The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-16
Twenty-Five Handsome Edifiees for White People in Alabama's Capital City With Thousands of Members Interesting History of the Poineer Congregations and Their Influence.

aAuSu AAtkaUSl@Ss
 after having served the church. contin~ uously for three years
 For i've years the chufeh was with out rector, until Jauuhrxs as &as Rev. ". P. Knapp accepted q call to tl1s' church and preached his first ssrnaon January B. On that day. too, the fUI~ lowing oficers were elected: seniSr Warden. Charles T. Pollard: Junior Warden Henry F. Sticixney; vestTy- men. J. F. Taylor, ]. Comfy, !. F. Wat. kins, W. H. Taylor and DF. W. M Boiling.
 BISHOP CoBBs INVITED.
 Tn January. iete. Rev. Mir. Knapp ra- signed the rectorship of the church and his resignation was accepted. The same month Right Rev N. Fl. Cobbss Bishop of the Diocese. was invited by the parish to remove to Montgomery and take charge of the church. Tha Bishop declined the cali.
 Rev. J. H. Morrison ef Richmond, vas. was the next rector Of the church. He was called April 2i, 1848, and preachea his first sermon to the eongragatiop on Trinity Sunday of that year. On ae+ count of iil-heaItfa. Mfr. Morrsson rs. signed the rectorship in May 1853, The reotorshlp was rendered the Right Rev. erend Bishop Nicholas Hammer cobhA which he accepted. and in May. 1ssA he entered upon his dutiee. The hand some new church was completed in tbs fall of 1855 at a cest of s27.0eo, and was consecFated on December 3 Of that year by Bishop cobbs.
 Tn January. 1856, tho Rev. John nx Mitchell. son-in-law os Bishop Cohha. was elected assistant rector ct the Eae- ish,, btt he declined tho position, pre- -forring to remain SiinpIy aEsiatans se the rector, without an official connee. ton with the vestry. M
 Bishop Cobbs resirued the ssctorshtp in December, 1858, the duties or which lie had discharged so fattzlfully and s0 the satisfaction Of tbs entlre parish. for nearly six years. Ills reAignata3n of the rectorship was reluctantly ne- cepted by the yestry Rov. '. M AEiscn- oil was elected reeter and immediately entered his duttns He contlnuad to serve. the parish until January. fesE. whon the ysstry accepted .hls4rssignh- ton. Iteave of absenee was erantea kp atm tn isa7. which bs iinbroyed bs "a ylalt to- Hurpne During that period hla duties were .perfornaeds te eey. 59nsds IT Tieknor, late of Selma. who also edited and published The Church Reg- isteF in this tity. Mir. Tiekner alho i acted as rec@or uUfinH at poft&oA 9t 1868. Tn December of that year, klr. a a Rdrras. now rector in Chicago. Al was snBABed by tho qstfy Co rsad the ssfSiaa en Sunday hsS iA th9 Ab6enee of A minister He was Aktofs l wards elehted Bieh1p of Michigan and | died G Lonoons while attending an Efeeopai cap tlga.
 M JAnugrg v | ssi elsliop. Cgl'sa dlAry Ha aniabea hls eqlarse sgith jey
 bn Jahuary g. 1888. Dt Horace strtnnfei1ow, IT,, was elected rector of fife parIsh He at afst derlihad the oail,. but utsafterwards withdrew his iet- tsr of dectlnation ana 'assuIaed charge of the church the follcwihg July.
 Tn october of the same year an eia, Iargement of the church. affofding 4n additional seating capacity for 350 tso- pie was commented and completed for the Easter eervice,. 1870. At that tine st. Johns Church was one of the haria- soulest ii the south, both In it's interior arrangement aud in its decoraticn
 pr. Htringfeliow continued the faith@ full and beloved rector of the church until December 1895, wheS he nied i. He was a soldier of the cross.
 The next rector of St. Johp's was pes ". D. Potgefs, who came tofthe cin& December II, ls8s, and reFnnined til August IS, 1898. Dr. Rowers " Vsucs caeded by Rev. Edgar 5ardn6f Ilrphy, who assumed the duties of the &hurclI November 8. 1898, The resignat tfQn of Mir. Murphy was teRderst the ve9try November 27, 1901. On March 8. 1909. church. and 10 at this time che efficient and beloved rector. eW
 VEsTRY OF ST. JOHN.
 The present VestrS Is composed of the following gentlemen; Dr. R. q. Michel, Senior Warden; Major w. ". Screws, Junior warden; pr. B Jl Baldwin, H. c. Davidson, w. Ms shos- maker, c. Fl. McCombs, ". F. Ruth. F R. Taber, J. S. Wilcox, c. e. Aher- orombie, J. o. Willis. Secretary of tha Vestry, and Miss Carrie. Hammond. Treasurer of the chup;h.
 The church has number of well orr ganized socities which contribute greatly to its prosperity and spirft- uallty. Among the forces at work in the church are the Woman's Guild Of Christian Service, which is divided in- 10 a number of departments, with a Director for each department. and a sreciRc work in each department: The Guild of St, John's The Womap's Auxiliary to- tie Board of Missicns The Junior Auxiliary to the Board of Missions: The Senior and the JnnEar srotherhod Of St. Andrew.
 Improvements on the church at 6 cost of s6O06 have been recently com pleted. The handsome pipe organ has been raised and has been provided with an electric blowet with which the organ fs operated. instead of purnplng by water power as in the past The chancet has been greatly enlarged, much 10 the comfort of the communt- rants. \ new primary department tl the Sunday School has been added, anl in several other respects the ehurol has been greatly improved.
 The church and the rectory on Mae- ison avenue are valued vt S60.0G0. F;v- cry year some improvements are add ed aud the property 's ever enhancing in value In point of number of con municants. and in influence in the reli- gious life of Motgomerg. St johHs ranks among. the first churches Of the city and is one of the leading conKre- cations of the Episcopal Church in the South.
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