The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-09-09
BIG TABERNACLE
DRAWS .THRONCS
How a Great House of God
Came To Be Built on
Currituck Sound

The revival services being held IN Ithe
new gospel tabernacle on Narrow Shore
near Poplar Branch, in Currituck Coun-
ty, are drawing vast throngs of people,
not only from Currituck, but from
Camden, Pasquotank and Dare. That
tabernacle is something new in North
eastern North Carolina. There is moth
ing else like it in this section. It is
a big roomy frame structure 80 feet
wide and 120 feet long, built high for
light and ventilation. 1t will seat about
1000 persons comfortably At night it
is lighted by scores of electric lights
from it's own WHY'S Eight plant, in
stalled by A. w. Hampton.
The tabernacle. grounds cover eight
acres and are reached by a private road
40 feet wide, from the main highway
to the Currituck Sound shore It is
planned to beautify these grounds.
The tabernacle was built at a cost of
thousands of dollars Actually, only
5000 cash was required, but much of
the lumber and labor was donated. In
fact only two hired men were employed
in the construction of the massive build
ing this summer.
How this tabernacle came to be built
is an interesting story. Forty eight
years ago there was born on Narrow
Shore, near the site of this tabernacle,
a poor boy by the name of Elwood Z.
Adams. This boy grew up on one of
the poorest rented farms in that neigh
borhood. At one time he clerked in a
bar room. Ee left Narrow Shore at
the age of IL and went to Virginia,
where he worked as a farm hand for.
the then accepted wage Of $40 month
and his keep. Shortly after going to
Virginia word came back to Narrow
Shore that El. Adams chad got religion
and was going to preach" People who
knew the boz smiled.
But young Adams was serious. He
had found Christ and God had spoken
to him as surely as he had spoken to
the patriarchs and prophets of another
age. The boy, fired with religious zeal,
set out to acquire an education. He
was handicapped by iIliteracy and awk-
he stammered. But he
got an education. He worked his way
thru Randolph-Macon College and took
the degree of A. NJ. He taught school
and got post graduate course at CO.
lumbia University. Somewhere along
the line he took a theological course and
the degree of D. D. was ac-
corded him. To-day he is one of the
best known evangelists in the Middle
West. His home is in Kentucy and
he breaches everywhere.
Three years ago Rev. e. T. Adams
came back to Narrow Shore and con-
Quoted a revival for the Methodists of
his boyhood home. He was received
with open arms. The people of Narrow
Shore were proud of him. He came
pack again last summer and conducted
another revival for them. And then he
;old them What fine thing it would be
% build a permanent gospel tabernacle
IN the beautiful shores of Currituck
Sound and make it great revival cen
er for all these Northeastern North
Carolina counties. He said the word
md the Methodists of Poplar Branch
md vicinity did the rest. Among the
prominent Methodists of that neighbor- |
lood are D. w. Woodhouse, Lloyd G. |
Baum and DR.. Julian Baum, men cap
Ible of putting anything over when they
tart about it, And so we have thel
yurrituck Gospel Tabernacle.
The meeting will come to close next
sunday, Sept II. Elizabeth City peo-
lie who motor over to the tabernacle
sunday will receive cordial welcome
nd those who find it inconvenient to
AIRY their own lunch with them will t
e freely provided for by the people of
Narrow Shore.