Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-05-08

there are six white churches in the city, their
aggregate enrolment is about three fourths
of the possible maximum, Their aggregate
Sunday school enrolment is about 40 per
cent greater than the white enrolment in the
city schools. Their aggregate annual con-
tributions are about $4,000, which is one
percent. of the aggregate real and personal
property listed for taxation by the white
population of the city.
These figures are derived from information
compiled last year under the auspices of the
Layman's Missionary Movement. In giving
thenumerical strength &" the churches, the
word enrolment" was used rather than
membership" because the latter word var
les in its meaning. In some churches the
Episcopal church, for instance,-an baptized
persons, regardless of age are members,
but for the purpose Of the above enumeration
infants were not included, and the figures
given were taken from the communicate list.
Of all religious bodies, the Baptists are
the most numerous in HenderSonville. This
denomination has two churches; The First
Baptist Church with an enrolment Of 367,
and the East Hendersonville Baptist Church
with an enrolment of 99.
Next In numerical strength comes the
Methodist church with N enrolment of 393.
The Presbyterians have 189 and the Episco-
palians g.. Figures for the Roman Catholic
church were not obtainable though that
church now has a resident minister and has
recently erected a handsome parsonage.
The statistics of Sunday school enrolment
are as follows: First Baptist, 200; East
Hendersonille Baptist, 81; Methodist, 300;
PRESBYTERIAN, 100; Episcopal, ST.; total, 74S;
(Which is about % of the school enroll
nent).. The average Sunday school attend
ance is about two-thirds of the Sunday school
enrolment.
The total annual contributions of the five
Churches, as reported last year, amounted to
$14,93O.O4, which is $13.28 per capita. Of this
total $2,677.96 Cor 1898 per capita) was for
missions, and $12,252O8 Cor $1o.89 per capita
for other purposes.
Bearing in mind that these figures repre-
sent only the white churches, and
Hendersonville' churches are one per cent.
Of the assessed valuation Of the total real
and personal property of the white popula-
ton of the city.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
The history of the First Baptist church is a
part of the history of Hendersonville, and
from it's organization to the present, and
among it's members have been men prominent
in the affairs of the town and county. Back
in the forties, when Hendersonville was a vii
lage of not more than a dozen houses, a lew
faithful Baptists, under the leadership of
Rev. James Blythe, who was for many years
the pastor, formed this church and erected as
a place Of worship a small brick building at
the place of the old cemetery, in South Hen
Jacksonville; this house served the purposes of
the church from about the year 1915 to 1887,
during which time the church was prosper
Gus under the pastorates of Revs. James
Blythe, N. Bowen, G.. s. Jones, E. Allison, D.
B. Nelson, w. A. Nelson, Joseph E. Carter
and j. B. Boone. The church building being
no longer sufficiently commodious for it's
growing congregations, the question of a
larger building, at q more convenient loca-
ton arose, when to solve the problem, Dea-
con David Garren donated to the church that
lot extending from 4th to 5th avenue West,
Where the present church and parsonage
stand, where the erection of the new church
building was largely the work of Rev. G.. S.
Jones: At the new, and present location,
the church has been prosperous, with a mem
bership Of nearly four hundred, under the
pastorates of Revs. D. A. Glenn, ST. s. Gibson,
VIM Richards R. R. Love, III. L. Lawson,
John Hughes, and K. W. Cawthon. About
two years ago, to meet the growing demands
of the church, another enlargement became
necessary, when following the plans of Rev.
G. Jones, Pastor K. W. Cawthon took the