Iowa River Church

(Marshalltown)

(1856-)

The Gospel Messenger Sept. 23, 1884 p 614 Vol. 22 No. 39

History of the Iowa River Church.

 At a church council it was requested that Bro. John Murray give a history of the Iowa River church, and his ministerial labors. He gave us the following facts:

  The Iowa River church was organized in the month of June, in the year 1856, by Eld. John Cable, of Ohio and was left in care of John Hersey, who resigned the charge to John Murray, in the month of November, 1857. At the time the organizing, there were thirty members in Benton county, nine in Iowa county, four in Tama, and five in Marshall. Soon after, four members were found in Hardin county and some moved into Grundy county who also held their membership in this church until there was sufficient number to organized in their own county, which was in the year 1869. They also chose John Murray their elder. In 1868, the first church in Nebraska was organized, and there being no elder father west, John Murray was chosen elder this church was two hundred and fifty miles from his home. The same year also, a church was organized in Boone county, and place in his care. In 1869, the second church in Nebraska, at Falls City, was organized and also place under his car.

  After the death of Eld. Flory, the Indian Creek church, in Polk County, was under his care for three years, and the Guthrie and Shelby county churches were also under his care for two years. The care of all these churches, the Falls City church being over three hundred miles distant, made Bro. Murray ministerial labors very great.  The Iowa River church was formerly composed of five counties, and now divided into five churches.  The Iowa county church has become disorganized.  John Murray’s labor have been diminished from time to time, during the last fourteen years, by the members becoming more numerous, and other elders moving in, and still other being ordained. On the 23nd of August, he was released, by the church granting him a letter. He has made arrangements to move to Elk Co., Kan., where the members are anxiously awaiting his arrival.    H. J. Hulse.