The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-18
w. J. SIMPSON.
NEW CHURCH DEDICATED.
Rev. T. n. Ivey Writes Of a Visit Il
Wake and Church Dedication.

Rev. T. n. Ivey Writes of a Visit TO
Wake and a Church Dedication.
The new Ebenezer Methodist church,
near the Chatham line, was dedicated
last Sunday. The dedicatory sermon
was preached by Rev. 7. n. Ivey, the
eloquent editor of the Christian AdvO-
cate Writing of his trip and the Occa-
sion, DIR. Ivey says:
Saturday afternoon, September 18th,
found us en- route to Ebenezer church, on
the Buckhorn circuit, Rev. S. G. Stamey,
preacher-in-charge. While waiting for
the S. A. L. train at Cary, we had the
privilege of spending an hour with that
staunch itinerant, Rev. ]. w. Jenkins.
Brother Jenkins was in good spirits, very
much elated over the fine opening of
Trinity College He is closing up his
fourth year mt Cary and has had sue
cessful pastOrate.
GA short run down to Merry Oaks and
we find Brother Stamey with horse and
buggy waiting to take us few miles ia
the country in the neighborhOOd Of
Ebenezer church. Before the shadows
began to darken into night we found our
selves under the hOspitable roof of Mrs.
Nancy Sturdivant, a true Methodist and
two sons, Messrs. Thomas and Robert
Sturdivant, the former prosperous
merchant of Chatham and a trustee of
his church. 1t is unnecessary to say
that the hours under this roof passed
pleasantly for two Methodist preachers.
Sunday dawned in all the pensive
beauty of Il September day. Nature was
beginning to hang her Grape over the
fields and forests. but everything seemed
laughing, from the young beams of the
sun which filtered through the notified
foliage of the trees to the golden rod
which shook its yellow crown above the
dying grasses. BY ten o'clock, a. M,
hundreds of people were making their
way to Ebenezer church. 1t was dedica-
tion day for the church. Many ardent
souls had thrown their love and labors
into the work of preparing a new temple
of worship.
"The church structure is neat and COM
mOdiOus. White. symmetrical, with a
steeple rising high above the trees, it
stands as a monument to MethOdism on
the BuckhOrn circuit 1t was designed
and built by Mr. J. B. MasemOre, OF
JOnesbOro. who, though blue Presbytc-
rian, enjoys building Methodist churches,
many of which he has built to the salts
faction of all over this section.
'The congregation was immense and
attentive; the preacher had liberty; the
music was good; the people were en-.
thuSiastic. At the close of the sermon,
the sentence of dedication was pro-
nounced. Brother A. ]. Wilson spoke
for the trustees, consisting of Brother
Wilson himself, w. ID. Matthews, II.
Farrar, w. f. Wynn, J. II. Lawrence
and NJ E. Mann.
"A pleasant feature Of the service was
the presentation to the church of hand
some pulpit Bible given in memory of
Mrs. Susan X. Franks by her loving
daughter.
Brother Stamey preached in the af-
ternoon to a large congregation a sermon
which it was not our privilege to hear.
This is Brother Stamey's second year on
this work, and it was easy to see that his
people are pleased with him. Brother
Stamey prays much, studies hard, reads
closely and widely, and it is no wonder
that he succeeds. He commenced his
protracted meeting last Sunday. and we
are safe in predicting that it will not be
frnitless. He has some Of the "saIt Of
the earth among his people,"