Weston Church History                  

The Missionary Visitor Feb. 1906 page 87

                                       WESTON CONGREGATION
  The true missionary spirit is beating in the heart of everyone who, like Eld. John Bonewitz, left is carpenter’s beach where he was assured $3 per day, and went fourth into a new place to preach the Gospel and gather together the scattered sheep.  With Bro. Bonewitz was his wife, and daughter, E. L. Withers and wife, deacons, and Mack Hayes.  They settle within the bounds of the Weston congregation Nov. 18, 1904.  after a careful canvass of  the surrounding country the following members were found.  Henry Ransier and wife, Isaac Barklow and wife and Sister Martha Gross, - all originally from the Coquille congregation, Oregon.  Bro., and Sister Alberts, from Iowa; Bro. And sister Clifford Metz an Ella Bonewitz formerly of Eglin, Illinois.  Twenty letters were present and seventeen  of  the members were present at the organization March 18, 1905.  Bro. Bonewitz was chosen elder.  This little body of brethren and sisters are the only organization in the eastern part of the State.  At first their place of worship was a hall which could  be secured  when Satan himself had no special use for it, for any entertainments whatever.  This greatly handicapped the work in the estimation of the good people of the vicinity and Dec. 1, 1905,  in grateful acceptance of the offer of the Missionary Baptists, the Brethren began conducting worship in their house.  The Baptists did not have a minister at the time.  The congregation having grown to thirty-seven members, are now putting up a churchhouse of their own.  April 23, 1905, a Sunday School was organized, with E. L. Withers Superintendent.

  What a field! The whole half of a State!  Surely, if there is a handful of believers, who need to be upheld by the prayers and support of the church, it is at Weston and like places in this great northwest.  
(This information sent in by E. L. Withers to The Missionary Vistor) 

      Other History written much later                                                     

August 10, 1958     

Dear Brethren,

Following is some information for you concerning the Weston church.  We are leaving Weston in about a week and will be pastoring the Maple Grove church in Wisconsin after the first of September.  I want to get this information concerning Weston to you before leaving the District. 

The Weston church was organized March 18, 1905 with 20 charter members.  Elder L. H. Eby was in charge.  This is given, together with the list of charter members, on page 3 of the first minute book.  This book has not been in the hands of the church clerk, Mrs. Agnes Brutscher, but I am turning it over to her.

At this same meeting a committee was appointed to provide a convenient place of worship.  The “Hall” was chosen.  On January 13, 1906 it was decided to move from the Hall to the Baptist church, until the new church was completed.

On June 24, 1905 it was decided to build a church.  The committee consisting of John Bonewitz, Henry Ransier, and Brother Hopkins, was placed in charge of selecting a site and proceeding with plans and construction of the building.  On Jan. 13, 1906 the committee reported their choice of a site,  their decision to make the foundation of brick, and a statement that the stone wall in front of the church was already completed and they were ready to start excavations for the basement.  Building was to be 36 x 60 feet.  The committee report was accepted.  On Mar. 31, 1906 it was decided “to have the dedicatory sermon preached when we move into the church”.  Mention was made several times during 1906-1907 concerning work on the construction of the church.  On Dec. 28, 1907 the committee completed or of when church was dedicated.  It was a struggle to pay for the building. various request were made for outside help.  There is no indication was to whether such help was given prior to 1910.  June 25, 1910 the church debt was taken up and found to “lack $25.50 for being paid”.  Sept. 24, 1910 it was decided “to merge the balance of last year’s debt with this year’s debt and make application to the District Mission Board for $200 to help pay the church debt”.  The request was granted. “Will be paid on or before $200 June 1.

The Sunday School was organized Aug. 14, 1906.  Christian Workers Meeting organized a the same time.

Most of the minutes dealt with routine matters of elections, payment of current bills, etc..  But one matter that arose time prior to Sept. 1906 was a long and bitter controversy.  It was concerning the financial matter between Elder John Bonewitz and a brother Vandyke.  Prior to this date the case was in the hands of a committee of District Elders.  On the 29th of September, 1906 the church decided not to accept the financial part of the report of the committee.  The church requested a committee of elders to investigate the action of the first committee.  On April 27, 1907 the second committee composed the Elders Stephen Johnson, N. S. Gripe, and A. I. Mow met with the church.  Action of this meeting and resolutions drawn up to be presented to "Elders Body " are recorded on page 23 and 23 of the first minute book.  These resolutions were presented to the Elders.  The paper was returned with a statement that it could be presented to District Meeting.  T</span>his was one.  District Meeting returned the paper stating that it could to be acted upon in open conference.  The church was advised to drop the matter.  There seem to be no indication how the original problem was settled if ever.

Those early years were filled with what appears to be deep desire to establish the church on a solid basis as the leaders saw it.  Also there seemed to be a sense of mission, as is evidenced by their efforts to have the District Mission Board to establish missions in the Pendleton and Walla Walla.  Also, it was a hard struggle to pay for the church building.  But there was also too much evidence of turmoil as is evidenced by the high turnover of membership by members coming in by letter and being lettered out.  Also, this was a time when certain leaders place much emphasis upon members being in “proper order of the Church’.  Accordingly, at least twelve of the seventy-five members listed on the roll, page 140-141, were disowned.  (I have not been able determine what period of time this covered.)  

J. D. Miller and W. P Pratt were elected to the ministry May 19, 1925.  L. H. Eby was moderator of the meeting.  November 24, 1927, fellowship was withdrawn from Bro. Pratt “on the ground of being insubordinate to church rule”.

Evidently E. E. Tucker was elected to the ministry by the Weston church but after looking through the Minutes over the entire period from 1905 to a time long after Bor. Tucker was serving as Moderator.  I find no record of his election to the ministry.  He was chosen “Pastor” in 1938.  Brother McIntosh had served as “Pastor” at a previous time and to serve until June 1, 1925.  Evidence is that he served at a later time also.  In the early years of the church there were numerous ministers serving in the free ministry.  The list is too long to repeat here.  John Bonewitz  was Elder quite a portion to the time.  C. H. Barklow also served quite a portion of the time.  J. H. Gordon, I. H. Miller, B F. Barklow, C. W. Metz, E. L. Withers and others were active ministers and elders.

The church remained small for many years - seldom going above thirty members at any one time.  In the late forties, E. E. Tucker was failing in health.  He was the only minister present after Bo. McIntosh left.  Two or three summers, Edwin Shelly, a young minister who had been licensed in the Payette church in Idaho, and who attended Multnomah Bible school in Portland held Vacation Bible School in Weston.  He was very capable and had a strong impact upon  the church.  But he did not go along with the Brethren in general. It was an attitude that is characteristic of Multnomah students.  There was need of a full time minister or grave danger that the church would closed.  In 1947 or 48, the church asked for Brotherhood help.  Dale Ferris became the first full time pastor of the church and was pastor 3 1/2 years.  The church started a period of rapid growth,  With in less than a decade the membership jumped to 80.  In 1952 Marion Cupp became pastor and was pastor one year.  Russell Kiester followed for two years.  Austin Eiler served as pastor for three years - 1955-1958.  Marion Cupp is coming as pastor 1958.

In 1952 the church purchased the parsonage on installment payments. This debt was paid off in September of 1957.  Meanwhile, the church furnished the parsonage, built a garage, did much remodeling of the Parsonage, added class rooms in the church, refinished the sanctuary and did considerable other minor work.  The church went on self support in October 1957.

 This first minute book goes from the beginning of the church in 1905 to 1935 and a few loose minutes to 1938.  I have not had time to go into detail in going through this book.  Many details that might be of interests could be gotten.  The book will be turned to the present clerk, Mrs. Agens Brutscher.  She may have all minutes since that.  I am not sure.  I think W. D. Tucker, Weston, R. ! has a bible that belonged to E. E. Tucker and containing possible notes of interesting and valuable information,  they may have a diary of E. E. Tucker also.  I am not sure of this.  

    Austin Eiler,  Retiring pastor of the Weston Church.