The Church

December, 1898

• By the accidental discharge of acetylene gas, Sunday evening Rev. O.T. Nichols, pastor of the Methodist church, was quite severely burned about the hands and face. He was not so seriously hurt as to prevent his conducting services we are glad to state.

January

• Elder J.C. McQuerry will preach at school house number 9, Greeley township, next Sunday evening.
• There will be no Sunday night services nor mid-week prayer meetings at the Methodist Church during the continuance of the revival meetings at the Congregational Church.
• Subjects for next Sunday at the Methodist Church are as follows: "The Crown of Life" 11:00 a.m., "Address to Parents" 3:00 p.m.
• All parents are earnestly requested to be present at the Methodist Church at 3:00 in the afternoon to hear the address by Rev. O.T. Nichols. Parents only will be admitted.
• One of the most sociable events of the season was at the Christian parsonage last Thursday when Rev. McQuerry and wife entertained about sixty of their friends. We always have a good time in their home and never miss an opportunity when the invitation is given
• Reverend Father Falenschmit, Exira's Catholic priest, is having a good sized barn built near the church.
• Elder Jno. Henry McQuerry will occupy the pulpit of the Exira Christian Church during the absence of his father in Southern Iowa. Regular services as usual next Sunday.
• Rev. O.T. Nichols, pastor of the Methodist Church, received a severe shaking up last Saturday night by one of his horses falling with him. Luckily, no bones were broken and the good man will soon be himself again.

February

• At 7:30 o'clock on Sunday, Feb. 5, there will be union services at the Christian Church to celebrate their 18th anniversary of the Christian Endeavor Movement. The young People's Societies of the different churches will participate. Besides chorus music, there will be Scripture Reading by Rev. O.T. Nichols; Solo by Mrs. W.E. Brinkerhoff; Address by Jno. Henry McQuerry; Recitation by Miss Margaret Henry; Address by Rev. H.L. Wissler; Consecration Service. You are invited to be present. Cecelia Peterman, Verna Croy, Jennie Henry
• Charley May's son Charles while riding a horse to church Sunday received a broken leg by the horse falling on him. This is the second of this kind in Greeley Township within a week.

March

• The Congregational Choir are preparing some special music for Easter that promises to be fine. A nice program is being filled out for the morning service and will prove interesting this year as it always does.

April

• The members of St. Boniface Church are very jubilant over the arrival of several beautiful ornaments for their little church. Some weeks ago they were the recipient of a very handsome chalice and a set of white vestments, the gift of their former pastor, Rev. A. J. Zaiser, a very expensive sanctuary lamp, two beautiful candelabras, each bearing seven candles; a baptismal font, oil stock, and an ambry, a holy water pot, a censer, a missal, and a missal stand, two chimes, silver plated; three bells, the latter being gifts of Mrs. Chilong, a member of the parish. The parishioners have every reason to be grateful to the generous donors. The new candelabras were quite an ornament on the main altar Easter Sunday.
• After the ringing of the second bell at the Methodist Church the bell will be tolled twice to enable all to know whether it is the first or last bell for services.
• It was a handsome sight Sunday morning to see the little girls in their white costumes going to and from the different churches in the snow storm.
• The ladies aid society of the Congregational Church will give a party next Monday evening at Hotel Henry for the benefit of said church. Ice cream and cake will be served for 12 cents. Games and other amusements will be introduced and all who come are assured a pleasant evening.
  

May

• Workmen are busy repairing the Exira Congregational Church. A new shingled roof, new windows and casings, and the building thoroughly papered and painted both outside and in are the improvements.
• After June 1 our barber shops will not open on Sundays. So you must be on time and get your shave Saturday night or stay home from church.
• Geo. Bailey of Audubon came down on Saturday and assisted H.S. Wattles in painting that beautiful ern he has purchased for his lot at the cemetery. Mr. Wattles also has a rustic seat which he will take to the cemetery that is just a little nicer than anything of the kind we ever saw.

June

• Professor W.H. Watson's elocution pupils will give a dramatic entertainment in the near future for the benefit of the Young People's Society of the Christian Church. Several children will take part as Roman maids in framing beautiful tableaux with Delsarte movements. The souvenir program shows skill in the management, as some of the numbers are musical, and the entertainment will be professional under the painstaking drill of Professor Watson.
• Owing to the rain, the work at the Bowen cemetery has been postponed till Saturday, June 10th. It is necessary that all persons having friends buried there will be present on that day as there is more work than 2 or 3 can do alone. Don't pass this matter by; your presence is required on that day.
• The son of Frank Pfeiffer who was kicked in the face by a horse one day last week died Sunday evening and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery at this place Decoration morning. This is a hard blow to the family as he was just starting into manhood. The family have the sympathy of all.
• Regardless of the weather a big crowd came in town Tuesday to observe Decoration Day. Our streets were on fluttering mass of flags and banners and patriotism filled the air. At 1:30 they assembled at the M.E. Church where they were met by Rev. Wissler who delivered to them a very able address such as he always does. After services at the church they fell in line headed by the cornet band and marched to our beautiful cemetery where the graves of our sleeping soldiers were decorated with choice flowers from the hands of 36 little girls dressed in white. We have 18 soldiers at rest here and then the unknown monument was appropriately decorated and a prayer offered up to those that lie in graves unknown in the far south. In all, the day was a pleasant one and once again the lesson of patriotism was taught to our young; and in the line of march you can count the missing faces that we saw only one year ago.

- Decoration Day under the supervision of the G.A.R. and W.R.C

- The procession from the Methodist Church went as follows: the band; G.A.R. flower girls and a large line of carriages and pedestrians. With Marshall H.H. Dimick in charge, they proceeded to the cemetery. The decoration of the graves by the 36 little girls was well planned and executed. A cross of flowers was borne by each two girls and deposited at the grave of each soldier - eighteen in number as follows: W.A. Stonebrook, David Burns, Wm Bennet, Dr. Welch, Jacob Rabson, E. Croy, F.I. Shrauger, J.F. Miller, Luke Knapp, Abel Sanderson, Wm. Seavey, John Anderson, A. Merrick, Jacob Baylor, I.F. Boyler, J.E. Banning, Iver Johnson and Dan'l Kilyon.

Owing to the high wind, no services other than decorating the graves were conducted at the cemetery, but nevertheless, a sacred duty had been performed and though we drop but a single flower, prompted by the proper spirit, we show our appreciation of their services and our reverence and respect for the defenders of our nation's flag.

- Brayton's services were also disrupted by the bad weather. The paper mentions that it was a dark, gloomy morning with splashes of rain. High winds made it impossible to even hear the speakers which gave orations at Oakfield Cemetery.

• The ladies of the Exira Methodist Church will serve dinner and supper on July 4th. A good place to get a meal. Ina Brown, secretary
• in July Rev. J.C. McQuerry will resign as pastor of the Christian Church - he will be moving to DeSoto.
• The new windows for the Congregational Church have arrived and they are beauties.

July

• The young ladies of St. Boniface Catholic church will give a social on the church lawn in the north part of our city on Wednesday, July 12. Refreshments consisting of ice cream and cake and other goodies will be served from 5:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night and you are invited to come and pass a pleasant evening.
• The ladies of the Christian Church gave an elegant supper for 10 cents at their parsonage last Friday; they had a good attendance and in the evening the Endeavors served ice cream and cake. They were well repaid for their efforts.
• The painting of the Congregational Church has just been completed by Mr. Freilinger and Son and it shows these gentlemen to be experts in their line of work. The church now presents a beautiful appearance. Mr. John Harrison is putting on the paper and also the hard oil finish on the inside and his work on this job is a splendid recommendation for the young artist.
• The "Pink Lawn" social given by the Christian Endeavor last Friday evening was a grand success. The evening was perfect and a large crowd was in attendance. The receipts of the evening were $42.00 helping them out fine on their organ fund. Held on Dr. Riley's lawn
  The McQuerry's have left the Christian Church which has put out a call to L.H. Humphreys from Atlantic who will preach both places - here on alternate Sundays.

August

• Father Failenschmid, the Exira Catholic priest, is enjoying a visit from his sister who arrived direct from the "Fadderland" Wednesday.
• Congregational Church is having their first service after the extensive remodeling: new roof, replacing the one put on 27 years previously; new stained glass windows, woodwork replaced with hard pine finished with a hard oil; new carpet, new $600 organ. The Methodists had their service with the Congregational church. There is also a large picture of the church's founder Deacon Lyman Bush.

September

• The Catholic Cemetery, in this city, has been cleaned up, a new gate hung, and several oak hitching posts put in.
• At the Harvest Home Supper, in the parlors of the Exira Methodist Church on Thursday, September 14, the following will be the menu. Supper will be served from five to seven o'clock in the evening: Chicken Pie, Mashed Potatoes, Cold Meats, Baked Beans, Sliced Tomatoes, Cold Slaw, Smothered Apples, Beet Pickles, Cucumber Pickles, Bread, jellies, Doughnuts, Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Assorted Cake, Coffee.
• Rev. Humphrey, pastor of the Exira Christian Church, will soon begin a revival meeting in his church.
• Rev. R.C.F. Chambers, the newly appointed minister at the Methodist Church, will preach his first sermon Sunday. The regular services of the church will be held.

November

• Bill of fare for the Thanksgiving dinner at the K.P. Opera House on Thanksgiving Day under the auspices of the Catholic Church: Roast Turkey with Cranberry Sauce, Goose with Dressing, Roast Duck, Baked Chicken, Boiled Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, Spiced Pickles, Bets and Cucumbers, Jelly, Celery, Cabbage Salad, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Dutch Cheese, Bread, Butter, Pumpkin Pie, Mince Pie, Cocoa, Coffee, Tea

The Thanksgiving Bazar

The young people of the Catholic church will in connection with the supper serve dinner on Thanksgiving Day, There will be booths arranged, and among them will be a confectionery booth that will please the most fastidious. Games of different kinds will be the pastime of the day and evening. We also extend a most cordial invitation and welcome to our friends whom we have the pleasure to entertain at our bazar, which will be held at the K.P. Opera House on Thursday of next week. We bespeak a most pleasant time for all and rest we will endeavor to entertain our friends in such a manner as will be most becoming to the ladies and gentlemen whom we may have the pleasure of seeing in our midst.

[The next week's paper mentions that there was a bad snowstorm the day of the dinner and few people from the country could attend, though well-attended by the town people.]

• The Lotus Lady Quartette and Mandolin Club of Chicago appeared at the Exira Congregational Church last Saturday evening before a large and appreciative audience. The entertainment was strictly first-class and each number was loudly applauded and heartily encored. Mr. McPike, an as impersonator, reads forcibly and pleasantly. The singing of Misses Ruggles and Cole, sopranos, was very fine and their work was certainly that of artists. Miss Verenice Wilbur accomplished wonders on violin and held the audience spellbound with her magic touch. Mme. Christian possesses one of the deepest contralto voices now before the public. The entertainment was given under the auspices of the Endeavor Society, who realized a neat little sum from the proceeds. They played in Atlantic Monday evening, and returned to Exira. Tuesday afternoon where, owing to the slight illness of Miss Wilbur, they are "resting" until next Monday at the Hotel henry, when they will appear at the Opera House in Harlan.
• Thanksgiving themes at the M.E. church morning and evening next Sunday, December 3, 1899. The morning: "God's Witness of Himself as Shown at Harvest Time." The evening: "God's Witness of Himself as Revealed in His Word." All are cordially invited to these services.
• The Methodist Sociable
• There will be a "Sixty Dollar Social" at the M.E. church parlor on Friday evening, December 8th. Come and hear how the ladies earned their dollar. The bill of fare for the social will be as follows:

BILL OF FARE

I will call for corn. Ez.26:29

1. Hulled corn

Corn shall make the young men cheerful - Zech. 9:17

2. Corn beef and pickles

And he took the calf which he had dressed and set it before them - Gen. 18:6

3. Corn-fed chickens, cranberry sauce.

Also fowles were prepared for me - Neh. 5:48

4. Corn and beans (succotash)

Corn beaten out of full ears - Lev. 2:14

Take thou also beans - Ez. 4:9

5. Corn (brown) bread

And Joseph said, set on the bread - Gen. 43:31

6. Wheat bread; butter

Abraham took butter - Gen. 18:8

7. Corn Johnny-cake

David dealt to everyone a cake of bread - I Sam. 6:19

8. Corn gems and white bread

Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread - Judges 19:5

9. Corn starch pudding with cream

Give him the fruit of thy corn - Deut. 18:4

10. Corn-baked Indian pudding

Go ye, carry corn for the famine of your house - Gen. 12:19

11. Corn starch cake

Bake it in pans and make cakes of it - Num. 11:8

12. Coffee

Do not drink wine or strong drink

Supper and entertainment - 25 cents

Served from five to eight o'clock in the evening.

And Joseph gathered up all the money for the corn - Gen. 17:1

December

• Reverend Wissler, pastor of the Congregational Church, offers up his resignation to take effect Jan, 1, 1900. He will sell life insurance through Aetna. He has served in Exira for 5 years.

Return to Exira 1899