Public Library. The Manning Public Library Association was organized in August, 1886. A membership fee of one dollar per year is charged, and a small fee is charged nonmembers who take out books. These charges are made for the purpose of keeping up the library and defraying expenses that necessarily accrue. The library was started with a case of thirty volumes, and was run for one year. It was kept in the State Bank of Manning; but as the interest decreased, it was practically unknown to the public. In June, 1895, a Woman's Reading Circle was organized, which took charge of the library and increased the stock of books to one hundred and Sixty Six volumes. hey are now subscribers for the Iowa State Traveling Library; which furnishes them with 100 volumes per year, for reading purposes. At the end of a certain period these books are replaced with new ones, the volumes remaining, all of the time, the property of the Traveling Library. By furnishing entertainments and suppers, the Reading Circle raised enough money to increase the permanent library to 200 volumes. The library is kept in the State Bank of Manning and is opened to the public on Saturdays, from 2: to 5 p. m.

THE WOMAN'S READING CIRCLE meets every week, during cool weather, to discuss the leading topics of the time. It was organized June 17, 1895, with the following officers President, Mrs., Burdick; Vice President, Mrs. Baker; Secretary, Mrs. C. D. Dewing; Treasurer, Mrs. D. W. Sutherland. The organization meets at the homes of its members, where certain topics are assigned and discussed; thus, developing the minds of its members intellectually, and affording, at the time, excellent Social advantages. The present members of the association are: President; Mrs. H. S. Campbell; Vice President, Mrs. O. E. Dutton; Secretary, Blanche Patton; Treasurer, Mrs. W. W. Breckenridge.
The present membership is 20.

Methodist Church and Parsonage

Religious Denominations.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, looking north east, taken in 1888.

PRESBYTERIAN: The first services held in Manning, by the followers of the Presbyterian faith, was September 23, 1881. The service was conducted by Rev. T. S. Bailey, of Carroll, in the unfinished room of the Farmers and Traders Bank. The congregation was composed of Six members. From this time up till December of this year, services were conducted, only, as the opportunity presented. After December 11. Rev. Elfelt, the regular presiding pastor at Arcadia, held services in the School room at 11 a. m. and 7 p. m. Sundavs. The services were alternated with Rev. Elder, Elliott, the Methodist Minister who had charge of this circuit. All denominations, that were represented in the town, joined in a union Sunday School Service at 2:30 p. m. On the first of the year, the place of holding service was changed from the School room to the Manning Hall.
The religious services were thus conducted, either by different denominations, alternating, or in conjunction, till in May of 1882. On the 27th of this month, a petition to organize, was signed by G. M. Barber, Robert Macklin, D. W. and Annie Sutherland and H. Bell, and forwarded to the proper authorities, asking that they be permitted to organize a parish at this place. On May 28th, following, Rev. A. K. Baird held service and organized the church in due form, with sixteen members.

The congregation increased rapidly, and in July of this year, the agitation of the erection of a suitable edifice was taken up. With this end in view, the first board of trustees was elected. They were: L. M. Branson, D. W. Sutherland, Rober, Macklin, A. W. Simpkins and H. Bell. The edifice was completed in the summer of 1883, at a cost of $2200. The building was dedicated August 26, 1883. The services were conducted by Rev. R. T. Coyle, pastor at Ft. Dodge, being assisted by Rev. T. S. Bailey, Synodical Missionary of the Synod of Iowa. At the dedicatorial services there was $388 raised to clear the denomination of its indebtivoness, which left only $234. standing against it.

The church doors were thrown open to all of the other congregations represented in the city, which invitation was thankfully accepted by the Christians and Methodists, till they could build churches of their own; they taking turns at occupying the building at the available days and hours. This was the first religious edifice erected in the town. It is now occupied by the Presbyterians and United Brethren. The latter hold services there every other Sunday afternoon.

Methodist Church and Parsonage

The pastors who have officiated, for some time, at this place are Rev. T. S. Bailey, irregularly, from September 23, 1881 to December, 1881; Rev. E. A. Elfelt, from December 1881 to April, 1882; Rev. H. H. Cullen, from April, 1882 to May, 1883; Rev. C. S. McPhlinney, from May 1883 to October, 1884; Rev. C. E. Laughlin, from October, 1883 to April, 1885; Rev. A. W. Thomson, from April 1885 to December, 1888; Rev. Paden, from December, 1883 to 1891; Rev. Burnette, 1891 to 1893; Rev. Crotzer, from 1893 to 1894; Z. W. Steele, from 1894 up till the present time.

Catholic Church

ROMAN CATHOLIC: The first religious services of the believers of this faith, held in Manning was at the residence of J. W Martin, in the spring of 1882. From this time up till the erection of the church in 1887, services were held at the residences of the members of the congregation. The agitation of erecting a church, was taken up in the fall of 1885, and the erection of the same was taken up the nest spring. The building was completed in the fall of this same year.

For the purpose of erecting a church. Lot 8, Block 19, was bought of the Western Town Lot Company, for $90., in October of 1885. In the same year the Western Town Lot Company donated Lot 7, Block 19 to the denomination, and Lot 9, Block 19, was purchased of A. T. Bennett, in 1886, for $125. Father Byrne wishing a more central location, selected Lot 2, Block 1, with the expectation of being able to purchase more lots adjoining, but being unable to do so, and not being able to find another suitable location on the town plat, chose an acre on the farm of Mr. Gardner, just across the road east of town for which they offered $200. but which was refused.
They finally chose Lots 7, 8 & 9, Block 19, and purchased Lots 10, 11 & 12, Block 19, on which were some buildings. For this site they paid to Mr. Chapman $1500. The committee to purchase a site and erect a building was, P. M. Loes, J. W. Martin, Mathias Hoffman, Nicholas Schilling, Herbert Hoffman and James Mockler. The church was dedicated in February, 1887, and is known as "Church of the Sacred Heart". The property was sold to satisfy a mortgage, in December of 1896. It was bought in, for the congregation, by Edward Signall.

The congregation has held three Fairs, which have proved very satisfactory, both socially and financially. The first fair was held the first week in October of 1884. One of the most exciting features being a vote on the most popular merchant in town, which was awarded to John T. Jay, by a gold headed cane. The second fair was held in the spring of 1886, the proceeds of which were $520.63. The third fair was held in the fall of 1887, the proceeds of which were $1123.75 The different pastors who have officiated over this congregation are: Rev. Father O'Conor, February, 1887 to February, 1890; Rev. Father O'Farrell, February, 1890 to November, 1893; Rev. Father Wrenn, November, 1893 to September 28, 1895; Rev. Father Tierney, October, 1895 till the present time.
The congregation at present numbers about 100. Services are held every second and last Sunday- in each month.

Christian Church

CHRISTIAN: The followers of this faith, who are commonly called Campbellites or Deciples of Christ, for a number of years, worshipped with other denominations. A congregation was organized in June of 1885, by Elder, H. E. Hidgbee, in the public school building. After this, they held meetings in the school building and for a time in the Presbyterian Church which was very kindly tendered them by that congregation.
In the spring of 1886, a lot was purchased of John Stillmans, and a church was erected in the summer of 1887. The committee who had charge of this was: F. W. Arney, L. M. Conklin and F. H. Long. The building has never been dedicated.
Those who have officiated over this congregation as regular pastors are: Elder. H.E. Hidgbee, June, 1885 to June, 1886; O.H. Thurmann, October, 1886, resigned in 1888; J. G. Encell, fell of 1888, resigned in summer of 1889; J. A. Linder, April, 1890 to 1891; O. H. King, April, 1891 to April, 1892; D. J. Howe, December, 1892 to September, 1893; C. A, Lochart, after a protracted meeting of three weeks in which fourteen additional members were enrolled, was employed as regular pastor end remained until the following October; O. L. Davis, May, 1895 to August, 1895; J. W. Paine, May, 1896 to May 1897.

In the summer of 1892, Marion Boles held e protracted meeting end increased the congregation with fifty nine members. He met with a severe and painful accident, however, during the progress of these meetings, which compelled him to close them on account of the injuries sustained. While using a gasoline stove to heat the water in the baptistry, the building caught fire, and in extinguishing the flames Rev. Boles was badly burned.
In the summer of 1897, Elder. D. A. Hunter and son held a protracted meeting which lasted five weeks end resulted in adding eighteen new members to the congregation.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL: A Methodist class was formed in e schoolhouse in this vicinity, as early as 1878. It consisted of eighteen members end was first officiated over by Rev. Charles Martin.

The first regular service of this denomination, held in Manning, was conducted by Rev. John Ellcott, the minister in charge, in what was known as the Berber building, on November 13, 1881. Rev. J. A. Todd, Des Moines, Iowa, an evangelist, preached the first evangelical sermon in Manning, on the date lest above written. In the evening Rev. Todd spoke to an audience of seventy five or eighty persons, in Gestenberg's saloon. All gave good attention, and the discourse was given the most respectful attention.

The first protracted meeting was held, by Rev. John Ellcott, the second week in December, end proved very successful. It was held in the school room of the Callison building. The congregation remained about the same in number till in 1885, when Rev. J. H. Elliott held a protracted meeting, in which he increased the membership by nearly a hundred. Another meeting was conducted by Mrs. E. .B. Libby, in 1886: in which the membership was increased to about one hundred end sixty.
The advisability of building a church was taken up in the winter of 1881-2, but the size of the congregation prevented their carrying out the plans in full, however, the lots were selected end the congregation decided to build e parsonage, end leave the erection of the church till later. The church was erected in 1884, at a cost of $2400. It is the largest religious edifice in the town having a regular seating capacity for two hundred and fifty. The building was dedicated December 19, 1886. The services were conducted by Mrs. Libby, assisted by Rev. Early and the presiding pastor, Rev. Elliott. There was a debt of $800 hanging over the church, and it is said, that in less than forty-five minutes $1060 was raised, leaving a balance of $260 in the treasury. The congregation numbered about one hundred and sixty, while a year previous, it numbered only about twenty five. The officers, of the church and its respective societies will be found in the Manning Directory for 1898. The pastors who have presided, regularly, over the Manning charge or over those in this vicinity, before Manning was started, are, as near as can be obtained: Rev. Charles Martin, from 1878; Rev. John Elliott, 1881 to 1882; Rev. H. E. Harvey 1883 to 1884; Rev. 1. H, Elliot, 1885 to 1886;

GERMAN LUTHERAN: Although there is no organization of the members of this faith, at this place, still they number, including the entire families of those whose heads are members of this faith, in the neighborhood of 500. Their meetings, which are held the second and last Sunday in each month, are well attended, the congregation numbering close to 500. Up till 1888, the services were held in the schoolhouse after which they used the Presbyterian church. Their services and Sunday school are held in the afternoon of the days stated above.
The services are held in german and the minister's salary is raised by subscription among the members of the faith. Great stress is laid on Children's Day and other church days. The first regular pastor was Rev. Mallon who was succeeded by Rev. A. Ehlers in the Spring of 1887. Rev. Ehlers was succeeded by Rev. M. Brueggemann in 1894; while the latter was succeeded by Rev. C. A. Krog in 1896. Rev. Krog is the present pastor, and makes his home at Manilla, where he holds services on the alternating Sundays.