Clarke County GaArchives History - Books .....Presbyterian Church 1923
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Book Title: History Of Athens And Clarke County


Historical Sketch of Presbyterian Church

By REV. ARTHUR F. BISHOP, D.D.

   THE first minister to come to Athens was the Rev. John Hodge, a Presbyterian,
and the first president of the University was Mr. Meigs, also a Presbyterian.

   The Presbyterian Church of Athens, Georgia, was organized on Christmas Day,
1820, by Dr. Moses Waddell, president of the University of Georgia. There were
eighteen charter members, four of whom were elected ruling elders, viz.: Moses
Waddell Dobbins, James Espey, John Espey, and Dr. James Nisbet. Dr. Waddell
served the church as stated supply.

   At first services were held in the University Chapel and afterwards in the
Apparatus Hall, until the congregation built a church, by permission of the
Trustees of the University, upon the site since occupied by the Library
Building, and at present by the north wing of the Academic Hall, just at the
main entrance to the campus. This building was dedicated by Dr. Waddell in 1828.
It opened its doors on Broad Street on either side of the old red pulpit. Some
of the old benches from this building were used as late as 1883 in the
Presbyterian Sunday School room.

   The present building was erected by Ross Crane, in 1855, at a cost of
$10,000.00, and was dedicated in 1856. The negroes were permitted to hold their
services in the old building until its removal by order of the trustees. About
this time a Manse was, built by Albon Chase. This church building originally had
a tall steeple surmounted by a gigantic hand, 5 1/2 feet high, carved from wood
and gilded, the forefinger pointing heavenward. Through the knuckles of the hand
protruded an iron bar upon which swung a weather vane 10 or 12 feet long. This
steeple being regarded as unsafe, a portion of it was removed and the remaining
portion was capped by a dome. This in time was removed and with it the deep
toned bell, which said to weary ones where'er they wandered, "Come, 0! Come!"
The building has been recently repaired and renovated and redecorated, producing
the beautiful effect which you now behold.

   Rev. Moses Waddell, D.D., was minister of the church from its organization,
until he resigned the presidency of the University, after the Commencement, in
July, 1829. He was born in Iredell County, North Carolina, July 29, 1770. In
1819 he gave up his celebrated school at Willington, S. C., and came to Athens
to take the presidency of the University of Georgia when it mustered only seven
students upon its roll. In 1829 he returned to Willington and reopened his
school. But after three years he returned to Athens a victim of a lingering
disease. He died July 21, 1840, in Athens, at the home of his son, Prof. James
P. Waddell.

   "Preacher and Teacher; in each office forgetting self and aiming only at the
glory of the Redeemer, he evidenced the possibility of making both subservient
to that great end.

   "Eminent for piety; illustrious for services; the full measure of years
allotted to man crowned his life."

   Dr. Waddell was succeeded by Rev. Nathan Hoyt, D. D. Dr. Hoyt was born in
Gilmanton, N. H., February 27, 1793, was called to the pastorate of this church
from Washington, Ga., and became pastor May 1,1830. He died in its service, July
12, 1866, completing a ministry of more than 36 years. Says Mr. A. L. Hull, in
his Annals of Athens: "During his long pastorate, children were born, were
married and died; leaving another generation to grow up under his precepts. Dr.
Hoyt was a sound theologian and a fearless speaker. He knew a good horse when he
saw one and would have no other kind. His factotum, Daniel, was sexton of the
church for many years and Daniel never knew which had the more authority, he or
the Doctor." Two sons of Dr. Hoyt entered the ministry: Dr. Henry Hoyt of Athens
Presbytery, and Dr. Thomas A. Hoyt, late of Philadelphia, one of the
distinguished preachers of America.

   "Valiant for Gospel truth; the pious lives and triumphant death of many who
enjoyed his ministry proved his faithfulness.

   "Believing, hoping, loving, working, he served two generations by the will of
God and then fell asleep in Jesus."

   The next pastor of the church was the Rev. DeWitt Burkhead, D.D., who served
the church for four years. Dr. Burkhead was a preacher of exceptional power, a
man of evangelistic spirit and fervor.

   Dr. Burkhead was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Charles Whitmarsh Lane,
D.D. He was born in Kensington, N. H.; November 12, 1822, was installed pastor
of this church, February 2, 1873, and died in its service June 13,1896.

   "He preached in simiplicty, he adorned the doctrine, his life was one long
connected with prayer. He served God and man. His works do follow him. His
memory is a benediction."

   Dr. Lane was one of the holiest of men, and a faithful preacher. With few, if
any exceptions, he never closed a sermon without an appeal to the unsaved,
introduced by some such words as "My unconverted friend," "My unsaved brother,"
"0, sinful man." Most vivid in my memory is the impression which he made as he
entered -ħhe pulpit on Sunday night, after spending the whole day in communion
with God and in religious work, with a veritable halo about !his head and the
purest, sweetest, most loving expression upon his face. It made me think of how
Moses must have looked when he came down from the mount after communing with God
face to face. Or how Jesus must have appeared to the disciples, when, after the
transfiguration glory, they saw Jesus only.

   But it was perhaps as a pastor that Dr. Lane was best and most widely known
and most greatly beloved. It is not an exaggeration to say that no man ever
lived in Athens who was so universally loved and admired by people of all
churches and of no church.

   Two little incidents will illustrate the unconscious influence which Dr. Lane
exerted upon the lives of young men. A college student, a member of his church,
was playing cards in the dormitory one day, when the thought flashed upon him:
"What if my pastor should come into the room, just now; would I not shove the
cards into the open drawer and sit here as if merely a spectator of the game?"
This thought was sufficient to settle the question of card playing with him and
he has never touched a card since. One day a student was walking up Broad Street
in company with two or three others, smoking a cigar (though he had not formed
the habit), when he met his pastor's buggy containing his two lovely daughters.
Automatically the hand that held the cigar went behind him, and he said to
himself: "I am ashamed to have my pastor's family know that I smoke. I ought not
to do so," and he threw the cigar into the gutter and has never lighted another.

   Rev. Julius W. Walden, D.D., LL.D., the next pastor of this church, was born
in Center, Ala., February 28, 1851. He was installed pastor in November, 1896.
As its minister, for ten years, he gave the richest part of his life to this
service. He died in Athens, Ga., March 23, 1916.

   "Scholar and theologian, imbued with great faith and sound doctrine, he
preached the Word with power, ever proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ." Said Mr. Hull: "Dr. Walden had no superior as an expounder of Gospel
truth."

   He was especially happy in his exposition of the Scriptures, book by book.
Many remember, with great pleasure and profit, his course upon the Epistle to
the Hebrews. He had a great deal of personal magnetism and knew how to make
people love him. He was especially tender, sympathetic and tactful in his visits
to homes where there was sickness, trouble or bereavement. His family have made
a splendid contribution to the social, intellectual and religious life of Athens.

   Dr. Wm. E. Boggs, Chancellor of the University of Georgia, a distinguished
Presbyterian minister, assisted in the supply of the pulpit during the last
illness of Dr. Lane and was stated supply for six months after his death.

   Rev. T. D. Cartledge, Rev. George Telford and Rev. J. D. McPhail have served
this church in the capacity of associate pastors; and each one of these men of
God has left the impress of his work upon; this congregation.

   Rev. H. B. VanValkenburg, Mrs. H. C. Ostrum, Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Swineheart,
Mrs. Paul S. Crane and Rev. and Mrs. A. Hoyt Miller have represented this church
upon the Foreign Field, thus extending the influence of the church to the
"uttermost parts of the earth." The church has now three missionaries upon the
Foreign Field: Rev. and Mrs. A. Hoyt Miller, at Mutoto, Belgian Congo, Africa;
Mrs. H. C. Ostrom, Tokushima, Japan.

   Rev. J. L. Stevens and his family are remembered with great pleasure on
account of their contribution to the life and work of the church.

   The present pastor. Rev. Eugene L. Hill, D.D., was called here from Alabama,
and began his work in February, 1907. While his own splendid work is accounting
for itself far better than anything that might be said, still I feel that I may
be permitted to state that he has found a very warm place in the affections of
the people of this church and of the entire community, regardless of
denominational connection or preference. As to his efficiency in the pastorate,
the-following facts speak for themselves: During his pastorate he has received
into the church 710 members. The membership roll has grown from 468 to 649,
notwithstanding the fact that two churches have been organized from its
membership, Bethaven and Athens Central. The church has contributed during these
years $200,202.00 for all purposes. During the Three Million Dollar Campaign in
the Presbyterian Church, U. S., this church led the entire Synod of Georgia.
During the Three and One-half Million Dollar Campaign, this church was fourth in
the entire Synod. Last year, this church was one of the four churches in the
Synod that contributed more than $10,000.00 for benevolences. The other three
were First, Central and North Avenue, in Atlanta. The church has three
missionaries representing her on the Foreign Field, and one Home Missionary, and
conducts two mission Sunday Schools in Athens: Hoyt Chapel and Lane Chapel. Last
year, the Old First Church contributed $8,501.00 for self-support and $13,814.00
for benevolent causes.

   In company with this goodly fellowship, another name deserves honorable
mention. It is that of a man, who while a professor in the University and a
deacon in this church, gave his splendid talents to the service of the church
and the community. January 17, 1919, the Session adopted the following minute:

   "On motion, it was ordered that the organ in this church be made a memorial
to Dr. John Pendleton Campbell, and that a committee was appointed to prepare a
suitable tablet."

   The tablet reads:

"In Memory of John Pendleton Campbell,
1863-1918,
Professor in the University of Georgia,
who for thirty years, from pure love of his Church,
of Music and of Service,
gave his great ability to this Congregation."

   December 7,1919, a memorial service was held, dedicating the organ and the
tablet, and addresses of appreciation were made by Rev. B. L. Hill, D.D.,
pastor, and by Drs. Willis H. Bocock and William D. Hooper." The nine numbers
composing the musical program were of Dr. Campbell's composition.

   In 1820 the Presbyterian Church of Athens, Georgia, was organized with 18
members. In 1830, there were 137, and in 1840, 254. In 1856, the roll was
revised and there were found to be 197 members in actual attendance. In 1862,
the roll numbered 294 and in 1920, 624.

   Out from the membership of this church have gone seven ministers: Drs. Thos.
A. Hoyt, Henry Hoyt and Arthur F. Bishop, and Revs. W. L. Barber, W. T. Riviere,
L. K. Martin and S. F. Tenney. One candidate for the ministry, Edward T. Bishop,
died at the age of 21, after completing his first year in the theological seminary.

   The church has numbered two foreign missionaries among its members: Mrs. Paul
S. Crane, who went to Korea, and Mrs. H. C. Ostrom, who went to Japan.

   Many men distinguished in after life, were, while in college, enrolled as
members of this church. Among these were Dr. Benjamin M. Palmer, one of
America's greatest preachers; Hon. Alex H. Stephens, Vice-president of the
Confederacy; and Charles J. Jenkins, author and journalist.

   Among the galaxy of names which Mr. A. L. Hull mentions in his "Annals," as
being prominent in the history of Athens, are many Presbyterians. Some of them
are: Gen. Thos. R. R. Cobb, Prof. A. M. Scudder, Prof. W. W. Lumpkin, Thos.
Bishop, Dr. Jos. C. Orr, Prof. Jas. P. Waddell, Prof. Wm. Henry Waddell, Henry
Beusse, L. Flisch, Dr. John Gerdine, John E. Talmadge, Clovis G. Talmadge, Judge
Howell Cobb, Geo. Dudley Thomas.

   Says Dr. Willis H. Bocock, in a recent newspaper article: "The relations
between the churches of Athens and the University of Georgia have always, of
course, been intimate. The Presbyterian Church has had its part in the spiritual
and intellectual reciprocity." All of the presidents of the University, from its
inception in 1801 to 1836 were Presbyterians, and during that period, the most
important chairs, with perhaps one exception, had been filled by Presbyterians.

Dr. Moses Waddell, the founder of this church, and a distinguished educator,
took charge of the University when it could only muster seven students and set
it upon its feet again. Names that are inseparably linked with both church and
University are: Moses Waddell, his son, James P. Waddell, his son, Wm. Henry
Waddell, Alonzo Church, Charles S. Venable, Thos. R. R. Cobb, Wm. L. Mitchell,
Judge Howell Cobb, Wm. E. Boggs, L. H. Charbonnier, Geo. D Thomas, John P.
Campbell, Augustus L. Hull.


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