Written by the late Rev. J. W. Joyner about 1957:
When this church was organized, in the year 1855, it was called New Prospect. The presebytery in charge consisted of Noah PARKER, Pitt S. MILNER and Thomas BENNETT.The charter members were Thomas BENNETT, Prudence BENNETT, Celia BEASLEY, Enoch BEASLEY, Rebecca BEASLEY, Sohpia SHIP, John McPHERSON, Sarah McPHERSON, Thomas AUTHANY and Sarah H. AUTHANY.
Pastors who served the church were Pitt S. MILNER, Jefferson FALKNER, F. BRUNER, A. T. SIMS, F. M. FLETCHER, Judson COOK, J. W. JOYNER, Fred BROWN and J. H. COUNTRYMAN. The present pastoris Raymond Earl OWENS.
This church has ordained G. D. VICKERY, Robert LEE and James KELSO.
While Starlington's pator, some thirty-five years ago, I saw one of the most beautiful conversions--of a little six-year-old girl--in my experience of fifty years as a minister. This little girl was Eddibell POWELL, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Z. POWELL. She had talked with her father and mother in regards to joining the church and being baptized. They advised her to talk to me. In her talking to me she gave evidence of a real conversion, and when I gave the invitation for membership, she came forward. I took her down to the creek not far away and baptized her. When we returned to the church for the last service of the revival, a basket of flowers was on the table in the front of pulpit, as I had requested. I said, "If someone has been a real help to you in finding Jesus as your Savior and in your christian experience, I want you to take one of these flowers and pin it on that person." Little Eddiebell went quietly to her mother and pinned a flower on her. The large crowd in the church was filled with emotion, tears flowed freely, and though many years have passed since that day, the experience lives in my memory and I am sure will follow me to the end of life's trail.
|
|
Page updated 9 Apr 2007.
