2nd Methodist Church
Springfield Journal Register, date of paper which originally published the following is unknown.
"THE OLD SECOND (NOW KUMLER) METHODIST CHURCH IN 1888---
The Victory banquet scheduled for next Tuesday evening at Kumler Methodist Church, marking the final
liquidation of the congregational debt, brings a request for the reprinting of this Family Album picture -
with which we are happy to comply. This stronghold of Methodism on the North Side, now occupying the pretentious stone
structure on the northeast corner of 5th and Carpenter, shown here, was founded Sept. 11, 1885, to relieve the overcrowded condition
at First Methodist Church and to meet the church needs of the fast-growing northern part of the city. Designated as the Second
Methodist Church, its first pastor was Rev. W. S. Prentice. Its original membership of 83 has grown to 550. Its first house of worship
was the old church which had been used by the Third Presbyterian Church on the northwest corner of 5th and Monroe. It was soon moved to 325 North 5th Street, later
the site of the Culver Stone Company offices. The structure shown above was erected in 1886-1887 and dedicated with elaborate ceremonies in September, 1887, in the
pastorate of Rev. R. G. Hobbs, who wearing a silk hat, is seen standing in front. A supplementary program which oncluded the remodeling
of the church, and the erection of a large educational and recreational building and a new parish house nearby, was
carried out in 1926. The church now known as the Kumler M.E. (renamed in 1900 in honor of Rev. J. A. Kumler), has performed an
important service and exercised a fine spiritual influence on the North Side for many years. Pastors during the 81 years
of its existence have included the Revs W. S. Prentice, J. L> Crane, J. R. Ford, E. D. Wilkin, W. J. Rutledge, Horace Reed,
M. D. Hawes, J. F. Stout, W. S. Matthew, G. E. Scrimger, R. G. Hobbs, Chris Gall\eener, J. A. Kumler, C. R. Garlos,
M. G. Coleman, A. P. Stover, W. N. McElroy, J. A. Burchit, S. W. Thornton,
William Brandon, J. D. Kruell, Wilbert Dowson, G. W. Glagge, J. C. Brown, E. V. Young
and the present incumbent, Rev. Austin A. Rodgers, now in his fourth year at Kumler.
NORTH SIDE ITEM: KUMLER CHURCH IN BUILDING, 1887 --
This picture of the Kumler Methodist Church at 5th and Carpenter Streets when it was under construction in 1887 has
been requested as a follow-up of the recent mortgage-burning by that congretation. The structure was dedicated in September
of that year during the pastorage of Rev. R. G. Hobbs, who in this picture is shown standing on the steps wearing a silk hat. Originally
known as the Second Methodist Church, in 1900 it was renamed in honor of Rev. J. A. Kumler, in recognition of his
efforts toward retiring the debt on this building. As we understand it, the recent ceremony concerned the retirement of obligations
incurred in later building and remodeling.
Submitted by: Jeanie Lowe.
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