of 1882. The deed of the three lots was given by George R. Smith, Sarah E. Smith and Martha E. Martin, to the "trustees of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of Sedalia, Mo.," viz: To Samuel S. Vinton, A. H. Thompson and O. A. Crandall, and bears date of August 17, 1867, the consideration being $700. The property was lots ten, eleven and twelve, of block number eight, in the Sarah E. Smith and Martha E. Martin addition to Sedalia. The first building, which was originally intended for a private parish school, cost about $1,300, but subsequent additions and improvements increased this sum to over $2,000. In 1869 Mr. Holeman was assisted in conducting the services by I. Mac D. Demuth, who was then a student for the ministry. And during the summer of 1879, Mr. Demuth, having a license as Lay Reader, conducted the church service by himself.

In reference to the purchase of the first lots and building, Mr. A. H. Thompson, who was the first to make an effort towards an organization, gives the following:

Most of the credit of raising the money to puchase the lots and build the Chapel is due to the untiring efforts of Mrs. Vinton, Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Thompson, who were the first and most earnest workers in this behalf, and also in raising sufficient salary to pay Rev. F. R. Holeman for regular services once a month. These services were held first in an old school house and afterwards in a building, used at the time for a court house. Mr. Holeman was rector of Christ Church, Boonville, when the engagement with him was made for monthly services, and it was during his administration that the Chapel was built and the first regular organization of the church had.

Among the names of rectors who have served this parish are: Rev. Thos. J. Taylor, Rev. Dr. S. C. Thrall, Rev. Abiel Leonard, Rev. J. Wood Dunn, Rev. William D. Sartwell and Rev. A. T. Sharpe, the present rector. Mr. Sharpe commenced his labors as rector of this parish, Dec. 1st, 1881, and has zealously performed his ministerial duties.

This religious organization now owns an ample building lot on the northeast corner of Broadway and Ohio streets, where they intend erecting a substantial and commodious church. Considerable money has already been subscribed to the contemplated house of worship, and at no very distant day another beautiful stone structure will contribute to Sedalia's attractiveness. The private residence purchased with the lot, and standing on the east part thereof, is used as the rectory, in which the present rector and family reside. As a place of regular worship the parish now use the hall in the Kruse & Fredrick block, on the southeast corner of Ohio and Seventh streets.

. The present officers who manage the temporal concerns of this church are: J. C. Thompson, Senior Warden; A. P. Morey, Junior Warden; W. H. Thorpe, Secretary of the vestry, and Charles W. Bullen, Treasurer.

There are two guilds working in unison with the church, both in successful operation, the ladies' parish guild, and the St. Agnes guild.

A prosperous Sabbath School of about eighty members meets every Lord's day at 9:30 with Rev. A. T. Sharpe, the Rector, as Superintendent; Homer E. Byler, Assistant Superintendent; and the following teachers: Miss M. Josie Keating, Miss Hattie Marvin, Miss Bettie Rosse, Miss Mamie Demuth, Miss Ida Sharpe, Mrs. Richard Woods, Mr. J. C. Thompson and Rev. A. T. Sharpe.

THE GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH.

In the population of Sedalia, the German element is quite extensively represented. As the city developed from the humble dimensions of the town, each year augmented the number of immigrants, who had turned their backs upon the old home beyond the sea and sought a new and better one in the new world, the land of promise and plenty, of which so many tidings had been sent across the ocean. They prospered well, and as house after house went up on the fair spot where Sedalia had been founded, and one piece of sod after the other was broken for new foundations and walls, German perseverance, German diligence and German muscle were not despised, but eagerly called upon to lend a helping hand in converting the rolling prairie land into a blooming city.

Early in the existence of Sedalia the church tower was seen to rise among the new roofs, and while the prairie grass was yet waving in the summer breeze the church bell called upon the people to follow the narrow pathway which wound itself up to the church door, from which echoed hymns of praise and thanksgiving to the merciful Father above.

Sedalia grew and prospered beyond even the most sanguine expectations. The homesteads increased in number, and one by one the members of the different denominations who felt in their hearts a silent longing for their old familiar church in which they had been baptized, where they had sung and bowed their heads in prayer, and to which they had bidden farewell when they went west to seek new homes and new fortunes, banded themselves together and erected their house of worship. But as yet there was no German church. Preachers of rationalistic tendencies, who endeavored to organize a congregation representing their own weak, stale and profitless views and doctrines, met with no success, as they deserved, and finally abandoned the field. Then the Methodist Episcopal. Church sent her missionaries here and succeeded, with hard and faithful work, in establishing a congregation. By far the greater part of Sedalia's German population belonged to the Evangelical Church, the union of the two factions of the church of the Reformation-Lutheran and Reformed -and their desire to worship in the church and in the manner of their ancestors was but natural. Finally the work was begun.

When the child

was born it was weak and puny and almost justified the fears, expressed on all hands, that it would not live to reach an age of usefulness. But it did live, nevertheless. The many diseases of infancy and childhood were, by the grace of God, successfully overcome and a strong and sturdy manhood in time attained.

In 1875 the Rev. Charles Krafft, a member of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, at that time the German English Synod of the West, who was stationed and had charge of a congregation at Warrensburg, Mo., visited Sedalia and commenced the work of gathering a sufficient number of people to constitute a congregation. He was an indefatigable and persistent worker and would not withdraw his hand from the task once commenced. The work was a difficult one and of only slow, almost imperceptible progress. The field which had lain barren for so many years and had, under the labors of insincere and careless workmen, borne no fruit at all, was now overrun by a luxurious growth of rank indifferentism. But little by little the work progressed and in due time a number of believers had been gathered and organized as the German Evangelical Immanuel Church of Sedalia. In a spirit of true Christian charity and brotherly love, the First Presbyterian and later the Old School Presbyterian Churches came to the rescue and kindly allowed the young congregation to hold their services in their respective houses of worship. Rev. Krafft occupied the pulpit every alternate Sunday.

The need of a building of their own became more and more pressing as the congregation grew and more regular services were required. Perhaps twenty families had joined the new church, and after mature and prayerful deliberation the erection of a suitable edifice was determined upon. A lot on the southwest corner of Main street and Washington Avenue was purchased, and in 1876 the corner stone was laid with impressive ceremonies. In due time the house was finished and dedicated to the sacred uses to which it was henceforth to be put. It was only a modest little church 60x20, containing besides the audience-room of 40x20, four rooms in the rear to serve as a temporary parsonage which was, as may be inferred from the given dimensions, not extraordinarily spacious.

Rev. Krafft was now unanimously chosen pastor, and in the same year removed from Warrensburg to Sedalia and entered upon the duties of his new field. For four years he continued in this work, and under his careful, zealous and conscientious ministration his charge became stronger and well organized. In July, 1880, he severed his connections with the church. At the time mentioned he was chosen missionary preacher in Kansas by the Synod and accepted the position. With sincere regret his church bade him farewell and Godspeed.

Rev. Aug. Pistor, a young graduate just from the Theological Seminary, was sent to temporarily occupy the vacant pulpit until a successor

to Rev. Krafft should be chosen. This was done in October, when Rev. R. A. Johns, of St. Louis, was unanimously elected. He accepted the call and immediately took charge of the pastorate. Quietly and unostentatiously the work went on without any of the often more than doubtful expedients to which churches only too frequently resort-yet it went on. A new organ was bought, gas fixtures introduced and coal oil done away with, the property (fences, etc.) was improved and other changes for the better made.

In the spring of 1882 it became apparent that the church was too small to accommodate the rapidly growing congregation. An alteration of the former was, therefore, determined upon. At a cost of, perhaps, $500 the walls and partitions in the rear were removed and the audience room accordingly enlarged, pulpit and platform remodeled, an entrance hall added to the front and a spacious study for the pastor built in the rear. All these changes were completed, and the re-dedication of the church took place on Sunday, May 14, which was a day of gladness and rejoicing. The church property may at the present writing be valued at about $4,000. The congregation numbers forty families (not members, but families.) In the Sunday School about 200 children are enrolled. A Women's Aid Society was organized in 1881, which is steadily growing in numbers as well as in usefulness. A Widows' and Orphans' Aid Association is also in good working order. The future is bright with great promise, and the blessed success of the past justifies the hope that, as the years roll on, the Prairie Queen prospers and grows, and with it her German population, the German Evangelical Church of Sedalia will continue to thrive in the Master's work and become more and more acceptable to God and useful to His people.

ST. VINCENT CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Occasionally, as early as the building of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, Father Walsh, of Jefferson City, came to Sedalia and held services in the section house near the present site of the Missouri Pacific shops. Also Father Mueller, of Jefferson City, and Father Hiller, of Boonville, visited this place and held services early in the city's history. In 1865 Father Calmer, of Tipton, took regular charge of the small congregation here and held services at Mr. P. R. Myers' residence. He was succeeded by Fathers Quinlan and Murry. In 1866 Father Swift took charge, and next year built the pastoral residence in the rear of the old church. The first church building was 24x60 ft., an addition to which was made during Father Swift's administration, also a new school house was commenced on a lot purchased from Gen. Smith just east of the church. Services were for a time held in White's Hall, until the school house was covered

The Sedalia Catholic Benevolent Society contributed $500 towards the building, and had a hall finished in the second story, where the members hold their monthly meetings. About the same time work was commenced on the new brick church, and by the united efforts of the priest and people the new edifice, 48x96 feet, and thirty feet high, was so far finished that in the spring of 1875 services were held in it, and the congregation greatly increased. Many have been the trials through which this people, comparatively poor, had to pass. The needed funds to continue were generously furnished by Mr. John Scullin's loaning Father Graham, on his own personal responsibility, means to furnish it. The old pastoral residence being sold out for previous debts the pastor had to vacate, and live for several months in the school hall, until June, 1875, when a small residence was built in the rear of the church.

One of McShane's bells from Baltimore was purchased for the church at a cost of nearly $500, including the frame-work. In 1877 the Sisters of St. Joseph took charge of the schools. At the residence of the Sisters on the corner of Washington avenue and Fourth street there is a select school and convent which is well conducted and patronized. The church has a large membership, with Father J. T. D. Murphy as pastor.

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS.

In 1881 the Seventh Day Adventists built a church on Moulton and Ninth streets, which cost $1,500. The congregation contains about forty persons, and they have preachers and lecturers from abroad, and local lecturers.

CHAPTER IX.-EDUCATIONAL.

The Public Schools-Sedalia Seminary--Sedalia Business College-The Press-The Bazoo-The Eagle-Times-The Sedalia Journal-The Democrat.

"A little learning is a dangerous thing;

Drink deep, or taste not, the Pierian spring;
For shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,

And drinking deeply sobers us again."--POPE.

Common schools are the glory and pride of free America. Colleges and universities develop and stimulate the occasional master mind; but the common schools educate and train the nation's multitudes, fitting them for citizenship. The eminent J. P. Wickersham says: "The dearest interest of a nation is the education of its children." Among the citizens of Sedalia there is a healthy and growing sentiment in favor of public schools. That old conservative element which retards and embarrasses the onward progress of modern thought has no preceptible following