The present Elders are Thomas O. Thomas, Robt. Davis, Jacob Propst, William Breese, and Earl Custer.
The first record of a Congregational meeting is March 19, 1872. It was
held at Union school house. The chairman was William F. Buck, and the
secretary, John Coldren. The meeting was held to consider the matter of
erecting a church building. A committee, consisting of T. O. Thomas and
T. T. Williams was appointed to consult with a number of Welsh
Congregationalists and propose that they pay five hundred dollars or
more toward the building of the church and that they have the use of it
one half of the time. They were also to have the privilege of selecting
one trustee to fill a vacancy then existing. The plan was to build a
church costing about two thousand dollars.
A second meeting date, not given, but evidently held soon after the
first records that the committee reported acceptance of the proposition
with the following exceptions: (1) They to have a written lease for
sixty years for half time, (2) The trustees not to be held responsible
for accident to the building. (3) Alternating in use of the church,
morning of one Sabbath and afternoon of the next.
The amended proposition was found agreeable and a committee was
appointed to circulate subscription papers s [sic] follows: John
Coldren, T. O. Thomas, T. T. Williams, T. R. Davis, and William F. Buck.
July 6, 1872, the church was incorporated. The trustees, William F.
Buck, David H. Price, and John Coldren, signing the articles of
incorporation for the congregation. October 9, 1872, the congregation
met or rather as the records show, the citizens of Union township, and
a building committee was selected as follows: Roland Reese, Henry
Heiny, and M. H. Carson. T. O. Thomas was elected Treasurer and T. T.
Williams secretary. The trustees wee appointed a committee to draft
by-laws. So far as known they have not yet completed their work.
October 26, 1872, at a Congregational meeting, it was reported that
Rowland Reese declined to serve on the building committee. It would
seem that Henry Heiny must also have declined although the records do
not so show for at the close of this Congregational meeting the
building committee were: M. H. Carson, D. R. Lewis, and W. L. Humphreys.
November 9, 1872, D. R. Thomas was elected trustee to take the place of D. H. Price, who had resigned.
January 13, 1873, at the Congregational meeting the trustees instructed the building commitee [sic] to let the contract.
February 3, 1873, the congragation [sic] relieved the Welsh
Congregationalists from their subscriptions. It is well to pause here
for a little explanation. Over northwest from the present location of
Unity church a number of Welsh Congregationalists had located. It was
with them that negotiations had been pending to share in the building
of the church. These Welsh Congregationalists of their own motion
decided that the partnership planned might prove a source of trouble
later on and so withdrew from the contemplated agreement. But they as
individuals subscribed liberally to the building fund and united with
the church becoming efficient workers in the church.
March 25, 1873, D. R. Thomas resigned as trustee and T. T. Williams was
elected to fill the vacancy. D. R. Lewis resigned from the building
committee and T. O. Thomas was given his place.
July 7, 1873, is the first recorded meeting of the trustees. Names are
not given. The one item of business was instruction W. F. Buck to have
some alterations made in the contract in regard to cupola. the minutes
are signed by John Coldren, president, and T. T. Williams, secretary.
It is probable that the trustees were: W. F. Buck, John Coldren, and T.
T. Williams.
August 16, 1873, the trustees met and appointed a furnishing committee
for the new church as follows: W. F. Buck, T. O. Thomas, Mrs. Emma
Carson, A. J. Tantlinger, and Mary A. Williams.
The church secured a grant of four hundred dollars from the board of
church erection at the time the church was built. This is the only
indebtedness that stands against the church property today.
More than three years passed before another congregational meeting was held or at least before any record is made of it.
December, 1876, the congregation met and elected three trustees for
one, two, and three year terms. M. H. Carson was elected for one year.
M. A. Murphy for two years, and T. T. Williams for three years. From
December, 1876, to December, 1890, regular congregational meetings were
held for the election of trustees and to fill vacancies as shown by the
records. From December, 1890 to December, 1899, there are no records of
elections. Since that time, with the exception of one year, elections
have been held. The present trustees are J. H. Thomas, John Hughes, and
R. M. Williams.
The first installed pastor of Unity church was Rev. David Brown, now
pastor of our church at Hills, Iowa. He served Unity in connection with
Oxford from December, 1873 to December, 1883. He is the oldest living
ex-pastor. He is a man of a lovable spirit, a great worker, a splendid
pastor, and especially gifted as a leader of the praise services of the
church. He did a splendid work for Unity and is still kindly remembered
by the older members of the church.
Rev. D. B. Flemming was the first pastor residing on the field. He
served the church acceptably for five years--from April, 1884, to
April, 1889. He lived in Robert Davis's old house. He was a man of a
fine mind, was loved by the people, but weakness of the flesh prevented
his best work. His wife was a fine worker and organized the ladies of
the church into a missionary society. At the close of their work the
church built the manse.
Rev. G. M. Hardy served the church from the spring of 1890 to the fall
of 1893. It was after he came to the field that the manse was
completed, and wise man that he was, in not wanting to occupy it alone,
he wooed | | and
won one of Unity's splendid your women, Miss Eliza Jane Williams. So
Unity manse was honored in having as the first "Mistress of the Manse"
one of her own daughters and a daughter of two of the charter members
of the church. Mr. Hardy was a scholarly man and did a good work. Mrs.
Hardy proved an excellent assistant and their work at Unity in not
forgotten.
Following Rev. Hardy came Rev. J. C. Bantly, who came from Walker and
Downey churches in Dubuque Presbytery. He is now located at Kasson,
Minnesota. Rev. Bantly was installed pastor the afternoon of Nov. 6,
1893, and served the church for eight years. He and his family are well
beloved by the Unity people. He was a good preacher and an excellent
pastor. The church prospered under his ministry. Many of the trees now
in the manse yard were secured from the timber by him and set out to
provide shade for pastors and their families who follow him. He has a
reputation as a fine gardener also, outstripping many in the
neighborhood in the quality and quantity of vegetables produced.
Rev. J. R. Vance arrived on the field from Armstrong, Iowa, January,
1902, and served the church as stated supply till April 23, 1903.
During January, 1902, Rev. Vance conducted a series of meetings in
which there were about twenty conversions. Among them some of the best
workers and supporters of the church today. While his service was
brief, lasting only fifteen months, yet he accomplished a good work
during his stay and is very kindly remembered by all of Unity People.
Rev. Charles C. Brown succeeded Rev. Vance, coming to the field from
Marne, Iowa. He began his work August 17, 1903. Was installed October
9, 1903. His father, Rev. David Brown, who was pastor from '73 to '83,
being present at the installation and giving the charge to the people.
He served the church for five years, closing his pastorate October 1,
1908. During a part of this time he was a student at the state
university of Iowa City. The third year after he came the church
reported to Presbytery for the first time, more than a hundred members.
The number being 108. The last report under Mr. Brown's pastorate shows
129 members. During the five years he served the church a total of
forty were received into the church on profession of faith.
The largest Sabbath school reported to Presbytery was the second year
of Rev. Bantly's pastorate. The total reported for that year being 114.
The smallest number reported since 1894 was during 1905 when seventy
were reported. With the exception of the first year of Mr. Brown's
pastorate, the church contributed to all the church boards. That the
church has grown in the grace of giving as she has grown in years is
shown by the reports to the Presbytery. During the ten years form 1891
to 1900 inclusive, the total contributions for the church boards were
$840.00. This included a gift in 1891 of $190 to the board of church
erection. In all probability this amount or the larger part of it was
to apply on the loan secured to build the Manse and should not have
been reported as a gift. Allowing five dollars to count as a gift and
substracting [sic] $185 from the $840 we have $655, as the net total to
the boards for the ten years from 1891 to 1900. From 1904 to 1908
inclusive, the five years show a total contribution to the church
boards and synodical fund of $703, or $148 more in the last five years
than the former ten years. This is a showing in the right direction.
Rev. C. C. Brown, like his father before him, was fond of music and
made much of his talent in this direction to help on the work of the
church. He also devoted considerable time while on the field in
evangelistic work as a conductor and soloist for pastors in special
meetings. His wife was a great help and did all her strength would
allow for the good of the church. They will long be remembered by the
people at Unity.
The present pastor entered upon his work November 1, 1908. He was
installed December 18, 1908. The time is too brief to record anything
as history. So far as he may have a part in the development of the
church, the future historian must record. He is pleased at the way the
church is standing by him at the beginning of his work. Glad to state
that since he came the church has been nicely frescoed and a fine new
lighting system put in. Bad roads and weather has interferred [sic]
seriously with the work but better days are coming. The Y[?]. P. S. C.
E. has undertaken a lecture course this winter for the first time and
are meeting with encouragement.
It might be of interest to some to know that Rev. F. A. Shearer, D. D.
who assisted in the organization of Unity church fifty years ago was
later the pastor of the present pastor's parents and officiated at his
baptism in his infancy.
Fifty years of history are made. They were years of glorious
achievements. Union township has been better as a place in which to
reside because Unity has lived. The history of the next fifty years is
not made up but a year at a time. Let us be faithful and have some
part, be it ever so small, in making each year a glorious success. Two
sons of former ministers have become pastors. One a pastor of this
church, the other now pastor at Manning. I refer to Rev. C. C. Brown
and Rev. Forest A. Heizer. So far as I know no others have been led
from this church to enter upon the sacred calling. May God grant that
the future years will lead many from Unity to enter the ministry and
others to dedicate themselves to some form of missionary work that the
world may the sooner be brought to Christ. If we cannot go I hope we
may all do what we can to send. Unity's immediate future history is for
you and I to Make. May it be a glorious record as recorded at some
future date. |
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