The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-02-13

the Little Brown Church has kept the
interior just as it was when DR.. Will
liam S. Pitts, master of the singing
school hard by" first sang the words
and music Of his song within its walls.
Hanging lanterns, box pews and cabi-
net organ all are suggestive of days
gone by, but modern touch is found
in furnace which has been installed
in the basement.
On the walls are bronze tablets me-
the church and to Doctor Pitts and
Rev. John K. Nutting The congrega-
ton was organized in 1885, with San
ford Billings, Oren Humaston, Lucy
Humaston, Sarah Littlefield and Mrs.
Edward Hall as charter members.
Doctor Bits and Mr.. Nutting both
attended reunion of former members
of the church and students of Brad
ford academy in 1916. Doctor Pitts,
eighty-seven, came from Brooklyn,
N. Y, and Rev. Mr.. Nutting, eighty
four, came from Crystal Springs, Fla,
for the reunion.
A little church which sprang into
fame within recent years is quaint
old Quaker meeting house in Sandy
Spring, Md, 20 miles from Washing
ton, and it came into prominence
when President Herbert Hoover at
tended services there. There was a
particular reason for his going to that
church. The Presidents biographers
tell how Herbert Hoover is a descend
ant of Andrew Hoover, a stalwart
colonial pioneer, who ''held farms in
the uplands of Maryland" meaning
the vicinity of Sandy Spring. 1t was
in this meeting house, built in 1917,
that earlier generations of the Hoo
vers worshiped and the President was
following a precedent set by his fore
fathers when he went to church there.
Off the coast of New Hampshire is
little church which is unique. 1t
stands alone on Star island, Isles of
Shoals, ten miles from the mainland,
which is said to be the only island in
America dedicated entirely to religious
services. Built in 1900, after the wood
en- meeting house was destroyed dur
ing the Revolution for fuel, this stone
structure for 40 years has been the
scene of worship by mothers, sisters
and sweethearts, praying for the safe
return Of their loved ones, fishermen
at sea.
At ten o'clock each night when all
is hushed, the pilgrims place them
selves in column formation. Lighted
candles, encased in glass shades and
swung from handles like lanterns, are
passed out to them. Then the col
umn silently winds its way up the
rock-strewn path to the top Of the hill
where the little gray stone church
with its old-fashioned pine pews, its
cracked bell and the metal Goldfish on
the belfry, stands. There by the dim
light of the candles, the pilgrims in
side the church and outside-for it
is not large enough for all-bow their
heads in prayer. Then voices are
raised in the words of some appropri-
ate LII anu dltcT tulS DTleI service
the column moves slowly down the
hill again.
In naming the little churches there
is one which should not be passed by
without mention. On the top of Mount
Casino, some two miles south of Gov
ington, KY, on the Highland pike, is
what is said to be the smallest church
in the world, since it is capable of
accommodating a congregation of not
more than three persons, This small
brick structure was built in 1890 by
some brothers Of the Benedictine or
der, who used it as a shrine during
the years they were engaged there in
the making Of sacramental wine. Dur
ing the years of it's use it contained
an altar, the usual church candles, a
crucifix and pews for the accommoda-
tion Of three persons. But it is no
longer used as church, though still
owned by st. Joseph's parish of Cow
ington- 1t Is now merely an out house
of the estate on which it is situated.
&c. 1881. Western Nsvspape, Union,