HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

outside, and of this money $300 came from the Church Building
Society. It could not come from us, for we had it not. And so
we wrought and builded for "every man had a mind to work,"
and the walls went up; though the cold of winter, even zero
weather, shut in upon us before the work was completed. Jan-
uary 17, 1859, was a glad day, when at night, after a sermon
from the text, "What are the names of the men that make this
building." Father Clinton, who preached the first sermon in
Manasha years before in a log building used for a saloon, had
helped to organize this church and had been the chief mover
in the building of the house, as was eminently fitting, made
the dedicatory prayer. I doubt if ever a people, not even the
ancient Jews at the dedication of the temple, were happier or
were filled with greater joy, than were the men, women and
children who had worked so self-denyingly, and now saw their
work crowned with success. And not even Solomon's temple
that exceeded in grandeur the temples of the Orient, looked so
beautiful, as did this first Congregational house of worship to
the people of Menasha.
There are some events that led up to the buiiding of this
church that deserve notice. As usual, the good women had
not a little to do with it. Soon after my coming there was-a
social organized called "The Corban" society, which during the
winter planned a course of six lectures, one by Rev. B. B.
Parsons, of Ripon; two by Chas. G. Finney, a son of President
Finney, of Oberlin, and Mr. M. Hary, of Oshkosh; another by
our townsman, Colonel Geo. B. Goodwin. The names of the
other lecturers do not occur to me. The course was well at-
tended, and was the starting of a building fund, which was
added to during the years by festivals and a sale that was a
success."

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