Newbern, North Carolina
Last August we had an article on this page relative to the new congregation in Newbern, North Carolina. Brother William E. Wallace had held a meeting there, and had left a little congregation of eight members. Now, six months later, there have been four others added to that number, giving a present membership of twelve. The following letter from Brother Wallace should be of interest:
Dear Brother Tant:
I am writing in reference to the Newbern North Carolina, work. As you know I have been attempting to raise support for a preacher in that field. Last fall I motored through Tennessee contacting several congregations, and thought I had succeeded in interesting enough churches to assure an adequate support. However several of the congregations who talked favorably have, for one reason or another, not come through with their help.
Brother J. O. Walter, the preacher who is to go to Newbern has already made arrangements to be there February 1 to commence work. He, too, thought sufficient support was assured. As it now stands we have only the following congregations pledged to support:
Silver Street Church, New Albany, Ind. - $35
Old Pekin Church, Old Pekin, Indiana - - $50
Thayer Street Church, Akron, Ohio - - - - $25
Brother Walter ought to have at least $300 a month for this work. A regular monthly report will be made by him directly to the contributing congregations. And each contributing congregation will send directly to the Newborn work.
Brother Walter is a man of middle age, with considerable experience in the "mission" field. His ability and character are such as to make him ideal for this work. If brethren desire references from men who know him well, they may write to E. L. Flannery, Jack McAmis, Leslie G. Thomas, and J. W. Brents.
Newbern is a city of 20,000 people. It presents an excellent opportunity for a permanent congregation. Any church desiring to help should send their aid to "Church of Christ, c/o George Jones, 314 Crescent Street, Newbern, North Carolina.
If any further information is desired, I will be glad to give what I can.
Yours fraternally, Wm. E. Wallace
Readers of this journal know by now that this writer is "sold" on the proposition that North Carolina presents one of the greatest opportunities anywhere for the propagation of the gospel. We have carried numerous articles and editorials telling of the field, and urging brethren and congregations to investigate, and become interested. Brother Wallace (who now lives in Akron, but who has done and continues to do much work in North Carolina) expects to return to Newbern and other North Carolina communities this summer for extensive meeting work there. He tells us there are many members of the Christian Church in the state who are dissatisfied and unhappy with the modernism which has ]aid its paralyzing hold on the Disciples and who offer a ripe and promising field for New Testament teaching. The people of the state are not transitory, but for the most part are home-owning, middle-class, native born Americans, whose parents, grand-parents, and great grand-parents in many cases occupied the same houses in which they now live.
There is not much "glamor" about work in North Carolina. Results there will not be spectacular — and neither will they be illusory and likely to evaporate or vanish away overnight. But by hard, persistent, and faithful gospel preaching the state may become again the great bulwark for New Testament Christianity which she was a hundred years ago — before the innovators captured her. The people there are the solid down-to-earth American stock which made our nation great and who can be counted on as true and loyal Christians once they are converted. Very substantial progress has been made in the last ten or twelve years. From a beginning of about a dozen small congregations twelve years ago, the cause has grown to perhaps sixty congregations now. And there are probably thirty gospel preachers in the state who are giving full time to this work, whereas twelve years ago there were only two or three.
We add our plea to Brother Wallace's. There are probably many congregations who would be able to help, and who would want to help, if they only knew of the opportunities. This new congregation at Newbern deserves encouragement. Brother Walter cannot live on $110.00 a month. As a matter of fact, he ought to have at least three times that amount.
If this article happens to catch the eye of anyone who wants to know more about the Newbern work, and who might be interested in helping, then we suggest that you write for information to one or both of the following: William E. Wallace, 641 Elma Street, Akron, Ohio, or George Jones, 314 Crescent Street, Newbern, North Carolina. — F.Y.T.