sive pastors have been Revs. G. M. Hall, beginning September, 1882; J. M. Conrad, 1883; D. Thompson, 1884; W. H. H. Smith, 1886, and J. E. Nichol, 1888, to the present.
The Collins Methodist Episcopal Church began as a part of Colo Circuit in March, 1885, under Rev. S. S. Todd, and with the following members: S. A. Rush, Kate B. Rush, Mrs. L. Fowler, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Eatherton, William Price and Mrs. G. A. Muhs. The church was built in the fall of that year, and is a frame 30x46 feet, costing $1,600. It was dedicated June 21, 1886. The Sunday-school was formed February 1, 1887, with Mrs. Kate B. Rush as superintendent. The membership is now 30, and that of the Sabbath-school, 100.
The Christian or Disciple Churches in Iowa organized their State convention in 1869, but Story County had local societies of this faith long before that. Those in the county now are Ontario, McCallsburg, Ames, Zearing, Maxwell, with less important points of preaching.
The Ontario Christian Church began in 1857, under the direction of Rev. Jessup, who organized it with Mr. and Mrs. S. Beadle, Mr. and Mrs. A. Beadle, Mr. and Mrs. I. Hopkins, Mr. and Mrs. Rose, and others as members. They prospered with about twenty-five members, until in 1872 they erected a building at a cost of over $3,600. Among the pastors have been Revs. Brokaw, Snider, Corban, Ames, and H. P. Bunce, the present pastor.
The McCallsburg Christian Church. October 10, 1886, J. W. and M. J. Smith, E. L. and Susan Griffith and A. B. Griffith were formed into a church at McCallsburg, with E. L. Griffith and J. W. Smith, elders, and A. B. Griffith, deacon. In 1888 a church building was erected and dedicated on October 6, 1889. It cost about $1,000. The pastors have been as follows: Revs. J. W. Sibbit, beginning in 1886; J. M. Vankirk, in 1887; H. P. Bunce, in in 1888, and J. W. Vanderwalker since 1889. They now have a membership of twenty-seven, with Elders J. W. Smith and H. C. Vail, and Deacons A. B. Griffith and G. R. Vernon, with Deaconess L. B. Ricketts as officers. They have a union Sabbath-school, of which S. Reid is superintendent.
The Church of Christ at Ames has a membership of forty-one persons, and a Sabbath-school of seventy-five pupils, under the superintendence of Charles Lyon. This society was formed April 20, 1887, by Elder J. H. Painter, after a series of meetings held in the Methodist Church. The first members were Mrs. Rebecca Adams, Miss Minnie Adams, Mrs. G. A. Armstrong, J. P. Alderman, Mrs. Alice Baker, Miss May Goldsmith, George Goldsmith, Mrs. Mary T. Grove, W. A. Hicks, Thomas Hardcastle, Mrs. P. Raft and Mrs. S. B. Sexton, the first officers being Messrs. Hicks and Hardcastle. They purchased the old Methodist Episcopal Church on Douglass and Onondaga Streets, but since moved up to Story Street, and in March, 1888, dedicated to its new purposes. It is valued at $1,000. The only regular pastor has been Elder J. W. Vankirk, from 1888, in March, to January, 1889, when his death occurred while he was at Rutherford, Iowa, temporarily. There has been no regular pastor since.
The Zearing Christian Church has been in existence about three years, and has increased to about fifty members. The present pastor is Rev. Vanderwalker.
The Maxwell Church of Christ grew from an effort of Dr. E. C. Scott, J. B. Angelo and others, who secured the services of a pastor from Des Moines for a few meetings. After this Rev. D. A. Wickizer was sent on, and after a six weeks' series of meetings a church was organized on February 23, 1890, with eighty