The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1912-09-26
A GREAT ~
AT LOUISVILLE
Magnificent Structure Is One of
the Finest Buildings of the
Kind In the South
HAS MANY YEARS OF HISTORY
viii Be Object of Interest Whom Thou
sands Of That Faith Gather in
Blue Grass State For Con-
Ventlon This Fall.

When the Disciples Of Christ gather
in Louisville, KY, October 18th to
22nd. for their great international con
vention, the magnificent new First
Christian church will be an object OF
great interest to them. Not only be.
cause it is one of the finest church
structures in the south, but because OF
the history of this remarkable congre-
cation which reaches back into the
beginnings Of things as far as this
body of people is concerned
The congregation was first known
as Reformed Baptist, having separated
themselves from the Regular Bap-
lists" after friendly disagreement on
points of doctrine in the early thirties.
For awhile both branches of the
church met in the same building.
The Reformed Baptists, Of Campbell
following, sold out their interest in
the building to the regular Baptists,
in 1888, and occupied for worship for
two or three years Westinghouse on
Seeond street, between Market and
Jefferson. From thence they moved
into the church building on Fifth
street, between Walnut and Chestnut,
in 1888 In this building they wor-
SHIPPED until they moved into the new
quarters on the northeast corner Of
Fourth and Walnut streets. Two
buildings have occupied this site, the
original building, which was conpar-
atively modest structure, erected in
1842 or 8, and the splendid old Etrue
ture whose corner stone was laid in
1860, and which for FIFTY years graced
and glorified the couaer of Fourth and
Walnut streets-the very heart and
center Of LouisyiHe's life. This build
Ing, because of the necessities Of com
mercfal advance, and the limited equip
ment for modern church work, was
sold, with profound regret on the part,
especially, of the older members OF
the congregation, for the very splen-
&a ssm Of $9kacAA VIII ~ sus2
nh SfssAa9 ssrad $50
having Donated sfe,Neo Br tie estsb-
lishment of the Edenside misslen
church, and having paid off the bond
ed indebtedness en- the old church.
Out of the church at Fourth and
Walnut-the mother church-an of the
other churches have come. Within the
last twenty years the Fourth and Wal
nut Street church has directly, by the
raising Of money, and subsequent as
sistance, established the Clifton
church, the Falkland church and the
Edenside. church.
1t was not until in 1888 that the
larger body of the New Testament
party assumed the name of Disciples
of Christ" Thus it was that the first
movement among the Baptists of Ken
lucky, in the direction of those princi-
pies for which the Disciples plead was
made by the congregation in Louis
Vile. 1t Ia proper to add that it was
Philip s. Fall who gave the flrst i'm
petus to the Reformation in this city,
and introduced the custom Of weekly
communion.
The bronze tablet in the foyer OF this
present building gives in brief form
the main historic facts, as to the
places of worship and other interest
ing features.
The present building was dedicated
November IL, 1911, and has entered
upon brilliant ana prosperous career
OF work.
During this past year, from this con-
gregation alone, has been pledged and
mostly raised, nearly $4,000 for the
special million dollar campaign fund
for foreign missionary work, this alto
gether apart from the regular contri
button to this cause and every other
cause connected with the Brotherhood
The church has ever'emphasized one
phase Of the great mission work at the
expense OF the other; and so all inter
ests have been provided for.
The present membership of the |
church is close to 1,400. 1t is church |
sich in history and tradition; and dates
in its ministry from the very begin I
ming of the Reformation movement,
and has had some of the most notable
Of the great pioneer leaders as ITS pas.
tors.