Rock Grove Church

 (1872-1904)  

The Weekly Pilgrim Jan. 3, 1873 page 13 Vol. 4 No. 1

Brother Brumburgh:—I take the present opportunity to give you some church news for your worthy Pilgrim. Our church district was organized in June 1857, known as the Coldwater Church, and left in care of Elder Philip Moss who died in a few years after. Then we were left for some time without a shepherd, but the Lord protected the little flock, and sometime after, others were elected to the ministry and placed in his staid and the church slowly increased from time to time over a large territory until of late, it was thought necessary, for the sake of convenience and that there might be made a more extensive promulgation of the Gospel, to make a division and form two sub districts, which was fully established and ratified on last Saturday at our council meeting held for that purpose, by the assistance of Elders K. K., and Benjamin Beeghly of Waterloo Church, The newly organized district was then called Rock Grove district, with one, minister, W. J. H. Bauman, who was in the second degree of the ministry.

The church then thought it necessary to hold an election and the result was that Bros, H. N. Lane and Phillip Workman were chosen to the ministry and brother W. J. H. Bauman promoted to the office of bishop to take the oversight of that district, while the writer has the charge of the original district as above named, with the assistance of his co-laborers in the Word, Bros. Benjamin Ellis, J. E. Eikenberry and T. U. Talihelm.   Now as the Lord has prospered us, notwithstanding the many impediments that were thrown in the way by the enemy of souls, we trust that God will still bless us, and that we will all go forth as hold soldiers of the cross in letting our light shine, and adorning ourselves with meekness and Godly fear, for in so doing we may be able to advance the Kingdom of His dear son, our Lord Jesus Christ. By the way, I will further say that our meeting-house that we have in progress is now stopped, as the cold weather came on before the mason work was completed. It is all done up to the gable ends and I expect will have to stand so until Spring. Now

The Gospel Messenger April 11, 1903 page 240 Vol. 42 No. 15

From Nora Springs, Iowa

  I give a brief sketch of the congregation known as the Rock Grove church, located at Nora Springs, Iowa. It was organized from the Greene congregation Nov. 30, 1872, and was one of the pioneer church of northern Iowa, and at one time a flourishing church. Here brethren Rule, Fillmore, J. Eby and Eld. Bauman labored with good success.

  But trouble came and then for nearly fifteen years the church was without a resident minister. About three years of this time the writer and Bro. H. Eikenberry preached for them every two weeks. And often the writer would travel sixty miles to fill the appointment, and only six or eight services, and with no success but to hold the few members together. We have learned that no satisfactory work can be done in this way.

  Six years ago the writer moved to this place in order to be more centrally located and convenient to the railroad, as I was engaged in mission work for the Northern District of Iowa, Southern Minesota and South Dakota. And in looking over the field we felt that good might be done if a minister could be located here. Three years ago the mission board located a brother here, but he did not meet with the success anticipated, and the work was once more abandoned until one year ago, when Brother and Sister D. H. Keller located here and, phenix-like, she rise from the ashes. While Brother and Sister Keller are young and inexperienced in the city work, yet they are persistent in their efforts, and with untiring zeal they go forward in the work to rebuild the walls, and their labors have not been in vain. I just closed a series of meetings here and two came out on the Lord’s side, making six that have been baptized from this school in the last year. We feel that we have had a season of refreshing from the [presence of the Lord. May God bless the work at Nora Springs. Anyone changing location, come help us.

O. J. Beaver, Nora Spring, Iowa March 30