Iowa Band
Encyclopedia
The Iowa Band was a home missionary initiative that worked at northwest frontier in the nineteenth century.
ministers, all trained at Andover Theological Seminary, who agreed to carry the gospel
into a frontier region. The band was a part of the American Home Missionary Society that included Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Baptists as members. Some prominent men from this organization of home missionaries were Daniel Lane (leader of the Keosauqua Academy were he stayed and trained young people), Harvey Adams, Erastus Ripley, Horace Hutchinson, Alden B. Robbins, William Salter (Influential in starting Iowa College), Edwin B. Turner, Benjamin A. Spaulding (stationed in Muscatine), William Hammond, James J. Hill
(Missionary to Mt. Pleasant
), Ebenezer Aiden, Ephriam Adams (scribe) and C.E. Brown who came earlier in the Maquoketa
area. (Bates was an Iowa native that joined.)
The spirit with which these home missionaries went forth was ably expressed by one of the Iowa Band when he said: "The understanding is among us all, that we go west not for a temporary purpose, unless the great Head of the Church shall make it so. We go to remain permanently -- to live and die there -- and God
grant us grace to carry out this purpose."
The group arrived in 1843, and each minister selected a different town in which to establish a congregation. Many stayed in the above mention towns while others continued on west past Iowa
into Kansas
and Nebraska
.
The Iowa Band's motto was "each a church; all a college."
After a number of years when each minister worked independently, the ministers collectively helped to establish Iowa College in Davenport. Later board officials moved the college to Grinnell and changed its name to Grinnell College
. The letters and journal of William Salter, a member of the Iowa Band, depict the commitment and philosophy of this small group. At one point, Salter wrote the following to his fiancée back East:
"I shall aim to show that the West will be just what others make it, and that they which work the hardest and do the most for it shall have it. Prayer and pain will save the West and the Country is worth it, "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. "
While attending Charles Finney’s Church (Oberlin, OH) in 1842 at an American Home Missionary Society Conference ,5 of the 12 men received a what they believed was a prophecy that was the mandate of the Puritans and God
’s purpose for America
. Beecher prophesied,” if this nation is, in the providence of God, destined to lead the way in moral and political emancipation of the world; it is time she understood her high calling, and was harnessed for the work."
The 5 men took that confirmation of the call and with Beecher’s laying on of hands, went to Iowa
in 1843, and were set apart in a training academy in Keosauqua
, and set out for the NE corner to establish, “ God’s Living Word in the hearts of all men”.
In 1845, 3 of the 5 men of the Iowa Band moved on further to the west, leaving others, including C.E. Brown and John Bates, new recruits of the work in Iowa.
During the American Civil War
the church was at a decision point: Bates addressed denominational leaders and ministers in the state at the time; “Brethren, we need more of the spirit of God, more of a Missionary spirit, individual zeal, and enlarged benevolence in sustaining Sabbath Schools, and a better support could and ought to be given by the Churches to those ministers who labor in word and doctrine
. Let us take heed that we are not absorbed too much in war. We are Christians as well as patriots. The first honor is to be self-denying and ready to die as martyr
s in the cause of Christ
; the next honor is to be self-denying and ready to die as patriots in the cause of our county.”
By 1859, the religious movement led by Charles Brown and John Bates began to show signs of slowing down. Brown states, “It has been a year of very limited spiritual fruitage, and great destitution, the church has fallen asleep”.
.
History
The Iowa Band started as a group of 12 ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ministers, all trained at Andover Theological Seminary, who agreed to carry the gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
into a frontier region. The band was a part of the American Home Missionary Society that included Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Baptists as members. Some prominent men from this organization of home missionaries were Daniel Lane (leader of the Keosauqua Academy were he stayed and trained young people), Harvey Adams, Erastus Ripley, Horace Hutchinson, Alden B. Robbins, William Salter (Influential in starting Iowa College), Edwin B. Turner, Benjamin A. Spaulding (stationed in Muscatine), William Hammond, James J. Hill
James J. Hill
James Jerome Hill , was a Canadian-American railroad executive. He was the chief executive officer of a family of lines headed by the Great Northern Railway, which served a substantial area of the Upper Midwest, the northern Great Plains, and Pacific Northwest...
(Missionary to Mt. Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :...
), Ebenezer Aiden, Ephriam Adams (scribe) and C.E. Brown who came earlier in the Maquoketa
Maquoketa, Iowa
Maquoketa is a city in Clinton and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. Located on the Maquoketa River, it is the county seat of Jackson County....
area. (Bates was an Iowa native that joined.)
The spirit with which these home missionaries went forth was ably expressed by one of the Iowa Band when he said: "The understanding is among us all, that we go west not for a temporary purpose, unless the great Head of the Church shall make it so. We go to remain permanently -- to live and die there -- and God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
grant us grace to carry out this purpose."
The group arrived in 1843, and each minister selected a different town in which to establish a congregation. Many stayed in the above mention towns while others continued on west past Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
into Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
.
The Iowa Band's motto was "each a church; all a college."
After a number of years when each minister worked independently, the ministers collectively helped to establish Iowa College in Davenport. Later board officials moved the college to Grinnell and changed its name to Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
. The letters and journal of William Salter, a member of the Iowa Band, depict the commitment and philosophy of this small group. At one point, Salter wrote the following to his fiancée back East:
"I shall aim to show that the West will be just what others make it, and that they which work the hardest and do the most for it shall have it. Prayer and pain will save the West and the Country is worth it, "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. "
While attending Charles Finney’s Church (Oberlin, OH) in 1842 at an American Home Missionary Society Conference ,5 of the 12 men received a what they believed was a prophecy that was the mandate of the Puritans and God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
’s purpose for America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Beecher prophesied,” if this nation is, in the providence of God, destined to lead the way in moral and political emancipation of the world; it is time she understood her high calling, and was harnessed for the work."
The 5 men took that confirmation of the call and with Beecher’s laying on of hands, went to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1843, and were set apart in a training academy in Keosauqua
Keosauqua, Iowa
Keosauqua is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-History:...
, and set out for the NE corner to establish, “ God’s Living Word in the hearts of all men”.
In 1845, 3 of the 5 men of the Iowa Band moved on further to the west, leaving others, including C.E. Brown and John Bates, new recruits of the work in Iowa.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
the church was at a decision point: Bates addressed denominational leaders and ministers in the state at the time; “Brethren, we need more of the spirit of God, more of a Missionary spirit, individual zeal, and enlarged benevolence in sustaining Sabbath Schools, and a better support could and ought to be given by the Churches to those ministers who labor in word and doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
. Let us take heed that we are not absorbed too much in war. We are Christians as well as patriots. The first honor is to be self-denying and ready to die as martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s in the cause of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
; the next honor is to be self-denying and ready to die as patriots in the cause of our county.”
By 1859, the religious movement led by Charles Brown and John Bates began to show signs of slowing down. Brown states, “It has been a year of very limited spiritual fruitage, and great destitution, the church has fallen asleep”.
What the Iowa Band established
- Iowa College 1846
- Grinnell CollegeGrinnell CollegeGrinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
1859 - First Christian State Convention 1845
- Over 600 churches
- 200 schools and bible classes
- Organized the civil government in BurlingtonBurlington, IowaBurlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
and Iowa City and Des Moines - Established a sending and training center for young people in; KeosauquaKeosauqua, IowaKeosauqua is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-History:...
, DenmarkDenmark, IowaDenmark is an unincorporated community in northeastern Lee County, Iowa, United States. It lies along Iowa Highway 16 north of the city of Fort Madison, the county seat of Lee County. Its elevation is 722 feet . Although Denmark is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of...
, MaquoketaMaquoketa, IowaMaquoketa is a city in Clinton and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. Located on the Maquoketa River, it is the county seat of Jackson County....
, BurlingtonBurlington, IowaBurlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, and Muscatine. 1845 - 1857 - Trained nearly 1,000 Men and Women ministers to go into the Western United States
Related movements
The father of Charles Parham, Robert Parham, was influenced by the preaching of the Iowa Band. Charles would later become one of the fathers of the Pentecostal renewal. Parham‘s teachings influenced the Azusa Street RevivalAzusa Street Revival
The Azusa Street Revival was a historic Pentecostal revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles, California and is the origin of the Pentecostal movement. It was led by William J. Seymour, an African American preacher. It began with a meeting on April 14, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915...
.