HOME

July 3, 2012. Old Fashioned Sunday October 20, 1991. From Church records.

This Sunday came about in the Ever Ready Class during the last Sunday School session. We were studying the traditions and laws of Moses in the Old Testament. In our discussion the ladies were telling me some of the things they used to do in years past in our church plus some of the history of our church. I said something to Frank about it and thought it would be different for a Sunday Service. Frank said I think so too have fun Janie. So, I am going to try to make it as interesting as possible with the help of many people. Every church has memories and changes, maybe I can bring back a few for you today.

Mr, Calab Ansell, a Knotts Island native, obtained a grant from Edenton Assembly in 1771, to build a church. There is no proof that it was for a Methodist Church. The first Methodist Church was built in 1811 on the site of the present church. A simple A frame structure with two entrances, the one on the left for men and the one on the right for women. We do not know about the second church except that it burned and the present structure replaced the others.

Lem Smith and Ed Waterfield drew the plans for our present building. They also helped with the construction, with Mr. Waterfield's son Carl, Jim Bowden, Walter Beasley, and John Beasley's names are mentioned as workers also. It is recalled that Walter Beasley put up the beautiful beaded ceiling and putting the pews in. To make the pews on hand fit into the interior no two spaces are the same. The fine art design on the lower panels were done with a comb. It has been said the stained glass windows were imported from France. It has been asked how a remote isolated area such as this Island built such a magnificent building.

The lumber was given by locals donating there trees to be used for the building, At each days end the families would gather to see worked accomplished that day. Everyone sacrificed a lot for the church, we are proud of our church and well we should be. There are many memories and still more to come in the future.

There were rails for horses to be hitched to. Horse and buggy was the main way of transportation in years past. They had some mighty fast and feisty horses in those days. I have been told that some horses were so fast that one of our ladies had to hold her hat in one hand and hang on with the other, when her dad brought her to church, and her little bottom never stayed on the seat of the buggy. Someone else told me of a horse that eat a new Easter hat. These were some horses, can you see something like this in this day and time?

In early 1800's our church shared a circuit rider with other churches. They were always guests in local homes as long as they were in this area. We joined the Virginia Annual Conference in 1814, with the assurance of being supplied with a minister. We shared a minister with three other churches, Charity, Bethel, and Beech Grove all in the South Princess Anne charge.

During the period of sharing a minister we met at 2:00 P.M. Sunday School was held in the present sanctuary. The children under school age met in the SE just inside the door. The seniors met on the back rows of the church. The men met on the west side of the sanctuary. The adult youngsters were the choir at that time and had their classes there. The adult younger women met just as you come in the southeastern door. It was curtained off in the back where the seats are divided. The rod for the curtain is still in place in our sanctuary today. Three benches going North and south (by the door to SS rooms) was where children from 6 to 12 met.

Everyone remained in their seats for preaching. It would be 4 P.M. before church broke. The church was nearly full because the Baptist would come to our PM service and the Methodists would go to their AM service.

Knotts Island Methodist Church was at one time known as a shouting church. They also had an Amen bench which was the short bench on the westward corner. In Nehemiah Chapter 8 verse 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered Amen Amen while lifting up their hands and bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. You don’t hear this to much anymore some churches still say Amen, or Praise the Lord. I have been told that it distracts a minister from his train of thought. Maybe, but we should not be ashamed to praise the Lord and say Amen out loud once in awhile.

There were some devout Christians in the early days of our church that would pray and shout. Some names that were given to me were Mr. John Corbell, Mr. Wash Whitehurst, Mr. Fred Bonney and Mrs Clara Simpson. Everyone on the Island had good voices. Mr. Earnst Waterfield, Jim Miller and Lester bass and sat on the front pew by the piano. They tell me it was beautiful. Also Mr. Billy Beasley who was older also sang in the church. Frances Ansell played the piano and John Taylor led the singing. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a record of these people. We can’t hardly get a male voice in our choir today, Frank and Howard have now joined us and it sure is a great help. I think they are bashful and don’t want the congregation to see them on the choir.

Before the Marsh road was built, revivals were held with people coming from Wash Woods, Currituck, and Churches Island. The meeting would go on for a week. Guests were invited into homes and a lot of hospitality shown. When the revivals were held elsewhere Knotts Islanders were shown the some warm hospitality.

The womens meetings were started by Susie Waterfield, Vivian Jones's grandmother. They collected eggs and sold them to pay their dues. Many did the same thing to help pay their tithes. It was called the Ladies Aid to start with. When we joined the Virginia Conference it was Womens Society of Christian Services Now it is the United Methodist Women. We all know how much this part of the church helps to keep our church going.

Some remember they had a homecoming every year on the grounds with boards placed on sawjacks between two giant oak trees. They also said what great feasts. Mrs Neurna Bonney headed the homecoming for many years.

At this time many things had to be done to raise enough money to pay ministers and other things for the church. Mildred told me about her and her father going to get Miss Blue Bonnet. She put on a play to make enough money to pay Preacher Harrell's salary. Another time Mr. Herman Jones SS Superintendent at the time informed the congregation they did not have enough money to pay conference askings. He passed the plate then and there and received enough to pay out. When he asked he also said he would start it with $100.00. This was about 1947 or early 1948.

Miss Marie Jones carried the teenagers to MYF herself to the other charges and Norfolk so they could be part of conference groups. One person could not take this responsibility in this time. There are so many more Christian things going on for our young people today. We can be proud of what they are accomplishing today with their lives. God bless them and the people working with them.

I was told that Mr. Ferdinand Bonney and Mrs Clara Simpson prayed such beautiful prayers you would have tears come to your eyes. I would like to hear some of these today if these people were still here.

We still have people in our church today that have done a lot for the growth and changes in our church. Izola Bonney taught SS for many years and was director of music and played for the church, you could say most of her life. Margaret Mathews and her husband are others who devoted their life to the church. And of course then we have Mildred Strawhand we all know her and how she is but we love her and couldn’t do without her. The same goes for Ira and Vivian Jones. I now say God Bless you all and keep helping for many more years to come.

I would like to close this day with a little story. In the 1870's a bishop who had charge of a small denominational college made his annual visit and stayed with the president. The bishop boasted a firm belief that everything that could be invented had been invented the college president thought otherwise. In 50 years, he said, men will learn how to fly like birds. The bishop replied, "Flight is reserved for angels and you have been found guilty of blasphemy." The name of the bishop was Milton Wright and back home he had two small sons Orville and Wilbur.

Change occurs. New things are on the horizon. The Lord spoke to his people in Isaiah's time and said " Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them. (Isa.42-9).

There are still new frontiers to be conquered and new things to be discovered for those who will dare to search for them. But let us remember and tell our young people of our traditions and history. Amen.