USA > North Carolina > Historic sketch of the Reformed Church in North Carolina > Part 9
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The Mt. Hope congregation of the Guilford Charge was organized by the Rev. G: W. Welker, D.D., with members who came from Coble's Church, a union Lutheran and Reformed Church, about 1847 or 1848. Dr. Welker had preached on Sunday evenings at Neece's School House for some time near where the church was afterwards built. Then a brush arbor was built, which soon gave way to a better one covered with boards. The first church, a brick building, was erected in 1851. The mason work was done by Henry Ryder, the wood work by Daniel Welker and Elias Neece. The land was given by David Neece. The principal families who were members and helped build the church were the Fousts, Neeces, Clapps, Corsbies,
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Phipps, and others. John Foust, Christian Foust, John Corbsie and John W. Phipps were the first Elders. Dr. A. A. Phipps led the singing, taught the first Bible class, and the first public school. The first person buried in the cemetery was Emanuel C. Phipps. The first funeral sermon preached in the church was by Rev. Simon Scherer, a Lutheran minister. Elder John Foust was the first Superintendent of the Sunday School and served until his death in 1861. He was one of the best of men, a sincere and earnest Christian. He loved God's Word and his fellow men. The Sunday School at Mount Hope has never closed its doors, and now numbers about 140 members. For more than a quarter of a century Elder J. R. Woods has been Superintendent. Dr. Welker's ashes rest in the "God's Acre" near the church he loved and served so long and faithfully. Mary R. Neece, wife of Chris- tian Neece, was the first person confirmed after the church was organized. Every fall up to the beginning of the Civil War a campmeeting was held, at which Revs. Fetzer, Butler and Dr. Ingold did the preaching. Between the years 1854 and 1858 a large number of middle-aged men, heads of families, were converted and joined the church, and a great change for good was made in the community. One memorable instance of these meetings was the conversion of Henry Shep- ard. He had been a slave to strong drink. He often said that from the hour of his conversion God took away all his taste for drink. He lived and died a monument of God's grace. The church suffered more or less during the war. After it was over it again
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revived. The old church having become too small, about 1875 or 1876 the present church was built. In the fall of 1878 a protracted meeting was held at which Rev. J. W. Cecil did the preaching. His wife who was an earnest Christian worker was with him. God's Spirit was poured out upon the church as never before, and on October 13, 1878, 64 united with the church. It was a blessed day. How the people and the old pastor rejoiced together! The most of them were young men and women in the beginning of life. Mt. Hope is justly proud of her young men who have gone to other fields. Among them are Charles A. Starr, who died in early manhood just as he was beginning to preach; Rev. W. H. McNairy, pastor at Lenoir, N. C .; C. B. McNairy, M.D., a successful physician at the same place; Charles H. Mebane, a lawyer and ex- President of Catawba College, at Newton, N. C., and ex-State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Rev. J. D. Andrew, of Burlington, N. C., who was for some years the popular pastor of the Guilford Charge; and student Clarence Woods, who is preparing for the min- istry. The church now has a membership of 200, and although without a pastor for nearly five years, she is strong and vigorous, ready and willing to do the Master's service.
Mt. Hope Church is a monument to its founder, Rev. Dr. Geo. W. Welker, a brief sketch of whose life follows.
REV. GEORGE WILLIAM WELKER, D.D.
George William Welker, eldest son of Daniel and Anna M. Welker, was born near Greencastle, Penn-
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sylvania, November 3, 1817. His mother began his rudimentary training in letters and religion in his early childhood. He fitted for college partly under Rev. Robert Kennedy, a Presbyterian minister. He took his literary and theological course at Mercersburg, graduating with distinction in 1841. His eulogy on Dr. Rauch, a rare production for one of his age, was one of the incidents of his college life, for which he was chosen by his fellows. It was published in pamphlet form and copies may yet be found. The late Rev. Jeremiah Ingold, D. D., his bosom friend through a long life, and he left Mercersburg for North Carolina in the fall of 1841 in a private conveyance, one fur- nishing the horse, the other the vehicle. His diary of the journey is a vivid picture of the social, intel- lectual and spiritual young man, and of the life and customs of the people on the route. It breathes fervent love for home, kindred and native land; con- tains keen observations and discriminating criticisms of what he saw and heard; gives a clear view of his varied emotions of joy, hope and anxiety as to what the future may bring forth; and through it all a firm trust in the leadings of his Father's hand, and abso- lute loyalty to His service. This diary is a prophecy of his future life and work. On Saturday, October 23d, the young theologues reached Father Brown's at Bridgewater, Virginia, and spent the Sabbath with him. Dr. Welker preached and was greatly encour- aged by this veteran of the Cross. After sixteen wearisome days they reached Dr. Ingold's home and the "Brick Church," the scene of Dr. Welker's future
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life's work. After preaching in various parts of the Classis during the fall and winter, he received and accepted a call from the Guilford Charge, and in March, 1842, was installed to a pastorate that lasted fifty-one years. Even a bird's-eye view of this event- ful career cannot be crowded into this sketch. The strength and vigor of his sermons brought him into immediate public notice, and made him the idol of his own people and of the Classis. One of the younger ministers of the Classis, a native of Davidson County, speaks of him thus: "Dr. Welker, for many years the most striking personage in the Classis, was very popu- lar in Davidson County. He and Rev. Thomas Long were great friends. I remember how we looked for- ward to the visits of Dr. Welker. He usually came once a year and preached at the protracted meeting. These meetings were great occasions and the people from the different congregations would attend the meeting at which Dr. Welker was to preach. If he came to Bethany the other congregations would attend services at that place; if he came to Pilgrim, we all went to Pilgrim. He had only one eye and wore glasses. His voice bore the German accent. His sermons made a profound impression. Once when Classis met at Emanuel's Church, I, a small boy, was left at home and the rest of the family went. That night when they returned with some visitors the con- versation to a late hour was about the great sermon preached by Dr. Welker. His text was: 'Circum- scission nor uncircumscission availeth anything, but a new creature in Christ Jesus.' While listening to
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those fireside conversations about the great sermons my spirit was stirred within me to be a preacher of the Gospel. Some of his great sermons were preached upon some of the texts: 'Pitched his tent towards Sodom;"' 'Remember Lot's Wife;' 'Forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.' Dr. Welker was known to reprove without fear anyone who made any dis- turbance while he was preaching. I remember at Bethany a number of young people sitting in the gal- lery began talking while he was preaching. He stopped, looked them straight in the face and said, 'I have preached to all kinds of persons; I have preached to the convicts in the penitentiary, but I never preached to anyone who behaved as badly as you.' There was no more trouble."
Dr. Welker was regarded as a fighter, but he was very tender and sympathetic. In the home and around the fireside you saw the real man. He was a diligent student and a tireless pastor. I have heard that the late Senator Vance said that Dr. Welker was North Carolina's greatest theologian and preacher at that time. The time that he served as Stated Clerk was about commensurate with his pastorate. He was the constant and often the only delegate to Synod and General Synod from the Classis of North Carolina. In these bodies he took a prominent part and was often a champion in debate. In the controversy over the Mercersburg Theology he was an original, constant and uncompromising opponent and one of the strongest champions on his side. But when terms of peace were offered he was one of the worthy commission that
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formulated and piloted the plan that saved the Re- formed Church from a complete rupture. When he entered the Guilford Charge nearly every farm in its bounds had a still-house, and intemperance was mak- ing terrible havoc among the members. As soon as he deemed himself sufficiently established in the affection of his people, he began a warfare on whisky that was waged with deadly pertinacity on both sides for many years. Many of the wealthier and more influential members after withdrawing their subscrip- tions and failing to starve out their pastor withdrew from the church and formed an organization in another denomination. But the whisky power was broken, and he lived to see the last still-house abandoned among his membership. The most influential of those who withdrew, in his extreme old age, sent for Dr. Welker to come to see him. Reconciliation was made and an engagement that Dr. Welker should preach his funeral. In the controversy that brought on the Civil War, he was invincible for the Union, and out- spoken in his convictions. He was bitterly persecuted. His life was threatened, and a mob assembled to inter- cept him on his way home from Greensboro one night to hang him, but as he always believed a divine hand led him to take an unusual road and thus the mob was robbed of its victim. His courage and his trust in Providence never failed. Neither did the confidence of his friends in his integrity and the rectitude of his course. Many were the poor, needy and oppressed whom he counseled and succored during the terrible ordeal. After peace was made his county sent him
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to the Legislature, to aid in reconstructing the shat- tered government. He was the peer of any in that body, and had there been a majority like him, the mistakes that brought the body into disrepute had not been made. During his political career he minis- tered regularly to his congregations and maintained his standing with his people.
He contributed many able articles to both secular and religious journals. These all bear the unmis- takable impress of his vigorous mind, while his best thinking was done not at the desk, but on his feet. His articles in the appendix to the eighth volume of the Colonial Records of North Carolina, on the early Germans and Reformed Churches in North Carolina, is a model of good writing. So are his written discus- sions in the controversy on Mercersburg Theology. His reading took a wide range, and while his salary was always inadequate, doubtless averaging less than four hundred dollars, he annually bought a fine lot of books, and accumulated a large and valuable library of the choicest literature. Few private libraries in the State, if any, are equal to it.
His relations to his neighboring ministers of sister churches were most cordial and fraternal. They fre- quently exchanged pulpits. Rev. John A. Gretter, Presbyterian pastor at Greensboro, buried and preached the funeral of his first wife. His own brethren were too far off to reach him in time.
To attend the meeting of Classis, which he almost never failed to do, and of the Board of Trustees of Catawba College, and to assist his brethren in their
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protracted meetings, he often traveled the entire length of Classis (130 miles) on horseback or in a vehicle. He rivaled Loretz and our pioneer preachers in their travels and other hardships and labors. His endurance of heat, cold and toil was phenomenal. His capacity for mental activity was equally great. He was facile princeps of all the pastors in these churches up to this date, unless Loretz be excepted.
After serving the Guilford Charge for fifty-one years he resigned his cherished life's work into the hands of Rev. J. D. Andrew, reared in his own flock and hard by his old home. A complication of ailments had for several years greatly impaired his health, and after lingering about a year in retirement, his faithful old family physician informed him that medicine could bring no further relief and that the end was nigh. He replied: "I am ready," and on the 9th of July, 1894, his great spirit took its flight. His age was 76 years, 8 months and 6 days. A vast assembly attended his funeral. His dust rests in God's Acre at Mt. Hope, hard by his home.
5. St. Mark's Reformed Church, Alamance County.
St. Mark's Reformed Church is located one and one- fourth miles south of Elon College in Alamance County. The late Rev. G. W. Welker, D.D., in his notes on the origin of this congregation says that it was organized at Friedens, about nine miles northwest of the Brick Church soon after the Brick Church was organized, and probably by the same minister who organized the Brick Church. Friedens was a union Reformed and
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Lutheran Church and was located about two miles northwest of Gibsonville. It was also known as "Schumaker's Church." The Reformed families in this vicinity were the Weitzells, Wyricks, Straders, De Walds and others, who here were wont to worship until the congregation by neglect was under the min- istry of Rev. Crawford suffered to disintegrate. How- ever, on the 13th of January, 1855, under the ministry of Rev. G. W. Welker, this congregation was re-organ- ized. Gideon DeWald and William Weitzell were chosen Elders; John Clapp, Duncan Troxler and Joshua Weitzell, Deacons.
For the convenience of its members in 1857 the Re- formed congregation withdrew and held services under a brush arbor two miles southeast of Gibsonville near Boon's Station on the old stage road leading from Salisbury to Hillsboro. In 1862 the present building was erected about one-half mile south of the arbor. This is a frame structure about 40 by 60 feet. As will be seen from the date it was built in war times. Many of the residents in the community can we !! remember when it was built. They say it was enclosed and the floor laid and used in this way for a long time before it was plastered. Rev. G. W. Welker, D.D., was pastor from the re-organization till 1889. Rev. Jesse Richards from 1889 till 1891, and Rev. D. P. Lefever from 1891 till September 30, 1893. Rev. J. D. Andrew took charge of the congregation on November 5, 1893, and still remains the pastor. In 1895 the church was nicely papered and painted on the inside and in 1897 it was painted afresh on the outside.
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The present membership is 89. The officers are as follows: R. L. Mebane and Levi Shepherd, Elders, and C. V. Boon, W. R. Whitt and W. B. Montgomery, Deacons.
This congregation like many others in the country has suffered very much by the removal of its members to the neighboring towns.
6. Burlington Reformed Church.
During the annual meeting of the Classis of North Carolina, held at the Brick Church of the Guilford Charge, May 1, 1889, the Alamance Charge was con- stituted, consisting of St. Mark's, Stoner's and a pro- posed congregation in Burlington.
This new charge was enrolled by the Board of Home Missions with an appropriation of $300.00 per annum and Rev. Jesse Richards, of Lakeside, Ohio, was com- missioned missionary pastor. He entered upon this new pastorate in the spring of 1889, and organized a congregation in the home of Mr. Z. M. Foust on Main Street in Burlington in 1889, with the following charter members: Z. M. Foust and Jacob J. May, Elders; James P. May and Wm. N. Mebane, Deacons; Wm. M. Mebane, Mrs. Rachel May, Mrs. Z. M. Foust, Miss Lula Foust, Mrs. J. P. May and Mrs. Wm. M. Mebane.
Rev. Richards remained pastor here from May, 1889, to September 30, 1891. During this time he preached in the "Union Church" and had large congregations. At this time there were as yet few houses of worship in Burlington. Several of the denominations held services alternately in the Union Church. Under the
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pastorate of Rev. Richards the membership grew until it numbered about fifty. Many of the older citizens here still remember and speak of Rev. Richards and his plain earnest Gospel preaching. In the fall of 1891 Rev. Richards was succeeded as pastor by Rev. Daniel P. Lefever, who remained here until September 30, 1893. Mrs. Lefever organized and maintained a good Sunday School at the Fair grounds in East Bur- lington. But for some cause or other Rev. Lefever did not succeed in building up or even holding to- gether the congregation in Burlington. The Board of Missions dropped Burlington from the roll on October 1, 1893.
Almost nothing was done in Burlington from 1893 to 1898. Rev. J. D. Andrew, pastor of the Guilford Charge, made occasional visits to Burlington, looking after the scattered members and preaching for them as best he could. On October 20, 1895, Rev. Andrew effected a re-organization of the congregation which had now dwindled down to a mere handful. A few new Reformed families had moved to Burlington. In all 23 names were secured for the new organization. On the 23d of October, 1895, Z. M. Foust and W. R. Garrett were installed as Elders, and J. P. May and A. M. Shepard as Deacons.
Rev. Andrew lived too far away and had his time too exclusively occupied in the Guilford Charge to do effective work in Burlington. At a meeting of the Classis held in Newton September 4, 1897, the Guilford Charge was again divided. Burlington, St. Mark's and Fairview were constituted a charge under the name of the "Burlington Charge."
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At a quarterly meeting of the Bi-Synodic Board of Home Missions, held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in January, 1898, Burlington was again placed on the roll of missions with an appropriation of $350.00. Rev. J. D. Andrew was commissioned pastor to begin work April 1, 1898. He began work in the new charge September, 1898, after spending July and August in the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
On his arrival in the charge he found 19 members in Burlington. With these he began work. They were much discouraged. The services were held in the old "Union Church." There was no regular organist and oftentimes Rev. Andrew had to lead the singing and do the preaching. The children of the Reformed families in town were in Sunday Schools of other de- nominations and it was seen at once that they did not want to withdraw till after Christmas. So no effort was made to organize until April 23, 1899. At this date an organization was effected with 19 scholars. Mr. A. M. Shepard was elected Superintendent, Mr. Z. M. Foust, assistant Superintendent, and Mr. W. R. Garrett, Secretary and Treasurer. These brethren have served acceptably in these offices to the present time.
On February 13, 1900, a lot at the corner of Front and Anderson Streets, in West Burlington, was bought from Mr. B. R. Sellars at a cost of $265.00. It was decided to build a brick church to be covered with slate, the auditorium to be 34 by 50 feet with a class room 10 by 20 feet on either side. The first brick was laid July 10, 1900. By Christmas of this year the
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building was enclosed. The first service was held January 6, 1901, when a large congregation was pres- ent; the Lord's Supper was administered and three members were received. The church was plastered during December, 1901, and January, 1902.
During May and June of 1903 the church was beau- tifully papered and painted on the interior and wire screens were put on the windows outside. The whole cost to date is $3,275.00. Of this amount the North Carolina Classis gave $400.00 and the Board of Missions loaned $500.00. The pastor served as building com- mittee, soliciting agent and treasurer of the build- ing fund. His cash book shows 1,260 entries.
The church membership at this writing is 138. The Sunday School enrolls 250 in the regular department, 75 in the Home Department and 42 in the Cradle Roll. The Ladies' Aid and Missionary Society numbers 28 active and 3 honorary members.
The present officers of the congregation are as fol- lows: Elders, Z. M. Foust, W. R. Garrett and J. C. Shepard; Deacons, A. M. Shepard, W. H. Fogleman, C. H. Heritage and S. D. Thompson.
7. Fairview Reformed Church, Whitsett.
Whitsett Institute is located three miles south of Gibsonville, in Guilford County, North Carolina. This school was founded in 1884 under the name of Fair- view. In the year 1888 Prof. W. T. Whitsett, Ph.D., began teaching here. From the beginning of Dr. Whitsett's work the school was a success. It was the custom with Dr. Whitsett to invite ministers of every
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denomination to preach to the school and community oftentimes during the school year. Early in the pas- torate of Rev. J. D. Andrew in the Guilford Charge in 1893, Dr. Whitsett invited him to preach at Fair- view. This invitation was accepted. At frequent intervals during 1894 and 1895 these invitations were repeated and accepted. In the latter part of the sum- mer of 1895 it occurred to Rev. Andrew that it would be a good idea to have a Reformed Church at Fairview. So after preaching in the school chapel on the 8th of September of that year, Dr. Whitsett and Rev. An- drew were talking together when the latter remarked, "How would you like to have a Reformed Church at this place?" Dr. Whitsett answered, "I would like it very much and I think you are the man to build it." With a few more remarks the matter passed. During the week following a long letter was received from Dr. Whitsett encouraging the project.
A few of the Reformed families living in the com- munity were consulted and so rapidly did the idea grow that on the 18th of September, just ten days after the first conversation about the matter, Dr. Whitsett donated a lot with a frontage of 100 feet in the northwest corner of his tract of land around the school building. The lot is on the avenue leading to Gibsonville. On the next day, September 19th, Rev. Andrew began a canvass of the community for money, material and labor for the new church. The church was planned to be of wood, 34 by 50 feet with a vesti- bule 8 by 28 feet and a steeple 70 feet high. It was thought that the church could be ready to use by
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Christmas of that year. But alas, he who builds churches will find many disappointments in his first experience. It was March, 1896, before the framing timbers were placed on the grounds and then the friends advised to postpone until July. Accordingly the work was postponed until July 6th, when the framing was begun. The work was pushed as rapidly as the meagre subscriptions would permit. By October the house was raised and covered. On the 7th of October the corner-stone was laid with due cere- monies. Rev. J. C. Leonard delivered the address. Soon after the laying of the corner-stone the name of the school was changed to Whitsett Institute. The first service was held in the new church at three p. m. May 2, 1897. Immediately after the service the con- gregation was organized under the name of Fairview Reformed Church, which had been decided upon before the name of the school was changed. D. Ed- ward Clapp was elected Elder and C. C. Barnhart, Deacon. The membership of this congregation is only thirty, but the attendance is always large, the school and the community furnishing the hearers.
8. First Reformed Church, High Point.
High Point was enrolled by the Board of Missions in July, 1900, and Rev. J. C. Leonard was commis- sioned to begin work October 1st. The first several months Mr. Leonard confined his labors primarily to Lexington, but in the meantime he negotiated the purchase of a lot in High Point, at the corner of Main and Russel Streets. The price paid was $425.00. The
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deed was made November 16, 1900. The first service for the mission was held in the residence of Mr. Walter E. Conrad, on East Green Street, March 3, 1901. Three weeks later, March 24th, in the same house, a congregation was organized under the name of the First Reformed Church of High Point. The following were enrolled as charter members: E. T. Hedrick, Mrs. Mittie L. Hedrick, H. H. Hedrick, Mrs. Ada M. Hed- rick, Ivey T. Hedrick, Mrs. Cora Hedrick, Mrs. Daisy Millington, Walter E. Conrad, J. B. Wagner, S. R. Wagner, J. F. Bowers, James Sanes, Mrs. Minnie Sanes, Mrs. Elizabeth Clark, Mrs. Minnie Beck, Lewis Liven- good, Jacob Livengood, Mrs. Mary E. Livingood, Miss Augusta R. Livengood. E. T. Hedrick, L. S. Liven- good and J. F. Bowers were elected Elders, and Jacob Livengood, J. B. Wagner and Ivey T. Hedrick, Deacons.
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