The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-21
CHURCH SECURED
THE LOT At LAST
A True Story from One Of the
Towns Of Eastern North
Carolina.

MOYODAN, n. c., Dec. o1-Some
, twenty-five or thirty years ago, in GER
tain little village on one of the sounds
of Eastern North Carolina, the Metho-
dists decided to build a house Of worship,
and in casting about for a suitable lot,
they decided upon one belonging to a
gentleman Of the town who had the repu-
tation of being an infdel. When they
approached him with a proposition to buy.
he very promptly told them his lot could
not be had at any price, for that pur-
pose. He didn't believe in the so-called
religion Of the times, and gave them to
understand he would not become a party
to their plans, by selling them lot
puon which to erect church. His lot
being by far the most suitable for their
! purposes, they insisted. offering con-
siderable advance, but still he refused,
and finally they gave it up.
They bought, at length, lot in the
other end Of the town. lying several
squares from the one they first sought,
and upon this they erected comfortable
building.
The town in question lay close to the
"eAtC1 , VI l1iS SOuIlO. III q @lldl, ana WNeT
the rains descended and the foods
came" as was sometimes the case in that
section the waters of. the sound were
| driven through the streets with great
force often doing great damage to prop
erty. and even causing loss Of life.
A short while after the church was
completed the town was visited by fear
full thunder storm one Saturday. which
lasted far into the niht. The wind blew
I =, tro~ ~
the waters of the sound were flowing
through the streets with the rapidity Of
a mountain torrent. Pedestriantsm was
not only dangerous. but impossible. and
very early. the people retired for the
| night. With the coming Of the Saba tn
came the sunshine, the waters receded,
and the usual stiffness prevailed.
Soon the people began to stir around,
some in the direction Of the churches. and
some to view the damage done by the
storm. When the sexton of the new
Methodist church reached the lot whereon
that church ad stood. beheld but an
empty space; the church was gone The
news spread quickly, and soon the entire
town was aroused and joined In the
search for the missing church. Their first
IMPRESSION was that the storm of the
night before had washed it from its
foundations. and carried it out to sea,
Va S4Sc 11le1Oe It., OUT soon
came the astounding information thai
the church had been found on the lot
belonging to the intdel. and. strange to
tell, it was sitting in the exact position
the Methodists had intended it Should be
built had they secured he lot Every
body in the town knew the circumstances
OF the caso-how the committee had ap-
preached the owner to buy. his refusal.
and his reasons for doing so, and at
once the word passed that 1t was the
work Of the Almighty.
The owner OF the lot In question must
have thought SO. for he Immediately do
rated the lot to the church. gave literally
toward the completion Of the building
proressed conversion. Joined that particu-
lar church. and lived an exemplary Chris
( tian life toGtre end Of his days.
few years ago your correspondent
heard this incident told hv a minister in
one Of the churches OF this State, ond
feeling interested. he wrote party in the
town where it was said to have oc-
cured asked for the facts and they
were given substantially as stated above.