Dale County AlArchives News.....Claybank Church Poem April 7, 1920
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Christine Thacker CGT714@AOL.com February 14, 2005, 12:02 pm

The Southern Star
 CLAYBANK CHURCH

(EDITOR'S NOTE-Dr. Frederic B. Cullens (1863,1938) lived in Ozark about 50 of 
his 75 years and made many COntributions to the county's civic and cultrural 
life. His poem, "Claybank Church", was published in the April 7, 1920 issue of 
The Southern Star.)


Reader, You're on sacred ground,
The grand old Woods are scattered round,
Here met, of old, an heroic band,	
Pioneers, and patriots of this land.

Here their honored bones do sleep,
And Angels bright, their vigils keep,
O'er this dear holy spot of ground
Now marked by marble or red mound.

Here dwell old Dale's most honored dead
While southern winds play o'er their head 
A solemn requiem of the past
Comingled with the Heavenly blast,

Here's where they met, one day a week 
From up and down old Claybank Creek, 
And here upon this sacred sod
They came to sing and worship God.

No marble palace decks the scene
Nor polished isles of red, white and green 
No painted windows admit the day
For them, it was the simple way.

No vibrant chords from organs swell
The music, which. they loved so well
But lifted high the human voice,
When each did worship or rejoice.	

They'd sing the songs of Calvary's blood 
With ancient echoes of this wood
And then upon the ground they spread
A fulsome repast-meat and bread

To all- the stranger and his windsome bride 
Must come and join the table side
None must wait for invitation
That werea task of superegation.

No formal words, no bows nor scrapes
Like painted dolls or gaudy apes. 
But all must come and welcome feel
And share with them the luscious meal.

Thus youth and age and babe at breast 
Come here for worship and for rest
And when the day has well nigh spent 
They said a prayer and homeward went.

A sacred memory of the past
'Tis pity that such cannot last
But when the 'Pearly-gates' open wide 
Enter Claybank's old crowd, side by side.

All honor to this ancient wood
All reverence to this old log pen
They stood for all that's best and good 
In boys and girls, good wives and men 
All honor to the silent dead
And peace and love rest on their head.

     Dr. Frederic B. Cullens 
          (1863-1938)

 Reprinted in The Southern Star Oct. 3, 1979 pg 3B.

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