Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-11-20
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.
she Cause Of God i'm IAN SNNlIIc-The
Workings " our ChUrcAes

correct n history Of the church as possible !
This continues 10 be our sincere desire. And
right here we propose to 70 little further, and
say, that we SHALL not be. infuenced in the least
by any political opinions W. may entertain, be-
licving as We do, that politics should have moth
ing, and, rs lor as we tre concerned, has nothing
to do with religion. But to give correct and
impartial history Of the above named church,
and to give it, origia here in Knoxville we are
forced to barely touch the subject. This we do
however in as mild a manner as possible, merely
taking copy of tae minutes of the proceedings
at the time of the organization eff the church
at Knoxville, n can be found by examining
the cku. CHI record. 1t is as follows;
"a convention OF travelling and local preach
ers, and lay members of the Methodist Epsco-
pal Church South many of whom had been eN
PEELED from the church for Gisloyalty to the
Southern Con'federacy, was held in this city
July eth, 1862 Seventy-fve delegates were in
attendance.
Rev, E. J.. CLEARWATER, President, and Rev.
Il. ). Blackburn, Secretary.
The object of the convention was to gather the
loyal portisn OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
South within the bounds of the Holston Annual
Conference into a loyal and permanent organi-
cation and to supply the church with devoted
loyal pastors.
They, therefore, resolved to return to the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and ask, most re-
Specttully, to be recognized by ncr, ana pro-
vided for as the Holston Annual Conference,
subject to the control and authority of the APP
pointed heads of our church in the United
States, and to her discipline,
incompetence with this request the Methodist
Episcopal Church was reorganized in Knox
vile.'
The following Spring, Bishop Clark, Of the
NJ. c. Church re-organized the Holston Con-
| ference and Rev, j. j. Spence who was then
Principal of the East Tennessee Female Insti-
| tute was appointed as the regular pastor of the
Knoxville charge. The Society was then or
ganiGed and worshipped in Temperance Hall,
East Knoxville, where Rev Mr.. Spence work.
ed faithfully for one year, accomplishing great
! good.
in June, 1866, Rev. j. B. Ford, was trans
| ferred to the Holston from the Cincinnati Con-
| ference, and appointed pastor of the charge in
| Knoxville proper, and immediately proceeded
to re-organize Society at the court house,
where they worshiFped for few weeks the So
| ciety then numbering about 30 members. Rev.
Mr.. Ford then rented the Baptist Church and
| held a very successful protracted meeting,
| which was attended with most glorious result.
| The cause of religion was revived, numbers
were converted and the church received forty
! additional members: AT the close OF the revival
the Society returned to worshiping again in the
court house and remained there only a few weeks,
! during which time the Old Methodist Church
| on Church street was repaired and tpally taken
| charge of by the pastor. In TINS church the
congregation held their regular services until
the completion of their new and beautiful
church on Cllnch street. Rev. Mr.. Ford re-
manned pastor until the fall of 1867, when he
was transferred to the Illinois Conference. The
sixteen months he labored with this church will
! be remembered by many, as months of fervent
work and most wonderful success.
| Rev. j. S. Petty was the next pastor appoint
| ed, and worked faithfully with the charge for
one year At the close of his labors, Rev. j.
w. Mann was appointed. During his ministry
| the new church was completed, and dedicated
by Rev. DR.. Cobeigh. Rev. j. l.. Mann was
| the next pastor appointed and faithfully lsbored
with the charge for one year. He was succeed
! ed by Rev, J. Il. Eads, who will be remembered
in this community for his deep piety and clear
and forcible sermons, and when he by special
| request, was transferred to another Conference,
he left many sincere friends, who regretted to
lose so faithful a pastor. In October, 1871
REV. J. b. FORD,
in compliance with an earnest petition,
was again transferred to the Hoston
tb and at once appointed
his labors with will and the blessings of God
attended his ministrations to q remarkable de-
| gree. glorious revival was the result and one
| hundred souls were converted and added to the
church. How faithfully he discharged his du-
ties as pastor is unnecessary tor us to say, but
the following figures will show for themselves
At the time of the organization at the court
house only 30 members were enlisted on the
church books now it contains 30 One hun
dred and forty of these were taken in
at two revivals held by Rev j. b. Ford
thus making it over one-half of the total
number that were added to the church
during the faithful ministrstions of this
devoted pastor The last Annual Conference
seem ed to appreciate his value here, and have
returned him to US for one more year Mt least.
The present condition of the church is most
fattering Out of the 275 members who have
been on the church book since its organization
have died, 81 removed with letter, and 81
without letter, leaving the present membership
to consist of 2l5 communicates The members
generally seem to be more impressed with a
of their duty at present than they ever have
heretofore, and glorious results are anticipated
during the present conference year.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
In this, the nursery of the Nj. T. Church.
there is not as much interest taken rs might be-
But right here will give the pastor the credit
that he has faithfully underworld to awaken a
deeper interest, and to some extent has been
ccssful. Yet great good has been accomplished
in this department. When the sabbath school
was first organized at the court house only TWEEN
ty-tive children could be induced to attend
now the average attendance is one hundred and
thirty-fve scholars. AS an evidence of the good
that is being accomplished we would state that
quite number OF those converted during the
revival last winter were regular attendants ut
the sabbath school. This should inspire the
memb ers of this church with new energy, and
increase their ZEAL feeling assured that the seed
thus sown will be followed by an abundant har-
vest to the glory of God. Many children are
yet without religious instruction. Go forth, then,
yoH who call yourselves followers Of Him, who
said, Suffer little children to come unto Me,