of the religious atmosphere of Ottawa county, and is easily traced in the history of its English speaking religious organizations.

But for this marked diversity of motive, we should look for and expect to find a large and controlling Presbyterian influence throughout the churches. composed of English speaking people in this county. For that was the earliest influence in matters of religion. It has to-day but three churches in the county; one in Grand Haven, one in Spring Lake, organized in 1853,. another in Ferrysburg, organized in 1882.

But it will be well to remember that Ottawa county is now very much smaller than when first settled, and that many of the Presbyterian churches in the counties of Muskegon and Oceana may be justly said to be traceable to the seed planting of 1836-children of the parent church. The surprise consists in not finding any organizations of this body elsewhere in the county.

We should also remember the many changes, often abrupt but forceful, that have influenced the religious world in the last fifty years-an influence finding congenial ground in the vigorous life of the United States, and most marked results in the organized worship of the English speaking people of the West. Without further philosophizing upon the matter, the fact is plain that the English speaking people of Ottawa county have planted and fostered a wide diversity of faith and practice since that little band held its first service on the banks of Grand River. But each separate church is but the reproduction of a similar church in the older states. Not many new names are found, not many new or strange ideas surprise us, as we trace the formative period in its effect upon religious societies in this county.

The people here are of the same nerve and brain as those of older climes. The growth of the soul here is conditioned upon similar laws controlling elsewhere. Here were likes and dislikes-memories dear and powerful—preventing the exclusive establishment of any single church, rather assuring the crystalization in much weakness of those who thought, believed or worshiped in sympathy with established methods, or who would carve for themselves a new name in the wilderness.

Most marked the influence of man or woman who came from a distant home, and finding not the church of childhood, have thought and prayed until the hope of their life culminates in a church where two or three were gathered in the Master's name.

It is probable the larger number of the the thirty-eight English speaking churches in this county could trace their birth to some earnest one alone in the wilderness, or not at home in some organized worship, who went in.

search of a promised land, and found it in the formation of a new society and the erection of a church.

The following table exhibits the statistics of the English speaking churches of the county as complete as we have been able to secure them:

It is to be regretted that so many of the churches, whose record is essential to the completeness of this history have failed to respond with the facts of their organization and growth. It will be seen that there are 15 of the churches thus delinquent, viz., 4 Adventist, 1 Baptist, 3 Congregational, 1 Free Methodist, 3 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian and 2 Wesleyan Methodist; in all 15.

The 38 churches holding services in the English language are distributed as follows, viz.:

Allendale, 3-Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational, Adventist.

Blendon, 1--Adventist.

Chester, with a population of 1,703, has no English speaking church.
Crockery, 1-Congregational.

Georgetown, 2-Congregational, Baptist.

Grand Haven, 6-Catholic, Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Unitarian.

Holland, 4-Methodist Episcopal, two Reformed, Wesleyan Methodist. Jamestown, none. Population 2,066.

Olive, 1-Congregational.

Polkton, 7-Catholic, Congregational, Protestant Episcopal, two Methodist Episcopal, Wesleyan Methodist, Adventist.

Robinson, 1-Congregational.

Spring Lake, 5-Baptist, Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, two Presbyterian.

Talmadge, 3-Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist.

Wright, 4-Baptist, Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, Adventist.

Zeeland, none. Population 2,715.

It should not be forgotten that this paper is restricted to a consideration of the churches holding their services in the English language, and that the towns in which there are no such churches, are very largely populated by persons of foreign birth and the children of such. The population of the county was, in 1840, 208; in 1845, 1,200; in 1850, 5,587; in 1860, 13,215; in 1870, 26,651; in 1880, 32,340; in 1884, 36,308.

The first church organizations were of course composed of small numbers, and the majority of these were women. It is probable the latter is true of these churches to-day. It is a significant hint, also, of the small number living in a town, when only five are found to organize a church; not less significant when three of the five are women. As the county has steadily increased in population and wealth, the English speaking churches have maintained a sure and healthy growth. Twenty-three churches have reported a membership of 2,106, an average of over ninety-one members each. If the fifteen churches who have not reported have an equal average, the number of members of the English speaking churches in the county in 1884 will be 3,471. The actual average of the non-reporting churches is probably less than this estimate.

In a historical sketch of this character, our work would be incomplete without some plain reference to the different men who have served as missionaries, preachers, or priests, in the gathering and establishment of these churches. Could we know these men, and come into the privacy of their lives, we should obtain a clearer view of the cost, nerve, and even life, incidental to religious enterprise in Ottawa county. But we have only the cold fact that such work has been done; the least tribute we can render to undoubted worth is to leave, upon the record of this half century memorial, a testimonial of our appreciation of the service of these pioneers of the moral welfare of Ottawa county:

How much or how little they received for their services, we do not know. How many toiled in tears, through years of unappreciated, often thankless labor, and, like Paul, earning their bread, that they might be under obligations to none, who can say? That there must have been noble, conscientious

work done by both ministers and laity is proven by the fact that the humble frame house on Third street, Grand Haven, where the Presbyterian Church worshiped so long, represents one factor, and the church property of the county, now valued at $116,710, the other factor. All this has been erected and dedicated to the service of God and humanity by a people who were busy clearing forests, grubbing the soil, wearily toiling for the necessities of life at times suffering for want of them-and rarely having any luxuries, for long years a steady, hard tug for existence. Yet these gave land, lumber, money, when they had it, all for an opinion, a belief, a deep, all-controlling conviction that a home in the new land would not be home-like without the church of their choice, where they, with their children, could worship God according to the dictates of their consciences. Thus standing. upon the middle ground of a passing century, we may, from this fiftieth anniversary, look backward for a moment and trace what has been accomplished, read its story, feel its pain, taste its sorrows-not its joys—and gladly award full measure of praise for so much done under the stern pressure of most adverse circumstances. Here is a grouping of religious influence, so wide in its scope, all who seek an English speaking, religious home can enter such and labor, or rest in peace.

The Catholic can enjoy his venerable faith and worship in the atmosphere of sainted forms near his home in a recently settled land. The Evangelical Protestant can surely find the path to a desired church and feel that, though separated by many leagues from early home and kindred, that in hymn and prayer, in the labor and love of the Master's service, one spirit unites them forever.

Still another part of the toiling life of Ottawa county, can find in this backward look the promise of an ever widening movement, based upon the Bible, upon rational thought and the increasing demands of growing humanity, that tends toward a tenderer love, firmer sympathy and more earnest helpfulness, and fruit of clearer convictions of life and more activeobedience to the Spirit that guides the race upward and onward.

As we look forward from this fiftieth anniversary, it will be well to remember the established services and erected altars, maintaining them while there is need of their influence-for none shall crumble in ruins, but out of its dust must arise a new and holier service for the race. Is it not true the ferment of difference that made it possible for these eleven different organizations to be, shall continue its work until, in the "survival of the fittest," we find all coming, toward the close of another half century, into the coöperative labors in philanthropy-in the higher morals of social life, and deeper amenities of common daily being-where all shall see eye to eye

and walk hand in hand; to advance this would seem to be our duty—to retard it our shame.

As this first half century is the formative period, the test period, and in it so much has been accomplished in establishing churches, what shall be the outcome of another half century? There is still unoccupied ground and a number of prosperous villages and towns where are no services held in English.

In solving our future much will depend upon the purpose that inspires those now active in these churches, and somewhat upon the position taken by their children when the burdens fall from the shoulders of parents and are taken up by youthful hands. And not a little depends upon the business future of Ottawa county-while that infringes upon the prosperity of its chief centres-and most of all upon the city of Grand Haven. Let us hope the student of church history may find far nobler results than those recorded in this sketch, as in 1934 Ottawa county shall celebrate its one hundredth anniversary. One practical suggestion, if followed, will give a marked value to the work to be done and assist all future students of these church movements, viz. to keep a carefully written history of each society, and to do this as a sacred duty to humanity, gathering the fragments of isolated bodies that nothing be lost.

THE SCHOOLS OF OTTAWA COUNTY.

BY E. B. FAIRFIELD, JR.

Having no personal acquaintance with the growth and development of this county, and no reminiscences connected with its educational progress, no experience with its difficulties, and being unable to find any official records in the county archives, I must be content to leave its early experiences to be recorded by the early settlers in their personal sketches, and confine myself to a summary of the statistics published in the volumes of reports sent out from year to year by the State Superintendent of Public. Instruction.