Duplin County Churches
IF' t ; ' . - ? -.
" r- 1 ~~ ii 1
Warsaw Presbyterian Church
By: Ruth Wells
_ in the 1880's several P res by -
terlan families scattered over
the Warsaw community and
worshipping with their Baptist
friends In the only church house
of Warsaw were called together
for services by Dr. a F. Mar
able of Clinton.
On October 18.1884 the War
saw Presbyterian Church was
organized by authority of Wil
mington presbytery. This
meeting with the Commis
sioners of Presbytery appointed
for this purpose of organiza
tion was held In the Baptist
Church of Warsaw.
The twenty-five members
who met and signed the char
ter for the church were;
William A. Falson, Hattle
C. Falson, Anna A. Thompson,
j" b. Cox, Jas. D. Swlnson,
L. P. Best, Geo. M. Middle
ton. W. H. Hunter. F. G. Mld
dleton, J. M. Mlddleton. Anna
H. Mlddleton, O. F. Mlddleton.
William L. Hill. S. P. Middle
ton. Thomas B. Pierce. Sallle
E. Pierce, S. D. Mlddleton. J.
R. Smith, Mary S. Smith, Pen
der Mlddleton, J. R. Marable.
A. G. Moseley, Louisa Mose
ley, and Edward Mann.
At the Initial meeting. Dr.
Marable was given the pas
torate. and four officers were
elected: two elders, Messrs.
W. A. Falson and A. G. Mose
ley; two deacons, Messrs. T.
a Pierce and J. D. Swlnson.
The congregation first wor
shipped at the old school build
ing, located on the grounds of
the present Grammar School.
The present site of the church
was selected for the building,
the lot donated by one of the
charter members, W. L. HilL
The First Presbyterian
Church of Wilmington heard of
the efforts of the few persons
and sent three lovely pulpit
chairs; a communion set of two
small plates two cups and a
small pitcher, and the pulpit
now In use.
just as the frame of the build
lng was erected, acyclonecom
pletely destroyed ft. The only
things left In their places were
the Bible, the three chairs,
the pulpit, a glass pitcher and a
spittoon. This naturally brought
discouragement to some and
there was talk of discontinuing
the efforts. In fact, some mem
bers had almost sold the tim
bers to the late Tom Parker
for the purpose of building a
colored Baptist church.
Mrs. T. B. Pierce, Mr.
George Mlddleton, and others
expressed their determination
to have a Presbyterian Church
In Warsaw and efforts were
renewed. The building pro
gram was pushed, work started
again right after the cyclone.
Mr. A. F. Bland was the work
man who had charge of the re
building.
In the early stages of the
second attempt at building, a
strong wind blew It from the
blocks again. Despite this, the
building was ready for use In
about a year's time. The pews
which are still used for wor
ship were made under direction
of Mr. T. B. Pierce In his
factory at Pierceville. The
acoustics of the auditorium
have been pronounced by many
preachers and hearers as ex
ceptionally fine.
Many were the Ice-cream and
oyster suppers which helped to
pay off the Indebtedness of the
building. Among those who re
building. Among those who ren
dered Invaluable aid at these
suppers were Mrs. T. B.
Pierce, Mrs. Robert Joe Wil
liams, Mrs. W. H. Williams,
Mrs. Lambeth. Mrs. Isaac
Brown, Mrs. Ransom Mlddleton
Mrs. Sallle Johnstone, and Mrs.
Bettie Hill. Members of other
denominations In turn showed
their Interest through a spirit
of helpfulness. Thus the zeal of
a few pushed the work to its
finish.
Disaster seemed to plague
the church. Rev. R. M. Williams
who served the church as pas
tor 'from "l?!?5-1902 relates the
following Incident. "One dav
just after I had announced my
text, the lightening struck the
steeple and did damage to the
building, creating a consterna
tion among the congregation.
For just a few minutes every
thing was perfectly still; then
there was a rush for the door.
I called them back and tried to
get them stopped, but to no
avail. Then I began to sing
'Jesus, Lover of My Soul,' and
the moment I began to sing
the whole congregation stopped
turned around and came back to
their seats. Mr. T. B. Pierce
went out and looked to see If
there was any fire, when this
was determined, we went on
with the worship. The damage
done was covered by Insurance.
All along it seems that this
church has had to struggle for
its existence, but with it all
it has rendered a great ser
vice to the town of Warsaw."
The Wars aw Church was link
ed with the Clinton Church from
the time of Its organization,
until 1933 when the Presbytery
formed one group of Warsaw,
Bowden. and Falson Churches.
Since 1946 the church has had
full time ministers living In
Warsaw.
The church has produced two
ministers and one full time
worker namely; Rev. Albert
Maxwell who joined the church
by letter January 1,1911 and was
licensed to preach In 1915 and
went to Brazil as a missionary;
Rev. John a. Ricks joined the
Warsaw Presbyterian Church In
1915, attended DavidsonCollege,
Union TheologlcalSeminary and
Is serving as pastor of Belmont
Presbyterian church In Roa
noke, Va.
Miss Louise Farrlor, joined
the church December 16,1928, Is
a graduate of East Carolina
College of Assembly Training
School and Is serving as Direc
tor of the Editorial Department,
Board of Women's Work, Pres
byterian Church V. S.. altanta
office.
In 1928, The woman's Auxi
liary remodeled the Interior
of the church. The sanctuary
was made attractive with new
walls, new windows, new carpet,
all harmonizing and making a
most restful place of worship.
Until 1933 all Sunday School
classes were held In the one
room of the church. The Sunday
School realized the need of
more space and eight rooms
Including Ladles Parlor and kit
chen were made available for
use. The upper floor with con
siderable space was left unfur
nished, to be developed Into ex
tra rooms when needed. The
whole plant of church and Sunday
School rooms was brick ve
neered and steam heated.
In 1945, the church decided
to build a manse on the lot
directly behind the church. The
house was completed In 1947
and final payments made one
year later.
The fellowship hall and Young
Peoples Room In the upstairs
of the church was completed In
March 1952. This hall has been
used for the Mens Bible class,
and the men added facilities for
senrtrig coffee In the room.
In 1957 the growth of the
Sunday School nad caused a
further need of expansion and a
building committee was set up In
1957. The lovely building was
completed In 1958 at a cost of
$33,660.60. This includes a
large recreation room, three
new Sunday Schools, a nursery
and kitchen.
Ministers who have served
the church are Dr. B. F. Ma
rable, ColinShaw, George Dem
pster, Joseph Evans, GeorgeM.
Mathls, Robert murphy Wil
liams. Robert M. Mann, P. L.
Clark, M. O. Sommers, F. S.
Johnstone, D. L. Jones, Eugene
H. Clarke, Jerry M. Newlx>ld
and Norman H. Flowers.
The session Is composed of
L. B. Hule, Clerk, Edwin P.
Evers, a. J. Jenkins, Sr., John
M. Pierce, W. J. Mlddleton, Jr.
and Henry L. Stevens, Jr. a. J.
Draughon, jr. Is chairman of
the Deconate. Serving with him
are: J. T. Gresham, Jr., a.
Wright Gore, William T. Best,
Fred J. Baars, G. S. Hodges,
J. Herman Hlnes, Hector B.
McNeill. a. Walker McNeill,
C. Sheffield, F. a. Mitchlner,
R. W. Rivenbark, v. a. Stancll,
and Shelby B. Zachary.
Mrs. Allen Draughon, Jr., 1s
president of the Women of the
Church, H. C. Mccullen Is pre
sident of the Men of the church.
Vernard A Stancll is superin
tendent of the church school,
Mrs. Ben Bowden, is organist
and Mrs. W. J. Mlddleton, Jr.,
and Mrs. J. T. Gresham, Jr.
are choir directors. We are
very grqteful to Mrs. J. W.
F arrlor, historian, for furnish
ing us this information.
My Christmas Story!
Editor's Note; This poem was
written by a German War Bride
who has "been in the U. S. for
about the past twenty years.
Again the Holy night is near,
With laughter and joy, but also
with tears.
Christ was born to save us
from sin,
How many truly think of him.
Too good I remember the
days as a child
For me, Christmas was a day
of litfw
Everything shining, and a lot
of toys.
But I found out the sorrows,
when I did grow.
It was In 41, on the Holy
night.
When mother lighted only four
candles, her face silent and
white.
She had lost two sobs in ac
2". *? ftff
war and when the war time
The lights would shine for me
any more.
For on the following Christ
mas
And on the H>ly night.
I had no tree, or home to
g?
Or gifts to sit beside.
The light which shlned once
for me
Were dead, and burned out
F rom then I walked my lonely
road
Only with Christ the Lord.
Let's not forget in laughter
And all our Joy,
To pray for our soldiers
Who fight another war.
Lets pray for our soldiers
far away from home.
For freedom and the end of
the Viet Nam war.
Leu ask Christ and Savior
for forgiveness and peace and
keep this hand for always, the
hand of liberty.
Maria V. Smith
134 Circle Drive
Wallace, N. C. 28466
HARRISONBURG, VA. NEWS
RECORD: "Dr. John D. Dough
erty of the Harvard School of
Public Health is one of a grow
ing number of sclentiests who
are taking a look at a noise
In contemporary society and
Its effects, apparently, are con
siderable... A researcher on
hearing problems. Dr. Dough
erty contends noise levels In
many environments have
reached the point they are caus
ing serious hearing Impair
ments....As examples of how
nolsey everyday contrivances
have become, tne researcher
notes Industrial studies which
have shown that continued ex
posure to a noise level of 80
decibels has resulted In loss of
hearing. Yet, such ordinary ap
pliances as food blenders are
rated at 93 decibels, a loud
lawn mower at 107 decibels and
a subway train at 9Q,"
WILL THE BROTH BE MORE SAVORV?
' H.C*
$f*TE BUREAU
? OF
jchie?
\and bot^e ~t 1
I BRO TON^
Aj2rfiSuy ///occckiv
&tll! &ell! Wtlli
By: Ruth wells
Wanted - 17 hl-tailed cats for
my friend Rodney Thfgpen! Rod
ney has a lovely new brick home
and in spite of all his efforts
he is bothered with mice. Now
I have been told on good au
thority that one sure way to be
free of mice and rats is to
possess seventeen cats. They
must be the variety that holds
their tail high in the air as
they answer the "chow call."
Anybody having a cat that will
fit this description please de
liver them to Rodney Thgpen-,
Route 1, Mount Olive.
? ? ? ?
Last Wednesday I was at the
BeulavUle Elementary School
near lunch time. The most de
licious aroma filled the entire
building in which the lunch room
is located. Ruby and I readily
accepted the invitation to eat.
The food was delicious! It was
a well planned meal, balanced
in all the necessary nutrients,
and as tasty as you hope to
find for a family Sunday din
ner.
?. * ? ?
Duplin County lost a remark
able citizen over the week end.
Mr. Edd Bostlc of Warsaw,
age 90, who entered the hospi
tal Just a few days earlier. In
all those 90 years that was the
first trip. Longevity was at
tributed to clean living, he didn't
smoke, drink, or cuss.
? ? ? ?
Were I a less determined
person, I would throw that love
ly Yashlca 24 camera In the
boot of the car and forget it.
But being of the make up I
am, each week from now on
I shall attempt a day time shot
In. th* J?iq4Jn CWttitaKn. _
< Again this week, what shoild
. have been a lovey young lady
1 sitting at the Judges desk, came
out a perfect blank. If at first
you don't succeed
? ? ? ?
Fourteen shopping days left
and the thought Just petrifies
me, so bye now, off to do
Christmas shopping.
? ? ? *
SULLIVAN. ILL.,PROGRESS
"Since our government de
mands such a strict account
ing of every penny handled by
every citizen, for taxing pur
poses, those taxpayers, oy the
same right, should be entitled
to a strict accounting of how
all those tax dollars are being
spent."
Origin of theChristmasTree
The lights of the Christmas
tree, most beautiful when re
flected In the eyes of a child,
will bring peace and joy to
millions of homes again this
season, as they have for cen
turies.
But how did it begin? Why
do we connect trees and lights
with the birth of the Babe whom
Christians consider the Mes
siah?
There are several stories
about the origin of the Christ
mas tree. People in Scandina
via once worshipped trees, and,
explains World Book Encyclo
pedia, they made evergreen
trees part of the Christian fes
tlvals when they became Chris
tians.
One legend tells how the first
Christmas tree was shown in a
miracle to the English mls
mlonary Winfrld (later called
Boniface). More than 1,200
years ago, while traveling in
what is now northern Germany,
Wlnfrid found a group of he
thens at an oak tree, about to
sacrifice a child to the godThor.
Wlnfrid stopped the sacrifice
and cut down the "blood oak."
AS the oak fell, according to
the legend, a young fir tree
appeared, winfrld said the fir
was the tree of life, represent
ing Christ.
The Germans probably were
the first to decorate Christmas
trees. They used stars, angels,
toys, gilded nuts, and candles
wrapped in bright paper, and
later added tinsel and lighted
candles. Scandinavians at one
time trimmed their trees with
little flags, now they also use
cookies, apples, and gilded nuts.
In the united States and Ca
nada, homemade paper orna
ments, candy canes, and at rings
of cranberries and popcorn
were popular before the advent
of shiny colored balls and
strings of colored electric
lights.
Lights at Christmas repre
sent Christ as the Light of the
World. According to one story,
Martin Luther put lights on his
trees to represent the glory
and beauty of the stars above
Bethlehem on the night of
Christ's birth.
In the United States and Cana
da, many churches hold candle
light services on Christmas
Eve. People In Ireland, World '
Book says, leave a candle burn
ing In the window. In The Ne
therlands, on the eve of Epi
phany, young men carry the
Christmas star ? actually a
lantern containing lighted can
dles ? as they stroll through
the streets singing hymns and
carols.
No matter what the origin,
the tree ablaze with lights is
something we remember from
our earliest childhood ... and
something the very youngest
children will begin to learn
this Christmas.
OCALA, FLA., STAR-BAN
NER: "An opinion survey re
veals that most Americans fa
vor a cut In federal spending
rather than increased taxes as
a means of controlling Inflation.
What this shows Is that more
people are becoming aware of
re*l cause of the rising
Inflation whichls troubling our
country today...Do the politi
cians want us to believe that
giving them more money to
spend will result In a lower
cost of living ? that la, a
dollar with more purchasing
power?"
SHELBYVQ.LE, KY.. SENTI
NEL: "The fact Is thai the
average American family is
spending 13% of its total income
on food. M> other nation in the
world even approaches this fi
gure, and lnEngland33%ofeach
family's disposable income
goes for food, 45% in France,
and 62% in the Soviet Union.
Aside from the remarkably
small amount of her income
which goes for food, the Ameri
can housewife receives more
variety, more nourishment,
more everything than her coun
terparts anywhere on the globe
...America's free enterprise,
intensively-competitive system
is the best guarantee yet de
vised by man that prices will
not exceed demand.*'
COLDWATER, KANS., STAR:
"Food for peace is a grand
sounding designation for a go
vernment program, but when
the program is used indirectly
to feed our avowed enemies
the people of the United States
may not think It is so grand.
Communism is a society which
can keep its people from starv
ing only with aid from thefree
dom countries."
1
Yesler?lay"s ,
News Notes 1
1 Year Ago
Reeves Brothers, Inc. an
nounces a new cut and sew ope
ration to be located in Duplin
County,
Mrs. Melvln (Clyde) Potter
named Red Cross Fund Cam
paign manager for 1966.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Taylor
win cup at Broiler Producers
Annual Banquet.
NCEA present 25 year pins
to seven members.
5 Years Ago
James Kenan District Band
present concert in KenansvOle
Gymnasium.
Warsaw boy, Billy J. Torrans
appointed to the U. S. Proba
tion Office.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Qutnnho
nored on 30th Wedding Anniver
sary.
Janice Henderson, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. R, E. Hen
derson elected Treasurer of
Freshman Class James Walker
Memorial Hospital School of
Nursing.
10 Years Ago
Miss Eleanor Southerlandhas
accepted an assignment with the
International Cooperative Ad
ministration of the Federal Go
vernment to work in Columbia,
S. C. _ _
Mr. u. (tsuaay) William
son appointed to supervisor of
Charlotte District by Southern
Bell Telphone.
Faison Special Education
Class has exhibit at Raleigh
Conference.
20 years Ago
Tidewater Power Company
announces new heat pump ready
for this section.
J. E. Sloan of chinquapin,
elected chairman of AAA.
Albert Jonathan Jenkins, Jr.,
15, awarded Eagle Scout Badge.
Mr. and Mrs. Norwood Bruce
Boney celebrated Twenty-fifth
wedding anniversary.
r^nde pete pronj f * a
I (hittlin Switch j
?
DEAR MISTER EDITOR: 1
Ed Doollttle reported to the
feller* at the country (tore Sat- i
urday night ha ha* come up with
a plan to cut his worries in half.
Up to now, aald Ed, he had been :
worrying about what was going
to happen to the young genera- ,
ton, along with his worries about
the old folks. From now on, be
allowed, he was confining his
worries strict to what was going
to happen to his own generation.
Zeke Grubb was agreed Ed
was making a wise move in this
plan to eliminate half his wor
ries. He said his preacher told
the congregation Sunday the
great need in the world today
was fer people to know a little
less and understand a little
more.
Zeke was of the opinion this
was a mighty hard assignment
and he brung along some figgers
to prove it This was the first
time Zeke ever brung any fig
gers to the Saturday night ses
sions and he had to borrow Ed's
glasses to read 'em to the fel
lers.
He had a newspaper clipping
where a committee of the Con
gress had completed a 10-month
study on Guvernment paper
work. This piece said the report
was 70 pages long and was one
of the most "astounding docu
ments" to come out of the Con
gress in 90 year.
According to this report, if
one Guvernment record was
burned ever second, it would
take 2,000 years to destroy them
UL It said Guverament W
work cost |8 billion a year apd
it took 15 billion copies of MO,
000 Guverament forma to oper
ate the Federal agencies.
Farthermore, the report aald
225,000 Government workers
waa spending moat of their work
day putting documents Into 25
million cubic foot of filing cab
inets, that the Guverament 4
spends $1.5 billion a year writ
ing 1 billion letters. According
to them Congressmen making
the survey, It would save the
taxpayers from $100 million to
$200 million a year If they tfould
make their lettera a paragraph
or two shorter.
One of the worst things they
found, the report said, was they
All up 2.6 million pages a year
with inter-office memos, instruc
tions and communications, half
of them not worth a copper
filled quarter.
This was a mighty long piece
fer Zeke to read and he got
some of the words wrong but
he had the figgers correct and
some of the fellers, including
me, was writing 'em down on pa
per pokes we swiped from the
storekeeper. They was correct
and official, Mister Editor, if you
want to print 'em in yore paper.
It's all right fer Zeke's preach
er to say we need to know a lit
tle less and understand a little
more, but how you going to un
derstand this Guverament red
tape?
Yours truly )
Uncle Pete
\.it
(THE |
Minister's j
( Desk J
jBy: I). E. Piirkcrnoiij
A certain man once said that
he would never let his wife sit
In the front seat of his car
with him because It was a waste
of talent. She was such a good
back seat driver that he always
made her sit In the back seat.
I suppose that It was such a
man as this who was one day
riding down the street of a
certain city when a motorcycle
policeman pulled up beside him
and said, "Hey, mister, yottr
wif? fell out of the back seat
of your car three blocks back?'
The man replied, "Thank good
ness, I thought I had gone stone
deaf."
These two men that 1 have
mentioned are representative of
many of us. Back In the days
of long ago (to some It seems
as thougm it Is a century ago)
we always opened the doors of
cars for our wives and seated
them at the tableever so gently.
Now is Is quite different for
many. The thouehtfulness ex
pressed in the little things has
been lost from our marriage.
When this happens It Is not
because love Is lost, or at least
not most of the time, but that
we have become less thoughtful
and take each other for granted.
I met a couple just out of town
from our church here this week
who have been married for 65
years. The husband Is 90 and
the wife 85 years old. The very
way they looked at each other
told me that love for them had
been an Increasingly growing
thing for two-thirds or a cen
tury. Said he to me, as he
pointed over to his wife, "I'm
not bragging about It preacher,
but she's the best woman I
ever knew.' This man's love
!was genuine to begin with, and
It continued to grow through
the years. It is greater now
than it has ever been. Such
love Is beautiful and eternal,
for it Is of God.
When Christ Is at the center
of the home it has a focal
point around which all of life
can revolve. It has a founda
tion that Is strong enough to
stand up under the stresses
and strains of life. Therefor*,
It Is not just foolish talk when
someone says that a family that
prays together stays together.
And they work together.
Many of our homes have about
as much harmony as aSaturday
night brawl. Sucn was the case
In a home where a man was
bragging that whenever anything
' went wrong around the house h|
always <lx?d It. "Oh, yeah?' H
his wife'said, "Since you fixed
the clock the cukoo backs out
and asks, 'What time Is it?' "
Duplin Times
Progress
Sentinel
Published Weekly by
Progress Sentinel, Inc.
KeaaasvilVe, N. C.
Second Class Postage
Paid at
Kenansville, N. C.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICES
Single Copy ??? lk
In Duplin and Adjoining
Counties
fi Mos.?$1.81 1 Yr.?$341
Outside Of Duplin and
Adjoining Counties
( Mos?$8.32 1 Yr.?$444
(Incl. N. C. Saks Tan)
Outside North Caroline
1 Yr. 5.50
A DupUn County Journal de
voted to the religious, mater
ial, economic and agricultural
development of DupUn County.
Crossword Puzzle
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7. Tbinga lost
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14. fruit
15. Stemmed
class'
16. Barroom
IT. Suffix:
adherent
16. Sailor: slang
15. Convent
head
IS. Deprived
15. Tall grass
26. Vehicle
28. Trench river
29. State: abbr.
50. Oregon
capital
61 Mother
83. Turkish title
65. Jack: cards
66. Mire
67. Oives food 4
69. Holy 4
Soman,- 4
U. Uncooked
12. Paddle
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46. Double: Bol
49. Make
certain
60. Source
61. Reexamine
62. Rise
sow*
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X Commotion
3. Drink
4. Filled with
sand
3. Woody
plants
8. Put
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23. Thighbone
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