History of Brethren [Believers] Movement

 History of Brethren Movement

By Robert L. Peterson

South Central Iowa

  Christian coal miners from Scotland immigrated to the coal mining area of southeast Iowa perhaps as early as 1885. They formed little assemblies and began to preach the gospel to fellow miners and farmers. Forbush and What Cheer were among the early assemblies; then Rathbun, Mystic, Numa, Jerome, Hocking, Melcher, and Williamson; then Centerville and Albia. By removals these pioneers or their descendants became the nuclei of assemblies in Des Moines, Eddyville, Ottumwa, and Davenport. The last named had an earlier history, on a different basis, but its later strength was largely due to influx from Centerville. At one time, the assembly at Ottumwa was the largest and most influential in the state of Iowa; it disbanded in the mid 1990s.

  The What Cheer Assembly was formed some time prior to 1888, making it the first or second in Iowa (see Berea). It quickly grew to a company of fifty or more Christians. When work in the mines ran out at What Cheer some of these brethren moved to Carbondale and Excelsior. They continued their Gospel activity and worked underground to pay expenses. When the mines closed in those places, they moved further afield into southern Iowa.

  Around 1890, a few of the coal miners from What Cheer came to Forbush to work in the mine there, establishing an assembly there. Among them were James Whittem, John Moffat, and W.A. Wilson. They worked in the mine during the winter months, saved their money, then rented tents to use for Gospel meetings during the summer, in many small towns. As people trusted the Lord, small meetings were started. A feature of the work in these towns were joint quarterly meetings consisting of  one-day ministry.

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  When these towns lost population with the loss of industry, these assemblies moved to Centerville. They bought the Swedish Baptist Mission for meetings, calling it the Centerville Gospel Hall. In 1904, the old Methodist building on the corner of Main and Washington was purchased and became their meeting place until the present building was built in 1950, at 828 South 12th Street.

  The Centerville assembly was a fairly large group for a small town; it was a leader among several other assemblies in the area. Their Labor Day conferences were highlights of the year, with several hundred people in attendance. In the late 1990s, only a handful of adults were in the fellowship.

  Among those who worked and preached there were William Sommerville, John Moffat, W.A. Wilson, John McGee, John K. Wilson, John Hargrave, James S. White, W.W. White, and Thomas McCully. These men carried on for a long time before any of those giving their whole time to the Lord’s work arrived on the scene. Mr. Sommerville was a true shepherd and a good gospeller. John Moffat and W. A. Wilson were gifted men and spent their later years in full-time service. They were used in establishing the original testimony in Centerville in about 1897. W. W. White helped Mr. Moffat and others in tent work at Centerville, Numa, Jerome, and other places. The Welshmen David Lawrence and his brother-in-law were prominent in the assembly later; David Lawrence was an itinerant preacher who traveled often with Arthur Rodgers. John Lewis was another itinerant preacher who was associated with Centerville. George Jones is the current leading elder in the Centerville assembly, now called the Centerville Gospel Chapel.

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  Williamson was an active mining town in South Central Iowa when its coal mine was in operation, but scarcely exists today. The assembly meeting at the Williamson Gospel Hall was started in about 1929. The group met first in the Williamson High School auditorium and had about 45 to 50 people in fellowship. Two years after the meeting was started, the group moved a building from Numa to Williamson for their fellowship. Mark Avitt’s truck was used to move the building. The Gospel Hall had a large sign on the outside with John 3:16 in bold letters.

  Most of the brothers in the assembly were coal miners. Some had moved from Albia and other area meetings when those mines were closed. The Williamson Gospel Hall closed in the mid 1950s after the Williamson mine closed.

  Speakers that helped in the meeting included David Lawrence, W.W. White, Albert Orcutt, James Stell, and David and John Horn.

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  This excerpt from History of the Brethren Movement by Robert L. Peterson is taken from the web site of Emmaus Bible College.

David Lawrence Is Heart Attack Victim

Daily Iowegian - 5 August 1963

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  David Lawrence, evangelist, who was 68, died suddenly in the St. Joseph Hospital Saturday, August 3, 1963, at 6:15 p.m. He had been ill for two days.

  Last Wednesday evening a newsman had talked with David at his home at 205 South Twelfth street during an interview with his mother-in-law, Mrs. Anna Norris, who was 100 years old Saturday. At that time he told of feeling indisposed but thought it was a case of indigestion. He had, however, had a cardiograph made.

  Evangelist Lawrence was born in Treherbert, Wales, July 22, 1895, and was the son of David John and Gwen Griffith Lawrence.

  During World War I he served in the Royal Medical Corps with the British Army. For 10 years following the war he served with a group of Christian Evangelists known as the "Pilgrim Preachers," who toured the Isles.

  Mr. Lawrence came to the United States in 1917, returned to Wales in 1928, then came back to the States in 1929.

  On February 17, 1929, he was united in marriage with Edna Norris in Numa, Iowa. They have lived in Centerville for 30 years.

  During World War II he worked in Christian canteens for service men in various cities of the United States. From 1947 through 1950 he led a group of young men  known as "The Gospel Messengers on Tour." He had been a minister for 49 years and during that time served the Gospel Chapel in Centerville until his passing.

  He had been in charge of a radio program "The Gospel Hour," over KCOG for 14 1/2 years.

  Preceding him in death are his parents, one sister and one brother. Survivors include his widow, two sisters, Miss Margaret Lawrence and Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Rees, of Philadelphia, Pa.; and one brother, Dr. Tom Lawrence of Hartford, Conn.

  The body is at the Miller-Wehrle Funeral Home where funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 7, at 2 p.m. Dave Horn of Denver, Colo., and John Horn of Atchison, Kans., will officiate.

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Evangelist David Lawrence, 1895-1963

History of Appanoose County, Iowa

[Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company, 1986]

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  Evangelist David Lawrence was born July 22, 1895, in Treherbet, South Wales, the son of David John and Gwendolyn Griffiths Lawrence. He was one of our children -- two sisters, Margaret Lawrence and Elizabeth Ann Rees, and a brother, Dr. Tom Lawrence.

  He was married to Frances Edna Norris on February 17, 1929, at Numa, Ia.

  During World War I, he served in the Royal Medical Corps with the British Army. For ten years following the war, he served with a group of Christian Evangelists known as The Pilgrim Preachers, who toured the British Isles.

  Mr. Lawrence came to the United States in 1927, then returned to Wales in 1928, then came back to the states in 1929, the year he was married to Miss Norris.

  Mr. Lawrence said two of the most memorable moments in his life was when he was converted to God in 1914, in Wales, and when he became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1933 in Appanoose County, Iowa. He was always proud and happy to be a citizen of the United States.

  During World War II, he worked in Christian canteens for service men in various cities of the United States. From 1947 through 1950, he led a group of young Christian men known as "Gospel Messengers on Tour." He had been a minister for 49 years, and during that time served the Gospel Chapel in Centerville, Iowa, until his death.

  He had been in charge of a radio program, "Gospel Tidings" over radio station KCOG since its inception in 1949.

  David Lawrence died August 3, 1963, and was buried in Jerome, Iowa, cemetery.

Francis Edna Norris Lawrence, 1893-1993

Daily Iowegian - April 1993

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  Francis Edna Lawrence, 99, a resident of the Corydon Care Center for the past four years, died at the Corydon Care Center on Saturday, April 17, 1993.

  She was born Nov. 26, 1893, in Sioux City, the daughter of Jacob A. and Anna A. Norris, former residents of Numa.

  She married David Lawrence on Feb. 17, 1929, in Numa. He preceded her in death on Aug. 3, 1963.

  Also preceding her in death were a sister and six brothers, including Percy E. Norris of Centerville.

  Survivors include a sister, Mrs. Lou White of Hopkins, Minn., and numerous nieces and nephews.

  She attended the Centerville Gospel Chapel.

  Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 22, 1993, at 10 a.m. at the Lange Funeral Home in Centerville, with Pastor Tom Wright of Elkhart, Ind., officiating.

  Visitation will be held Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lange Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Jerome cemetery.

  A memorial has been established to the Centerville Gospel Chapel.