|
|
|
|
|
  |
Scotch Grove Pioneers
part 7 |
|||
Those interested in the Scotch Grove settlers may want to contact Rose DeRocher. She has some early marriage records from the Red River Settlement and will do lookups.
|
The manse or parsonage, as it was then called, was built in 1898 and was financed entirely within the congregation. From 1893 to 1921 this house was the minister's home until the time came when this congregation and that of Center Junction were served by the same minister who, since then, has lived in Center Junction.
![[Picture]](scotch/mckean.gif) Robert Sutherland Rummell a great, great grandson of one of these pioneer men, tells us as follows about the church bell:
It was in 1878 that Dr. Alex McKean of Scotch Grove was appointed a committee of one to raise funds for a church bell. Dr. McKean found his task no easy one for the thrifty Pennamites of the community objected to the expense entailed. However after two years of conscientious effort, two-hundred and fifty dollars were raised for the purchasing of a Meneley bronze bell of seven-hundred pounds weight.
Mr. Austin, who built the church in 1861, raised the bell to the steeple in 1880 with the use of a team of horses and block and tackle. After the bell was in the tower it was sounded for five minutes continuously and then at intermittent periods throughout the day to tell the church people that Dr. McKean's task was completed.
The old bell was rung at the time of anyone's death—first, to denote the joy at their birth and second, to tell the community the age of the deceased. The bell would sound out in sorrow the day of that person's funeral from the time the procession left the house to the time it reached the church and it was in 1902, at the death of Mrs. Angus Sinclair, that the bell was last tolled.
Sunday morning brought life to the church for the sexton would call the Scotch together to worship with the bell.
C. A. Sutherland said that one time the bell became loose in its fastenings and if the sexton had not visited the belfry, acting on a idea that something was the matter, the bell would have dropped to the church lobby, to crush whosoever might have been ringing it.
Enclosed by timbers end the dust of years the old bell has within its fruitful span of life, witnessed the establishment and prospering of a God-loving group of humans and at any time it may be called upon to again bring a group to worship at the church on the prairie.
![[Picture]](scotch/dsuther.gif) Music in the church was always a part of the service, and more people sang then than do now. Hymn books were very few and the hymns were "lined out" so that all might use the words. The tune was "pitched" by someone who used a tuning fork, a small metal fork about the length of a lead pencil, which when struck on a hard surface, produced an "A" tone from which the leader took his pitch.
The organ was a different matter. Some were anxious to use it and others opposed its use. However, after awhile an organ was secured for use in the Sabbath school. It was several months after it was used before some of those opposed came back to church but, growing gradually accustomed to it and seeing no bad effect because of its use, there was no further opposition. In 1917 or 1918 a piano was purchased, but the organ still stays in the church too. Solos and quartets were unknown in the early church music, almost everyone singing the melody. Gradually part singing came into use, then a choir and special music and perhaps less congregational singing.
Music is, and should be, a part of worship in which everyone may join.
The first break in the membership of the Scotch Grove church was in 1861 when twenty-eight members were "set off" to form the Wayne Presbyterian church.
On June 14, 1870, the Bethel church was organized with 18 charter members "mostly from the Scotch Grove Church."
In November, 1871, the Onslow church was organized with twelve charter members who again were "mostly from the Scotch Grove church."
In 1852, on April 27, the Monticello Presbyterian church was organized with fourteen charter members some of whom had formerly belonged to the Scotch Grove church.
All these breaks in the membership weakened the original church, particularly the first one in 1861 when the building of the new church was going on, but those who remained after each new church was formed, hung on with the determination that the "light set on a hill might not grow dim nor disappear."
The Sabbath School ![[Picture]](scotch/espy.gif) Sabbath School and Bible Classes seem to have been kept up from a very early period in this church's existence. It is a great loss that more definite records were not kept, so that credit might be given where it is due to those who carried on this important phase of church work. One fact seems clear that up to 1877, the Sabbath school was always "wound up for the winter" meaning that it was only held for perhaps six to eight months each year. However, about 1877, when Dr. Alex McKean was superintendent and ever since that time it has been carried on continuously. Another of the outstanding superintendents was William Sutherland who served for twenty-five years, and only ceased when failing health forbade further service. About 1900 a separate room was made for the primary class, money for this and its furnishings being solicited by S. J. Rice.
This society was started by Rev. J. L. Countermine in 1888. Its aim was that of a Bible study class requiring' original work by its members rather than the usual C. E. work. Many character studies were taken up. Chapters of the Bible were assigned on which the leader asked questions. Often those who were not church members attended, enjoyed, took part and were surely benefitted. Some of those who took part in those days were Anna, George and Lottie Sweesy, Donald, Anna and Helen Sinclair, David Glenn, Kitty Sutherland, May Moats, Blanche Applegate, Aleck Rice and his wife, Myrtle Clark, Josephine Sutherland and many others. Though they are now widely scattered, their influence will always be for good wherever they may be. There is no record of the time when this society ceased to be, but it was still in existence in 1911.
The Women's Missionary society was organized in 1876 in the home of Rev. and Mrs. Rice. It consisted first of young women, but very soon the mothers, fathers and brothers joined; the men as honorary members. At one time there were twenty-one honorary members and thirty-eight women. In the earlier years the meetings were held twice a month followed by a lunch and social time. During the thirty-six years of its existence regular meetings were held most of that time. Funds were divided equally between Home and Foreign missions with an annual gift to the Freedmen.
This mission band was organized by Della Sutherland and Mrs. Rice in 1877 and had six members. These were Kitty and May Sutherland, Anna and Helen Sinclair, Nettie Sutherland and Mary Rice. There is no record of when they were disbanded.
![[Picture]](scotch/gibson.gif) This mission band was organized by Mrs. D. O. Sinclair on January 2, 1898, and has never since closed its work. There were fifteen charter members, and during this time there have been almost four hundred members. The membership is composed of the three lower classes in the Sabbath school, and meetings are held the first Sabbath of each month. Much interest has always been shown. Members reaching the age of sixteen or over are honorary members and may do as they like about taking part or attending the meetings. These children are receiving training which should help them in later life.
The first record in the church book about this society was in 1923 when they reported that they had one hundred dollars in their treasury, but the date of their organization could not be found. They have never ceased their work for the church since they began and have been much help and done great good since their beginning. All the women of the church are members, holding regular monthly meetings and helping wherever possible.
Previous to 1917, when a number of young men left for the World War, a Young People's Society was carried on for at least two years. Some of those active in the So-ciety at this time were Ray Sanford, Arthur Himebaugh, Frank Himebaugh, Ella Loomis, Gladys Himebaugh, Olive Warner, Miriam Rice, Will Carson, Floyd Sinclair. |
| ||
![[to home]](../shared/homepage.gif){kind=small}
© Copyright 1997-2013, The Art Department, © Copyright 2014-2020, Richard Harrison.
| ||||
