I've decided to come out of the closet this morning and identify myself as the author of historical trivia questions and answers that appear every month on "table tents" distributed by Chariton Area Chamber-Main Street. And I'm about to give you the answer to a future question, so pay attention.
"Which Chariton congregation occupies the oldest continuously used church building in the city?"
Answer: "Truth Assembly of God at the intersection of North Grand Street and Auburn Avenue."
Above is a postcard view of the church as it looked soon after a major 1905 remodel. It's since been remodeled many times, almost beyond recognition, but it's still there and still in use. I didn't have the presence of mind to drive by yesterday and take a photo, so will have to add that later.
The original building, embedded in the 1905 version, was a simple rectangle --- built during late 1874 --- a "shoe box" structure similar to those occupied at the time by other Chariton congregations. Additions in 1905 created the current look.
I didn't find a direct reference to its construction in Chariton newspapers, only the following indirect reference in The Chariton Patriot of Jan. 13, 1875: "A subscription is now being circulated to build a Swedish Lutheran Church in Chariton, the building to be begun by the 10th of next June and finished within one year. The building will be frame, after the style of the United Presbyterian church just finished in the north part of town."
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The United Presbyterian congregation was organized in Chariton during 1858, the same year the denomination --- the United Presbyterian Church of North America --- was organized in Pittsburgh by the union of the Northern branch of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (Covenanter and Seceder) with the Associate Presbyterian Church (Seceders).
It offered a home to Presbyterians almost exclusively of Scots-Irish descent who viewed with alarm what was perceived of as a slide toward liberality within the larger Presbyterian Church in the United States of America with which Chariton's First Presbyterian Church was affiliated.
The United Presbyterians and other Presbyterians were theologically similar, but the "Uniteds" had some distinctive characteristics --- Although music was allowed in church, only psalms could be sung; membership in "secret" societies --- Freemasonry for example --- was strictly forbidden; access to communion was severely limited; and although United Presbyterians tended to be more strongly abolitionist than their brethren (and sisters), they also were more anti-Catholic.
Anyhow, the Chariton United Presbyterian congregation never matched First Presbyterian in size or influence, but it remained healthy through the turn of the 20th century when a major remodel of the church building was undertaken, as reported in The Patriot of April 13, 1905:
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The United Presbyterian church, located on the corner of Auburn avenue and Grand street, which has recently been remodeled and enlarged, was formally dedicated to the worship of God last Sunday. The weather was warm and pleasant and the attendance at all the services was large. The church had been tastefully decorated with cut flowers and potted plants and special music was rendered by the efficient choir. In the morning, Rev. A.C. Douglass, pastor of the First Church at Des Moines, preached a splendid sermon from the text, "Labor not for the meat with perisheth but labor for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." In the afternoon he preached another able sermon on the theme, "The Glorious Gospel." Rev. Fred B. Palmer of the Baptist church brought greetings from the other churches and the pastor, Rev. M.G. Mann, delivered the dedicatory prayer. The total expenditures in the remodeling of the structure were $2,694. In the afternoon pledges were made to the amount of $610 which reduces the amount unprovided for to about $250.
The structure as it is now stands is almost as good as new. A new brick foundation was placed under the old building which was entirely remodeled on the interior, and an addition was built on the north side. The main room or auditorium will seat about 350 people. New seats have been arranged in the form of a semicircle and the woodwork is all new and of light oak. There are three large windows of stained glass which have been placed by relatives sacred to the memory of Mrs. Agnes Stalker McDougall, Mr. and Mrs. David Gow, and J.T. Gillespie. A smaller one in the vestibule is to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. William Braden. There is also a large window on the east side of the building whih has been placed in memory of Elias Hunter and Uriah Morris, who were charger members and were two of the first elders of the church.
There is a class room on the east side of the structure and a lecture room on the north side which will be used for prayer meetings and similar services. This room is separated from the main room by sliding doors. The church will be heated by a new furnace. Over the main entrance is a transom of stained glass on which is the name of the church.
The United Presbyterian church was organized in the fall of 1858 with about 17 charter members. The present pastor, Rev. M.G. Munn, has been here for several years and is an indefatigable worker. It is largely through his efforts that the congregation now enjoys this comfortable and pleasant place of worship. The community rejoies with the United Presbyterians over their new church home and trusts that the membership will grow in numbers and strength.
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The pastor who had led the United Presbyterians since 1900 departed Chariton for Waterloo in 1908 and that seems to be when the congregation's slide toward extinction began. The end came during 1921 and 1922 when remaining members either joined First Presbyterian or shifted to another denomination.
The building was sold by its trustees during April of 1924 to the Ku Klux Klan, then active in Lucas County and operating for business purposes as the Community Service Corporation, for use as a meeting hall.
The Community Service Corporation retained ownership until 1930, although the Klan itself had crept off beneath its bedsheets and was no longer an active force.
During May of 1930, the building was sold by the corporation to the newly formed Assembly of God congregation, which rededicated it as a place of worship during June.
It needs to be pointed out that the new owners had nothing to do with the previous owners and were merely in the market for a suitable home. The Community Service Corporation disincorporated and vanished when the sale was complete.
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