| OCR Text |
Show Page 49<br><br>bytery. He graduated from Blackburn University in 1882, spent two years at Lane Seminary, and graduated from Union Seminary in the spring of 1885. He was ordained and installed pastor of the first Presbyterian church of Edwardsville, Ill., by Alton Presbytery in the spring of 1886. In the spring of 1887 he resigned his pastorate to accept an appointment by the Board of Home Missions to Mission work in Utah. He was assigned to work at Springville and Spanish Fork by the Presbytery of Utah May, 1887, with residence at Springville. March, 1891, he was transferred to Spanish Fork, and since that time has been laboring there and at Salem. <br><br>PAYSON, PRESBYTERIAN.<br><br> This mission was opened in 1879 in the Charles Long hall. Rev. Mr. Leonard carried on the work as supply in connection with the Springville work until October, 1881, when he was succeeded by J. A. Livingston Smith, the first resident Christian minister, who in the following year bought of John Challis, for $500, the lot on which he superintended the erection of the present chapel and the building now occupied as a teacher's home at a united cost of $3625. August 19, 1883, the First Presbyterian church was organized with seven members, Mr. David Hone being elected ruling elder. In 1887 Mr. Smith was succeeded by Rev. W. A. Hough, who continued in charge till April, 1891. In June, 1890, he opened the mission at Benjamin and superintended the building of the first chapel at that place. Mr. Hough was succeeded April, 1891, by Rev. A. C. Todd, who occupied both missions until July, 1895, at which time he resigned to accept a call from the Springville Presbyterian church, the pulpit here remaining vacant until October, 1895, at which time the present pastor, Rev. W. S. Smith, took charge. The membership has increased in this time from seven members to forty at Payson and about twenty transferred to the Benjamin, making a total of sixty members. The above figures only indicate a small part of the work done during the past sixteen years. The prejudice then existing being so strong that the first resident minister, Rev. J. A. Livingston Smith, was unable to secure a boarding place or a residence into which to move his family, is now nearly a thing of the past. Also the moral tone has been greatly improved. Amusements that were then looked upon with indifference at least, such as Sunday horse-racing and ball-playing, masquerade balls and round dances, are now strongly condemned by the leaders of the Mormon church. Also a prosperous Sunday school has been built up which is doing good among our young folks and children. Rev. W. S. Smith is our superintendent. A society of the Y. P. S. C. E. was organized about four years ago and is proving a valuable ally to the other work. The mission day school was opened in 1879 with Miss Phoebe Wheeler in charge until 1880, followed by Miss Amelia Woodruff until 1883; Miss Florence C. Morse until 1884; Miss Delia Horthraw until 1885; Miss McCullough until 1887; Miss Alice McNair until 1888; Mrs. C. E. Sullivan until 1893; Miss G. M. Sammons until 1895. The above-named were the principals of the school from its opening up to the present time. The following were the assistants in the order named: Anna Burlin, three [PHOTO: W. S. SMITH.] years; Alice McNair, two years; Jennie Leonard, two years; Carrie Sullivan, five years; Miss Armstrong, two years; Miss Miling, one year; Miss Peterson, one year; Miss Dunham, two years; Miss Beck, two years. The present teachers are Miss A. M. Speakman, principal; Miss B. C. Johnson, assistant. The Board reduced our force of teachers this year to two and we are running our school on nearly half the funds previously used. The school is in a nourishing condition and has done a great amount of good. The outlook at present for the work is very encouraging and we are praying and looking for a great harvest of souls for Christ in the near future. F. M. TODD. <br><br>BENJAMIN, PRESBYTERIAN.<br><br> The mission work at Benjamin was an outgrowth of the work at Payson. When the mission work opened at Payson several of the people of Benjamin attended the day-school and also the Sunday school. In the summer of 1886 a Sunday school was organized at Benjamin and was held first in the home of Mr. Caleb Hone, afterward at Mr. Thomas Herbert's. The ministers and teachers from Payson came over to assist. As the interest increased the need of a school was greatly felt and through the efforts of Rev. W. A. Hough and others a subscription of $500 in cash and labor was donated by the people. After the building was completed Miss Marion Gray was commissioned by the Board of Home Missions to carry on the mission work. The school opened with fourteen pupils before the building was furnished; boards supported by nail kegs being used for seats until the seats were furnished by the Board. The school and Sunday school both increased steadily each year, and a strong foundation for mission work was laid by the faithful work of Miss Gray, who taught for five years with a slight intermission of one week, when Miss Johnson came to take the school, but who, on account of an accident, was obliged to return home. In the fall of 1892 Miss Alice Peck was commissioned as teacher at Benjamin. At the celebration of Columbus Day the idea was first mentioned of building an addition to the church. The school increased that year to an enrollment of nearly eighty. An assistant was necessary and Mrs. Hone (nee Gray) was commissioned for one quarter, and she gave the use of one of the rooms in her house for one department of the school. A series of meetings was held in the winter of 1893 conducted by Rev. E. M. Knox and Rev. O. S. Wilson, and as a result two were added to the church. On the 12th of February of the same year a Christian Endeavor Society was organized, Mr. C. H. Parsons being present to assist. There were eleven active and ten associate members. A Ladies' Missionary Society was organized in December, 1892. A soliciting committee was elected March 8, 1893, to circulate a subscription paper, and a considerable sum was subscribed for an addition to the church. A petition to Presbytery was made and a recommendation to the Board of Home Missions was the result. Nothing further was accomplished that year. In September Miss Ellen Rowley became assistant teacher. A hall was rented for the larger pupils and the primary department was held in the chapel. A building committee was elected and application was made to the Board of Church Erection for an appropriation, of $700; the grant was received and the work was commenced at once. Fortunately the weather continued favorable until nearly Christmas, and the work was carried on with comparatively little delay, the people of Benjamin raising about $700. In the winter of 1894 eight were received into the church, several were converted under the preaching of Rev. Mr. Rankin. On May 20, 1894, a committee of the Presbytery met with the Benjamin congregation and organized a church of twenty members. Mr. David Hone and Mr. L. A. Peay were elected elders. On the 19th of May at the first annual meeting the new church was dedicated to God. Rev. A. C. Todd preached the sermon, taking for his text: "But will God in very deed dwell with men on earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!" II Chron. vi: 18, and Rev. Theodore Lee offered the dedicatory prayer. At present the church numbers twenty-two members, a Sunday school of fifty-five and the Christian Endeavor Society of thirty-three members. Nov. 12, 1895 A. M. P. <br><br>PAYSON M. E. SCHOOL AND CHURCH.<br><br> School was opened in the fall of 1889; church was organized in 1891. The M. E. Church undertook work in this city in the fall of 1889 by sending Miss Josephine Kellogg of Provo to open a school. This she did with much success, but on account of poor health gave it up December 1st, and Miss Gifford of Indiana took her place and completed the school year, when other duties called her home. In the meantime Rev. R. T. Smith came on the field, April 8, 1890, and began to plan for an academy. He made application for two more teachers beside himself and wife, and Miss Bloodgood and Miss Nelson came. The building for an academy was begun, |
