The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-02-02
Splendid Historical Address by Pas
tor On Last Day on Which Old
Church Building Is Used BY
Montgomery Congregation.


delivered last Sunday at the old church
building on North Court Street. ~
was . notable occasion.
For on last Sunday the last service
was held in the historic building which
has served the congregation since 1859.
Naturally. the address Of DR.. stakeiy
was historical. His story OF the Sap
lists in Montgomery was inspiring IN
the highest degree.
The sermon is printed as taken down
By q stenographer and afterwards cor
rected BY Or. Stakely.
His text was, 'fWh erefore, seeing we
also are compassed about with so great
cloud OF witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight and the sin which doth
30 easily beset US, and let us run with
patience the race that Is set before us,
looking unto Jesus. the author and nm
Usher OF our faith Hebrews. xii, l.
Let us keep conscious OF the fact that
this church did not begin with us, said
DIR. Stakely. We have entered into Q
heritage that has come down TO us
from the past. We are building upon
foundations laid by others. Let us
be delighted today to honor the names
Of the good men and women who In
an9urated the work OF this old church,
and who in these long years have pro-
tected and preserved and developed the
body. We are heirs OF as faithful and
loyal company OF people as God ever
had on earth. In nothing that we our
selves can do should we strive 10 take
any credit, any glory from those who
have preceded us in the work. We are
what we are today because they lived
and wrought. We could not be what
we are today IL they had not lived. and
His will, entertaining faith and show
ing their religion in obedience. In good
works. in self-sacrifice. and In loyalty
90 the cause OF their Lord.
II 10 quite impossible Tor US to re-
call all that have had q hand In the
work Of this church. II would be irn-
proper for us to enter into a mention
o. the names of the living Of more re-
cent times. Only those should be
named today that link on IN an un-
broken connection with those who, in
the earlier years, laid the foundations
OF our work. At some time during this
year, time to be appointed by the
church itself. the history OF this body
and. Of cur work In this commonwealth
will be read before the church and put
on permanent record for the children
and the future historian. My purpose
il to note In a rapid passing the adj
nnfnistrations Of the pastors who have
labofed I'm this place. and some few Of
the men ana women who were assoc
ciated here In the years that led up to
the entrance Of the church into this
present house OF worship.
There were Baptists In this eommu-
nifty when Il came into existence. when
the two towns on the opposite sides OF
Street. came together under the name
OF Montgomery. In 1898, one year be-
fore the organization Of any church OF
any denomination In this place. the
Rev. Lee Compere, an English Baptist
minister, organized a Montgomery
Bible Society and was it's first Presi-
dent. During the next year he found
may lovingly call him. was an English
Baptist missionary 20 the British West
Indies, where he labored especially in
the Island OF Jamaica. Leaving there,
he came to the Carolinas and took up
work among the Indians. Passing with
the migrations OF the Indians as they
moved westward. he alighted long
enough in these parts to establish his
name forever in Montgomery. This old
church was constituted by him and
Rev. Fields Bradshaw on the 29th of
November. 1899. and he was ITS first
pastor. On account Of some supposed
irregulAfity in the organization, which
did not touch it's validity but was
thought to interfere with the church q
relation to the other Baptist bodies, 1t
was reorganised :n 1882. 1t was orig
tnally constituted with four members.
at the head Of whom stood John Gin
drat. On the day of its reorganization
in 1882. Mrs. Gindrat and Mrs. Mary
ID. Harris were received for baptism
and were baptized before q vast multi
tude IN the Alabama River as the Lord
Jesus in the River Jordan. This was
the first time that baptism administered
according to the custom of Baptists was
ever witnessed in the city OF Montgom-
cry. The membership was small. but
out Of that beginning grew our pres
emit extensive UNCONVENTIONAL interest
in this section OF Alabama.
IL was likely in his administration
that our first house OF worship was
erected. and on this very site, but fac
ing Court Street and the east. On that
same day in 1882. Alexander b. Mo-
Whorter was made deacon and q
trustee, and from that day to this our
representative OF the McWhorter fam
fly. Others Of our present family
names have come down from those
early times. as Stewart and Brame and
Fsgh and Copeland. In 1884 the name
OF Cheney was put on the books OF
this church. and II has been there from
that day to this. In 1S45 Thomas II
when
Mrs. Lucretia Davidson became a mem.
Der. this church has not been without
a. Davidson. Since 1847 we have MOI
been without a Noble. The year 1s4s
gave Us the name OF Ray, while 1851
found US in possession OF a Waller and
a Rambo.
Lee Compere was followed in Is31
BY Rev. Samuel ID. WorthinRton. who
preached on alternate Sundays during
the year 1894. It is the distinguish
ing mark Of his administration that in
1t was organized our Sunday School
dating back to year that makes IL
one Of the oldest Sunday Schools in the
city OF Montgomery. IL indeed not the
Oldest Honor enough for any pastor
10 that. 1t is our right arm today
and one Of the very best schools in the
State.
He was succeeded in the foIlowins
year by DR.. James H. Devote, a very
young man at the time, but who made
an indellible impression upon the com.
mnuity and our work. The present
pastor has often seen and heard him
preach. He was a veritable prince in
Israel. 1t was in this year that the
present Ladies' Aid Society OF our
church began as q sewing circle, and
has therefore had continuous exist.
ence for nearly three-Quarters of a cen.
fury.
Or. Devote was succeeded by Or
Jesse Hartwell. who served but a short
period Of time In 1888. He was the
father of the famous missionary. Jesse
b. HartwelI, who for so long served
our convention in distant China. and
among the Chinese in California. The
name Is honored throughout the Length
H..