The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-14
REMODELLED
Evolution Of Montgomery's Earliest
Religious Organization Into
Handsome Edifiee-LomaxAnnex
Will Be Dedicated Today.

In the history of the religious life
of Montgomery. from the time when
mere village with less than five
hundred persons to the present when
Alabama's Capital City numbers IT'S
inhabitants by the many thousands.
and Is forging ahead to rank among
the great Southern cities, there Is pos
sibly no more important and no more
interesting chapter. to thousands OF
people all over Alabama, than the
evolution of the Methodist Episcopal
church
The fact that tho Court street Meth
odist church is not alone the Oldest
organization in Montgomery but that
the first church building ever erect
ed in Montgomery was on the lot now
occupied by the handsome Court
Street Methodist church gives a. that
denomination credit and homo! N til"
church life OF Montgonery.
The four stages In the development
Of the Court Street Methodist church
makes interesting history to thous
ands of people all over Alabama and
other portions of the south and West
who owe to the old church their carly
religious training.
Differences Wrought BY Time.
with the dedication today of the
Lon,ax Annex, the handsome new sun
dav school apartment OF the church.
many are reminded OF the time when
the Court Street Methodist church
was only a plain little brick building.
hut few, II any. there are In Mont
Rontery today who remember thee rig
inal frame structure where the first
| Methodist congregation in Montgom-
cry worshipped. To be able to remem-
Der that first little Methodist church
| would be to remember the first church
building in Montgomery. and one
| would have to bark back to the gold
en- period between 1898 and 1853, when
this was the proudest section OF the
country. Great Is the difference in the
magnificent Court Street Methodist
church of today and that simple lit
tie frame structure where pioneer
Montgomery Methodists worshipped
and from whom are descended many
of those who today will take part In
the public service in which the Iomax
Annexis to be consecrated to the
sacred purpose for which the funds
for its building were given by one OF
the most devout Christian women in
the church and given by her IN
memory Of her beloved son.
year 1929, the Court street Methodist
Church numbered in its membership
ten names. In the year 1875 the MEM
bership had grown to 525 white mem
bers. During that time the records
show that there had been received into
the church, by letter by profession
of faith and on probation. nearly 1000
persons, INCLUDING the negroes. In 1858
the negroes were permitted to estab-
lish a church of their own.
The growth of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church in Montgomery has been
| phenomenal. From the first, or the
Court Street, Church there has sprun g
the Dexter Avenue Church, the Clay
| ton Street Church. the Forest Avenue
Church, the West End, or Fifth Av-
| enue, Church and the South Perry
Street Church. and of these churches 1t
can be said that all are in fiourishing
condition.; all have regular pastors,
have we'll attended Sunday Schools and
Women's Societies that are doing splen-
| did work.
Evolution Of Church.
Many interesting facts concerning
| the history of the church and cOngre-
| cation from the first little wooden
structure, erected in 1928, during the
years when 1t was visited with many
vicissitudes, to the erection of the
more commodious brick structure, in
the year 1853, were taken from a his
tory of the Montgomery churches. com
piled by NJ. p. Blue, in the year 1878.
| In the year 1928 Rev. DR.. Moses An
drew, a local Methodist preacher. and
William Sayre. an elder Of the Pres
byterian Church. drew UP and caused
to be circulated an appeal with sub
scription annexed as follows: