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This story was submitted for use here by Mrs. Violet Thompson.

A STORY ABOUT OUR CHURCH IN GLENWOOD, WA.
By Mary E. Rundall Jebe

I have decided to write a story about the little pioneer in church built a few years ago before I came here in 1896… when we came to live in Glenwood there stood a little white church!!!
We were anxious to go to Glenwood. We were living near Goldendale and some of the boys used to come and play horseshoes with Ed and Frank. They had always farmed and had come west to raise cattle and wanted to get into good grazing land. Those boys told them of Camas Prairie. where the bunch grass was still growing. These boys names were Knute Bergen, Tom Emerson and Charlie Brown … these are the names I remember.
So, after haying, when they made a little money, Frank and I borrowed a horse from two different neighbors, a wagon from another and harness from another and started out.
We had never camped out before in all of our lives but we rolled up some quilts and took a box of dishes and things from home and when we got to Goldendale we bought a 20# box of apricots and salmon. We had never eaten Salmon before and O! so hungry to taste it! Also we had never be tasted apricots before ----- of course dried ones are to sour and fresh are so sweet! I couldn't believe the store keeper that they were apricots!! Um-Um! They were good and we put them close to the seat so we could reach them at any time.
Well, when we were going down the hill at Twin Bridges a flock of pheasant flew up and we put on the brake and said "Whoa!" and got out. They were all in a big pine tree and Frank picked up a rock and threw at one and it fell in front of us and we jumped on it like a couple of savages and he run its neck. Such a scramble to get that bird!! I skinned it and fried it for our dinner and we felt real puffed up to know what we did. I don't remember that Frank had taken a gun along although he had brought several guns with him from Iowa.
We arrived at Mr. Jones early that evening at the top of the Klickitat Canyon hill. It was a steep grade and a little church was built close to Mr. Jones house. It was built by a Mr. Goodfriend that built the Glenwood Church. They were both Presbyterian churches. Mr. Andrews went to church but I was afraid to leave the wagon so I stayed on guard. Mr. Goodfriend was a gold prospector and a preacher, too. We went on down of the twelve mile grade to the Klickitat River but I walked all the way down. I wasn't used to steep grades and the hog-back wasn't so bad but to get down over the OLD hogback was sure a steep grade. That was the next morn and when we got there we found a man of by the name of Bishop living in there and he had an old Auntie living with him. She was about total blind and total death … it was pitiful! The raspberries were ripe and Mr. Bishop let us pick a half gallon pail full for 25¢ for them. Well, we stayed all night there and slept in the wagon as the rattlesnakes were too numerous. In the morning we went on to Glenwood - they called it 22 miles. We had been directed to the Trenner place. Well, we drove in a yard where a boy a was nailing on shakes on a new barn. Frank said, "Where is the Trenner place?" The boys said, "Right here, just drive and make yourselves at home". That was Arthur Trenner. It was early afternoon so we drove in and out came Mr. Trenner, a long-whiskered man with a gentle tone everybody loved. He showed us the camp grounds and told us to make ourselves at home. It was down by Frazier creek and so beautiful! He asked as a few questions and we told him we were directed by Oscar VanHoy to him to find us a homestead and he said he would then next morning. So we went back into the house, as he had a company, but he soon came back with a pan of fresh potatoes and a dish of raspberries. (Now I knew that Glenwood was my home!)
Then next morning he got in the wagon with us and took us to our homestead and we rushed back to Goldendale to file on it yet.
Now this is only the beginning of the story of the Glenwood Church. As when we drove into Mr. Trenner's yard …. there stood our little wide church. That is 54 years ago in July (1950) and I have never been sorry we didn't stay there.
I don't remember many dates but I do remember many dear memories of my life there in the little white church. It was new then, only a few years old. Mr. Trenner gave the lot to build it on. That Presbyterian Board gave $300.00 in cash to help build it, but the people gave freely in money and help. Mrs. Cochran's brother came up from Portland and directed the building, he also made the pulpit and the benches. He was a cabinet maker. He made doors and casings and also the window casings. It was made with square nails. The sister of Mrs. Cochran sent the pulpit Bible and the collection basket from Kansas. We didn't need an organ as Mrs. Cochran had a tuning fork and led all the singing. We had some the beautiful signers. They taught us some beautiful songs.
I want to tell you about a man by the name of Gus Rautsal. He was a German and was a good singer. Well, there were several good temperance songs and when one of them was sung he would close his book and lay it on the seat with disgust. He WOULDN'T sing … but the songs were always sung and Gus was not pampered. Some of the young folks would select one just to have some fun with Gus.
There were many preachers. We were then in the Columbia River Presbytery and were connected with Goldendale and Bickleton so our minister came from there. I remember a few of them. There was first Mr. Goodfriend and there was an older man that played the clarinet that and would sit up front and lead the singing. He came on horseback. I think his name was Troy Shelly but I'm not sure. Then there was a young man and his wife that road by bicycle over the steep mountain roads. We liked them but I can't remember their name. Mr. Trenner usually kept the preachers but they had their meals at other homes.
Then the Methodists came and also the Dunkards. They all preached in the little White church. There was Mr. Dillinger, a Methodist from eastern Oregon. They lived in the Hadley apartments and a Mr. Alvord who lived there, too. Then the Methodists, Mr. and Mrs. Stearns, built a church right in the town of Glenwood but it burned down. They Dunkards built a church across the lake at Lakeside and it still stand. Now during that time the Presbyterian church was moved to Glenwood town where it's still stands today.
The Ladies Aid was going when I came but it was called Ladies Aid and Prayer Society, and it is still holding forth.
They decided to get a bell for the church in 1909. A play was given to raise money and the first bell they got was broken so they took it back and got the one they have now. It was too big for the church so they built a building (addition) to put in and it still tolls the time to come to church.
I wanted to say a few words about the song books we used to sing from. Some churches gave them to us. Our first books were called Garner Gems and there were are not many of them left, but they have the most beautiful songs that we used to sing. The money for our organ was raised by giving an oyster supper over in Smith's Hotel.
I don't remember of ever taking an offering. When we needed money for anything it was announced and the money would come and fast and plenty. Such was pioneer life in the little white church. It was always crowded full of people. When we didn't have a preacher we had a prayer meeting, not five or six people, but crowded fall. People would travel miles and miles to get to church. Frank and Ed would take turns in carrying the baby but we were always there. We still have the first session book and will write down some of the first members names.
I'd forgotten to tell you we have the Bible, the collection basket, the pulpit and seats still in the church and also the stove. We got a piano about three years ago. The organ was sold to Mr. Walt Sanders for his family of girls but it was in good shape. This church building is the oldest pioneer building in the town of Glenwood.
I have taught every Sunday School class in the church at different times. It's a real memory to me. I am 74 years old now and the fifty four years I've lived here has been something I will never forget.
When the Methodists and Dunkards came Glenwood church was put the in the Columbia River Presbytery and hooked up with Trout Lake, Wash., as the minister lived there. Sometimes they lived in Glenwood, then our church would prosper but when we didn't have a resident minister we went back again. It that way yet. We need a leader. We are like a flock of sheep without a shepherd.
Our Sunday School class of young people bought a clock for $5 or $6 and we bought a register book for attendance and then we bought the communion table as somebody used to have to bring a table. Mr. Trenner brought one. I had a wine set of plain glasses and a pretty pitcher and two little stemmed goblets, so I always brought that. Everyone thought it just the thing. They came to the alter and knelt down and the two elders, Mr. Herman Trenner and Mr. Chester Bell, served the juice and bread. Mrs. Trenner and I took turns bringing the fruit juice. . . .always before Easter, but I don't remember how often other times. We had so many nice programs. The first one was on Thanksgiving. We had a big pot luck dinner. I remember that Myrtie Barker brought a dish of jello … the first I had ever seen, and I remember Anna and Irma Troh came in the afternoons for the programs. Anna was the larger and all I had a great time to remember that Irma was the smallest and the oldest. Rev. Alford preached and they had a program to. Then came Christmas! The men brought a big tree and lots of cedar boughs and I made the Golden Text which hung on the wall between the two windows. It was, "And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace". I sure pounded my fingers, but, O, it was beautiful and stayed there a long time. The programs were great and the singing was so good and such a big treat. One year they made a ship. The men made it and we covered it with muslin and put a curtain on it. When the curtain was drawn a bugle was blown and it sounded like a river boat. The choir sang, "When the ship of old Zion shall make its last trip, I want to be there, don't you?".
Then one time and Dick Wright was old Santa. He came rushing in and said he just came from Fulda. He had a big pack on his back…..even a washboard and everything imaginable. Dorotha spoke (Jolly Old Saint Nick) for him and said she wasn't afraid and he took her in his arms and she kissed him on his whiskers. He had something for every kid and even the bachelors. That was pioneer fun. Tom Quigley and Peter Holt was our bachelors. Dorotha was about four years old.

Written by Mary Jebe on December 6, 1949
Copied by Violet Thompson Oct. 29, 1991