Concerning the Churches and the Pastors of Loup City
Six Religious Denominations Re
presented in Loup City
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.!
The First Presbyterian Church of
Loup City is now a modern church
building, with all the modern con
veniences found in the church build
ings of today, and under the pastor
ate of Rev. E. M. Steen is making
rapid additions to the membership,
about 140 now being on the church
roll.
Concerning the history and organi
zation of the church, we quote from
the paper read by Mr. Ward VerValin
before the annual banquet as follows:
“At the request of Rev. N. C. John
son, pastor at large of Kearney Pres
bytery, several Christians of Loup
City and vicinity, met at the German
Lutheran church November 20,1905,
to discuss and advise about organi
zing a Presbyterian church at Loup
City.
"Rev. George A. Ray was present
at this meeting and explained what
was required of communicants that
united with this denomination. It
was decided by those present to or
ganize. A petition was prepared by
Rev. Ray, to be presented to Kearney
presbytery, asking that this church.
“The First Presbyterian church of
Loup City.” be enrolled and admitted
to its membership.
“At an adjourned meeting on No
vember 28, 1905, it was found that
twenty-four persons had signed this
petition as charter members, all but
three presenting letters from other
churches. Of these twenty-four
charter members, ten are now resi-j
dent members of this congregation.
“The names of the charter mem
bers as they appeared on the petition,
are as follows; Ward VerValin, Mrs.
Ward VerValin, Mrs. J. F. Nicoson.
Edna Minshull, C. H. Leininger, Mrs.
C. H. Leininger, E. G. Taylor, Mrs. E.
G. Taylor, Mrs. W. A. Hayes, Sadie
Swanson, E. E. Tracy, Mrs. E. E.
Tracy, Maud Reynolds,, Mrs. A. P.
C’ully, Lizzie Leininger, Mrs. H. Lein
inger, Mrs. T. A. Taylor, Henry B.
Musser, Harry B. Musser, Esther
Musser, Mrs. W. F. Mason, Mrs. T.
M. Reed, Mrs. C. C. Cooper and Mrs.
Harry B. Musser.
“After being questioned by Rev.
Ray, these twenty-four became the
first members of this church and pro
ceeded to elect three elders and five
trustees.
“The first session consisted of E. G.
Taylor, C. H. Leininger and Ward
VerValin. These three were ordained
at this meeting.
“The first trustees were H. B.
Musser, G. S. Leininger, Mrs. A. P.
Cully, E. E. Tracy and W. A. Hayes.
“At the annual meeting in March,
1908, the number of elders was in
creased to five, and the next year this
was increased to six. the present
number. The board of trustees was
increased to six in 1909 and at an ad
journed meeting the same year this
board was increased to nine.
“In February 1906, Rev. L. C. Me
Ewen was extended a call to be the
first pastor. In December, 1908, pres
bytery dissolved the pastoral rela
tions between Rev. McEwen and this
church.
“Rev. D. W. Montgomery served as
pastor from January, 1909, to April,
1911.
“Rev. J. C. Tourtellot was called as
Pastor in April, 1911, and continued
as pastor until February 1914.
“All three of these pastors were
called from Iowa to this state.
“Rev. E. M. Steen, our present Pas
tor, was extended a call in March,
1914.
“Our first Sunday school met in
the German church and was duly or
ganized the first Sunday in January
1906 and Ward VerValin was elected
superintendent. I was not able to
find a record of the attendance on the
day of organizing, but the attendance
Sunday before last was over 160 and
the collection was $6.36.
“During the summer and fall of
1906, this building and the manse to
the east were erected, the church be
ing dedicated October 21, 1906. by
Dr. Thomas L. Sexton, synodical mis
sionary of Nebraska. During this
summer and fall of 1915 this building
has been raised, new equipment
added and a general overhauling and
remodeling done at a cost of nearly
$4,000.”
Industrial Society.
The Industrial society was organ
ized in the summer of 1906, with a
membership of fifteen. The member
ship is now sixty-two. At the last
meeting, there was an attendance of
members and visitors, of seventy
four. Mrs. E. G. Taylor was the first
president and Mrs. Thompson is the
present president.
The Missionary society has been an
organization since 1906 and holds
regular monthly meetings.
Christian Endeavor Society.
The first president of the C. E. so- ]
cietv was Edna fylinshull, and the first
meeting was in April. 1906. Our pres
ent secretary is president of District
I No. 8, of the state C. E. society. Our
society has been represented at three
world conventions by four of our
members: one member going to St.
Paul, Minnesota, two members to Los
Angeles and one member to Chicago.
At the annual meeting in March.
1908, Raymond Kearns reported an
organization consisting of twenty-two
members as Knights of King Arthur.
He also reported, at this meeting, a
strong brotherhood.
Two of the young men from our
| membership have entered the minis
try. Raymond V. Kearns is now the
successful pastor at Oswego, Illinois.
REV. L. V. SLOCUMB
REV. J. L. DUNN
REV. E. M. STEEN
Archie Kearns lias been supplying a
church in Indiana the past summer,
and is now in McCormick Seminary,
Chicago.
Miss Elizabeth Leininger, this fall,
entered the Presbyterian training
school, at Chicago.
Time, or rather the want of time,
prevents us from making mention of
the Junior C. E„ the work of the
choir, the cradle roll babies, the
special meetings, and dozens of other
things that are very interesting con
cerning this organization. Some
things we may well be proud of. Some
that we should be ashamed of for not
having done better.
Commencing with a membership of
twenty-four, ten years ago this
month, there has been 22G names
entered on the church roll, but death
and removal has reduced this numebr
to 130 resident members.
With our increased membership
and improved equipment, we have in
creased our responsibilities.
It is up to us. What are we going
to do about it?—Rev. E. M. Steen.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
For a number of years prior to the
first organization there had been a
number of Baptists living in and near
Loup City, but as they were consider
ably scattered it was not thought ad
visable to form a society until the
fall of 1879. Others came, and Rev.
A. Weaver, from Vinton. Iowa settled
at Ord, Valley county and organized
a church there, so the Baptist peo
ple here decided that if they could se
cure his services for a part of the
time they would organize. They were
successful in securing his services, so
in March, 18S0. a meeting of the Bap
tists was called, which met in the
court house in Loup City, and after a
thorough canvas of the matter it was
unanimously decided to organize a
Baptist church. Rev. Weaver to
preach here once in four weeks.
Walter Moon and Albert Sloan
were elected clerks.
Rev. Weaver continued as pastor
for two years, after which time Rev.
B. P. Russell became the pastor, re
maining nearly two years, after which
there wras no regular preaching un
til the winter of 1SS6-7, when Rev. J.
D. Stapp came to us, and it was de
termined to make a new effort to try
to build up the church.
Services were held in the opera
house, which was built on the north
side of the pubilc square at about
this time.
The church building which wre still
occupy was built in 1888, and Rev.
Stapp remained with us until Oc
tober, 1888.
He was a dear old man, full of en
thusiasm and zeal for the cause he
loved and served and was loved by
all who knew him.
Rev. B. P. Russell again became
our pastor, and remained with us for
nearly a year.
Bro. H. S. Cooper became the pas
tor November 1, 1S89, and was or
dained here the following May.
In October 1S90, he tendered his
REV. FATHER JARKA
REV. TEODORE YOUNG
REV. F. W. GUTH
Many Improvements to Church
Property in the Year 1915
resignation, as he wished to return to
school, whis was regretfully accepted
as he had so endeared himself to
the people that it was very hard to
part with him.
That year being the year of drouth
all crops being a complete failure, we
only had preaching once in two
weeks. In November 1891, Rev. E.
G. Boyer became our pastor and was
soon after ordained. He remained
with us two years. Rev. Miller came
to us soon, and remained until in
May, 1896. He also was ordained here.
Then Mr. Shattuek, a student,
preached for us during the summer,
and once in two weeks during the fol
lowing winter.
In November, 1900, Rev. Hill, a stu
dent, became pastor, coming up each
week, from the Grand Island college
to preach for us. It must be remem
bered that these ten years, from 1890
to 1900 were ten years of drouth,
when there was scarcely anything
raised in this section of the country
and there was almost no money in
the country, and it was a severe
struggle to keep up church services
at all.
We were obliged to get along with
non-resident pastors, students from
the college, until July, 1903. Dur
ing the most of that time, from 1901
to 1903, we had with us Brother L. D.
Wey and, a very talented young man,
who has since become one of the best
ministers of the denomination.
Then Kev. Kennedy and wife came
to us and remained one year, when,
in October, 1904, Rev. H. S. Wold be
came our pastor and remained with
us till December 30, 1906, when he ac
cepted the call to become district
missionary in South Dakota.
At first it semed that we could not
part with Brother Wold, but we felt
as did he, that the Father’s hand
would lead aright, and that we must
not thwart His plans, so we sorrow
fully accepted his resignation.
During his pastorate the church
membership had increased largely,
and we built the parsonage.
Rev. Guernsey was our next pastor,
coming to us in January, 1907. and re
maining until September of the same
year. We had preaching service near
ly every Sunday, a student coming
from the college, or some minister
from Grand Island, but no resident
pastor until in March, 1908, when we
extended a call to D. W. James to be
come our pastor which he accepted,
his father coming at once and filling
the pulpit until the close of the school
year.
During the summer the church did
considerable repairing of the build
ing, reshingled the church, put in
new ceiling, furnace, new pews,
painted inside and out, repapered in
terior, purchased new organ, pulpit
and choir chairs, and the church
membership increased rapidly.
February, 1909, the pastor was tal
very ill, and, although we retai
him as our pastor until January. 1
he was never again able to fill
pulpit, his father filling it for 1
He was a grand old man, dearly 1<.
by all, and it was with regret that
! bid him goodbye, in May. 1910. At
• we were pastorless until July, 1
! although we had services the most
1 the time, Dr. Sutherland, Rev. C
1 and Prof. Shouse coming up f:
Grand Island to preach.
Then Rev. M. C. Powers beean
t our pastor, and he and his dear u
labored with us until May 15. 1
A call was extended to Dr. Sut
land, July 11, 1912, which he
cepted, and he preached for us u
the first of May, 1914, coming up f
Grand Island each week to fill tile
. Pit.
I
I
!
I
Dr. Sutherland was very fan;
and worked hard to help us t.
come able to secure a resident pa
and in April, 1914, he accompli
his mission, when he helped
church to see their opportunitv
they accepted his resignation and
tended a call to Rev. J. I,. Dunn
Liberty, to become the resident j
tor. Rev. and Mrs. Dunn cane to u
the first of May, 1914, and ar- -
with us and we earnestly hop' t
will be for many years to come i
Sunday school has nearly doub
and. where we had no young pc
meeting for several years, we i
have a fine society with many m
bers.
Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Bukoutz u
with us for four weeks, in sp
meetings in February, 1914. and at
for two and one-half weeks re. •
They were a great help and ins]
tion to us, as were also Rev. and M
Martin a year ago.
We feel that our field of useful!:
is opening up wonderfully, and we
planning for and expecting gi
things for the future.
The Sunday school has grown
we are so crowded we feel we m
put a basement under the chu
just as soon as possible in the spr
The church is absolutely out of d.
Electric lights have been installed
the parsonage, and funds raised
paint same on outside, and recarp,
the church and other improvement
Our aim and prayer is that each mi
ber of the Baptist church of Lmr>
City may so live that they will in i
way bring reproach upon the cau
of Christ, but that each one may !•■■
a living monument to the goodness
of God, known and read of all men.
to His glory; and that they stand
firm for everything that tends to
ward the uplift of humanity and the
establishing of peace and righteou
ness among our fellow men.
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LOUP CITY, - NEBRASKA