The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-09-28
The VIC. T. u. Chapel
PREPARED FOR THE OBLIGATORY
SERVICE BY
MRS. w. HOYLE, Pres. w. C.T.U.

1
Eoriginated with me, who for the past
several years has given large part OF
her life to the people down here, visit
ing the sick, the afflicted, and the needy
among you. Need | add that the per-
son referred to is Mrs. Eliza Robins?
Yes, something less than a year ago
occurred the birth of the w. C. T. U.
Chapel in South Tupelo when Mrs. Rob-
ins proposed to our Union on Sept. %,
| 1905, that we take up the work of build
ing this church. The subject was dis
cussed then and there and waived for
future consideration. In October, on
motion of Mrs. w L. Clayton, the I'm
ion decided to begin the work and the
| president appointed the following COM
Mrs. w. l.. Clayton, Mrs. Eliza Robins,
Mrs Kate Finley, Mrs. d. S. Ballard,
| Mrs. j. w. Yates and Mrs. Powell Stone.
On January 11th this committee report
ed through its faithful and efficient
chairman, Mrs. w. L. Clayton, as fol-
| lows: That there was great need for a
church in South Tupelo, and as no one
denomination in the town was strong
enough to build same, and inasmuch as
representative women from every de-
nomination were included in our w. c..
T. u. therefore be it
Resolved: That we begin at once to
solicit subscriptions to build Union
church in South Tupelo to be known as
, w. C. T. U. Chapel.
This report was adopted and sub
scriptions were then given by the men,
bers present to the amount of $50.
At the meeting held in February sub
scriptions weae reported to the amount
of 1926 90, and from this beginning the
subscriptions increased from month to
month through the efforts of the faith
full committee, who, with untiring zeal
pushed the work forward. The plan
and size of the house first decided upon
was that of the old Methodist church
now occupied by the Christian denomi-
nation, and bid for building same was
made by Leake & Goodlett at cost of
81 5000 Later Mr.. ]. H. Ledyard
proposed to the Union that if we would
have a school room and reading room in
connection with the church that he
would undertake the supervision of the
building. This proposition was gladly
accepted and the Union feels greatly in
debted to Mr.. Ledyard, whose assistance
made it possible for US to haye this
building ready for use at cost to the
Union of 81 ,008 80 in eight months time
after the first subscription was given.
Besides this, Mr.. Ledyard secured sub
scriptions from the mill to the amount
of nearly a hundred dollars, himself
heading the list with a very liberal do
nation, and to him also we are indebted
for the material for pulpit and to Mr..
H. A. Moreland for making same free
of cost, also to MIR. Moreland for spe-
cial price made for his services as con-
tractor Our special thanks are also
due to Mr. w C Van Hoose for wiring
the building for lights, to MIR. A. Dal-
ton for galvanized roof-capplng, to MIR
Jim Sullivan for building the fue and
to Mr.. Memory Leake for many cour-
tesies and accommodations, to Mrs.
Carrie Gray for the pulpit bible, to the
Presbyterian Aid Societies for the pull
pit chair, to the Baptist church for
Hymn books, to Board of Directors of
cotton mill for the lot and lumber in
old tabernacle. seating school room.
$4,000 on seats in church and $780, 90
for labor. glass, paints and nails. AS
committee with look into the future,
brought in report recommending that
we appoint the following trustees: Col.
w. L. Clayton, of the Presbyterian
cnurch;'M Mr.. d. S. Ballard, of the Bap-
tist church; Mr.. G. w. Long, of the
Christian church; Mr.. S. ]. High, of the
Methodist church and Mr.. j. H. Led
yard, of the cotton mill. to whom this
house was to be decided, and reserved
by them as a house of worship and
school room till no longer needed for
same. And if that time ever occurs
then they have the right to dispose of
1t as they see fit. These trustees were
accordingly appointed and we wish to
thank each and every one of them for
the great interest they have taken in
the work and the help they have given
us. AS president of the w G. T. U.,
wish to say that my part in the building
of this church and school room has been
very small one. When it was first
proposed felt that it was too great an
undertaking for crowd of women; but
realizing that it was not my place to
say what the Union could or could not
do, kept my place. And when the
work was first proposed by Mrs Robins
it was eagerly taken up by Mrs. Clay
ton, Mrs. Yates. Mrs. Finley and Mrs.
Ballard, who said: 1t is the very work,
let us do it. - So | caught something
of the enthusiasm of these brave, true
hearts, and endeavored to direct the
work to the best Of my ability, and 10.
in eight months time our work is ac-
complished. To Mrs. Robins, Mrs Clay
ton, Mrs. Yates and Mrs. Ballard cred
it is due for having raised the largest
amounts OF money for this building;
but we feel that the work could not
have been accomplished without the
faithful chairman of the committee,
Mrs Clayton, who met with undaunted
courage the opposition and difficulties in
the way, and with untiring zeal pushed
the work to it's completion. And there's
another faithful one, our treasurer,
Mrs w. ]. Hawkes., who deserves spe-
cial mention here; and still another, who
stood shoulder to shoulder with these
faithful ones, in her interest in this
work and just before the completion of
same she went home to ''that house not
made with hands, whose builder aud
maker is God" Sad indeed it was to
us when it was reported at the Memo
rial Service, held by our Union.in honor
of Mrs Kate M. Finley. that this build
ing was finished and paid for and ready
for the seats How we wished that the
one who for so many years was the
mother of the w C. T. U. work in Tu-
pelo could have lived to see the building
completed
After all, however, we could not have
built this house without the help of the
public, and while mentioning the ones
who led in the direction of the work, we
feel it is but just that we express appre-
ciation to the people, who contributed