The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-06-07
SERVICES IN OBSERVANCE OF
THE INSTITUTION OF THE
CHURCH JUNE 8, 1919,
PAPER READ BY W. T. TANDY
Formal Sermon Will Be Delivered By
DR.. Leonard w. DoOIan To-
morrow Morning.

A hist orical paper by Mr.. VIM. L.
Tandy, at the First Baptist Church
Wednesday night, was the first of a
series of services in observance Of
the centennial of the church, post
poned from last year.
DR.. L. W. Doolan, pastor of the
church, presided, and the old hymns,
favorites of bygone days, were led
by Bailey Waller. The formal CEN
tennial sermon will be preached by
DR.. Doolan next Sunday morning,
and on the following Wednesday
night he will review the labors here
of former pastors.
Mr.. Tandy's address was of great
historic interest and was charmingly
prepared,
From the musty records" he saidy
"made dim by the hands of timey
faded and almost illegible, much can
be CLEANED which tells the story Of
the hardships and trials, the sturdy
character and rules of decOrum OF
our forefathers of a century ago,
some Of which enlist our hearty COM
mendation, others invite our amuse-
ment, but withal most interesting
story of the simple life"
He told how on June 6, one hum
dred and one years ago small group
of earnest Baptist Christian men,
only five in number, and few wom-
en-, met in conference at the house
of John Pursley, grandfather Of
John W. Pursley, beloved member
of our pre&ent congregation, who
was in attendance last night, abousi
one mile west of Hopkinsville on the
West Fork of Little River to coHstfS
tute, as the records say, "a regular
Baptist Church of our Lord Jesus
Christ" The session was organized
with the assistance of Elders Jesse
Brooks and William Tandy, tde lat
ter grandfather of the speaker. The
names of those assembled constitut-
ing the membership of the church, are
given as follows: James Payne.
Charles Thrift, John Pursley, Henry
Rowland, Robert Slaughter, also
Grace Pursley, Lucy Slaughter, Sal
lie Tally, Keziah, and lastly, a sister
of color, Winnie" slave belong
ing to William Payne. James Payne
was chosen at this meeting as the
first pastor of the church and Mr..
Tandy states that he was spoken of
as man of more than ordinary in
tellectual ability, and as a preacher
was abreast of the times and stood
high in the church and in the COM
munity. The speaker told of the
growth ofthe church and showed
from the records the first persons
received from baptism were Daniel
the property of Major Long; "Phil,"
belonging to Mr.. Bryan; Anthony
Mclean, and "Ashby" and "Delpha,"
the property of Major Long, and
Rachel" the property of John H.
Anderson. The church was desig-
mated as the Baptist Church of
Christ, New Providence" presumable
in imitation of the Providence
church founded by Roger Williams
At meeting August 10, 1918, two.
notable events occurred. One was
the reception by letter of DR.. Angus
tine Webber, one of the most remark
able men who ever resided in this
region and to whom Mr.. Tandy paid
a beautiful tribute. The venerable
daugher of that patriarch, Mrs. Car
RE Arnold, who constitutes, as Mr.
Tandy said, the one connecting link
between the present membership and
that of primitive times, was in the
congregation last night. The other
important matter was the agreement
I the church to build a meeting
house" Mr.. Tandy told of the diff
culties surmounted by the little band
in constructing the meeting house"
finally erected at the foot of
] Sth street, on the site for so many