Gleanings From
In Christian Fellowship
By Shirley Lindahl
Edited by Jerry Rutherford
The Depth of the 1933 Depression
Rev. Bennett, Methodist minister (of the Community Church) had indicated his desire to leave at the end of his year (1931). As usual the finance committee had to put on a drive to collect the back salary owed the minister. To settle the debt before he left it was decided to assume the balance due at the bank on his automobile plus some $40 in cash. (The church record shows $200 paid for the pastor's car in 1930 so he must have been expected to pay the balance.)
From Potlatch, Idaho, came the next minister, Rev. Ernest R. Bellingham. He was offered $2250, no parsonage and two weeks paid vacation. He served from October, 1931 to April, 1933.
At the annual meeting of 1931 Ernest Fortescue was elected chairman of the board. Harry Kean became clerk. Total receipts for the year 1931-32 were $1754 leaving $609 still due to the minister. The future looked very bleak when the trustees voted in Nov. 1932 "that we pay Rev. Bellingham the back salary due him and $50 per month from October 1 and continue at that salary for six months. "
Rev. Bellingham replied, "I can accept the drastic cut in salary only on condition there is a corresponding reduction in time I shall be expected to give to the work. " He proposed working two days a week plus Sunday and this was accepted.
At the 1932 annual meeting Ivan Travis became a trustee. He had come to Kirkland from Cosmopolis the year before to become superintendent of the school district for a salary of $2700 a year.
It was voted to continue the neon cross which cost 75 cents per month to light.
The choir director complained that she need male voices. (A familiar refrain of most choir directors!!) It was agreed to rent the church to the Salvation Army Boys Band for a concert.
The buses were dropped at this meeting. Two years earlier a second bus had been purchased to transport children from the Northup District. H. P. Everest had agreed to personally pay the gas and oil for one bus. Mr. Bass was appointed superintendent of transportation. The children collected old newspapers to help raise money to operate the busses which were really trucks with plank seats.
The depression was at its depth in 1933 when the membership adopted the following resolution. "Because of the difficulties just now of people paying to the church enough money to pay for a pastor the board of trustees recommend that we do not retain Mr. Bellingharn after April 1, 1933 as pastor of the Kirkland Community Church. From April to October there was no minister.
The congregation asked C. W. Wilcox to act as advisor and manager of church work in addition to his other duties. Supply ministers from the conference preached during April. Among them was Rev. John P. Clyde, who wanted to become the permanent pastor. He was being considered when at the last minute Rev. Newberry who had served the church from 1908 to 1921, again from 1924 to 1929 had come before the membership and offered his services at whatever they could pay him. He served until April of 1937.
Total receipts for the fiscal year 1932-33 were only $1032.07. The Ladies Aid paid the choir director $10 a month to help with the expenses. The congregation extended a vote of thanks to Eberle Mercer and Clyde Simmons for painting the cross on the steeple. Tom Simmons became Sunday School Superintendent and janitor at the annual meeting.
Kirkland was under the leadership of church member Irving Gates as mayor. He had been selected by the city council when Rev. Newberry suddenly resigned as mayor when the council voted to allow the sale of beer in town. Ida Gates scolded her husband for accepting the office under the very circumstances that made the minister resign.
A. B. Newell, chairman of the school board, wrote an application for funds to the federal government's Administration of Public Works to replace Central School. (It was granted and building was completed in 1935.) The present City Hall was built on the site at a later date.
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