fa < ^&urt* ^j^j^ fo^ o George W as fling ton Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS IF I Copyrighted? 1926 C. J. BLACK Kings Mountain, N. C, HISTORY OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF KINGS MOUNTAIN, N. C By Gi J. BLACK Author of History of Brown Creek-Union Baptist Association, History of Loray Bap- tist Church, History of , Sandy Plains Bap- tist Church, and The Origin of the Bap* tistSv "Upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hfell shall not prevail against it" Christ THE HERALD PUBLISHING HOUSE Kings Mountain, N. G. REV. C. J. BLACK ■ 2&6 H613 H24 DEDICATION To Mrs. Lucinda Cornwell, Mrs. J. T. Ken* clrick, Mrs. Callie Carpenter, who came here and labored and prayed until a Bap- tist church was organized, and to that noble band of faithful Baptists who loved their Savior enough to launch a Baptist program in Kings Mountain ,this little vol- ume is cheerfully dedicated. THE BIG MONUMENT ON THE KINGS MOUNTAIN BATTLEFIELD (Opposite page) Beneath thy grandeur once was wrought, The peace that our forefathers sought. To free us from a tyrant's hand. So now we fight for Him who gave His life to overcome the grave, That He might reign throughout the land. — John H. Floyd. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, INDEX Page INTRODUCTION. THE TOWN OF KINGS MOUNTAIN, N. C. Its location — Early settlers — Chief characteristics — Leading industries — Its churcibes and religious life. ; 1 THE BATTLE THAT MADE THE TOWN FAMOUS. When fought — The leading officers — Relatives of the heroes who live in Kings Mountain — The relation of this battle to American civilization! — T|his battle a challenge to every citizen of our town 31 THE FIRST BAPTIST TO LIVE IN KINGS MOUNTAIN. Where reared — Wihen and where she made a profes- sion 'Of religion) — Her first church relations — When sihe mioved to this town — Her loyalty to the Baptist faith , 94 EARLY BAPTIST BEGINNINGS. The second Baptist to move to this town — The first preaching — Struggles of the first Baptists 102 THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST CHURCH. Where organized — When organized — The first pastor — Tjhe first deacons — The first clerk — The first Sun- day School . 125 THE FIRST BUILDING. How the lot was secured — -Other lots secured — Erec- tion of the first house — The struggle the members had to build the first ihouse 135 THE PASTORS WHO SERVED FROM THE ORGANI- ZATION UNTIL 19 00. Elder M. P. Matiheny — J. E. McManaway — F. C. Hickacn. — P. G. Hopper — T, Bright — J. A. Hoyle- - A. M. Ross __________ __ _ 146 THE PASTORS WHO SERVED FROM 19 00 TO 1926. A. H. Sims — J. J. Beach — J. M. Hamrick — J. G. Graham — J. R. Miller — W. R. Beach — J. O. Fulbright Walter N. Johnson — C. J. Black 181 THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. When organized — -The first superintendent — Other superintendents — Numlber of scholars enrolled under each superintendent — The first secretary — Other sec- retaries — The present Sunday School — What the Sui> day Scihtool has meant to the church — Its urgent needs 24 THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY. When Organized — The first president — The first sec- retary— -Divided into circles — What it has meant to the work here 277 B. Y. P. U. When organized — Different organizations — The pres- ent organization — The manner of the early B. Y. P. U. — The literature used — Who belonged to it — The Juniors organized — The Intermediates organized-- Their leaders, and the work as it is today — The City B. Y. P. U. organized 312 THE FIRST CLERK. And ether clerks who have served from the organiza- tion of the church until 19 26 — The importance of the clerk's office 32 9 THE BOARD OF DEACONS 337 THE CHURCH'S PRESENT OUTLOOK. Our membersship — Our Young People — Our oppor- tunity — Our respcnisibility 34 4 THE CHURCHES ROUND ABOUT. Bethlehem -The Second Church — Macedonia — Their membership — Pastors — And their Sunday Schools __ 34 9 INTRODUCTION. Many things have been written concern- ing Kings Mountain and its famous battle which turned the tide of British oppression in our country and stopped the cruelties of the desperate Tories for all ages to come, but no one has ever undertaken to write a history of a church, or any history from a religious standpoint before. The author of this little book undertook this because he felt if he did not, things of much interest would be lost. Much of this story is not on record, and has to be gotten from old people who have been here all of these years and have seen the town and the churches from their beginning. Many of those who knew much about the early hist- ory of our church have long since passed over, but several have been left to tell the story as best they could. The writer re- grets very much that he did not decide to write this little history before Mrs. J. T. Kendrick died April 1st., 1925. She knew as much about the work as any one in this section, but we waited too late to get the information she had cherished in her heart for many years. But we have put our heads together and have gotten many things of interest to future genera- tions, if this little volume is preserved. Brother J. C. Baumgardner, Brother J. R. Reynolds, Rev. Ben Hoke, and the living pastors of the church together with Sisters Callie Carpenter, Mrs. R. A. Scott, Mrs. J. R. Reynolds, Mrs. Elizabeth Dye, and sev- eral others have been great helpers in this task. It is the desire of the author that those who read may not look for a history of the battle in this little volume, but that they may realize that this is a history of the First Baptist Church in Kings Mountain, and that it does not touch the battle only as it is related to this church. Of course many things pertaining to the battle have been recorded in this book, but nothing has been recorded that was not necessary for the making of this little story in this book. The battle is so fixed in this community that it is impossible to write anything worth while about any- thing without mentioning it. Nearly every family in this section that has been here for any time, is related in some way to the heroes of the battle. The truth of it is, nearly all of Cleveland county is related in some way to those who fought in that bloody battle, and because of this, the history of Cleveland county cannot be written without writing a history of that battle. Almost every original family in this county is related either directly, or indi- rectly to those who fought there. We might say, Kings Mountain was the beginning of the civilization of this section of the Unit- ed States. The readers will notice that many of the things recorded as having taken place dur- ing the first ten years of the history of the First Baptist Church are very indefi- nite. This is because the records for the first ten years have been lost, and all the writer had to get his information from was those who lived here and belonged to the church from its beginning. As you know, this is a very poor way to record facts. Some times traditions are correct, then again, they are far from it. It is so easy to get things tangled, and in the tan- gle, to get them altogether wrong; but however the case may be, the Writer has done his best to get at the facts in this case, and what he records as fact, he has found sufficient proof to convince him that they are facts, and nothing else. But would it not have been so much better for all of us if we could have had the old records so that we could have placed a full account of the organization in this little book? How very important it is that we keep our records, and yet how careless we have been with them. Many of our churches twice as old as this one have their records complete. Take j Bethlehem as an example. They have all of their records, and they are in good shape. pastors of the church together with Sisters Callie Carpenter, Mrs. R. A. Scott, Mrs. J. R. Reynolds, Mrs. Elizabeth Dye, and sev- eral others have been great helpers in this task. It is the desire of the author that those who read may not look for a history of the battle in this little volume, but that they may realize that this is a history of the First Baptist Church in Kings Mountain, and that it does not touch the battle only as it is related to this church. Of course many things pertaining to the battle have been recorded in this book, but nothing has been recorded that was not necessary for the making of this little story in this book. The battle is so fixed in this community that it is impossible to write anything worth while about any- thing without mentioning it. Nearly every family in this section that has been here for any time, is related in some way to the heroes of the battle. The truth of it is, nearly all of Cleveland county is related in some way to those who fought ^in that bloody battle, and because of this, the history of Cleveland county cannot be written without writing a history of that battle. Almost every original family in this county is related either directly, or indi- rectly to those who fought there. We might say, Kings Mountain was the beginning of the civilization of this section of the Unit- ed States. The readers will notice that many of the things recorded as having taken place dur- ing the first ten years of the history of the First Baptist Church are very indefi- nite. This is because the records for the first ten years have been lost, and all the writer had to get his information from was those who lived here and belonged to the church from its beginning. As you know, this is a very poor way to record facts. Some times traditions are correct, then again, they are far from it. It is so easy to get things tangled, and in the tan- gle, to get them altogether wrong; but however the case may be, the Writer has done his best to get at the facts in this case, and what he records as fact, he has found sufficient proof to convince him that they are facts, and nothing else. But would it not have been so much better for all of us if we could have had the old records so that we could have placed a full account of the organization in this little book? How very important it is that we keep our records, and yet how careless we have been with them. Many of our churches twice as old as this one have their records complete. Take j Bethlehem as an example. They have all of J their records, and they are in good shape. Why cannot all of our folks realize how important such things are? The story of the beginning of Baptist work in this town would have been worth while to all of the community if it could have been preserved as it took place But there is no use in grieving over spilt milk. It is too late now. The writer has done the best he could with what he had to get his information from. Let us hope that it will do much good in the years to come, and that as our child- ren shall read these pages and see how hard it was for the baptist work to get a foot hold in this town, undertake big- ger and better things for our Master. If they do, these efforts will be more than re- warded and the writer will be more than gratified. The task is not for personal glory, but to honor the indefatigible labors of those who prayed, worked, and fainted not until the church became stabilized. May their labors result in more than they ever dreamed of, may their memories be pleasant among those who come to worship here for all the ages to come until the Master shall gather all of his sheep into his fold. Sincerely, C. J. BLACK. Kings Mountain, N. C. 1926, j CHAPTER I. THE TOWN OF KINGS MOUNTAIN Its Location, Early Settlers, Chief Charac- teristics, Leading Industries, and Its The location of a town has much to do with it in many ways, and Kings Mountain is not out of keeping with the general rule, Its location has had a great deal to do with its developments along many lines, and es- pecially along religious lines. It is located on the main line of the Sou- thern railroad between Charlotte and At- lanta. It is thirty six miles from Charlotte and two hundred and fifty one from At- lanta. It is also on the national highway leading from Charlotte to Asheville being eighty seven miles from that city. It is near several other important cities, and is not very far from the Blue Ridge mountains. It is just nine miles from the famous bat- tle ground from which it got its name, and is only a few miles north of the range of mountains known as Kings Mountain. They lie to the southeast and south of the town. The pinnacle is about three miles south east of the town, but the battle was not fought on this knob as many think. It Religious Life. 1 was fought on the tenth peak below the pinnacle, and across the line on the South Carolina side. It now has a population of about six thousand taking in the mill vil- lages in the vicinity of the town. It is not growing very fast, but has added several inhabitants since the last census was taken, so it may have a little more than six thou- sand at this time, but it does not have many more than this number. Kings Mountain has the finest water in the state, and its climate is unexcelled. While we have some cold weather here, yet we do not suffer from the extreme cold of the regions higher up toward the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is just near enough to the Blue Ridge to make the ho- rizon beautiful in spring and autumn. The town is located on a fine elevation which makes our drainage very fine. Our town officers do not have any trouble to get fall for their sewer lines. It slopes every way, and there can be no fears as to the growth of the town. Drainage can al- ways be secured for any section of it. Be- ing located on the highway leading from the north through Charlotte, to all points south and west makes our town have a large number of tourists to visit us during the autumn and spring months. Many of them stop over night with us, and often 2 they take time to go out to visit the old battle ground. Many of them have much curiosity to know the real story of this sec- tion of our country. Only this year, we had ^gentleman from Hollidaysburg, Pennsyl- vania to visit us. He was a great grand son of Col* Isaac Shelby who fought so bravely in the Battle of Kings Mountain. We often have men of note like the one mentioned above to visit us because of our location on these important highways, Our town is surrounded by a very good farming section, and our farmers raise niuch produce for our local and other near by markets. They usually find ready sale for all of their produce. If they cannot market it here, it is easy to carry it to oth- The Old Briggs Tavern, the first house built in Kings Mountain. 3 er towns like Gastonia and Charlotte where they can sell anything they have. The first house to be built here was the Briggs Store house, which is still standing, but is out of use. The accompanying cut shows what it is. This old house was used as a store, tavern, grog shop, and any- thing they needed it for in its day. It seems to have been kind of a commissary for the old iron works that was once near here. It was here before the lailroad was built. Mr. Robert Falls owned the land where the principal part of the town now stands. He sold the first two lots for the beginning of the town. These were bought by Mr. W. A. Mauney and Mr. A. V. Falls. They each bought two acres. Dr. J. G. Hord's hand- some new residence and the A. R. P. chur- ch now stand on the lot bought by Mr. A. V. Falls, and Mr. W. A. Mauney still owns his and is living on it. Easter Monday, 1872, Mr. W. A. Mauney and his brother, J. S. Mauney, moved to Kings Mountain to go into business. At this time Crow and Beam had a grog shop where The Kings Mountain Motor Com- pany is located, and they were getting ready to build a new store room. The Mauneys built a store on the lot next to Mr. W. A. Mauney and had goods in it by May of that year. They ran their store 4 there until 1874; then they built a new store where the City Hall is now located. The same year Carpenter and Bros, built a small store where their store is now lo- cated. Then another store was built on the corner of the lot next to Luther Harmon's residence. This was built by Baker McGin- nis. Then other stores began to come in. Garrett Bros, and R. S. Sugg came here from Edgecomb "county, N. C, and built two store buildings where Mountain View Hotel now stands. A drug store was run in one of these buildings, and a general mer- chandise in the other. Afterwards both were converted into a hotel. ; * ; Very soon after the town started, Maii-n- ey Bros, built a cheap hotel where W. M. Herd grocery store is now located. It was rolled back on Cherokee Avenue and converted into a dwelling and is occupied by Mr. Charlie Ramsey who has been living in it for quite a number of years. The first^real_enterprise to be started here was a saw mill. This was o wined and operated by Captain Freno Dilling who came here early in the year of 1872. This enterprise made the other enterprises which came here later in that year possi- ble. This saw mill was located where The Kings Mountain Manufacturing Company is now located. The first trains got their water from Captain Billing's well. Captain Dilling lived at Cherryville when he began his saw mill here, but he later moved to this place and remained here until his death a few years since. He was one of our most honorable and useful men, and his death was quite a calamity to this town. He it was who launched many of the most use- ful and lucrative enterprises in our town. After the above mentioned citizens blaz- ed the way and made it possible for others to move here, it was not long until many began to think about coming here to live. Within a few years, a nice little town had sprung up, and all of the real characteris- tics of a town were soon attained. Those who came were largely from the surround- ing country, making the citizenship the best the earth affords. Being near the South Carolina line several from that state came over to live with us, but the most of the first settlers came either from Gaston county, or Cleveland. This one fact has had much to do with the growth of this town, and it has had more to do with the charac- ter of its citizenship. Nearly all of the old- er people here were reared on farms, and as you know, the men and women who were taught to work on farms in early childhood always make our very best citi- 6 zens. No greater misfortune can befall a child than to be left untrained. Our towns are full of professional loafers now be- cause they were not taught to work in childhood. Those who are raised on farms may not know as much about society as those raised in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, but they know what honesty and old time straightfor- wardness means. We have as sturdy a cit- izenship here as you can find in any town of like size. Nearly all of the inhabitants here are the offsprings of those who fought in the battle of Kings Mountain, and they were the stuff out of which a government, the finest the world has ever seen, was built. Our people are very quite and unassum- ing, but they are reliable. They believe in old fashioned things, and especially is this true in religion. They believe in the old time faith of their fathers, and they show that they do by the way they attend church and worship when they attend. This town has some very noticeable characteristics. One of these is the number of people we have who are related. The ma- jority of the folks here are related by blood in some way. I do not know of but one other town in North Carolina with such an extensive relationship, and that is Win- 7 gate. There is a vein of relationship run- ning through the whole town. You cannot talk about anybody here without talking about somebody's folks. This characteris- tic is good in some respects, and in some it is not. I believe that all will agree with me on this line. The second characteristic I wish to men- tion is the number of married people we have here with the husband in one church and the wife in another. It is so easy here to find families divided on denominational lines. There does not seem to be very much friction in the homes where such exists, but it brings about a very peculiar condi- tion, and one that does not usually result in much good. But there is no reason why husband and wife can not agree even if they belong to different denominations. I do not believe that a husband, or a wife ought to give up his or her church just to be together. If they cannot go together from honest conviction, then let them stay apart. Let them interpret the Bible for themselves, and then, let them act accord- ingly. If this course is followed, we will never have any family quarrels over reli- gious matters. Let every one read John 7:17, and on their knees settle the church question, and it is settled. Let raising stand aside, let personal preferences stand aside . . 8 do nothing that the Old Book does not justify, and then the matter is settled for- ever. This matter of proselyting is one of the Worst sins the earth affords, and yet many of our folks in this country are guilty and do not think that they have committed any crime. It is so dangerous to tamper with any one's faith. I am not going to do it., but if any one wants to know what I believe, I am always ready to tell them in a Christ-like way. Another peculiar characteristic of our town is the location of our churches. I am sure that you have noticed how peculiarly they are located. Before I moved here and became pastor of one of these churches, I thought that I had never seen anything so funny, but now I have become accustomed to their arrangement and do not notice it so much. This characteristic is very in- convenient in many ways. The churches are so close together that you can hear all of the pastors preaching at the same time, and the story that the Baptist were sing- ing, "Will there be any. stars in your ■crown?" on their corner and the Methodist on the other corner were singing, "No not one, No not one," can be true and it may have been true, for they are close enough to be heard. But the greatest objection I have to this arrangement of our churches 9 is that it is very much in the way of the parking of our cars when we use them to carry our folks to church. But it is too late to remedy this mistake. The deeds have been made, and none of our churches want to move to other quarters, though it would be a blessing for them to get farther apart. Another very noticeable characteristic of our town is the number of fine young people we have. What a wonderful oppor- tunity we have! Our streets are full of them every day. I do not know just how many we have between twelve and twenty, but we have more of them than I have ever seen in any other town of like size. They are all hearty and fine looking, and they are intelligent. The most of them are in school, but occasionally you will find one without ambition, or rather, parents with- out ambition enough to send them to school but we do not have very many of this kind, I am glad to say. If we will train them as they should be, we can move the world with them. God has placed them here for us to show what we are, and what we do with them will tell in the future what our real aim in life has been. They are the fu- ture town and church. One of the greatest characteristics of our town is the fine fabrics it manufact- ures. This is such an outstanding charac- 10 teristic I cannot hesitate mentioning it at this point. We manufacure some of the fin- est draperies to be found in the whole south. Our draperies, bed spreads, table napkins, upholsterings, and fine dress goods are shipped to nearly all the coun- tries in the world. Our bed spreads are sold in Turkey, India, and other Asiatic countries, while the other goods we man- ufacture are sold in all parts of the United States. Our window shades and curtains are hanging in the leading homes of our land, and our fine upholstering is to be found in the most up-to-date parlors of our cities. These things have made Kings Mountain famous in the business and so- cial world. We are proud of our silks and linen goods. We have as fine a town as can be found, its citizens are the very best, its climate is unexcelled, the sturdy thrift and real in- dustry of our folks is very noticeable, and their love for God is supreme. The next important thing we wish to consider concerning our town is its leading industries. No town of like proportions can boast of more real up to date indus- trial enterprises than Kings Mountain, but we do not have variety enough to give em- ployment to all of our people. Many of them have to go to other towns to get 11 work. Many of our young people who at* tend schools, and even those who attend our high school here, cannot get work here during the summer months, or during va- cation time. The principal industry here, as it is with nearly all of the towns in Cle- veland and Gaston counties, is the cotton mill business. The cotton mill business furnishes work for a great many people, but we have so many folks who cannot work in mills, and who do not know enough about the mill business to make a living, that, to have just one leading industry works a hardship on them, and then too, it is against a town to be lop sided like this. We have eleven cotton mills in Kings Mountain. They are not very large but they turn out some very fine work. These mills are largely owned and controlled by the titizens of our town, and because of this their help is stabilized. This adds so much to church work. You do not have the tran- sient help to contend with here that you have in so many of our mill towns. That migratory element we have in North Caro- lina makes it very difficult to do anything with them along religious lines, and many of those who move every few weeks are very dishonest. Kings Mountain mills have people working in them who have been in them since their beginning. 12 Our eleven mills have an aggregate of 79,044 spindles, 1,072 looms, and 422 houses in their villages. The first mill to be organized and built here was the Kings Mountain Manufactu- ring Company, known as the Old Mill. It was projected in 1888 by Captain Freno ^IDilting and Mauney Bros. (Andrew Maun- ey and his brother, Mr. Jacob Mauney). It was built on the spot where Captain bill- ing had been running a saw! mill, the first real business enterprise the town ever had* The mill is just a little way from the South- ern depot. It has a nice village of thirty five houses with as fine set of help as can be found in our country. Many of them are among the best church workers we have in our churches. Their superinten- dent, Mr. J. P. Long, has been with them for years. He has been living here for more than thirty years. This mill has six thousand five hundred spindles, and manufactures fine yarn only. It is a fine mill, and seems to be in a thriv- ing condition. The second mill to be built in Kings Mountain was The Enterprise, now called The Mason. This mill is located just south of the main section of town. Its village is on the west side of the Southern railway track. It was built by Messrs Erskine Falls, 13 W. 0. Ware, and a few more men. This is a very fine mill with ten thousand and eighty spindles. It manufactures a very fine grade of combed yarn, which seems to always have a ready market. The village of this mill has thirty eight houses. It is con- trolled by Messrs 0. B. Carpenter and J. C. Mason. This mill was built in 1892. The third mill to be built in Kings Moun- tain was the Dilling. It was built in 1893 and 1894. The prime mover of this enter- prise was Captain Freno Dilling. His son, Walter Dilling, is still one of the leading officials of this mill. Mr. A. G. Myers is the president of it. This mill is located in the northern part of the town. It is one of the very best mills we have. It has twenty-one thousand one hundred and sixty four spindles and one hundred and fifty looms. They weave some very fine cloth, such as broad cloth, fine silk dress goods, and brazier cloth. They have the Darby loom which requires much skill to operate it. This mill has a large village with ninety five houses in it, and many of those who work in this mill own their own homes, They also have a very fine set of help, the most of which attends some one of our churches. The weaving department of this mill was built in 1925. Other additions had 14 been made to the spinning department pri- or to this time. The next mill building fever broke out here in 1900. Two large mills were built this year. These were The Cora and The Lula, now known as The Phoenix. The Cora mill was projected by Dr. 0. G. Falls, who still has control of it. He is a very active man who has much interest in his help and his community. He is one of the most congenial men in our section. He tries to be a friend to every one. This mill, as many of the others, has some very fine help. The treasurer of our church, J. R. Roberts, is superintendent of this mill, and is one of our most faithful members. A. C, Penland, another faithful member of our church, is an overseer in it. The store and office have some very fine men in them. The store is in the hands of Robert Chaney and Hugh Williams, two of the leading members of Second Baptist church. Mr. Chas. F. Stowe and Fuller McGill are the book keepers. They are not Baptists, but they are friends of mine, and Mr. Stowe's family is Baptist. This mill has twenty thousand eight hun- dred spindles and ninety two houses in its village. This village was in a separate in- corporation until a few years since. The town had an election ajid voted to go into 15 the old incorporation of Kings Mountain, and so the town of East Kings Mountain passed out except the school. It is still in- dependent of the town school. This may be best, or it may not be. I am not able to say about this. The next mill to be built in 1900 was The Lula, now The Phoenix. The name changed with the change in ownership. All mills seem to follow this rule. This mill is loca- ted on the main line of the Southern rail- road about one mile east of the main part of town. This mill Tias a very fine village with seventy five houses. This mill was projected by Mr. P. S. Ba- ker, but is now owned by out of town cap- ital. The leading stockholders are in Char- lotte. This is a very good mill with sixteen hundred spindles and four hundred looms. This equipment enables them to give em- ployment to a great number of hands. It manufactures fine yarns and white goods. , The Bonnie was the next mill to be built in our town. It was projected by Dr. Hord and Mauney Bros. It too, was built in 1900. This was the greatest business year along industrial lines our town has ever seen. This mill with The Lula and The Cora all being built in one year gave the town a great boost. This mill runs with indepen- 16 dent power, thus it is enabled to furnish employment for its help much better than the other mills we have here. Last summer, when all of the other mills were curtailing so much The Bonnie was running full time. This mill is located on Gold Street near the center of the town. It is just a short distance to the left of the road as you go toward Grover. It is just one block behind the First Baptist Church, making it very easy for the help to go to church if they prefer to go to the Baptist church. This mill has eight thousand three hundred and twenty spindles, and a village of forty two houses. One of the treasurers of our church W. T. Parker, is the book keeper for this mill. This mill does not manufacture any- thing but yarn. The Pauline mill was built in 1910. It was first a weave mill, but later Mr. C. E. Neisler who began the enterprise enlarg- ed the plant, putting in more looms and spinning, until today, it has five thousand spindles and one hundred and fifty six looms. It turns out some of the finest bed- spreads, table napkins, table cloths, up- holstering, and draperies to be found in the south. They manufacture fine cotton goods but makeji specialty of silk goods. They have a very fine set of help, many of them being leading church workers in different 17 churches. Their superintendent, W. K, White is one of the deacons of The First Baptist church, and their machinist, W. F. Styers, is one of the most enthusiastic Sunday School workers we have. Many more might be mentioned, but I cannot mention everything or everybody who holds an important position in our indus- trial enterprises. This mill does not have but twenty two houses, but many of the hands own their own homes, which makes the number of hands greater than you would suppose. The Margrace and the Patricia are also owned and controlled by Mr. C. E. Neisler. These mills are located just south of town. The two village are so close together that they are usually called The Margrace, but they are entirely separate when it comes to the work of the two. The Margrace weaves and spins, while The Patricia weaves only* They manufacture goods similar to that of the Pauline. There is not much difference in the out put of the two mills. The Margrace has five thousand spind- les and ninety six looms with twenty two houses in its village. The Patricia has two hundred and seventy looms and a fine village around it. These two mills have some of the best people in our town work- ing in them. Many of them are faithful 18 church folks. The Park Yarn mill was built some where in the nineties. It was projected by Junius Rhodes. This village is known as Johns-'" town. This mill manufactures coarse yarns for carpets and other coarse fabrics. One of pur most loyal members, J. C. Keller, is superintendent of this mill. It has a fine village with forty five houses in it and four thousand eight hundred and ninety six spindles. This mill was badly damaged by a s:orm during the summer of 1925, but it has been rebuilt and is now running full time. It has a fine set of help who are in- terested in church work. It is being talked that this mill is going to be enlarged con- siderably. If this be true, it will add much to that part of the town. The last mill to be built in our town was The Sadie. It is located in the eastern part of the town in plain view of the Pin- nacle. It was built by D. C. Mauney and Bros., and L. A. Kiser. This mill has fifty five hundred spindles and a village with twenty five houses in it. This mill does not manufacture anything but yarns. All of Viese mills have stores, unless it is The Sadie. The most of them have real nice stores so that their help may be able to get supplies without the cash. These mills are not like most mills. They are more 19 like distinct communities within our town. They all have their business methods, and they stick to them. They are all good to their help so far as I have been able to learn. They are far above the average mill towns, and have a much better citizenship than most mills have. We are proud of them. Without them our town would be dead. It has to depend on them for its life. This is why it becomes so lifeless when they are out of commission. As church folks we are making one fatal mistake. We are not working these com- munities as they should be worked. We have hundreds of folks in them who never go to church, and who know nothing about our church work. This is a matter we must give our most careful consideration. If we do not, it is going to give us much trouble in the future. What is the use to preach missions in China and neglect the salvation of our own town people? We are not sin- cere if we do such a thing, and are we not doing just such a thin^ every day that the Lord gives us? Let us not neglect this any longer. We must now pass from the cotton mill industry to the other industries of our town. We have several of them, and yet not half as many as we ought to have. We have a good Cotton Seed Oil mill. It 20 was projected by Dr. Hord and Mauney Bros., possibly a few others. To this plant a nice ice plant has been added. A fine cot- ton gin has also been built in connection with the oil mill and the ice plant. All of these enterprises are controlled by Mr. G. D. Hambright. These establishments mean much for our town. They furnish work for several people, but they do more by bring- ing trade to our town. The country round about patronizes the oil mill and the cotton gin. The Victory Gin Company does a nice business, and sells coal as a side line. We have a fine community potato house here which cares for several hundred bush- els of sweet potatoes every winter. In 1900 Charles Peterson and his son moved to Kings Mountain from Tirzah, S. C, and set up a wood working plant in the rear of the Old Herald office. They contin- ued this until 1907, when they organized another company and built a larger plant which they ran for some time, but finally sold it, and it went out of business. Later Jonah Thomasson organized The Elmer Lumber Company which is still running and is dcing the town a great deal of ser- vice as it manufactures all kinds of ma- terials for building houses. It is one of the best assets we have. James W. Cornwell and Sons had a bug- 21 gy factory here for some time, but it has long since been out of business. The auto- mobile business has just about stopped the buggy business. The numerous garages we now have taken the place of the buggy fac- tory. Ben Huff and Mauney Bros, had a wagon factory here for awhile, but it too, like the buggy factory, soon passed over and is no more. The Neislers and J. M. Rhea ran a shirt factory in the old opera house for some- time, but they have gone into a much lar- ger business now know as J. M. Rhea and Company, Jobbers. They are manufactur- ing window shades, window draperies, bed- spreads, and upholsterings. They are turn- ing out some of the best work to be found in the south. They v^ork several hands in their plant on Railroad Avenue, but the majority of their force is on the road. They sell their goods by agents. They have salesmen in many states and are doing an extensive mail order business. If their bus- iness keeps growing for the next five years as it has for the past year, they will soon have to have many more helpers in their plant, and the post office will have to have several more assistants. This is strictly a first class company, and is quite an asset to our town. We are proud of this com- 22 ' pany. We also have a good printing plant here which does much job work, besides run- ning a weekly newspaper, The Kings Mountain Herald, This plant is owned and controlled by G. G. Page, who is the Gener- al Superintendent of our Sunday School. Recently he added a nice book store to his printing plant. This has added a great deal to our town. The book business has been steadily growing for the past year, and we predict that before two years more it is going to be many times larger than it is. The printing plant is also growing very fast. We hope to see this town become large enough to have a daily newspaper within ten years. The newspaper business here was begun by Mr. W. A. Mauney who had it printed by the Union News Printing Co., in Char- lotte/but later bought a press and had the type set here. His daughter, Miss Laura Mauney, who new is Mrs. W. A. Ridenhour, was the first person to set any type in this town. Mr. Mauney sold the paper to a Mr. Tipton, and since then it has changed hands until it has become the property of Mr. G. G. Page. We have a radius rod shop here owned and controlled by Dr. Hord. I do not know .how many they manufacture each day, but 23 it must be a considerable number. They weld them by electricity, and can make them very fast. They are shipped to all parts of our country. This plant gives em- ployment to several. We have a small laundry here which has not been doing finishing work until recent- ly. The laundries at Shelby and Gastonia have been doing nearly all of our finished work until this year. We trust that our laundry may become large enough to take care of the work of the town so that out of town men will have to stay away. As long as so much of our money goes out of our town every week, we are not going to have the business life that we ought to have. We have four very fine physicians. We are proud of them. I am not going to say which is the most popular, or which one is the best. They are all good and we are proud of them. Dr. J. G. Hord is the oldest of them, then comes Dr. J. E. Anthony and Dr. P. B. Stokes and Dr. S. A. Lowry. We have two drug stores, the Griffin Drug Co., and the Finger's Drug Store, two hardware stores, many grocery stores, three millinery stores, three nice cafes in the center of the town, numerous filling stations, several good barber shops, two first class banks, a good furniture store, 24 two telegraph offices, one wholesale groc- ery store, one five and ten cent store, and numerous enterprises that our people are running to make a living. We have a very fine roller mill operated by W. A. Ware. It makes' a great many barrels of the very best high grade flour every day. Our schools must not be forgotten in this write up of our town. The first one to be established here was begun soon after the town was started. It was run by Cap- tain W. T. R. Bell. It was a military acad- emy, and was a very good school. It was patronized by many people who lived in other states, and had quite a reputation, but Captain Bell's morals were seriously questioned and he had to move his school to Shelby where he run it for some time, but it finally went under. Captain Bell's school building was where the new high school building stands, and we are proud to say that it is a standard high school. Prof. J. Y. Irvin is the princi- pal. He has done a most excellent work here. We have three graded schools besides the high school. We have the lower grades taught in the high school building for the convenience of the uptown folks. We have more churches in our town than The old School BuildiMg Oapt. Hell taught in, and the one the most of the older citizens of Kings Mountain went to school in. 26 any oilier town in the state the size of ours. The first church to be organized here was the Lutheran. It celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last year (1925). It now has a membership of two hundred and thirty and four hundred and twenty seven en- rolled in Sunday School. It has a good house of worship and a good manse. It is the only church in town that has a pipe or- gan. It was the first church here, and of course this gives it the advantage of the ether churches, but all are growing very fast now. It is located on Piedmont Av- enue, The A. R. P. church is located just one block south of the Lutheran church. It has a membership of two hundred, and one hundred and fifty one enrolled in Sunday School. This church has recently built a nice Sunday School annex. They have a gcod house of worship and a very good parsonage. Their pastor, Dr. J. M. Garri- son, has been here for a number of years* All love him and honor him. The Presbyterian church is just one block further south than the A. R. P. chur- ch. They have the smallest house of wor- ship of any of the up town churches but it is comfortable and very neat. They have two hundred members and a Sunday School 27 enrollment of two hundred and thirty six. Dr. I. S. McElroy is their pastor. The M. E. South is located just opposite the Presbyterian church on Piedmont Avenue. They have a very good house and a most excellent parsonage. It was built last year, and adds so much to their plant. They have three hundred and fifty mem- bers and have an enrollment in Sunday School of three hundred and fifty one. Rev. 0. P. Ader is their pastor. Grace Methodist Episcopal church is lo- cated near the Phoenix mill. It has a mem- bership of three hundred and eight with three hundred and sixty seven enrolled in Sunday School. They have a wooden house, but it is very neat and comfortable. They also have a good parsonage. Rev. W. H. Pless is their pastor. The Wesleyan Methodist have a nice brick house near the Old Mill. They have fifty five members with one hundred and thirty two enrolled in Sunday School. We have three Baptist churches here. The first church, the second, which is near the Cora Mill, and the third, or Macedonia. We also have a little Hardshell Baptist church out in the Western section of our town, but it is very weak, and in fact the most of our folks do not know that we have such a thing in our town. It is nearly 28 dead, as the most of that persuasion are. Now, if you will add up the membership of all of these churches I have mentioned, you will see that we have a total member- ship of two thousand and ninety with two thousand seven hundred and seventy three enrolled in Sunday School. We have about sixty five hundred people in our town. Please compare the church roll with our population and see where We stand. Is it not terrible to think that we are doing so little to evangelize our own people? Surely these figures I have taken from The Her- ald, February 18th, 1926 issue, will arouse our folks as they have never been aroused and put them to work in dead earnest one time. Just think of it, thirty three and one half per cent of our people on the Lord's side. Are we what we profess to be ? Sure- ly we are not. We have as intelligent peo- ple as you can find anywhere in this sec- tion, but from these figures it is very evi- dent that we are not very religious. Do you think so? Our town is wonderfully located, and en- joys many opportunities that other towns in this section of our state do not have. We are surrounded by a fine farming section, and we have natural resources. We have mica, sulphur, lime, gold, tin and large deposits of lead. If all of these miner- 29 cds were mined here, we could manuf acture almost anything. I am sure that we have quite a bit of aluminum here as it is in al- most all clay soil. It has not been mined here but I feel sure that it could be. We must wake up, or seme of these days we are going to find ourselves left in the mid- dle of the stream and others will have the spoils we are entitled to. What we make out of Kings Mountain will be determined by what we do with our children. ■ , - . ..... ■ * KINGS MOUNTAIN PINNACLE 7 miles northeast of Battleground. 8 miles southeast of town of Kings Moun- tain. Highest point east of Blue Ridge. 30 CHAPTER II. THE BATTLE THAT MADE THIS TOWN FAMOUS When Fought— The Leading- Officers on Both Sides— Relatives of The Heroes Who Are Members of our Church — The Relation of This Battle To American Civilization— This Battle A Challenge to Every Citizen In Our Town. The battle of Kings Mountain' was one of the greatest in all the history of the civili- zed world. It did not have so many men en - gaged in it, nor did it last as long as some of those fought prior to it, but the ques- tion over which they fought, the bravery with which they fought, and the victory they won was as great as any the world has ever known, and yet it is very strange indeed to see how carelessly all of our general historians have passed over this great event; some giving it a passing notice, and others not mentioning it at all. There may be reasons why this has been done, but to me, it seems unbelieveable and unthinkable to the greatest degree. It is admitted by all who know anything about the Revolutionary war that this was the 31 hinging battle, then it was the decisive battle, and are not decisive battle those we ought to give most attention to? Those who fought so bravely in that battle with- out money and without price solely for their love of country deserve to be men- tioned in a more important way than they have ever been in any of the general his- tories of our country, except Lyman C. Draper, who wrote a fine history of The Battle of Kings Mountain and Its Heroes in 1880. This book has long since gone out of print, but must have a reprint to be read by our young people, or many of those important events are going to be forgot- ten. Joseph Wheeler wrote a history of North Carolina many years ago in which he gives a fine account of the battle. This book has been republished and can be had without very much trouble. It ought to be read by every citizen of North Carolina. Major Foote wrote a history of North Car- olina from the Presbyterian point of view. It has a great deal to say about this im- portant battle, but it is not as good as the first two mentioned above. It is not my purpose in this little book to give a detailed account of the battle and its heroes, but to give some facts relating to it, and to discuss it only as it is related to the religious life of this section of coun- 32 try. The religious life of this town, and we might say, this country, owes much to those who fought in that battle. I might write volumes on this important subject, and still there would be much to be said. It is a subject you cannot exhaust. As Paul says, "It is much every way." I might speak of the things leading up to it, and then I could write hundreds of pages con- cerning the things leading out from it, but I shall not endeavor to mention anything except those things which relate to the things I have in mind to write concerning the history of the First Baptist church at Kings Mountain. Many of the things I am going to mention have never been mention- ed by any of the historians, and if they are not recorded now, they are going to pass out of the minds of the people, and thus, will be forgotten. This is especially true^, concerning the line of ancestry. I have found many things along this line which would have been forgotten entirely if I had not gathered them from our oldest citi- zens. The battle of Kings Mountain was fought Saturday afternoon October 7th., 1780, just a few days more than four month after the slaughter of Col. Bu- ford's men near Waxhaw in upper South Carolina. Col. Tarleton met Col. Buford 33 near Waxhaw and murdered eighty of his noble men without mercy although they surrendered tc him. To understand some of the things our men did at Kings Moun- tain, you must know about the butchery of Col. Buford's men. Our men went into the battle of Kings Mountain with this slaugh- ter in mind, and they were determined to get revenge, and they did to their heart's desire. Ferguson had pitched camp on this mountain the day before. It is not really a mountain, but just a high hill about sixty- feet above the surrounding country. He had so much confidence in his wisdom in selecting this hill that he said the Almigh- ty could not run him off of it, and he did not, but he sleeps there today, and will un- til the last trump shall sound. Ferguson seemed to be a little uneasy about his situation, but was not enough alarmed as to be on the look out for our men. Although he had his picket line plac- ed. His men had not gotten things well ar- ranged when they had to go into battle. It seemed to be a great surprise to them as they were bathing and shaving, getting ready for the Sabbath, if they cared any- thing for such a day. Their picket line was not well set, or they did not expect an army to approach them at that time of the 34 day. They were making ready for their burial and did not know it. The battle was fought between two and four o'clock. The official account which I am giving in the following pages says that they arrived at the mountain about two o'clock. If this be true, and we have no rea- son to doubt it, the battle was fought at the time named above. The official account says that it lasted one hour and five min- utes, but others who were there said that it lasted just forty seven minutes. I am of the opinion that none of them knew just how many minutes it lasted as the occas- ion was such that they could scarcely give the exact time. It must not have been fought more than an hour. It was fought with such terrific fierceness that it could not have lasted very long. Like Gideon's men they shouted, "Remember Buford's men at Waxhaw," and they went in with a yell the Britishers and the Tories had never heard before. Their unearthly yells and the daring way they w 7 ent at enemy daunted them in the very beginning. They f ought like a lion at bay. Their enemies fought like heroes, but our men had more to fight for than they. The Loyalists did not fire on us at the beginning, but used their bayonets. This was more than our men could endure as they had nothing but 35 squirrel rifles. They did not have bay one l;g on them; but our men retreated to come again with greater zeal and determination. Back and forth for a little while, and fin- ally our men won the day. Ferguson was slain and possibly three hundred of his brave men. It is real hard to tell just how many of them were slain, but according to the official report to the governor, there must have been about three hundred kill- ed. DePeyster, the officer next in rank to Ferguson, took charge when Ferguson fell, and it was not long until he ran up the white flag. Our men at first did not recog- nize it, but finally they did, and ceased fir- ing. They could not forget Buford's men. Our officers did all they could to observe the rules of civilized war fare. Much ex- citement prevailed at the close of the bat- tle, and an incident after the battle was over came near causing all of the British and the Tories to be slain on the battle field. Some of Ferguson's foragers who were not m the battle came up just as they were stacking arms, they did ' not know what had taken place and began firing. Our men did not know just what it meant, and when they thought that possibly Tar- leton had arrived they were about to butch- er all of the prisoners, but the officers quelled their fears and sent the foragers 36 On their way at breakneck speed to tell the news to other Tories. They did not capture them as they had the advantage of our men and galloped off at full speed, and yet not without harm as they mortally wound- ed Col. James Williams. When our men had gotten theings quiet, it was nearly dark. Our forces remained on the battle field until the next morning. The only sur- geon to care for the wounded and the dy- ing was the British physician, Dr. Uzah Johnson. He did all he could for friend and foe. The following ballad found among the papers of Robert Long, a Revolutionary soldier is not out of place here : ""Come all of you good people, I pray you draw near, A tragical story you shall quickly hear Of Whigs and of" Tories, how they bred a great strife. When they chased old Ferguson out of his life. Brave Colonel Williams from -Hillsboro came, The South Carolinians flocked to him amain, Four hundred and fifty, a jolly brisk crew, After old Ferguson We then did persue. Wc-marchVl to the Gowpens-brave Campbell was there, And Shelby, and Cleveland, and Colonel Sevier, Taking the lead of their bold mountaineers, Brave Indian fighters, devoid of all fears. They were men of renown — like lions so bold, Like lions undaunted, ne'er to be controlled They were bent on the game they had in their 37 eye, Determined to take it — to conquer or die. We march'd from the Cowpens that very same night, Some times we were wrong — some times we were right, Our hearts being run in true liberty's mold, We regarded not hunger, wet, weary, nor cold. Early next morning we came to the ford, Cherokee was its name — and "Buford" the word. We marched through the river, with courage so free, Expecting the foeman, we might quickly see. Like eagles a hungry in search of their prey, We chas'd the old fox the best part of the day, At length on Kings Mountain the old rogue we found, And we, like bold heroes, his camp did surround. The drums they did beat, and the guns they did rattle, Our enemies stood us a very smart battle. Like lightning the flashes, like thunder the noise, Such was the onset of our bold mountain boys. The battle did last the best part of an hour, The guns they did roar — the bullets did shower, With an oath in our hearts to conquer the field, We rush'd on the Tories-resolv'd they should yield, We laid old ferguson dead on the ground, Four hundred and fifty dead Tories lay round- Making a large escort, if not so wise, To guide him to his chosen abode in the skies. . Brave Colonel Williams, and twenty five more 38 Of our brave heroes lay rolle' in their gore, With sorrow their bodies were laid in the clay, In hopes that to heaven their souls took their way. We shouted the victory, the victory that we did obtain, Our voices were heard seven miles on the plains, Liberty shall stand-and the Tories shall fall, Here's an end to my song- so God bless you all. No one knows who wrote the above poem, but it must have been written by one of the soldiers who fought in that battle, and as it gives considerable information I have republished it here so that it may be handed down to those who are to follow r us. This poem was taken from Draper's History. The dead were not buried until the next morning, and many of them not at all. The American side lost twenty eight killed and sixty wounded. Many of our men were carried to Old Shiloh Presbyterian church burying ground where they were interred. We do not know just how many, but sever- al of them must have meen buried there. No slab marks their last resting places, but they are there. Seme of the relatives of the dead went for them and carried them home and buried them in their family burying grounds. And some were buried in Old Pisgah grave yard a few miles out of Ki ngs Mountain. We have heard of one instance of this kind. It was that of Mrs. 39-'- — Preston Goforth, who lived on the old Shelby road not far from the Old Weir bridge. When she heard of the death of her husband that night, she hitched her hag to her old sled and went for her husband's body. She brought it home, and buried it in the Goforth grave yard which is not very far from Mr. Pink Herndon's place on the Shelby road. Two Goforth boys were killed. One was a Tory and the other was a Whig. The story in this section is that they shot each other. It is true that two brothers did kill each other in this mighty struggle, but history does not say who they were. There is a tradition in the section around Kings Mountain that they were the two brothers who killed each other. This is not a fact, but it is plausible enough to be- lieve. The enemies were supposed to have been buried on the battle field, but they were not buried at all. A little trench was dug on the north eastern side of the mountain and their bodies were rolled into it, but they were not covered deep enough to keep the wild hogs and wolves from root- ing them up and devouring their bodies. This country was full of wild beasts at that time. They roamed it over, and to find such a thing as hundreds of bodies' cover- ed but slightly gave them all the chance 40 they desired. It is true that many of the wounded were not cared for, and possibly many of them were devoured before life was extinct. Our forces did not have the time or the means to care for them. They were expecting Tarleton's furious legions at any time, so they burned the wagon train of the enemy, seventeen in number, and made a hasty departure for other quarters. It is said that they started with six hundred prisoners, but they did not re- port but one hundred. What became of them? Well, we shall know in the Day of all days, and not until then. You can imag- ine what became of many of them. Of course, many of them escaped, but others were killed by the way side. It is to be re- gretted that so much cruelty was practiced that our officers had to issue some very stringent orders, but the enemy brought it on. They had been hanging our men wher- ever they could capture one and doing all kinds of audacious things, as cruel as they could devise, so now was the time for ours to get revenge, and they did. In 1815, a meeting was called for the purpose of celebrat ing this victory and to bury the dead. The bones of the , enemy • were picked up and buried some where on the mountain. A slab was placed at the graves of three of our gallant men who 11 1. Ferguson's grave. 2. Where Ferguson fell. j>. Capt. John Weer's old home. 4. The new monument 1909. 5. Col. Fred Ham- bright's old home near battlefield. 6. Sec- ond monument 1880. 7. Where our heroes sleep. 42 fell in the struggle. This stone is at the foot of the hill where our men ascended from. The old stone has been terribly de- faced, but a new one has taken its place and a nice iron fence has been placed around their graves. The battle field was visited by those who lived near it for several weeks after the armies had passed on. Many souvenirs were picked up, but the most of them have been destroyed. Arthur Patterson, whom we shall say a great deal about in subse- quent statements, picked up a nice string of beads, or he took them off the neck of one of the women Ferguson had with him. She was one of the first to fall. Her body was thrown upon a brush pile, and young- Patterson found her there with the beads around her neck. They were kept by one of his daughters until a few years ago. She gave them to Mr. E. A. Patterson who gave many of them to his friends when they had the celebration there in 1880. The remainder of them have been lost and no one knows where they are. They would be quite a curiosity for us if we had them to display to the public. The battle field is still visited by hun- dreds every year. It is a great place for young people's gatherings, and especially for those who wish to learn more about 43 what our liberty cost us. The town of Kings Mountain has a celebration occasionally. The place ought to be cared for better than it is. Our government ought to place a fence around it and make it a national park. It has bought forty acres of land there, but no care is taken of it. The following officers were those who led the American forces, and they were as brave a set of officers as ever led an army since the world began; Colonel Chas. Mc- Dowell led the Burke and Rutherford men ; Colonel B.vijamin Cleveland led the Wilkes and Surry men assisted by Major Joseph Winston; Colonel John Sevier led the men from Washington county, now Tennessee. Colonel Isaac Shelby led the men from Sul- livan county, this is also Tennessee at present. Those from Washington, Virgin- ia, were commanded by Colonel William Campbell. Colonel Frederick Hambright commanded Mr. Graham's South Fork men while he was away looking after his wife who was seriously ill at the time of the battle. Colonel James Williams was also in command of a company from South Car- olina and rendered valiant service. These officers were not mercenaries, but were fighting for their love of country. Colonel Hambright was at home on that hill. He had hunted deer and wild turkeys 44 all over that section, so they say. It is re- ported in that section today that the brave Colonel and another man of that section had a deer blind on top of the mountain where Ferguson camped, and that he knew every foot of the land where the bat- tle was fought. I do not know how true this story is, but it is very evident that some one of those officers knew all about that hill, or they could never have ap- proached it as they did. That was one of the best pieces of engineering I have ever seen. They knew just where to hit and how to make their approach. The officers had the following number of men; McDowell had one hundred and sixty men from Burke and Rutherford counties ; Cleveland and Winston had three hundred and fifty from Surry and Wilkes ; Sevier had two hundred and forty from East Tennessee; Shelby had two hundred and forty from the same state, and almost the same section, and Campbell had four hundred from Virginia. The whole army numbered thirteen hundred and ninety men, but there was not that many in the battle. No one knows just how many were engaged in it. So many men joined with- out enlisting regularly. They just stopped their plows in the furrow and loaded their rifles and went to work. This battle was 45 fought in defense of their country. They had lost their cattle and food stuff as long as they could stand it, so now they must fight to have peace. The whole country was stirred by the many depredations the Tories and the Britishers had committed against it, and by the terrible threats Col- onel Ferguson had sent to many families living in this and adjoining neighbor- hoods. All of this had aroused the people who lived in this section until they were ready to fight for their liberties as but few people have ever been prepared. You can worry a man for a long time and not get his fighting blood much aroused, but when he does not know at what moment he and his family are going to be taken prison- ers, or possibly hanged, you may look fox that fellow to give you a considerable scrap if he feels that he has a chance at his ene- my. Such was the case with all who lived in this section when the battle of Kings Mountain was fought. It is true that there were many Tories in this section, possibly more than any other section of our coun- try. Just win: this was true, I am not able to say, unless it was because Ferguson had made so many threats, and because they thought that the American cause could not win. This must have been the case with many of them as they joined the Ameri- 46 can army just as soon as they saw that the tide had turned. Our men in this section were watching for an opportunity to get even with their Tory neighbors who had been robbing them of ail of their provisions, and were even driving their cattle to Ferguson's camps. When the news spread throughout this country that our men were approach- ing Kings Mountain where Ferguson was encamped, they forgot all of their home af- fairs and made ready at once to help in every way they could, and of course, there was more or less curiosity for some. They just wanted to see what was going to take place, and they did; but the most of them made as good soldiers as if they had been trained by Fergusorij the most noted marksmar) . the^woHd has ever produced. But they did not go into this battle like barbarians. They went into it like bold heroes of God. They did not go into it without recognizing the Almighty hand of Him who rules all the wars, and gives all of the victories, for while the battle raged two of our men, ministers of the" gospel, were down on the hillside praying that the Lord might stay the hands of our men as he had done those of the past, so that they might win the day and save America from heathenism and treachery. Those men 47 were Elder Joseph Logan and a Presby- terian minister whose name has not been given. It is likely to have been the pastor of the Old Shiloh Presbyterian church which was not very far from the battle ground and where so many of the soldiers were buried. There are two Presbyterian churches near the battle field, and it is more than probable that both of them had pastors living near them. They usually had their pastors living near them to teach their children and do anything that came to hand a pastor could do. The other church was Old Pisgah. It was located about two miles from Kings Mountain on the Lin- wood road. It is near Mr. Fred Finger's farm. The old cemetery is still in good shape and the stones are still standing so that their epitaphs may be read, but the church has been moved beyond Linwood. The old church had fourteen acres of land which is still owned by Pisgah church. It is said that several of those killed in the battle were buried there, and if this be true, it is likely that the pastor of this church, or of Shiloh was the man who wrestled with God while the battle was raging. It is not known where Elder Lo- gan preached. There was not a Baptist church in this section at that time. There were several just a few miles away. Old 48 Long Creek near Dallas was organized long before this time, and another in South Carolina, possibly Old Buffalo, had been organized some time before this occur- rence. I do not know where Logan lived, or where he preached, but it is said that he came from Lincoln county, but this i£ quite indefinite as Lincoln county embrac- ed so much at this time. The Whigs con j sidered the Tories and the Britishers bar- barians and so designated them, but they themselves believed in God and looked to him for help to win all of their battles. The American side Was the Lord's side. The commander-in-chief was a God-fear- ing man, and his men with him knew that God must give them the victory, or they failed. Below I am giving an account of the battle as it was reported by three of the officers who engaged in it. What they say about it ought to have weight with those who want to know the truth of the matter. This report is from Wheeler's His- tory of North Carolina, page 104, 105. "On receiving intelligence that Major Ferguson had advanced as high up as * Gilbert Town, in Rutherford county, and threatened to cross the mountains to the western waters, Col. Wm. Campbell, with four hundred men from Washington coun- ♦Gilbert Town is supposed to be Forest City. 49 iK^vqa^nJ^^ s^K vitL**. tAjUJ\ a^^- ty, Virginia; Col. Isaac Shelby, with two hundred and forty men from Sullivan county, of North Carolina; and Lieut.- Col. John Sevier, with two hundred and forty men of Washington county, North Carolina, assembled at Watauga, on the 25th. day of September, where they were joined by Col. Chas. McDowell, with one hundred and sixty men from the counties of Burke and Rutherford, who had fled before the enemy to the western waters. We began our march on the 26th. of, and, on the 30th. we were joined by Colonel Cleveland, on the Catawba River, with three hundred and fifty men from the counties of Wilkes and Surry. No officer having properly a right to the command in chief, on the 1st. of October we dispatch- ed an express to Major-Gen. Gates, in- forming him of our situation, and reques- ed him to send a general officer to take command of the whole. In the meantime, Col. Campbell was chosen to act as com- mandant till such general officer should ar- rive. We reached Cowpens, on the Broad Riv- er, in South Carolina, where we were joined by Col. James Williams on the even- ing of the 6th of October, who informed us that the enemy lay encamped somewhere near the Cherokee Ford of Broad River, 50 about thirty miles distant from us. By a council of the principal officers, it was then thought advisable to persue the enemy that- night with nine hundred men of the best horsemen, and leave the weak horses and the footmen to follow as fast as possible. We began our march with nine hundred of the best men, about eight o'clock the same evening, and marched all night ; came up with the enemy about three o'clock, P. M., of the 7th, who lay encamped on the top of Kings Mountain, twelve miles north of the Cherokee Ford, in the confidence that they could not be forced from so advantageous a post. Previous to the attack, in our march the following disposition was made: Col. Shelby's regiment formed a column in the center on the left; Col Campbell's another on the right; part of Col. Cleve- land's regiment, headed in the front by Major Winston and Col. Sevier's, formed a large column on the right wing ; the other part of Col. Cleveland's regiment composed the left wing. In this order we "advanced, and got within a quarter of a mile of the enemy before we were discov- ered. Col. Shelby's and Col Campbell's reg- iments began the attack, and kept up a fire on the enemy, while the right and left "wings were advancing forward to sur- round them, which was done in about five 51 minutes, and the fire became general all around. The engagement lasted an hour and five minutes, the greatest part of which time a heavy incessant fire was kept upon both sides. Our men, in some parts where the regulars fought, were obliged to give way a small distance two or three times, but rallied and returned wiith addi- tional ardor to the attack. The troops upon the right having gained the summit of the eminence, obliged the enemy to retreat along the top of the ridge, where CoL Cleveland commanded and were there stopped by his brave men. A flag was im- mediately hoisted by Captain DePeyster, the commanding officer (Major Ferguson having been killed a little before), for a surrender. Our fire immediately stopped, and the enemy laid down their arms — the greater part of them loaded — and surrend- ered themselves to us prisoners at discre- tion. It appears, from their own provision returns for that day, found in their camp, that their whole force consisted of eleven hundred and twenty five men, out of which they sustained the following loss: of the regulars, one major, one captain, two lieu- tenants, and fifteen privates killed; thirty five privates wounded, left on the ground not able to march, two captains, four lieu- tenants, three ensigns, one surgeon, five sergeants, three corporals, and one drum- mer, and fifty nine privates taken prison- ers. Loss of the Tories, two colonels, three captains, and two hundred and one pri- vates killed; one major and one hundred and twenty seven privates wounded, and one left on the ground not able to march; one colonel, twelve captains, eleven lieu- tenants, two ensigns, one quarter master, and one adjutant, two commissaries, eigh- teen sergeants and six hundred privates were taken prisoners. Total loss to the ene- my 1,105 men at Kings Mountain. Given under our hands at Camp. William Campbell. Isaac Shelby. Benjamin Cleveland. I consider the above report from the of- ficers who were engaged in the battle as an accurate account of the number engag- ed in the battle, and the number of casu- alties. Surely the officers who were in the battle, and who directed the attack knew more about it than men who wrote fifty years after all of the heroes were dead. The above report ought to be conclusive to every rational mind. 54 The next matter I wish to mention in this sketch is that of the officers on the oppos- ing side. It is not fair to give oniy one side of any question. The l ea_der of the British and the Tories was Major Patrick Ferguson. He was one of the most daring men the world has ever produced. It is needless to try to argue that he was not a skilled officer, for he was one of the finest militarist the world has ever seen. He was an inventive genius. He invented a breech leading rifle that he used to great advan- tage on several occasions. He could fire it seven times in a minute, and place two bullets out of five in the same hole thirty paces away. His men were loyal to him, and his enemies feared him. He terrorized a community by sending threatening let- ters to all of the leading citizens as soon as he landed. He had two women who went with him on his campaigns. They were known as Virginia Sal, a red headed wo- man, and Virginia Saul. Virginia Sal was killed in the battle and the other one was taken prisoner and carried to Morganton, and from there she was sent to Cornwallis at Charlotte. Ferguson had one of his arms rendered useless by being shot through it in a former battle, but he could use his left arm and do much damage. He was as brave as a lion and as daring as man can be. 55, When he saw that he was over powered, he undertook to cut his way through the lines of the Americans, but they were ready for him. He had on a checked duster, and as soon as the Americans saw him, they shot him off of his horse. Some say that he was hit by six balls, and others say that he was hit by eight. It is uncertain who hit him and how many balls hit him but this one thing is true, he was hit and died on the spot* His body suffered many indignities, being stripped of all its cloth- ing, and wrapped in a cow hide, and his- body with that of the red headed woman who was killed in the early part of the battle, buried at the foot of the mountain on the eastern side. Some have doubted that his body was buried there, but I do not think there is any doubt about it. Dr, Tracy, many years ago dug up the remains- of his body and found several things to show that he had been buried there. The grave now has a great pile of stones over it placed there by those who have visited it from time to time. The next officer of note in the British army was DePeyster. He was a very dar- ing man, but seemed to have more consid- eration than Ferguson. He took command as soon as he saw that Ferguson had fall- en, but did not resist very long. He order 56 ed that the white flag be run up in token of their surrender, which was not recog- nized by our men until our officers went into their lines. Ihe Tories suffered most in this battle. They had given so much trouble that the people despised them, and when they had a chance to get even with them, they had no mercy. Some have said that the officers on the Royalists side were not men of any mili- tary standing, and that our men were nothing but a set of half civilized buffoons who did not have conscience or credit, but there was never a greater falsehood circu- lated. The most of the men who fought in that battle were ardent church folks. Many of them were church officials, and as has al- ready been said, two ministers of the gos- pel were down on the mountain side pray- ing while the battle was raging. One com- pany was almost one hundred per cent Presbyterian, while other companies were mixed, some Baptist, some Calvinist, and some nothing x \t all Those men were God fearing, and they diow r ed it by the way they defended freedom's cause. We can not do too much to honor them, nor can we say too much about their bravery and true heroism. They were not militarist, but they knew how to fight; they did not know how 57 to lay systematic plans for battle consid- ering it from a scientific stand point, but they knew how to whip the red coats, and they did it. The next matter I wish to take up in my story is that of the relatives of those heroes who lived in our town, and especial- ly those who belong to our church. I cannot mention all of the relatives of those who live in our town. It would make the book so large that I could not publish it, but I am going to do my best to give honor to whom honor is due. I am going to give the line of descent of those who belong to our church, and I shall mention all of the others as I have occasion to do so. I have had much trouble to get all of the data togeth- er for this one point, and I hope that I have not missed any line of descent, but if I have, I cannot help it. I have done my best. I have gone many miles hunting this information, and yet I am afraid that I have missed some. So few people in this section know their line of ancestry. I have the following families to trace; The Ham- brights, the Weirs, the Logans, the Patter- sons, the Hughes, the Parkers, the Carpen- ters, the Fultons, and the Harmons, and those who are related to these families. I shall mention the Goforths, and a few others who figured projniently in the ar- rangements for the battle, namely the Herndons, and the Birds. Both these fami- lies have come from noble ancestry. Joseph Herndon was a great gunsmith, and Col. Bird made the pow^r and the balls for our men. They were just assential as the work done on the field of battle. They must have arms, and their arms must have am- munition, or they are useless. Both these families came from the stock that knew how to get things ready for the fight. Let us begin with Gillie D. Hambright. He is a son of Ansel Hambright who was killed by a runaway team many years ago. Gillie Hambright has four children who are members of our church. They are Claude, Annie Love, Corrinne, and Sarah. He has one other little girl too young to be a member. Her name is Mary Helen. Ansel Hambright's father was Gilbert Ham- bright whose wife was Sallie Dixon. Gil- bert Hambright's father was Col. Fred- erick Hambright one of the most noted heroes in the Battle of Kings Mountain. He had charge of Major Graham's com- mand while he was called home because of the serious illness of his wife, just a little while before the battle. However he made a hasty return, but did not assume com- mand of his regiment until after the battle was fought. 59 Draper has this to say about Lt. Col Frederick Hambright ; "P rederick Ham- bright was born in Germany, 1727, and/ when a youth, was taken to Pennsylvania about 1728. His father and mother were full blooded Germans. They moved to Lan- caster, Penn., in 1738." (The Hambright family is still very prominent there.) About 1755, he moved to Virginia, where he married Miss Sarah Hardin; and, about 1760, he migrated to North Carolina, set- tling near the South Fork, forting awhile against the Indians. In August, 1775, he was a member of the Provincial Congress. He served as a Captain on the frontiers in June, 1776; and, in the fall, on Ruther- ford's Cherokee campaign. He was made Lieutenant Colonel in 1779; and, late in that year, he went to the relief of Charles- ton, serving in Lillington's brigade, and returning before the surrender of that place. In 1780, he served under Colonel Mc- Dowell in the Broad River region; and suc- ceeding Colonel Graham, fought at Kings Mountain, where he was badly wounded; and where hj&json, John, also did servic e, rising to the rank of Captain before the close of the war. Twice married, he was the father of eighteen children; and died March 9th, 1817, in the ninetieth year of his life. Draper page 476-77* 60 Colonel Hambright was one of the brav^ est men the Revolution had to fight in it, When he was shot through the thigh at the Battle of Kings Mountain, he refused to dismount to have his wound dressed, fearing that it might weaken the force he Was commanding. He said that he was not sick and the victory must be won. He did not dismount until the battle was over, then he got off his steed and found that his boot was full of blood. Draper says that he owned a small tract of land near the battle field, and that he had a small cabin on this, to which place he was carried when the battle was over. This may be true, and it may not be true, This we know, he was taken to a Mrs, Cover's near the battlefield. This widow had a very fine daughter who was an un- compromising Whig. She nursed the Colo- nel until he was able to be carried home, While the Colonel's wounds were being treated at the home of the Good Widow Dover, his wife, who was then at their* home near Dallas, North Carolina, became very sick and died either before he was able to return, or very soon after he re- turned home. History is very indefinite on this point, but any way, when she died, it Was not long until he decided to make &ii effort to win his friend as a companion for 61 life, and so returned and claimed her hand, and they were marr'ed in 1871. As has already been stated he had eigh- teen children, eight by his first wife and ten by the last. Susan Dixon, his youngest daughter by the last wife, was the mother of Elder Thcmas Dixon so famous throughout Cleveland county. Col. Hambright's body is sleeping in the Old Shiloh grave yard near Grover, N. C. "Numbers of the other heroes are sleeping there, and some of their graves are mark- ed, and some of them are not. The old church was sold to the negroes many years ago, and a colored church now occupies the place where the old church stood in which Col. Hambright worshipped. At that time, it was called Calvary, but later the name was changed to Shiloh. It is sad to think that the place has not been cared for as it should have been. No fence encloses the place, and but few stones mark the graves of the bravest men the earth has ever pro- duced. The following inscription is on the *I found a few graves of Kings Mountain soldiers in the Old Long Creek Presbyterian church yard. Tihe Oates, Espys, Blackiwoods, Whites, and a few Patter- sons are buried there. Several of these f outfight in tSbe Battle cf Kings Mountain. Some may have been killed, while others lived for many years after it was fought. 02 tombstone of Col. Hambright; IN MEMORY OF COL. FREDERICK HAMB RIGHT? WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE MARCH 9TH, 1817 IN THE NINETIETH YEAR OF HIS LIFE. ADIEU TO ALL, BOTH FRIEND AND FOE, MY LOVING WIFE AND CHILDREN DEAR, FOR MY IMMORTAL SOUL IS FLED AND I MUST BE NUMBERED WITH THE DEAD. Col. Hambright was an elder in Shiloh Presbyterian church, and so far as I have been able to learn, was a very consistent Christian gentleman. His wife and his son, Major Frederick Hambright sleep near his side. The following cuts show the style and location of their graves. The next family of the descendants of the heroes, we wish to mention is the Pat- terson family. This is a very noted family, and it has several descendants in our" church, and many of them in our town who are not Baptist. The line we wish to fol- low is that of Mrs. G. D. Hambright, who was a daughter of Mr. E. A. Patterson, who is still living, though over eighty years old. He is feeble now but still has a very active mind and can tell many inter- esting things about the battle as his grand father was in it and saw it all. His wife was Barbara Shuford. Mrs. G. D. Hambright is a daughter of 63 Old Shiloh Cemetery between Battlefield and Grover. 1. Major Hambright's grave. 2. Arthur Patterson's grave. 3. Colonel Fred Ham- bright's grave. 4. Thos. Patterson's grave. 64 E. A. Patterson who is a son of Arthur Patterson, Jr. Arthur Patterson, Jr., was a sciTof '""Arthur Patterson who was caught by Ferguson's foragers on the morning of the battle. He was a boy of fourteen years at that time. His father got uneasy about him and went to hunt him and the other boys who went with him. He found the boys, and more than he planned to find. He found the Whigs and Tories engaged in battle. He went immediately into the bat- tle with his squirrel rifie but was killed in the skirmish and never returned home. His body sleeps on the western slopes of the hill where the battle was fought. His name also was Arthur Patterson. The third family we wish to mention is that of Ira A. Patterson, one of our dea- cons, and a very honorable man. He was a son of Rufus U. Patterson, who was a son of Arthur Patterson, Jr. Arthur Pat- terson, Jr., was the boy caught by Fergu- son's foragers and carried to the camp of the British where he was held until the battle was in action. Ira A. Patterson married Miss Angeline Whitesides, and to this union twelve child- ren were born. Ten of these are living, and two are dead. The living are Mrs. Sarah Patterson Falls, Mrs. Laura Patterson Mc- Gill, Lee Patterson, John B. Patterson, Ar- 65 thur H. Patterson, Ellen Patterson, Rufu3 Patterson, Mrs. Mae Patterson Beatty (dead), Ray Patterson, Grady Patterson, Mrs. Evelyn Patterson Ware, (dead), and Dewitt Patterson. These all live in and around Kings Mountain, except Lee who lives near Rock Hill. Rufus F. Raker is a member of our church and is a great grand son of Arthur Patterson, Jr. Rufus Baker is a son of Mrs. Ellen Patterson Baker. Her husband was Philip Baker. Mrs. Baker was a daughter of Arthur Patterson, Jr., who was a son of Arthur Patterson, Sr., who was killed in the battle of Kings Mountain. His body was buried on the western slopes of the moun- tain and was marked by a small stone, but the stone was torn down by some one and the place has been lost. His sacred dust will have to sleep unmarked until the Angel of the Resurrection shall descend to wake up these mortal bodies of ours for the judge- ment morning. Arthur Patterson, Jr., was born 1767. He died June 3rd, 1856, and his tomb stone Says that he was ninety years old. His brother Thomas was born in 1755. He died Nov. 18th, 1803, in the fifty eighth year of his life. Both their bodies lie in the Old Shiloh grave yard. Their graves are marked, but 66 the stones are getting rather dilapidated, and their epitaphs are hard to read. Arthur, Jr., was a fourteen year old boy when the battle was fought. He and two of his brothers, Thomas and William, togeth- er" with a neighbor boy, Ja mes L indsay, were on Kings Creek hunting their fath- er's cows the morning prior to the battle when some of Ferguson's foragers came upon them and fearing lest they might tell where they were, arrested the boys and carried them to their camp. They seemed to have beenjtiedjo trees for the time be- ing, but whenThe battle began they all managed to get loose, and Thomas, who was twenty five years old snatched up a rifle that had fallen from some wounded soldier's hands and began firing at the ene- my. Arthur was not old enough to fight, and was bound tighter than the other boys, but he finally managed to get loose from the tree, and not being able to get his feet and hands untangled, rolled down the mountain side, ?nd thus got into our lines. Several of our cifzens remember him and have been over the battle field with him. His body is sleeping in the Old Shiloh grave yard with the other Patterson boys. When the boys failed to return home, the father went in search of them, and when he was near enough to hear the re- 67 port of the guns, he discovered what was' taking place, and went immediately to the place where the battle was raging and en- tered into it with all his might. He was slain in the battle and his body, according to what one of his grand daughters said, was buried on the western side of the mountain. A small stone was placed at his grave, but by some means it was torn down before a better marker could be placed there, and now the place is not known. The grave of William Patterson is not marked, but is supposed to be in the Old Shiloh grave yard. The old Arthur Patterson plantation is still in the hands of one of his great grand sons, Mr. Beverly Patterson, It is just a few miles south of town. The Logan family figures very promi- nently in our church. This family descend- ed from one of the Kings Mountain heroes,, and deserves especial mention. Those of this family who belong to our church are Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Logan and their daughter, Helen. They also have L. M. Jr., but he is not old enough to belong- to the church. Mrs. W. F. Logan and her two sons, Lawrence and Elmer, are mem- bers with us, and Mattie Logan, a daughter of Mr. J. J. Logan, is also a member. We have other members of the Logan family 68 living here, but they are members at Beth- lehem Baptist church, but we hope they may soon become members with us, B. G. Logan, J. J. Logan, L. M. Logan and W. F. Logan are sons of Leonidas Logan, Sr., and he was a son of John R, Logan the historian of The Kings Moun- tain Association. He wrote a notable hist- ory of that association which is still very valuable. It is one of the best associational histories that has ever been written. It was published in 1882. His youngest son, Hugh Logan, is now sheriff of Cleveland county, John R. Logan was a son of John R Logan, and John B. Logan was a son of William Logan, one of the Kings Moun- tain^ heroes. There were four brothers of the Logan^family who fought in the Kings Mountain battle, two of them on the Amer- ican side and two on the -Tory side. They who fought on the American side were William and Joseph Logan. William Logan belonged to Captain Mattock's company, and was close by Irs side when he fell — the fatal ball having passed through a hol- low dead chesviiut Iree. Joseph Logan, the other bro n ,?r on the Whig side was a Bap- tist preacher, and during the engagement, he, with a Presbyterian preacher, wrestled with the Lord in prayer, as in olden times, to stay the hands of their friends. Thomas 69 Logan, one of the Tory brothers, had his thigh badly broken, he, like many other Tories died without pity or help and was left on the field of battle ; while his brother John Logan, was taken prisoner and after- wards died a pauper. Draper page 315. Leonidas M. Logan Sr., married a Miss Herndon, and the Herndon family will be traced next. William Logan married Miss Jane Black. The Logans are very prominent in many circles in Cleveland county. They have furnished many leaders in politics and re- ligion. The wife of Leonidas Logan Sr., was a daughter of George Herndon, a descend- ant of Jacob Herndon of Revolutionary fame. Jacob Herndon is said to have had charge of the Tories who were hanged near Gilbert Town the 8th of October 1780. Thirty two of the Tories who had been so cruel and roguish in this section were courtmartialed and sentenced to be hang- ed. They were given over to Jacob Hern- don to be executed. It is supposed that he took the lead in executing those men. They were hanged by threes, and when nine of them had been executed, the others were pardoned and let go. Wheeler says that twenty were hanged on the battle field, or 70 immediately after the battle. It is hard to say just how many were executed, but I am sure that more than the nine, or the twenty were executed. Our forces had no love for their neighbors who took up arms against their own country, and when they had a chance to get revenge, they took it. Jacob Herndon was only carrying out his orders. Jaco b Her ndon had a son, Joseph, who was a major in the Revolutionary war. He commanded the foot men who were left at Cherokee Ford while the nine hundred and ten horsemen went on to meet Ferguson, at Kings Mountain. He was born near Fred- ericksburg, Virginia, about 1751. He com- manded a company on the frontier service in 1776; was the first county Surveyor and Trustee of Wilkes, as well as a member of the County Court. In 1782, 1783 and 1793, he was a member of the House of Com- mons, and 1788 a member of the North Carolina Convention. He was a noted gun- smith in his day. He died in Wilkes county the summer, or autumn of 1798. Joseph Herndon had a son, John, known as Jack Herndon. He was the father of George Herndon, Sr., who was the father of George Herndon, Jr., and George Hern- don, Jr., was the father of our members M. E. Herndon and P. D. Herndon. M. E. 71 Hernclon is the cashier of The People's Loan and Trust Company and Plato D. Herndon runs a whole sale grocery store. P. D. has been mayor of our town, and stands well in his community and M. E. Herndon enjoys the friendship of every- body. Both are married and have families. Two of M. E. Herndon's children and his wife belong to our church. His children are George, Marion and Hazel. P. D. Hern- don's children are Allen, Martha, Cora, Julia, and Sarah. All of them are small. He and his wife, who was Miss Cornelia Floyd are members of our church. George Herndon, Jr., married Miss Eliza Bird who was a daughter of Monroe Bird, and he was a son of Col. Edward Bird, whose father (name jaot known) was a noted and skilled man in his day. He aided our forces who took the lead in the battle of Kings Mountain. He it was who manu- factured the ammunition for our men to use in that eventful battle. He may have made arms also. He was so skilled that he could make almost anything that he need- ed, or that his country needed. Mrs. Eliza Bird Herndon was the grand mother of the Logans mentioned above. The Herndons, Logans, and the Birds were all noted in their day, and did much toward the settlement of this section of our coun- 72 try. The next family I wish to mention in this sketch is that of the Weirs. Captain John Weer was born in Ireland in 1743. He married. Miss Elizabeth McKelvy, and one child was born to them in their native land; then they decided to move to Amer- ca. Ihey settled near the present Buffalo bridge on the highway leading from Kings Mountain to Shelby. His old house is still standing, and is in very good condition. He spelled his name Weer, but since his day the spelling has some what changed. Some have it Weir, and others have it Ware, but the original name was Weer. I have searched the records to find the orignal way and found it spelled as mentioned above, Weer. Captain John Weer was thirty seven years old when the battle of Kings Mountain was fought. When he heard of the battle he mustered a company of his neighbors as quickly as he could and went immediately to the place of action, but was too late to help whip the foe. He was not too late to render great assistance to our forces, as they needed so much help to care for the wounded and the dying, not only among our forces, but among the British and the Tories, and yet the Tories were not cared for very much. Many of them died on the battle field for 73 lack of attention. Captain John Weer and his men did much to help our men to get things ready for their departure. He had the true American spirit, but was not quick enough to see the greatest fight the sun ever shone upon, yet we must recognize him as one of the heroes. He did what he could, and possibly rendered a more profit- able service than he could have done if he had gotten there in time to take part in the battle. Captain John Weer lived thirty nine years after the battle and died September 4th, 1819 at the ripe age of seventy six years. His wife preceded him by three years, she having died April 11th, 1816, be- ing sixty seven years old. They lie side by side in the original Pisgah grave yard a few miles south east of Kings Mountain. When they were buried there, the old church had not been moved, and it is sup- posed that they were Associate Reformed Presbyterians, and that they attended church at Old Pisgah. Several other Weers are buried in this old church yard. They were either his children, or his grand chil- dren, but from the position of the graves, they must have been children of Capt. John Weer. Captain John Weer had four sons, John, Jr., Alexander, William, and Thomas. His 74 son, Thomas Weer, had four sons, William, Rutus, John, and Thomas. The last William Weir was the father of our post master, S. S. Weir, and one of the deacons of the First Baptist church. Brother S. S. Weir and his family have been members of our church for many years. We do not have but three of them at present, S. S. Weir and wife, and W. T. (Ted) Weir. His youngest son, Samuel, is a boy ten or twelve years old, but has never made a profession of re- ligion. All of the family belong to the Bap- tist denomination except the baby boy who has not yet settled the church question, but it is easy to tell what he is going to do when he considers the matter a little for himself. The next family I wish to trace is that of the Beattys. Mrs. Wright Harmon, a member of our church is a daughter of Mrs. Martha Frances Falls, and Mrs. Mar- tha Frances Falls is a daughter of James Oliver Beatty, and he was son of Francis Beatty, and Francis Beatty was a son of James Beatty, and James Beatty was a /son of Francis Beatty, the Revolution hero. I am not quite sure that this is the cor- rect line, but it is as I have it. Mrs. Ike McGill, one of our most loyal members is a descendant of one of the Kings Mountain heroes. She is a daughter 75 of Heratio DeKalb Fulton, and he was son of Daniel Asbury Fulton, who was a son of James B. Fulton, of Revolutionary fame. He was was born on January 21st., 1765, but took an active part in the war although he was very young. * There are other members of the Fulton family living here in our town, but they are not Bap- tist. They are great church folks, and take an active part in church affairs, and are honorable business men. Mrs. Ike McGill and husband are mem - bers of our church, and they have several children who are members with us. These are George, James, William, Mrs. Wolfe, Ike Jr., and Mildred. This is a very fine family of folks. They live seven or eight miles out in the country, but they never miss church unless something is terribly wrong at home. The next family I wish to mention is that of W. T. Parker. He and his three chil- dren, Mrs. Ethel M. Parker Laney, William G., and Edna Lucile, belong to our church. His wife is a member of the A. R. P. church. This family came from Revolu- tionary stock. Brother Parker has been married twice. His first wife was Miss •These are, Williaiml Fulton who runs a dry goods store, H. T. Fulton who is our courteous undertaker, and Charlie Pulton wiho has charge of the street force. 76 Alice M. Sepoch. Two children were added to this union, Ethel and William. His sec- ond wife was Miss Sarah E. Ware. One child has been added to this union, Lucile. W. T. Parker's father and mother were Robert G. Parker and Rachael Fulton Par- ker. His grand father and mother were John L. Parker and Annie Whitesides Parker. On his mother's side of the house, James Fulton was his grand father, and Jane Kernon Fulton, his grand mother. His great grandfather was Theodore D. Fulton and Bettie Parker Fulton. James B. Fulton was his great great grandfather, and was a hero in the Revolutionary war. William G. Parker was the first young Baptist to suggest the idea of an Associa- tional B. Y. P. U. and was elected the first president. The following is his cut. He is now a student at Furman University. The next family I wish to mention in the Revolutionary line is that of the Carpen- ters. We have Mrs. M. E. Herndon Carpen- ter, Mrs Daisy Carpenter Long, Clarence E. Carpenter, our present church clerk, C. Troy Carpenter, and Miss Fannie Car- penter in our church. Their mother, Mrs. A. P. Carpenter, is still living and is one of our most loyal members. She was the daughter of Peter P. Hoke and Faith Goforth Hoke. 77- WILLIAM G. PARKER 78 Faith Goforth Hoke was a daughter of William Goforth and Jane Houser Go- forth, and William Goforth was a son of Preston Goforth and Mary Ann Beatty Goforth. Preston Goforth was a son of Preston Goforth, Jr., and Elizabeth Nancy Potts Goforth. Preston Goforth was born 1740, and died 1836. Preston Goforth assisted in establishing American independence acting as a private under Col. Hampton in the Battle of Kings Mountain. The last family I shall mention is that of the Hughes. We have the following mem- bers from the Hughes family; Mrs. W. G. Hughes, Nevett, Marie, Victoria, Louise, and some of their married children who be- long to the Baptist denomination, but they do not belong at Kings Mountain. This is a very noble family I am proud of. They are descendants of Captain Joseph Hughes who won for himself a glorious name noc only at the Battle of Kings Mountain, but on many more occasions. He it was who saved the day at Cowpens by out running his men several times and turning them back when they had stampeded and were running away from the enemy as fast as they could. He was as brave as a lion and as fleet footed as a hart. He was a physical 79 giant, and his chivalry was as noticeable a3 his daring. Captain Joseph Hughes was born in Chester county, South Carolina, in 1761* He was just nineteen years old when the Battle of Kings Mountain was fought, but he was mature enough to be a real soldier* and filled an important place in Colonel William's brigade of South Carolina men, He had several very narrow escapes, but was never severely wounded and lived to be nearly seventy four years old. He died in Alabama in 1834. His last days were very quiet and Godly. The fierceness of his youthful days left him and he became as mild as a lamb. Let us now consider the relation of the battle of Kings Mountain, to our American civilization. This battle was not like many, just an accidental skirmish, but one of the outstanding events which marked a change in the whole course of the events of that day. No battle has ever been fought that meant more for civilization than this one. Let us notice what Wheeler has to say about it in his history of North Carolina. "It appear that under the auspices of the same Divine Power that so advantageous- ly conducted the right hand column of the Whigs to the battle of Kings Mountain, from that period good fortune seemed to 80 preponderate in every direction in favor' of the common cause of liberty (except the single instance of General Gates, who wag defeated by his own imprudence), for al- though the British army kept the battle- ground at Guilford Court House, it ap- pears to be given up on both sides, that the Americans had the best of the Whig^ after the battle of Kings Mountain, with What inevitably would have been their sit- uation in case Ferguson's army had gained as complete a victory over the Whigs, a£ the Whigs had done over them, it must ap- pear that said battle was the most decis- ive, the most gloriously fought, and, al- though few in numbers, was of the great- est importance of any one battle that was ever fought in America/' Wheeler History of North Carolina page 106. This battle has been passed by too care- lessly by many of our noted men. I am not hunting honor for those who fought in that battle, but I am trying to correct American history and place honor where honor is due. No army ever fought like the one that climbed the rugged heights of Kings Mountain, and no men ever had a more noble motive to prompt them in an action than those who fought at Kings Mountain. Nearly all of them were church folks. (See Foote's Sketches of North Car- 81 olina, page 271.) "Besides Shelby, who be- came religious before his death, and Wil- liams, who was so much beloved as elder, it is the tradition that two of the other of- ficers were elders in the Presbycerion y church." It has already been stated that \ Elder Joseph Logan was a noted Baptist preacher, and that he prayed while the battle was in action. The majority of those who fought in that battle were of Scotch Irish ancestry. This says that they were among the most sturdy citizens of our country. But why was this battle such an impor- tant one? Was it not because our Ameri- can cause hinged on it? Suppose our men had failed in this attempt? What would have been the results? It is hard to say just what might have been the results, but when we think of the conditions as they were before this battle, and then see them after the battle, it is hard to say what might have been the case had we failed. The armies in the north were quiet at this time. Cornwallis had his eyes on the south. South Carolina was practically under Brit- ish control. Cornwallis had begun to estab- lish civil government all over that state. His chief prison for our men who had been captured was at Charleston, and his head- quarters were at Charlotte. Tarleton had 82 terrorized this whole section, and but for one man, would have done much damage at Cowpens. Just one man held him back in that struggle. This was Joseph Hughes, al- ready mentioned above. Much of the south, and nearly all of the east and west was in the hands of the British, or the Tories. Tories were pillaging our whole country from north to south, and from east to west. They were stealing every thing they could lay hands on, and were murdering many of our very best people. Some of their names are notorious yet, and will never be for- gotten. It was dangerous for a man to leave his wife and children at home, to be away for a few hours. He did not know whether he would find them alive, or not, when he returned. Nearly all of the cattle were stolen , and carried either to Fergu- son's camp, or appropriated to the needs of the Tories. They pillaged all of the homes in which they thought they could find money, and stole nearly all of the silver ware and other valuable articles they could find in the entire country, so great was their destruction. The states of North and South Carolina were drained to their limit, and our people were disheartened. If these men had not won this victory at Kings Mountain, our freedom would have been a long thm coming; if ever at all. What 83 course would our men have persued if they had failed on this point? They were hem- med in on all sides so that we cannot tell just what course they could have persued. Their houses had been burned, their fields had been laid waste, and their wives and children murdered. Would not this land have been full of highwaymen from east to west if this battle had not been fought? The victory at Kings Mountain put life into the American cause. Those who had given up hopes of this being a free coun- try, again shouldered their trusty rifles and went forth to fight as they had never done before. Even their wives took cour- age and began to help more in the terrible struggle they were engaged in. This re- newal of the struggle weakened the faith of the enemy who had been so confident that they were going to win, and Cornwal- lis began to seek new quarters. He never tried to do much after this battle. The most he did was to get ready for his sur- render at Yorktown the following year. No battle w r as ever fought under such conditions as this one. Our men had no or- ders from those in authority. They did this on their own accord. They chose their own leaders, and they managed their own af- fairs, and yet they were not outlaws. They reported what they had done to headquar- 84 ters. This showed that they were trying to build up a government where God could be served as men were moved to worship him, and that they were not seeking their own honor, but glory for their own folks. This battle was the turning of the tide of British oppression and the tyranny of the, furious outlaws known as Tories. If the American eagle were to roost where he ob- tained his freedom, it would not be over Qld Liberty Hall in Philadelphia, but its pinions would spread over the little moun- tain called Kings. There is where the price was paid, and there is where the vital spot was touched that made the British leave our shores forever. There is where the vic- tory was won that gave us the greatest country the world has ever known. We had more men killed in other battles, but we never had so few to do so much in so little time. The real spirit of liberty was manifested here as no where else in the entire war ; and may we not say, that to those who fought there we are indebted for cur civilization and our religious liber- ty? Those noble fellows who fought there did more than they all. A statue of every one of them ought to be in the Hall of Fame at Washington. But they did not fight for glory. They fought to save their Country from oppression and British 85 tyranny. They fought that we might have a country where we could serve God ac- cording to our own ideas of the teachings of the Book. If we could get our congressmen to con- sider this battle as they should, they would make a park out of the battle field, and would place markers around there on those hill sides where the noblest deeds man ever committed took place. It would mean so much to those who visit that place from year to year to know just where the dif- ferent officers had their men stationed, and then too, it would be worth so much to know just how the approach was made. There ought to be an iron fence around the battle field, and a man who knows all about the battle ought to be kept there to tell those who visit the place how it was fought. Bunker Hill and Yorktown, Ala- mance and Moore's Creek Bridge are not half so important as this, but this place has never been honored as they have been. We still have many souvenirs of that battle, but they will soon be gone if some- thing is not done before long. In 1880 a splendid monument was unveiled in honor of our noble men who fought there; and another was unveiled in 1909. But these do not give the place the honor it deserves. In 1815, the people of this section, and pas- 86 sibly others met there and erected a small monument at the graves of our men who were buried at the foot of the hill, save that of Arthur Patterson who was buried much farther up the hill The bones of the soldiers were also buried at this time, and some honor was paid the memory of those noble fellows. The following inscription was carved on east side of the first stone to be erected there; SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MAJOR WILLIAM CHRONICLE AND CAPTAIN MATTOCKiS, WILLIAM R ABB AND JOHN BOYD, WHO WERE KILLED AT THIS PLACE ON THE 7TH. OF OCTOBER. 17 8 0, FIGHTING IN DEFENCE OF AMERICA. Long since this stone has been so defac- ed that the above inscription could not be read, but another nicer stone has been erected beside it with the original inscrip- tion on it. These two stones have been en- closed in a nice iron fence set in cement, but it too, has been terribly abused by those who visit this place from time to time. Other stones ought to be placed there, and then there ought to be a liberal reward offered for those who abuse these markers in any way, and when they are arrested and convicted, they ought to have a heavy penalty imposed upon them for such devilish work. 87 Another thing that ought to be done by all means is the building of a good road to the battle field. The road is very bad in the rainy season of the year. This makes it very hajd for people to visit the place during the winter months, and in fact, al- most any time. The roads are rough at best, and it is real hard for those who wish to visit the place to get there. A jit- ney line ought to be established from Kings Mountain to the battle field, and a jitney run there daily. This would mean much to this town and the battle field as a notable place. Let us hope that some day we may have honor bestowed where honor is due. Too much cannot be said or done to hon- or those who fought and died upon that field. The battle of Kings Mountain is a challenge to every citizen of this country. It challenges us to support the freedom those men who fought there gave their lives to secure. Their blood cries to us from the very ground upon which it was spilt to keep and inviolate the principles of our American government, and not to allow foreigners and anarchists, demigogues and bloodthirsty politicians to overthrow our glorious American institutions. Keep state and church separate, and do not allow the day to dawn when the Bible shall not be a DO OO Rule for Faith and Practice in America. Do not allow the scientist to dig down into his imaginary earth and find imaginary forms of life that the Bible says nothing about, and thereby set the Bible aside, but let the Bible stand if all of the theories of the imaginative mind go unnoticed for- ever. Let the American flag wave over every school house in America, and let every one.pf them be a cradle of liberty. Their blood is a challenge to us to keep sacred the ballot box of the American gov- ernment. Let it never be made a gambling pit, or a place of robbery and fraud, but let it be the place where every American citizen can exercise his franchise accord- ing to the dictates of his own conscience. It is a challenge to us to keep the old idea of the American home life free from all danger. But how we have forgotten this important principle. America is as her homes are. If the home fires burn but dim- ly, our American institutions are not rev- ered as they should be. Keep the home fires burning and our government is safe from the foreign foe. Their blood is a challenge to us to re- spect our state rights, and the rights of individuals. They not only fought for gen- eral liberty, but they fought for personal liberty as well. Their liberties were in- S3 fringed upon by the Tories who were pil- laging the entire country from north to south. Their blood is a challenge to us to live clean lives with which to honor God and our country. If they had not been real men physically, they could never have borne what they did that day. They were real men in every way, and they will live for- ever because they were. The following little poem written by Mrs. Emma Austell (a daughter of the first Baptist to live in Kings Mountain) largely expresses the spirit of that day at Kings Mountain. I am giving it for the benefit of those who do not know just how the peo- ple of this section feel about that notable victory that was won at Kings Mountain October 7th., 1780. Read the following lines carefully, and then stop and think for just a little; AT KINGS MOUNTAIN. Stately dost thou stand, old Mountain Mountain of Heroic fame, Clothed with many deeds of Valor i I Since the British forces came. Yes, the British mixed with Tories Trying to conquor man and God. Rushed with all their beastlike fury But now, they're lying 1 neath the sod, At Kings Mountain. 90 Trusting God to win the victory Americans knew not the word defeat So when Ferguson's approach was heralded Their spirit was roused to tensest heat. From almost every little crevice Our brave men stood boldly up to look And listen to their leader's orders, "Catch them, men, from every nook At Kings Mountain. "They're all cowards", says Isaac Shelby; my men you plainly see, If not for Independence they would light. We have beaten them, before, And listen to me, We'll beat them again before the night! By example you'll know what to do, Let each be an officer brave Fire quick as you can, if repulsed try again, Trust God who the day for us will save, At Kings Mountain." In a very short time, the British attacked. With guns and bayonets fixed But after a time they all realized, That with brave and true men they had mixe Lo, defying the God, who had given him life, Ferguson proudly o'er the mountain rode That man can't fight God, he soon was convin And now in his lasting abode, At Kings Mountain. Majestically for centuries, thou hast stood, old mountain, In all thy grandeur and beauty With nature bowing at thy feet, As tho, awoke to her duty, 91 May thy name ever stand as the emblem of faith, In a God, who is grieved with sin, And may Americans e'er bow in reverence to Him, Who for them their freedom did win, At Kings Mountain. This final word concerning the battle, visit the place as soon as you can if you have never seen it; if you have, visit it once more with some one who knows the topography of the battle field, and where the forces fought from. This will give you a different idea of the battle and what our men did there that day. When you have seen it, then go back home and act your part like a true American citizen. Do not advocate lawlessness as some are do- ing, do not whimper and whine because we have the eighteenth amendment to our Constitution, but stand like a man, to those principles those men won at Kings Moun- tain that day. They did their part to win freedom, now let us sustain it. NOTE; — Since [writing the above a bill has been in- troduced in Congress to change conditions with the battle feild. I do not know the nature of the bill, but have Iheard that it is going to bring the nmtter under the care of the government. This bill was introduced by Congressman A. L. Bulwinkle. 02 NOTE: — I have clone all that I " could to find the graves of the American soldiers who were slain in the battle of Kings Mountain. I have inot found them all, but I am sure I have found tlhe tmlost of them. They were buried in the Old ,Shiloh graveyard near Grover, Old Long Creek grave yard near Kings Mountain, and Old Brittain grave yard near Rutherfordton. The last mentioned is near Gilbert Town. Gilbert Town was head- quarters for our men for sometime before and after the battle. Several of the officers wlho served in the battle were buried at Old Brittain. Among these are Lieu. Thos. McCulLough and Major Patrick Watson. Major Wat son was the officer who had charge of the footmen wlfoo, were left behind while the horse imjen went on to attack Ferguson at Kings Mountain. Six other soldiers who were killed at Kings Mountain were buried in the Old Brittain grave yard. There may be others buried there, but there cannot be very many more as there were not but twenty eight killed in tlhie battle. Possibly several died of wounds received i n the battle. The Old Brittain grave yard is interesting. It contains about twenty acres of land. m The Old Brittain Presbyterian chuifcli was organized 1751, and the first house of wor- > ship was completed August 8, 1758. Tlhe following eipitaph is on the tombstone of Lieu. McCulliough.: "Here lies the body of Lieu. Thos. McCulliough, be- longing to Col. Campbell's Regiment, Va., who lost his life in and for tlhe honorable, just and righteous cause of liberty at the defeating of Col. Ferguson's infamous company of bandits at Kings Mountain in October 7, 1780." 93 CHAPTER III. THE FIRST BAPTIST TO LIVE IN KINGS MOUNTAIN. Where She Was Reared, Her Parents, When She Was Converted, Her First Church Relations, By Whom Baptised, When She Married, When She Decided To Move To Kings Mountain, Her Member- ship Moved to Bethlehem Baptist Church, Her Loyalty To The Baptist Faith. The first citizens of this town were not Baptists. The most of them were either Lutherans, or Associate Reformed Presby- terians. The upper part of Cleveland coun- ty is nearly solid Baptist, but the eastern section is not. Pisgah, an old Associate Re- formed Presbyterian church, is located just across the line near Linwood, and they tell me that another older A. R. P. *church was still nearer Kings Mountain, and that Pisgah and Kings Mountain are both chil- dren of it. Any way, this church has had a wonderful influence over this section, and has made it hard for other denominations to get a foot hold here. Especially is this true in regard to Baptists. They are so un- * Pisgah is tine original name. It was moved to its present location many years ago. 94 like other people that it is hard for theiri to get a start when they have no member^ to begin with. This was the case with the beginning of the work in Kings Moun- tain. For several years there was not a single Baptist in this town. The nearest Baptist church was Bethlehem, which is four miles south west from here. Patter- sons Grove wr,s organized later, but it is not as old as our town. Antioch, near Grov- er, is still older than Bethlehem, but these are all out in the country and a few miles out in the country makes it hard for folks who live in a town to attend services. Such was the case with the first Baptists who lived here. But they had a real beginning here. It is so strange how the Lord uses his servants. Is it not strange how he can use the weakest of us? Nearly ail of us think that a church must have some noted person to make a good beginning; that it must have some noted preacher, or Christ- ian worker, but it is not so. The Lord and one of the humblest of his servants can put things to going which time cannot stop. Such was the ease with the beginning of the church at Phillipi. Just one lonely woman who loved the Lord was enough to begin that notable church with. She loved her Lord, and showed that she did by do- ing all that she knew. She could pray, and 95 she could hold a simple service for her ser- vants and those who lived with her and were associated with her in business. *One lonely crippled Baptist woman was the person the Lord used to plant the Bap- tist cause in Concord, N. C. She was alone for forty years, but finally the Lord gave her help and she began a church. Cleve- land county raised the boy whom God call- ed to go there to do the first Baptist preaching. This boy was raised in Shelby near the place where the South Shelby Baptist church stands. This was G. Pleas- ant Bostic. The old sister whom God used to begin Baptist work with in Concord said, when she first saw Brother Bostic, that she prayed for him before he was born. Other places have had just such be- ginnings and such was the case here. Near Dallas, North Carolina, in the home of a humble, God-fearing man, God raised the person whom he was to appoint to make the beginning for the Baptists in this town. She was born August 19, 1846. Her parents were John and Elizabeth Friday Smith. Frances Lucinda Smith was the youngest child of the family. She attended church at Old Long Creek, one of the oldest churches in the state. No *01d.Mrs. iStowe who lived in the little stone house on Main Street, as ycu go towards BosVs Mihs 8 96 one knows just how old it is. There are tombstones in the church yard which date back to 1728, and possibly one has 1725 on it. It must be a very old church, as it is surrounded by an old settlement. Any way the woman we are telling about was raised to go to that church, and it was there that she found the Lord precious to her immor- tal soul. She professed faith in Christ at a very early age, and was baptised into the. fellowship of that church by Elder Jacob Cansler. Elder Cansler was one of the first graduates of our State University, and while he had been raised a Lutheran, he was converted and became one of the most uncompromising Baptist this country has ever produced. He was known and dread- ed, by every pedobaptist in this whole sec- tion of country. He it was who baptised Rev. T. J. Taylor who has been pastor at Warrenton for nearly forty years.* He also baptised the author's mother, and many more faithful servants of the Lord who wanted to honor him in the New Testa- ment way. His life then has been transmit- ted to this section through the life of the woman he baptised when she was only a child. No one can tell how far reaching their *Dr. T, |J_ Taylor passed away during the spring of 1926, 97 influence is going to become. Just this one faithful preacher of the gospel planted the seeds of loyalty to God's word in the heart of the noble woman we are telling about and caused the town of Kings Mountain to have a Baptist church. She spent her childhood in Dallas, North Carolina, where other very notable Baptist have been reared. Her father seems to have died before she was well grown, and then she went to live with her sister, Mrs. John Rudasill of Lincoln county. She re- mained with her sister until she married Mr. George W. Cornwell of the same coun- ty, January 14th., 1875. Some time after she married, she and her husband moved to Kings Mountain where she resided until she passed over to the land beyond the skies. She was the mother of seven children, Three of these died in infancy, and one, the oldest daughter, who was Mrs. A. T. Brid- gers, died in 1906. The surviving children are Mr. C. T< Cornwell, who lives in Kings Mountain and is a member of our church, Mrs. Emma C. Austelle, who also lives here and takes care of her father, and is also a member of our" church. The other child is Mrs. J. B, Youngblood who now lives in Durham, North Carolina* 98 She has nine grand-daughters living and two dead. She also had one great-grand son, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Saunders. He is also dead. Sometime after Mrs. Cornwell moved to Kings Mountain she moved her member- ship from Old Long Creek, near Dallas, to Bethlehem Baptist church. As has already been stated, this was her nearest Baptist church, and to show her real Baptist blood, she moved her membership here and it re- mained here until February 15th, 1890, when she called for it to organize the First Baptist church at Kings Mountain. She was the only Baptist here for some- time, and all was done that could have been done by the pedobaptists to get her to deny her faith and join with her husband who was an A. R. P., but she said that some time God would provide. Her pedo- baptist friends told her that it could never be that a Baptist church would be built in this town, but she said, "Only wait and see," and they did see one spring into exis- tence as if by magic. She not only saw a Baptist church or- ganized in Kings Mountain, but she saw it become one of the first rank. She saw the W. M. S. organized, and was active enough to become its first secretary. She also saw the Sunday School work begin, and took an 99 active part in it for a number of years. Great must have been her joy when all of the anxieties of her soul were fully realiz- ed. They who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Such must have been the experiences of this noted servant of God, She saw the church go from a mere handful to a strong vigorous body of loyal Baptists. But the best of His servants must leave us, so on Thursday, September 4th., 1919, her soul slipped away to be with him who had stood by her all of her days, but her works are still here and it is still easy to hear our folks speak of "Grand Ma CornwelL" May her children and her grand children fill her place better than she filled it, and may they too, be as loyal to the Baptist faith as she was. The following lines written by one of her daughters will not be out of place: To the Memory of My Dear Mother Frances Lou CornwelL 1846-1919. As the stream grows calmest near the tide. And the flowers at eventide more bright. As the day sinks on into the night The music of the birds is sweetest. So, as my Mother grew older, s€e She was nearer and dearer and sweeter to me, 100 When my Mother lost her youthfulness, And her locks were turning gray, When wrinkles came in her dear face Then to myself I'd often say, "She's growing old, how sad to see She cannot always stay with me." When my Mother lost her youthful walk, And her eyes were growing dim, How oft' she'd smile and of her youth talk And then of her faith in Him Who always heard her earnest prayer, And of His word, which was to her ever dear When her dear old hands were growing thin And her form began to bend Then her smiles to me were even more sweet Than when those hands could lend For she'd smile and say, "How I wish I could do as I did. ; \ Now Angels have borne her angel form Beyond the Vale of Tears. She did not fear, Christ went before The One she served for years. And she's resting now in "The Heaven of Love Enjoying forever the City of Love." 101 CHAPTER IV. EARLY BAPTIST BEGINNINGS IN KINGS MOUNTAIN. The Second Baptist To Move To Kings Mountain, Other Baptists Come Here, First Baptist Preaching In Old School House, Who Did The First Preaching, Some Early Baptist Struggles, The Seeds Begin To Germinate, Light Begins To Shine, But Very Dimly, Things Are Made Ready For The Next Period of Denomina- tional Development Here. A real Baptist is a wonderful power in this world. Just one is enough to begin Bap- tist operations in a town, or a community. Such has been the case in many a North Carolina town. I wish that I had the space to recount the many instances where this has been true, but I cannot do so here. Such was Vie case in the town of Kings Mountain. The first Baptists to move here were real ones. They had been tried, and they were made ready for greater trials while they were fighting for a foot hold for Baptist in this town. It was not long after Mrs. George Cornwell moved here until the Lord sent her a Baptist compan- ion, and they became the best friends this 102 section has ever known. The second Bap- tistjtq^ move here was Mrs. Margaret lsa- belle Nevitt Kendrick. Both were young women, and both were newly married. Both had been orphans, and both had been raised in other homes than their own. They had had similar experiences in many re- spects, and both were loyal Baptist. They knew why they were Baptist, and why they could not sacrifice their principles to be with their husbands. They were the kind of stuff the Lord wanted to begin His work with here. Margaret Isabelle Nevitt Kendrick was born in Fairfield county, South Carolina, October 7th., 1854. She was a daughter of Cornelius and Elisia Nevitt also of Fair- field, South Carolina. Her father died when she was just four years old, and her mother died when she was about fifteen years old. She then made her home with her half brother, Mr. Joe Nevitt. When she was about sixteen years old, she attended school at Anderson, South Carolina. This place has always been noted for its schools. It now has a most splendid female college, which is only a continuation of the school Mrs. Kendrick attended when she was a mere girl. While in school at Anderson, she professed faith in Christ and joined the First Baptist church there, and was bap- 103 tised in Rocky River. Baptisteries were not much in use in this section of our country at that time. There were not many folks who wanted to be baptised in them any way. Nearly all who joined for baptism de- sired to be baptised in running water, and as Rocky River was their baptistery, she was baptised in it. Her membership re- mained there for some time. She was married to Mr. John Thomas Kendrick of Waco, Cleveland county, North Carolina, March 4th., 1874. The new- ly married couple soon went to South Car- olina where they spent the first year of their married life. Some time during the year of 1876, they moved to Kings Moun- tain. The town was exceedingly small at that time. There were about a dozen wood- en houses, here when they came. Thus you can readily see they were among the first to become citizens of this place, and for nearly half a century they lived here among the people they loved so well and those who loved and respected them as but few people are loved and respected. Mrs. Kendrick was the mother of six children, five daughters and one son. They are all living, and all of them live in Kings Mountain except two, Mrs. J. F. Ware, and her only son, Nevitt Kendrick. Her daugh- ters are Mrs. J. B. Thomasson whose given 104 name is Agnes, Mrs. J. F. Ware whose given name is Flossie, Mr. Nevitt Ken- drick, Mrs. T. L. Ware, whose given name is Sallie, Mrs. J. E. Lipford, whose given name is Mary, and Miss Margaret Ken- drick. The last two mentioned are mem- bers of the First Baptist church. She has thirteen grand children living and one dead. These are very fine children. We are proud of all of them. She also has one great grand child living and one dead. Her children are among our very best cit- izens, and command the respect of all who know them. The same may be* said of the grand children. Mrs. Kendrick was a most wonderful house keeper, and to visit her home was to enjoy the warmest hospitality you have ever seen. She was one of the most mother- ly women it has ever been my privilege to know. Her heart was warm, and her words as kind as those of your own mother. When Mrs. Kendrick moved to Kings Mountain, she brought her membership with her and placed it with Old Bethlehem Baptist church three miles out in the coun- try. This shows Baptist loyalty more than anything else. When Baptist refuse to line up with their denomination where they live, there is usually something wrong. They have a misconception of what it 105 means to be a real Baptist, and they do not know that they discredit the work where they live. Baptist use too much sentiment along this line. We all need to study what this noble woman did, and then think what might have been the case if she and Mrs. Lucinda Cornwell had left their member- ship with their original churches. There would not have been a Baptist church here until many years after it was organized. They would have lost interest, and no one would have agitated the cause to have had Baptist preaching here. But she was loyal enough to bring her letter and become a real citizen of this section of country. Her letter remained at Bethlehem until she called for it to join our church at its organization. She had her letter granted at Bethlehem February 15th., 1890, and was one of the Baptist to become a mem- ber here at the very beginning. Mrs. Corn- well's letter was granted by Bethlehem at the same time. They did not wait to see if the new church was going to live. They came in on the start to try to make it live, Mrs. Callie Carpenter's letter was granted at the same time also, but notice of her work will be made in another place. Mrs. Kendrick was a very intelligent lady, and her memory was very clear, es- pecially concerning the beginning of our 106 MRS. J. T. KENDRICK 107 church here. I did not know Mrs. Kendrick very well, but the short acquaintance I had wich her was very pleasant indeed. I regret so much that i aid not decide to write this book before she died. She re- membered so many thing that others do not know, and now, we have to largely guess at them. The author was real sick lor several weeks about six weeks after he took charge here, and this sickness was greatly in his way. He did not get to learn many things he now needs so much to know. But we cannot lament, God knew best, and we must submit to His will. Mrs. Kendrick was one of the most loyal Baptist this country has ever produced. She was solicited again and again to be- come a pedobaptist, but she flatly refused as any real Baptist will do. Baptist detest proselyting. They will not proselyte, nor do they want to be proselyted. They believe in every one being persuaded in their own mind. If people are what they are from honest conviction, they ought to be left alone. Mrs. Cornwell and Mrs. Kendrick showed the people who proselyted them that they knew what they were doing, and that they were not what they were for pol- icy's sake, but for Christ's sake; and they stood, and they prayed, and they longed and they talked together, they planned, 108 and they wept until the Lord made it pos- sible for them to realize some of their heart felt desires. They were told that this town could never have a Baptist church in it. It was impossible for such a thing to be, but they said, "Wait and see/' and they did see that a Baptist church could be built where it was thought to be an utter im- possibility. A Baptist church, a real Bap- tist church was organized here, and it is still alive, very much alive. Do you not think so? Oh, that we had many more Bap- tist like these two women. What a change we would have in so many homes. Many are miserable because they have sacrificed their home training and their religious conviction just to be with their husbands, and what did their husbands amount to after they went with them? Are we com- manded to be with our husbands, or are we commanded to follow Christ? Settle this while you are reading this little arti- cle about one of the Lord's annointed, one the Lord could depend upon. Baptist be- lieve in soul liberty, not family religion. They believe in the Lordship of Jesus, not popery. They believe in freedom of cons- cience, and not in a cramped and withered soul. The mother who went with her hus- band one time, and when she thought about what she had done, one day called 109 her only son into the kitchen and told him that his mother was a Baptist even if she had joined with his papa. She stayed in his church for a few years, but one day she went back to her own church and told the brethren what she had done. She was re- ceived back, and has stayed there all of these years, and is happy again, and her home is happy. If you are happy, your con- science must be clear. Is this not true? It most surely is. Mrs. Kendrick was very active in church work as long as she was able. During the last years of her life she was very much afflicted and was not able to do very much church work, but she loved her church and was just as loyal to it as she could be. While she was active she attended Sunday School and taught a class in it for many years. She was the first treasurer of the Women's Missionary Society, and loved this phase of our work as long as she lived. She liked to recall the many struggles the Baptist passed through here. She told the author that she lay many a night and cried and asked the Lord to make it possi- ble for the first house of worship to be built when it looked as if the lumber would have to lie on the ground until it rotted. Her prayers and her words of en- couragement did much for those who came 110 Rev. G. Pinkiiey Hamrick was born 18 49 and died October 15th., 19 24. He was a Christian gentleman of t;jie highest type. He served ic'hurches for forty seven years, and during this tirnofe, he was pastor of micre than 7,500 people. His pastorates were in, both North and South Carolina. At one time he was pastor of the First Eaptist church at Shelby, and was the first Bap- tist preacher to ipreach in Kings Mountain. He came here without money and without price to plant the Baptist Standard in this town. His wise leadership meant mufdhi to the Baptist cause in piedmont North Carolina. He left a wife and two clr'ldren, Tlhey live in Shelby, N. C, i 1 i REV. Gr. PINKNEY HAMRICK here to take the lead in the Lord's work. She often referred to the dark days through which the Baptists had to pass here, and how glad she was when a Bap- tist preacher actually came to Kings Moun- tain and preached in the Old School House, This old house stood near the place where Dr. Hord's nice new residence stands. The first preacher to come here to hold a ser- vice was Rev. G. P. Hamrick. I have not learned how many times he came, but he must have been here several times ac- cording to what I have heard the brethren in the county say. Rev. J. M. Bridges was the second Baptist preacher to visit this place to preach. He also preached in the Old School House. He must have preached here regularly for nearly a year. Those who remember him say that he came for nearly a year. He was not appointed by any board, but just came here because of the interest he had in the cause. Elders P, R. Elam and C. F. Felmet must have preached here also. They did not preach in the Old School House, it seems, but as Bap- tists preached in their homes occasion- ally, it is possible that they preached in Rev. Felmet's home. I have one account of such a service. Rev. J. E. McManaway says that he preached in Rev. C. F» Fel- met's home after he came here in 1890. 112 Th's surely was not the only time they did such a thing. Rev. M. P. Matheny was the last man to preach here before the church was orga- nized. The Baptist had been holding servi- ces in the Methodist church, and some times they held them in the Lutheran church. No one seems to know how many times services were held in either of these churches, but it must have been several The Baptist church house was not built for some time after the church was orga- nized, but they had services regularly. They had no regular place, except the school house. Mrs. Kendrick and Mrs. Cornwell stood by the cause through all of these trials. It was very discouraging, but they followed their people wherever they went. If it was in the poorest home in the town, they went. Mrs. Kendrick lived to see the old fram- ed structure completed, and then she lived to see it go out of date as did Mrs. Corn- well. Jhey both lived to see the old framed building replaced with a nice modern brick building, and they both saw the church grow from a mere handful to sev- eral hundred members. As has been stated, Mrs. Cornwell had to pass over first, then on Wednesday, April 4th., 1925, Mrs. Kett- 113 drick too, had to pass over to be with hei* old friend and companion in faith and la- bor, and her Lord she had honored and served. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. F. Ware who lives at Mt. Holly* She had gone there for a visit, and had hoped to return, but she did not realize her desires. Her body was brought back to Kings Mountain and her funeral was preached by her pastor, Rev. C. J. Black, assisted by Rev. A. H. Sims who had known her for many years, and her daugh- ter's pastor from Mount Holly, Rev. E. C. Andrews. A great bank of flowers cover- ed her casket showing the high esteem in which she was held. The crowd that gath- ered was enormous, and many were the commendable things said about her life and work. Her body sleeps in the cemetery at Kings Mountain. Her body is mingling with mother earth, but her works are still going on. They who live for Him never die. They may stop breathing, but they never die. Their works keep enlarging, and growing in size and momentum until it is impossible to estimate them. May her chil- dren and her grand children prove to be as faithful as she. She had to begin at the beginning. They only have to build well upon the foundation she helped to lay, 114 MRS. GEORGE W. CORN WELL. Tihe first Baptist to move to Kings Mountain. She was one lot the foundation stones of the Baptist cause iii Kings Mountain. 115 The following lines written by Mrs. Emma Austelle express the friendship that existed between Mrs. Cornwell and Mrs. Kendrick. So often we think that we have many friends, But when, come the days of trial. There may be some, or there may be none, Who will be with us when we are lonesome, And need to be cherished o'er our blue days Or aided in times of distress. When we find one that'll stay Through any kind of day Then a true friend you'll surely witness. Between our dear mothers such a friendship was Which was nearer it seemed than a brothers. For often in families children find fault But not so, where these two with each other. We children ne'er heard them speak aught than the best Of the other who was their true friend. In sunshine, in shadow,in sickness, in health Midst those of poverty, or those of wealth, Four helping hands they'd lend. For the Master they stood so strong in their love Or the Church held by them most dear. They'd sing and they'd pray, 'naught could them dismay When no church of their faith was here. When the cherished time came, that a Church by the name Of Baptist, was built in our town, Then the names of the two. Who to their faith had been true Were the first on the roll to be found. 118 Through hardships and trials, they wandered their way Together, in home, church, and town. When old age came their way this friendship With many joys' did abound. For through faith in their prayers, this small church has grown Into an edifice of beauty and might To-day, together they're in that "Haven of Rest", By their children, their town, and their Church they're blest As two who ever pointed the way to the "Right". I will now mention some of the other Baptists who came here after the two sis- ters I have taken so much time to tell about. The next after Mrs. Kendrick was Col. Peter P. Hoke. He came here about 1881, as best I have been able to learn. His wife was dead, but he had one faithful Baptist daughter. He had two other daugh- ters, but they were not members, or I can find no record of their membership here, or at Bethlehem. Mrs. Callie Carpenter is his daughter, and has been faithful to the Work through all of these years. She has never flinched a single time, but has stood by the work all of these years. She was in the organization, and has been a member of this church since that time. She is still active in church work, and is doing all that she can to help in the activities of the church. Mrs. L. Homesly seems to have come 117 here about the time that P. P. Hoke moved here, or possibly a little earlier. There was not much difference in the time of their coming. Mrs. Homesley came here to run a hotel, or some thing of the kind, any way she was here and showed that she was a Baptist. Gaston Littlejohn and his family came here soon after P. P. Hoke. He and his wife, Susan Littlejohn, and their son, Robert, were members and attended church, as did all of those I have mention- ed above, at Old Bethlehem. Gaston Little- john was an uncompromising Baptist, and was as loyal as any man has ever been. He loved his Lord and his church. I knew him well, and I am glad that I knew him. He has a daughter living here who is one of the most useful members in our church. She teaches the beginners class in the pri- mary department of our Sunday School. She is an expert at the business. Her place is going to be hard to fill when she has to give up. He has a son here who is a faithful member also. After Brother Littlejohn, others came here to help in the work. I do not know the order in which they came, but among them were the Baumgardners, the Longs, the Reynolds, other Kendricks, the Cobbs, the Felmets, the Poteats, the Morrisons, the Dickeys. Two of Brother Dickey's 118 daughters are still with us. These are Mrs. Lula Woodward and Mrs. Joe Cole. They are as loyal as members ever get to be* Many more came a little later. I do not know the names of all of them, but today ? wejhaye about one fourth of the popula- tion of the town. The First church has about one thousand possibilities, and the other churches have a goodly number. The little beginning has become a mighty host. At first the Baptist were not noticed very much but now they are noticed and recognized among the first. When the Baptist began operations here> the State Board did not recognize them very much. Rev. C. Durham was cor- responding secretary of the State Mission Board at that time, and as much as he was interested in the work in this state, he seems not to have considered this point worth while, and did not make any appro- priation for it until several years later; that is, until the church was organized and planned its church building. Because of thisj. the Baptist of Cleveland county gave what they could to have preaching here. Brother A. P. Spake says that he was pres- ent several times at our fifth Sunday meet- ings, or Union Meetings as they were call- ed, when the matter of the mission point at Kings Mountain was discussed and collec- 119 tions taken to pay a preacher to hold ser- vices here. I have not been able to learn just how long this was done, but it must have been ten years at the very least be- cause the mission board did not appropri- ate a cent to this place until March 21, 1890. Rev. J. E. McManaway was the first preacher to get any help from the Board for his pastoral services here. I have had the records searched, so I know that I am correct in my statement concerning this one thing. The organization of the church here must have been delayed considerably because of this one thing. If the Board had taken the matter under consideration, it might have been that the church would have been organized five, or possibly six years before it was. The Baptist here at that time were poor; that is they did not have much money. They lived well, but they did not have very much money. The truth of it is, money was so scarce no one had much to spare. It was a hard pull for the Baptists of the state to raise twenty five thousand dollars for state mission at that time. We did not have the money as we have it today, and then, a worse thing than poverty was wrong with us at that time. We had not gotten the vision we ought to have had. People do not do much until they get a vision, and the Baptists 120 of the state at that time had not gotten the vision of what it meant to evangelize our state, and there was another terrible malady among us at that time* one we have not been entirely relieved from up to this good hour. I still see some very mark- ed symptoms of it, and I still can see signs of the awful pains it produces on certain oc- casions. This malady is known as old time, down right stinginess. It is an awful dis- ease when it gets hold of Baptists. The New Testament designates it as idolatry, We have real epidemics of it occasionally, but it is hoped that the worst of it is pasL But it is still bobbing up in our work when we have to make strong appeals for help for the different objects we have to care for. However, stinginess was not the real trouble with the brethren at Kings Moun- tain when the work was being planned. Money was very scarce then, and our folks were not rich. They lived well, as has been said, but they did not have much money they could use f or the Lord's work. It took all that they cculd get to provide for their families. They did not live in luxury then as they do today ; and to provide a com- fortable living, was quite a task. Cotton was very low, and this says that wages were exts^mely low. You can get as much for a day's work today as you could for a 121 week's' work at that time, and some can make more in one day than they could in a week at that time. It was hard for the first Baptists to support a pastor here at that time. Another thing that held the work back at this place was lack of leadership. They were not organized, and they did not have a real leader among them. They had many good men, but they did not have a man who could lead them to undertake such a great task as they had before them to become a church. But finally the right man came here and took hold of the work, and the church became a reality. Their long hopes were realized, and the day was dawning for a Baptist church to be built in this town. Eighteen years of the town's exist- ence had passed, and^ still there was not a Baptist church. Baptist services had been held, but nothing definite had been done. Baptist were like sheep without a shep- herd. They were attending church, as they liked, just any where, and some not at all Their children were attending Sunday School at pedobaptist churches, but this was not satisfactory. They could not ex- pect them to use our literature, and be- cause of this, they could not be taught our distinctive doctrines. They were being taught the doctrines of the other denomi- 122 nations. They had their denominational literature, they were expected to have it, but this was not doing our children any good. They were drifting toward the other folks, but the day was dawing for other things to be taught, and for other people to show their doctrines to their children, and things came to pass which were never dreamed of when the Baptist cause was first mentioned in this town. "God leads in. a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." A great occasion was just ahead of the Baptists of Kings Mountain, and the fol- lowing chapter will tell what it was. SIX OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS. These aYe &i C. Baumigard'iier, J. R. Reyiiolds, Mrs t R. Reyholds, Mrs. Henry Poteat, Mrs: Gallie Carpert- r, Mrs ; Sylvanus Mau>ney ; 124 CHAPTER V. j THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. When Organized— Where Organized— The Members Who Were In The Organization —The Fmt Pastor— The First Clerk— The First Deacons. History ought to be facts, but it Is im- possible to get facts when you have no re- cords from which to get them; such is the case with the history of the organization of the First Baptist Church of Kings Mountain. The old book is lost, and while 3 careful search has been made for it all over this town, and out of town, it cannot be found, so the account of the organiza- tion of the church had to be gathered from many sources. Newspaper files have been searched, the memories of the old members have been tried cut in every wayyall kinds of angles of approach have been made, but the old church book still remains hidden, or possibly destroyed. What a sad thing it is to think that it is impossible to give the story of those noble deeds of love, sacri- fice, prayer, and faith that were made by those who stood by the work of the Lord here for the first twelve years, All th&t 125 can be found concerning their work is ill the assoeiational minutes of 1890, and all that is said in them is that S. J. Poteat and Col. P. P. Hoke represented the church in the meeting of the association at Zion, and that they presented a petition to that body at that time to become a member of it, and when the Articles of Faith and Church Covenant had been examined, they were found to be orthodox, and the church was admitted. Nothing more is said except that it had recently been organized. Now, what did they mean by "recently?" It is hard to say, but from all that can be learned con- cerning the beginning of the work here, the church must have been organized ear- ly in the spring of 1890* Three things lead in this direction. First, the members who came from Bethlehem received their letters from that church February 15th., 1890. So then the church must have been organized some time after that date. The second thing is the date of the deed. It was made March 21st., 1890, and it was made to Gaston Littlejohtt and J. Morrison, deacons of Kings Mountain Baptist church. They could not have been deacons until the church was organized, So the church must have been organized near that time, ov at that time. The third thing that leads one to believe that the church was organized 126 between February 15th., 1890, and March 21, of the same year is the fact that an application for aid from the State Board was made to Dr. Columbus Durham- March 21st., 1890, and he appointed Rev. J. E. McManaway the first missionary to this field. This is not guess work, but fact. Now, with all of these threads of informa- tion before us, is it not reasonable to be- lieve that the church was organized on March 21st., or near that time at least? The old folks tell us that a meeting had been in progress for several days, and that it closed in the morning and the church was organized the following night. This meeting was held by Rev. M. P. Matheny, and possibly Rev. C. F. Felmet, but some think that McManaway held it by himself. This is the reasonable thing to believe about it, and yet Felmet was living here at that time, and as he was not likely to have been engaged in a country meeting at that season of the year, he must have been in the meeting whether he preached any in it or not. He encouraged the work very much in the beginning, and it is not likely that he would have lived here and not aided in the work of such an important meeting as that was. The meetings was held in the Methodist church which then stood just op- posite the Baptist church and where the 127 Presbyterian church is now located. The meeting resulted in several converts, and best of all, the church we now have. Only two males were converted and joined dur- ing the meeting. These were Samuel J. Po- teat and Joe R. Reynolds. They were the first to be baptised here. Others joined, but they were young ladies, or possibly children. Their names have not been secur- ed. The presbytery that organized the church was composed of Rev. M. P. Mathe- ny, Rev. T. H. Mullinax, the marrying par- son of Grover, Rev. P. R. Elam, and pos- sibly the deacons of Bethlehem Baptist church. The church was organized with thirteen male members, and a few more females. The exact number of females cannot be learned. Rev. J. E. McManaway says that it was organized with less than thirty members. The associational letter reported thirty six members, but did not divide them so that you can know how many males, or females they had. It just states that they had thirty six members September 26th of that year. There must have been about thirty, as we have nearly that many names we know were in the organization. As we have no record of those who joined, we cannot say definitely how many there was 128 on the start. The male members were William Cobb, Gaston Littlejohn, J. Morrison, J. C. Baum- gardner, C. F. Felmet, Henry Poteat, J. R. Reynolds, P. P. Hoke, S. J. Poteat, Robert Long, Thos. Felmet, Robert Littlejohn, and the following females; Mrs. William Cobb, Mrs. Gaston Littlejohn, Mrs. J. C. Baum- gardner, Mrs. C. F. Felmet, Mrs. Henry Poteat, Mrs. J. R. Reynolds, Mrs. Robert Long, Mrs. Lucinda Cornwell, Mrs. J. T. Kendrick, Mrs. Sylvanus Mauney, Mrs. Sam Cornwell. Mrs, Jane Dixon, Mrs. Cal- lie Carpenter, and a few single girls whose names have not been learned. Possibly there were not but twenty seven or eight in the organization, but thirty six were reported to the association that fall. Mc- Manaway says that he held a meeting some time during the summer, and if he did, it is probable that he added several more to the church before the meeting of the association. He does not remember how many professions he had, or how many joined the church. The minutes just state that they had thirty six members, and does not say who they were, or how they were secured. Thirty six years have wrought some won- derful changes. Those faithful men and women who undertook such a stupendous 129 - task here thirty six years ago have all passed away except ten. These are Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Reynolds, Mrs. Henry Poteat and her two daughters, Mrs. S. Mauney and Mrs. Sam Cornwell, S. J. Poteat, J. C. Baumgardner, Robert Littlejohn and Mrs. Callie Carpenter. Who was the first pastor of the new church? Now, there is some question about who was the first pastor. Brother J. C. Baumgardner says that Rev. M. P. Mathe- ny was the first, but Dr. F. C. Hickson says that Rev. J. E. McManaway was the first. If Matheny was the first, the church had three pastors the first year. J. E. Mc- Manaway became pastor the first of April, 1890, and preached during the summer. Dr. Hickson says that McManaway and Matheny had some misunderstanding about the work and that Rev. McManaway resigned before the year was out. How- ever, this may have been, McManaway be- gan work here the first of April, 1890, and preached here for a few months, then re- signed. He says that one of the brethren made it hard for him and he resigned be- cause of this-. He surely remembers what he left for, and it is needless to say more about this part of the story. If Matheny was the first pastor, he certainly did not serve long after the church was organized, 130 and when the church was organized, he gave way for the other man. Anyway, he did a noble work, and ought to have re- mained here for several months after the church was put on its feet When McManaway left the church it was in a dreadful condition. The members were few and very weak and unorganized. They had their house hulled in, but they did not know how to manage a church as it should have been managed* The State Board was spending forty dol- lars^ a year on the work, and this was two fif ths of the pastor's salary. It was respoh- sible for The service the church was due to have, so when McManaway resigned, Dr. Columbus Durham wrote Dr. F. C. Hick- son who was then pastor at Gastonia to go over to Kings Mountain and see what could be done for the little struggling church, so he preached on week nights and Sunday afternoons the remainder of the year and after the association, gave more time to the work. Dr. Hickson did much good here. He was a wonderful preacher, and a most wonderful scholar. He has Ravelled extensively, and is an interesting speaker. He commanded the respect of the other denominations, and drew large crowds io hear him. He preached in the Lutheran church the most of the time un* 131 til they entered the new church building. Possibly he did all of his preaching in the new church building, but since the Baptists left the Methodist church during the pas- torate of McManaway, it is probable that he preached a few times in the Lutheran church. Any way, he did much good while he was here. A fuller account of his minis- try will be given in the chapter on the first pastors of the church. The first clerk of the church was Col. P, P. Hoke. He was a very earnest Baptist, and studied the work carefully. He it was who drafted the Articles of Faith for the new church, and also wrote the Church Covenant, It is to be regretted so much that these precious documents cannot be found. They were in the old church book, and since it was lost, all was lost. When the church applied for membership in The Kings Mountain Baptist association, the brethren who examined the Articles of Faith and Church Covenant, for this church, reported, they said they were the best they had ever seen. It means much to have correct Articles of Faith and Church Covenant, What a pity such an important document as these Articles of Faith were, should be handled so carelessly that they have been forever destroyed, or lost. The first deacons of the church were J. 132 Morrison, Gaston Littlejohn, and Henry Poteat. Two more were elected very soon after the church was organized, and were ordained while Rev. J. E. McManaway was pastor, or a little later by a Presbytery composed of T. H. Mullinax and others. Rev. McManaway remembers the meeting when they were ordained. These were J. C> Baumgardner and J. R. Reynolds. This chapter is not what the writer wish- es thatlt was, but he has done the best he could with what he has had to gather in- formation from. He wishes to add just one Word here. Here is what it is: if you are a church clerk, please do not carelessly throw" the minute book around and allow it to get lost. You have the history of the church in your hands, and what you do with it will determine what shall become of the history of. your church. How we do need good, in- terested church clerks! 133 THK OLD WOODEN BUILDING 134 CHAPTER VI. THE FIRST BUILDING. The First Lot, Secured, Other Lots Secur- ed, The Erection of The Old Framed Build- ing, The Struggles Through Which The Baptists Had To Go To Erect Their First Building. The last chapter closed with an account of the church just organized, but without a home. The deacons had been ordained, the pastor had been called, and several other important things had been done to- ward the organization of the church, but the church was homeless. A church cannot do much without a church building, and this is especially true with Baptists. They hold to such doctrines that they must have their own house to worship in to prosper. This was true at Kings Mountain, and is true with them anywhere. Before they could build a house here they had to se- cure a lot. This was not an easy task. Two things were in the way. First, they did not have the money to purchase an expensive lot with, and the second thing was that they could not get a location easily. But the Lord always leads in matters of this kind, so he opened the heart of a good 135 Presbyterian, Mr. John H. Craig of Gas- tonia, and he donated a lot to the church as long as it is used for church purposes. This lot is on the south corner of Moun- tain and Piedmont Streets. The lot was fifty feet by one hundred feet, and con- tained five thousand square feet of land. It was deeded to Gaston Littlejohn and J. Morrison, deacons of Kings Mountain Bap- tist church, and is dated March 21, 1890. This gift from Mr. John H. Craig meant much to the Baptist cause at Kings Moun- tain. This is the lot that the first house was built on, and that a part of the pres- ent building stands on. The second lot was purchased from Forest Floyd and lies just south of the original lot. It extends fifty feet further south than the old lot, and was one hund- red and fifty one feet long. This extended across the back end of the original lot and even beyond it. A part of this lot has been sold, so that today, we do not have all of the length of the lot as it was purchased by the church. The deed to this lot was made February 13th., 1911. Brother Floyd purchased this lot from C. A. Billing for two hundred and fifty dollars, and sold it to the church for just what he gave for it. The third lot the church bought was the 13G one lying west of the church. It was sixiy five feet wide and one hundred feet long. It was bought from Dr. J. G. Hord, com- missioner. The church does not own all of this lot at present. The deacons decided that they would sell a part of it and Broth- er Forest Floyd and Brother J. C. Baum- gardner bought it. It now belongs to the Floyd heirs. The church ought to have kept it by all means. It is needed so much just now. Of course it can be had, but it would have been so much less expense for the church to have kept it. The church now owns an eighty foot front and one hundred and fifty foot back. This is a very nice lot, but it is not large enough for the house it needs. The church needs a house much larger than it has, and it needs a play ground for the lower grades of the Sunday School to have little social gatherings on. This would add so much to our work. The primary depart- ment is not half as large as it should be, and then, the Junior and Intermediate de- partments are entirely too small. For us to take care of them as we should would re- quire twice as much house as we have. Our folks are optimistic and determined to un- dertake almost anything they feel to be necessary. They keep talking about more room in our house. The General Superin- 137 tendent says that we must have it, or we are going to have to curtail our work. Of course we cannot do that, so there is noth- ing to do but to plan for more building, and to do this is going to require more land. The original lots will have to be pur- chased once more. The mistake of the past will e'er long have to be repaired. Let us take courage and go forward. After the first lot was secured, the next thing to be done was to build a house. This was a tremendous undertaking for so small a church as this was at that time, but they had a few who were determined. They did not have much money, but they had faith in themselves, and they had faith in God. The brethren made their plans for their building, and secured Mr. John T. Ken- drick to oversee the building of the house. Mr. Kendrick was a Baptist but was not a member here. He owned a saw mill and a mill here, and while he was not a rich man, he did all that he could for the church. Several in the country gave lum- ber, possibly two thousand feet. This meant a great deal for the church. Rev. Philip Elam did what he could among the breth- ren in the other churches. Is not known just how much he raised away from here, but it was enough to help the work con- 1 o o loo siderably at that time. The house was be- gun while Rev. J. E. McManaway was pas- tor. He began the first Sunday in April, but did not preach here very long. A mis- understanding arose between him and Rev. C. F. Felmet and he resigned. This threw the work back just a little, but Dr. F. C. Hickson soon took charge of the work, hav- ing been appointed by the State Mission Board to straighten out the work here. Dr. C. Durham was Corresponding Secretary of the Board at that time, and Dr. Hickson was pastor at Gastonia. This made it easy for Dr. Hickson to serve here. He contin- ued the work, and he says that he gave nearly all that the church paid him for his services, toward the new building. The building committee was composed of the following brethren; P. P. Hoke, J. C. Baumgardner, and C. F. Felmet. They were the finance committee also. One of the first pastors says that Rev. C. F. Fel- met did more than any other man in rais- ing money to pay for the house, but all worked hard to get money enough to get the church hulled in, and when it was hull- ed in, it looked like that it would never be finished. Mrs. J. T. Kendrick said that she lay many a night and cried and prayed to the Lord to make it possible for the house to be finished. The lumber was lying on 139 the ground, and it was damaging very much. She was afraid that it was going to rot before it could be used, but God pro- vides when we trust him. It was so at this place. God opened the hearts of the people, and they gave enough to finish it. it took nearly two years of faithful worK to get it so th 8 at it could be used for services, but it was finished because the people had a mind to work. Every one was given a chance to work who wanted to give anything to help build it. Some did not have money, so they were given a chance to work out what they wanted to contribute. This helped con- siderably as money was so scarce at that time. When the Kings Mountain Association met with Waco Baptist chucrh September 22-24th, 1891, at the Wednesday evening sessions, Dr. C. Durham preached a power- ful sermon, after which a cash collection was taken for the church at Kings Moun- tain to assist in completing its house of worship. The following brethren gave the amounts opposite their names; Rev. J. M. Bridges $5.00 Rev. T. Bright $5.00 Rev. G. M. Webb $5.00 Rev. G. A. Gold $5.00 H. F. Schenck $5.00 Rev. C. E. Gower $5.00 Joe S. Wray $5.00 Mrs. Hulda Miller $1.00 Rev. G. P. Hamriick $5.00 F. M. Miller $1.00 140 S. L. Dellinger $1.00 D. A. Grigg $1.00 J. A. Roberts $1.00 Rev. A. M. Ross $1.00 J. A. Canriip $1.00 C. L. Mauney $1.00 E. L. Wallace $1.00 W. G. Hord $1.00 M. A. Pool $1.00 Jonas Jenkins $2.00 M. L. Plonk $1.00 Robert Browin $1.00 M. L. Putnam $1.00 W. H. Hoover $2.00 W.M. Gaidinglhagin $1.00 D. S. Lovelaice $1.00 D. J. Hamrick $1.00 D. J. Hamrick $1.00 J. L. Pruett $1.00 Noah Hamrick $1.00 W. W. White $1.00 E. F. Dellinger $1.00 P. J. Kendrick $1.00 A. A. Wagstaff $1.00 C. A. Hamrick $1.00 T. Hicks $1.00 Miller Eskrictge $1.00 Zicn Delegates $3.00 J. A. White $1.00 Hugh Borders $1.00 J. A. Black $1.00 T. J. Dixon $1.00 W. F. Peeler $1.00 Mrs. C. Miller $1.00 J. M. Elliott $3.00 C. M. Stewart $1.00 D. H. Elliott $1.00 Jeff D. Elliott $1.00 A. E. Elliott $ .50 T. D. Yarboro $1.00 J. M. M'cCullougih $ .25 Mrs. M. E. Putnam $ .50 M. Borders $ .50 W. P. Wilson $1.00 iS.Arrowood $1.00 M. T. D. Putnaimi $ .50 B. H. Parker $1.00 Andrew Parker $1.00 Rev. A. C. Irvin $5.00 R. L. Limrick $2.00 Charles Putnam $1.00 TOTAL $104.2 5 t This collection showed that the associa- tion was in sympathy with the young, struggling church at Kings Mountain. The 141 above list is given that we may not forget those who helped us when we could not help ourselves. Several collections were taken in public meetings at other times and places, but the above is the only one I have been able to get. The First Baptist church at Shelby gave the church here the first seats they used in the old church They were not very com- fortable, but they served the purposes ex- ceedingly well. When the new church was built, these old seats that had been used in the old church were sold to Rev. G. D. Her- man, a Methodist preacher who built a chapel near where Grace church now stands. He was to pay forty dollars, but the brethren donated twenty dollars of this amount to the chapel, so they did not get but twenty dollars for them. The old bell, which was used so long for school pur- poses at Iron Station, Lincoln county, was bought by the church here for twenty five dollars and was used on the old church house until the new one was built then it was sold to the Ebenezer Baptist church, a colored church north of Kings Mountain, for twelve and one half dollars. It is still regretted by many that the bell was ever let go. It could not have been more than a souvenir, but some had heard 142 it sound out the call for worship to the people of God so long and so many times that they did not want it to leave town, but it is gone now, and is still on a house of God. Let us not worry over it, but think of the good purposes it served while it was here, and that those who listened to it so many times have long since passed over the river where they hear the bells of the paradise of God. The first organ used m the old church house was furnished by P. P, Hoke, but was taken out after it had been used for some time, and when he took his organ out of the churchy another was bought. This was while Rev. T. Bright was pastor. This organ is still here, and is used by some of the organizations of the church. The seats now used in the basement where the Business Men's Bible Class meets every Sunday morning, are those that the church bought when they dis- carded the old seats that the First Baptist church of Shelby gave them. These seats were bought in Charlotte. A committee consisting of Rev. A. H. Sims, George W, Kendrick, and J. C. Baumgardner, was ap- pointed by the church to secure the new seats, Brethren Kendrick and Baumgard- ner told their pastor, Rev. A. H, Sims, that if he would go to Charlotte and buy them, they would pay his expenses, and they did. He bought the seats for two and one half dollars each knocked down. They were shipped ready to be built. Mr. Julius Weir made them for the church* Others assisted him, but their names are not known. These new seats aided greatly in the work at this place. They were so much more comfortable than the old ones. This gave impetus to the work, as it always gives life to a church to make some needed improvement. It has been so since the present pastor took charge. The old church had a steeple on it> and on the top of this tower a fish was placed, as was the custom at that time. Brother Elam who raised so much money for the church outside of the town, said that he did not Want the fish there, but he was too late in objecting. The fish was already on it. It is not known why he objected, but was not the fish a fitting thing to place on the tower of a Baptist church? A fish likes water, and so do the Baptists. They spoil away from water, and so do many of the Baptists. Thus the old frame house was undertak- en and finished. It was not an imposing structure, but it served the people of God exceedingly well. It was not modern in ar- rangements, but it did what nothing else 144 had done in this town before. It served to house the people called Baptists, and that meant a great deal. After all, it is not the house that makes a church, It is the or- ganization within it. This church had that. It was not wealthy, but it had faith, it was small in numbers, but large in works. It was in the midst of pedobaptists, but it stood for "the faith once for all delivered to the saints." It had its struggles, but they all brought the church nearer to the Lord of us all. They were tried in every way, but they did not waver. They stood firm and the Lord used them for the beginning of one of the best churches in North Caro- lina. This church is more than a house, it is a monument to the labors of those faith- ful men and women who stood together here to defend the faith of their fathers. As long as this church stands, will it not tell the story of those two women who came here to begin house keeping and to raise their families? Those two Baptist women can never be forgotten as long as Kings Mountain Baptist church stands. 145 CHAPTER VII PASTORS WHO SERVED FROM THE ORGANIZATION UNTIL 1900, Their Birth And Service In The Master's Work. Living: Or Dead. The First Baptist church of Kings Mountain had seven pastors from its or- ganization until 1900. It seems that the church could not get a man who could stay long enough to do very much good. It had three pastors the first year after it was organized, or we might say that it had three pastors the first seven months of its existence. This did not do the church much good. A pastor cannot do much work in one year, and if he is a real organizer, he cannot do much real work in two years* Many churches have been ruined by chang- ing pastors every two or three years. It is an injustice to the pastor, and it is more to the church* Long pastorates have meant most to the cause. The first pastor here, according to what the brethren say, was Rev. M. P. Matheny. The following is a sketch of his life and W 7 ork; M. P. Matheny was born in Putnam coun- ty, Tennessee, in 1852, and Was educated at 146 Georgetown and Bethel colleges in Ken- tucky. He was licensed to preach in 1875, and continued in the work for forty three years. He traveled and preached extensive- ly in all parts of the south, Mexico, and Canada. He was corresponding secretary of the Sunday School work in Missouri for two years, and was assistant correspond- ing secretary of the State Convention of Texas for one year. He was city missionary in Chicago for one year, and was missionary of the State Convention in Arkansas for two, or possi- bly three years. He was a great evangelist, and after he had served in so many official ways as evangelist, he travelled for some time as an independent evangelist. He preached in many sections of North Caro- lina. He is remembered distinctly in Union, Mecklenburg, Cleveland, and Rutherford counties. He held pastorates in North Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. In all of his work, he was preeminently successful The worst blunder he ever made was to join the Gospel Missioners and line up against the Boards. He soon saw the folly of his decision and went back to his former views. The whole undertaking- was a failure, but many of the best men and women we had lined up with the 147 148 ■movement. Among them were Rev. G. P» Bostic, Wade Bostic, and their sister, Miss Attie Bostic who were raised at Shelby, and are of such noted missionary fame. Many of the pastors of the Alexander as- sociation went with the movement and have never come back to the work of the boards. Among them is the noted Parks Owaltney. How sad that such good men made so serious a mistake. Rev. Matheny was very sorry that he went with the Gos- pel Mission movement, and so expressed himself in the later years of his life. Rev. Matheny was a writer of rare abil- ity. He was editor of a Baptist paper in North Carolina, the name of which I can* not give just here. He was also editor of The Regular Baptist in Missouri, and later of The Baptist Commonor, and still later he was associate editor of The Baptist and Commoner, located at Little Rock, Arkan- sas. He was manager of the Sunday School commitee of the State of Texas for several years, and did a great work in that capac- ity, The Committee was greatly in debt when he took charge, but within a few- months, he had the debt raised and the work placed on a safe basis. The rare gifts combined in him as sing- er, orator, writer and preacher, made him a 149 master of men. He was a power in the pul- pit, and held some very great meetings. He was humble, and did not assume any arbi- trary attitude toward any body, or any- thing. His friends loved him and his ene- mies hated him because of his power to do things for the Lord. He was as broad as the love of God, and as narrow as His truth. Rev. Matheny was twice married, his last wife being a sister of Mrs. A. H. Sims, He died August 15th., 1918, at Texarkana, Texas. His body was laid to rest in the State Line cemetery Sunday afternoon, August 16th, 1918. His funeral was preach- ed by Ben M. Bogart. He had requested that Rev. Bogart preach it and his wishes were carried out. Bogart was assisted by Elders U. W. Jarrell, T. H. Carter, C. C. Winters, C. A. Gilbert, and D. N. John- son. These preachers also acted as pail bearers. His grave was covered with beautiful flowers placed there by his friends. Thus closed the life of the man who came to Kings Mountain and planted the Baptist standard by organizing a church. Rev. J. E. McManaway was the second pastor of this church according to what has been told concerning the list of pastors of this church. He took charge of the work, 150 April the 1st., 1890, having been appointed missionary for this place, March 21st., 1890, and preached his first sermon the first Sunday in April following. He spent the night before with Rev. C. F. Felmet and held a service in his home. Rev. J. E. McManaway was born in Chamblissburg, Bedford County, Virginia, June 4th., 1858. This place has been called the "Hot Bed for Baptist Preachers." His parents were Charles Harvey and Nancy Ann McManaway. He had two brothers who were Baptist preachers. They were A. G. McManaway, D. D., who was pastor of the First Baptist church of Charlotte, N. C, for a long time. J. M. McManaway, D. D. , who was pastor of the First Baptist church of Shelby at one time, and one brother, a physician, Dr. C. G. McManawy, of Charlotte, N. C. He also had four sisters. He was educated in the free schools of Virginia and Wake Forest College. He took his seminary work at Louisville, Ky. He was licensed to preach when he was sixteen years old, and was ordained while he was living in Charlotte, by the follow- ing presbytery; Rev. C. E. Gower, Dr. C. Durham, and Drs. A. G. and J. M. McMan- away. The ordination took place in the First Baptist church of Charlotte. His first pastorate was Olivet Street 151 KKV. J. E. JlcM.YX.WVAV 152 Baptist church, Charlotte. This church be- came 12th. Street Baptist church, and then was changed to 9th. Avenue. He was pastor of the First Baptist church of Concord, First Baptist church of Belmont, First Baptist church of Kings Mountain, Fort Mill, First Baptist church of Greer, S. C, New Westminister, First Baptist church of Walhalla, S. C, and the following country churches; Catawba, Li- berty, New Bethel, Calvary, Washington, Milford, Friendship, Locust Hill, White Oak, Siloam, Pleasant Grove, Unity, and Fork Shoals, S. C. He was editor and proprietor of the Fort Mill Courier in South Carolina. He was also Field Editor for the Baptist Courier of South Carolina, located at Greenville. He was state evangelist for the South Carolina Convention for three years, and Home Board evangelist for fifteen years. He married Miss Carrie Freeman of Charlotte, N. C, and has seven children, five boys and two girls. He has the following to say about the work here while he was pastor; "I began the work at Kings Mountain about 1889 — may be a little earlier, or a little later. I lived with my brother, Dr. A. G. McMana- way in Charlotte. He was the pastor of the Tryon Street Baptist church. I preach- 153 ed twice a month at Fort Mill, S. C, and once s month at Belmont, N. C, and once a month at Kings Mountain. That was my field. I usually preached at Kings Moun- tain on Saturday nights and Sunday morn- ings and evenings. I think that I began going there before the church was organi- zed, though I am not certain about it now. Rev. C. F. Felmet was living at Kings Mountain and preaching to country churches around there. As I remember he began the work, or with Col. Hoke got it started. Col. Hoke was a citizen there, and a leading Baptist. His wife had been dead for some time. The first Saturday night there I spent with Rev. C. F. Felmet and preached in his home. It might have been that the church was organized that night. I remember, dimly, we got the number of Baptists present that night — males and females — it might have been for the pur- pose of organizing; though I remember another night — a week day night — when we had a meeting and Dr. F. C. Hickson, who was pastor at Gastonia, was with us, and preached and we had special business of some kind. That meeting was held in the unfinished building we had started on the street running up the hill from the old depot, or just above the depot in the di- rection of the mountain, and near where, 1 ^4 I was told, the second house was built, if not on the same lot. That building was fin- ished before I left there. I remember w T e had a fine crowd present that night and a great sermon from Dr. Hickson. It made a profound repression on the audience, made up of different denominations. If the church was not organized that night, it must have been the ordination of some deacons. There were very few Baptists living there at that time. The Lutherans and the A. R. P.'s were strong, and the Methodist were in good shape. The Baptists were not only weak, but poor, the mcst of them at least. Col. Hoke was the first Church Clerk, and as they had church conferences regularly, you ought to have a clear record of the proceedings all the time I was there. Mrs. Callie Carpenter lived near the church upon the hill in a white, two story house with double story piazza all across the front, and that was my home the most of the time while I was there. Her father was one of the leading members and she was well fixed and a great Baptist, and a splendid good woman. She remained true to her faith as long as I knew her, and loved her church. I think the church was organized with something less than thirty members. Thev 155 were a faithful, noble band, and I loved them dearly. There were the Felmets, all ot them faithful, one son becoming a preacher — Rev. J. P. Felmet — and has been a valuable worker, Col. Hoke, who kept batch, the Baumgardners, who ran a small iivery stable, Mrs. Homesly, who ran the Blue Ridge Hotel, and who was the mother of Miss Lillian Homesly who became so famous as a singer, the Littlejohns — mighty good people, and the Poteats, who lived at the only cotton mill then built there. I do not recall the names of any of the others though I remember others whose names have gone from me. As for salary, I did not receive much, possibly I averaged five dollars per month. I remember my railroad fare was one dol- lar and twenty cents, sixty cents each way. When I first went to Kings Mountain, the other denominations had very little dealings with the Baptists, but they came to be very friendly and helpful. We wor- shipped in the Methodist church house while our house was a building. Our church grew rapidly, I think there were over a hundred members when I left. I quietly re- signed and left, I do not know who suc- ceeded me. Though I have passed through Kings Mountain hundreds of times since I was pastor, and in a way have kept up 15(5 with the work and the wonderful growth of the town, I have never gone back there since I left them as pastor. I have a warm place in my heart for the church and city, and I trust that the Lord used me in some way, while I was there, to accomplish a little good. The above letter gives information con- cerning conditions here thirty six years ago. Brother McManaway is right in the main, but in some points he is not. As has been stated in a former chapter, he was sent here by the State Mission Board. The records are very clear on this point. These records are in the Corresponding Secretaries^ office in Raleigh. If they had been here they would have been destroyed, or I suppose that they would. Rev. McManaway held the first meeting with the church after it was organized. He has always been a great evangelist, and he must have held a fine meeting here. He says that several joined the church, but does not remember how many, or who they were. He did the first baptising that was ever done in this town. The first two men to be baptised were Brother S. J. Po- teat and Bro. Joe R. Reynolds. Brother Reynolds is still a member with us, but Brother Poteat has moved to Bessemer City. 157 Bill Fife held a meeting in a big tent while McManaway was pastor here. The town was wonderfully moved by the meet- ing, and much good seemed to have been dene. Fife's sister died while he was in the meeting' here, and he left McManaway in charge of the meeting while he attended his sister's funeral at Wilmington. When he returned, he found the meeting going- good and offered McManway a salary to go with him. He did not hold but one meeting wich Fife. He was a crook, and McMana- way found it out on the start, or he might have ruined him. McManaway is still an independent evangelist though he has been preaching for many years. His home is in Greenville, South Carolina. His mind is still active, and he can write like a boy. He has held hun- dreds of meetings all over the south, and is still doing work for the Master as op- portunity comes to him. McManaway resigned before the year was out and left the work without a pastor, and as preachers were very scarce at that time, the church had to do without a pas- tor for a little while, but as this work was under the direction of the State Board, it was largely responsible for the pastor. So Brother Columbus Durham, who was Cor- responding Secretary of the State Mission 158 Board at that time, wrote Dr. F. C. Hick- son to go over from Gastonia where he was pastor to look after the work. Dr. Hickson complied with the request, and began preaching here the latter part of 1890. He preached the remainder of the year on week nights and Sunday after- noons. He held one protracted meeting while he was pastor, but no record of the meeting can be found. It is not known how many professions of faith they had, but the meeting was a success. The house of worship was not completed while he was pastor here, and he gave largely toward the erection of it. If it had not been for the pasters who have sacri- ficed so much, many of the church build- ings of North Carolina would never have been built. Dr. Hickson received five dol- lars a month and the Board paid him forty dollars a year for his service here, and he returned it back to the brethren to be ap- plied on the building. Dr. Hickson was a great preacher, and did much good here as he did at Gastonia, and the many other places he served aa pastor. The following is a sketch of his life, which will doubtless be very interesting to those who knew him ; He was born in Barnwell county, South 159 Carolina, July 14th., 1856, and grew up uri- cler the curses of the Civil War, and the Reconstruction period, which was the most trying time the south has ever experienc- ed. The South wag over run by carpetbag- gers and scullions of every kind. The whole south was humiliated to the point of de- spair. No schools, poor churches, and our homes devastated. Our men were nearly all killed, and our fortunes gone. Such were the conditions of the country while Dr 4 Hickson was growing up. He was saved when but a child, and be- gan preaching when he was eighteen years old. His first pastorates were churches in Greenville and Anderson counties in South Carolina. He attended college at Furman University and preached to these churches while he was a student there. After graduating from Furman, he at- tended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky. When he came back from the seminary, he served two country churches in Barnwell county. He served as missionary in the Santee Association during the years of 1881 and 1882. During this time he founded two churches in that section of South Carolina* From this work, he was called to be pastoi* of Cheraw Baptist church, and he accepted the call While pastor at Cheraw, he 160 preached at Chesterfield Court House and founded the church there. This is one of the best churches in South Carolina. The writer came very near becoming pastor there at one time, and has some very dear friends who are members there. From the pastorate at Cheraw, Dr. Hick- son went as a Missionary to Canton, China, where he served acceptably until his health gave way, and he had to return to America. He was pastor at York, South Carolina, later on in life, and while there, he and Rev. G. M. Webb went to Dallas and Long Creek Baptist churches in Gaston County and preached. Dr. Hickson spoke on mis- sions at both of the above mentioned places, and it was on this trip that he dis- covered Gastonia, and made a mission out of it. He preached there for five years, and, I believe, did the best work of his life. He s:ave up the work at Gastonia to serve weak country churches in several counties in South Carolina. Dr. Hickson was pastor of the First Bap- tist church at Forest City for eight years. He did a noble work at this place, and he might have remained there for years long- er, but his health gave way and he resign- ed to go west trying to regain his lost vig- or and strength. He remained in the west 161 for five years, then returned to South Car- olina, his native state, and located at Gaff- ney. Since his return from the west, he has been serving country churches in sev- eral sections of South Carolina. He has the following to say of the work he has done ; "The most effective work I have done for the Kingdom of God has been speaking on Missions, Education, and Temperance. I travelled Gaston, Cleveland and Ruth- erford Counties in North Carolina, and York, Chester, Cherokee, and Union coun- ties in South Carolina 'till I knew almost all the roads and pig paths in them. The growth of Missions, Education, and Tem- perance has gone in these thirty five years far beyond my fondest hopes, and the Bap- tist denomination has made progress in numbers and strength until it amazes me. I am now sixty nine years old, and my health is so precarious I cannot hope to live much longer, or do much more work for the Master. I have buried the most of my best friends, and in a few years at best, I shall follow them. During all of these years, I have never received a living from my ministry. It has cost me about fifteen thousand dollars to preach fifty years, and if I had fifty more years and millions of dollars, I would put all of them into the work of the Kingdom, 162 I have suffered much in many ways, but I have had a glorious time in the Lord's work, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith; henceforth a crown of right- eousness is laid up for me, which the Lord shall give me in that day. Dr. Hickson did a good work at Kings Mountain and quietly moved out for ano- ther man to come and build upon what he had done. He left the church with thirty one mem- bers. Eight joined by letter while he was pastor, and seven letters were granted, two died, leaving the membership thirty one. The church raised only $16.50 for all ob- jects during the year. Dr. Hickson was the last pastor to receive aid from the board of missions. The Sunday School had not yet been organized, and many of the other ac- tivities of the church had not been organ- ized, but he was the right man for the place at the time he came. He was a real constructionist, and showed his real ability here as he did at Gastonia. He is still living near Gaffney, and is still preaching. May his life in its close be a greater blessing than it has ever been in all of the past. *Rev. P. G. Hopper succeeded Rev. F. C. % I 'could not secure a cut of Dr. Hickson or Rev. Hop- m 163 Hickson as pastor of this church. He seems to have been pastor at Grover and Patter- son's Grove at the same time. He did not serve very long. Some trouble arose con- cerning him and a young lady. Slanderous reports were circulated concerning him and this girl, and the people took a stand against him without very much investiga- tion. Some of the churches were locked against him, while otherss simply asked him to resign. The whole trouble seems to have been handled in a very unwise way, which caused the Kingdom much humilia- tion, and came very near ruining the preacher. It is so unwise to take up a re- port on any one without carefully consid- ering every phase of it. No one tries to ex- cuse the young man for this imprudence, but say that there was nothing criminal in any of his conduct. He did not stay in this section very long after this trouble arose, but quietly went to another state, sup- posedly Kentucky, where he served church- es acceptably the rem aider of his life. His death is one of the saddest stories ever known. He and his wife drank some poisoned water and both died from the ef- fects of it. Their bodies were brought back to this country and buried in a church yard near Grover. Thus ended the life of Rev. Gufon Hopper. The writer has been unable to get any information con- cerning his life and work. Those to whom he wrote for it failed to reply, as has many others to whom he has written for valua- ble information. However, if the informa- tion comes before the manuscript goes to press, it will be added as a foot note.* Brother T. Bright succeeded Rev. P. G. Hopper as pastor of the church at Kings Mountain. Brother Bright did a noble work. He baptised sixteen the first year he was pastor here, and received thirteen by letter, making twenty nine members added to the membership of the church. He clos- ed the year with fifty three members. The church raised $221.00 for all objects during the year. No report of pastor's salary h.ad been made by the church until this year, this year it reported $60.00 paid to pastor. No mention of wlfat the original house *Mrs. W. C. Ellis ihas fiiftMshed the following- informa- tion icdncemhrg Rev. P. GtvHopper; He was horn and raised in South Carolina near Old Buffalo Baptist tluireh. He was born April 3. 1864, and died July 4th., 1 89 8, at fhe age of thirty four years, three months and t,re day old. He was a son of Posey Hopper, and a grand sen of Rev. Lewis McSwain. His wife was Miss Mary McArtnur. Etlie was born June 2 6th., 1867, and died July 4th., 189 8. This was the very same day tnal iher liusband died. They had two children, Eva and Broadus, Eva married Audrell Webber of Earl, N. C. 165 KKV. T- BRIGHT 166 cost was ever made to any of the associa- tions. That is all in the past, and no record of it can be found. Brother Bright served two years, 1892 and 1893, The second year did not show as great a growth as the first. He baptised four, and received three by letter. Letters were granted to two, three were excluded, and one died. The total membership at the close of the year was sixty one, and the total amount of money raised during the year was two hundred and twenty five dol- lars and seventy five cents. The second year of Brother Bright's ministry marked a new day for the Baptist work at Kings Mountain. It was during this time that the Sunday School was or- ganized. Brother A. E. Clayton was elected the first superintendent. The school was begun with fifty scholars. Nothing could have been done for the work here that would have meant more for the kingdom of God. The first organization of the Sun- day School was brought about during his pastorate. Rev. T. Bright was born in Spartanburg county, South Carolina, 1845. In 1845, his father moved to Madison county, North Carolina, where he remained until his chil- dren were about grown, or possibly alto- gether grown. 167 The schools of that day were very poor. They did not last but one and two months in a year. They usually had one month one year, and reserved the small balance of the money until the next year, and then they would have two months. This kind of schooling is what Rev. T. Bright had dur- ing his early years. The teachers were not well posted, but did the best they could. The text books were scarce and very poor for the children to study. All of this held the children back so much in that day that but few of them ever got enough educa- tion to teach school, or to do anything but farm or to do some kind of manual labor. T. Bright was sixteen years old before he ever heard a sermon. He and two other boys were rambling one Sunday — just strolling down the creek to see what they could find. They came on a little school house which had recently been built. They saw that the people were gathering there, and inquired what it meant. Ihey were told that there was going to be preaching there that day, so they decided to stay and see what it was going to be. The preacher preached as best he could and T. Bright was saved, and what is more, he felt called to preach from that very hour. There was no church at the school house, and so he had to postpone 163 joining the church until he could have an opportunity to do so. The next fall a meeting was held at a school house built nearer the Bright home. This meeting was held by Elder Posey Par- ham. T, Bright says that after much per- suasion he got his father to allow him to attend the meeting one day. The next day, he got his father and mother and the other children to go. All were saved and all join- ed the church. T. Bright, his father and mother and three sisters joined the church and were baptised. He was ordained in 1868, and has preach- ed fifty two and one half years. He has baptised two thousand five hundred candi- dates into the fellowship of Baptist churches in the south. He did about six months evangelistic work each year while he was an active pastor. He retired from the active ministry six years ago. He is in declining health at present. His heart has become weak so that it is danger- ous for him to be away from home. His wife is still living. They reside at Dublin, Ga. His work at Kings Mountain is still evi- dent. The Sunday School is his monument, and as long as it lasts, T. Bright ought to be known in this town. Rev. J. A. Hoyle succeeded Rev. T. Bright in 1894. During 169 the time that he was pastor here he added by baptism four, by letter fifty; and sus- tained the following losses ; by letter twen- ty, none died and none were excluded. The Sunday School had fifty five scholars in 1894, seventy eight in 1895, and forty six in 1896. The following amounts were raised by the church; 1894 for all objects includ- ing pastor's salary $154.00, 1895, $235.75; ] 896, $146.50. The pastor's salary was one hundred and twenty dollars. The following is a sketch of the life of Rev. J. A. Hoyle ; Brother Hoyle was born in Burke Coun- ty, N. C, on the 21st of March, 1850, and died October 3rd., 1918. He was nearly to the sixty-ninth mile post in life. At the age of nineteen he was married to Miss Ellen Crowder and to this union were born seven children. He was married the second time to Miss Carrie Beaty, who with four children survive. He was converted under the preaching of Brother A. C. Irvin in August, 1880, and baptized into the fellowship of Mt. Zion Church. He was licensed in March, 1881, and was ordained to the full work June 16th of the next year, by Brethern T. Dixon, A. L. Stough and G. M. Webb. When a young man in the ministry he did much preaching at mission points and built up the cause in destitute places. He KEV. J. A. HOYEE 171 had been greatly blessed as the introducer of Baptist doctrines into communities, the organization of churches and the building of good houses. He has built more church houses and baptized more members than any minister that has labored in our bounds. He served churches in Catawba, Lincoln, Cleveland, Burke, Gaston, Meck- lenburg, and many other adjoining coun- ties. Brother Hoyle did a great work in his early ministry as a pioneer preacher. He did much of his preaching under arbors, in school houses, and dwelling houses. For this mission work he received very little compensation. He prepared the way for many churches that are now strong organ- izations and are doing much for the cause of Christ. Though many of these church houses have given way to nicer and better equipped buildings, yet it should not be forgotten that it was through his untiring efforts and sacrifice that these churches had their origin. I am of the opinion that Brother Hoyle will never get the honor due him, and our churches will never fully re- alize what he has done for us, in prepar- ing the way, especially in the South Fork Association. Brother Hoyle was a man that was firm in what he believed to be right. He was a 172 man that spoke out his convictions and stood for the same. He was a good citizen, a faithful preacher of the gospel and an affectionate husband and father. He leaves to mourn his loss a wife and ten children, and a number of friends. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, sayeth the Spirit, that they may rest from their la- bors: and their works do follow them. 1 ' Rev. 14:13. Brother Hoyle was a great man in many respects, but he could not hold a church together after he had organized it. He was one of the best church builders in the state, but that was his work, nothing more. He built a church for every year that he preached, but could not keep them going when he built them. God has men for every kind of work, and his was organizing churches in poor, neglected places where Baptists could scarcely live. His work here was not a failure by any means. He did much good, but had to give way for other men to carry the work forward. His mem- ory is very dear to the writer since he was baptised by him more than thirty years ago. It is now almost forty years, but time flies so fast that it is hard to realize how long anything that far back has been. Rev. Albert M. Ross succeeded Rev. J. A. 173 Hoyle in the pastorate at Kings Mountain. The church was somewhat disorganized when Ross took charge. Brother Hoyle was a great church builder, but he could not keep them going. He was a great and good man, and the writer has the deepest re- gard for him, but he could not build much after he finished the house. Brother Ross served the longest of any of the first pas- tors. He served from 1897 until he left to go to the seminary in the fall of 1900. Dur- ing his pastorate here, the church grew T steadily in every way. The first year he served here (1897) he baptised seven mem- bers and received twenty two by letter, one was restored, eleven dismissed by letter, and one died. The total membership at the close of that year was one hundred and eighteen. The salary paid him that year was $125.00, and $257.77 were raised for all objects. The second year he was pastor he baptised thirty three into the fellowship of the church, received sixteen by letter, re- stored one, and lost eleven by letter. The membership at the close of that year was one hundred and thirty three. The church raised for all objects that year $175.05. The third year he served here was not quite so great along evangelistic lines. He baptised seven into the fellowship of the church, received twenty six by letter, and 174 REV. A. M- ROSS 175 dismissed eighteen by letter, and had oh6 death. The membership at the close of the year was one hundred and fifty three. The church raised a total of $185.50 for all objects. The fourth and last year that he served here wag a good one. This time he baptised three, received thirteen by letter, restored two, and granted letters to five, and two died. He lost thirteen by exclusion also. These were the only ones that were excluded while he was pastor. The trouble is not known, but it must have been some kind of an "ism" that caused them to lose their membership. The Sunday School work was in very good shape while Brother Ross was pastor. Ncne of the other auxiliaries had been or- ganized. Rev. A. M. Ross was born near Oak Grove Baptist church, Cleveland coun- ty, November 23, 1867. His parents were Noah Webb Ross and Elizabeth Jane Wil- son Ross. He had four brothers and four sisters. Mrs. W. K. White is one of his sis- ters. She is one of the best members Kings Mountain Baptist church has in it. The other brothers and sisters live elsewhere. Brother Ross grew up on a farm as many other Baptist preachers have. He was converted during a revival at Patter- son's Grove Baptist church and was bap- 176 tised the following Sunday, August 28th. , 1883, by Rev. G. P. Hamrick. He entered Wake Forest College in the fall of 1893 and remained there until he graduated either the spring of 1896, or 1897. He roomed with Dr. Walter N. Johnson and was a class mate of Rev. J. C. Owen, who was once a missionary to China, and is now an evangelist in the South. September 9th., 1915, he was married to Miss Alice Proctor 1 of Missouri. One babe was born to this union, but died before itg father passed over. Brother Ross served several churches ill this section of the state, and was pastor at several important points in Missouri. While pastor at Kings Mountain, he served Bethlehem and Bessemer City. He it was who organized the Baptist church at Bes- semer City and secured the lot upon which the house was built. His earnest, and per- sistent labors there, as well as here have been greatly rewarded by the Master of the Vineyard. He organized the Baptist church at Bes- semer City during the spring of 1897, with only seventeen members. The little branch has now become a great giant of strength, He did all that he could to place the new church on a firm basis before he had to leave it. He secured timber from friends 177 four miles in the country, and cut the first logs with his own hands. When the first loads of lumber reached the lot upon which the house was to be built, Brother Ross had all of the hands to raise their hats while he thanked God that the hour had come when it was possi- ble for the Baptists to have a church house all of their own. Brother Ross was a true gospel preach- er. His messages always had the divine ring. There was no note of compromise in any of them. He was never moved by any of the modern "isms," but stuck close to the truth, and did all he could to defend it* The sad thing about his life is the fact that he lost his health before he became an old preacher. While pastor in Missouri he had to give up because of bodily infirmi- ties, and on December 21, 1923, he passed over the river to preach no more. He died at Columbia, Missouri, where his widow now lives. She makes her living by running a millinery store. Rev. J. C. Owen, one of his Wake Forest class mates preached his funeral, assisted by the pastor of the Baptist church at Columbia, and another preacher friend. Brother Owen was pastor at Fulton, Mis- souri, at that time. He and Brother Ross were very great friends, His body was laid to rest under a bank of most beautiful flowers to await the Angel of the Resurrection. Rev. A. M. Ross was a real man. He was a scholar, a real preacher, and a tireless worker for the Master. All who knew him loved him, and wherever he was pastor, he is still remembered and loved. Bessemer City honors him greatly. He did some noble work at Kings Mountain, and with his go- ing the church passed to a new clay. He laid the foundation for another to build upon. The faithful labors of a real servant of God will never cease to me rewarded. Years after their dust have mingled with mother earth, God picks up their influence and blesses it to the salvation of the living. Four thousand years after Abel was dead and his sepulcher lost, it is said of him that he "yet speaketh." Not until the last trump shall sound, and the dead raised, shall we know the good that the old servants of God did by planting the little branch here which has grown to be such a great tower of strength. When you think of the First Baptist church of Kings Mountain, please do not forget Matheny, J. E. McManaway, Dr. Hickson, P. G. Hopper, T. Bright, Jacob Hoyle, and Albert M. Ross. They were the seven who brought the church over the 179 nineties and made it possible for the rest of the work to be done. 180 CHAPTER VIII. THE PASTORS WHO SERVED FROM 1901 UNTIL 1925 Rev. A. H. Sims, Rev. J. J. Beach, Rev. J. M. Hamrick, Rev. J. G. Graham, Rev, John R. Miller, Rev. W. R. Beach, Rev. J. O. Fulbright, Rev, Walter N. Johnson, D. D., Rev. C. J. Black, The beginning of the twentieth century marked a new day for The Baptist church at Kings Mountain. Rev, A. M. Ross had been with the church the longest any pas* tor had served up to this time, and he had just resigned to go to the seminary. The next step was to call a man who could pick up where he laid down. Whom could the church secure? Preachers were scarce then, and the church was small and weak, What steps should they take? They cast about and located Rev. A. H. Sims who had been preaching in Western North Carolina for some years. He was called the latter part of 1900, and took charge of the work the first of January 1901. He preached two Sundays a month for the church. They were the second and fourth Sundays. He served Bethlehem on the first Sunday and Pattersons Grove the third Sunday. This 181 REV. A. H. SIMS 182 gave him full time work, and was a very fine field for that day. The work started off with much enthusi- asm, and it was not long before things be- gan to look encouraging. The crowds were fine, and every phase of the work took on new life. He baptised eleven the first year, received thirty three by letter, and restor- ed three, and made a net gain of forty one for the year. The total membership then w 1 as one hundred and ninety seven, his sal- ary three hundred dollars, and he had four hundred and ten dollars worth of repairs done during that year. The total amount raised for all objects for the year was thir- teen hundred dollars. This was the best year the church had ever seen. Additional Sunday School rooms had been built during the year, and a baptistry had been built in the church. The second year of his ministry here was successful also. He baptised twenty two, re- ceived fifteen by letter, but dismissed sev- enteen by letter, excluded one, and one died. The net gain for the year was eigh- teen. Some mistake was made in the figur- es for the year. The minutes for 1901 show a membership of one hundred and niney seven, but 1902 shows a membership of only one hundred and thirty three. Ihere must have been a mistake some- 183 where. A gain of eighteen over one hund- red and ninety seven would have made the membership two hundred and fifteen. Nothing is said about how the decrease came about. It ought not to have been so. Some explanation ought to have been made, but it was not. The finances for this year came up very good once more. One hundred and thirty nine dollars were spent for building and repairs, and five hundred and seventy sev- en dollars and sixty cents were raised for all objects. The third year of his pastorate here was one of the best year's work the church has ever known. This was the year of the great revival. The very atmosphere seemed charged with the Spirit of God. Ninety eight were baptised, twenty six received by letter, and one was restored. The total gain was one hundred and twenty five. The net gain for the year was one hundred and twenty. The membership at the close of the associational year was two hundred and fifty three, the largest in the church's history. The pastor's salary remained three hundred dollars all of this time, but this year showed a marked increase in the amount of money raised. Five hundred and twenty three dollars were raised for all objects this year. This was the best the 184 church had done since the first year of his ministry when they made more than four hundred dollars worth of repairs. The fourth year of Rev. Sims' pastorate was a great one too. The time of preaching was changed from the second and fourth to the first and third Sundays. This change must have been made to fit some other appointment. He served Beth- lehem this year, but did not serve any other church in this association. He bap- tised fourteen into the fellowship of the church this year and received twenty three by letter, making a gain of thirty seven. The net gain for the year was twenty six and the total membership two hundred and seventy nine. The pastor's salary for this year was only two hundred and twenty five dollars, but the largest amount was raised for all objects the church had raised up to this time. This year it was six hundred and thirty six dollars. The association met with this church this year, and new seats were bought and put in before the association met. The fifth year of the ministry of Rev. Sims at Kings Mountain marked a new day indeed. The church decided to go to every Sunday preaching, but the salary was not raised but seventy five dollars, and 185 ' was no more than it had been before. This year only six were baptised and seven re- ceived by letter. The membership sustain- ed a loss of eleven, leaving the membership two hundred and sixty eight and the church raised five hundred and sixty five dollars and sixty cents for all objects. The sixth and last year of Rev. Sims' ministry was not below the average he had made for the previous five years of his services at Kings Mountain. He preached here twice a month for this year, and bap- tised six into the fellowship of the church, received twenty one by letter, but dismiss- ed eight by letter, and two died, leaving a gain of seventeen. The membership at this time was two hundred and eighty five. The church minutes are very incomplete for the years of 1903 and 1904. There is not anything said about services during the year of i903. The entire year was miss- ed in the record book, but no causes is giv- en as to why the church had no conferen- ces. The six years of the pastorate of Rev. A. H. Sims may be summed up as six years of growth. They marked a new and better day for the Master's work at Kings Moun- tain. Rev. A. H. Sims was born in Towns coun- ty, Georgia, June 6th., 1855. His parents 186 were John Littleton Sims and Sarah Ann Byers Sims. Rev. Sims is a great grand son of Elder Joseph Byers, who was a colaborer with Elder Humphrey Posey. He is a grand son of Elder Robert Byers. He was reared in the state of Georgia, the state with more than one half of its population Baptists. He was converted in October 1869 at Tekoah Baptist church, Fanning county, Georgia, and was baptised by his grand- father, Robert Byers, the first Sunday in October 1869. He was called to preach ear- ly in life and was ordained at Shoals Creek Baptist church, Jackson county, North Carolina, October 10th., 1881. The presby- tery was composed of Elders E. D. Grind- ell and W. H. Conner. He has served the following churches; Oconee Lutta, Swain county, N. C, Shoals Creek, Jackson coun- ty, N. C, Scotts Creek, Jackson county, N. C, Webster, Jackson, N. C. Webster was the county seat when he was pastor there. He also served Cullowhee, Jackson county, N. C, Dillsboro, Jackson county, N. C. He organized Dillsboro Baptist church. He or- ganized Sylva and was pastor there for some time. He was pastor at Clyde, Hay- wood county, N. C, Franklin, Macon coun- ty, N. C, and was missionary in Jackson county under the direction of the Tucka- 187 seegee Baptist association. He served in this capacity for one year. He moved to Kings Mountain in 1901 to take charge of the First Baptist church of this place. Since coming to the Kings Mountain as- sociation he has served the following Bap- tist churches ; Bethlehem, Patterson Grove, and Elizabeth. At the close of his pastorate here, he went to West End Baptist church, Asheville, where he was pastor for some time. He came to Shelby in 1908 and be- came pastor of Popular Springs, Beaver Dam, Mt. Pleasant, and in Rutherford county, Southern Baptist church near Rutherfordton, Bostic, and Bessemer City, in Gaston. He is not active any more, but is still strong and vigorous. He preaches occasionally, and holds meetings as he is invited by the brethren to assist them. He is a fine business man, and has made money dealing in real estate. His throat has given him considerable trouble, and because of this he has been engaged in business for the past few years. He has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Sarah Hannah Maney. Two children were born to this union. Both are living, one in Charlotte, the other in Rich- mond, Va. His second marriage was to Miss Mary Robinson. Two children have been added to 188 this union also. Both of them are living. One of them, a son, who works in a Gaston- ia bank, and the other, Miss Gladys, who lives with her parents. She is one of the teachers in the City High School. Rev. J. J. Beach succeeded Rev. A. H. Sims as pastor of The First Baptist church. Beach was called July 8th., 1907, at a salary of five hundred dollars. At first the church decided that they would have every Sunday preaching, but by some means, they de- cided that they would not have but half time services. At a meeting held July 3rd., the church decided that they would have full time preaching and pay their pastor nine hundred dollars, but when the call was made July 8th, the recommendation was rescinded, and so Beach took charge of the church for half time services. He preached here the first and third Sundays in each month. The first year of Beach's services was well taken. He added eighty one members, twenty three by baptism, fifty four by let- ter, and restored four. The membership at the close of the first year was three hund- red and ninety nine. The church paid five hundred dollars pastor's salary that year, and gave four hundred and five dollars to all of the objects of the Convention. This was one of the best years in the history of 189 REV, J. J. BEACH 190 the church. The second year of Beach's ministry was very good also. He baptised twenty eight and received fifty five by letter, making a total of eighty eight received during the year. I he church paid six hundred and forty two dollars and twelve cents to all objects. The third year of his ministry, 1909, was not so great along evangelistic lines as the former years, but you cannot tell what a man is doing by the number of members he receives. Sometimes a church needs in- doctrination, or training along some im- portant line to get ready for some other great victory. This may have been the case with Kings Mountain this year. There was not but one baptism and ten received by letter. The membership at the close of the year was three hundred and ninety three. The church paid to all objects of the Convention including pastor's salary $l r 570.30. This was the most the church had raised in any one year since its organiza- tion. 1909 closed the pastorate of Rev. Beach with the Kings Mountain Baptist church. He resigned here September 14th., 1909, as he had been called to the pastorate of East Baptist church, Gastonia, N. C. He moved from Kings Mountain to that field and 191 preached there and at Bessemer City the following year. Let us notice some of the outstanding things that were done during the pastor- ate of Rev. J. J. Beach, The first thing worth mentioning was the purchasing of a lot upon which to build a parsonage. The lot was bought from C. S. Elam for three hundred dollars, he giv- ing one half of the amount. This was lo- cated on Gaston Street just opposite Mr. Hunter Patterson's residence. At the Octo- ber conference, 1908, the matter was taken up and plans were laid for the building and all financial considerations. The par- sonage was to cost not over $1,250 and was to be built at once. The parsonage was built, and Rev. Beach lived in it for some time before he left here for Gastonia. The second outstanding thing was the purchasing of two lots, one on Piedmont Street south of the church, 50 x 150 feet for $250, and the Mag Smith lot facing- Mountain Street 65 x 100 feet, for $1,350, making $1,600 in all. The third thing worth while that was done while Beach was pastor here was the beginning of a building fund for the pur- pose of erecting a new church house. A building committee was appointed at the July conference, which met July 3rd., 1907, 192 to lay plans for the erection of a new build- ing. The committee was composed of the following brethren; G. W. Kendrick, For- est Floyd, J. C. Baumgardner, and C. S. Elam. This committee was continued from time to time until it was dismissed with- out anything being done, but a resolution was carried which began a fund for the erection of the new house. Many of the members paid their little amounts week by week until they had a fund sufficient to begin the church with. The church had all kinds of difficulties to contend with, but Beach's pastorate here was a great success. Rev. J. J. Beach is a real man. He has been preaching for more than thirty years, and has served churches in several states, and in many counties in this state. He was superintendent of evangelism in the state of South Carolina for some years, and serv- ed as pastor in several places in South Carolina. His last pastorate was at Bishop- ville. He went from there to Cherryville where he is now pastor. He has done a wonderful work there, but it has been aw- fully hard for him. The church was so greatly involved because of their new church building. He was pastor at East Baptist church, Gastonia, for six years and did a most 193 noble work there. When he left that church, it was one of the best organized Baptist churches in the state. Beach is a real Baptist and is not asham- ed that he is. He is one of the best gospel preachers in the south, and one of the best posted men along historical and doctrinal lines to be found in the state. He is a great polemic, and delights in a debate along de- nominational, or doctrinal lines. He and a Methodist preacher, C. H. Curtis, held a two days debate at Maiden some years ago, (November 1911.) Those who heard the de- bate say that Beach came out far the win- ner. Beach is now fifty four years old, but is still strong and can preach as vigorously as he did ten years ago. He takes an active part in the work of his association, and holds several revival meetings every year. Rev. J. M. Hamrick succeeded Rev. J. J. Beach at Kings Mountain. He took charge January 16th, 1910, and served just a few months. The clerk's book shows that he served four months, but he may have serv- ed a little longer than that. He did not fit this pastorate at all, by some means. The only thing he did while here was to have three deacons elected and ordained. These were G. D. Hambright, D. F. Herd, and 194 Forest Floyd. Bethlehem, Patterson Grove, Bessemer City, Grover, and East Gastonia Were invited to assist in the ordination of the above mentioned brethren. The church decided to celebrate the Lord's Supper the first of every quarter while he was here, and nothing more was done by him that the records say anything about. He moved from here to Boiling Springs, where he taught for some time. He has served several important churches since that time. He was pastor of the First Bap- tist church of Lexington for a few years, and went from there to Gaffney, S.C. where he served Cherokee Avenue Baptist church for several years. He is now pastor of Fair- mont Baptist church, Richmond, Virginia. He did a splendid work at all of the last mentioned places, but his health has given way on him, and his days are fast being numbered. He suffered a stroke of paraly- sis last winter, (1926), and is not able to do much work at this time. A sketch of his life cannot be had at this time. If it can be secured before this manuscript goes to press, it will be added as a foot note". Rev. J. G. Graham followed Rev. J. M. Hamrick. He was called July 24, 1910. But *He failed to reply to all the letters of inquiry I wrote 'so his .photograph and life sleet ah. has to be emitted. 195 REV. J. O- GRAHAM 196 did not take charge until the following September. He did not baptise any one while he was pastor here, but received twenty two by letter. The church reported three hundred and eighty one members to the association. The church paid him two hundred and twenty seven dollars for his services, and four hundred and fifty nine dollars and ninety cents to the objects of the Conven- tion. Rev. Graham resigned August 20th., 1911, his resignation to take effect three months later. His work was not satisfactory, or some- thing went wrong with him and the church. He had a most wonderful wife, the people say, but he was rather careless and allowed things to go as they wished. His wife's sister, Miss Ethel Eubanks, lived with them while they were here. She was a good B. Y. P. U. worker. Nothing is known of Rev. Graham at this time. His name is not in any of the di- rectories of the Baptist preachers of the south. He must be some where in the Northern Convention. If he could have been found, possibly a sketch of his life and work could have been given, but since he cannot be found, it is impossible. He had a hard time of it while here. He 197 had a little dog that was bitten by a mad dog, and went mad from it. The little dog bit him and one of his children, and they had to go to Atlanta for treatment. He, like most of the Baptist preachers, was very poor, but the people made up enough money to send him and his family to At- lanta, so they received treatment for hy- drophobia. Ihey soon returned, but they never could get things to going as they should have been, and they left here for another field of labor. The following information was received after the above was written; Rev. J. G. Graham was born in Anderson county, South Carolina, January 26, 1883. He was reared in South Carolina and at- tended the public schools at Oakdale, and Townville, S. C. After leaving high school at Townville, he went to Furman Univer- sity where he took special work for one year. He also took some work at the Uni- versity of South Carolina. He graduated from the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, 1908. He was married to Miss Bertha Eubanks of Seneca, South Carolina, January 31, 1909. He went from Kings Mountain to Caro- leen Baptist church where he served ac- ceptably for five years ; from there he was 198 called to King Street Baptist church, Char- leston, South Carolina, where he served for five years. He was then called to the First Baptist church at Camilla, Georgia, where he has been for the past three years. He is still vigorous and is doing a most noble work. His pastorate here closed the first of 1911, and the church was without a pastor for nearly six months. They did not have regular services, and the only preaching they had was by those they could pick up occasionally from other places. No call was made until March 1912. At this time, a call was extended Rev. John R. Miller of High Point. The call was accepted, and Rev. Mil- ler took charge of the work the fourth Sunday in April 1912. He was called to serve two Sundays in each month at a sal- ary of five hundred dollars per year. Broth- er Miller was one of the very best men the state afforded, and his Godly family meant a blessing to the entire community when they moved here. The first year of Rev. Miller's work at Kings Mountain was very successful. He held a meeting in June of that year and the following young people joined the church and were baptised; John Floyd, Fannie Carpenter, Ethel Parker, Effie Wright, Louise Cornwell, and Luther 199 REV. JOHN K. MILLER 200 Davis. These were all baptised at the close of the evening service June 8th., 1912. He baptised six during the year and re- ceived fifteen by letter. The membership of the church at the close of the year was three hundred and fifty one. The church did not raise very much money for missions during the year. They paid their pastor five hundred dollars and gave one hundred and fifty six dollars and eighteen cents to the objects of the Con- vention. During the month of November, 1912, Rev. Farley D. King, a Home Board evan- gelist held a meeting for Rev. Miller, and many were added to the church, both by letter and baptism. The meeting lasted from November 3rd to 15th. It seemed to have helped the church and community very much. Twenty were received by let- ter and thirty nine by baptism. Our pres- ent clerk was baptised at the close of this meeting. The second year of his ministry here showed a marked increase in the member- ship of the church because of the meeting held the fall of 1912. The report of this meeting did not go to the association until the next fall. The report showed forty one baptised and twenty five received by let- ter, and a net gain of fifty two for the en- 201 tire year. A total of fourteen hundred and ten dollars and ninety seven cents was raised during the year. Much of this amount was for the new church building. Since this was such an important under- taking, a full account of the whole transac- tion will be given here. THE NEW CHURCH BUILDING AND HOW IT CAME. The first mention of a new church building was during the pastorate of Rev. J. J. Beach, but by some means, the mem- bers could not be gotten into line enough to begin the building until the pastorate of Rev. J. R. Miller. One, or two committees were appointed, but they did not accom- plish anything, and were discharged. A lit- tle money was raised, but not enough to build a church, or even to begin to build one, but the idea seized some of the mem- bers so forcefully that they did not give up the matter, but held to it until another chance came for them to undertake the building in dead earnest, so in a confer- once held November 24th., 1912, the follow- ing brethren were appointed to report to the church Wednesday evening November 28th., plans for the church, and plans by which the necessary funds for building the church, could be raised; Forest Floyd, G. 202 NEW CHURCH BUILDING 203 W. Kendrick, G. D. Hambright, N. F. Mc- Millen, J. R. Roberts, W. H. Caldwell, and D. F. Hord. The matter was not disposed of at the called meeting Wednesday even- ing following, but was postponed until De- cember 8th. following. At this meeting the plans for the building were left with the Women's Missionary Society, and the fol- lowing report from the committee appoint- ed at the conference held November 24th. was submitted to the church; The committeee appointed to draft plans for raising money for the erection of a new church house reports as follows; We, the undersigned members of the committee appointed by the Kings Moun- tain Baptist church to recommend a plan to the church to raise the necessary funds to erect a new church building, do submit the following. 1— That we issue certificates of stock (par value $50.00 each) to be paid for as follows; $5.00 per share January 1st., 1913, and one dollar per week per share until said shares are paid for. 2. — That all funds other than regular pay- ments on stock solicited from any and all persons be put in a general fund to be known as a sick benefit fund, to be used to keep up the payments of any subscriber while physically unable for duty. This not 90 1 to prohibit any one from contributing to the payment of another's share, or shares; provided said contribution is made direct from the contributor to the treasurer of the building fund, or a solicitor appointed by the church. 3. — That the church secure the services of some suitable person whose duty it shall be to collect from all delinquent subscribers once each week, and solicit further contri- butions as the church may direct. 4. — That the minimum number of shares shall be one hundred and sixty. 5 . —That the church have not less than one thousand application blanks of the follow- ing form printed to be used by all appli- cants for shares; IN HUMBLE COMMEMORATION OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR ME, AND AS A PLEDGE OF MY FIDELITY TO HIS CAUSE IN THE FUTURE, I ASK OF THE KINGS MOUNTAIN BAP- TIST CHURCH THE PRIVILEGE OF BUYING SHARSE IN A NEW CHURCH BUILDING TO BE ERECTED WHERE THE OLD BUILD- ING NOW STANDS. I AGREE TO PAY FIVE DOLLARS PER SHARE JAN- UAY 1st., 1913, AND ONE DOLLAR PER SHARE EACH WEEK UNTIL SAID SHARES ARE PAID FOR, PAR VALUE 205 OF EACH SHARE FIFTY DOLLARS. SIGNED, FOREST FLOYD N. F. McMILLEN G. W. KENDRICK D. F. HORD W. H. CALDWELL J. R. REYNOLDS. The report was adopted in full and the pastor was empowered to appoint a com- mittee to execute the plans. The same com- mittee was continued with one addition, this was M. E. Herndon. The church house question was very much agitated at this time. All seemed to be thinking about it, and nothing else. The most that was done in conferences was concerning the new church building. r lhe following resolution dratted by Brother D. F. Hord was adopted Sunday morning February 9th., 1913; "Whereas, it is the consensus of opinion of the membership of Kings Mountain Bap- tist church, that we are going to erect a new church buildmg; and whereas, steps have been taken pursuant to raising funds and commencing work for the erection of a new church building; and "Whereas, in order that the work be com- menced and carried to completion as is the wish and desire of every member of the 20G church, it is necessary that there be & managing body to put into action the work and efforts of the several committees now appointed, or such as may be hereafter ap- pointed; Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the church nominate and elect a com- mittee consisting of five of the male mem- bers of the church, whose duty it shall be to take in charge, from and after the rat- ification of this resolution and after the church submits plans and specifications of the building to be erected, the active du- ties of securing material and labor, and to have the supervision and control of the church building, and to push forward the work as rapidly as possible ; it is further, Resolved that said committee shall elect one of its members chairman, and hold its meetings as often as necessary. That three of its members shall consti- tute a quorum, and such action taken in any meeting when three members of said committee are present shall be final and binding on all members ; That the duties of said committee shall commence only when funds are placed in their hands with which to commence work, and at any time during the building if the church fail to provide funds for said build- ing, it shall be the duty of said committee to suspend work, report to the church and 207 take no further action in building until in- structed by the church. It is further re- solved ; That the entire membership of the church assist said committee in any way that said committee may ask, in so far as they are able to do. This resolution shall be in force from and after its ratification by the church as a whole." The resolution was accepted and adopted February 9th., 1913, and the following building committee was appointed; G. D. Hambright, I. A. McGill, M. E. Herndon, and W. T. Parker. D. F. Hord was elected treasurer of the committee. In the conference of March, 1913, the church instructed the committee to begin work at once provided five thousand dol- lars had been subscribed and two thousand paid in, but this was not done until the fol- lowing July. The report of the finance committee made to the church in conferen- ce June 11th., stated that $4,200.00 had been subscribed to the new building, and that $2,400.00 of this amount was available at any time. This met the requirements of the resolution that was passed sometime before, and so the building committee be- gan at once to get ready for action, but be- fore the old building could be torn down, 208 a meeting piace must be secured. Brethren M. E. Herndon, N. F. McMillen, and Forest Floyd, were appointed to secure a suitable place. No report is made in the records, as to wha^ they did but it has been stated to the writer that they secured the high school auditorium for the use of the church while the new building was being con- structed. The old building was torn down July 4th. Brother D. F. Hord pulled the first plank off of the building. This was a great day for the Baptists of Kings Mountain. The old building that had been so sacred to the original members became a heap of rub- bish. It had served its day and purpose, now that it was out of date, it must be set aside. Every thing has its day; even the preacher has to step aside when his day is over, but is this not one of the saddest things to think of? Out of use, no longer needed. "Good Bye", so the old house where the honored saints of God had met so often, the one they had worked so hard to erect, was a thing of the past. When the old building was out of the way, the work on the new building was begun at once, and for nine months the work continued until the basement of the new church was made ready for services. So on April 12th., 1914, they held their first service in it. This was 209 & glad day for both pastor and people* They had been holding services regularly all of the nine months they had been away, but they could not enjoy them as they did at home. The main auditorium was not yet completed. They did not have the conven- ience they needed to take care of the ser- vices. They still had much to do before they could feel easy over the undertaking, The first service held in the auditorium was a baptismal service. Two young ladies, Miss Ruth Baumgardner and her neice, Miss Ruth Baker had been approved for baptism more than a year, so the brethren made ready the new baptistry and on June the 8th. they were baptised in the new bap- tistry. The pews had not been placed in the new auditorium, so tlr 3 congregation stood for the service. This was a singular ser- vice, two baptised, both of thern named Ruth, and one the neice of the other. One was the baby girl of one family, the other was both baby girl and the only girl in the family. The church continued to hold services in the basement for more than a year. Many things came up for consideration during this time. It was evident that Sunday School rooms would have to be arranged in the basement, but where should they be placed? At one time a motion was made 210 that they be built on the west side of the basement, but this motion was voted down. Some time after this, when it became nec- essary that they have more room for the Sunday School, some one made a motion that the rooms be built on the east side of the basement, so this time the motion car- ried, and the rooms were built. The Sunday School asked permission to build steps in front of the main building, and the request was granted, but the steps were not built for some time. Two hundred dollars were raised for the erection of the steps, but the church needed this so much for something else that the Sunday School loaned the money to the church and took a receipt for the same to be presented when the steps were finished, to show that the Sunday School had built them. Thus the work went on until it looked like they would never get to move into the auditor- ium, but finally the building committee took the matter under consideration once more, and a collection of more than one thousand dollars was raised with which to finish the main auditorium so that the ser- vices of the church might go on without interruption. The work was begun and the pews bought so that the church felt safe in setting a day for the opening service. The fifth Sunday in August, 1915, was the day 211 set for the initial service. It was decided upon to invite all former pastors, all out of town members, all Baptists in the com- munity who did not have their membership with the church, and all friends who were in sympathy with the w T ork to be present that day. The following minute recorded in the records of that day will tell the story better than it can be told by another; "Kings Mountain Baptist Church, Kings Mountain, N. C, August 28th., 1915, this being the day appointed for the first ser- vice in the new Auditorium, and the weath- er being all that could be desired to assure a successful day. A large congregation of members and visitors assembled in the spacious auditorium where at ten o'clock services began. "The first speaker of the day was Rev, Ben L. Hoke of Blacksburg, S. C. He is an old Kings Mountain boy, although having never been pastor here, he grew up with the church, and his talk was in the nature of a reminiscent of the church in its early days. It was thoroughly em'oyed by all. 4 "Rev. A. H. Sims of Shelby, N. C, a former pastor occupied the pulpit at the eleven o'clock hour. Brother Sims was at his best, and the congregation was greatly moved by his message as was manifested by the tear-filled eyes from time to time. 21.2 Two other former pastors, Revs. J. J. Beach and J. M. Hamrick were with us and occupied the pulpit in the evening, each of them bringing strong gospel messages. "Thus ended the day, and we feel that the church has been greatly benefited by the visits of so many of its former pastors who labored here in days past and gone, and helped to make possible this splendid house of worship, which by the goodness of God we are enabled to enjoy." Possibly this was the best day the church has had since it first entered the old church building back in 1892. Sacrifices had been made to erect the building, and now they began to realize what they had done. Their hearts were full of joy, and it was not hard for them to weep. Their cups were already running over. Great had been their labors, but now their joy was still greater. The new building was not completed when they had the opening of the new au- ditorium, but it was in a usuable condition. This added so much to the work. It had been so hard for the church to keep things going without the use of the main auditor- ium, but day light was breaking now, and the work began to look brighter. The house was not completed until the pastorate of 3tev. W, B. Beach. 213 Another important thing that took place during the pastorate of Rev. J. R. Miller was the sale of a part of the lot that the church had bought during the pastorate of Rev. J. J. Beach. At that time a lot one hun- dred and fifty by fifty feet fronting Pied- mont Street, and another lot sixty five feet by one hundred feet, facing Mountain Street was bought for sixteen hundred dollars. These lots were very valuable, but the church needed funds so much to pay some outstanding accounts which were due that it looked like the lots had to be sold. M. E, Herndon was appointed to get bids on the lots, and these bids were re- ported to the church for consideration and ratification. The matter hung for a long time, as it was hard for the brethren to let the lots go, but finally they did. It was not the best thing for them to do, but they thought that it was when they sold it. The lot is needed very much now, but they can- not be bought for any reasonable amount. Land has gone so high in this to wn. But cur doctrine is to let the past be the past. Brother Miller had several outstanding revivals while he was pastor here. He se- cured the help of some of the best preach- ers in the south to assist him in these meet- ings. He had such men as Rev. Farley King, Rev. R. G. Kendrick, Rev. 3. 5. 214 Beach, and possibly others of like stand- ing. He added a great many of the best members the church has on its active list today. He was very safe in all of his work, and one of the most conservative men we have in our denomination. His first year's work has already been gone over and reports of it given. We now take up his work year by year that we may see just what he did and when he did it. During 1914, he baptised seven, received eighteen by letter, and closed the associa- tional year with four hundred and six members. This was the greatest member- ship that the church had ever reported, up to this time. This year, the church paid four thousand one hundred and forty eight dollars and ten cents to all objects of the convention, and to the church building fund. The greater part of this was for the new church building, but it was money just the same. In 1915, he baptized twelve, received eight by letter, and restored two. Letters were granted to so many to organize the East Kings Mountain Baptist church this year that they did not report but four hun- dred and three members to the association, but this was exceedingly good considering what they had done in helping the Second 215 church to organize. An account of this or- ganization will be given later. This year two thousand seven hundred and eighteen dollars and eighty seven cents were raised for all objects. Brother Miller organized two churches while has was pastor here. The first one was at Crowder's Mountain. This was or- ganized May 30th., 1915, 3:30 P. M. This church did not live very long. The mill does not keep help well, so when the original members moved away, the church went to the bad. It was organized with thirty two members. The second church he organized while here was East Kings Mountain, now known as the Second church. It was organ- ized the second Sunday in June 1915. The First church called off its services and went in a body to assist in the organiza- tion of this church. The church was organized according to announcement June 13th., 1915. The con- gregation met in a grove near the Cora Mill and proceeded to organize the church. Twenty seven names were handed in at the beginning, and the church was declared an independent body according to the rules and regulations of the New Testament scriptures. Brother Miller was called to serve as pastor of the new church, and 216 served until he left this field the first of 1916. A full account of this church and its pastors will be found in the last part of this book. This was so noble in Brother Miller. If only all of our preachers would try to de- velop the outlying sections of our towns, we would soon have all of our towns reach- ed with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The trouble with so many of us is that we say we are missionary, but we do not work at the business. Rev. John Richard Miller, the oldest son of George W. and Jane Eleanor Gordon Miller, was born October 30th., 1864, in Davidson county, N. C, about nine miles south of Thomasvilie. He grew up on a farm, and obtained all the education he could in the public schools of that time, and at the age of about six- teen, attended the high school at Fork Academy for about two years. This school was located in Davie county. It was con- ducted by Prof. J. T. Alderman, one of the best school men in the south. After this he taught and went to school for about three years at Holly Grove academy, and grad- uated from there in 1890. His first work after leaving school was done for The Executive Committee of The Prohibition Party of North Carolina from 217 March 1891 until August 1893. He was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry by request of the Liberty Baptist church October 29th., 1897. The ordination took place at a Union Meeting held at Eldorado on the above mentioned date. The presbytery consisted of Revs. Henry Sheets, Chairman, John A. Summey, G. W. Henderson, Jeff Lanning, Haywood Morris, Martin A. Leach, and Lee W. Har- ris. He was called to full time work in Janu- ary 1898, and from then until now he has not been without full time work. His first pastorates were in the Liberty association where he preached from 1898 until 1906. In 1906 he moved to the Stanly associa- tion with Palmerville and Whitney the cen- ter of his work. He served other churches in the Stanly association, but Palmerville and Whitney were the leading ones. He was in this association from 1906 until 1908. In the spring of 1908, he was called to the pastorate of Green Street Baptist church, High Point, N. C., and served there until the 16th of February 1916. He went from Kings Mountain to Fair- mont, N. C. This town is in the Robeson association. Brother Miller thinks that he did the best work of his life at this place. 218 His work here was very satisfactory in- deed. He served at Fairmont until 1922. He was called from Fairmont to Norwood, N. C, and served there from 1922 until 1925. This was a very pleasant and profitable pastorate, and it was with the greatest re- luctance that the field gave him up. He served he First Baptist church atNorwood and Old S'lver Springs, a country church just six miles out from Norwood. This was a great field of work for him, and is still a wonderful work for any pastor. The writer served both of the churches for a number of years. There is no better work in the state than these two churches. Rev. Miller was called to Kernersville from Nonvood, and moved there during the year of 1925. He is now pastor at Kernersville, N. C. Rev. Miller was married to Miss Evelyn Leach, daughter of Rev. Martin J. Leach and Mahala Brown Leach, March 29th., 1893. They have two very fine girls, Miss Lois Miller and the baby girl whose name cannot be recalled. His pastorate at Kings Mountain was a great blessing to the cause. His work will live here when he has passed to the Great Beyond. The following resolution was adopted by the church upon his departure; 'Whereas, 219 our much beloved pastor, Rev. John R. Mil- ler saw fit, to offer his resignation as our pastor, and Whereas, for almost four years he has faithfully broken to us the bread of life. Therefore, be it Resolved: 1st. That we, the members of the Kings Mountain Baptist church do hereby ex- press our regret that he is going to leave us. 2nd. That the church publicly express its appreciation to him for his constant devo- tion to the church and his work in the past. 3rd. That the church more especially ex- press its gratitude to him and his Godly wife for their faithful work and noble sac- rifice in prayers and money in leading us to build our splendid new house of worship. 4th. I hat we part with our pastor and his family with sorrow. 5th. That they go from us with the pray- ers and blessings of the church and town, and may God's watchful care attend them wherever they may go." The above resolutions were adopted by the church, March 1st., 1916. Thus ended one of the best pastorates the church has ever had. Rev. W. R. Beach was called April 2nd., 1916, to succeed Rev. John R. Miller. He accepted the call for half time at a salary 220 of five hundred dollars and took charge of the work May 28th. following. He came here from Bryson City, N. C. He served the Baptist church at Grover with this one at Kings Mountain. These two churches^ had been a field for some years. Rev. Beach preached his first sermon May 28th., 1916, end at the close of the morning sermon, Jake Herd, one of our town boys presented himself for baptism. This was a good beginning for the new pastor. Brother Beach came here under great disadvantages. His house had been burned a short time before he came to take charge of this pastorate, and this put him to a great disadvantage, but the people rallied to his relief and did all they could for him. They scon put him on his feet so that he could go on with his w J ork. During the first year of his pastorate, he baptised twelve and added twenty eight by letter. The church reported three hund- red and forty four members that year, but it is quite strange that no more members were reported than this. The year before it reported four hundred and three mem- bers; this year three hundred and forty four. Beach added forty members during the year, and lost seventeen by letter and death. This would leave twenty seven as a 221 REV. \V. K. BEACH 222 net gain. Now, add twenty seven to four hundred and three and you have what ought to have been reported. This makes four hundred and thirty, but the report says that they had three hundred and forty four. Discrepancies like this ought not to be allowed. They are misleading. Who knows what became of the fifty nine miss- ing members? They passed off quietly, and nothing was said about them. The finances were in good shape during bis first year. The church raised fourteen hundred dollars and fourteen cents for all objects. This was no bad showing for a church the size of this one. The second year Beach baptised four- teen, received eight by letter, and restored one, making thirty three in all. He dis- missed twenty five by letter and two died, leaving him a net gain of six members, but the report to the association shows that they did not have but three hundred and thirty six members all told. There must be another mistake in this report. If the figures were correct for 1916, he would have had three hundred and fifty members this year. Fourteen hundred and fifty eight dollars and sixty cents were raised for all objects during the year of 1917. This was a slight increase over the last year. 223 In i918, Brother Beach baptised sixteen, received twenty by letter, and restored one, making a total increase of thirty sev- en. He lost twenty three by letter, exclud- ed two, and four died, making a total loss of twenty nine. The report to the associa- tion showed three hundred and forty sev- en members. Please compare this report with the one for the previous year. There must have been a mistake some where. This year, the church raised sixteen hundred and twenty dollars and ten cents for all objects. This was the best the church had done since the new church building was on hand. The reports for the year of 1919, are not given in the minutes of that year. It is such a pity that the reports of all of the churches were left out of the 1919 minute of the association. This was the most won- derful year Baptists have ever seen in this country. This was the 75 Million campaign year. All of the records of it ought to have been kept, but they were not kept at all. The church here was supposed to subscribe ten thousand dollars, but nothing is said in the minutes about how much it subscribed. It took an active part in the campaign, and it paid its proportional part, but nothing is said about what that part was, except what it was apportioned, $10,000.00. 224 ' The committee was continued during during 1920 to collect the remainder of the pledges of the seventy five million cam- paign money, but nothing definite is said about what that committee did. The report to the association that year gave a total of $3,452.69, paid to all ob- jects. This was very good for this church, in fact, this was the best it had ever done. Brother Beach seems to have been very euccessful in handling the finances of the church. The people responded very gener- ously to his appeals. During the year he baptised twenty eight, received seven by letter, and dismissed twenty three by letter and lost three by death. The total member- ship reported that year was two hundred and ninety three. Thus far two hundred and three names were lost without any record being made of them. Rev. W. R. Beach closed his pastorate at kings Mountain August 22nd. and moved to Tabor, N. C, the following Tuesday. His family is still remembered here, and especially his wife who was such a great worker. The ladies still remember her work, and honor her for it. Miss Susie Beach is a student nurse at our Baptist Hospital, Winston Salem, N. C. He has one son who is an ordained Baptist preacher; Brother Beach is still very active as a 225 preacher. He is now pastor of the Baptist church at Erwin, N. C. Rev. W. R. Beach was born in Caldwell county, N. C, nine miles east of Lenoir, July 6th., 1872. He grew up on a farm and attended school as opportunity was given him in the public schools of that day. This meant about two and one half months in a year. When he was about nineteen years old, he attended school at Hibrlcon Acad- emy and remained there a part of three years. Later he attended Taylorsville Col- legiate Institute, Taylosville, N. C. After he attended school at Taylorsville Institute, he taught for about sixteen years. A part of this time was spent in teaching public schools in the towns of North Carolina. He was connected with the graded school at Granite Falls for some time, then at Dobson, and at one time he was principal of Leesville High School Leesville is in Wake County. He served here during the years of 1907-1908. He was converted and joined Kings Creek Baptist church in May 1891, and was baptised the first Sunday in May 1891, by Rev. W. J. Baumgardner. He preached his first sermon December 18, 1892, at Union Baptist church, Caldwell county. He was licensed to preach by Kings 226 Creek Baptist church December 24th., 1882, and was ordained April 24th., 1896. He has served churches in the following counties in North Carolina: Caldwell, Wil- kes, Catawba, Surry, Wake, Durham, Cha- tam, Johnston, Madison, Swain, Cleveland, Columbus, and Orange. He is now serving a field in Harnett and Sampson counties. September 4th., 1895, he was married to Miss Kate Coffey of Caldwell county. Sev- en children have been born to this union. Six of them are living. They are Agnes, Estelle, Ben, Susie, Bertha, Ina, and W. R. Jr. Agnes died at the age of six years, Estelle married Mr. Chas. H. Warren, Superintendent of the Odd Fellows Or- phanage, Goldsboro, N. C. Ben is an or- dained Baptist preacher and has charge of . the missionary work of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association. He is called the Field . Worker for that Association. He looks af- ter the Sunday School and B. Y. P. U. t work. His work is similar to that Broth- er A. V. Washburn is doing in this asso- ciation, but is more extensive. He has a fine position and is well fit'.ed for it. Susie graduates from the Baptist Hospital, Win- ston-Salem, this spring (1926.) Bertha is a student at Wingate Junior College, from which she hopes to graduate very soon, Ina finished high school last year, and W. R. 227 Jr., will graduate from high school this year. Beach is still vigorous and active. He can preach as well as he did when he was a much younger man. Brother J. 0. Fulbright was called Octo- ber 10th., to succeed Brother W. R. Beach who resigned in June of that year. Rev, Fulbright was called for full time at a sal- ary of two thousand dollars a year. He ac- cepted and took charge of the work the following November. He preached his first sermon November 7th., 1920. One of the first things that Rev. Ful- bright did was to assist in the organization of Macedonia Baptist church near the Park f Yarn Mill. This organization was made October 31st., 1920. This was before he had preached a single sermon as pastor of the church. Everything had been made ready for the organization before he came, and just as soon as he landed, they proceeded to organize. This was the third church to go out from the First church. A full ac- count of the church Will be given at the close of this book. Rev. Fulbright's ministry with the First church started off beautifully. He had large crowds for all of his services, and especially for the Wednesday evening ser- vice. He showed his stereoptican views of 228 Palestine, and the Orient to the people who attended. This drew large crowds. His lectures and the pictures were very interesting, as he had made the pictures himself and knew what he was talking about. He did much good with them. His ministry here was one ^J^Jbest of his life. He served here from October 1920 un- til November 8th., 1922, making him just twenty five months pastor of this church. He moved from this field to East Gastonia where he is still pastor. During the first year of his ministry here, he baptised four, received thirty sev- en by letter, and restored two, making a grand total of forty three members. The membership this year was two ; hundred and ninety. The church raised $8,177.13. This was the most that it had raised up to | this time. Fulbright was the second full tihie pastor the church ever had. Rev. A. H. Sims serv- ed full time for one year some time before this. It paid him the greatest salary it ever paid a pastor, and his ministry was the be- ginning of a new day for the kingdom in Kings Mountain. The second year of his services here was one of Tiis best years. He baptised eighty into the fellowship of the church and re- ceived seventy four by letter. He closed the 229 REV. J. <). FULBKIGHT 230 year with four hundred and twenty three members. This was the largest the mem- bership had ever been. During the year, he raised $3,733.45. The report in the minutes is not correct. There was a mistake made in the addition of the amounts paid to the different objects. As has been said above, this was the best w r ork Rev. Fulbright had ever done on any field. He made some wonderful improve- ments here, and it was with regret that the church had to give him up. His wife is a most estimable woman. She is very tact- ful in her work, and makes friends where ever she lives and labors. Rev. Fulbright is in the very prime of life, and is calcu- lated to do much good in the years to come. He was born in Franklin county, Geor- gia, June 15th., 1879. His father was Dan- iel Fulbright, a native Georgian. He was reared in Georgia. He received his high school education at Carnesville and Cornelia, Georgia. He at- tended college at the State Normal, Athens, Georgia. He graduated from this institu- tion. He attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 1905-1907, taking his Th. G. degree. He also attended Moody Bible Institute, Northfield, Mass. He taught school in Georgia for nine years, and made an extensive tour of 231 ' Bible lands in 1908. He is exceedingly well prepared for his work. He has served the following churches; Bethlehem Baptist church, Clarksville, Ga., Mt. Pleasant, Kentucky, Southport, North Carolina, First Baptist church, Lenoir, N. C, Carthage Baptist church, Carthage, N. C, Sylva Baptist church, Sylva, N. C, First Baptist church, Kings Mountain, N. C., and is now pastor of East Baptist church, Gas- tonia, N. C. Dr. Walter N. Johnson succeeded Rev. Fulbright and served this church during the year of 1924. He did a great work here in raising the old debts that had been standing against the church for several years. He did not add many members, but he caused the church to strike a new pace for its future program. During his first year he baptised three into the fellowship of the church and re- ceived three by letter. The total member- ship reported to the association was four hundred and seventeen. The total amount of money raised dur- ing the year was $5,932.32 His work covered a part of two years, so to know all that he did, you will have to ex- amine the minutes of two meetings of the association, 1923 and 1924, During the year 232 DK. W. N. JOHNSON 233 of 1924, he baptised none, but lettered fif- teen and four died, leaving the total mem- bership four hundred and four. He resigned here early in the fall of 1924 to take chage of a Stewardship school that was being arranged for him in the Gaston County Baptist association. He left Kings Mountain the first of January, 1925. Dr. Walter N. Johnson is truly a great man. He was Corresponding Secretary of the Baptist State Convention for a number of years, and his work as Secretary has never been excelled. He has been pastor at several important points in this state, and in other states. At one time he was pastor of the Wake Forest Baptist church, and while there led the church to build a nice and commodious house of worship. It is one of the prettiest in the state. While he was laboring under this burden, his health gave way, and he came very near having to give up all together, but the Lord was gracious and spared him to continue his work. He is an expert on the doctrine of Stewardship as it is taught in the New Testament, and has spoken on this subject in many sections of our country. He is holding stewardship conferences now, and has all the work he can do. He lives at Mars Hill at present. 234 Dr. Walter N. Johnson was born March 24, 1875. He was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry 1896. He graduated from Wake Forest College 1899. He was reared in eastern North Carolina. He has served in the following places and stations ; Paster at We ] don, N. C, Rocky Mount, N. C, Business Manager for Dell High School, Pastor at Nachitoches, La., Secre- tary of Missions in La., Pastor of Im man- ual Baptist church, Alexandria, La., Pastor of Wake Forest Baptist church and built the present house of worship while pastor there ; Secretary of Missions in North Car- olina, Supply pastor at Badin, Steward- ship Evangelist and supply pastor at Kings Mountain, N. C. He is now Secretary of the Stewardship League of Baptist Minis- ters, Mars Hill, N. C. He has done a great work in his life, and is still vigorous and as active as he was twenty years ago. The author of this little sketch succeeded Dr. Johnson as pastor of this church. He was pastor of the Loray Baptist church, Gastonia. The work was very heavy for him, and when the invitation came to him to consider the work at this place, he de- cided that it would be much easier for him than a church with nearly thirteen hund- 235 red members, but he has not found it so. He has done the hardest work of his life in Kings Mountain. He has met difficul- ties he never dreamed of, and his health has been very treacherous a part of the time. It was so hard for him to leave such a loyal church to come to a new field. He knew all of his members at Loray, and here he knew just a few. He knew all of the churches in the Gaston County associa- tion, but here he knew practically none of them. His plans were so different from any man they had ever had here that it was no easy task for him to begin his work at this place. He left one of the largest and best organized Sunday Schools in the state to take hold of one that was not organized at all; but he is glad that he came. The people have been very kind to him, and some progress has been made. He does not claim one bit of honor for what has been done. All the glory goes to the Lord of us all. What he has done in a humble way here is not what concerns him most. The work to be done is the trouble. We have so many people here who have not been enlisted for the Master. They are the trouble with the present pastor. His heart burns for the lost and unenlisted of this town. One hun- dred and seven members were added the 238 the first year of his ministry, and a great; many have been added this year, but they have not been counted, and they will not be counted until the year closes. The Sunday School is the largest and the best it has ever been. The outlook is very encouraging, but the work is hard, much harder than it ought to be. The fellowship of the church is not as good as it ought to be. This makes it so hard for a pastor. In the fall of 1925, the pastor was called back to his old field of labor at Wingate Junior College,_and it was such an inviting field for him. Re knows nearly every fami- ly in Wingate, and has baptised a great number of the present members of the church at that place. He has been „in every home in that section of country, and has married hundreds of the young people, and preached the funerals of many of their dead. It was so hard to say "No" to that people, but the folks here said that he had not finished his work, so they would not allow him to accept the call to his old field, and he had to say "No" to those he loves like brothers. He is now fifty four years old, but still loves his work and preaches as vigorously as he did thirty years ago. He has served churches in Stanly, Union, and Anson counties. He was pastor at Af- 237 bemarle for eleven years, Wingate for five years, Norwood for a number of years, and Gastonia for more than four years. He taught school for a number of years, and was county superintendent for a long time. He has written several books during the time he has been serving Baptist churches in North Carolina, and has edited a newspaper for several years. He has been a regular correspondent for several of the leading newspapers of the state, and still enjoys writing for them. He was saved by the grace of God July 22nd., 1890, and was baptised by Rev. J. A. Hoyle Saturday July 26th., 1890. He was licensed to preach June 23, 1894, and was ordained two years later, the same month and day of the month. He has been preaching since conversion, and hopes to be able to preach as long as he lives. He was married to Miss Annie Black, January 16th., and to this union eight chil- dren have been born. They are Prof. Chas. S. Black of Wake Forest, Mrs. Loy Banks Biggers of Bessemer City, Miss Odessa Black, who teaches in the high school of Apex, Miss Helen Black, a teacher in the graded school at High Shoals, James H. Black, a student at Furman University, and Anabel, George Truett, and Billie - 238 Louise who are still at home and are in th£ city school, CHAPTER IX. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL, WHEN OR* GANIZED, FIRST SUPERINTENDENT Other Superintendents, Number of Pupils Enrolled Under Each Superintendent, The First Secretary, Other Secretaries, The Present Sunday School, What the Sunday School Has Meant To The Church, Its Pres- ent Outlook, and Its Urgent Needs. The Sunday School work of the First Baptist church is a very difficult thing to write the history of. The church has no re- cords of the first work done here and so little was required for the reports to the annual associations that it is impossible to depend upon the associational minutes to tell just what was done in our Sunday School during the first ten years of the church's life. The first record of the Sunday School is found in the minutes of The Kings Moun- tain association for the year of 1892. Some believe that the Baptists had a small Sun- day School in the school building before this time; while others say that there was never a Baptist Sunday School in this town until the latter part of 1891, or possibly the early part of 1892. It is the opinion of the author that there was never a Baptist Sun- day School in this town until the first house of worship was built. It is true that the Baptists held services regularly in the Lutheran church, and possibly in their homes occasionally, but they did not un- dertake to run a Sunday School until they had their house hulled in so that they could use it. It is unreasonable to think that they did. Baptists are not intruders, and they would have been had they held Sun- day School in the church the Lutherans loaned them to hold preaching services in until they could get their house built. Bap- tists teach peculiar views — views antago- nistic to those of other denominations, and they will not compromise with other de- nominations enough to hold Sunday School jb their buildings without teaching their distinctive doctrines. They held services in tfife old Methodist church for a while after the church was organized, but because of a Misunderstanding between Rev. C. F. Fel- met and Rev. J. E. McManaway, they mov- ed to the Lutheran church. The old Metho- dist church stood where the Presbyterian church now stands; the Presbyterian church was located on the west side of the rail road at that time. The change came later on when the present arrangement was made. The Baptists may have preach- 241 SUNDAY SCHOOL OFFICERS AND TEACHERS 242 ed in the old school building, and they may- have had a little Sunday School there some time before the church was organized, but it is not likely that they did. It is not known how long they held servi- ces in any of the borrowed buildings, nor is it known just where all of the services were held until the house was made ready, but it must have been several months. They held services occasionally in their homes. Baptists have often done such things, and this was no exception to the general rule. Their business meetings must have been held in their homes, as they would not feel free to discuss Baptists in- terest in the pedobaptist churches. Rev. J. E. McManaway says that he preached in Rev. C. F. Felmet's home one evening, and at that time the number of Baptists in the town was ascertained. Because of work like this, the Baptists must have held ser- vices in their homes quite a number of times to get things ready for the organi- zation. The house was hulled in during the year of 1891, and it is likely that they did not organize their Sunday School until the spring of 1892. Baptists, at that time had an idea that they ought to hibernate, so many of our churches did not have Sun- day Schools during the winter. It was very amusing to hear the reports of the Sunday 243 School work as they were given at our an- nual associations. The church that had twelve months term of Sunday School would say, "We have an evergreen Sunday School," and many of them were ever green. They never grew any, or bloomed into conversions. Now, since the old custom was to begin anew in the spring, it is like- ly that there was never a Sunday School here until the early spring of 1892. As has been stated above the first account of the Sunday School here was a report to the Kings Mountain association in 1892. The association met with the First Baptist church at Gastonia September 22-25th. that year, Now, since the association met so early in the year, we can readily see that the Sunday School could have been organi- zed during the fourth quarter of 1891, or during the first, or second quarter of 1892. Any way it was in existence when the as- sociation met with the Baptist church at Gastonia in 1892. The report shows that there was a good Sunday School at that time with an enrollment of fifty. This was fine for a church of its size as it did not have but thirty one members at that time. It had eight officers and teachers. This shows that it was wide awake for that day. A. E. Clayton was the superintendent. I have not learned just who he was, but he 244 was a Baptist who was here at that time. He went to Georgia some years later and is still living there. He was the first superintendent we have any record of, and must have been the first one the church had. They would not have changed superintendents within a few months after the organization of the Sun- day School. This makes us believe that he was the first, but according to the records, he did not serve but one year. In 1893, J. W. Wright was elected and served for one year. The school had forty enrolled during his administration, or they may have had more enrolled, the average attendance was forty. The average attedance usually runs about two thirds of the enrollment, some times it scarcely reaches that high. After J. W. Wright's term expired, T. B. Man- gum was elected and served just one year. He increased the enrollment a little. The records show that he had fifty five schol- ars with a good average attendance. In 1895, J. T. Davis was elected superin- tendent. He seems to have had a better showing than the others. He increased the enrollment to seventy eight. This was the best the School had done from its organiza- tion to this time. The Sunday School en- rollment was more than the membership of the church, and this was good for that 245 time. Many of our churches did not do half so well as this. The older members thought that the Sunday School belonged to a few teachers and the children. Were they not awfully mistaken ? Many of them still have such erroneous notions about it. They do not know what they are missing. Their in- fluence is on the wrong side, and they are missing so much joy by not being engaged in the work. Rev. J. W. Griffin was elected superin- tendent in 1896. He seems to have been a misfit as the school lost considerably dur- ing his term of office. The enrollment went from seventy eight to forty six. There must have been something wrong, or the enrollment would not have dropped so much in so short a time. I do not know anything about the brother, and cannot say just what the cause was. The most preach- ers make very poor superintendents. Some good superintendents have made very poor preachers. A good superintendent is hard tc find, and when you get one who puts his soul into the work, you had better hold him until you know that you can better your- self. There is so much work attached to the office, that very few men will take enough interest in it to make the Sunday School interesting. A good, lively, punctual superintendent 246 J. F. DICKEY Superintendent 1897 247 is one of the greatest assets a Sunday School can have. Rev. J. W. Griffin served just one year. After him came J. F. Dickey who seems to have been a perfect fit. The School run from forty six in enrollment to one hund- red and fifty. This was nearly twice as many as had ever been enrolled in the school. His work is still talked of here, and the efforts he put forth to build up the Master's kingdom are still to be seen. He left two daughters who have been a bless- ing to the church for many years. Brother Dickey served just one year, and then T. F. Cummings was elected. Brother Cummings run a roller shop, or covered rollers while here, and seems to have been a wide awake church worker. The enrollment of the Sun- day School increased from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and fifty four. This was not a great increase, but it show- ed that he was wide awake along Sunday School lines. J. W. Woodward was elected superin- tendent of the Sunday School in 1899. The school grew under his care from one hund- red and fifty four to one hundred and six- ty. He has a widow and two fine children here who are among the very best work- ers we have in our church. His daughter, Miss Lila, is one of the very best B. Y. P, 248 GEORGE YV. KENDRICK Superintendent 1 900- 1 902 249 U. workers I have ever had, and his son, Joe Lee, is a student in Boiling Springs High School. In 1900, Brother George W. Kendrick was elected superintendent and served un- til 1902. The first year he was superinten- dent, the school run to the highest number since its organization. It went from one hundred and sixty to two hundred and three, but by some means, the enrollment fell to one hundred and fifteen in 1901. Nothing is said about what caused the de- crease, but there must have been mill cur- tailment. Many of the Sunday School folks worked in the mills, and when the mills run bad, the Sunday School did the same way. Some times church work has been al- most ruined by mill shortage. There ought to be some remedy for such, but it is a hard thing to manage. Hon. David P. Bellinger was elected superintendent of the Sunday School in 1903. He was a very enthusiastic young lawyer at this time, and he directed his en- ergy toward the Lord's work and run the Sunday School enrollment from one hund- red and fifteen to two hundred and eight. This was a fine increase for one year. But Bellinger does what he does with all of his might. He is the best associational clerk I have ever seen, and is one of the best 250 church clerks in the state. He is a fine law- yer, and has been a member of the legisla- ture one term. He is now an active mem- ber of the Baptist church at Cherryville, and has been clerk of the Gaston County Baptist association since its organization. Brother S. S. Weir was elected superin- tendent of the Sunday School in 1904. He served for three years, and during this time for the school held its own pretty well. He had one hundred and sixty the first year, one hundred and thirty six the second year, and one hundred and ten the third year. This decrease may have been caused by mill curtailment. The mills were run- ning on short time nearly all the time dur- ing the early part of the twentieth cen- tury. The number of scholars often has nothing to do with the efficiency of the of- ficers in charge. So many things enter into such a thing as Sunday School enrollment that you cannot tell by the enrollment just what has caused the decrease. It is so with a congregation also. Some times you have a large crowd, then again, when you feel like the house will be running over, you have plenty of room to spare. Brother Weir is still a member of our church and is one of the best workers we have. He is secretary of the Business Men's Bible Class, and is an active deacon. He is 251 an honorable man, straightforward in all of his dealings, and stands high in his com- munity. He is now postmaster of our town, and has other honorable business relations. Brother D. F. Hord was elected superin- tendent of the Sunday School in 1907, and served one year. He made some improve- ment in the enrollment. It ran from an en- rollment of one hundred and ten to two hundred an twenty in one year. This was a fine showing for one year. There seems to have been more folks here at that time than had formerly been here. The school made a very fine showing for the number of inhabitants we had in our town at that time. The school improved in many ways during his administration, and began to show signs of improvement along many lines. He did not serve but cne year at this time. That was 1907. Prof. S. J. Huneycutt succeeded D. F. Hord in 1908, and did not serve but one year. He was principal of the graded school at that time, and as he moved away from here to become principal of the South Fork Institute, he could not serve any long- er. He seems to have been a fit as he kept the enrollment up to two hundred and sev- enteen during the year. He was a fine fine school man and a most consecrated gentleman. 252 Brother John W. Stroup succeeded him and served through 1909. He seems to have made pretty good head way with the work as his enrollment for the year was two hun- dred and eleven. He is now a citizen of Gastonia, and the last I knew of him was was a member of Loray Baptist church. Brother Forest Floyd succeeded J. W. Stroup, and served from 1910 until 1914. He was a bundle of enthusiasm and work- ed with all of his might at what ever job he was on. He ran the Sunday School from two hundred and eleven in 1909 to two hun- dred and thirty eight in 1910. This was the largest number the school had ever enroll- ed. In 1911, he ran the enrollment up to two hundred and fifty, but in 1912, dropped down to two hundred and thirty, but this was still far above what had been done be- fore. More, people were here to enlist, and then too, the church was having better pas- toral service. This had much to do with the Sunday School work. No records of the work done during 1913 can be found, but I am sure that Brother Forest Floyd was superintendent as he was during 1914. During this year, the school reached its highest mark. It went to three hundred and twenty nine. This was very fine for the church and a town the size of this one at that time. He must have put a great deal 253 FOREST FLOYD Superintendent 1910-1914 254 of his time to the Sunday School Work. In 1915, D. F. Hord gave the church an- other year of his services as superinten- dent. This was the first time any one had been elected a second time. He did well dur- ing the year, holding the school to the large number of three hundred and twenty nine. He had so many other duties that he could not hold the place but one year. He was clerk of the church and one of the deacons. Brother J. C. Baumgardner was elected superintendent in 1916, and served for four years. The school did well under his admin- istration. He enrolled three hundred in 1916, three hundred and eighty nine in 1917, and two hundred and ninety one in 1918, This was the most trying time we have ever had for church work in this country. The World War was on us, and our hearts were bleeding. Gloom and de- spair were hanging over all the land, and I might say, the world. Hearts were bleeding the world over. No sadder time has ever been known since the world began. The en- rollment was fine for the condition of the country at that time. He did a most won- derful work for the Sunday School and is still active in church work. He is now chairman of the Board of deacons, and an active Sunday School worker, 255 Marvin Ledford, a young man of prom- ise, succeeded Brother Baumgardner in 1920. He did not serve but one year, but did well. He was a student in Richmond college and could not hold the position of Superin- tendent any longer. Three hundred and thirty were enrolled during his adminis- tration. He is now in Gastonia, but is still interested in church work. He is a son of one of our most loyal members, Brother Lee Ledford. R. C. Gold succeeded Marvin Ledford, and served just one year, but he did well. Five hundred and twenty five were enroll- ed during this term of office. This was the largest number enrolled up to this time. I have not learned what caused this wonder- ful jump, but he must have had some good loyal teachers to help him, or he could never had done so much in so short a time. Brother Gold was succeed by Editor G. G. Page in 1922. He has been superinten- dent since that time. He had two hundred and seven enrolled the first year of his ser- vice, three hundred and eighty four in 1923, three hundred and eighty seven in 1924, seven hundred and forty eight in 1925, and nine hundred and six in 1926. The year is just begun. We cannot tell what we are going to have before it is out. Our aim is one thousand, and I am sure that we 256 G. G. VAUK Superintendent 1932-1926 257 are going to reach it if we keep working as we have been for the past three months. The School now has one of the best set of teachers I have ever seen, and the interest is the best I have ever had at this season of the year. It is now the middle of the fourth quarter, and we are still growing. Brother Page is a tireless worker, and a Sunday School enthusiast. It takes all of these characteristics to make a good super- intendent. He is improving every week, and keeps studying the work as the weeks go by. Our teacher's meeting is the best I have ever seen, and I do not hesitate to say that there is none better in the stats. The teacher's meeting is almost as large a gathering as the prayer meeting. The interest the teachers show is most wonder- ful. If they keep interested as they now are, we |are going to have one of the great- est revivals here this year this town has ever known anything about. The Sunday School has some very noticeable features I now wish to mention. It is not an ordinary Sunday School at all. It went into the standard list last year, This was the first time it has ever been a standard Sunday School. When the work was begun in 1925, it was not thought that we could reach the standard so easily, but we did. It took hard work to reach it so 258 soon, but we did it, and what is more, the School is still standard for 1926. The Stand- ard was reached very early in the year, so now we have two penants displayed in our church. The double standard is the next goal. If our teaching force continues to study and keeps consecrated to the work as they now are, we will reach the double standard within one year. The church can- not afford to stop short of such a high aim. The school has some of the very best talent in the town, and we have the organization it takes to place it on the double standard list. All the church needs is to keep it mov- ing as it is now going, and the goal will soon be reached. The Sunday School has some of the very best organized classes to be found in the south. It has two men's classes, and four ladies classes just about as fine as you can find in the south. The Business Men's class is the one composed of mature men. It now has an enrollment of one hundred and six- ty one men. This class is one of the most powerful in the Sunday School. It is com- posed of some of the very best men our country affords, Many of our leading busi- ness men are members of this class. The cashier of The Peoples Loan and Trust Company is the president of it. This is Mr. M. E. Herndon, He is known here as Elmer 259 Herndon, but the town has confidence in him, and the class acts upon his advice in almost anything. J. M. Rhea is the First Vice President. He is one of the most up- to-date-business men we have in our town. He is the leading member of The J. M. Rhea and Company, Jobbers. J. E. Lipford is the second Vice President. He is a fine busi- ness, man. J. R. Roberts is the third Vice president. He is superintendent of the Cora mill. He too, is a very fine business man. The secretary is Mr. S. S. Weir. He is post master of the city of Kings Mountain, and the treasurer is Clarence E. Carpenter, one of the assistant cashiers of The Peoples Loan and Trust Company. Miss Vera Corn- well is the pianist. Robert H. Hord is lead- er of the orchestra. B. D. Ratterree is the chorister. All of the men are noble fellows like these I have named as officers of the class. Its membership represents almost every phase of our business life. It has mill men in it, grocerymen, preachers, po- lice, and almost anything we have in our city. The teacher is the present pastor of the church, and the author of this little book. During the year of 1925, the class bought a nice new piano and placed it in their class room. It gave tne baptist Orphanage at Thorn- 260 asville, N. C, more than a hundred dollars in money and kind, it subscribed six hund- red and sixty five dollars to the teacher as a present for his services as teacher of the class, and did many other noble things along financial lines. One of its members painted the church on the outside, and oth- ers did much toward painting the inside of the church. It has subscribed forty five dollars to pay the tuition of a ministerial student at Boiling Springs High School this year. The other Men's class is the Berean. It is a powerful force for good. It is supposed to be composed of young men. The follow- ing are the present officers' of this class; President, G. C. McClure, first Vice Presi- dent, Glee A. Bridges, second Vice Presi- dent, Charlie Spearman, third Vice Presi- dent, Otto Riser, Secretary and Treasurer, Eugene Matthews, Teacher, Prof. John Y, Irvin, Assistant Teacher, Leonidas M. Lo- gan. This is a fine set of men, and they are doing a great work. The class now has one hundred and fifty one enrolled, and is working hard to get every possibility en- rolled within the next few weeks. This class has meant much to the church and town. The Sunday School lias several other or- ganized classes, but the) c uc not so large 261 as those mentioned above. The Euzelian Class is a very fine organization. It is com- posed of young ladies between sixteen and twenty. Mrs. G. C. McClure is the efficient teacher. D. F. Hord has a very fine class of intermediate boys. His class is well or- ganized and is doing a great work. In fact, all of the classes in the junior and in- termediate departments are organized, but details of their work will not be gone into just yet. This will come later. One of the most up-to-date departments we have in our Sunday School is The Home Makers Department. The following story tells what it is and why it is: The T. E. L, Class of the First Baptist Church was or- ganized July 1916 by Mrs. W. R. Beach, wife of Rev. W. R. Beach who was pastor of the church at that time. The class was begun with sixteen charter members. Mrs, W. R. Beach was elected teacher when it was organized, and served in this capacity for four years. Mrs. M. E. Herndon was elected, the second teacher of the class, and she served faithfully for two years. The following ladies have served one year each as teacher of this class: Mrs. R. C. Gold, Mrs. J. S- Norman, Mrs. E. J. Abbott, and Mrs. D. F. Hord. Mrs. Hord is the present teacher of the class. The following ladies have served as 262 presidents of the class: Mrs. Joe Cole, Mrs. Charlie Stowe, Mrs. R. C. Baker, Mrs. Forest Floyd, Mrs. Lula Woodward, Mrs. H. M. Houser, and Mrs. E. J. Abbott. The following have served as Recording Secretaries: Mrs. F. C. Nye, Mrs. A. H. Sims, Mrs. C. F. Stowe, Mrs. E. J. Abbott, who is the present Recording Secretary. At the annual business meeting of the class held July, 1924, Mrs. M. E. Herndon was elected president of the class. When she took charge of the work the class seem- ed to realize that it was not reaching the ladies of the church as it should. When the church roll was consulted by them, they found that there were more than a hundred married ladies, members of our church who ought to be enlisted in the Sunday School work. The older ladies were enlisted more than the younger ones, so the class decided that something must be done at once to reach its possibilities, .especially our young married women. A business meeting was held the following November to consider the advisability of organizing the new class, and w T hen the matter was given due consideration, it was deemed wise to have another class composed of young married ladies. Another meeting was called December 7th, for the purpose of organizing the new class, which meeting 263 was held, and at this meeting The Home Makers' Department of the Adult Depart- ment of the Sunday School was organized. This department was composed of the T. E. L. Class and the new class, which they named The Eunice Class. Eight of the members of the T. E. L. Class joined the new class, and ten others joined, making the class begin with eighteen members. The class now has about forty members. Mrs. Raymond Cline was elected presi- dent of the new class, and Mrs. Ben Wille- f ord, teacher. Both were energetic Sunday School workers, and they put their souls into this new work. The class has grown steadily since its organization. It has every meeting required by the standard of excel- lence to make this class A-l. The social meetings of this class are well attended, and so are all of the other meetings. The class attendance is very low sometimes, due of course, to health conditions. Young mothers cannot attend as regularly as those who do not have small children to care for. The members of the class are looked after very carefully, and when help is needed, the ladies always give it. As has been stated above, the T. E. L. Class had to give up eight of its members to form the Eunice Class, but this did not injure the T. E. L. Class. It soon gained 264 other eight and then many more. The class now has more than fifty members, and they are all interested. This class has done an enormous amount of good, and is trying harder than ever to increase the class to the limit of its possibilities. Both classes are properly organized, and have all their meetings, except the Sunday morning meeting, in the homes of the mem- bers. In October 1925, these classes decided to use the six point record system. Both classes have nice record boards and keep a complete record of every meeting of the classes. They have an extra report they make every Sunday. This is the personal service report. This work has been worth much to both classes. Last year, the T. E. L. Class furnished milk and food to an old man at the Sadie Mill for more than six months. Mrs. C. A. Gates was appointed by the class to look after him, and when she need- ed anything, she reported it to the class. The class cared for him until he died some- time during the autumn of 1925. It is still caring for all who need help so far as they feel able and responsible. During the early part of 1925 the Eunice class began taking free will offerings for shrubbery to beautify the church grounds, and in the autumn the work was under- 265 taken. More than three hundred dollars worth of shrubbery was bought and plant- ed on the church yard. The grounds were plowed, fertilized, and sowed in lawn grass seed. Today, we have one of the nicest yards in the county, and of course, it will be much prettier when the trees begin to grow, and when the grass gets large enough to use a lawn mower on it. All of this work was planned by The Eunice Class. Many who are not members of this class contributed to the work, but the movement was put on foot by the Eunice Glass. The Home Makers' Department tries to co-operate with the Superintendent of the Sunday School and their pastor in every way they can. It is one of the mightiest forces we have in our church, and if it con- tinues to grow as fast in the future as it has for the past two years, it is going to become much stronger than it now is. The following are the present officers of these classes: EUNICE BIBLE CLASS. President, Mrs. Ben Long. First Vice President, Mrs. 0. R. Long. Second Vice Pres., Mrs. C. E. Carpenter. Third Vice Pres., Mrs. Pearl Barrett. Class Secretary, Mrs. D. G. Littlejohn 266 Recording Secretary, Mrs. J. R. Cline. Treasurer, Mrs. J. L. Loden. Reporter, Mrs. J. E. Hullender. Teacher, Mrs. Ben R. Willeford. Assistant Teacher, Mrs. J. K. Willis. The following are the officers of the T. E. L. Class for the year 1926; President, Mrs. Lula Woodward. First Vice President, Mrs. J. R. Roberts. Second Vice President, Mrs. C. F. Stowe. Third Vice President, Mrs. C. A. Oates, Class Secretary, Mrs. F. C. Wilson. Recording Secretary, Mrs. E. J. Abbott. Treasurer, Mrs. L. M. Logan. Reporter, Mrs. Callie Carpenter. Teacher, Mrs. D. F. Hord. Assistant Teacher, Mrs. H. M. Houser. ENLARGEMENT DIVISION E. B. C. T. E. L. Mrs. 0. R. Long. Mrs. J. R. Roberts MEMBERSHIP AND ABSENTEE COMMITTEE Mrs. J. Y. Irvin Mrs. J. E. Cole Mrs. J. M. Rhea Mrs. Mattie Dixon HOME DEPARTMENT Mrs. A. H. Sims, Superintendent. VISITORS: 267 r Mrs. G. D. Hambright. Mrs. J. H. Davis. Mrs. L. M. Logan. Miss Lettie Baumgardner. CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT Mrs. J. K. Willis, Superintendent. VISITORS: Mrs. Frank Webster. Mrs. Joe McDaniel. Mrs. Wade H. Short. They have several more committees, but it is too tedious to mention all of them. This book is not a report of all that any one organzation is doing, but a sketch of the organization. Every phase of the work done by this department is wonderful. This division is being looked after more closely than any other department of our work. The Cradle Roll has been worked until it now has an enrollment of more than eighty, and the Home Department is flourishing also. Many other things are being done by this division that the other classes have not un- dertaken. There is not but one other church in this state with this department in it. This is The Brown Memorial Baptist church at Winston-Salem, N. C. Mrs. W. R. Jones is president of it. She visited the one at the 268 First Baptist Church here last fall and made quite an interesting speech at the social meeting of the two classes. The one at Winston was organized just a little while before the one here, but Mrs. Hern- don had the idea already, and if she could have carried out her plans, would have been the first to have a department of this kind. The following have been secretaries of the Sundav School: 1902 and 1903, Kelly McCullough, 1904, W. M. Kellar, 1905, Kel- ly McCullough, 1906, M. E. Herndon, 1908- 1922, W. T. Parker, 1923-25, Willie F. Mc- Gill. W. T. Parker and R. C. Gold are as- sistant secretaries and arrange the score board for the weekly reports of the Sun- day School. There was no secretary reported to the association until 1902. There may have been one, but there is no record of it. From the beginning until now, the Sun- day School has not had but five secretar- ies. This speaks well for the work done by the brethren who have served in this ca- pacity. The secretary has always been treasurer of the Sunday School. This enables this of- ficer to take care of the literature and oth- er things the school has to carry on the bus- iness of the church from this angle. 269 The Sunday School has one of the best set of officers it has ever had. They are all trying to do their duty in trying to carry out the program of the church. This church has one of the best Sunday Schools in the state. It became a standard Sunday School last year, and has already gotten its pennant for the year of 1926, but this counts for nothing unless there is real service. The writer is glad to say that there is service. The teachers have become more consecrated than they were last year, and this is not saying anything detrimen- tal either. They are keeping themselves away from questionable places and ques- tionable things, and they are attending the weekly teacher's meetings a great deal bet- ter than they did last year. They are studying their work much better. Several things have brought this about. The Gener- al Superintendent gets out a weekly bulle- tin for the teacher's meeting. This has a program in it, which assigns every teacher his or her part. Items of interest are also mentioned in this bulletin, and the pro- gram for the following Sunday. This has meant much to the teacher's meeting and more to the Sunday School. At the begin- ning of the fourth quarter 1925, we began using graded literature in the Beginners, Primary, Junior, and Intermediate depart- 270 ments. This has had much to do with thg interest taken by both teachers and pupils. The teachers cannot teach this literature without studying their lessons, and when they study, the pupils do likewise. Several more class rooms have been been built, and better equipment has been placed in the class rooms. This has added much to the interest of the teachers and the children, Much more is needed yet, and it is hoped that before this year (1926) ends that we may have little chairs and sand tables for all of the lower grades, and tables and chairs for the Juniors and Intermediates* This is going to have to be done to keep the Sunday School moving as it should. The church now has fourteen Sunday School rooms, but it needs thirty at the; very least. The church owns the land for the needed improvements, and it is not go-- ing to be very long until the building pro- gram is going to be put into action. The Sunday School is the evangelistic phase of the church's work. In 1925, near- ly fifty were baptised from the Sunday School, and yet no revival meeting was held during the entire year. The teacher^ and the pastor did the work. The same idea is being carried out this year, and it is hoped that we may baptise more than we did last year, though we have not baptised lis many as we did up to this time last year. The Sunday School is getting ready for a decision day. This will tell the tale better than any other thing can. This will tell just how much interested the teachers sre, and it will tell also how much influ- ence they have with their classes. There can be no better or more successful evange- lists than the Sunday School teachers if they are consecrated as they should be* They can do nothing if they are not. The pastor looks to the teachers and their as- sistants for the personal work of the church. By doing the evangelistic work of the church in this way, the church has a regular and steady growth. This adds so much to the life and efficiency of the church. It is so fine to have the baptistry filled every Sunday and to see those who have surrendered their lives to the Blessed Master witness for him in the baptismal waters regularly. Too many of our church- es have their baptisteries for ornament, rather than for service. This is solemn mockery. If the Sunday School functions as it should, you are going to have it in use every week. The present outlook of the Sunday School is very encouraging indeed. We are better equipped than we were last year, and our folks are much more interested* 272 The Sunday School has gained some noto- riety, people are talking about it, and we have many to visit from other towns and other churches. This adds much to the out- look of the work. Some of our needs at present. First, the Sunday School needs better equipment chairs, blackboards, tables, musical instru- ments, toys for the beginners department, crib beds for the Cradle Roll Department, song books suitable for little tots, and six- teen more rooms with as many teachers added to our force. These are reasonable things to ask for, but they are not all that the Sunday School needs. If the Baptists will consecrate themselves to the service of the Lord, if they will put the work of their church first, if they will not be too tender with their dollars, and if they will ask the Lord for a vision of the possibilities of the Baptist cause here, we can soon have the most wonderful church in the whole south land. The following is the General Superinten- dent's report at the close of the first quar- ter of 1926: REPORT OF GENERAL SUPERINTEN- DENT OF THE FIRST BAPTIST SUN- DAY SCHOOL TO THE CHURCH IN CONFERENCE MARCH 31, 1926, Dear Brethren and Sisters: 273 As the General Superintendent of your 4 Sunday School, I beg to submit the follow^ ing quarterly report: RETROSPECT Last Sunday closed the second quarter of this current year and marks the close of six months as a Standard Sunday School for our church. During the last quarter our school has shown a steady growth in enrollment. Dur- ing all the winter weather our attendance has held up remarkably well. The present enrollment is 821, the highest in the history of the Sunday School. There has been constant improvement in the quality of work done in the classes. Our teaching force is the best organized and best equipped we have ever had and the teachers are appearing before their classes unusually well prepared. The better grade of teaching is prompting a fine response from the pupils. The matter of discipline in the classes up through the intermediates has been solved through the use of graded literature and better prepared teachers. The weekly meeting of teachers and of- ficers held each Friday night is steadily growing in importance in its relation to the work of the Sunday School and church. Your superintendent attributes a large measure of the general advancement of the 274 Work to this weekly meeting. Our contributions have been very good. Our response to the distress call from the Thomasville orphanage when fire destroy- en one of the buildings was unmatched by any other school in the state. The teachers very effectively put the claims of Home and Foreign Missions before their classes last Sunday and we contributed above $41.00. But we are woefully short on professions from the school. PROSPECT Promotion day is only six months ahead. The first Sunday in October we shall need several new class rooms to house the in- creased number of classes that will neces- sarily result from the use of graded litera- ture. Under the graded system pupils from the Beginners on up through the Intermed- iates are promoted each year instead of ? each four years and three years as hereto- fore. Your superintendent desires to lay the matter of additional room upon the heart of the church and recommends that some action be taken looking toward the con- struction of additional space for class use, and that such provision be made by Octo- ber first this year. Respectfully submitted, CL €k PAGE, -275 . General Superintendent. Adopted by the church in conference March 31, 1926. C. J. Black, Moderator, C. E, Carpenter, Clerk. The above report shows the standing of the Sunday School at the close of the first quarter 1926. NOTE — Much work has beejn done toward construct- ing this new department recomimiciiided by the General Superintendent, but it has been a hard pull. It is so hard to get folks who are not interested In religious work to see tihe importance of such a thing as a five Uhousalnd dollar annex. 276 CHAPTER X WHEN ORGANIZED, THE FIRST PRESIDENT, THE FIRST SECRETARY Divided Into Circles, What It Has Meant To The Work Here. The Woman's Missionary Society is al* most as old as the church at Kings Moun- tain. A Miss Gold who had been trained for a missionary came here to visit her brother who was in business, and while here, organized the first W. M. U. the church ever had. Mrs. Callie Carpenter was elected the first president, Mrs. J. T, Kendrick, the first Secretary, and Mrs* George Cornwell the first Treasurer, and the following names were the first mem- bers: Mrs. J. C. Baumgardner, Mrs. L. R. Reynolds, Mrs. James Dickey, Mrs. Jim Ramsey, Mrs. J. M. Hord, Annie Rachaei Dixon, Mrs. Mary D. Falls, Mrs. Caroline Long, and Mrs. A. E. Watson, and Annie Jane Barrett This society lived about four years, and then it became almost extinct, but it did a great deal of good while it lasted. The associational minutes do not give any reports from any of the societies until 1904, So it is hard to say just what the ladies did tefor^ that time, 277 When Rev. A. H. Sims took charge of the church in 1901, there was no missionary society here, but his wife reorganized it in 1902, or possibly 1903. The first report from it was made in 1904. At this time Mrs, Sims was president, and the society had tw T elve members. There has been an organ- ization until the present time, Mrs. Sims was president during the year of 1905. The society then had twenty one members, and paid considerably to the mis- sion work of the Southern Baptist Con- vention. She was president of the society during the year of 1906. The society then bad twenty four members and paid the fol- lowing amounts: State Missions, $14.00; Home Missions, $11.00 ; other objects, $55.- 00. Total $88.00. The above figures show that the society was not asleep. Mrs. J. J. Beach was president during the year of 1907. The society then had thir- ty two members, and contributed $164.00 to all objects. The year's work was a con- siderable increase over the previous one. They had more members and raised much more money. Miss Hattie Kendrick was president dur- ing the year of 1908. The society did not have but thirty members at the close of this year, and paid $36.00 to all objects, 278 This was such a falling off from what it was the year before that it is hard to tell just what was the cause of this decline. Mrs. Forest Floyd was Vice President during this year, Miss Emma Cornwell, Secretary, and Mrs. E. L. Ware, Treasur- er. In 1909, Mrs. J. J. Beach was president of the W. M. S. Mrs. Forest Floyd Vice President, Mrs. E. L. Ware, Treasurer, and Miss Emma Cornwell, Secretary. The so- ciety reported thirty members, and $313.- 35 raised for all objects. This was a very fine year for the society. It seemed to have been in a very healthy condition. Mrs. Beach left in the early fall of 1909, and Mrs. Bomer was elected president in October* She continued until January of the follow- ing year. She was succeeded by Mrs. J. M. Hamrlck, who served until the following July, then Mrs. Callie Carpenter was again elected president. The society reported thirty four members that year, but a great decrease in money raised for all objects. Miss Clara Carpenter was secretary from July 1910 until the close of the year. Mrs. Forest Floyd was elected Secretary and Treasurer of the W. M. U. in October 1910. Mrs. Carpenter was president during the year of 1911, and Mrs. Floyd remained secretary and treasurer. This year the so- 279 ciety reported twenty four members- and twenty six dollars and twenty two cents raised. During the first part of 1912, Mrs. Callie Carpenter was president of the W. M. S. and Mrs. Forest Floyd was Secretary and Treasurer. Mrs. J. G. Graham was presi- dent during the latter part of the year, and was president when the association met in the fall. Mrs. J. C. Baumgardner was Secretary. The society reported twen- ty eight members that year, and forty four dollars and forty three cents raised for all objects. The report for 1913 is not complete. The associational minutes fail to say who was president, or how much the churches gave for all objects of the Convention. Mrs. John R. Miller was president, Mrs. E. J. Abbott, Secretary, and Mrs. D. F. Hord, Treasurer. The society now had twenty nine members and gave $104.85 to all ob- jects of the Convention. Mrs. E. J. Abbott was elected president of the W. M. U. January 12, 1915. Mrs. C. T. Cornwell was elected Vice President, and Mrs. M. E. Herndon, Secretary, Mrs. G. E. Lovell, Assistant Secretary, and Mrs D. F. Hord, Treasurer. No associational figures were given in the minutes this year. The minute is not complete in many 280 ways. Mrs. E. J. Abbott was reelected presi- dent of the W. M. U. June 13th., 1916, with Mrs. D. F. Hord Secretary. The society re- ported twenty five members to the associa- tion that fall, and $53.34 raised for all ob- jects. Mrs. Forest Floyd was Vice Presi- dent of the society at this time. Rev. W. R. Beach was pastor of the church. His wife suggested that the society be divided into circles for the better and safer develop- ment of the ladies, so the following circles were organized during 1916: No. 1. THE ATTIE BOSTIC CIRCLE. Mrs. W. R. Beach was elected the first leader of this circle. No. 2. THE FANNIE HECK CIRCLE. Mrs. M. E. Herndon was elected the first leader of this circle. No. 3. THE JUDSON CIRCLE. Mrs. Charlie Stowe was elected the first leader of this circle. These circles are still alive and active. The idea was a great one, and has done much good for the work of the missionary society of the church. Mrs. Abbott was continued as president of the W. M. S. during the year of 1917. Mrs. C. T. Cornwell was Vice President, Mrs. D. F. Hord, Secretary, and Mrs. R. C. Baker, Treasurer. The society reported 281 thirty members to the association and $179.35 raised for all objects. Mrs. E. J. Abbott was still president during the year of 1919 and Mrs. D. F. Hord Secretary. No vice president is nam- ed in the report. No report is given in the minutes of that association for that year. The minutes are almost a failure because of some misprint in them. They do not con- tain very much information. The minutes state that Mrs. Abbott was still president of the W. M. S. during the year of 1920, and that Mrs. Joe Crawford was Vice president, and Mrs. Doris Little- john, Secretary. The society reported thir- ty five members this year and the sum of $674.02 raised for all objects. This was the best year in the history of the W. M. U. work at Kings Mountain. Mrs. Abbott was still president of the society during the year of 1921. Mrs. Charlie Stowe was vice president and Mrs. D. F. Hord was Secre- tary until November of that year. Mrs. Raymond Cline was elected secretary in November. Mrs. Hord had resigned. The society was in a good healthy condition as is shown by the number of members re- ported and the amount of money raised for all of the objects of the Convention. Total membership this year was not given in the associational minutes, nor was the 282 amount raised for all objects given, but every thing points to a good year. This year the association of the W. M. U. met with the First Baptist church of Kings Mountain, September first and second. The meeting was well attended, and much in- terest was manifested in the work. The town threw its doors wide open to the Bap- tist women of the county, and they had a great time together for the two days of their meeting. The minutes of the associa- tion has this to say concerning the meet- ing. "The annual address of the Superinten- dent was full of enthusiasm and helpful suggestions. Her subject, "The Outlook of the Future, a Vision of Seven Stars", will long be remembered by all who were pres- ent. The first star, Prayer, the second star, Bible Study, the third star, Mission Study, the fourth star, Evangelism, the fifth star, Enlistment, the sixth star, Stewardship, the seventh star, Christian Schools. This was such a unique subject that it gripped the hearts of the ladies greatly. The ladies of this church do their best whatever their task may be. They are noted cooks and housekeepers, and when they get a chance to show what they are, they do their best. It is their delight to entertain a general meeting, but they have never had a chance 283 to entertain an association but once, and the ladies meeting once. Mrs. George Lovell was elected presi- dent of the W. M. U. August 1922. Mrs. J. S. Hood was elected Vice president at the same time, Mrs. C. T. Cornwell, Secretary, and Mrs. R. C. Gold, Treasurer. The num- ber of members was not reported to the association in 1922, but the amount of money raised was. That year they raised $667.85. This was very fine for our ladies. Mrs. Lovell continued president during 1923, Mrs. E. J. Abbott was elected Vice president, Mrs. J. K. Willis, Secretary, and Mrs. R. C. Gold, Treasurer. Mrs. Glee Bridges became Secretary November 1928. Mrs. Willis had previously resigned. The society reported fifty four members to the association in 1923, $719.50 raised for all objects, and the work in a good healthy condition. This was the best year they had ever had. They reported more members and more money raised than ever before in their history. 1924 found Mrs. George E. Lovell still president, Mrs. A. H. Sims, Vice president, Mrs. E. J. Abbott, Secretary, Mrs. R. C. Gold, Treasurer. Mrs. Lovell moved away from Kings Mountain before the year was out so another president had to be elected. This election took place in October 1924, 284 and resulted in the election of Mrs. Ray- mond Cline for president. The other offi- cers remained the same as they were be- fore. The number of members reported to the association this year is not given in the minutes, but the money raised is given. They raised for all objects during the year of 1924, $729.48. This was another good year for the Kings Mountain W. M. U. Mrs. Cline was continued president for 1925. All of the other officers were continu- ed, and all of the data concerning the num- ber of members, the amount of money raised and all other interesting figures we ought to have, were left out of the report to the annual association. Mrs. Cline is still president of the W. M. U. This is her third year. She has done some noble work with the ladies, and is just getting ready to do the best work the society has ever done. Mrs. Cline is young and strong so that she can get about, and has much enthusiasm in the work of her society. The following are the leaders of the dif- ferent circles of the missionary society: The Attie Bostic Circle, Mrs. A. H. Sims, The Fannie Heck, Mrs. Forest Floyd, The Judson Circle, Mrs. D. G. Littlejohn, The Ann Hasseltine Circle, Mrs. R. C. Gold. All of the circles are in a good thriving 285 condition, and their outlook has never been brighter than it is at this time. The W. M. U. is always ready for every good work. It is now taking the lead in raising money to build a new baptistery, and other improvements we need so much, to keep the work of the Master going. The accompanying cut of the officers ex- plains itself. W. M. IT. OFFICERS 286 THE Y. W. A, The Young Women's Auxiliary is & branch of the W. M. S. being composed of the young ladies of the church who want to learn to serve and do mission work, either in giving, or learning how to serve their church in a more efficient way. No church is complete without an organization of this kind. Of course, not every church has a competent leader for such work, but it is far from what it ought to be without the organization and ought to have it even if it has to be run by an outside leader from another Baptist church in the community, The First Baptist church at Kings Moun- tain has tried from the beginning to .be standard in every way, and this is especial- ly true in regard to the work of the ladies of the church. They have always been bet- ter organized than the men, and they have done more real mission work. Our men have left the Baptist program with their wives, and because of this, we are far from what we ought to be. The ladies organized a fine missionary society in the very beginning of the work of the church here, and as soon as they could get a leader, they organized a Young Women's Auxiliary. This was done Sunday afternoon, September 15th, 1912. Mrs. M. E. Herndon took the lead in the work and 287 brought it to pass. The Y. W. A. was or- ganized with sixteen members, and Mrs. Herndon was chosen the first leader. The very first meeting must have been filled with enthusiasm according to the results of that meeting and the other things they set to going. The names of the sixteen that or- ganized the Y. W. A. cannot be secured, but they ought to be handed down to all generations for the benefit it would be to their posterity. So many things like this have been forgotten. It ought not to be so, but it is in many instances. One of the first things the Y. W. A. un- dertook to do was to organize to do per- sonal service work. This means that they undertook to help the needy and those in distress. Their minutes of February 5th, 1913, says that they had church mite boxes made by their leader, and that these boxes were a miniature of the old church house, that is, a model of the old wooden church house. They were made by hand and one was given each member of the Y. W. A. The society was divided into two groups, and the group that raised the most money was to be entertained by the other group, They chose gold and white for their colors, and goldenrods and daisies for their flow- ers. The girls who raised five dollars was to receive a hand painted picture of the old 289 church. This was to be painted by the lead^ er. Three girls raised the five dollars nec- essary to get the picture. These were Miss^ es Ethel Parker, Ruth Baker, and Lila Woodward. These pictures are still in the hands of the girls who won them. They are exceedingly nice. The money raised was used to buy one of the large stained glass window's in the new church building. It id such a pity that the windows were not marked so that all who see them might know how they came to be in the church, but none of them are marked. Stained glass windows are always marked except those in the First Baptist church here. The girls raised their money by organizing a Sewing club. All the money they raised was put into their mite boxes, and as has been Said went to pay for their window in the new church. This was So noble in the young ladies. They are still doing things like the above. They never falter when some thing- is needed to be done. The Y. W. A. is more like the senioi* class in college than anything it can be com- pared to. The girls stand together so well, and the spirit of the organization is so fine. The following will written by their first leader shows the spirit of the young women! "Kings Mountain Baptist Church. Cleveland County, N. C. "We, the officers of the Y. W. A. of the aforesaid county and state, do realize the indifference of our members to the study of missions and general work; therefore, know ye that we, the aforesaid officers, be- ing of minds for the most part sound, and of reasonably liberal disposition, do declare this our last will and testament as follows: 1. That, whereas, we have been under the lawful watchcare of the W. M. S. we hereby constitute and appoint the said so- ciety as our lawful executors, without bond, to all intents and purposes, to exe- cute our last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same, and every part and clause thereof. 2. That in token of their interest in our behalf, we do bequeath to the members of the beloved Society these several small leg- acies : To Mrs. Carpenter we will give our last- ing gratitude if she will have a law passed forbidding any member from being absent without good excuse. To Mrs. Floyd, a history containing an outline of all of the missionaries. To Mrs. Baker, a book explaining how it is possible to get girls between twelve and sixteen interested in mission work. To Mrs. Abbott, all of the musical com- 291 position of the music students of the Y. W. A. ; provided, she will get some one to make the girls sing out of them. To any member of the W. M. S. who will with their whole soul enter into the girl's work, the leadership of the Y. W. A. To members having daughters, we leave all of our responsibility to see that they at- tend Y. W. A. and get them interested in the work. 3. Having expressed our love for M. S. C, (Mission Study Class) desiring to do the most good with our property, we will the following named articles; to our friends among the Y. W. A's. and the Sunbeams; To the Y. W. A.'s, a collection of our knowledge, work, worry, etc., together with all unthoughtfulness and unthankful- ness on their part. To the R. A.'s, our unending loyalty and our ability. To the dear little Sunbeams, we leave all of our fun we have at the socials, picnics, etc. To Ruth Baumgardner, we leave Stella's tireless energy and love for writing minu- tes. To Callie Morris, Lila's executive ability. To Lillian White, Ruth Baker's ability to keep books. To Kate Hord, Ethel's loyalty and faith- 292 fulness. Having thus disposed of our property, we do hereby declare utterly void all other wills and testaments by us heretofore made. In witness whereof the said officers of the Y. W. A. of the First Baptist church of Kings Mountain do hereunto set our hands and seal, this the 13th. day of May, 1914. Officers of the Y. W. A. Mrs. M. E. Herndon, Leader. Signed, sealed, and declared, by the said officers to be its last will and testament in the presence of us, we the witnesses do subscribe our names hereto. Fannie Carpenter. Viola White. This will shows the spirit of the Y. W. A. and will bring back many a tender memory when it is read in the distant years before us. Mrs. M. E. Herndon was the one who conceived the idea of having a Y. W. A. here, and she served as leader from the or- ganization in 1912 until 1916. Mrs. W. R, Beach succeeded Mrs. Herndon and served Until 1918, when she had to resign because of the resignation of her husband who was pastor at that time. Mrs. George Lovell succeeded Mrs. Beach 293 and served during the year of 1920. Mrs. J. 0. Fulbright succeeded Mrs. Lovell. She took charge April 11th, 1921, and served until March 1923. Mrs. Walter N. Johnson suceeded Mrs. Fulbright. She took charge of the work, May, 1924, and served until her husband re- signed to take up other work. The work was left without a leader for a little while, but in February, 1925, the leadership was again taken up by Mrs. M. E. Herndon, This was the second term for Mrs. Hern- don. She has done some of the most faith- ful work with the girls that has been done since the organization of the Auxiliary. She has been helping the girls in many things they have undertaken to do for the work of the church, and the denomination- al work in general. Last year, she and the girls made many nice things for the Bap- tist Hospital at Winston, and they have done many oth'er things for the denomina- tion that cannot be named here. Their ser- vice has been wonderful all through their history. During the last part of the year of 1925, the girls decided that they would use the group plan for their work, so on November 4th. they divided it into groups. The girls selected their own group names. The first group named theirs the Lula Herndon Cir- 294 cle. The second group named theirs the Mary Fulbright Circle. Mrs. Herndon did not think it best to name a circle for her, but the girls were determined that they would, so they settled on Lula Herndon for the name of the first Circle and sent Mrs. Herndon the following note of notification ; '11-29-25. As a token of our appreciation for your noble work as our Y. W. A. lead- er, and to express our love for you we have named our circle the "Lula Herndon" cir- cle." Signed, Viola White. Janie Belle Odam. Willie Mae Odam. The following are the officers for the year of 1926; Leader, Mrs. M. E. Herndon. President, Miss Janie Belle Odam. Vice President, Miss Mitchel Williams, Secreary, Miss Willie Mae Odam. Treasurer, Miss Sudie White Pianist, Miss Willarree Tate. Chairman of the Personal Service Commit- tee, Miss Lucile Dixon. The following is the report of the work done during the months of January, Feb- ruary, and March, 1926; 1926 Program for Missions $45.26 ... Personal Service Report. 295 Held one service at County Home .... 1 Visits to the sick 213 Trays given to poor and sick 23 Flowers given 7 Hours of nursing sick 48 Bibles given 3 Religious visits made 18 Talks with the unconverted 7 Garments given to the poor 8 Gifts to the Baptist Orphanage valued at $6.25. Money sent to South Mountain Insti- tute $12.80. The Y. W. A. is now in the midst of its life. It has never been in better condition, and if the present spirit of work and ser- vice continues, it is going to be one of the mightiest forces for good in this town. It is now the most enthusiastic Y. W. A. in the Kings Mountain association. It is to be regretted so much that we cannot get our young men interested as much in the mission work as we can the young ladies. This is the weakest point in all of our Baptist program. This is a lame place that must be repaired, or something desperate is going to take place. The B. Y. P. U. is supposed to supply this need, but we do not have enough of our young men enlisted in that work. Something must be done. 296 THE SUNBEAMS, WHERE ORGANIZ- ED, THEIR LEADERS. The Sunbeam Band was organized at Kings Mountain some time during the year of 1904. The exact date is not known, but it must have been during the latter part of the year as no mention is made of the or- ganization in the associationai minutes for that year. In fact no mention is made of the Sunbeams here until 1906, then only a mere mention is made of it. Miss Lula Carpenter, who is now Mrs. Elmer Herndon, and Miss Jessie Baum- gardner, who is now Mrs. Herbert Erwin, organized the little band and were the first leaders. They were very enthusiastic young ladies, and put their soul into the work. This made it very interesting to the child- ren, and from that day until this, the Sun- beams have been loyal to the work of the Kingdom. Miss Carpenter served until January 1907, when she went to Charlotte to become a student in Elizabeth College. This left the Band with but one leader, so Miss Emma Cornwell was elected to fill the place made vacant by Miss Carpenter's go- ing to college. Miss Cornwell is now Mrs. Emma Austelle. She served until Septem- ber 1909, when she went to Limestone Col- 297 lege. This left the little band without a leader once more, so they elected Mrs. Forest Floyd to fill the place made vacant by Miss Cornwell's going to college. Mrs. Floyd entered jnto the work with all of her soul, as she does everything she under- takes. She served from 1909 until the fall of 1915 when she gave way for a little while and Mrs. J. R. Miller and Mrs. D. F. Hord took charge to keep the work going. Mrs. Floyd took charge again during the early part of 1916 and served until Sep- tember 1925. During this time, Mrs. Floyd taught nearly every junior boy and girl in the church. Nearly all of the young people in the church today were once Sunbeams and love Mrs. Floyd because they were. She is gifted in getting up all kinds of pro- grams suitable for children, and too, she is quite an artist when it comes to designing little things for the children. She has spent more time in making charts and things of that kind to keep the children interested than any one else in this town. She has trained more children for the work than any other lady we have in our church. She does not have charge of the Sunbeams now, but she still loves the children and at- tends their meetings all that she can. Mrs. Doris Littlejohn has the work at present, and is doing nicely with it. She has a large 298 band of the little folks, and will have many more when the weather conditions become such that the little folks can get out. They meet two Sunday afternoons in each month but when the weather is bad they cannot attend. This makes the work a little diffi- cult for the leader, but it is hoped that all of this may be removed when the weather gets warm in the spring and summer of this year, 1926. The Sunbeams have been great givers ac- cording to what they have had to give. Be- low, we are giving the amounts they have paid to the different objects during the years of their existence: 1909, they gave fifty dollars and ninety four cents and had thirty five enrolled. 1910, they gave thirty five dollars and had forty enrolled. 1911, they gave fifty two dollars and six- ty one cents, but the number enrolled is not given. 1919, they gave forty three dollars and sixteen cents. 1913, they gave twenty seven dollars and forty nine cents. 1914, they gave twenty six dollars and thirteen cents. 1915, they gave twenty eight dollars and thirty five cents. 1916, they gave eleven dollars and fifty 299 five cents and had fifty six enrolled. 1917, they gave twenty four dollars and seventy five cents, and had sixty enrolled. 1919, they gave sixty six dollars and twenty cents and had sixty enrolled. 1920, they gave one hundred dollars and had thirty one enrolled. 1921, they gave ninety two dollars and sixty six cents. 1922, they gave seventy eight dollars and ninety five cents and had forty one en- rolled. 1923, they gave thirty one dollars and thirty one cents. 1924, they gave thirty three dollars and forty cents. 1925, they gave thirty two dollars and twenty eight cents and had twenty five enrolled. The greatest number enrolled in any one year was ninety two. That was the year the corner stone of the new church build- ing was laid. They had as much enthusi- asm then as they have ever had. They paid for one of the art glass win- dows in the church. The window is very easily located. It has the rising sun in it. and is located on the east side of the build- ing. They have put on programs at the annu- al W. M. W. associations, and have given 300 some very interesting programs for the monthly meetings of the missionary socie- ty at home. The following cut shows who they are and what they are. The only regret that we have here is that we do not have the cooperation of the parents in this great work. Many of the parents do not realize what our Sunbeam leaders are trying to do for our children. ____ _ . SUNBEAMS i As the years come and go, can we not 301 pray for them and encourage them more than we have in the past? Ah! what would the world he to us, If the childre|m were no more? j We should dread the desert behind us Worse than tihe dark before. i Come to me, oh, ye children, And whisper in my ear, Wihat the birds and the wind are singing In your sun|ny a tmic sphere. Ye are better tihain all the ballads That ever were sung or said, For ye are living poems And all the rest are dead. \ \ ' , 802 THE GIRLS' AUXILIARY When Organized, By Whom, First Leader, Number of Charter Members, the Present Number, The Circles, What the Work Means to the Church. The Girls' Auxiliary is an organization fostered by the Women's Missionary So- ciety to train girls between the ages of twelve and sixteen in missionary work. This is one of the most important organ- izations we have in the Baptist program. It gets the young girls interested in the Lord's work at the age when they are de- ciding life's calling, and when the Girls' Auxiliary is conducted as it should be, oft- enables many of them to decide to an- swer the Master's call to go as missionar- ies, or to become pastor's assistants. The G. A.'s were not organized at Kings Mountain until May 17th, 1925. Mrs. Floyd became interested in the work and spoke to the pastor about it several times during the spring. He encouraged her all that he could, but held back some because she was the leader of the Sunbeams, and it was very evident that she would have to take charge of the new organization. But as soon as we found that we had another who could man- 303 304 age the Sunbeams skillfully, the project was launched, so on May 17th, 1925, the G. A.'s were organized with six girls pres- ent. They were Anabel Black, Sue Hord, Sarah Hambright, Ahna McKnight, Julia White, and Helen Logan. Since then sever- al more have joined so that today, they have about twenty girls enlisted in this work. They elected Anabel Black for their first president, and Sue Hord, secretary. They have the work divided into two cir- cles. One of them is called The Busy Bees, and the other The Willing Workers. The girls are very enthusiastic over their work, Last year when we went on our annual ex- cursion to Thomasville Baptist Orphanage, these girls took thirty one little dresses they had made themselves and gave them to the children in one of the homes at that place. The first year of their history has not passed yet, but it is quite evident that they are going to be a standard organization from the very beginning. Mrs. Floyd loves the girls, and is doing all that she can for them. We have many more girls who ought to be enlisted in this work. 305 THE ROYAL AMBASSADORS Organization of The Royal Ambassadors, Their First Leader, Number of Their Char- ter Members, Name Becomes The Forest Floyd Chapter of Royal Ambassadors, The Present Leader, And The Work They Are Doing. The Royal Ambassadors of the First Baptist church of Kings Mountain were or- ganized October 21st, 1916. The names of twenty eight charter members were en- rolled, and the following officers elected: Ambassador in Chief, Ben Beach. First Assistant Ambassador, Ernest White. Chapter Secretary, Marvin Ledford. Chapter Treasurer, Jake Dixon. Chapter Collector, John Stowe. Chapter Librarian, Hunter Caldwell. Chief Counsellor, Mrs. M. E. Herndon. This was a fine outfit for the beginning. Out of this number has come some of the very best boys the nation affords. Ben Beach is now a regularly ordained Bap- tist preacher, and one who is making his mark in the work of the Kingdom. Mar- vin Ledford is making good as a banker at Gastonia. All of the others are doing well, and it is very evident that the R. A.'s had 306 much to do with their being real men. Marvin Ledford made the following re- port of the work some time after it was organized: "There is not but three of the officers serving now* The chief councilor, Mrs. Herndon, chapter secretary, and chapter collector. The other officers drop- ped out. These were ambassador in chief, Ben Beach, who has gone away to school, first assistant ambassador, Ernest White, who dropped out and is now married. Chapter Treasurer, Jake Dixon, who is also married, Chapter Librarian, Hunter Caldwell. Dewey Weir was elected in Hun- ter's place, but he, too, has dropped out. We then appointed the chapter secretary to serve as treasurer until the next elect- ion of officers November 4th., 1917. "The Order of Royal Ambassador was adopted and we decided that we would hold two meetings every month when there is not any church service. "At first we adopted the rule of having £ach member to pay a due of ten cents a month, but now we have done away with 'that rule and take collections. We have had twenty three meetings in our first year of our work, one picnic, one camp fire, and one fishing trip. "We have had five new members added to our roll during the year, but fifteen of 307 the original members dropped out. We have had an average attendance of nine boys each meeting. "We are planning for a larger band of boys next year. We are planning for a bet- ter program next year. We are planning to have one missionary study course each month, and that we will study to make a better record next year. We are going to have a celebration our birthday, October, 29th., 1917." Marvin, Ledford, Secretary, This report is given almost verbatim. It shows what the boys were doing ten years ago. The Royal Ambassadors are doing ex- ceedingly well now, but for sometime dur- ing the early part of the twenties, the 1 chapter went down. The leaders went away, or grew to be so large that they were too big to take part in such an organ- ization, and so the chapter dropped down so that there was not any organization at all, but on August 9th., 1923, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Saunders reorganized the chapter and named it The Forest Floyd Chapter of Royal Ambassadors. It still bears this name. It is doing the best work at all. During the latter part of the years 1925 f Mr. and Mrs. Saunders moved to Char- 308 lotte, and thus left the Chapter without a leader. This caused a little confusion, but it was not long until the W. M. U. found one, Mrs. Charlie Stowe, who has charge of the organization at this time. The first of the year of 1926, she decided that the work was too much for her, and so re- signed, but the ladies did all they could to keep her in the work as she was a mother and knew so much about boys. Mrs. Floyd volunteered to help her in the work, and the pastor decided that he would help all that he could. So all together have made it go thus far in the year. The Chapter now has about thirty members, and the boys seem to be very much interested. The lead- ers have taken the boys on one picnic to Linwood, and other trips are being plan- ned. The work is very encouraging, and it is hoped that the brightest day is just be- fore us. This is one of the best organiza- tions we have in out church, but it, like nearly all of the other organizations needs our sympathy and our prayers. Such things will not run by themselves. The par- ents must encourage thier boys to attend and take the interest in the work that it takes to make it worth while to the boys. It is more than a social meeting, and when it is run as it should be, it means so much to the boys. Boys want organizations now, 309 and if they do not get religious ones, they will take to almost anything and as you know we have some that are very detri- mental to their spiritual development. The boy cannot have too many props placed around him during the adolescent age* The Royal Ambassadors do for him what nothing else can, or will do. For the coming- ages, let us, as a church do our part for our boys, and keep them encouraged to at- tend and keep the Forest Floyd Chapter of Royal Ambassadors in working order. When one bunch becomes too large for the organization, let us gather up others to take their places. We have plenty of boys of all ages and sizes, and we can supply every organization we have for all ages to come. 311 CHAPTER XL B. Y.P. U. When Organized, Different Organizations, The Present Organization, The Manner of the Early B. Y. P. IL, The Literature Used, Who Belonged To It, The Juniors, The Intermediates Organized, Their Lead- ers, and the Work As It Is Today, The City B. Y. P. U. Organized. The Baptist Young People's Union is one of the best organizations the Baptist de- nomination has ever added to its program. For years we had nothing to utilize the energy of our young people, or to develop them into useful members. Twenty five years ago there were not many Baptist young people enlisted in any kind of work, You seldom saw a young man, or a young lady teaching a class in Sunday School, or taking a leading part in any way, but now, since we have had the B. Y. P. U. work going on for a few years, you can find young men and young women doing all kinds of church work. They are learn- ing how to work for their Master. Nearly every church of any importance in town or country, today, has a good wide awake B. Y. P. U. No church can be without one or 312 more of them. The First Baptist church of Kings Moun- tain conceived the idea of having a B. Y. P. U. early in the twentieth century, pos- sibly as early as 1904. They had a good one in 1905 with thirty six members. Will D. McDaniel was the president of it. The re- cords do not state how long it had been organized, nor how long W. D. McDaniel served at president, but he must have serv- ed for two, or possibly three years. The minutes of the association give his name as president for more than one year. This first organization died before 1908. B. Y. P. U.'s were hard to keep alive when they were first organized. Many a good organi- zation died soon after it was begun. This was caused by the officers missing the meeting of the Unions, or because no one knew how to lead. It will not do for the of- ficers to miss now. It will kill almost any of the Unions we have although they are stronger than they once were. When it was reorganized November 1908, Fred McMillan was elected president, Victor Hambright, vice president, Miss Margaret Kendrick, secretary, Daisy Car- penter, treasurer, and Attie Weir, pianist. Prof. J. S. Huneycutt, Forest Floyd, and Clara Carpenter, the program committee. The record does not state how many mem- 313 bers were enrolled, but there must have been quite a number of them. The following list is given in the old book, and this must have been those who were in the organi- zation; N. F. McMillan, C. S. Elam, F. Floyd, M. E. Herndon, P. D. Herndon, V. 0. Hambright, S. S. Weir, C. H. Broward, Miss Margaret Kendrick, Mrs. Mary Lip- ford, J. E. Lipford, Clara Carpenter, Mrs. Callie Carpenter, Daisy Carpenter, Cora Baumgardner, Emma Cornwall, Rossie Kendrick, Delia Hord, Ethel Hord, Jennie Hord, Ethel Lindsay, Mrs. E. J. Abbott, Mrs. Cora Floyd, Attie Weir, Mabel Weir, Ethel Abbott, S. J. Huneycutt, Josie Baum- gardner, A. B. Putnam, Frank Weir, Mrs. R, C. Baker, Mrs. J. W. Stroup, C. L. Con- rad, W. D. McDaniel, D. F. Hord, Mrs. D. F, Hord, Mrs. E. L. Ware, Mae Patterson. There is still another old roll with many more names on it, but as this seems to be the oldest one, it is the only one I will give in this sketch. These names are familiar to all of the old members of the church, and I am sure that many memories of those days will come back to them as they read this list of names that was called so many times while the B. Y. P. U. work was in its beginning. Many of those whose names have been given here have gone to their long home, and will never answer to ano- 314 SENIOR B. Y. P. V. OFFICERS 815 ther B. Y. P. U. roll call. The B. Y. P. U. that was organized at this time had its meeting at different times of the week. At first, it met at three thirty o'clock on Sunday afternoons, and some of the time it met on Wednesday evenings. The church did not have a resi- dent pastor, and there was no regular prayer meeting, so the young people used the prayer meeting hour for their work. Some of those early programs were very interesting. They discussed some very practical questions. At the second meeting, the record says that Prof. Huneycutt and Miss Clara Carpenter read papers on the "Duties and Opportunities of Young Peo- ple." At the January meeting, the president discussed the twenty third Psalm, and then they had a very interesting paper read by Miss Cora Baumgardner on "Growing Old, a Habit." This was followed by a paper on 'A Remedy for the Downcast." In those days their meetings were full of "pep." They made them practical, and put their souls into the work. Let us notice the minute of the meeting of January 17th., 1909. The minute reads thus; "B. Y. P. U. opened January 17th by singing "Throw out the life line." The so- ciety was then lead in a very earnest pray- er by Mr. Beach, followed by singing 316 'Ring the Bells of Heaven.' The scripture lesson was next read by the president (Fred McMillan), after which Miss Emma Cornwell read a very in- teresting paper The First Dry Victory in Our Country', also a paper by Miss Daisy Carpenter on 'The Saloon Keeper Hastens His Own Ruin.' Mr. Floyd sung 'Have Courage My Boy, to say No.' Then Miss Delia Hord read a paper on 'Commerce Does Not Follow the Jug.' Mr. Broward made a talk on 'Employers Insist That Men Quit Drinking.' Then a quartette was sung by Misses Daisy and Clara Carpenter and Elmer Herndon and C. S. Elam. 7 ' This must have been an interesting meeting. The subjects show what they were thinking about at that time. Many of our young people do not known anything about the terrible fight we had with the booze questions, but this program shows that everything was lined up against it at that time. They had much music in their meetings during the first years of the organization of the B. Y. P. U. They had a good male quartette, and occasionally they had a violin solo. This added so much to their meetings, and made their programs so much more in- teresting. Music has such a wonderful place in the worship of God. It always adds 317 to a service when it is rendered as it should be. Our B. Y. P. LPs. would be so much better now if we had more music in them. The second organization lasted until the year of 1911, or possibly 1912. It died just about the time the old house was torn down. It may have died just a little before that time but the exact time of its death cannot be ascertained. Several things con- tributed to its death. The trouble over the Earaca and Philathea classes was one cause, and choir troubles were another. There may have been many more things that came in the way of this work and caused its death, but those mentioned above were the leading ones. It practically died during the pastorate of Rev. J. G. Graham, No mention is made of it in the early part of the pastorate of Rev. J. R. Miller. It re- mained silent for many months, but it could not stay silent forever. Brother D. F. Hord and possibly others attended a meet- ing in Charlotte early in the spring of 1919, and caught a vision of the work and came back home and organized the B. Y. P. U. work anew. He and his wife took charge of it until Prof. Nye came here a little later, then he took charge of the sen- ior work and Brother Hord and his wife took charge of the Junior work. 818 This new organization is still living. It has been very weak some of the time but at present it is vigorous. It now has more than thirty members, and the work it is doing is very satisfactory indeed. The ma- jority of the members are working hard and are trying to make the programs in- 5 teresting to all. The Bible reading is on the increase, and those who take part on the program are studying more than they once did. They are trying to do their part with- out using- their quarterlies. The present outlook is very encouraging. The Junior B. Y. P. U. was organized Some time before the Intermediates. Broth- er D. F, Hord and his wife had charge of this department of the work until a few years ago. The work grew constantly while they had charge of it, and they still look back upon their work with the children in the Junior B. Y. P. U. as one of the most pleasant experiences of their lives. When Mr. and Mrs. Hord gave up the work, Mrs. J. S, Norman took charge of it. She did not keep it very long until she had to give it up because of other duties. Miss Lorene Corhwell then took charge of it and kept it until she had to give it up to go to college in the fall of 1925. Miss Elizabeth Elam then took charge of it and has had it until this time. Both of these young wo- 319 JUNIOR B. Y. P. V. men have done good work with the child- ren. Miss Cornwell is a natural leader of children. She can adapt herself to almost any condition, and her talent for music makes her one of the best suited young ladies for work among children to be found anywhere. She can take charge of almost any kind of meeting and handle it as skill- fully as a lawyer. She can go out with a bunch of athletes and lead them in all of their yells, and do it as gracefully as ever you have seen. She is one of the most tal- ented young ladies the writer has ever known. All she needs is a good college: course to help her to know many things she otherwise cannot know. She has nat- ural ability to do great things for God. Mary Elizabeth Elam is but a child, but has many noble characteristics. She took charge of the Junior B. Y. P. U. work last year, 1925, and she has worked hard with the children until now. She knows a great deal about children and loves them tender- ly. She is destined to make a great worker for the Dord. She has much ability, and when she becomes a woman, she is going to have a place in the front ranks of the army of the Lord. Miss Corrie Huffstetler is her assistant at present. She is one &£ our most consecrated young women. The Intermediates were organized the 821 year of Rev. J. 0. Fulbright's pastorate. Miss Sarah Roberts seems to have been their first leader. Brother D. F. Hord was with her in the meetings to help her keep order and arrange the programs. She did not serve very long until she had to go away to school* Miss Viola White took charge of the work the latter part of the summer of 1923. She took charge either the last of August, or the first of September. She has kept the work until now. It is needless to say that she has done well. This is too evident for any one to question in the least. The children all love her and try to do what she says. She has always had a room full of them. She now has about thirty five, and will have more when spring opens up in full. She is one of the most consecrated young women we have in our church. She really loves the Lord, and does all that she can to help the work in every way she can. She is a neice of Rev. A. M. Ross who did such a noble work here as pastor in 1900. She never misses her meet- ings, and always has something good to say to the boys and girls. Senior C. is the second B. P. P. U. to be organized in the First Baptist church. It has not been organized very long. It was organized the first of the year of 1926, with fourteen members. It now has twenty four. 323 SENIOR C, B. V". P. U, 324 Anabel Black is the president of this Union, Elmer Logan, secretary, Paul Mc- Knight, corresponding secretary, J. L. Loden, Quizz Leader, and Julia White and Nina Cole group Captains, This B. Y. P. U. is just beginning to work. Its members were promoted from the Intermediates, and they have not learned just what they are expected to do, but it will not be long until it is going to be one of the very best in the church. Senior B. was organized during the summer of 1926. It is starting off well It has twenty four members and William G. Parker is president The church now has two Senior Unions, one Intermediate, and one Junior B. Y. P. U. It ought to have another Senior, and another Intermediate, and one more Junior B. Y. P. U. It cannot do the work it ought to do with the Unions it has. There are too many young people to be handled in the present organization. Plans are on foot to organize another Senior Union out of young men. These young men are to be en- listed from the Berean Class. During the autumn of 1925, it became evident that the church would have to ap- point a church B. Y. P. U. Director, so the deacons decided on Brother D. F. Hord, and he took charge at once. He has the oversight of all the B. Y. P. U. work of the 325 church. He has so many other things to do, it is hard for him to give the work the time he should, but he does exceedingly well considering the time has to give to this phase of the church's program. J. B. Keen- er has been elected associate director of the B. Y. P. U. He is a bundle of enthusi- asm and knows how to work. Last year, it became necessary to organ- ize a City B. Y. P. U., so the officers from the other B. Y. P. U's. in the city were called together at the First Baptist church to arrange a program for the organization of a city wide Union. This Union was put cn foot September 30th., 1925, and it has been an active organization since its be- ginning. The children go in droves, and are full of life when they get together. Ban- ners are given for the Unions making the best average daily Bible reading, weekly attendance, and attendance at the City Union. This causes the people to work hard for their averages. The B. Y. P. U. work is in its infancy in this town, but with the work we are hav- ing done now, it will not be long until we are going to have some of the very best in the state. Many of those who attend now have diplomas, and others are getting ready to take the Normal B. Y. P. U. man- ual. This will make it one hundred per cent. 326 Nearly all of the first members of the E. Y. P. U. have either married or moved to other towns. Will D. McDaniel, the first president of the B. Y. P. U. is a clerk in Plonk Bros. Department Store, Fred Mc- Millan, who was the president of the B. Y. P. U. in its reorganization is a lawyer in Knoxville, Tenn., and many of the others who did so much to keep the work going in the beginning are living in other towns. Some, of course, have crossed the river, and are with us no more. What they did still lives, and challenges the young people of today to do their best for the Master. May we not hope that be- fore another year, we may have seven, or eight good lively B. Y. P. U's. all in our church, and all of our young people utilized for the Master. We have some of the finest young people to be found in the state, but they are not trained in church work like they should be. The B. Y. P. U. is the only chance. No greater work has ever been projected by the Baptists of the South. Young people, get ready for service in His vineyard. The Master needs you so much. Remember the spirit of the B. Y. P. U., and ever keep II Tim. 2:15 in mind. Do what Paul told Timothy to do, and you will mean much to the Master's kingdom. iNOTe: — The old B. Y. P. U. book was found at Broth- 327 er W. D. McDaniel's. It (had been lost for a long time but he dug it up and gave it to the pastor. It states that there was a B. Y. P. U. at Kings Mountain as e&rly as Uuly 19 04. Tlhe first meeting was held tine first jSunday in August of that year. W. D. McDaniel iv as the first President, and Miss Clara Carpenter tlhe first Secretary. No vfce president was elected until the following year, then Brother D. P. Hord was elected. The following were tllie first members: Cora Bauim- gardner, Jcsie Baumgardner, Lillie Baumgardner, Clarence Baumgardner, Lula Carpenter. Daisy Carpen- ter, Clarence Carpenter, Troy Carpenter, W. F. Styers; Miss Hattie Kendrick, John Delevee, J. R. Reynolds, I. A. Norman, W. H. Caldwell. Willie Wright, Willie Morris, May Morris, D. F. Hord. Jce Kendrick; S. 8. Weir, A. B. Hord, R. S. Stroup, Noah Caldpvell; Mrs. A. P. Carpenter, Elmier Herndon, Rossie Kendrick, Lillie Wihite, Etta Saunders, Harold Sims, Frank Mc- Daniel, Hunter Patterson, Emima Cornwell, Bessie Cornwell, Margie Hord, Ethel Abbott, Evelyn Abbott-, Feral Hord. Jennie Hord, Laura Allen; Mary Kendrick; Ab. McDaniel, Martin Patterson. All of the names are given as they were written in the roll book of that day. 328 CHAPTER XII THE FIRST CLERK And Other Clerks Who Have Served From The Organization of the Church Until 1926. The Importance of the Clerk's Office. The first brother to serve this church in the capacity of clerk was Col. P. P. Hoke. He was elected when the church was or- ganized and served until 1892. He was one of the most efficient clerks the church has ever had. He it was who arranged the Ar- ticles of Faith and the Church Covenant that were so highly commended when the church was admitted into the Kings Moun- tain association, but all of these valuable documents have been lost, and it is impos- sible to restore them. But what a pity it is that they are lost. Our churches ought to be made to realize the importance of such things. J. W. Wright was elected t(> succeed Col Hoke. He served during the year of 1893. T. B. Mangum succeeded J. W. Wright* and served just one year. N. W. Ross served during the year of 1895, A. E. Clayton served during the year of 1896, W. A. Williams served during the year of 1897, T. F, Cummings during the 329 COL,. P. P. HOKE 330 year of 1898, C. T. Cornwell during the year of 1899, and Claude A. Miller served during the year of 1900. Brother Miller was a grandson of Col. Hoke. He died May 10th., 1920. His family lives at Buffalo, S. C. Brother Miller possessed much musical talent, and one of his sons is especially gifted along this line. This is Dan Miller, who is the electrician at the Buffalo Mills at Buffalo, S. C. George W. Kendrick succeeded Brother Miller, and served just one year, 1901. Brother Kendrick is dead also. He died sev- eral years ago. His widow is still living, and is one of the most consecrated women we have in our church. She lives in Kings Mountain at present. She moved here re- cently from Columbia, S. C, where she has living her daughter for some time. Brother Kendrick was succeeded by L. B. Hines who served during the year of 1902, then S. S. Weir was elected clerk and served nine successive years. Brother Weir's term of office ended 1911. Brother Weir was one of the best clerks the church has had. His minutes are very fine, and have aided much in the preparation of this little book. They are written in a legible 331 hand, and they are very clear concerning the matters under consideration. When Brother Weir resigned, Brother D. F. Hord was elected clerk, and served from 1911 until 1923. Brother Hord made an ex- ceedingly fine clerk. He was interested in work of his church, and as clerk he did his best. His minutes, like those of Brother Weir's are very fine, and have added much to this work. He wrote a good hand and made all of his points clear. He resigned in 1923 because he had had so many other duties to perform. He has always been load- ed to the breaking point with church work. When he resigned, C. E. Carpenter, grand- son of Col. Hoke, was elected clerk, and is still serving in this capacity. Clarence is one of the assistants in the Peoples Loan and Trust Company. He is a very fine clerk. He has a nice loose leaf church book now, and his minutes are typewritten. He is very ca- pable, and does his work well. We do not have the first church book. It was lost sometime in the past, possibly dur- ing the building of the new church house. No one seems to remember very much about it. It had the minutes of the first eleven years of the church's life in it. We have three books now. The oldest of them begins with 1902, or the second year of Rev. A. H. Sims' ministry here. All of the min- 332 utes prior to that time have been lost. The Articles of Faith, and the Church Covenant are also lost because the old book was lost. But very few churches have ever been so careless with their books. Bethlehem, the mother church, still has its old books, and they are very interesting indeed. All of the old church books ought to be placed in a fire-proof vault, or in a good safe some- where so that they may be preserved for future use. The writer has several old church books more than a hundred years old, and yet they are in good shape. But what became of the old book? Well no one seems to know. The country has been searched for it, but to no avail. It cannot be found. The only solution we have been able to make of it is that it was destroyed when the old church was torn down. The old books and such things as accumulated in the old pulpit were carried to Brother J. C. Baum- gardner's building on Mountain Street, placed in a box that was set in an upper room of that building. Some time later, he decided that the old papers and trash that were in the old box were worthless and had them burned. The old church book must have passed out this way. Possibly it was worn and had the back off so that it did not appear to be valuable, and found a resting place in the ashes it made, But it is gone. 333 This is perfectly plain. What a pity that the transactions of those trying years have all been lost. But there is a record of the faith- ful work done by the brethren and sisters of this church. It is on high were moth and rust do not corrupt and thieves cannot break through and steal. We have all of the minutes of the church from 1902 until now with the exception of 3903. Some of that year was missed. There is no record of the work of that year. Some say that there was not very much done, and that the pastor did not have many confer- ences. When he did, they were called con- ferences, and the clerk did not get minutes of them. There is no more important office in our churches than that of our clerks. They are the historians of our denomination. If they do their work well, we have our history, but if they fail we do not have it, and our com- plete history cannot be preserved. Much of the history of our great churches of the past is lost because our clerks did not do their work well. There ought to be a school for church clerks, and every church ought to see that its clerk attends long enough to learn how to keep records of the proceed- ings of the church conferences and such other matters as are worth wiiile for hist- ory. Some brother ought to write a book 334 on The Church Clerk. We have a small book on this line, but it is not worth much be- cause so few get hold of it. The Convention ought to take hold of it and offer some kind of reward for the study of it. Let us hope that our clerks in the future may be better than those in the past, but they do not have the chance to record the important things that those of the past had. Baptists were here when this nation was in the making and what they did should not be unnoticed, but much of it is lost, and be- cause of this, cannot be mentioned in the early history of our country. There is no Use to grieve over the past, but let us mak^ good the future, CLARENCE E. CARPENTER Our present clerk. He is a grandson of the first clerk, Col. P. P. Hoke. 336 CHAPTER XIII. THE BOARD OF DEACONS The First Baptist church has always had a good board of deacons, and the present board is no exception to the rule. The pres- ent board has eleven men on it, and all of them are capable business men. J. C. Baum- gardner is the chairman of the Board, D. F. Hord, clerk, and the following are mem- bers: R. C. Gold, G. G. Page, G. D. Ham- bright, J. R. Reynolds, J. R. Roberts, M. E. Herndon, S. S. Weir, W. K. White, and I. H. Patterson. J. C. Baumgardner is a retired business man who was in the organization of the church and has been a member of it ever since that time. He has been on the board of deacons since a few months after its organ- ization. He is now somewhat advanced in years, but is still very active and attends the meeting of the board regularly. D. F. Hord is a business man. He has charge of the D. F. Hord Furniture Company of this place. He is a most faithful member of the board and always attends the meetings. R. C. Gold is one of our grocerymen and is a very earnest member of the board. G. G. Page is the editor of our town paper, The Kings Mountain Herald. He is always at the 337 board meetings and is an earnest, zealous Baptist who wants nothing but the right thing done by the board. G. D. Hambright manages The Kings Mountain Oil Company and has other business interests here. He has been very sick for the past year and has not been able to do all that he wished to do in regard to his church, but he is a f our* square man who stands for nothing but the right. He attends all of the meetings of the board when he is able to get out. J. R. Rey- nolds runs The Leading Cafe, and feeds the people who are hungry. He runs ail up-to- date eating house, and is a highly respected citizen of our to.wn. He was one of the first two candidates to be baptised here in the beginning of the Baptist work at this place. J. R. Roberts is superintendent of The Cora Mill and is also treasurer of our church. He is a fine fellow and always tries to do his duty. M. E. Herndon is cashier of The Peo- ple's Loan and Trust Company. He is one of the very best business men we have in our town, and enjoys the confidence of all of the church and community. He has not been on the board very long, but he is the right man in the right place. S. S. Weir is our post- master, and is a very fine man. He com- mands the respect and confidence of his f el^ low citizens. L H. Patterson is the oldest member of the 338 <3ASTON UTTLEJOHX 339 On the opposite page are the cuts of the Board of Deaconsv 1. — J. C. Baumgardner 2. — M. E. Herndon 3. — R. C, Gold 4. — G. D. Hambright 5. — J. R. Reynolds \ 6— G. G. Page 7. — W. K. White 8. — J. R. Roberts 9. — I. H. Patterson 10. — S. S. Weir 11. — D. F. Hord 340 board. He is not able to get out to the meet- ings of the board very much, but is interest- ed in the work of the church, and is always ready to do anything he is needed to look after. He has been very sick for the past few months, but is now steadily regaining his strength. He is a jovial spirited man, and one of the best men we have on the board. He is not physically able to get out to the board meetings, but he is ever ready to do all that he can for the uplift of the Lord's work. He is one of the most liberal men we have, and does his part without com- plaining. Some churches may have as good a set of deacons as this one, but none has any bet- ter. All of them are men who want nothing but the right thing done. They may differ concerning matters that we have to consid- er, but their disagreements do not amount to anything. When they express themselves, they always seem to be aiming at the same thing. They are men who know the town and community, and nearly all of the folks- who live here. If the banker does not know a fellow, the postmaster does, so we have them all. So many sides of the business life of our town are represented in the board of deacons that we know every man in our town from a business standpoint, as well as a religious standpoint. 342 This last word about the board of dea- cons : can they have your support and pray- ers? The interest you take in them will largely determine what they do for the church you have elected them deacons of. They need your encouragement, your sym- pathy, and your earnest prayers. The busi- ness part of the church is in their hands, and they need all the cooperation from the members of the church they can get to make this part of the work a success. Let us ap- preciate them and labor with them to make our church as great as it can be. Our dea- cons are the executive committee of our church. If they do not get the loyal support of the members of our church, how can they manage the finances of it? How can they erect the standard of morality and clean Christian living they are supposed to if they do not get the support of the church they are deacons of? Let us do our part in trying to make our church second to none* 343 CHAPTER XIV. THE CHURCH'S PRESENT OUTLOOK Our Membership, Our Young People, Our Opportunity, Our Responsibility. The church's present outlook is a glance at the future. Thisjs rather prophetical, but we can judge the future by the things we have to reason from at the present. It is not prophecy to say that this or that will come to pass when we know that certain causes produce certain effects. Such is the case with the future of our church. When we have things arranged to do the greatest work the Baptists of the town have ever planned, we know that if we cooperate as we should, we are going to accomplish the desired results. The first noticeable thing we wish to mention is the opportunity we have for Sunday School work. It is unparalelled in the history of the church. We now have nine hundred and eight enrolled in the Sun- day School, and we have the opportunity of enrolling two hundred more if we will work as we should. The people are here, and they want to attend, and they will at- tend our church and Sunday School if we make them know that we want them. Folks 344 are funny beings these days. They will not attend church and Sunday School without a great big invitation, and it underscored twice. The spirit of advertising has become so great that folks depend on it altogether, and they will not go to church if they are not invited as warmly as they can be. Then too, you must shake their hands when they go as heartily as you have invited them. If our church tries worth while, it can have one thousand in Sunday School with a reg- ular attendance of eight hundred during the year of 1926 and 1927. The second thing that we must mention is our young people. We have the most of them in our church that can be found in a church the size of this anywhere in the state. Our church has them by the dozens, and they are intelligent too. We have a number of college graduates, and a num- ber of high school graduates to help us with our different organizations. We do not have all of them utilized, but we have them and we are to blame for not having them enlisted. The church has the most wonderful opportunity with its young peo- ple that it has in any phase of its work. We have singers, teachers, leaders, and young folks to do anything we need to have done for the Master if we only had them organ- ized and trained for service. We have 845 enough of them to organize four senior B. Y. P. LPs., and still have enough reserves to make up all deficiencies. We have enough good singers to have one of the best choirs in the city, and even in the state. We have enough young folks, and they are intelligent enough to have one of the best choruses to be found anywhere. But why do we not have it? Is it not be- cause we do not have the interest in the work that we should have? Nothing else can be in the way. How will this interest come about? By the parents of the children encouraging them to do their best work for the Master. The third matter we wish to notice in closing this little book is the outlook for the town. This town is destined to grow in- to an enormous city of many thousands. Now, it is an accepted fact that a large percent of the population of the south are Baptists. With the increase in the popula- tion of the town, will not the membership of the church grow in proportion with the town? It most surely will. If our church will keep up with the growth of the town, it will soon double its membership, and this will mean that it will have more than a thousand members before very long. It now has nearly five hundred, and is hoping to close this year with five hundred ac~ 346 tive members. What does our church need most? What do you think that it needs most? Is it money? No, it is not money. Is it more or- ganizations and better ones? No, we do not have enough organization, and what we have are not as good as they should be, but that is not what we need most. Is it a lar- ger membership that we need most? Well, we could use many more members than we have, and we need every Baptist who lives within the bounds of our church, but this is not what we need most? But you say, "What is it then?" Well, I'll tell you, and when I do, will you remember it for all time to come? It is deeper consecration to God. How we fail on this point. We can never do the Lord's bidding until we com- pletely dedicate all that we have to the Lord and His work. If we had the conse- cration that we should have, we could do anything we wished to. Our Sunday School annex would be a small undertaking, and anything else we undertook for the Lord would be as nothing, if we were consecra- ted to the Lord's work as we should be. Then let us for all the years to come, lay all that we are and all that we have upon the altar of God and let Him use it to His glory. Let us make church life so attrac- tive that those who do not know Him mav 347 desire to know him because of what he does for us. Let us live so close to Him that we will not feel that we are not at home in the Lord's house, but that we may feel so much so that we may look for the vacant places and do our best to fill them without being invited to do so. The choir will always be full if we do this, and the treasurer's bank account will always be large enough to en- able him to pay all of his bills, and then have a nice balance in the bank. CHAPTER XV. 7) THE CHURCHES ROUND ABOUT Bethlehem, The Second Church, Macedonia Their Membership, Pastors, and Their Sunday Schools. The First Baptist church at Kings Mountain received its first members from several churches, but the most of them came from Bethlehem Baptist church. Bethlehem is located about five miles out in the country in a very fine community. Bethlehem became an arm of Antioch Baptist church in 1841. Several Baptists were living in the community of Bethlehem at that time (the community was called White Plains) being so far removed from any Baptist church decided that they would build a meeting house and asked the Baptist church at Antioch to make them an arm so that they could receive mem- bers and baptise them. Their request was granted and they began work for their Lord. Elder R. P. Logan began preaching for them, and held services for several months with great success. The Lord seem- ed to be well pleased with their efforts, and so the brethren decided that they would become a regularly organized church. To 349 BETHLEHEM BAPTIST OHCKCSH 350 carry out their plans, the following pres- bytery was called to assist in the organi- zation of the church: Elder Drury Dob- bins, Elder R. P. Logan, together with th£ deacons of the surrounding Baptist churches. After the presbytery was organ- ized, the following members presented let- ters to become members of the new church ; Elder R. P. Logan, Belinda Logan, James Alton, Elizabeth Alton Zechariah Earls, Preston Harmon, Elizabeth Har- mon, Elijah Spurling, Susan Spurling, Nancy Collins, Nathan Earls, Mariah Lutz, Benjamin Watterson, Sarah Spur- ling^ Elizabeth Spurling, John McArthur, William Camp, Mary Patterson, David H, Harmon, Mary Watterson, Louisa Earls, Sarah Earls, Jemmima Earls, Marths Jar- rell, Talitha McArthur, and Fannie Camp, This meeting was held the 16th day of July, 1842. Zecheriah Earls, James Alton, and Pres- ton Harmon were elected the first deacons. The church records were kept by Elder R, P. Logan until B. Goforth joined. He was elected to fill the clerk's place, and thus became the first regular church clerk, Bethlehem Baptist church is located on the Dixon Gap road in Cleveland county about ten miles south east of Shelby. The Dixon Gap road leads from Shelby to York, S. C, 351 five miles west of Kings Mountain, and about two miles from the point where the Airline rail road crosses the Dixon Gap road. The land upon which the church was built was given to the church by Dr. Thomas Williams of Shelby. Bethlehem Baptist church joined the Kings Mountain Baptist association in 1854. It must have been a member of the Broad River until this time. Rev. W. N. Cook is the present pastor of Bethlehem church. He has been with them but a short time, but has made some wonderful strides in the work. The church ip getting ready to build a new house of worship. They have a unique idea for rais- ing the money with which to build it. They have set apart a number of acres of land to be used for this purpose. The land is in cot- ton. The cotton is to be sold and the pro- ceeds to be applied to the building fund. SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH The Second Baptist church at Kings Mountain was organized June 13th., 1915. Ihe presbytery was composed of Revs. John R. Miller, B. B. Hill, and W. V. Mess. The following deacons served also; J. C. Baumgardner, C. T. Cornwell, Forest Floyd, G. D. Hambright, J. R. Roberts, 352 and D. F. Hord from Kings Mountain Baptist church, and T. A. Gladden from Crowder's Mountain Baptist church. John R. Miller was elected moderator and D. P. Hord secretary. The door of the church was opened and twenty seven came for- ward. They were as follows : R. L. Chaney, J. G. Riddle, Carl Presley, Cicero Peeler, L. C. England, Hugh Williams, Ira Brid- ges, J. T. Baurngardner, W. H. Baumgard- ner, W. H. Gantt, D. D. Lankford, G. W. Bridges, J. B. Bruce, C. F. Turner, R. P. Green, and Sisters R. L. Chaney, Mrs. J. H. Riddle, R. P. Green, Mrs. Mina Tate, Mrs. W. H. Gantt, Mrs. J. F. Baurngardner, Mrs. G. W. Bridges, Mrs. L. C. England, Mrs. Lula Putnam, Miss Docia Riddle, and Miss Ola Baurngardner. The church now has a membership of two hundred and fifty SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH 353 eight. It has a v6ry fine Sunday School and good B. Y. P. U's. Rev. W. N. Cook is the present pastor. He succeeded Dr. H. V. Tanner* The following have served as pastor: Rev. John R. Miller, 1915 ; Rev. L. A. Ban- gle, 1915-1918; Rev. John Hicks, 1918; Rev, J. W. Davis served for sometime. After him came Dr. Tanner and the last and pres- ent pastor, Rev. W. N. Cook. The church seems to be in a good working condition at present. It is located in the northern part of the town near the Cora Mill. MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH Macedonia Baptist church was organiz- ed October 31st, 1920, Rev. J, J, Hicks seems to have taken the lead in the work. He was pastor at East Kings Mountain Baptist church at this time, and seems to have been preaching at the Park Yarn Mill occasionally. The First Baptist church and the Second church were both invited to take part in the organization of this church. The following from East Kings Moun- tain Baptist church, now known as the Second church, were present; Rev. J. J. Hicks, H. B. King, J. C. King, J. A. Cul- bertson, R. L. Chaney, J. A. Hutchins, Mrs. H. B. King, Miss Bertha King, Miss Sadie King and Miss Martha King. From the First Baptist church the fol- lowing were present; Rev. J. 0. Fulbright, Prof. F. C. Nye, C. T. Cornwell, R. C. Gold J. R. Roberts, J. R. Reynolds, D. F. Horrl, W. D. Weaver, G. D. Hambright, G. G. Page, H. W. Williams, W. F. Styers, W. H. Caldwell, Joe Lee Woodward, Marvin Led- ford, W. A. Morris, E. B. Bridges, L. C, England, Wm. G. Parker, and Smiley Burnette. The following sisters were pres- ent; Mrs. F. C. Nye, Mrs. D. F. Hord, Mrs. R. C. Gold, Mrs. C. T. Cornwell, Mrs. W. A. Morris, Mrs. J. E. Lipford, Mrs. C. F. Stowe, Mrs. J. R. Roberts, Miss Margaret 355 Kendiiek, Miss Sarah Robarfii and Miss Bessie Weaver. Rev. J. 0. Fulhright was elected modera- tor of the presbytery and Brother B. F. Hord, secretary. The door of the church Was opened and the following members indented thtm- selves: R. A. Bookout, W. H, Moss, Char** lie Bridges. G. B. Morris, J. H. Stafford, Theodore Moss, and S. C. Jollay, and the following: sisters ; Mrs. R. A. Bookout, Mrs, Novella Phillips, Mrs. W. H. Moss, Mrs. S. C, Jollav, Mrs. J. H. Stafford, and Misi Laney Moss. Brethren W. H. Moss, R. A. Bookout, S. S< Jollay, and Theodore Moss were elected to serve as deacons. These brethren were duly ordained before the meeting adjourn-* ed. Rev. J. J, Hicks wag called to serve as Pastor of the new church and he accepted; Fe served until Sentember 1924. Rev* Clarence Wylie ws* then called and served one year. Brother Wes]e^ Davis was called to succeed him. He e«rwd a p^v, of $ year. The church then called Rev. W. T. Doster of Shelby. This church has some of the best work- ers in Kings Mountain in it, and it is do- ing 5 a great work. The greatest draw back it has is the pastoral service it gets. It 356 hag always had a good mail for pistoj*, but It has ilivir had a pastor to live here go that he could do the pastoral Work the church needs- We hope that the Executive Committee of the Kings Mountain asso- ciation may see their way clear to help this itrugfliriR church some so that it can call a pastor for full time, or for full half time at least and trive the Lord's work a fair showing at the Margrace and the Park Yarn. (Now, my story is over. The task has been great, but it has been a pleasant one. May this little story of service and sacri- fice £o forth through the years to come to comfort, cheer, smd enliven those who must; follow us\ May the peace of God which passeth all understanding rest upon all those of whom this little book tells the story. This little book lavs no claim to perfec- tion, but the author has done the very best he could With what he had to write from. The story is ps complete as he could make it. He might have done better if he had not had a heavy pastorate to care for while he Was writing* it. You will find several grammatical mistakes in it. They have been hard to keep out. So many things en- ter into the make up of a book that it is almost impossible to keep all of the mis- 357 takes out, but we have done the best we could on it. Read its pages with all the sympathy that you can, admire the heroic faith of its actors, and you will not think of the few mistakes that have been left in it. This last word— do not throw this little book around and allow it to get destroyed, It will be verv valuable some day; so take care of it and hand it down to those who are to follow us.) 358 DATE DUE DEMC O 38-297 Ni.ei7Z093oa