By DOROTHY SKINNER
WILLIAMS
If you wstat to dip into the past
to s«6 what the Yadkin valley
was like when your forbears liv
ed, take an afternoon off and go
to the hill In Wilke«boro where
little St. Paul's Episcopal Church
la located. There you will get a
perfect view of the valley and its
surrounding mountains. The pre
sent activity of the Wllkesboros
becomes incidental as you sit on
this hUl, looking down to the
fields, and up to the mountains;
on one side, the Brushles, carpet
ed with fresh green trees; on the
other side, the Blue Rldge( a
clear cut and cool fringe of
mountains in the distance.
From this knoll, the noise of
automobiles and business life is
muted. Suddenly you feel as if
you are living In another age.
Tractors and bulldozers are for
gotten. Then you take a closer
look at St. Paul's Opiscopal Church
and you know it is certainly of
another age. Its <plnky-red, uneven
brick gives a clue to its anti
quity. Its centennial is a thing
of the past. This building is one
hundred-one years old, complet
ed in July 1849. Perhaps one of
Its charter members was your
grandmother or a distant cousin.
The names are all familiar here
in the valley: Mr. and Mrs.
James Gwyn, Dr. and Mrs. James
Calloway, Miss Fannie Williams,
and Mrs. Mary Taylor Peden.
You might expect St. Paul's to
be built in the fehape of a cross,
which is often the case with
Elpiscopal churches. Instead, this
ehurch is built to resemble an ark,
probably symbolizing Noah's Ark.
Inside, the beams are left exposed,
so that the shape of the ark is
pnore evident. The beams are
solid walnut as are the front, the
pulpit, and the pews, all the ori
ginal equipment of the church. A
contemporary member of the
church recently praised the pews
for the beauty of their wood and
the simplicity of design, then
reluctantly admitted a gross de
ficiency in their comfort.
The original members of this
church meant for the congrega
tion to sit up and worship alertly.
They were an alert group! In
1836, thirteen years before the
church was even built, the first
baptismal service of this group
was held at the home of James
Dodge, the nephew of Washing
ton Irvln. Folllowing this, services
were held in private homes at
intervals until 1847, at which
time these Episcopalians decided
to ralBe money for a church.
Samuel Flnley Patterson donated
the site for the church.
By May, 1848, the necessary
*1'' '1 1 11/'.',J —
ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN WILKESBORO
money for the building wag col
lected and the contract was ,let.
How simple as compared with
the debts evolved from a church
building program today! One of
these Episcopalians slyly com
mented that soon after the money
for St Paul's was collected the
Presbyterians and Methodists be
gan to solicit money to build their
own churches.
We can see the church today
and know what it looked like in
1849 at completion because it has
never been changed. Luckily, from
various letters and commentary of
the time, we can also have a real
idea of one of the early services.
Bishop Ives wrote in-a Diocesan
Journal ln> 1849:
"On the morning of the fifth
Sunday after Trinity, consecrated
in the '.town of Wilkesboro a
church by the title of St. Paul's.
Preaching on the occasion, and
administering the Holy Commun
ion. This is a beautiful Gothic
structure Of brick erected at
small expense, with free sittings
and without debt."
f * The Bishop was evidently im
pressed with the "free sitting^"
which meant that there Was no
rent charged for use of the pews.
Yon could sit free.
To assist the Bishop at this
consecration service, the faculty
and students of the divinity
school at Valley Crucls walked
forty-five miles to Wilkesboro.
They entered town at sunset, July
7, 1849, each bearing a pilgrim's
staff and chanting in unison the
"Gloria in Excelsls:*' It must have
been an inspiring sight to be
hold.
Picture another Sunday morn
ing when members of the various
prominent families came to be
confirmed in the church. As the;
walked under the ivy-covered
lich-gate which still stands, the
girls were probably wearing their
daintiest dress and prettiest bon
nets. Coming behind these parish
ioners were the slaves. The re
cords tell of the "faithful slaves"
Bynum, Phebe, Detsey, and Judith,
who were confirmed in the church,
perhaps on the same day as their
master's son or daughter.
Exploring St. Paul's you feel
the rich quality of its history.
It breathes out the love that has
been given to it its members. It
also proclaims the dignity of the
Episcopal ritual. Aa you leave St.
Pant's on the bill, and go back
to the chase Of modern life, you
feel more confidence in the future.
St Paul's has seen the thne of'
slavery, and has witnessed the
lives of the people who now lie
in its quiet cemetery. Yet this little
church still stands, giving Peace
to its devoted parishioners and
keeping watch over the valley.
. o 1 —
More than 1,000 farm owners
have received loan checks total
ing $4,6(3,000 from the Fanners
Home Administration for con
struction or repair of homes and
other buildings through the new
farm housing program, according
to the U. S. Department of Agri
culture. ■ ' " I •■l'V.'i
~t ; " v.
Caroling
The undorsjned, having
fled as administrator
of Mrs. Pearl M.
oeaaed, late of
this is to notify
ing claims against the said
"to present them to the unde—...
ed on or before the 80th day of
March, 1951, or this notice will
be pleaded in bar of their re
covery. All persons indebted to
said estate will please make im
mediate payment to the under
signed.
TM* 80 day of March 1050.
JAMBS E. HARDBARGISR
■ Rt. 1, North Wilkesboro, N. C.
Administrator. S-O-Ot(M)
F COMING! ]
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1950
Odr Representative, RALPH McKINNIS,
WILL BE IN NORTH WILKESBORO AND VICINITY AND
WILL OFPBB THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
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— Mail This "Ad" To „
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