“Ottumwa Tri-Weekly Courier,” Saturday, December 26, 1908, Page 7:

SCHELL OPENS EPWORTH CHAPEL

NEW M.E. CHURCH IN DAHLONEGA TOWNSHIP BEGINS LIFE AUSPICIOUSLY. 

Conducted by Dr. E.A. Schell, president of the Iowa Wesleyan unversity [sic] at Mt. Pleasant, the dedicatory exercises of the new Dahlonega township Methodist Episcopal church, Epworth chapel, located one mile and a half south-east of Dahlonega were held yesterday in an auspicious manner.

The new church has been completed and equipped at a cost of $2,500 and has the distinction of starting out entirely free of debt.  At the opening of the services yesterday morning there was still a deficit of $350 of the desider [sic] amount and $400 was raised by Dr. Schell either in cash or pledges before the close of the exercises.  The church has a new organ and the First M.E. church of Ottumwa has made the chapel a present of 100 Methodist hymnals.  The seating capacity of the building is 200.

Rev. W. A. Smith of the Farson circuit is the pastor of the new church.  The services yesterday were held at 10:30 o’clock in the morning and at $2:30 [sic] in the afternoon. At noon the ladies of the church served a picnic dinner in the church basement.  The occasion was largely attended, a number of people from Agency being present, beside [sic] the congregation.

To the trustees of the church, Messrs. Henry Dimmitt, Harlan Spry, Clifford D. Giltner, John W. Young and J.W. Jackson belong the credit for the establishment of the new house of worship.  It is the first and only church in Dahlonega township.  In connection with the church a Sunday school and Epworth League has also been organized.

The special musical numbers of the dedicatory exercises were several selections by the Agency choir and solos by Miss Maude Edmonds of Ottumwa.