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Description
This collection consists of history papers, photographs, handouts newspapers, a letter, and a plat map all in relation to the Arcadia Christian Church, Arcadia, Kansas.
The original Arcadia Christian Church was built in 1893, although the congregation surrounding the church was started in the 1880s as a Sunday School class. In 1892, the State of Kansas granted the congregation a charter which resulted in the building’s construction. The church cost $1,600 and had an organ, a church bell (installed in 1897), and a seating capacity for 300 people. The Sunday School held at the church brought about the most participants. For its first ten years, the church had difficulty in finding a regular pastor. One traveling pastor that was briefly appointed was popular writer and pastor Harold Bell Wight (1872-1944), who held bible studies on Friday nights and occasionally a Sunday service. In 1909, Arcadia saw an early revival of Pentecostalism or “holiness people.” In 1914, after 21 years, the church became the First Church of Christ. In August 1915, G. W (George William) Corporon (1887-1969) became pastor, holding the position until 1919. By 1918, the Sunday School had reached 300 attendees and the yearly average of conversions and ascensions were approximately 200. After Corporon’s first resignation in 1919, the church went through a series of pastors, and saw a decline in membership. When G. W. Corporon returned in 1925, the church began to uptake home mission work, and the church once again saw an increase in members. In 1929, Reverend Corporon resigned for a second time. After a brief period of temporary pastors, Reverend. H. G. Kenney became pastor from 1930-1932. The church saw another brief period of steady growth. In 1933, Reverend Corporon returned for his third and final tenure, and was the church’s minister until his final retirement in 1943.
Publication Date
9-20-2021
Keywords
Recreation and Tourism, Social Life and Customs
Disciplines
Religion
Size of Collection
.25 linear feet
Dates of Collection
1894-1994
Manuscript Number
SpC MS 0314
Recommended Citation
Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library, "Arcadia Christian Church collection, 1894-1994" (2021). Finding Aids. 315.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/fa/315
