Smyrna times., 1883-02-14
New Presbxterian Church.

The Presbyterian society of this
town on Monday purchased the two
vacant lots on Commerce street Just
above the establishment occupied by J.
B. Evans & Co., belonging to J. S.
Huntington of this town and Geo. C..
Simpson, of Wilmington, for $3.50 and
$500 respectively. Their object is to
erect a new church on it as soon as
arrangements can be made, building
that will cost from $4,000 to $4,000
The object is to get more eligible
location, the present one being on the
extreme limit of an unfrequented
street and thus not so likely to be visit
ed except by the habitual church goer.
The present church which is good
property and situated on Il beautiful
lot, will of course be for sale.
This building was erected about 81
years ago under the auspices of the
Methodist PrOtestants, then generally
called Radicals" A preacher of the
| denomination named Barnes came in
this section as prOpagandist, a silver
tongued orator, attractive to the people
and drawing crowds wherever he
preached. The NJ. L. church, or "Old
| side" as they were termed in distinc-
ton. were of course disturbed by such
a ground swell" and to stem the tide
felt they must bestir themselves. The
ReU. Barnes seemed to have a personal
fascination or his admirers were actuat-
ed by that certain but indefnable
antagOnism to religion when agrees.
i've, as was the case with the Metho.
dists of that day, for number of oul
well-tO-dO and prominent citizens gave
literally and entered heartily into
building this church, albeit they mani
Tested not the slightest cOpcerp spirit
ually for themselves or their friends
There was levity in their movement
that was shocking to the stauneh ole
members, and one of the stakeholder:
in the Barnes enterprise has since sale
that If there ever was church built a.
joke, this was. Under the impetus
that was thus given it, the structure
was soon erected and services held il
it as soon as it was enclosed. beinl
warm weather. They never got i
plastered. Barnes was detected il
gross immOralities and exposed, ant
there being nothing cohesive in tn
combination, the society fell to piece
as soon as the "silver tongued" orato
, decamped to other parts.
There were in the community severa
families of Presbyterian prOclivities
some of them united with the otbe
churches because they had none Q
their own, who saw in the vacan
church an opportunity for an organize,
society, so they applied to Mr.. Barne:
admirers and bought it oheaply. Th
church was plastered and comfortabl
/, pews built, and in 1847 or 48, Rev
Thos. &. Murphey, pastor of the Dove
Presbyterian church was engaged t
give them afternoon preaching whic
he did for six or eight years, or unit
,, they felt able to employ a settle
pastor.
|. The first years of the society wer
marked by decided progress. Anon
,, its prominent members were Wn
. Thompson, Hon. Presley Spruane,
: David j. Murphey, N. Il. Underwood
! ThOs. b. Lockwood, and among il
ardent supporters, John Mustar,
: Ayres StOckley, Walter McMulleI
Harry Shermer, DR.. Rich. S. Culbretl
i, I'll. =. Massey, and a number of devou
women who stood by it in sunshir
) and storm. But few societies haI
!. ever been crippled so much by deatl
: and removals as this, but the determ
nation to have new and more oentT
place of worship shows q dauntle
= courage that will commend itselfto q
/ entire community. AS an orthodo
# defender of the Christian faith Il
s Presbyterian church is not exceeded
!. its strength and firmness, and in an
2 community is a conservative power {;
q good.