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of By LOREE ROACH Women’s editor The way it was in 1776 or 1876 is the way it was at the First Church of the Nazarene, 701 Ellis, all day Sunday. The church took a backward step into history and held a church service much like the early colonists or early Americans did some 200 years ago, give or take a year or two. There they were, men sitting solemnly on one side and the women sitting primly on the other side, not daring to glance across the aisle at the men. Children were seen and not heard as much as it is possible for children not to be heard. There were a few giggles and some small children crying as they grew restless through the all-day event. The event was called ‘‘old fashioned day,’’ and it was that. The narthex was lighted by kerosene lamps, their chimneys’ shining. The chimneys brought back to more than one of the older members the tiresome task of carefully washing and shining those chimneys each day so lights would be bright as possible at night. Which wasn’t very bright at that. Early pictures of the church and congregation were on bulletin boards in the narthex. Members brought antique household things, a charn, a coffee grinder, iron and tat tered old Bibles for another display table. In one corner an antique rocker was beside a kerosene lamp and a telephone fitted with a hand crank, on a small table. Women wore long dresses and matching bonnets and men wore old-fashioned ‘‘swallow tail’’ coats or vests. The minister, the Rev. Bernard Dawson, grew a moustache and sideburns long enough to meet the moustache. Bob MacLearn ‘‘rode shotgun,”’ carrying an antique gun to protect the small band of worshipers from hostile Indians, as the history books recount. The event was planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church. The Rev. Stewart Abel of Oregon, Ill., a former minister of the church, spoke at the morning services. The Rev. Forrest Whitlatch of Des Moines, the district superin tendent, was the afternoon speaker. A basket lunch was at noon, so it was possible for members to spend all day at the church studying the exhibits and visiting about the past. A memorial service for mem bers who have died was in the afternoon. Music was by the Hope Street Singers of Oskaloosa and the Larry Smith Singers of Blakesburg. MISS 1776 — Dea Dawson, daughter of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Dawson, is a picture out of the past with her gingham dress and bonnet, seated in an antique chair in the narthex of the church. THE CHOIR — Posing as the choir are (front row, from left) Mrs. Luther Ash, Mrs. George MacLearn, Mrs. Berneice Grear and Don Dawson. In the back row (from left) are Miss Helen King, Miss Margaret Pangburn, Mrs. Bernard Dawson, and Mrs. Fred Genochio. ‘RIDING SHOTGUN’ — Bob MacLearn, (left) took an antique gun to the church service to protect the minister, the Rev. Bernard Dawson, wearing handlebar moustache and old-fashioned clothing. ANTIQUES — Looking at the an Alderdice. (Courier photos by tiques displayed is Mrs. Delbert Loree Roach) PICTURES — Looking at pictures on a bulletin board are, (from left) Roy Rose, Bob MacLearn and John Wilson from Ankeny.
Newspaper Details
Ottumwa Courier
Ottumwa, Iowa, US
Wed, Sep 10, 1975
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 27 Jan 2026
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