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3/3/2005 - The Puyallup Herald Early members of Christian Church worshipped in halls |
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Museum Pieces
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"The Christian Church ▪ ▪ ▪ |
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The birth of the Christian Church can be said to have been in 1804 in a log cabin in Cane Ridge, Kentucky, or a little church in Brush Run, Pennsylvania. Its founders were the Rev. Barton W. Stone, who ended his ties with the Presbyterian church in that year to become “Christian Only.” Thomas Campbell, a Pennsylvania Presbyterian minister, and his son, Alexander, started the Brush Run Church about the same time, with the idea of seeking union of all Christians based on simple New Testament basics. They called their religion “Disciples of Christ.” By 1832, the “Christians” and the “Disciples of Christ” had joined together in Lexington, Kentucky with a formal handshake, agreeing on basic beliefs and aims. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in now one of the largest churches founded on American soil, with more than 1.1 million members in 4,300 congregations across the U.S. and Canada. Organization of the Christian Church in Puyallup was divided into three chapters. The first began at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Israel Wright on the prairie just east of American Lake in 1855, spurred by Stephen Guthrie, an evangelist from Chambers Prairie. Members of this early church moved to other locations and the prairie church was disbanded. The second chapter began about 1883 when the first Puyallup meeting was held in what was called the Frank Spinning grove, on the bank of the Puyallup River near Main Avenue. The first baptisms took place in the waters of the river, according to Charles Ross, who was one of the early pioneers in the Puyallup area. He remembered the leaders of the movement were Eugene Sanderson and J. T. Eshelman. Services were later held in a hall over a meat market, with the Rev. Bruce Wolverton preaching. In following years, the Christian group worshipped in various halls, lodge rooms and vacant store buildings. Preachers of that period were the Rev. F. Waldon, Clark Braden, Sanderson and Eshelman. In 1905, a Washington State evangelist named L. F. Stevens came to Puyallup for the purpose of erecting a church for the group. He asked for four carpenters to help him and promised the building would be finished in a month. The church was built at 331 South Meridian, across Meridian from the rose garden in Pioneer Park. Eshelman became the first pastor, and under his leadership the church was soon debt free. Many pastors have come and gone since that time, including the Revs. M. R. Ely, Mac Allen Thompson, David Norcross, O. J. Law, Harry L. Bell, Lee Furguson, William Sutton, Lee Sadler, Emil J. Helseth, David Norcross, L. C. Oberlien, Clive Taylor, W. C. Rhea, J. L. Ballinger, Weymeth McGrew, Fred L. Towne, Delmar M. Talley, R. Burnell Krager and Nancy Gowler Johnson, the present pastor since November, 2000. Five interim pastors also served the church, including Dick Humphrey, W. A. Moore, Edwin Metcalf, Grant Cole and Michael Martin. The First Christian Church of Puyallup was remodeled and enlarged several times but soon became inadequate for the growing congregation. On December 4, 1962, ground breaking took place for a new church at 7th St. S.W. and Ninth Ave. S. W. The property had been purchased in anticipation of the church’s expansion. Today, the church members use the generous-sized parking lot to park cars during the Puyallup Fair, with the revenue used for a variety of church projects and outreach. The church is celebrating its centennial year of ministry and fellowship with spiritual, social and community events. A 100th birthday party is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 7, 2005. Posted with permission from Lori Price |
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