Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-03-05
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.
The Cause of God In KpoxyiIIe-The
Workings of our Churches
No. NIv.--TIGE FIRST AND SECOND COL
oRED BAPTIST CHURCHES.

No. NIv.--TIIE FIRST AND SECOND coll
oRED BAPTIST CHURCHES.
In the year 1854, three men, Rev. r..
Embry, James Fountain and Gilbert Rus.
sell, met in the basement of the First Pres
byteran Church, and there and then, with
only these three names to begin with, they
organized the
FIRST CoLoREp ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
They continued to hold their meeting at
this church for some time, with Rev. II.
Embry officiating, doing some good. Af
ter this they removed their place of wor-
ship to the NJ. T.. Zion Church. where
they continued to hold regular meetings
once month fer some time. They then
removed their place of meeting to the col
ored school house in East Knoxville aud
worshiped there regularly up to the year
of 1866, by which time they had about
thirty members.
About this time Rev. VIM. Howell came
from Ohio with the purpose of making
this his home, and was Immediately called
to the pastoral charge of the church and
has continued rs such ever since. AS be
fore stated, he found about so members,
with three deacons, as follows: James
Fountain, G. Russell Greene Fields, the lat
ter also officiating as clerk of the chul CHI.
He went to work with will and soon his
labOrs proved effective and great numbers
were added TO the church.
a subscription was raised, the citizens
of Knoxville giving literally, and soon a
lot was procured on Patton street in East
Knoxville, which the present large
and commodOus church edifice was erect
ed, The lot and the building cost the
church about s., 900, which, we are graft
fled tn be able to state, has all been paid
and the church is at present entirely out of
debt.
The pastor has labored faithfully with
his charge, and his labors seem to be APP
preciated During one revival last year,
125 accessons to the church were made,
ll5 by baptism and 10 by letter. The pres
ent condition of the church is truly en-
couraging, there being membership of
4 communicates. The church is out of
debt, and is thoroughly able TO suitably
maintain their pastor. Rev. VIM. Howell
has served the church upwards of five
years, and seems 10 have given general
satisfaction, still being their pastor at the
present time. He is assisted in his labors
by the following SIX Deacons: j. Foun-
tain, II. Fuller, S. Campbell, r. Banks,
A. Handy, j. Crookshanks.
.. sABBATHs CHooL.
Atout the year 1866 Rev. VIM. Howell
organized Sabbath School with .
scholars. The school grew in interest
and now they have about l2j scholars and
II teachers. The Sabbath school has GER
tainly been blessing to this people, espe-
| cially to those who, before the free schools
came into operation, were unable to send
their children to a day school. Many thus
learned to read, and were taught the du-
| ties they owe to God and man, who, tax
ing the Sunday school away from them,
would have grown up in ignorance, and
more than probable would have made
bad citizens. Much of the prosperity OF
the colored race can he attributed
to instructions received in the Sabbath
| school. May this particular school con-
| tinue to grow in interest, and thus throw
out a hallowed influence that will tell
wonderfully upon the moral standing OF
the colored race in years to come.