Spokane County, Washington - Chapter 22: Religious Work in the County, 1900 (part 2 of 2)

C. W. Burrage, W. G. Willis and others. The records of this meeting, as well as the records of subsequent meetings and of the early life of the church, were ilestroyed in the disastrous fire of 1889. There was also present at this meeting, or he came to Spokane very soon afterward. Rev. Edwin M. Wheelock, A. M., LL. B.. the organizer and first pastor of the church. An enthusiastic visitor about this same time was Rev. Chas. W. Wendte, of Oakland, California, through whose efforts and inspiration the first active movement toward the organization of a church was made, and who has continued to be a father to the society and to maintain an affectionate interest in its welfare and progress. Rev. C. W. Wendte remembers that at a previous visit to Spokane Falls there came a courier with news of an Indian uprising on Wild Rose prairie, near to Spokane, and of the speedy drafting of men to repel the attack, though nothing came of it, the little army of fifty men returning the ne.xt day after a night spent under the stars. This incident of pioneer life will serve to show the primitive characteristics of the town at this time. Previous to this meeting for organization Unitarian services had been hekl by Rev. C. W. Wendte, and by Rev. H. K. (Jillette, who was probably the first Unitarian minister to visit Spokane. The first pastor of the new society was Rev. E. S[. Wheelock. Under his pastorate the small circle of worshipers was enlarged and organized into a strong church society; a Sunday school was brought together under the efficient superintendency of Prof. W. B. Turner, now principal of the Slate Normal School; a Ladies" .\id Society was organized and the foundations for the future usefulness of the church were well laid. L'nder his pastorate also the present comfortable and attractive church edifice, on the northwest corner of Sjirague avenue and Jefferson street, was built during the autumn and e;irly winter of 1888. The church edifice is of the cottage style of architecture. j is commodiously arranged and has a seating capacity of two hundred and se\'enty-five. It cost sixty-five hundred dollars. Rev. E. M. Wheelock severed his connection as pastor of the church in December, 1889, on account of the condition of his wife's health re(|uiring- a southern climate. The pulpit for the remainder of the year until the summer vacation was in charge of Mr. John H. Long, at that time unordained, and in the fall of 1890 Rev. Alfred G. \\'ilson succeeded to the pastorate, after having left a prominent orthodox pulpit of Spokane because he could no longer preach the doctrines required. His ministry lasted for two years and in the fall of 1892 Rev. Joseph W. Stocks, a recent graduate of Harvard University, entered upon the work as minister with enthusiasm and with every promise of a brilliant career, when his sad and untimely death came as a great shock t(_) the society. Mr. Stocks died in February, 1893, and Rev. A. G. Wilson was again called ti.i the pastorate and filled out the year to the summer vacation. Rev. Edwin M. Fairchild was called to the pastorate in September, 1894, but remained only three months, and Rev. A. G. Wilson was again prevailed upon to accept the pastorate. He was succeeded, January 6, 1896. by Rev. Oliver Jay Fairfield, A. M., S. T. B., the present pastor, under whose ministry the society is growing in strength and influence, and is striving to occupy that high place of service to the community that the Unitarian body, though numerically weak, has filled in the life of the nation during the nineteenth century. Oliver Jav Fairfield.

The earliest missionary of this church on the Pacific coast was one known as Father Conoyer, who did some pi(ineer work in eastern Washington. The thirty-fifth annual session of the Columbia River conference, embracing the upper Columljia cixintry, was held at Huntsville last June. Prior to 1S89 some preaching had been done by Rev. J. S. Rhodes, now of \\'eston, Oregon, and others in the southern part of the county. But in June of said year Rev. C. C. Bell was sent from Portland, Oregon, to Spokane to organize and develop the work. On .\])ril 10, 1890, a class was instituted, but the incorijoration of the church did not take place until the 14th of May of the following year. Soon after this a building was erected on land donated by Mr. S. Heath, and the church was named "Heath Memorial," in commemoration of Mr. Heath's father. The church is 35x60. with a Sunday .school room 25x18 feet, and built of brick and tastily finished inside, costing, with the parsonage adjoining, about five thousand dollars. The church started out under fa\'oral)le auspices and promise of rapid growth, but the financial depression which followed soon after obstructed its progress. The following have acted as pastors succeeding Rev. Bell : Rew P. O. Bonebrake, now president of Philomath College, Oregon; Rev. G. W. Sickafoose, now of Elberton ; Rev. J. M. Tressenriter, now of Oreg(.)n, and the present pastor. Rev. G. N. Needy, who has had charge since October, 1897. Under his ministry considerable progress has been made in all departments of church work. The church has a membership of seventy and a Sunday school of one hundred scholars, with flourishing Senior and Junior Endeavor Societies. Some improvements luue recently been made in and around the church edifice. The church at Rockford has a convenient building and a membership of sixty-si.\ and about one hundred scholars in the Sunday school. Rev. O. O. Otis is pastor.

The \\'a\-erly church is comfortabh' boused and has a membership of fifty-seven, with about an equal number in Sunday school and it is ser\ed liy Rev. R. N. Lewis.

First Church Of Christ, Scientist

Among the prime movers were Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Goodall and Mr. Robinson, the latter being a student of Mrs. Eddy. -The church was organized four years ago, and the present membership is eighty, with a congregation of about one hundred and fifty. Meetings are held on Sunday morning in the Jewish Temple on Second avenue, and a testimony meeting is held every Wednesday evening. A reading room was established seven years ago and has been sustained ever since. At present it is located on the con"ier of Sprague avenue and Howard street. It is a free reading room, where all the Christian Science literature of Mrs. Eddy can be found, or all the Christian Science literature of the Boston publishing house.

"5. Universal salvation as demonstrated by Jesus, the Galilean prophet, in the power of truth over all error, sin, sickness and death ; and the resurrection of human faith and understanding to seize the great possibilities and living energies of the divine life.

"6. We solemnly promise to strive, watch and pray for that mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus, to love one another, and to be meek, merciful, just and pure."

This church was organized May 21, 1896, tlie majority of the members, with the pastor, coming out of the First Methodist Episcopal church. Rev. D. N. Mclnturff, D. D., has been the pastor from the beginning. The church is aggressive in its method and emphasizes the faith healing doctrine.

This is an interdenominational alliance, holding regular services at present in the Vincent Methodist Episcopal church. It emphasizes conversion, sanctification, healing and the second coming of Christ. The Fourfold Gospel Union advocates the same doctrines. Rev. B. F. Morse is the pastor.

Hebrew

Hebrew services were held first in this city eleven years ago in the First Congregational church building. The Temple was erected in 1 89 1. Several rabbis have served the Congregation Emanu-El, but at present they are without a rabbi.