Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, June 29, 1910.
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF COVING-TON AS IT APPEARS COMPLETED.
services will be held in handsome
NEW BAPTIST CHURCH SUNDAY, JULY 3rd.
One of the Prettiest Houses of Worship In
State Will Be Occupied on That Day.
Large Attendance Is Expected.
The handsome new First Baptist
Church of Covington has been com¬
pleted, the introductory services will
be held therein Sunday morning, Ju¬
ly lird, at which time a large crowd
is expected to be present.
The Baptists of this city, though
small in number, planned some sev¬
eral months ago to build a house of
worship which would not only meet
the requirements of the present time
but which would stand as a useful
and commodious gathering place for
years to come. That they have have
succeeded in hteir planning is flat¬
teringly attested by this structure
which has just been completed, at a
large cost and the untiring energy
of the pastor, the building .commit¬
tee and the flock. They have worked
with a spirit of unison seldom seen in
any congregation and their aceom
plishment of the end in view will ev
er stand as a monument to their en
deavor and faith.
This church, conveniently located
and built on modern structural lines,
is one of the most complete houses
of worship in the state, and in ap¬
pearance it is surpassed by none.
Mr. Pendleton, the pastor, who has
by his energy and perseverance made
the new building possible, has been
KEV. EUGENE R. PENDLETON
Pastor First Baptist Church.
"P to his oars in work since the
Plan was first spoken of, but has
through it all remained the same
t'ia] and faithful pastor, giving the
congregation good sermons and doing
all the good he could. The church
Wl * ^.tnd as a monument to his
pas-
Building
Committee
First Baptist
Chureh of
Covington. Ga
T. Row E. E. Parker, E. H. Jordna, N. S. Turner, C. E. Cook.
Raw ow D P. J. , „ Hason, G. D. Butler, C. J. Norman, H. B. Anderson.
torate in this city.
Through the kindness of Mr. Pen¬
dleton we give below a historical
sketch of the First Baptist church of
this city since its organization, which
was published in the Baptist Bulletin
iast summer:
“On the twenty-first of June, 1823
thirteen earnest men and women met
together and constituted a Bap¬
tist church in the present town of
Covington Three ministers of the
faith, Revs. Joel Cooley, Luke Robin¬
son and Richard Pace were the con¬
stituting council and 'Francis Cook
was the clerk, protein of the meeting.
On the record book these thirteen
subscribed their names. Rev. Joel
Cooley became the first pastor, and o
March 6th, 1824, the church had grow
sufficiently to buy three acres of land
on the north side of Dried Indian
Creek, for the munificent sum of
$5.00, and on July 1, 1826, they clea'n
ed up the land at the cost of $13.00
and began the erection of a house
of worship just where the Negro
school house stands in this year of
grace.
“The church belonged to the Oc
mulgee Association, and some strange
and significant note§ are recorded in
those days. On July, 3, 1824, a res¬
olution was passed which postponed
foot-washing until they could get
into their own house.
“George Daniel was the first man
licensed to preach—Oct. 2, 1824,—
the afterwards it was prolific in this
re-pect.
"The first treasurer was John Al
mand, and the first deacons, Hardy
Morgan and Gunge Daniel ( after¬
wards made preacher. The first
Negro member adnitted was “bro¬
ther Glasgow, the property of Mr.
Matthew Smith, Feb. 6, 1825.” Later
cn fully an average of one-half of
the membership were from the slave
race till after 1865. Brother James
Hambrick was elected “singing clerk”
April 2. 1825.
“The first subscription list for the
support of the gospel was passed
around in August, 1825 upon the re
election of Pastor Colley.
“The first prayer-meeting mention¬
ed was December 31, 1825.
“The house of worship was finish¬
ed soon after July 1826, and for some
time the body seemed to be quite vig¬
orous, recording frequent aeknowledg
ments to the church, and occasional
expulsions in the midst of refreshing
accessions.
On February 3d, 1827, Rev. T. J.
Hand was elected pastor to succeed
Rev. Joel Colley. Here is a record
THI OOVINGTCN NIWI.
W
Showing leave granted to Jerry, a
colored brother, to preach in the
church on May 4, 1827, and every
succeeding second Sabbath.
Three days meetings w’ere held in
these days, once a year,and how the
people seemed to drink in the mes¬
sages from various preachers! How
strange it sounds in this time of spir¬
itual indigestion! There were fre¬
quent additions to the church at reg¬
ular times of worship.
The sexton received $6.00 a year
Old House of Worship Built, A. D., 1877.
fur his services. The prayer-meeting
became a fixed appointment on Tues¬
day night of each week. On Nov. 2,
1827, J. R. Hand was licnesed to
preach, and on May 31, 1829, John
Aiinand was licensed likewise.
The first house of worship was
burned by Girard’s raiders on July
22, 1863, together with a lot of cot¬
ton then stored in it. The next house
of worship was where the county jail
is now located, and after the war the
church had its struggle for existence,
running down to very few at times
but never ceasing. When the third
house was built Rev. J. M. Brittain
was pastor. Dr. Brittain is living
and is now a resident of Atlanta.
Little did any member realize per¬
haps that the small band was making
church history, but some very impor¬
tant chapters have been written.
In 1839 occurred the split between
the missionary wing and the anti¬
missionaries.
Besides the preachers, there have
been some splendid deacons develop¬
ed in this church but as the names
et all are not availible we will not
attempt to publish any, though ttnany
are worthy of honorable mention in
any history of the chureh.
The church has had some men as
pastors who are notable in different
fields of usefulness, for example, Dr.
Cheney was the inventor of the well
known “Cheney’s Expectorant.” Dr.
J.'M. Brittain was a distinguished ed¬
ucator, and moderator of the Stone
Mountain association for many years,
and several of his predecessors have
also held that office. Many of the
other pastors are known too well to
need any comment upon their lives.
The pictures accompanying this
sketch show the present, or third
house of worship, and the new, or
fourth, as it appears when completed,
and the pastor of the church when
the last one was built, and the pastor
and finace and building committee of
tire present.
It is nothing but history repeating
itself for a church to tear down old
and build new houses. There is a
time to tear down and a time to build
A church not only outgrows in size,
its old house, but outgrows them in
style and adaptability, as men do
clothes. Clothes that serve a good
purpose one season are suitable on¬
ly for the scrap pile, the next. With
this principle before us in A. I).
1905, the church began the new
church movement by buying a cor¬
ner lot one block from the public
square, containing a nine room pas
torium and room for a new house of
worship. Imbued with the neessity
of having an up-to-date house suit¬
able to the times, d'fficulties were
v/ere overcome one at a time, till the
middle of 1909 finds the building
well on the road to completion.
In 1903, under the leadership of
Rev. B. W. Collier, Covington Mill
church became an independent daugh
ter of this body. During the last
four years the church has moveed up
its gifts to missions and benevolences
to $600 per year. Febuary 1908 the
pastor, feeling the importance of
reaching the homes of a scattered
membership, launched the Baptist
Bulletin, to go into the homes of
all, present or absent, with a message
of cheer, and hopefulness. God lias
been pleased to use these poor offer¬
ings to bring us thus far on the road
to progress, aaid we commend all to
Him who is able to cast down and
DR. J. M. BRITTAIN,
Pastor When the House Was Built.
make alive, and pray for His bless¬
ings, not on upon our labors, but upon
the labors of all who shall come after
us.
“Some of the pastors of the Coving
ton church from June 21, 1823 to
June 1909. It is noticeable that the
church has not been accustomed to £.9
many changes in its pastorate as
some churches. These are perhaps
r.ot all but all that are easily availa¬
ble from the records, viz: Joe Col¬
ley, T. J. Hand, George Daniel, Da¬
vid Carter Cook, Stephen Mayfield,
William Spears, Dr. Cheney, J. F.
Edens, J.M. Brittian, T. J. Swan
sou, Christopher White, J. M. Still¬
well, I. G. Walker, R. E. L. Harris,
J. T. Fields, S. C. Hood, B. W. Col¬
lier, E. It. Pendleton.
“Dr. J. M. Brittain was pastor of
the Covington church from 1877 to
1889. The present house was built
and dedicated the first year of his
pastorate, and the sermon was
preached by Dr. A. T. Spalding. A
hymn composed by Dr. Brittain was
sung at the dedication.’*
PAGE THREE.
Covington Buggy Co.
Garage Department
Have Your Automobile
Repaired and adjusted by a man who
knows how. We have secured the ser¬
vices of Mr. Sidney H. Cook, who has
six years experience and is capable of
doing any kind of work.
We expect to run a first-class Ga¬
rage and do first-class work at reason¬
able prices.
Call on us for work or supplies and
we will serve you right.
Covington Buggy Co.
Covington, Ga.
I j DR. WRIGHT’S f
HAIR RESTORER
Relieves dandruff and falling hair. Promotes new growth and
restores natural color to gray hair. One of the best hair restorers on
the market. Price 50c for large bottles.
SPECTACLES
I make a specialty of testing your eyes by most approved scienti¬
fic methods free of charge. I carry a complete line of Spectacles and
guarantee satisfaction in prices and adjustment.
TRUSSES
I have an experience of twenty-five years in adjustiug Trusses.
If you need a Truss, I am the man you are looking for. I will guar¬
antee to give you scientific adjustment and satisfactory prices.
DR. J. A. WRIGHT, Druggist
Covington, Ga.
You Are Known
To the outside world by the STATIONERY you write your let¬
ters on. If it looks like it was printed in a blacksmith shop it
immediately finds its way to the waste basket—leaving a dark'
brown taste in the mouth of the receiver. MORAL: Insist on
the best—you get only tty^t kind from
FLOWERS & TAYLOR, Printers.
New Racket Store
One Price! Spot Cash! BIG VALUES!
I am pleased to announce have added
many new lines and more to follow.
Same good values as we have always
given. Impractical to enumerate as
must be seen to be appreciated. Trust
you will allow us the pleasure of show¬
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1 . GUINN.
