Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-30

CHURCH DEDICATED
Former Pastor, Dr.. J. D. West, Deliv.
cred Splendid Dedication
Sermon.

O'clock Sunday morning in the pres
ence Of large and attentive audience
In honor of the occasion, and in con
forming with the beautiful Christian
spirit that has long existed among tn,
churches of Bryan, all the other de
nominations dismissed their regula
II o'clock service and the several pas
tors and their congregations ATTENDED
the dedication services.
Brief Church History.
At the spring meeting of Brazos
Presbytery in the year 1867 a com
mittee consisting of the Rev. James
Wilson and the Rev. ]. r. Hutchisol
was appointed to organize a Presby
terrain Church at Bryan, Texas. Ii
pursuance Of their instructions thi
committee met in Bryan on the fourtl
Sabbath in November, 1867, and will
twenty-four members organized (
church. The original records of thii
meeting were afterward destroyed by
fire, and for that reason the names o.
these first members cannot here b.
given.
| The first ruling elder was Mr.
Champ Carter, who shortly after re
moved from Bryan and the bounds OF
the church, and was succeeded by Mr.
Alexander Allen.
! The first pastor of the church was
Rev. j. r. Hutchison, and services
were held twice a month in an old
warehouse until the year 1869, when
the first house of worship was erected
Sufficient lumber was purchased and
the men of the church, under the lead
ership of Mr.. L. D. Stockton, erected
the building with their own hands,
with the assistance of a negro carpen'
ter, Henry Johnson, who cut the
frames.
1t is peculiar distinction of this
church that it has throughout its his
tory consistently depended upon its
own membership to meet all OF its
material needs.
The present building was erected in
the year 1906, and the first service
held therein on the first Sabbath OF
September of that year The church
was not at that time dedicated for the
reason that it was necessary to make
q considerable debt in order TO COM
plete the structure. which cost in
round numbers $4,000. This oblisa'
ton has been met in full, and the
property is now free from debt
The church has been served during
its history by the following ministers:
Rev. ]. r. Hutchinson, Rev. ]. NJ. Coch-
ran. Rev. w. H. Werner, Rev. ]. w.
Sexton, Rev. |. ]. Daniel, Rev. ]. A.
Hall. Rev. J. d. West, d. D., Rev. J. w.
Hamilton, Rev. ]. T. Coughley and
Rev. j. R. Finley.
Simplicity Marked Service.
In the dedication of the church sim
plicity marked the entire service.
There was no effort at display, and
this fact made it all the more beauti-
full and impressive. The altar was
decorated. with ferns, pot plants and
Easter lilies, which gave a quiet and
dignified beauty to the scene and was
in perfect keeping with the occasion,
Seated in the pulpit were the pastor
Rev. J. r. Finley, former pastor,
DR.. j. D. West of Newton, Miss, DR..
NJ. E. Weaver, pastor of the First Bap-
fist Church, Rev. Glenn Finn, pastor
of the First Methodist Church, and
Rev. ]. NJ. Bullock, senior Baptist min
lister of Brazos County and pastor of
several rural Churches.
The music, with Miss Willie Nc
Dougald at the organ, was not only
beautiful, but of that kind that swak.
ems hope and inspiration. There was
no attempt at operate flights, only
those grand old gospel hymns being
used that have kept the religious
flames kindled on the affairs for hum
dreds of years, and that will live as
long as time shall last.
When -Dr. West resigned as pastor
of the Bryan church and moved to
Mississippi, there was an understand
ing, or rather a promise on his part
that when,the time came he would re-
turn to Bryan and dedicate the church.
The time.came. The last penny Of. the
church-debt was discharged, Dr. West
was notified and, true to his promise
came, accompanied by Mrs. West.
Their visit has been an occasion OF
rejoicing for all the members of The
churoIfas well as their many, inap,,
friends in the city.
All the services in the dedicat
were beautiful but the sermon by,
West was the browning feature of
day. 1t was a plain, practical, gQkusl |
sermon no attempt at oratory Hbut
the grandeur and sublimity of th@liv.
i