Please Don't Quote Me By Caralee Aschenbrenner Part III It wasn't that the Lanark Methodists were that audacious in their decision to construct a church six-to-seven times the cost of any of the others in town: It was that they were up to a challeng ereaching out to the hapless, the hopeless; to comfort the needful and teach the misguided. Yes, there were challenges in the 1870s, not the least of which was to raise $20,000 to build a church in a small town. Methodists were up to the challenge which could be shown by an objective 'way back in 1836 when we were but a wilderness. The "Maryland Colony" had arrived in Ogle County that year. They were led by several influential, public-spirited "Easteners," one of whom was Rev. Thomas Hitt and who with the revered circuit rider, Rev. Barton Cartwright, organized the first Methodist class among the Marylanders.

Hitt made a long, arduous horseback ride to Jacksonville, Illinois to a Methodist conference to ask them to support a Methodist school up in Northwest Illinois.

A committee was appointed to study the idea but certainly there was no chance of sponsorship of such an expensive, impractical thing was there? There wouldn't be enough children to fill the classrooms, for one. The remote Northwest was strange, unsettled, inhospitable. No matter how flexible the curricula, could children of backwoods men learn?

The committee honored their promise, though not until 1839 when they came northward to inspect the region. Already the Maryland Colony, with other pioneers having arrived, had raised $8,000, a tidy sum in those days, plus promised 480 acres to build the school. Impressed with their dedication and generosity, the committee approved the "Rock River Seminary," and, coincidentally, the formation of Mt. Morris.

Not a house or any building of any kind could be seen from "the mount" when the first stake was driven in the good earth. It showed again the impracticality of the idea.

But a contract had been let for $18,000 to build "Old Sandstone," the first building, an impressive facility out there on the prairie ... All alone.

Ensuing years with the Seminary as a boarding school drew students from throughout. The backs woodsmen's children were given an excellent education and who appreciated it. Some families moved to the site to be near their children so businesses, trade, professions were added to the community which took on a certain character because some of the in-comers started uncommon businesses for such a remote place ... Like publishing companies, for instance. More of that sometime. By the 1870s, however, the Methodists were seeing a decline in attendance at the Seminary because another Methodist school had been organized, this one in a well-populated, urban environmentNorthwestern University at Evanston. The Methodists thus sold the Seminary ($6,000) in 1879 and it passed to the Church of the Brethren in 1884. Other buildings, of course, had been added or remodeled to make Mt. Morris College a long-time, much respected school which lasted until 1932 when it closed due to the Great Depression. The school had persevered for nearly a hundred years due to the energies of the Methodists and Brethren accepting a challenge.

The year 1870 has passed swiftly what with all the busyness a small town can produce. Lack of some years of newspaper files pre-1900 make it all but impossible to do a complete or accurate job of research. A few items are discovered in other places, other town newspapers, etc., to be included as background for important occurrences such as the construction of the Lanark Methodist Church in 1870. Colton's potato patch has yielded five to six thousand bushels. That bear Corning saw in Rock Creek Township devoured half a hog. Goodell and Horning bought a two-legged colt in Iowa and plan to exhibit it in large towns. It is perfectly formed. Its mother draws the wagon it is carried in. The weather reports were even entertaining. The Christmas season was the most enjoyed of any because of the sleighing conditions. Sleighing parties were numerous. Weddings were popular occasions of the following spring!!!!

But the Thanksgiving holiday was apparently a disappointing event according to the editor of the local weekly: "Thanksgiving passed in Lanark pretty much as other days pass. Very little of any difference was observed either on the street or indoors except that the banks closed their doors. Everyone seemed more intent on adding to their cash boxes than returning thanks to Providence for bountiful gifts throughout the year. A few of our citizens made dinner and invited friends to take part. Rev. Cochran of the Congregational Church preached a sermon. Our Methodist friends spread a feast in their church from contributions to their fest the night before and invited all to partake for a sum of 25¢; quite a good sum was realized in this way for the benefit of their new church. We don't think it was just the thing to do but it was unpremeditated and devoted to a good cause in this way. Perhaps the end justifies the means. We hope, however, that the custom may not become an established institution. The gross proceeds of Fair and Fest on Wednesday and Thursday was $250. The sum is large considering the times and it was gratifying to the Society. We are glad for their success." (November, 1870)

During the very first year of its now hundred thirty-eight year of its existence the Methodist were at work connecting with the community socially as well as spiritually. A strawberry fest in the summer, roast beef suppers in the winter. A ham loaf meal to make mouths water. Bazaars to tempt buyers of all denominations.

The real world knocked loudly in ensuing years however to help keep tuned in to the rougher things in life. Just five years after its dedication January, 1871, the first day of January 1876, the nation's centennial year, a terrible day-long storm struck the region. Quoting, "The storm on Saturday, the first, did considerable damage around town. The great effort of the storm was the destruction of the large spire on the M.E. Church. It withstood the fury of the gale until about 6:00 in the evening when the old bell sounded the alarm. The violent swaying of the huge structure in the gale caused a portion of the brick work to give way and the entire spire went over." It was not until October that repairs were completed.

Two dissimilar steeples point heavenward in pictures we see now of the church. The originals may have been alike because subsequent information states how the sytle was altered in at a later time. Rows of small wooden pinnacles lined the edge of the roof between the two but were removed in 1889, replaced by brick.

In 1894 a small fire caused some damage to a tower, probably caused by sparks from heating or cooking stoves stoked with coal or wood, spark producing.

Again in 1901, May, another fire occurred but this time much worse in size and scope. One of the huge track side grain elevators downtown had caught fire and what with the high winds blowing to the east, sparks caught the belfry of the Methodist Church afire again... "So intense was the fire that the firemen directed three streams of water at the blaze, but were unable to extinguish it. The fire slowly stole up the belfry, which fell in, carrying the bell with it and soon the stairwell leading to the auditorium was a roaring cauldron of flame. The east belfry was also consumed by fire and the church roof badly damaged. The firemen were able to confine the fire to the area within the four brick walls of the towers, preventing its spread to the rest of the building."

It was in the aftermath of that awful conflagration that a new steeple sytle was adopted and, of course a new bell had to replace the fallen one. It arrived in October, weighing 1700 pounds, costing $310 but when it rang its voice heralded a new chapter in the history a church which accepted challenges.

Winding down the colorful history of just one church among many next week.

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