The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-14
BRYAN BAPTIST CHURCH
Began the Celebration of Its 18th
Anniversary Exercises Last Night.

Began the Celebration of Its 18th
Anniversary Exercises Last Night.
The First Bryan Baptist Church, COL
ored, began celebrating it's 115th ami
versary last night, under the leader
ship of its pastor, Rev. G. w. Griffin,
assisted by other cOlored preachers of
the city and visiting pastors. The SER
vices will continue nightly until next
Tuesday night.
The services began with an anthem
by the choir, followed with hymn by
Rev. H. L. Haywood. Rev. ]. ]. Dur
ham read the scripture lesson and led
at prayer. The Introductory sermon
was preached by Rev. William Gray of
st. Johns Baptist Church.
Tonight a special sermon will be
preached to the Bryan Mutual Aid AS
soctation and Branch by Rev. H. L.
Haywood of the Union Baptist Church.
The usual musical and literary SER
vices and programme will be INDUCED
in.
Tomorrow night Rev. Daniel Mills
of Wilmington Island Baptist Church
will deliver an address to the Burial
Association, and Friday night spe-
cia sermon will be addressed to the
Young Men and Young Women's Chris
Il
Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Saturday
there will be no services, but on Sun
day, exercises of one kind or another
will be in progress all day, beginning
at o'clock with prayer meeting led
by the officers of the church. AT II
o'clock the usual Sabbath morning
sermon will be preached by the pastor;
at $3.50 the Sunday-school will hold ex-
ercises, and from 1880 to $3.50 the Bap-
ficf pannlato TTnfnn Ixyil1 hn in
session. At $50 the sermon will be
preached by Rev. ]. ]. Jenkins of
the First African Baptist Church, Da-
rien.
Monday night the ordination of eight
deacons will take place, the ordina-
ton sermon being preached by Rev.
]. ]. Durham, d. D., of the Second
Baptist Church. Tuesday night the
anniversary exercises will come to a
close, the following programme being
rendered: Anthem, choir; hymn, Rev.
w. L. P. Weston Thanksgiving pray
er, Rev. P. w. Jenkins; anthem, choir;
reading church history, Rev. 7. NJ.
Williamson of F. A. B. Church, Boil
ton street; anthem, choir; anniversary
sermon, Rev. r. Kemp of Beth Eden
Baptist Church; anniversary prayer,
Rev. w. A, Doughty of Mt. Bethel
Baptist Church; music and collection,
This church claims the distinction of
being the first colored Baptist Church
established in the United States, and
was founded lis years ago by Rev. An
drew Bryan. on the spot where the
present church stands. 1t has a MEM
bership of several hundred. and is one
of the substantial colored religious in
situations in the city.
Tomorrow night the First African
Baptist Church will begin the celebra-
ton of it's 115th anniversary, and its
celebration will last until Thursday
night of next week. The pastor, Rev.
J. w. Carr, is preparing an interesting
programme of exercises.
There is quite a bit of controversy
going on between the congregations of
the two churches. as to which is the
original church and which has the
right to celebrate it's 115th anniversary.
The Bryan Baptist Church members
contend that they represent the first
church, from the fact that the church
occupies the place where the religion
was established here, while the First
Baptist Church people contend that
when the congregation separated that
the majority of the members of the
original Baptist Church went with
them, which makes their anniversary
exercises correctly celebrated The
matter is one discussed every ami
versary, and carries with it no i'll feel
ing, though the followers of each
church contend and believe that they
represent the original church