Morris tribune., 1890-06-25
How He Went to Church.
Bureau Of Southern News,
RALEIGH. N. G.

Bureau OF Southern News. |
RALEIGH, N. q.
For the NORRIS tribune.
Appropriately following our last lei
ter, perhaps an account of our going =
church on particular Sunday, and
description of the building itself ma
not be uninteresting to our readers.
| About four miles from where we wer
stopping, stands an old Presbyterian
Church. which was once the only churcl
in that half of the county. On brigh
and beautiful Sunday morning in April
q gentleman of energy and kind inten
tions determined that our settlement
| should be represented at the church
| About nine O'Clock, mule team hitched
to lumber box wagon, and driven by
black man, came to our door. Eigh
chairs were placed in the wagon ane
eight persons placed on the chairs. The
wagon was without springs, the chairs
| with out cushions, and the road without
stones, but yet very rough; made 80 by
roots and rain. 1t was not a highway
| simply track through the woods
Hence, rough as it was, we must use 1t
| and that too without the luxury OF
grumbling about Commissioner or Patti
Master. "Do you know how to go tG
the old saw mill?" was question put tc
the negro driver. eyes sab, know that
road" And so we jolted along for
couple of miles, in quiet contemplation
of the beauties of nature. AT the end OF
two miles we became certain that oul
driver knew how to lose himself and his
| load much better than he knew how to
| find the old saw mill. However, by the
use of little know and more guess, We
found the old saw mill, and pushed or
to church without further adventure.
We found the people assembled and
services begun. The pastor was giving
record or report OF the work of the
| church, its increase, ETC., during the
past year. The record of money con
trlbuted to benevolent work, and the
number of persons admitted to the
church in the year, were such as to
honor large and wealthy church, and
one which enjoys the services OF pastor
for the whole time. And yet this
church, without rich members, is com
posed largely of scattered farmers just
living from their farms, and enjoy q
preaching service only twice each
month. A half of a pastor is better
than none; sometimes perhaps better
| than whole one.
The church building itself is worthy
of special description. 1t stands in
one of the lovliest spots nature can
make. Upon knoll slightly elevated
above the surrounding plain, which in
turn is the bottom of bowl like am
phitheatre, stands two story, nearly
square, plain weather beaten building
Without steep]e of any kind, and unit
quite recently without chimney. Near
the west side of the building, bell is
elevated upon a post about half the
height of the building.
Man has erected a shelter within
which to worship God. God has sur
rounded it with beauties beyond the
conceptions of man. The little hills
around; the shady glen with its spring
of pure water; the flowers and the trees
today white with the dogwood blossom
and the beautiful quiet of the solemn
| resting place of the dead, all combine to
form a picture from the hands of the
Divine Artist which cannot soon be
forgotten.
This church edifice was erected before
the war. 1t has six entrance doors;
four for the white people and two to the
galleries for the slaves. The colored
people and the whites now have their
own separate churches; but before the
civil war, the slaves must some times 60
with their masters; and then they must
go into the gallery BY themselves. The
floor will seat about three hundred per.
sons, and on this Sunday was we'll filled.
The outside has been painted, but no
paint brush ever touched the interior.
Floors, seats, walls, ceiling, gallery
fronts, castings, doors and windows, are
of the best southern pine. Columns ten
inches square, of handsome curled pine,
and some without crack, supported
the galleries. The walls and ceiling are
covered with heart boards ten and
twelve inches wide, so thoroughly
seasoned before being used that very
few joints have opened enough to admit
knife blade. This building was all
done by hand labor; evidently the labor
of an honest love for the cause.
The people would not build poorly in
their work; they could not build poorly
in material; for this splendid old pine
was all they had with which to build.
1t cost them but little; but if some fairy
could in night transport to any of our
readers the lumber in the interior of
| that attractive old church, 1t would
make you rich. Age has spread rich
mantle of brown over the whole. Good
men have preached within these walls
to the passing generations. Good men
and women have sung and prayed there
and have been carried thence to their
last home. 1t is unpretentlous; but
beautiful in its surroundings and its
whole; and dear to the hearts of the
people who come from far and near,
twice each month, to worship the
Groator IF oil hnautv T IT p