The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-16
CORRESP NOE.
South Alabama Presbytery,
Its Fields and its Laborers.
No g

Its Fields and its Laborers.
No 8.
The First Presbyterian church, Selma,
DR.. I. w. Hooper, pastor, bids fair soon
to take the lead among the churches of
this Presbytery and Synod, in numbers
and contributions, as perhaps it does al
ready in enterprise and steady growth
Its communion roll at last report was but
seven less than that of the Government
Street church, Mobile, while its pupils
in the Sabbath School number 247, show
ing the largest Sabbath School in the
bounds of Presbytery. This church has
been blessed with succession of choice
pastors. How precious the memory of
Porter, Small, Lowry, and Morrison !
They rest from their labors and their
works do follow them. tits saying much
Of DIR. Hooper that he fills well the place
of these departed worthless.
The Alabama Street church, located in
East Selma, is fine field for missionary
labor. The enterprise had its birth in
the missionary spirit, and its success will
be properly measured by the spiritual in
fuence it exerts on the miscellaneous
population which gather around railroad
shops. Rev. P. Gowan, pastor of this
church, is brother whose simplicity of
spirit and consecrated earnestness will
always inspire confidence The Session
is composed of some of the leading bust
ness men of the city, who with their fam
lies have entered this church because it
furnishes peculiar opportunities for Chris
tian usefulness. Mr.. Gowan gives one
Sabbath month to Centre Ridge church
In Dallas county, about twenty miles
south Of Selma. Hon. j. NJ Calhoun, a
nephew of the great statesman, was, for
a long time before his death, its only rul-
ing elder. In the pulpit of the "old
brick church, where this congregation
formerly worshipped the pastor, Rev
Angus G. Mcneil fell dead, with heart
disease, in the midst of the Sabbath SER
vice.
Cahaba, on the Alabama river, few
miles below Selma, once the capital oI
the State, is nothing now but an ordin-
ary steamboat landing The Presbyte-
rian church is extinct. The church build.
ing was removed to Selma and is now a
colored church. It's old elder, James D.
Craig, emigrated to San Francisco, Cal.
and died there. This church was min.
istered to by DR.. Leroy J. Halsey, Pro.
tessor in the North Western Theological
Seminary, by N. M. Smythe, who died
years ago while serving Dayton church
and by II. Keigwin, now in the Church
North Here DR.. P. J. Sparrow, once
President of Hampden Sidney College
spent his closing years as stated supply
preaching often with acceptance sitting
in chair after he was too infrm to stand
IN the pulpit. His grave at Cahaba is
cared for under the direction of Presby-
terry.
Pisgah church, in the vicinity of Selma
Will soon live only in memory, although
1T once had membership of over 15t
ana large house of worship. A cyclone
demolished the building and time scat.
Tered the people. The small church
bullt OF the debris of the storm remains
without a congregation.
Rev. w. N. Carothers, brother whose
preaching IS instructive and whose pas-
toral vlsitations are marked bv the tom
derest sympathy, has charge of Mt, pleas
ant and Valley Creek churches IN Delles
county, giving also fourth of his time
to Good Hope church in East Alabams
Presbytery. Valley Creek is the mother
OF churches, and its early history would
Iorm an important factor in the annals
OF pioneer Presbyterianism in this State
!ts annual camP-meetings in those prim,
IVlVe Gays were truly Feasts Of Taber-
nacles to which the tribes were wont to
90 up, lourneying often distance Of from
% to 100 miles It's early pastor, Rev
Mr. King, Of blessed memory, returned
from journey and fell victim to obol.
era. DR.. Richard Cater, pastor of Selma
church, ohiciated at his burial, and with.
in few days also died, as some believe.