Newspapers / Carteret County News-Times (Morehead … / Aug. 22, 1958, edition 1 / Page 10
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s Primitive Baptist Church , Newport, Traces Roots to Late 18th Century l : By F. C. SALISBURY Recognized as one of the oldest churches in Carteret County, other than the Church of England, with a record for holding continuous services through the years, is the Primitive Baptist Church at New port. It was known in early days as Regular Old School Baptist Church. The history of this branch of the Baptist denomination dates back to 1701. It was this year that the Welch Tract Church, Newark, Del., was organized. It was the oldest Old School Baptist Church in the United States, organized in Europe before spreading to this country. Settlers of this church, orthodox, journeyed southward, establishing homes and towns in the new col ony. First mention of an Old School Baptist Church in North Carolina was the Kehukee Church in Hali fax County. In this church the first association was formed. It is recorded in the records of this association that the Newport Church was received into member ship in 1780. There are no records giving the exact date when the Newport Church was first organized. It probably was a year or two be fore joining the association. Rec ords that have come to light cov ering the early years of this church bear the date of Oct. 3, 1783. In 1885 a committee consist ing of Elder N. II. Wiley, Michael Gould and Jasper B. Mann was appointed to compile a history of the church. The findings of this committee follow: Committee Reports "We, the committee set apart by the Church, met according to arrangement and proceeded to ex amine the books and we regret very much to say that the History of the Church from the time she was constructed is lost so far as for the time she was constituted, and who first took the pastoral care of the church we can say nothing about, as we find nothing left on record to inform us. "The oldest date we find in the book is 1783. We hee under that date of October 3rd, written thus: 'We the Church of Christ at New port with our help, Robert Nixon, have chosen and set apart our be loved Brother Joseph Bell for the office of a Deacon upon trial. We sec May the 4th, 1783, by the help of Robert Nixon and C. Markland, Presbytery, proceeded to ordain Joseph Bell and James Sanders, ruling Elder.' "This is all we can say in re lation to Elder James Sanders' pastoralship, as we see his name mentioned nowhere else, only en rolled on the list of members' names. We see written over the list of names thus James Frazure, present pastor, which list we be lieve contains the first names ever enrolled at this church. "Consequently Elder James Fra zure was about the first pastor, as we sec James Sanders name underneath on the church list. The above mentioned list is without date. It contains 67 names, all of whom arc either dead or moved away and their names forgotten. , This is the longest list we see any where on the book and had it have been continued down to the present time, the names would all have been enrolled in this book ... so we shall only enroll in this book all of the now living that are in full fellowship. "We will now pass on and give j some sketches in relation to Elder John McKaln (McCain), who we are informed once had the pastoral J care of the church, probably next to James Sanders, who we are in formed was put down for joining ( and holding to the Freemasons, the church deeming it her indis pensable duty to have no fellow ship with the unfruitful works of : darkness, so could no longer claim him as our pastor. This is only 1 verbal Information as we see his name mentioned nowhere on the book, but on the church list. Mowed Down "The next psstor, probably, was : Elder Jabez Weeks who had the care of the church for many years 1 and wai much esteemed as pas tor for his watchful care over its affairs. He continued pastor till 1 the 11th of July, 1828, when death j mowed his mortal body down and he was called to the way of all the earth. "He attended the church at Quarterly Meeting on June 1828, punctually discharging the duties enjoined upon him as its pastor." < The account covering the acci dent that caused the death of Elder Weeks does not appear in this his torical sketch. While traveling the White Oak road, supposedly going to attend a conference at the Hadnot Creek Church, the Elder and his wife were thrown out of the two-wheel vehicle in which they were riding. Their horae became (Tightened, either from a rattler crossing the road, or the sensing of a bear. The Elder was kicked by the horse and so severely injured that he died by the aide of the road before his wife returned from going back over the road to secure help. He was 17 years of age. The church history continues: The church, then being In t des titute situation, solicited ?14sr Jo Photo by F. C. Salisbury Church at Newport figures in early county history. siah Smith of Onslow County to take the pastoral care of the church. Complying with the re quest, he attended them at Quar terly Meeting in March 1829, at which time he became the pastor of the church and continued sole pastor till September 1850, at which time he, with the help of Elder Samuel llolt, ordained Na thaniel H. Wiley to the ministry. "Elder Smith then became the occasional pastor till March 1854, at which time Elder N. H. Wiley became the sole pastor of the church. Edler Josiah Smith served the church for 25 years as pastor, during which time he spared no pains in discharging his duty. In Memoriam "We deem it our duty in honor of the dead to insert a few lines here in memory of Elder Thomas Morton who died an ordained min ister of the Gospel. He was, by the request of the church, called to ordination March 1846, Elders Josiah Smith and Samuel Holt, Presbytery. It seemed to be the will of our Heavenly Father that he should not stand long as a watchman on the walls of Jeru salem. He was taken home in September following, consequently he never became the pastor of the church." Credit is given to the committee, appointed in 1855 to compile a past history of the church and for putting the information in a book of records with a list of member ship up to that date. From that time on, a most complete church record has been kept. The pastorate of Elder Wiley was of short duration, compared to those who served before and those who followed. In June 1856 he petitioned for a "letter of dis mission" which was granted. For the next three years, the church was without a regular pastor. However, services were conducted regularly, either in charge of a visiting Elder or a Deacon. From Craven County The year 1859 brought Elder John S. Brinson who had been serving the Milton Church in Cra ven County. He died in 1883, hav ing had the pastoral care of the church for 24 years. This record has been matched only by Elder W. W. Roberts, the present pastor who is rounding out 28 years as the church's pastor. During the year 1859. Thomas Mann was licensed to preach. A year later he was duly ordained by the laying on of hands by El ders Brinson, Levi P. Wayne and Thomas Goodwin. He is not men tioned as a regular pastor of the church, yet it was his preaching in the old building that brought ?bout an interesting event in his life, as well as the destroying of the meeting house by fire. During Civil War days when Federal troops occupied the town at Newport and regular church services could not be held, Elder Mann took it upon himself to preach to Union soldiers who cared for religious services. He tried to take a neutral stand in his ser mons but was accused of favoring the cause of the invaders by mak ing statements that the North was stronger and would win the war. As a result, he was spirited away one night and the meeting house burned. From U atoii Records From the history of the 9th New Jersey Regiment, stationed at Newport Barracks la taken an ac count of the kidnapping: "June 11, 1862? A party of Confederates (farmers by day and soldiers by night), eluded our pickets and reached the humble home of the Rev. Thomas Mann, just inside our linea and carried off the in offensive clergyman. He had re fused to identify himself with the cause of rebellion and having com mitted the crime of addressing a Union meeting, composed of his neighbors, incurred the mortal hate of secessionists, who cm braced this opportunity of wreak ing vengeance upon him." It is told that the Elder was taken to Wilmington and impris oned and that word was sent by the Union soldiers that if he was not released they would come down and blow up the town. Sev eral years later the Government paid the church the sum of $170 for the loss of the building, even though the Union forces did not fire it. Home Meetings When the church society was first formed in 1780, meetings for many years were held in the homes of the settlement or other convenient places. The records give no date as to when the first meeting house was built. It stood on a slight elevation on the north side of the present highway on the outskirts of town. A nearby ancient burying ground now marks the spot. Deprived of a meeting house following the close of the war, ser vices were held for a while in various homes. Later, an old mill house was reconditioned, making it a place for worship until 1885. In that year funds were subscribed for the purchase of a lot on Fisher Street, and for the construction of a simple church structure. It is the present building that has served this society for nearly three-quarters of a century. Elder L. H. Hardy, who was serving as pastor at the time the building project was started, was most active in securing funds, ma terial and labor, as well as giving of his labor. To this pastor was given the privilege of preaching the first sermon in the new meet ing house. Its doors have never been closed to service. Quarterly conference is held on the Saturday before the third Sun day of the month with regular service the following day. To keep the records of the church clear during the four years of Civil War, Elder Brinson in scribed this notice in the record book under date of 1866: "That the time may come that inquiries may be made as to the reason why there was no conference held from September 1881 to June 1866, the reason is now well known and will last in the memory of the generation and those that follow after. We will say that the cause of the great Civil War was the privation and distressing situation of the country. The place being beseiged by the enemy and the meeting house burned and the members scattered, it was not thought expedient to hold meet ings." Two-Year Gap Death, bringing to a close the long service of Elder Brinson in 1882, left the church without a regular pastor for the next two years. In the spring of 1885, a call was extended to Elder L. H. Hardy. He served for the next ten years. In 18(9 the church dis missed H. Wade, Alice Wade, Sid ney Macon. Josephine Willis, H. R. Willis, Abbie Willis, G. W. Wil lis and Emily Willis to form a church at Morehead City. After 40 years of almost con tinuous service as church clerk, Jasper B. Mann tendered his resig nation in 1885. During this same year Elder Hardy severed his con nections with the church. A year later Elder W. W. Brinson took over the charge, serving for the next eleven years. Aoother faithful Elder, who de voted 22 yean in the service of this church was Elder Isaac Jones. He entered into his duties March 1908, dying in 1930. During his pastorate the church in 1911 li censed W. W. Roberts of Newport to preach. Two yeara later W. W. Roberts and E. F. Pollard w era ordained by Elders Jones, James S. Corbett and C. C. Brown. After the death of Elder Jones in 1930, Elder W. W. Roberts took over tha duties a < the church, serv National Park Draws Visitors To Outer Banks Hatteras ? The new Cape Hat teras National Seaabore, being de veloped rapidly by the National Park Service, is a new magnet drawing increased travel to the once isolated Outer Banks of North Carolina. During July of this year alone, there were 90,330 visitors to the Hatteras Seashore, up 9,723 from July of last year. Paved road all the way on Hat teras and Ocracoke Islands; step ped up ferry service (state-oper ated, toll-free) across Oregon and Hatteras inlets, and new motels and restaurants have vastly en hanced the accessibility and com forts of the Outer Banks. A new booklet with latest infor mation on the Outei Banks, what's there, how to get there, and infor mation about accommodations, has just been published and ia free on request to the State Travel Bu reau, P.O. Box 2719, Raleigh. The Soviet Union has 59.000 miles of railways. The United States has 241,000 rail miles. With the Armed Force* Sergeant Serves at Marine Barracks, Yorktown, Va. Yorktown, Va. ? Marine First j Sgt. Steve Olkowski is serving as first sergeant of the First Guard Company with the Marine Bar raeks at the Naval Mine Depot, Yorktown, Va. First Sgt. Olkowski, the husband of the former Miss Ailcen Goodwin of Cedar Island was promoted to his present rank June 1. Before entering the service in May 1942, he attended Nanticoke High School, Nanticoke, Pa. Sgt. Steve Olkowski . . . wed to countUn Camp Perry, Ohio? Army Sgt. , Frank S. Daniels, son of Mr. and ' Mrs. Arlie Daniels, Cedar Island, ! is firing with the 82nd Airborne division pistol team in the Na- 1 tional Rifle and Pistol Matchei at ' Camp Perry, Ohio. 1 Upon completion of the matches Sept. 6, Daniels will return to his 1 regular duties as a reconnaissance ! sergeant in the division artillery ' at Fort Bragg, N. C. The 26-year-old sergeant entered ; the Army in 1949 and was last sta tioned in Germany. He attended Atlantic High School. Daniels' wife, Callie, lives (t 427 Durant Dr., Fayetteville. Fort Jackson, S. C.? Pvt. Alonzo E. Freeman Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo E. Freeman, 2001 Arendcll St., Morehcad City, has been assigned to Company D, 10th Nmba \ SMYRNA 2 rt. Aug. 19? Mix Evelyn Biker of Lumberton was a visitor with Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie GUIikin and fam ily during last week. Rd/3 Henry Lynch and family of Brunswick-, Ga., spent the week end with Mrs. Blanch Willis and family. Mrs. William Garvin and son of Long Island, N. Y., are visiting Mrs. Betty Smith. Miss Jane Hancock of Greenville spent the weekend with Mrs. Her bert Hancock and family. William Curtis Gillikin of Chin cote ague, Va., spent a few days with Mr. and Mra. Lonnie Gillikin last week. Mrs. Blanch Simmons and fam ily have returned to Florida after spending i few week! with Mr. and Mrs. Orin Beal. ing down to the present time. Be loved by the membership and high ly honored and respected by a host of friends. Elder Roberta can look back on hit long tenure of Christian and community service witfc pride and aatisfaftiaa, Pvt. AIomo E. Freeman Jr. . . ..at Fort Jackson Battalion, 2nd Training Regiment, at Fort Jackson for his basic in fantry training. During his basic training, he will be taught to fire the M l rifle. Mso included in his training will lie instruction in such subjects as first aid, personal hygiene, mili tary justice and physical training. Upon completion, he will receive idvanced military training. Daniel G. Whealton, 205 N. 20th St., Morehead City, has reenlisted in the Navy at Richmond, Va. Daniel recently completed his first Enlistment and advanced to the rating of electricians mate first j class. He will report to the Navy re- ( reiving station at Norfolk, Va., for reassignment by the Bureau of Naval Personnel. There is a US Navy Recruiter in , Morehead City on Mondays and . Wednesdays for those seeking in- . formation on enlisting and what the Navy has to offer. Kmha (merrimom LL ?. ? Aug. 20 ? Mrs. Bob Floss and children of Bridgeton spent Friday here visiting her mother, Mra. Jennie Milla, who has been visit ing relatives and friends here. Mrs. Mills will return to Bridgetoo with Mrs. Flosa. Mrs. Emma Beacham spent last Saturday with Mrs. Guy Carraway. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Adams who has been visiting Mrs. Adams' sister in Graham returned home on Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Levi Wallace and baby, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Wal lace and baby, all of Durham spent the weekend with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Wallace. Mr. and Mrs. "Gus" Robinson and children of Vance boro are spending the week with Mrs. Rob inson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. M Stallings. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Mclntyre of Rocky Mount spent last week with Miss Nlta Carraway. , To Honor Pastor The congregation of the First Presbyterian Church, Morehead City, will honor it* pastor, the Rev. A. G. Harris Jr., and hit family at a covered dish supper at ? p.m. Wednesday in the fellowship hall. Mr. Harris will be leaving soon to atrve the Emory Presbyterian Church, AUmU, G*. I Methodist Young People Plan Christian Youth Corps Under the leadership of Miu Anna Critcher, a (roup of young people from First Methodist Church are attending the CYC Conference at Ferrum College, Ferrum, Va. They left Morehead City at 3 a.m. Thursday. The con ference began at Ferrum College with an afternoon session and will continue through Sunday noon, Aug. 24. Hiss Critcher, director of Chris tian Education for the church, heads the delegation which con sists of Wayne Economen, Miss Anne Herbert, Miss Nancy Laugh ton, Miss Annette Cooper and Mrs. Theodore Economon, who will pro vide her car for transportation of the group to Ferrum and back. Mrs. Economon will also act as chaperone. The Christian Youth Corps is an inter - denominational organization with the highest Christian ideals. The young people attending the meeting are planning to establish an organization of the Corps in Morehead City. The Rev. J. F. Herbert of First Church returned from his vacation Monday, Aug. 18. The pastor was at his mother's home at Lake Junaluska for ten days. He spent the last three days of his vacation in Wilmington where he was guest preacher Sunday, Aug. 17. Mr. Herbert was pastor of Grace Methodist Church from 1939 to 1943. The pastor resumed his di rection of the local church pro gram with the Wednesday evening prayer service and the meeting of the Commission on Education which followed the prayer service. During the abaence of the pastor, the pulpit was supplied on Sunday, Aug. 10, morning and night, by the Rev. Reinhard Brose. On Sunday, Aug. IT, at the morning service the Rev. Dr. A. Purnell Bailey preached. At the evening service the Rev. E. Guthrie Brown, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, preached and conducted the ser vice. The entire church and city is looking forward to the return on Sept. 21 of Dr. Frank Crossley Morgan for an eight-day Bible Conference, sponsored by the First Presbyterian and First Methodist Churches of Morehead City. Dr. Morgan, born in London, England in 1898, is the son of Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, who at the turn of the century was the world's outstanding Bible Conference lead er. His son is following in his steps and for many years has been con ducting Bible Conferences in the United States and in Europe. His first visit to Morehead City was in January 1957. Although al most two years have passed, his ministry in this city is vividly re membered by hundreds of people. His return is an event wjg antici pated. Dr. Morgan's ministry will follow the following schedule: Sun day morning, Sept. 21 at 11 o'clock at First Presbyterian Church; Sun day night, Sept. 21 through Sun day night, Sept. 28, at 7:30 at First Methodist Church. Monday, Sept. 22 through Friday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m., at First Presbyterian Church; Sunday, So^t 28 at 11 a.m., at First Methodist Church. There will be no Saturday service. Bookmobile Route Listed The bookmobile will travel Mon day only a I next week because lira. Monroe Willla, bookmobile li brarian, will be working in the county library Tueaday. The Monday achedule follows: 9:15-9:55 ? Harlowe, Mrs. E. R. Bowlin'i book station; 10:05-10:45 ? Mra. John Ives' book atation; 10:55-11:40 ? Mill Creek. Mra. J. C. Skinner's book atation; 12:40-12:55 ?route 2 Newport, Mra. Madge Reynolds. 1:00-1:15 ? Masontown, Mra. M. L. Simmons; 1:20-1:35? Mrs. Pearl Simmons; 1:40-1:55? Mrs. Mayola Piner; 2:00-2:15? Mrs. Harold Sim mons; 2:20-2:35 ? Mrs. Verna , Gould. 2:40-2:55? Nine Foot Road, Mrs. Janie Garner; 3:00-3:30 ? Mrs. Alice Simmons' book atation; 3:35 4:05? Mrs. Daisy Cannon's book station. Presbyterian Pastor Announces Services Happy Art Thou will be the topic of the sermon by the Rev. A. G. Harris Jr., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Morehead City, at 11 a.m. Sunday. Sunday School will begin at 9:45 a.m. The First Presbyterian congre gation will worship with the Wild wood congregation at 7:30 p.m. The message will be a recorded sermon by Dr. Peter Marshall. Hong Kong, a British dependen cy on the coast of Chiita, is an island of 32 square milea with a population of one million. First Free Will Baptist Church Will Lay Cornerstone at 1 J Sunday This picture of the old church was taken July 1, 1957, the same day workmen began tearing H down to make way for the new build ing. First Baptists Schedule 'Off-to-College Sunday The First Baptist Church in* Morehead City is planning Off-to "ollege Day Sunday. For the morn ing service, the Rev. Edgar Christ man, Baptist Student Union Direc tor from Wake Forest College will spealc on the subject, The Only rhing That Matters. At the night service, college stu ients will give the program. Tak ing part will be Billy Rich, Johnny McBride, Billy Laughton and Bill ttunden. Helen Carlton, who has jeen doing summer mission work in Coiymbus, Ohio, will share some if ber experiences with us as our principal speaker. The choir will Include Sabra Eu banks, Linda Cheek, Catherine Lohr, Barbara Williams, Rose Daniels, Louise White, Jeane Barnes, Gordon Willis Jr., Frank Sanderson, Robert McNeill, David Nelson, Llewellyn Phillips, James Phillip*, Franci* Swanson and Billy Laughton. Blossom Thompson will be pianist for the evening. The ushers and collectors are Eddie Smithwick, Bobby Lewis, Walter Willis and Wayne Cheek. A committee is planning a fel lowship hour with refreshments ?nd games after the service. Gfoiwood Quartet Will Sing at Faith FWB Church The Glenwood Quartet of Rock ingham will sing at the Faith Free Will Baptist Church at the 7:30 Sunday night service. The Rev. Noah Brown, pastor, ?1*0 announces that there will be communion and feet washing ser vice. Member* of the visiting quar tet are Alec Brown, bait; Mrs. Clayton Steen, alto; Mrs. Bernie Grigera, soprano and pianist, and Kit* Leedie Brown, tenor. Ik* pastor invite* Um public. Nrwtfrsa CEDAR IS1AMD Aug. 19? The Rev. W. R. Hale filled his regular appointment at the Methodist Church here Sunday morning. Mr. John Gaskill and Lester Day left early Sunday morning for Brunswick, Ga., where they are shrimping. Everyone was glad to see the beautiful rain Sunday afternoon which was needed so bad. People in the community and elsewhere send their heartfelt sym pathy to the family of William Brittingham who lost their home by fire Thursday afternoon in Morehead City. Mr. and Mri. Jimmie Jones and son were the weekend guests of Mrs. Jones's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Milton Goodwin. Mr. Russell Gaskill spent the weekend home. Mrs. Julius Grey and Alice G. Daniels motored to South port Sat urday to take their grandmother to the hospital for a check-up. Mrs. Neil Daniels and infant daughter, Rebecca, is leaving Tuesday to Join her husband who ia stationed in Puerto Rico. Mrs. Gregory Rice and children of Morehead City have been spend ing some time with her mother, Mrs. Janet Daniels. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sundie of Virginia was the weekend guest of Mrs. Sundie's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Goodwin. The Spokane Falls, TO feet high, is in the central buaisau district of Spokane, Wash. The Rev. J. R. Davidson, Golds boro, will be guest preacher when the First Free Will Baptist Church, Morehead City, opens its new sanc tuary at 10th and Bridges Streets at 11 a.m. Sunday. At that time the cornerstone will be put In place. Pastor of the church, the Rev. Seldon Bullard, says the new church has been in use for several services even though it has not been completed. The finishing touches to the auditorium are be ing put on this week. Mr. Davidson is a former mod erator of the National Association of Free Will Baptists and was also business manager of the Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville, Tenn. He is now a member of the board of trustees and is special representative for the college in this state. Mr. Davidson is now pastor of the First Free Will Baptist Church in Goldsboro and is moderator for the Cape Fear Association of Free Will Baptists. At 2 p.m. there will be a sing spiration and testimonial meeting, followed by a message by Rev. J. C. Griffin, former pastor of the church. Baptismal Planned The speaker for the evening ser vice has not been determined. At the close of the service, Mr. Bill iard will baptize about IS persons. The new church, valued at $40, 000 will seat 372 adults in the main floor, balcony and choir loft. The building was designed by the Rev. Boyd Shook of Kenly, N. C. The building is the climax to a 21-month effort by Mr. Bullard and the members of the church. Mr. Bullard came to Morehead City Oct. 23, 1956, from Kannapo lis. When be arrived, the education building was under construction and the congregation was holding worship services in a frame build ing. On the first day of July last year . workmen began tearing down the old church. By July 10, the lot was cleared off and special ground breaking ceremonies were ob served. Mr. Bullard supervised work on the new building. Rather than giv ing a contract for the entire build- ? ing, Mr. Bullard hired individuals to do the different phases of con struction. Thomas Fish, Morehead City, was the mason and Hubert Mur doch, Wildwood, was the carpen ter. Sam Smallum of Mount Olive did much of the electrical work and is responsible for the indirect lighting in the auditorium. A complete heating system that can be converted to an air condi tioning unit in the summer hai been installed. The pastor hopes to have the air conditioning unit in by next summer. Mack Kittrell, Crab Point, laid the tile floors In the church free, in memory of his mother and fa ther. Many o I the men in the church contributed their time in doing work around the church dur ing the construction program. Members of the building com- ' mlttee, in addition to Mr. Bullard, Lare W. H. Marks Jr., C. H. Bar ker and A. E. Cannon. The com mittee places a value of about $65, 000 on the property and the two buildings. bers of other churches have been very generous and we are grate ful," aaid Mr. Bullard. "We would like to see all the people who helped as build the church at our
Carteret County News-Times (Morehead City, N.C.)
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Aug. 22, 1958, edition 1
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