Church Gatherings of Long Ago

 Those wonderful old days when church gatherings were so special and a much looked forward to event.  

This wonderful old picture is worth a thousand words.  It was shared by Orville Truitt.  The time period was from 1908-1912 and possibly a homecoming at the old Mt. Zion Church.  His grandfather, Marvin Truitt, is the middle man in front with a guitar.

All the folks are dressed in their Sunday go-to-meeting clothes, men, women and children gathered around the wooden tables laden with food and listening to the music.  

Here are a couple of those events taken from the archives of The Crittenden Press. 

July 1913 - Children's Day at Mt. Zion

Sunday morning at an early hour wagons, buggies, horseback and footbackers began to arrive till several hundred people had gathered, then came the auto with R. Kemp as driver with some of Marion's best citizens as passengers. 

 

At 9:30 the house was called to order by the pastor Rev. J. A. Wheeler. He introduced Rev. W. Pl Gordon of Marion, and with eloquence he addressed the people for about fifteen minutes.

 

A song by the choir. Bro Wheeler called for prayer by Bro. Th. H. Cochran The program was then turned over to the children. The session represented the highest morals of literal and spiritual life.

 

At 12:15 in the beautiful grove such as surrounds a county church, dinner was spread. Some wondered how this multitude could be fed, it was like the five loaves and fishes, there were plenty of as fine dinner as the writer ever saw, and everybody seemed to enjoy it.

 

The day was closed by Sister Duvall who by this time was so filled with the holy ghost that she gave us an old fashioned holy ghost talk. To say the least of it we had an all around good time that will dwell with the memory through time and eternity.

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Sept. 11, 1913 - County Singing Convention

The county singing convention met at Repton Church Saturday. A large crowd was present, and the exercises were opened by singing by Repton choir followed by devotional exercises by Rev. B. F. Hyde, who also delivered the welcome address.

 

Cave Springs choir then took charge of the singing. This choir did good singing and showed they had good training. They were followed by Rosebud choir who also delivered some excellent music led by Desmond Crowell. 

 

After a song by the entire congregation, the choir from the Second Baptist Church, of Marion, with George Gass as leader were next, and many comments were made upon the spirit with which they sang. This was followed by a recitation “The Gift of God to Fallen Man” by Miss Lockie Powell, and Mrs. E. M. Duvall made an interesting talk on the “Blessings of Music.” 

 

More music followed by Messrs. Travis, Crowell, O'Neal and Crowell, and a solo by Guthrie Travis.