Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-11-03
SHARON CHURCH
Big Gathering at Re-dedicatiOn Of Old
Sharon Baptist Church. Organized
in 1926.

Last Sunday was great day at
old Sharon church, 10 miles north OF
Rockingham. The occasion was the
re-dedication of the old church, and
doubtless it has witnessed few such
gatherings of the people in its long
career. The building was crowded
to its fullest capacity and still
there was not room for all present.
Sharon is one of the oldest Bap-
fist churches in Richmond county,
having been organized i'll 1926 with
Is members.
Recently it has been remodeled at
a cost of Sl,260. Several class
rooms have been added, new, COM
Portable seats installed and the
building has been turned around to
face the relocated highway. Old
friends of the church and its former
pastors had been invited to be pres
ent at this service and many re-
sponded.
AT the beginning of the morning
service the present pastor, Rev. d. =.
Bridges, read a histol cal sketch of
the old church, and acted as mas
ter OF ceremonies during the re-
mainder OF the services.
DR.. Livingston Johnson, of .Ra-
leigh, who was pastor of this
church at the very beginning of his
ministry 80 years ago, delivered a
powerful sermon at II o'clock, his
text being the 39th and 10th verse
of the 18th chapter of Hebrews. At
ter the congregation was dismissed
| the good ladies of the community
spread a suitable feast of good
things to eat in the beautiful oak
grove that surrounds the church.
After seeing and partaking of such
repast one wonders if times are
really as hard as we are sometimes
lead to believe they are. Great dishes
of fried chicken, country ham, sau-
sage, pork, a great variety of fine
cakes, custards, pies, pickles, etc,
served with pure hospitality that
makes one want to go back and have
it all over again.
When the congregation re-assem-
bled at o'clock Pastor Bridges an
nounCed that as the weather was
threatening the night service origi-
nally planned would be dispensed
with. Rev. MI. Jordan, who was
pastor of the church II years and
who was to have preached at the
night service, spok" briefly in a
reminiscent vein which was evi
IDENTIFY enjoyed by the congregation
The afternoon sermon was preached
by Rev. w. H. H. Law. horn. Before
beginning his sermon he spoke very
Interestingly of the old church and
his long connection with it. He be.
. came pastor in 1874 and served for
IA years. During that time he hap.
| tiZed "A persons and had his old
record with him showing the names
and date of baptism of each one,
He has been preaching for 81 years
and said he had counted up 80 mem
bcrs that We're pillars of old Sharon
church while he was pastor and that
not one of them was now living
which made him sad.
After Rev. Mr.. Lawhorn, Rev. John
Bennett, now pastor at Pineville
MecklenbuIg county, held the undi'
vided attention of the audience fol
30 minutes or more. He was not
a former pastor, but this old church
had licensed him to preach AZ years
ago, sending the license to him
without application, while he was
off at school. He is vigorous
speaker and his discourse was 8
fitting finale to this long-to-bC-re
membered day at Sharon church.
The music was excellent, several
quartettes by local talent being es
pocially fine.