Again, in 1808, "the meeting house" was re-
paired to the extent of enclosing the rafters with
a ceiling of yellow pine and building a pine par-
tition at each end of the church. Doubtless this
was done to make the decreasing congregation
seem less "lost." Pews were left standing in the
western vestibule, which had a dirt floor and a
brick passage, and its windows always shut,
and remained within the memory of our pres-
ent oldest parishioner. Miss Lizzie Rutherford.
At the same time two huge ten-plate wood
stoves were placed in the long aisle. Again Miss
Lizzie well remembers the smoke which used to
ascend to the loft. Just how the congregation
kept warm before the era of these stoves is un-
known. It was not a day of pampered Presby-
terians; doubtless they shivered through two
long sermons each Sabbath.
This is the church as Miss Rutherford first saw
it, when as a child, she drove seven miles to
church from her home near the mountainjs.
There have been five changes in the interior
within her recollection. As first seen, the ceiling
was painted white and the pews on the north
side of the church were built east and west,
facing the pulpit, which was just opposite the
21
south door ; those on either side of this door also
faced the pulpit, being set due north.
The first change Miss Lizzie remembers was
made in the interim between Mr. Boggs and Mr.
Mitchell, in 1847. The interior was entirely torn
out, the western partition removed, that door
walled up and a new pulpit placed in front of it
at a much lower elevation than the old one on the
north wall. This old pulpit, in use since Parson
Elder's time, was of walnut and parts of it are
yet cherished by members of the congregation,
being made into boxes of various kinds. The
small window behind the pulpit was walled up;
the ceiling and walls plastered for the first time,
and the wood stoves exchanged for two coal
stoves, whose pipes joined to form a wing that
they might enter the chimney, then first built.
The roof was reshingled, and a wooden floor laid
over the whole building.
The seating was completely changed at this
time and new pews ordered. Formerly each
family had built and owned its own pew and
there was no uniformity. They were not even
on the same level, those nearest the wall being
a step higher than the rest. The new pews were
straight wooden ones, painted white, with high
back and mahogany rail. Very picturesque we
would think them to-day, though they may have
merited their reputation of being "fearful to sit
in." Two short banks of "amen" pews were
placed in the western corners facing the pulpit
on each side.
A carpet was first bought in the early part of
22
Mr. Mitcheirs regime ; also green Venetian blinds
for the windows.
The next change was made at the instigation of
the choir, which had taken the place of over a
century of precentors. The singers grew tired
of sitting in the front pew and a gallery was
built for them over the vestibule at the east end,
with stairs leading to it from the northwest
corner of the vestibule. Here pews were placed
and the first melodeon, played by Miss Jennie
Rutherford, now Mrs. Samuel Dickey. This al-
teration was made during the pastorate of Mr.
Mitchell in 1858.
Page 6
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Again, in 1808, "the meeting house" was repaired to the extent of enclosing the rafters with a ceiling of yellow pine and building a pine partition at each end of the church. Doubtless this was done to make the decreasing congregation seem less "lost." Pews were left standing in the western vestibule, which had a dirt floor and a brick passage, and its windows always shut, and remained within the memory of our present oldest parishioner. Miss Lizzie Rutherford. At the same time two huge ten-plate wood stoves were placed in the long aisle. Again Miss Lizzie well remembers the smoke which used to ascend to the loft. Just how the congregation kept warm before the era of these stoves is unknown. It was not a day of pampered Presbyterians; doubtless they shivered through two long sermons each Sabbath.
This is the church as Miss Rutherford first saw it, when as a child, she drove seven miles to church from her home near the mountains. There have been five changes in the interior within her recollection. As first seen, the ceiling was painted white and the pews on the north side of the church were built east and west, facing the pulpit, which was just opposite the
south door ; those on either side of this door also faced the pulpit, being set due north.
The first change Miss Lizzie remembers was made in the interim between Mr. Boggs and Mr. Mitchell, in 1847. The interior was entirely torn out, the western partition removed, that door walled up and a new pulpit placed in front of it at a much lower elevation than the old one on the north wall. This old pulpit, in use since Parson Elder's time, was of walnut and parts of it are yet cherished by members of the congregation, being made into boxes of various kinds. The small window behind the pulpit was walled up; the ceiling and walls plastered for the first time, and the wood stoves exchanged for two coal stoves, whose pipes joined to form a wing that they might enter the chimney, then first built. The roof was reshingled, and a wooden floor laid over the whole building.
The seating was completely changed at this time and new pews ordered. Formerly each family had built and owned its own pew and there was no uniformity. They were not even on the same level, those nearest the wall being a step higher than the rest. The new pews were straight wooden ones, painted white, with high back and mahogany rail. Very picturesque we would think them to-day, though they may have merited their reputation of being "fearful to sit in." Two short banks of "amen" pews were placed in the western corners facing the pulpit on each side.
A carpet was first bought in the early part of
Mr. Mitchell's regime ; also green Venetian blinds for the windows.
The next change was made at the instigation of the choir, which had taken the place of over a century of precentors. The singers grew tired of sitting in the front pew and a gallery was built for them over the vestibule at the east end, with stairs leading to it from the northwest corner of the vestibule. Here pews were placed and the first melodeon, played by Miss Jennie Rutherford, now Mrs. Samuel Dickey. This alteration was made during the pastorate of Mr. Mitchell in 1858.