The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-08-09
ACHURCH THAT HAS
METCOMMUNITY NEEDS

Copeland community is nine miles
east of Athens, Ala, in Limestone
county. Some nine years ago this
place was known as "Possum Trot, |"
and often referred to as "The Dark
Corner of Limestone County" At the
suggestion of a very sanity old wo-
man, the present pastor, Rev. Berry
Copeland, was urged to visit this place
and preach at the school house. The
preacher visited this community on a
Saturday night and gave them SER
mon, and was warned that probably
during the service the house would be
rocked by a gang of boys. However,
the gang did not show up. He preach
ed for these people. when he could do
so, which averaged about one service
a month for about four years, and in
the summer of 1918 series of evan
gelistic meetings were held and a
church organized. The next year an
other such meeting was held.
During the first year of church or
ganization, the congregation paid the
pastor $50 or $40 for his services and
gave So to benevolenees. During the
revival of 1914, the people not only met
at the school house to worship, but
they met there with their axes, saws,
hammers and teams to build house
of worship. The church lot was clean
ed off, teams were busy hauling logs to
the mill, and the following Saturday
a barbecue was given and some S65
was cleared. With a generous grant
from the Presbyterian Board of Church
Erection beautiful church was con-
structed. A Sunday school was or
ganized and they continued to have
preaching only once month for some
two years, after which the preachers
full time was given to the work.
The social side of this community
was in the Anticipated stages Of life.
The illicit selling of whiskey was not
an unusual thing. The people were
very poor and were ignorant on ac-
count of their limited educational ad-
vantages, and their homes were old
fashioned The preacher began to
identify himself with his people, and,
securing their confidence, he preached
to them that "better things were be-
fore them" The people saw the in
terest of the preacher was for their
welfare and they began to work to-
gether, Methodist, Baptist, Disciples
and Presbyterians, and today they
are united people in one church.
They got behind the Sunday school and
this organization has done great
deal in developing the people. Thru
the organized Bible class they OBJ
tanned their first vision in scientific
farming plot of land planted N colt
ton was worked by the class on Sat
urday afternoons, the proceeds to go
to missions. The accomplishment was
successful; but after all the biggest
gave TO nfssiors which the.,
- young people together, and U.s.
life was kindled for nobler thing
The preacher not only preache
deeper conservation, but he preac
better homes, better stock, better re
and better citizenship. While
preached these things he was mai
the application in his own life
upon his own farm and home.
The people had a very poor OBJ
tunity for educating their child
The old school building was disgl
to any community. They had Fl
three to five months school during
year. When the people began to
prove their homes and farms, t
wanted better school building,
the same spirit and cooperation /
built the church was in the building
modern four-room $4,000 sci
building, which is credit to
community.
The first fruits of the commur
federation was the organization 0
community club which had as its
Ject the general betterment of
community. A canning club was st;
ed with Che assistance of one of
canning club experts, and for the
time in the history of the Copel
community they had sufficient can
goods to meet their demands. The n
advancement was the appointment
a live stock committee for introd
ing better breed Of stock. A be
Pig club was organized with fourt
members. The present members
is thirty.
After the organization of the be
Pig club, a registered Shorthorn b
costing 5000 was bought by the \
OF the community, each becoming
stakeholder in the new enterprise. :
demand for better cattle got hold