gather together to celebrate the event, in speech and song, in toast and recitation-joined too, by men of every nation, for all love to honor true genius. Concert Hall was well filled on this interesting occasion. Among the invited guests we observed the Hon. Abraham Lincoln of this city, and U. F. Linder, Esq., of Coles County. The banquet was spread by Myers, and embraced all that could be desired by the greatest epicure. The company sat down at nine o'clock and after satisfying the appetite with eatables, the "mountain dew" was brought out, and together with a large number of mysterious looking bottles, was freely circulated during the remainder of the evening. William Harrower presided at the head of the table, assisted by David Knox and Alex. Graham. The regular toasts were responded to in order by Messrs. Lincoln, Linder, Matheny, Blaisdell and others, and the pauses were filled up with songs by Messrs. Erving, Knox, Childs, Easton and others, together with instrumental music by the Young American Band. We expected to give the toasts this morning, but they were crowded out, together with reports of several of the speeches.

HISTORY OF AU SABLE GROVE PRESBYTERIAN

CHURCH

By MISS MAE HOWELL.

(Read at the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the Church, October 18, 1923.)

In reading the early history of this country one is impressed by a certain trait which seemed to be characteristic of the pioneers, namely, their religious convictions. As soon as a settlement was established the little company selected one of the homes in which to hold divine services on the Sabbath. We find the western and southern tiers of townships in Kendall county settled first and that in 1833 or 34 the first Sunday School was organized in Pavilion. These little groups began to spring up wherever a settlement was made and later developed into our strong church organizations of the county.

So, into this township of Na-au-say in 1846 came Dr. Townsend Seely with his family to make a home on the site now occupied by Mr. Carl Schobert. The same religious spirit actuated Dr. Seely in calling his neighbors to the Seely home-a log house 16 by 20 in size—where Rev. Mr. Chapman of Plainfield conducted a Sunday service.

These meetings were continued through the fall but discontinued during the winter.

In the Spring of 1847 the present Union school house was built and when completed church services were held in it, Mr. Chapman still preaching.

The next item we quote from the first record ever kept of the church. "Feb. 26, 1848-Previous notice having been given Rev. Chapman was appointed moderator, Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Wheeler, Mr. and Mrs. N. W. Graves, Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Wheeler, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend Seely and Edmund Seely, resolved to organize themselves into a Congregational church

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to be known by the name of the church of Au Sable Grove and resolved to have the sacrament administered on the ensuing Sabbath. The meeting opened and closed with prayer. Mr. Chapman delivered an appropriate lecture preparatory to communion. T. Seely, Clerk.'

We are fortunate in having some personal reminiscences of this very period in the church's history given by Mrs. Cecilia Satterly now of Chicago, the oldest living member of this church.

Mrs. Satterly whose parents were Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Shepherd writes that as a little girl of six years she remembers very distinctly standing between her mother and Mrs. Rollin Wheeler the day the church was organized and that she was baptized at a service held at Dr. Seely's home before she was five years of age. She also adds that for a long time after the church was organized it had no resident pastor but ministers from different denominations came from Plainfield and Oswego to conduct the services. In a little book begun by Mrs. Satterly in 1850 are noted the names and the texts of the ministers who supplied each Sabbath, the majority being Methodists, Elder Beggs, a pioneer circuit rider, was one of them. Mrs. Satterly closes with this tribute that those who founded the church have left good records and a foundation that has upheld the structure which this generation have so worthily and faithfully erected.

The little band kept adding others to its roll and on June 11, 1854, resolved unanimously to change their relation from the Fox River Union to some Presbytery and also to substitute Presbyterian for Congregational government. This change was effected the next September and James R. McLain, Townsend Seely and O. C. Johnson were elected elders. The church was to be known as the First Presbyterian church of Au Sable Grove. The first trustees were chosen in 1857.

We find the question of a suitable salary was an item in those early days and in 1856 the church agreed to pay the Rev. John Walker about $300 a year and a donation. The

first donation was held at the home of Seth M. Satterly and amounted to $63.

In 1857 the first "parsonage house" as quoted from the records was built on the present site now occupied by the new manse, the land being given by Dr. Seely. The exact cost cannot be accurately stated but was probably between seven and eight hundred dollars. Some of the families contributing were, O. C. Johnson, S. H. Satterly, John N. French, James R. McLain, A. K. Wheeler, A. T. Howell, Wm. A. Jessup, J. C. Carpenter, H. S. Jessup, E. S. Satterly, Edmund Seely, Jeremiah Shepherd, T. Seely, Robert Gates, and Archibald Hopkins. It is also noted that the Goudie family donated walnut logs.

We note as early as 1859 certain amounts of money given for benevolent purposes but in 1862 Presbytery recommends as regular objects of benevolence the following, Home and Foreign Missions, Educational cause and the American Bible Society.

The first mention of building a church was in 1863, the services since the organization sixteen years previous were still conducted in the school house-Sunday School being part of the regular service.

The contract of the new church was not let until the summer of 1866 to Fisher & Merrill of Aurora for the sum of $3,300. The land on which the church stands and its grounds were given by Dr. Seely. When the building was completed or nearly so it was found not to be built strong enough in the roof to support it, hence the rods you see were put in to hold it together and from that time on it has been a united church.

The dedication services were held Oct. 4, 1866, and at the same time Rev. E. J. Stewart was installed as pastor. For several years Mr. Stewart conducted services in the Carpenter, not Ridge, school house six miles distant. A number from that neighborhood united with the church and two elders, Jonathan Carpenter and Luke N. Steel were elected from the group.

Rev. Theodore Jessup in 1873 began his notable pastorate of fourteen years. His next pastorate was at Booneville, N. Y., where he labored for 29 years. A bronze tablet has been erected there to his memory. We find the report in 1881 of the Sunday School; number of officers 6, number of teachers 11, adult scholars 70, intermediate 42, primary 28. Total membership 140, and average attendance 53. The church contributed that year $90 to the different benevolent boards.

The Woman's Missionary Society was organized March 19, 1879, in response to an appeal from the pulpit by Rev. Theodore Jessup. The first meeting was held at the manse and the officers elected were: President, Mrs. T. F. Jessup; Vice-President, Mrs. O. C. Johnson; Secretary, Miss Mary Goudie; Treasurer, Miss Sarah Jessup.

The organization of the Christian Endeavor occurred in 1887. A committee composed of O. C. Johnson, C. E. Sexton and Miss Clara L. Seely (Mrs. Harry Jones) was appointed to present the constitution and by-laws to the session.

From the annual report of the church to presbytery in 1889 the church membership was 98. The six elders were W. A. Jessup, Edmund Seely, C. A. Hopkins, Jesse Carpenter, R. M. Wheeler and S. W. Johnson. Our boastfulness of upto-date customs in these modern times receives a set back as we note the church in the late 80's had officially appointed ushers, Clinton S. Carpenter and S. C. Goodale.

The fiftieth anniversary of the church was a memorable event on September 27, 1898, and was celebrated by an inspiring program of music and splendid addresses. The history of the church was read by Edmund Seely, a charter member, he with three others being the only living charter members at that time.

During the pastorate of Rev. M. E. Todd, which began in 1900, the church underwent extensive repairs. The entrance was changed from the south to the west and the pulpit and choir were transferred from the north end of the church to the new addition built on the east providing a session room