PAOT THWCE
Thursday November 12„ 1915 .
ASHLAND DAILY TIDINGS
Churches of City
Have Aided Much
as Center of Homes
E w ly History of Ashland Shows Churches Here, Help­
ing Pioneers Lay Foundations for Future City of
Ashland. Ashland Called City of Homes ;
By Grace d Andrews
Ashland may well be called a city of churches for
there are within its confines fifteen organizations, tfip
majority of which have well equipped and comfortable
edifices, where those of different faiths may find a wel­
come and a place to work in definite fields of endeavor.
Ashland’s church history is closely aligned'with its
growth as a city, and has had much to do with its de­
velopment as a community, where those who wished to
rear iheir families surrounded by ohurch influences could
establish homes, satisfied that because of this, much that
made for harm, could not have place here.
Ashland’s history exemplified this truth/for very
early, the saloon was discredited and eliminated \ Ash­
land went dry long before her neighbors or the state at
large.
In every movement for the betterment of the com­
munity, the churches have stood shoulder to shoulder in
its support. The Southern Oregon Chautauqua, whose de­
velopment and success attracted more than state wide
attention is an example, and the more recent Y. M. C. A,
movement, with its many clubs, for boys of varying ages,
and its efficient secretary bears witness.
"The increased church membership has kept pace With
the city’s growth. From the few pioneering souls, who
made up tlje church rosters of the earlier churches es­
tablished, there is now in a number of the stronger
churches an enrollment of several hundred and Sunday
schools in like proportion. Without doubt, when bells j>eftl
out each Sabbath morning, more than a thousand find
their steps turning toward (lie Sunday school rooms in
the various churches.
The building activity has kept
pace with the increased member­
ship.
Beginning with the laying of
the corner stone, June 24, 1878,
,of the First Presbyterian church,
on its present site, there are
now worshiping in their own
church homes, the First Metho-
dist, First Congregational, Bap-
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tist, Catholic, Trinity Episcopal,
Presbterian, Christian, Christian
Science, Nazarene, Free Metho-
tflst, Brethren, Pentecostal, with
organizations of Adventist, Luth­
eran, and the Salvation Army,
with It Mission and Sunday
School.
Of these, many began with the
modest edifice, and as years pass-
«4 have enlarged and enlarged
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again until Ashland churches
rank the equal in slse and a service in charge of the Rev.
beauty with those of cities oi O. J. Webster, pastor with Dr. G.
H. Atkinson preaching >he ser­
larger growth.
Within
recent
years,
the mon. At this service, all the
Methodist
Presbyterian
and churches in the city united. The
Christian Churches have made lots where the present church
substantial additions, approxi­ now stands were purchased In
matings a cost of several thou­ 1887. Making it a matter of
sand each, with Manse and Par­ two years until the congregation
sonage for pastor’s home. Trinity was established in its own church
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Episcopal church has a beauti­ home.
fully planned
Parish
House
The first pastor was the Rev.
since 1910 and the commodious G. J. Webster, and the Rev. W,
Baptist church was built on Har- Judson Oldfield the present in­
gadine street, replacing the small cumbent has been its pastor for
structure on Church street. The a number of years, and during
pew Christian Science church, at whose pastorate the new church
a cost of many thousands, was Will be built.
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erected but a-short while since,
The permanent organisation
and the plans are now belug n t - O B - T l r t Methodist church
drawn for a beautiful church was effected In--July 1884 by the
home’ for the Congregatlonalists, Rev. Phillip M. Starr, then pre­
to take the place of the one now siding elder of the district. The
occupied.
charter members were, Mr. and
A brief word of earlier church Mrs. David P. Walrad, Mr. and
history may be of interest. The Mrs. A. G. Rockfellow, Mr. and
first church organized in Ash­ Mrs. W. C. Meyer, Mr. and Mrs.
land was the First Presbyterian Heaton Fox, Mr. and Mrs. Brit­
church, August 28, 1875 by the tan, Mr. and Mrs. William Jac-
Rev: Moses Allen Williams, with quett, Mrs. Jacob Wagner and
22 charter members. The church Mrs. Myer.
celebrated its- Golden Anniver­
The church building was erect­
sary this year, with a three ed in 1878, with the foundation
days’ commemorative observance, laid some time before. The Par­
and a return of a number of its sonage in 1885, later enlarged
former pastors: the first, the and Improved.
Rev. J. B. Donaldson, Dr. F. G.
From
the
Organisation
Strange, the /Rev. H. A. Carnahan
of the class, in 1878, Ashland
and.the Rev. F. C. Koehler also
was a part of the Jacksonville
were prelent. The corner stone of
the present structure was laid circuit and in the fall of that
June 24, 1878. For three years year the church appeared as a
the services had been held in distinct charge in the list of ap­
the school house on East Main pointments with the Rev. W. P.
Chapman, "preacher in charge,"
street, where the Enders store
now- stands. The church was Lowell 8. Rogers was appointed
dedicated free of debt, on De- at the conference of 1879, and
cember 25, 1881. In 1905, it was remained pastor for one y e n .
In 1892 the pipe organ was pur­
decided to move the church near­
chased, during the pastorate of
er the corner of the present lot.
build an addition to double its J. 8. Smith. Improvements were
seating capacity, and to erect a made at different times, during
the different pastorates, until at
Manse . on the west* side of the
present, the church has one of
church. This was done. More re­
the largest homeB and a congre­
cently another addition was made
providing new Sunday school gation numbering several - hun­
rooms find many classrooms, dred. The present pastor is the
Rev. H. B. Pemberton, who has
kitchen and a pastor's study, at
but lately assumed the pastorate.
a cost of several thousand dol­
An interesting fact is that G. F.
lars.
.
Billings was he Sunday school
The
First
Congregational superintendent of
the
early
Church was organized on March union Sunday school for many
25, 1888, in the Baptist church, years, later acting in that capac­
where they still continued to ity the Methodist church until
hold services until a parsonage rather recent.
was secured where they wor-
Eight charter members formed
shlppe4 .until the ^UJC^» waa
dedicated, December 30, 1889 at ” (Continued On Page Six)’
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Ashland, Oregon
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