The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-13
AT OLD MIDWAY CHURCH.
ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION
OF THE HISTORICAL CONGRE-
CATION.

The Principal Address Delivered by
Rev. DIR. J. Y. Fair-LarEe Gather
ing Present, Among which Were
Several Savannahians-The Church
One of the Historic Buildings of
the State-SOmething of Its Real
and Legendary HistOry-Is No
Longer Used as Place of worship.
but Is Kept in Repair Because OF
Its Associations
The annual meeting of Midway
Church. one of the oldest and most his
toric edifices in Liberty county and in
the state. was held yesterday and, as
is usual, was attended by many peo-
pie from within a radius of twenty
five miles The annual address was
delivered by Rev. Dr.. J. Y. Fair. pas
tor Of the Independent Presbyterian
Church. Among other Savannahians
present were Capt. and Mrs. A. Cor
don Cassels and Mr.. Randolph Arson.
Though the history of the old church
is pretty generally known a brief re-
sumo Of it will not be without interest
The church. Congregational was built
in 1852 by settlers, whom tradition says,
came to America in the Mavflower,
later settled in Dorchester, S. c., then
emigrated to Georgia.
The first building was burned but
was rebuilt in 1892. and has stood ever
since. monument to the piety of it's
founders apd their descendants. and
place that is indissolubly linked with
the history Of the county prior to the
Civil War. 1t was aban-
doned as place Of wor-
ship after the Civil War, but the old
building and its cemetery, where sleep
so many of the forefathers OF the resi-
dents of the county, still retain the af-
fections of the people and are kept
in repair and good condition by body
of select men who are appointed at
each annual meeting.
How great an effect and how power
full an influence Midway Church had
upon the lives of its old congregations
is shown in the fact that, from its con-
gregation. have been sent out thirty
five ministers. The late Rev. DR.. 1.
s. K. Arson, for years pastor of the
Independent Presbyterian Church,
filled the pulpit of Midway Church for
seventeen years. Among its earlier
members was Lyman Hall. a signer of
the. Declaration of independence.
The building received rough usage
during the war; the Federal soldiers
used il as d barracks and wantonly
smashed and entirely destroyed the or
gan. Later its bell was given to the
Presbyterian Church of Pennington;
half of it's communion service and the
marble baDtismal font to the church
at Dorchester, and the remaining part
of the communion service to a Wal
L IA
mantled and forsaken il has not been
forgotten, as is proved by the large
number of people that attend its an
nual meetings. This gathering yester-
dag was quite as large as usual. The
business meeting was held in the morn
ing, and then after an adjournment for
dinner, DR.. Fair delivered his address.
In beginning his address. Dr. Fair
said it was generally supposed that the
1920 Psalm was sung at the dedication
of Solomon's Temple. When the great
building was completed he said, "and
the nation knelt al the new white al
tar. the first prayer chanted there and
echoed from the mighty arches was.
Lord. remember David. Why was
this? David was not present: he was
not even living: for many years he
had been sleeping in the grave. Why.
then. on that great day, was his name
on every lip, and his memory fragrant
in every heart? The reason was. David
had planned the building of the temple.
That magnificent structure which
reached its elimination then, and add
ed such lustre to Israel. was the
thought Of the mind that had turned
to dust.
The anthems of praise, ringing
through its vaulted aisles, were merely
echoes of the impulses, the robbing in
that pious and patriotic heart which
had ceased TO beat so long ago. He
did not live to see the completion of
the work, nor to realize its full conse-
quences; the building he inaugurated
was ultimately destroyed, its altar
fire extinguished and it's children scat
tered over the earth; but the influence
of his work abides, il has entered into
the ages and his name is held in affec-
tionate and immortal remembrance So
we are taught that those who begin a