Echoes From The Attic and Poems, Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Feb. 2001
Typed by Belford Carver
Written by by Edna F. Campbell
Copyrighted by Edna F. Campbell
With special thanks to her family for permission to use her works.

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OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Grace Memorial Episcopal Church which formed the nucleus for Hammond when a 
village in an unsettled area of piney woods wilderness, has played an important 
part in the history of the town.  A high point of recognition is now reached by 
the church being listed in the National Register.  

Announcement has been made today of the church being registered in the National 
Register.  The register was created in 1966 by an act of Congress and 50 states, 
Washington D.C., and five territories belong to it.  It is an official index in 
which sites worth of recognition will be nationally recognized. The register 
publishes a book every two years listing historical places.

In 1966 Hammond was put on the map by having Grace Memorial Church a setting for 
segments of a movie "Hurry Sundown" produced by Otto Preminger.  This caused 
excitement and thrills for the townspeople where this was a "first" for the city.

The antiquity of the church of the church building coupled with the designing 
which followed the trends of architectural lines of Old England churches had much 
to do with the selection of the site for the movie.

In the sanctuary, age old fixtures, branches candelabra, and copper urns were 
polished and brightened to the highest degree.  Carpets were cleaned and 
straightened, and blinds were adjusted.

The church was consecrated October 28, 1888 in memory of Mrs. Cate.  However, its 
history goes back to 1866, when a small Sunday School was started in the living 
room of the Charles Emery Cate home.  Mr. Melzar Waterman organized the school, 
assisted by his daughter, Mrs. Cate, Mrs. Nellie Wilcombe, Mrs. Hattie Mooney and 
Miss Mary Cable.

Interesting stories have been recorded as to how the Bible study classes met at a 
later date in a building over a general store and post office structure.  About 
twenty pupils answered the roll call.  However, on Monday, this same setting would 
be improvised for book learning.  The older boys would re-arrange the benches to 
suit the occasion.  Miss Mary Cable, sister of a famous writer, George Washington 
Cable, was the teacher.

A mission was formed for the purpose of raising funds for the building program.  
Charles Emery Cate donated land for the building and for the adjoining cemetery.  
The small church was the center of the community which by 1880 had reached a 
population of 277 people.

The boys collected bricks and the women backed and sewed for the bazaars.

On December 7, 1887, Mrs. Mertie Waterman Cate died.  Words in the obituary 
commemorated the church building as a consecrated monument to her memory for her 
untiring work and influence in its origin.

The sanctuary is noted for its marked details of beauty in numerous memorials, 
including the many interesting stained glass windows and lecterns.

Grace Memorial celebrated its diamond Jubilee in October, 1973.  The Rev. Roy C. 
Bascom was rector.  The Rev. A. D. Lewis III was curate.  The Right Rev. Iveson B. 
Noland, D.D the Bishop Coadjutor of Louisiana preached the sermon for the jubilee. 
 The Rev. George R. Peters is the present church rector.

(From ECHOES FROM THE ATTIC, VII, 1973, by Edna Campbell)

(Pic of the church)

(See also Part I, "Grace Church".)