The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-21

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THE PROGRAMME.
Before the services began Rev. J. E. L.
Holmes pastor of the First Baptist church,
and Rev. Richard Webb, were given seats
within the chancel
The pastor announced the programme for
the evening as follows
Organ Prelude.
Inyocatory Prayer
Thanks giving Anthem.
Reading the History of the First Church.
Hymn by the Congregation.
cies
Special Remarks.
Anthem of Praise.
Reading of Scriptures,
Hymn by the Congregation, and Collection.
Ordination Services.
Doxology and Benediction.
The principal event of the evening was the
reading of the church's history since its
organization, by Rev. J. NJ. Simms. The
task was well performed. The story of the
organization of the church was succinctly
woven, and it was read so well that the
audience listened with the most wrapt at
tention. 1t might be alluded to as feat
of which men of more literary pretensions
than the reader might be proud, to have
woven the history of church for 100 years
with its various ups and downs, embody
ing statistical data III such a manner as to
keep the perfect attention of his audience.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
Much Of the history of the organization
of the church was given in the MORNING
News few days since As stated, the
| church was organized in 17SS by Rev. An
| drew Bryan, slave of Jonathan Bryan
| Esq. The labOrs of the preacher were great
| ly impeded at the outset by a sentiment that
| prevailed among the whites that the church
was a cover for meetings to produce an in
!
reason the church property was bought
| for $50 by Andrew Bryan and
! decided to three white trustees, and after
| ward it was considered that these were
responsible for whatever of trouble
might arise from the meetings of the
| colored people. In 1902 the church mem
| bership had grown so large that two other
churches We're organized, the Second Bap-
list and the Ogeechee, and from the fold of
the mother church the former was given
200 members and the latter $50. In 1904
great storm prevailed along the coast and
! twenty-one members of the church persisted
! in il.
Rev. Andrew Bryan, the founder of the
church. died in 1872, being 90 years of age.
His funeral was attended by 5000 people.
! He died leaving property to the value of
$4,000 after having purchased the freedom
of himself, wife and only daughter.
THE FIRST DIsCoRD.
The first dIscord in the church was sown
| in 1882, when Alexander Campbell was al
lowed to preach i'll it. The pastor, A.
| Marshall, i'll some way gave out the idea
! that he was favorable to the Campbellite
doctrine, and for some time the church was
in a state of thorough disOrganization Mar
| shall was finally sllenced, and the church was
re-organized as branch of the white church.
| The present pastor, Rev. u. l.. Houston,
! then began his ministry. At the conclusion
! of the civil war the church separated itself
! from the Sunbury Association and joined
| an association Of colOred churches organic d
at Mitchellvllle S. C. In 1871 there was a
! second division and under the leadership of
| Rev. 4. Harris, a body of forty-tve mem
berS, under his leadership, organized the
! Second Bryan church on Waldburg street.
There has been a Sabbath school CON
nectod with the church since 1926 1t was
organized under the auspices of the indie
pendent Presbyterian church, but soon after
| became a strictly Baptist Sunday school,
A great pride has always been taken in the
music.
TWO THOUSAND STRONG.
The membership of the First Bryan
| church is 1000. IT is the mother church Of
all other colored Baptist churches in the
| State, of which there are 400, with 800
preachers and 10000 members and church
ediices which cost nearly $500, 600. The
! cOsJ OF tne HrSU bryan structure as III stands
| was $4,000.
At tire conclusion of the reading of the
| history, Rev. Richard Webb delivered a
| PRAYER which was followed by a few re-
marks by Rev. Weston.
| DR.. j. +. i. Holmes was introduced and
| he made short address. He had not ex-
! pected TO be called upon, but he said that
| he had enjoyed the reading of the remark.
able history. He wondered not that the oc-
casion should be one of thanksgiving.
You have abundant reason he said, adj
dressing the congregation, "to be grateful
not only for the history but for the cause
in which the history has been written.
! Whatever has been accomplished is
due to the almighty spirit of
| God. But it will not do to simply rest
upon the history of other days God has
| yet in store for us more to do and more to
enjoy. Let us begin with quickened ardor,
feeling assured that he VINO led the fathers
viii lead the children" He congratulated
! the co!ored Baptists upon the way in which
they have chung to the orthodox church.
Discussions have occurred and factions
have formed but they have chung TO the
old truth. In this respect the colored race
has set a good example to the whites. The
Bible has been their guide.
The remainder u the programme was
| carried out and was enjoyed i'll an orderly
and Christ an-like manner. j. j. Bateman
and }. /. Jones were ordained ministers and
H. Green, b. II. Renear and d. B. Gaddston
deacons.