Clarke County GaArchives History - Books .....Athens Christian Church 1923 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 April 1, 2005, 10:37 pm Book Title: History Of Athens And Clarke County History of the Athens Christian Church IN the memory of our oldest citizens there is no landmark more intimately associated with the early history of Athens than the famous old Town Hall which stood for so many years in the middle of what was once Market street. The street was so called, because a market occupied the ground floor for a long while. The old building was moved, and turned to face the street, and the name of the street changed from Market to Washington. In the fall of 1893, the Town Hall was destroyed by fire. So the old structure passed away, but the memory of it is a hallowed one to those living Disciples who were present within its walls on a night in May in the year 1876. Like the Pilgrims of old in the cabin of the Mayflower, they met with one united purpose, and consecrated themselves to labor faithfully for the Cause, which they loved. After listening spellbound to the marvelous eloquence of Rev. Thos. M. Harris, this band of a dozen godly persons organized a church, and so the cause of the Disciples of Christ in classic Athens was planted. The charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Elder, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Elder, Mr. and Mrs. R. K. Pridgen, Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Gainey, Misses Gainey, Mrs. Eugenia Lowe, Mrs. Ida Shewell. Rev. Lorenzo Dow Ridgway was the first regular pastor of the church, beginning his work in 1884. The church building, corner Pulaski and Dougherty streets, was erected the same year. Previous to this time, services were held in the county court house, and occasional sermons preached by visiting ministers. Among those who encouraged the flock from, time to time with their messages of hope and cheer were: Revs. Thos. M. Foster, Jas. S. Lamar, and John T. Hawkins. Mr. Lamar was the father of Justice Jos. R. Lamar, and a brother of Rev. Philip Lamar, a pioneer among the Disciples in this section, and a baptizer of a large number of early believers. Since Mr. Ridgway the following men have served the church as pastor: E. V. Omer, D. R. Pickens, W. A. Chastain, E. L. Shelnutt, A. B. Reeves, John Chronenberger, F. J. Langdon, Stanley R. Grubb, and R. L. Porter. During Mr. Grubb's pastorate the people began to have a vision of larger service, and to realize the inadequacy of their frame building, so a building campaign was launched, and a new and complete workshop begun in the fall of 1914. In December of the next year, the new church was dedicated by Rev. Herbert Ewell. It stands on the corner opposite where the old church stood, and is an ornament to that section of the city and a monument to efficient leadership, and faithful, earnest co-operation. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/clarke/history/1923/historyo/athensch577gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 3.3 Kb