The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-10-19
HANDSOME new
CHURCH DEDICATED
Sermon was Preached by
Bishop w. w. Duncan.
A NOTABLE EVENT
Large Assembly Attended the Beautiful
and Impressive Ceremonies OF the
Occasion.

lOIy Oh the FlrSC MGtnOU1Sl
Church of Laurens. The occa.
sion was the formal dedication OF
the handsome new church build
ing to the service of God. The
weather was ideal and when the
services were begun at III o'clock
tremendous audience filled the
church, every available nook be.
ing occupied.
A magnificent array of potted
palms and ferns placed in ex-
quisite taste within the chance]
and about the Church rostrum
greatly enhanced and beautifed
the splendor of the occasion.
The ferns were generously con-
tributed by Mrs. Ed Philpot from
"Ferndale" while Mrs. Pluss and
Mrs. J, M. Philpot furnished
some very handsome decorative
potted plants.
An especially pleasing feature
of the service was the rendition
of particularly beautiful and
appropriate musical programme
by the we'll trained choir. Occu-
pying seats with Bishop Duncan
were DR.. HI. N. Snyder of Spar
tanburg, DR.. Robert Adams of
the First Presbyterian Church,
Rev. Henry Thomas, rector of
the Episcopal Church, Rev. j.
w. Kilgo, Presiding Elder, Rev.
]. G. Huggin of the Second
Methodist Church and Rev. w.
B. Duncan.
The first prayer was offered by
Rev. Mr.. Kilgo, which was fol-
lowed by a few interesting re-
marks by Rev. Mr.. Duncan, pas
tor of the First church. Mr..
Duncan stated that when he came
to the pastorate of this church
four years ago there was bal
ance of $1,000 owing on the
church debt. 1t gave him great
pleasure TO announce that this
debt had been wiped out. Fur
thermore the church had met
and discharged all its obligations
and meantime the PASTORS salary
had been raised $500. Over 100
names had been added to the
church roll during his pastoral
relations with the church. He
took occasion to express his ap-
probation of the hearty co-opera-
tion he had experienced i'll all
his efforts.
The dedicatory sermon, a
learned and very eloquent dis
course, was delivered by Bishop
w. w. Duncan of Spartanburg.
The basis of his Sermon is found
hin the 18TH chapter of st. John,
beginning with the goth verse:
Neither pray I for these alone,
gDut for them also which shall
believe in me through their
word, etc.
Before entering upon his SER
mon the Bishop expressed his
qualification with the progress
the band of Methodist of Lau-
rens had made. In 1854, the
Bishop then a boy, spent his first
night in South Carolina in the
village of Laurens, moving from
Virginia to Spartanburg. At
that time the Methodist congre-
cation was mere handful
They have grown and expanded
lnagnifCently in SO years.
AT the conclusion of the SER
mon, the board of trustees and
officers of the church came for
ward and Mr.. ]. F. Bolt, as
chairman of the committee, ten
dered to the Bishop the church
building formally dedicated and
set apart for the worship of AL
mighty God.
The church committee was
composed of the following: J. F.
Bolt, w. L. Gray, o. B. Sim
mons, A. Huff, H. Terry, 7. H.
Nelson, c. G. Featherstone, J. f.
Tolbert, r. Z. Babb, ]. l.. Hop
kins, ]. ]. Pluss, DIR. w. H. Dial,
Col. 7. B. Crews, ]. H. Sullivan,
H. +. Gray, ]. E. Philpot.
This church edifice is one OF
the handsomest in the city, beau.
tiful in design, modern in archi-
tectural structure, and was com
pleted about six years ago costing
$14,5oo. The following con.
stituted the building committee
c. c. Featherstene, J. F. Bolt, O.
B. Simmons, w. L. Gray, ]. H.
Sullivan, DIR. P b. Connor, now
of Greenwood, Dr. w. H. Dial
H. E. Gray, ]. ]. Roland. The
last named gentleman who was
one of the most liberal and ac
tive members of the committee
did not live to see the full fruit
ion of his labors in this particu
lar undertaking, having dice