Newspaper Page Text
24 TH
DEDICATION OF THE NEW PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH AT ELBERTON,
GEORGIA.
The Elberton Presbyterians worshipped
in their new $10,000 church Sunday, June
13, Rev. C. I. Stacy, pastor, preaching
uie opening sermon irom aiattnew
" And I say unto thee: That thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it."
It would not be out of place to mention
the fact that when the idea to build the
new church was first conceived the Presbyterians
had only 110 members on their
church books. The wealthiest man in it
is not worth more than $20,000, yet with
dogged determination and a true Christian
spirit they went to work, and the
beautiful edifice on Mcintosh street
stands as a monument to what faithful
men and women can accomplish under
the guidance of the All-Seeing Eye
when they are working for the Cause of
Christ.
A solid rock foundation up to the
water table gives an air of endurance
to the whole structure, while the walls
'of red pressed- brick laid in red mortar
with simple, yet sufficient trimmings
of stone and toughened brick rise to
sufficient height to give the proper architectural
appearance. The tower, very
substantial in appearance rises only
high eqough to give an architectural
dignity and finish to the building. The
main entrance is through this tower
while the "Choir door" furnishes another
entrance in the front and the side entrance
provides a double passage into
the auditorium and Sunday-school room.
The auditorium, forty feet square,
with a "bowl* floor and circular pews,
seats 200 worshippers, easily. The or<XQ
n ronnoo Q KM 1 1 ??* '? -? -?-? *
? .v uj io icei, lunuanes ample
room for the installation of the pipe organ,
and the choir platform in front of
the same is on the same elevation as the
public platform which it adjoins and
hehce is raised sufficiently above the
congregation for the musicians to be seen.
The pulpit platform is in the central corner
of the building and from it all parts
of the building, including the class
rooms, can be seen at one time. Back
of the pulpit is the pastor's study, 11x14
feet, with separate entrance to the street
and plenty of light and air. The
Sunday-school room is separated
from the main auditorium by a twentyflve-foot
folding door-which permits the
entire building to be thrown into nn? ?n.
ditorium when necessary and seating in
the aggregate about 500 people. Provision
is made for eight class rooms, each
separate from the other, and yet all focusing
toward the platform. Underneath
this Sunday-school room is another room
of the same size divided into large
rooms for the use of the large classes.
This has been termed a "Model
.Church" and its builders and owners
consider it nearly so. They have sought
for ideas far and wide. The front of
this building is patterned from the Meth
r *
E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU!
odist Church of Auburn, Neb. Some of
the architectural ideas were gleaned from
a building in Los Angeles, Cal., while
other ideas have been gleaned from
churches in Georgia. Carolina and other
states. So numerous have been the
compliments paid to this building by
the press and others that already many
requests have come to the nastor of th*
church for copies of the plans to be used
by other churches as guides in new
buildings to be erected by them. In
this way, as in many others, the Elberton
Church is becoming indeed, ' a city
set upon a hill whose light can not be
hid," but their constant cry is, "Not unto
us, not unto us, but unto Thy great name.
Oh! Lord be all the Glory."
The Presbyterian Church, of Elberton,
was organized in the Methodist Church
on October 15, 1865, by Rev. Robert W.
Miiner and Elder John A. McCurdy, of
Hopewell Presbytery, and Rev. J. D.
Buckhead, D.D., and Elder A. Walker, of
South Carolina Presbytery, with the following
charter members: C. W. Penton,
Tnhn T \lr.fV.-f" A t> ? i ?
~ . ...?-wui LJ , nuiuo 1. tvei Illilll, HI I S,
Sophie Bruce, and Mrs. Rachael A. Auld.
Of these five all have joined the "church
triumphant" except Mrs. Auld.
The Church has been served by the
following ministers, either as pastor or
stated supply: Rev. Messrs. J. D. Buckhead,
D.D.; r\ P. Mul laity, C. H. Turner,
E. W. Green, John O. Lindsey, B. W. Mil
ner, F. Jacobs, P. C. Morton, T. P. Cleveland,
John B. Morton, W. G. F. Wallace,
J. F. Pharr, H. F. Hoyt, D.D.; Samuel L.
Wilson, L. A. Simpson, F. D. Thomas, J.
E. Stephenson.
During its history the Church has
been served as elders by Messrs. C. W.
Fenton, Theodore Munroe, John T. McCarty,
Dr. N. G. Long, Dr. A. S. Todd,
H. Jordan sAd Fred W. Auld, while the
present elders are P. S. F. Bruce, W. M.
Wilcox, W. L. Skelton, E. P. Harris and
J. F. Stllwell.
The deacons have been John T. McCarty,
N. G. Long, W. M. Wilcox. E. P.
Harris, F. W. Auld, John C. Higginbotham,
W. H. Irvln, E. E. Williamson, and
the present board of deacons is composed
of W. N. Auld, H. P. Hunter, J. F.
Reeves, George M. Wilcox and W. B.
Whitaker.
PRESBYTERY OF AUGUSTA CALLED
MEETING.
A called meeting of the Presbytery of
Augusta was held in the First Presbyterian
Church, Augusta, Ga., July 2, at 4
p. m., and was called to order by the
Moderator, Rev. G. M. Howerton. Rev.
J. T. Plunket, D. D., was heard touching
his request for a dissolution of the
pastoral relation between him and the
First Church. The formal answer of the
church was presented in the followiag
resolutions- "Wtionw. ?"?
....v.vuo, 'j u i iiasiur, toe
Rev. J. T. Plunket, D. D. has asked this
congregation to unite with him in a request
to this Presbytery for dissolution
of the pastoral relations existing between
him and us; and, Whereas, he has given
In part as grounds 'for this request that
J
"H. July 2i, 1909.
this pastoral relationship has existed for
nineteen years, and that, in his opinion,
a longer pastorate would not be conducive
to the interests of the Church
nor to the efficiency of himself as pastor,
and that he could accomplish a
greater work in a new field; therefore
be it Resolved, (1), That signs of the
auu tsuccessrui work he has accomplished
as pastor and preacher in our
church and in this Presbytery are abundant
on every hand, and that we have
every confidence in his ability to continue
it. Resolved (2), That we are not
prepared to admit that his efficiency is
impaired nor his usefulness among us
anywise lessened. Resolved (3), That
his long and consistent Christian life
among us has served to entrench him
the more deeply in our love and affection.
Resolved, therefore. That we decline
to unite with him in his request to
the Presbytery." Five commissioners,
appointed by the congregation, in addition
to the regular representative, \vere
heard, all lovingly protesting against the
dissolution, while, from the motives of
affection and esteem, tenderly and eloquently
expressed, unwilling to obstruct
the pastor in what he had acepted as the
call of duty. With sincere, and even
tearful, regret, the request was granted.
A call from the South Highlands Church,
of Birmingham, Ala., b?ing found in
order, was placed in Dr. Plunket's
hands, and, upon his signifying his acceptance
of the same, a letter of dismissal
to the Presbytery of North Alabama
was granted him. The following
resolutions were adopted by a rising
vote: "Rev. J. -T. Plunket, D.D., has
been a member of Augusta Presbytery
for a period of nineteen years. During
all this time, by his ability, his scholarship,
his fidelity, his consecration, his
sympathy, his zealous labors, he has
rendered invaluable services to
Kingdom in this Prcrbytery as well as
in the Church-at-large. He has won the
unstinted esteem, reverence and love of
the entire Presbytery. Through his eloquent,
scholarly and sound preaching, he
has not only delighted and edified the
members of our own communion, but he
has evoked the admiration of the members
of other coihmunions and of outsiders
in general. The vigorous growth of
the Augusta Presbytery in the past
score of years is traceable in no small
degree to the counsel and labors of this
glttSd messenger of the Most High. Hl6
work in the First Church, Augusta, has
been blessed with the peculiar favor of
God. In unity of spirit, in breadth of
*- "
uuuuun, in multiplied activities, in
abounding liberality, in numerical accessions,
this historic Church has excelled
all previous records during the pastorate
of Dr. Plunket. Therefore be it resolved
by the Preshvtoi-v * *? "v
, .V.J ui nugUH.lH, U) Thai
presbytery jHssolve the relation subsisting
between Rev. J. T.. Plunket, D. D.,
and the First. Church. Augusta, with extreme
regret; (2) That we assure Dr.
Plunket of our undiminished love, and
that our prayers will follow him and his
beloved family in the new field to which