The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-11
MIR. AeEn WRITES OF OLD TIMES.
Minisfers Who Served the Churches in the Pieaeer Days-SOme of the
 Old Families Who
 Attended.
BY MA. AGEE.

Old Families Who
 Attended.
 BY N. A. AGEE.
 About the year 1887 q only approx innate dates), the Methodists in Clai- borne built new church. a neat little edifce. Previously they had worship ped in large wooden structure, weatherboarded but not ceiled, which was often used in emergency for school house. People in those days sent their children to school and freely paid tuition.
 The Baptists had no church in Clai- borne. as their numbers were few. A MT. McConico donated a piece of land two miles from town for church where Baptists were numerous. build ing was erected, the church named Mo- Conico. Jacob H Schroebil was the first pastor of that church. remem- Der. He was called to Mobile In lSSs or 70. and soon after died of yellow fever. After then l. W. Lindsey and J. J. Sessions were the pastors of the McConico Church. In the interim, Alex Travis (called Father Trayis) Of Conecuh County, Kedar Hawthorn of Wilcox County, and John McWilliamr of Monroe, occasionally filled the put- pit; and there were often held pro- tracted meetings. when these gooiy men officiated and the Baptists' Asso- citations were often held with that church.
 About 1s3s-40, the Presbyterians built an elegant church, the first of that denomination in the town. Pre- viously, they worshipped in the base ment of the Masonic Hall. which had been used as court house till removal of the county seat to Monroeville. MT Witherspoon was the pastor, and the Taits, Woods, Gaillards, Aliens. Coopers were leading members. Soon after the erection of the new building, an i'm pulse seemed to revive their religious spirit, and Dr. W. L. Hamilton of Mo- bile was often invited to come and serve them. His meetings were pro- tracted. and so were his sermons. His discourse was learned, but I was too young to appreciate. After him. pr. Nall (Robert P.) came from Mobile to hold protracted meetings at Claiborne and Monroeville. He was an earnest jealous worker and could preach long sermons also Cit seems to have been re- garded as necessary and conducive to spiritual uplift to prolong them). At times, he created quite an interest and spirit of religious enthusiasm-in fact, a revival.
 On. one occasion a MT. o'Neal became much impressed. He was an Irish man, had been a school teacher. was dignified and pompous in his manner was precise and choice in his use Of words. When pr. Nall called for mourners, MT. ONeal came forward took a seat in front (the mourners0 stretched his legs. folded his arms across his breast and awaited develop ments. pr Nall. with measured
 t<~ inquire: "Mr. ONeal, do you ever pray?"
 q am eternally at 1t. sir"
 "Mr. ONeal, do you ever read the Bible?"
 "There is no book, sir. In the Eng fish language with which I am more familiar. save Murrays Grammer."
 A Mr. Smyth was the pastor for sev- eral years and Mir. Smith (wild Bill) for quite while.
 It is remarkable that these people in a populous wealthy town should so long have waited to build comfort able churches. There was a large academy, conducted by Butts and Scott and assisted perhaps by Norman Chandler. There was a large commo- dious Mansonic Hall, which had been built by means of a lottery author ized by act of the Alabama Legisla- ture, December Il, 1920. John Mur- phy. John Gayle Afterwards Cover nor). James DeIlet, Henry W. Taylor William R. Patton, Qurdon Robinson, and sChas. o. Foster were named as committee to superintend the drawing and raise $15,0O0 which was done. An elegant building was erected sec ond to none in the State in point of size and equipments. It was used as a reception place for General Iafay- cite when he made his triumphal tour of the South in 1925. Thousands as- sembled to greet him and join in the ovation Children strewed flowers and women sang songs of greeting. This Masonic Lodge was first Ala bama No. 57. then changed to No. 3, which 1t is now. The building was moved in its interest. to Perdue Hill In 1882.
 By the same act of the Legislature Halo Lodge at Cahaba and Rising Virtue Lodge at Tuscaloosa was au- thorized to conduct a lottery to build A hall. It seems that lotteries in thosc days were not prohibited but sanction ed by law.
 But I digress. The erection of these churches seemed to have stimulated their members, especially Methodists. to renewed energy. A MT. Loftin was stationed as local pastor stephen Steele. James Woolworth and Jack Maiden were the leading members, and protracted meetings were frequent. up to 1854.
 Many Methodist ministers from the circuit attended. among them I re- member MT. Heard and Mir. Dickinson. GA. E., think), doubtless the father or grandfather of W. P. Dickinson. pastor of the church In Selma
 Those ministers were earnest and zealous and often protracted the meet Ings for a week. They did not preach nolitics from the pulpit. but religion. This was before the Kangaroo amend ment" and the Fuller-liquor bill. (pot liquor). ,,
 In this connection I will recall sermon by a good old Baptist minister in which he inveighed against preach ers going into politics. He said re- ligion and politics would not mix They would love the one and eschew inc other. Either or both were good alone but wouldn't mix. He used this Illustration odd but forcible. He said cahbaee are good when eaten by it. seIf anJ pound cake was palatable, when eaten alone: but If you mixed them. the combination would make you sick. ,,.,o. rhoo is a place for both in separate ilelus' put when you undertake to unite tham both lose their savor and vir- tme If breeds discord in the church. orravs brother against brother. (wit- nass Tallassee Clayton vs Elder Live jv1 abstracts and detracts rom that snirit of harmony and brotherly love- ,nhicb should prevail, and prevents thair living in unity-in fact tends to disrupt, and the church ana us Hilhls, N..A1 1NNnW