The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-09-30
Nearly Half OF
People In Ashe
Church Members
Religious Progress i'm County i'm
Past SO Years has Been Graft
flying.
CONTINUED From Page One)

ionary Baptist and M. E. churches,
South, was practically doubled dur
ing the 36 years.
The complete survey is as follows:
In 1900 the Primitive Baptist had
IS churches, ministers and 761
members. The 1886 minutes show
IL churches, Z ministers and 467
members. Today no church is as
large as it was in 1900 when the
largest membership OF one church
was 81, while now the largest is Is.
The Mountain Union Baptist
church. which was established fol-
lowing the advent Of the big slavery
question. reported in 1904, (the
nearest available statistic to 1900,
total of II churches. 20 ministers
and 1888 members. The report of
the 1886 Association listed 16
churches, 10 ministers and 1918
members.
The Ashe Baptist Association re-
ported in 1902 (nearest available to
1900, % churches, rs ministers, with
1885 members. In 1896 the Ashe
Missionary Baptist Association had
43 churches, 40 ministers and a
membership of 3346.
The Blue Ridge Methodist Epis-
copal Conference (popu1arly known
as the Northern Methodist), reported
in its Ashe County Circuits in 1900,
II churches, 2 conference preachers
and 10 local preachers, with a total
membership of CTS. For 1896 there
were 10 churches, conference
preachers and 6 local preachers, and
a membership of GIT.
In 1900 the Methodist Espicopal
Church, South, had in Ashe county
"a churches, 8 conference ministers
and 8 local preachers, and total
of 1917 members. The facts for
1886 are 81 churches, 2 conference
ministers and local preachers, with
membership totaling 2237.
The figures for the Episcopal
churchs were not available, but it
was assumed that in 1900 there were
two churches and two today.
Presbyterian statistics revealed in
1900 that there were 2 churches,
minister and rs members. The report
to the last General Assembly showed
II churches, ministers and 674
members.
Today there are IS more churches,
II more ministers and 31O8 more
members than there were in 1900 in
the county.
In discussing the progress made in
religious tolerance, the speaker re-
lated some cases of UNCONVENTIONAL
vengeance and said, "These things
could not happen today. When the
call comes for some united effort,
the churches are now pulling as
one"
The improvement in equipment
for Sunday Schools and the growth
of daily Vacation Bible School
movement were cited as concrete
evidence that there has been pro-
gress in the county in religious edu-
cation. In 1923 the Presbyterian
churches were pioneers in this work
and have continued it every year
since then, he stated. The Methodi-
SITS and Baptist are conducting a dali
ly Vacation Church School in many
of their churches.
In regard to the progress made in
stewardship, Mr. Stone said the
church that has vision and does
bevelovent work grows and point
ed out that the statistics given above
indicate this to be true. A single
convincing instance was narrated of
the growth in stewardship. In 1902
there were churches of the Ashe
Baptist Association that gave $10.85
to the orphanage. In 1886, %
churches gave $564.05.
In closing his speech, Mr.. Stone
said, "There has been marked pro-
gress in membership of the churches,
including an increase in ministers
and number of churches; there has
been a great gain in tolerance, in
in religious education and in ste
wardship; but we are far from our
goal. In the words of Scripture,
Brethren, pray for u.s..
The speaker was introduced by
A. A. Cashion, who had charge Of
the Kiwanis club program and in
making the introduction Mr.. CASH
ion stated, among other things, eve
people of Wilkes have always been
interested in Ashe county. The peo-
pie there spend lot of money over
here; they put pie on our tablet"