Credits
Jan. 1 Salute to Pastors - J.T. Johnson
8 Salute to Pastors - Early Circuit
Riders
15 Salute to Pastors - Adam Given
22 Salute to Pastors - Marlin Blankenship
29 Early Members---Reece Randolph Dillon
Feb. 5 Memorable Moments - R. & S. Blankenship
12 The Lord Has Need of Talent
19 The Church Bell
26 Memorable Moments - J. Pullen
Mar. 5 Ministers - J.N. Herald
12 The Church with a Heart
19 Dillon Chapel and The Methodist Episcopal South Part
I
26 Dillon Chapel and The Methodist Episcopal South Part
II
Apr. 2 Appointments
to
Dillon Chapel
9 Buying a Church Pew
16 Reflections by B. Talbert
23 The Church at the Crossroads
30 Memories - D. Houston
May 7 First Sunday School Teacher
C.A.
1911
14 Ice Cream Social
21 Ministers - T. Duncan
28 Ministers - A. Nash
June 4 The Day We Almost Lost Millard
11 Recollections of Pastors - J. Jeffrey
18 Applebutter Making
25 Church Marriages
July 2 Reflections by B. Dawson
9 Reflections by L. Meadows Part I
16. The Roof Fell In! by Laddie Meadows
23 The Exalters by Henrietta Hileman
30 Memories by T. Jeffrey
Aug. 6 Charles & Nannie Stewart
13 The Church Deed
20 Eagle Scout Ceremony
27 Surviving the Depression
Sept. 3 Memories - B. Edens
10 Homecoming - Chuck Pullins
17 Present Church
24 Argie Dunford
Oct. 1 Parsonage
8 Memories by P. Jenkins
15 Pastors Out of Dillon Chapel
22 Yet a Little While and Then...by T. Jeffrey
In Re: The Late Rev. David
Groves
29 Bus Ministry
Nov. 5 The Evil that Men Do
12 Aunt Beulah Paugh - T. Jeffrey
19 History on Centennial Plates
27 Ministers - G. Flowers
Dec. 3 The Old Log Church
10 The Most Memorable Revival
17 Odd & Ends
30 Progress/Centennial Year
Dedicated to all the
people who have been upheld by
the faith and love of the congregations Dillon Chapel United Methodist
Church.
Compiled by JUDY PULLEN, Church Historian,
and members of the congregation
under the leadership of TIMOTHY J. ALLEN, Pastor
Rev. John T. Johnson, ~ho was born in Erie, PA in 1823, came to
the
Wa~e Circuit in 1858 and continued there until the Civil War began.
In
that year, he began holding services and prayer meetings for the people
of Davis Creek, Cabell County in their homes, newly completed barns,
and,
weather permitting, in the open under the trees. This practice
was to
continue for thirty years, until a permanant building was erected.
In 1861 the hostilities reached even into the churches, and Rev.
Johnson was chosen the Chaplain of the 8th Virginia Cavalry, Confederate
States of America. This unit was formed at Green-Bottom in Mason
County
under the leadership of Captain Albert Q. Jenkins, a Harvard trained
lawyer
Following the War, Rev. Johnson returned to this area to hold
services
monthly on the Wayne-Cabell Circuit. On Dec. 23, 1866, he performed
the marriage of Almeda Topping and Marlin T. Blankenship who, much
later, were to figure prominently in the building of Dillon Chapel.
Today, we salute Rev. John T. Johnson, the Pennsylvania-born Yankee,
who became the Chaplain of the 8th Virginia Cavalry.
Following Brother Johnson ~ Brother Hiram Moore, a Kentuckian
by
birth, who came to this circuit in 1857. He was followed by two
brothers
from Green Valley: Rev. Charles Crook (1859-1872) and his brother
Rev.
John Crook. Both were felt to be good preachers by the people
whom
they served.
They were typical of the black-suited circuit riders who traveled
many miles over mud roads in all kinds of weather so that the Word
of God
might reach the remote areas of Cabell and Wayne counties which at
that
time was not much more than pioneer co'rxmmities. For many, they
were
the only source to perform weddings and conduct funerals and baptisms.
Many of these pastors traveled on Saturday staying overnight with
the local families and getting up refreshed for Sunday services.
(They
soon learned where the most hospitable families and the best cooks
were.)
These early preachers were the source of the old saying:
"The
weather is so bad no one is out but fools and Methodist preachers!"
Today we salute these hardy men, who braved the elements to serve
God in those backwoods areas, hungry for His Word.
Centennial Minutes
SALUTE TO THE PASTORS
January 15---Rev. Adam Given
Rev. Adam Given was the main promoter and builder of
a church building for the Davis Creek Community which be-
came known as Dillon Chapel. Rev. Given, who was born
Sept. 28, 1829, and died Nov. 3, 1899, served 41 years as a
Methodist preacher. He was considered the most intellectual
of all the early preachers and earned the reputation of never
being late for his appointments, which were scattered all
over Wayne and Cabell counties. At his death, he was buried
in Bowen Cemetery, Bowen, West Virginia.
Today we salute Rev. Adam Given, the intellectual circuit
rider, who was the first man to have the foresight to promote
a permanent church building in the Davis Creek Community.
And who had a reputation for never being late for his
appointments, even though his only mode of transportation
was a horse.
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of Contents
Rev. Marlin Blankenship came to Davis Creek from Four-
Pole about 1880 and soon after was called to serve as "lay
preacher" to the community. He conducted worship services,
preached funerals, laid out the dead, preached camp meetings
and revivals, nursed the sick -- all without pay. Along
with Adam Given, the circuit rider assigned to this community,
he was instrumental in the building of a permanent church
home at Dillon Chapel, where he served until his death in
1900. He died as a direct result of nursing a typhoid victim,
John Love, who had been deserted by his family and left to die
alone without medical care or food. Rev. Blankenship contracted
typhoid and died before his patient. He is buried in Crook
Chapel Cemetery, Green Valley.
We salute today Rev. Marlin Blankenship, who in addition
to raising six children and caring for an invalid wife, devoted
his life in service to his God and his community.
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Centennial Minutes
Early Members
January 29 Reece Randolph Dillon
Reece Randolph Dillon (born in Franklin Virginia
in1830 died Cabell Co. in 1888) was a pioneer timberman who purchased 1,000
acres in 858 from Paul Davis, the first settler for whom Davis
Creek was named. Those who knew Mr. Dillon said that the snow never
got too deep nor the winter too cold for him to cut timber with a hand
saw and haul it to the Guyan River with a team of eight oxen. Working
out in the winter of 1888, the worst in memory, he took pneumonia and was
struck down in his prime at 58. He is buried on land that was part
of his farm, now in the possession of laddie Meadows.
A well-respected member of the community and
a devout member of
the church, Reece, Sophia Adelaide, and their 13 children lived in
a
log house on the site of the J.J. Bolin house across from the present
church.
Mr. Dillon had pledged the land on which to
erect a church
building shortly before he died. A lengthy law suit followed
involving
his widow and Thomas Thornburg, who held a deed of trust for $1,000.
Mr.
Thornburg signed the deed on the land already pledged by Mr. Dillon.
The trustees had the last word -- as a memorial to Reece Dillon,
they named the church in his honor.
In our congregation are many members who are descended from Reece
Randolph Dillon including: Paul Jeffrey, Viv Jeffrey, Tommy
Jeffrey, Jason and John Jeffrey, Paula, Ashley and Andrew Jenkins,
Judy,
Joe and Jesse Pullen, Evelyn Eden, Shannon Blankenship, Katherine Nash
and her children, and Nannie Wilson. Theyy are a living memorial
to the
church he envisioned.
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of Contents
Reba also has fond memories of teacher Nan Stewart's card class, and she has carefully kept over the years a collection of cards she re-ceived as a child.
Rev. Owen Martin was their best remembered pastor -- he was the one under which they were converted. He also used to play croquet with them on their lawn. He revisited them a few years back. He had lived many years in T~'~s where he had retired after many years service as a i~avy Chaplain.
As a continuing series, we would like each of you to recall events and preachers that youremember best.
The congregation has only to sing "a Capella" for a Sunday or
two to really appreciate the contribution of a pianist to our service.
In a small church it is always a problem to recruit dedicated and trained
individuals to carry on a music ministry. We are lucky to have such a pianist
in Connie Kuhn, who has played for many years and is sorely missed in her
few absences.
Often the minister's wife was expected to contribute her musical
ability. One such who comes to mind is Vickie Pullins, whose beautiful
voice and talented playing was an inspiration. In the 1950's, Eleanor Nash
provided music for our services until she moved to Florida. In the
70's and 80's, Mike Dillon's talented playing demonstrated God's ministry
in music. The "Exalters" were an outgrowth of church worship, which
provided another dimension of ministry in music. Through our musical
ministry, worship services are enhanced the Spirit moves, and people
are sometimes saved!
But it was not always so. In the middle 1930's, Dillon Chapel was hampered by the lack of a pianist. At that time, a young wife, Clarabelle Turley Balnkenship, who had married at 16, had a small child and was herself barely 20, moved to Davis Creek and joined her husband's home church, Dillon Chapel. She had considerable talent for singing, and had always yearned for music lessons, but had never had that privilege.
As a child, whenever she saw a piano she was drawn to it like a magnet. So, when the church found iseif without a pianist, and the Thornburg family loaned an organ in order to train one, it was placed in Mrs. Blankenship's home.
Her husband's cousins, Shirley and Becky Blankenship, were visiting when she sat down at the organ and, to their astonish-ment, began to play "There A Land Where We'll Never Grow Old." She had never had a lesson or an instrument to practice on before.
After that there was no stopping her, she practiced the hymns she was familiar with by ear until she could play for services, revivals and programs. Dillon Chapel had their pianist, until she and her family moved in the late 1940's.
Today she serves God faithfully at Starcher Baptist Church in
Charleston. But she still remembers the day she got an organ and
Dillon Chapel gained a pianist!
When we use our talents for God, nothing is impossible.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
THE DILLON CHAPEL CHURCH BELL
February 19, 1989
One of the congregation recalls that her foundest memory of Dillon Chapel as a child was walking to church on a clear Sabbath morning and hearing the church bell call the community to worship. The bell also tolled the death of the faithful in the community. It might also toll on happier occasions such as a wedding or birth.
Over the years conditions changed, and more of the community "slept in" on Sunday mornings. For them, the church bell became a nuisance rather than a herald to worship.
It was first installed in the old white frame church. When the present church was built in 1948, there was no bell tower included, so it was stored behind the garage, its useful-ness diminished. There was even talk of selling it. It lay forgotten and rusting for many years, until the men of the church decided to build a free-standing bell tower. Kenny Ferguson and Charles Cooke spent many hours welding the steel to house the bell.
Thanks to the generosity of Bill Dawson, the steel tower is now housed in brick as a memorial to his late wife, Cecelia. It quietly awaits the day when the comrnunity is again so unified and devout that it can call its people to worship.
It was a Sabbath morning in May, 1977, when I had been asked to speak in the Sunday Morning service for Lavman's Day It was the first time I had undertaken such an awesome responsibility. The congregation looks much different from the other side of the pulpit. I felt awkward and unworthy, and I wished I had left the speaking to someone more at ease and more experienced.
I stepped into the pulpit to give my message entitled "The Promises of God." At that moment, the choir began to sing a song chosen by the pastor, who was unaware of my topic. The name of the song was "Standing on the Promises."
I relaxed, confident of a Helping Hand. Just as I began my message, the church doors opened and in walked Weltha Nash under her own steam on 2 artificial limbs. Having suffered years from the ravages of diabetes, she had had both legs amputated. It was a testimony to her courage and her faith that she triumphantly entered God's house, still praising the Lord. I hope she found as much comfort in the message as I did in her presence. Praise God -- the glory be His!!!
Rev. J. N. Herald served twice at Dillon chapel from 1924-1925 and from 193Q-~931. He was a fat1 jolly man with snow white hair and a dignified manner, which must have made it all the more embarrassing the day he lost his false teeth while preaching. There was nothing to do but grab them and put them back in -- and continue his sermon!
Bennie Eden recalls that he preached in the little white church and was a carpenter by trade. He built the Dick Hensley house while preaching here. Bennie says he al~~ys thought he was a preacher called by God as distinguished from those who saw preaching as "just another job."
Ben Blankenship recalls that he was a slow, easy man who warmed up as he went along; and when he was preaching well he didn't pay any atten-tion to the clock. Many a dinner burned while Rev. Herald spoke.
Virginia Blankenship, then in her 20's, used to tell her cousins that she was going to die in the summer and Rev. Herald would preach her funeral; and they would have to sit for hours, in the heat, listening to the service. She missed the mark a little. She died when she was 30 years old, in November, and Rev. 0.C. Martin preached her funeral; and her cousins were there. But it was a brief service!
Centennial Minutes
The Church With A Heart
March 12, 1989
Dillon Chapel has had a long history of being a caring church. Ninety years ago, Rev. Marlin Blankenship viewed caring for the sick and laying out the dead as part of his Christian duty. Over fifty years ago, the people of the church cared for Nan Stewart, a childless widow, when she became old and infirm.
In the 1940's, Rev. Raymond Workman is fondly remembered as a preacher who rolled up his sleeves and helped out in the community. One member remembers Rev. Workman working long hours, mending fences; another remembers his helping to slaughter hogs. Incidentally, he was also the preacher who blew up the pressure cooker canner while canning applesauce -- leaving his face badly burned -- and his mark on the parsonage ceiling!
Down through the years to the present, Dillon Chapel has earned a reputation for helping those in need. The needs change, but the serving is the same. We have a good record for paying our benevolences, many years reaching our 100% goal. In 1988, we paid $3850, including our apportionment for Ministeral Support and World Service, the charitable arm of the U.M.C. But our church has gone far beyond the minimum set by the Conference. We have collected special offerings for Golden Cross, Asbury Woods, One Hour of Sharing, and Student Day to name a few.
Dillon Chapel has participated for many years in the World Hunger Drive, including the Glen Holton Walk-A-Thon which has netted our church $100 for each of the last two years. In 1977, we were given a certificate for giving the most in the Huntington District, with over $300, toward World Hunger. In addition, Dillon Chapel has contributed to the Ronald McDonald House, as does the United Methodist Women's group in the church. Each year we contribute $100 to the City Mission, where one of our members, Lola Sargent has volunteered to work weekly for many years. We have also contributed to Beckley Child Care Center, and last winter in addition to collections, provided coats~for those teens in the Center who had none.
Much of this charitable work takes place in the local com-munity and is above and beyond our offical requirements. The David Grove Victory Class, spearheaded by Tommy and Mary Jeffrey, has sponsored a food pantry for the last five years. An idea which grew out of a class meeting, it has helped 15-25 families a year with food on an emergency basis. They are referred by the Information and Referral Agency, local schools, social workers, and by word-of-mouth. They also provide holiday baskets for Christmas, and fruit baskets for the elderly.
At the Christmas season, we have provided a special ministry for needy children, providing clothing, toys, games, and other gifts for each child in a family. Individual church members select a name and provide one or more gifts for that child. For the last three years, names have been provided by Jeanette Dillon from Merritts Creek Elementary School, where she is acquainted with the needs of children she sees every day. In other years we have selected names for needy children from Davis Creek and Guyandotte Elementary Schools. This tradition goes back many years to Mrs. Lora Linkfield and Mrs. Beulah Paugh who also organized gifts for needy children.
Many times in the past we have also helped individuals on a one-to-one basis, although it has been sometimes hard to dis-tinguish real need from a scam. Tommy Jeffrey remembers per-sonally offering to take a man shopping for Christmas groceries, he had a long list, only to have him walk off when they arrived at the store. He had wanted money rather than groceries! In another instance, the congregation collected $87.00 for a traveler in route from New York to Tennessee, who had run out of both gas and money. We only hope that from these and many other instances, that the individuals involved remember the love of God and the church that demonstrated it in their lives!
From the very beginning, Dillon Chapel has recognized the need for reaching out to others. One's Christian duty extends beyond the church door as we minister to the needs of the world. We have never, from our beginnings, been a wealthy church. But we have had a long tradition of opening our hearts and our pocket-books in time of need.
In its 100 year history, Dillon Chapel has belonged to three Methodist Conferences. It was chartered as a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Our first pastor, John T. Johnston, was affiliated with the Wayne Circuit of the Church South, and after serving as a Confederate Chaplain resumed duties here after the hostilities ended.
A word about the founding of this branch of Methodism. The main body of the Methodist Episcopal Church, meeting at Louisville, Kentucky in 1845, found it impossible to draft a resolution on slavery and church leadership which was acceptable to all. So a vote was taken, and the Methodist Episcopal Church South became a separate body on June 17, 1845. This became a prelude to the final breach between the North and South 15 years later.
As in most wars, there was a break-down in morality: greed, hatred,
corruption, secularism, and politics invaded the pulpit. Union Generals
regarded Southern preachers "the best recruiting officers in the South",
sometimes even signing up soldiers after church services. Prayer
meeting and revivals in camp were encouraged, and circuit riders were always
welcome. Each side villifed the other from the pulpit; both sides en-listed
the aid of God in the justice of their cause.
Dillon Chapel, existing informally without charter or building, escaped
the fate of many sister churches whose property was burned, plundered,
or confiscated by invading armies, and whose preachers were replaced by
Northerners without regard to the local congregations. The effect
on the Methodist Episcopal Church, South was devestating; we lost 100,000
members during the four years of war!
Church property was tied up for years in litigaiton over ownership. The wounds of war heal slowly -- but the Church of God could and did rise above the bitterness. Next week we will discuss the spiritual awakening and reunification of the largest protestant Church in America, of which Dillon Chapel was a part.
After the Civil War, the Methodist Episcopal Church South experienced a great religious awakening. As one author wrote: "The sound of revival was heard from one border to another." The Church began to meet the needs of the Indians, newly-freed slaves, and destitute whites, as well as beginning mission work around the globe. Turning their attention to the spiritual needs of a defeated people whose annual income was $200 a year, they slowly began to rebuild Southern society.
They stressed the importance of education in teaching ex-slaves and in founding institutions of higher education to train ministers. For that purpose the Church South founded Emory, Vanderbilt, Trinity College (which became Duke Univer-sity) and Southern Methodist University.
But the move for unification came slowly. Besides the lingering bitterness, there were important doctrinal differ-ences between the two main branches of Methodism. The Northern Church was more liberal theologically and took a greater role in the social gospel; the Southern Church stres-sed personal salvation, fundamental theology, and evangelism. However, since Methodists have never set up rigid theological tests for membership, there was room to accommodate both fundamentalist and liberal views. We still make that accom-modation.
In the decades before 1900, the main branches of Methodism was the most evenly distributed church in America, due to the Circuit system which insured every cross-roads hamlet access to religious services. The controversy over formalism and "heart religion" led to many splinter groups including the Church of the Nazarene and several holiness groups.
Finally, after 94 years of bitter division, a Unity Conference was held in Kansas City in which the Methodist Protestant, the Methodist Episcopal, and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South were the largest bodies. On April 2~ 1939, these bodies voted overwhelmingly to form a united church henceforth to be called the Methodist Church, and eight million strong, it was the largest Protestant body in the United States. Thus, the largest unification movement in American Protestantism was complete, and at that time, our congregation at Dillon Chapel became part of the Methodist Church of West Virginia.
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
1919 Bowen Circuit A. B. Shelton
1920
Moss Bias
1921
1922
1923 Kenova Circuit E. T. Caton
1924 Kenova - Dillon J. N. Herald
1925 Huntington, Smith St. - Dillon R. G. Ellis
1926
1927
1928
1929 Pea Ridge - Dillon C.B. Morris
1930
J. N. Herald
1931 Dillon - Westmoreland Okey Summers
1932
1933
1934 Bowen Circuit S. R. Simpson
1935
C. H. Peters
1936
1937 0. C. Martin
1938
(No appointment in 1939)
The Methodist Church
1940 Dillon Circuit Raymond Workman
1941 Dillon
1942 Mrs. Beulah Paugh
1943 Raymond Workman
1944 Hward Hall
1945
1946 J. C. O'Dell
1947 Earl DeBar
1948 Dillon - Mt. Union
1949 Doran Houston
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954 C C. Jarvis
1955
1956 M. G. Flowers
1957 O 5. Donahoe
1958 Dillon - Mt. Union T. A. Duncan
959
1960
1961
1962 Dillon Travis Wells, Jr.
1963 DillonI A. A. Mash
1964 Dillon
Bobby Gwinn/ Hal LaParrell
1966 Dillon - Mays Chapel Ira Mentz (Bap.)
1967 Dillon Chapel
1968
1969
1970 William Smith
1971 Mack Thomasson
1972 I'
1973 Lewis Curry
1974 Charles A. Pullin
1975
1976
1977
1978 Mark A. Johnson
1979 John L. Smith
1980
1981 David S. Grove
1982 Dennis Smith
1983 Robert Fulton
1984
1985 Lafayette Vinson
1986
1987
1988 Timothy J. Allen
1989
1990
1991 Kerry Lilly
1992
1993
1994 Teresa Markins
1995
1996
1997 Martha Ognibene
One of the means of providing the nice oak church pews which are still in use today was the practice of "buying11 a church pew. For a $100.00 donation, a member or person in the community would be entitled to place his name, or the name of one he wished to memorialize, on a brass plate at the end of pew. The following were paid for by the people in the
community at the time the brick church was built.
THE SANCTUARY:
Left -- Norris and Sively Blankenship (Slim & Doc) in memory of their mother, Maggie Blankenship.
Right-- Ben and Herman Blankenship, Hobert Dunkle in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Blankenship.
THE PEWS:
Orville and Lora Linkfield
Henry 0. Nash and Normal Nash
Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Angle and Family
Beulah and Ishmael Paugh
Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Booten
Mr. and Mrs. A.A. Nash
Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Dillon
Mr. and Mrs. G.Y. Neal
Roy A. and Hattie Doss in memory of their parents
R.W. Hensley and Family
The Charles Wallace Family in memory of their daughter Diana Kay
In memory of our father W.R. Dunford by the Dunford family
Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Midkiff and family
T.J. Hensley and family
Mr. and Mrs. T.J. Nash and family
Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Chambers, Mrs. Delia Nash, Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Childers
Mrs. Laurence~Childers -
H.T. and Iva Artrip in Memory of Anna Belle Artrip
Although there are many names familiar to us in the community and many names near and dear, the only survivors among these contributors named are Sively (Doc) Blankenship and Ben Blankenship, members of the Dunford family, and members of the T.J. Nash family. All the others have gone to their reward, in this year of our Lord, 1989!
Twelve years ago (1977), I came to Dillon Chapel looking for a church. After visiting several other churches, I knew Dillon Chapel was where I wanted to be. The people opened their arms and hearts and welcomed me. I felt this was a church were I could worship God and share my concerns with people who really care.
A lot has happened to us in the past 12 years. We’ve traveled through valleys and climbed mountains. And as a church we’ve made it together with the strength and love of God and each other.
The church has shared in the marriage of Terry and me. The birth and christening of J.R. and J.D. The church has prayed and gone out of their way when we needed someone to lean on. All because the church cares. This tells me that God lives within the hearts of all the people here at Dillon Chapel United Methodist Church.
As this church has celebrated with us we celebrate together in one hundred years of this church serving God.
May God always be with this church in all that we do for the service
of God.
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of Contents
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
THE LITTLE WHITE CHURCH AT THE CROSSROADS
April 23, 1989
Dillon Chapel existed as a church since the late 18501s meeting in members barns, homes, or in the summer under a large beech tree. A few people recall a log structure which existed before the white church. In a taped interview, Eula Jeffrey recalled attending services in the log building when she was a small child. It stood in back of the present church between what it now the drive-way and the scout building. Jack Jeffrey recalls his Grandmother Dillon also telling of an old log church.
Sometime in the late 1800's, the local congregation at Davis Creek felt the need for a new church building in which to worship God. They were encouraged by the local pastor, Rev. Marlin Blankenship and the traveling pastor, Rev. Adam Given.
The location was central to the whole community, on the Reece Dillon farm which was intersected by the Old Hamlin Pike between Wayne and Logan (now 16th Street Road).
Two local carpenters active in the church donated their labor: Hugh Melrose and Claude Dillon. As in many heavily timbered areas, the building of a church was a simple and cheap matter. The land and the timber for the frame building was donated. It was constructed on four sandstone corner-stones. The heating system was a pot-bellied stove, located to the left of the door. The lighting was originally Kerosene and the plumbing was outdoors.
The floor plan consisted of one large room which served as a sanctuary and for Sunday School. A bell to call the faith-ful to worship hung in its tower and a white picket fence surrounded it. (Were told that Stacy Dillon, who had been rabbit hunting on the hill behind the church once climbed the fence with a shotgun, which discharged. From the wounds he received, he developed double pneumonia and died.
This building met the needs of the people until 1947 when plans for a new church began under the direction of Rev. Earl Debar. When the basement was completed, services were moved there. For a time the old church was used for socials and other events.
Finally, during doran Houston's ministry, the building was sold for $500 to Alfred Browning, who tore it down and rebuilt it on his farm near Martha. It was obtained from Mr. Browning by his son Paul, who later sold it to the present owner Keith Adkins. It looks much the same as the original church, except it now sports blue vinyl siding and was expanded to a story and a half.
It would be gratifying for the original builders to know that their
work survived almost 60 years as a church and another 40 years as a comfortable
home!
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The Lord works to change the hearts of those who sincerely wish to serve Him.
One such example was that of Old Mr. Fry who came here from Logan County, and his neighbor, Hack Angle, who owned the present Shoenlein Hollow. They were in a squabble over a little strip of land which divided their farms. They were almost to the point of a shooting feud when a tent meeting was set up at the bottom of the hill near their farms. One night when the invitation was given, they both came to the mourners's bench, one sitting at one end, one at the other. They kneeled there only a short period of time, when they both jumped up, put their arms around each other, and asked for forgiveness! Incidentally, they dropped their respective suits that were pending in court. Presumably, that little strip of land just didn't mean as much anymore.
They both went on to serve Dillon Chapel for many years. One day Hack Angle approached the preacher and said, "Preacher, I've been meaner than the Devil and I would like to do something for the Lord, but I don't have many talents. What can I do?"
Rev. Houston thought for a moment and said, "I don't want you to take
this as an insult, but we have a very great need for a custodian."
"That's it," he reDlied. "That's my job!" And so it was for the
rest of Rev. Houston's stay at Dillon Chapel and beyond. Each month
when he got his check, he would sign it and put it in the offering plate.
Old Mr. Fry gave the most surprising testimony Rev. Houston ever heard. He was attending prayer meeting and got up to testify. He got up1 flicked his hair (as he was in the habit of doing) and began: "I love everybody and I think everybody loves me." Then he paused. "Wait a minute. There was a fellow back in Logan County who was so mean and onery that I shot him through and through with a copper-jacket bullet -- and I ain't sorry of it."
Mrs. Houston was so shocked that she thought there was something wrong with her hearing or her mind. After a coupleday's struggle, she went to Doran: "I didn't hear that man say he shot someone, did I Doran?"
"Oh yes you did," he replied. "That's exactly what he said."
The testimony notwithstanding, Mr. Fry, who was Wealtha Nash's father, served well and faithfully for many years. "The Lord works in mysterious ways, his wonders to preform."
One of Ben Blankenship's earliest memories was walking barefoot to Sunday
School on a warm, Sabbath morning when he was about three. His first
teacher was Shina Schoenlein. He was about three. His first
teacher was Shina Schoenlein. He carried his two pennies his mother
had given him clutched in his fist. When Mrs. Schoenlein passed around
a little basket
When he reached into the basket, his teacher gently said: "No,
no, honey. You are supposed to put it in--not take it out!"
Mrs. Schoenlein taught many years at Dillon Chapel before she and her husband moved to Huntington. There she became a Salvation Army lady who carried her little basket into the toughest streets and the roughest bars without fear. She was never molested as she collected money for God.
One of the funniest stories Ben remembers involved Mrs. Schoenlein and her husband, Jim. In the old days, the road often ran through the creek. There the rocks were slick, and one curve was particularly treacherous. Mrs. Schoenlein was driving the buggy, and when she rounded the curve, the buggy and when she rounded the curve the buggy overturned. Well her husband was lividHe showered her with verbal abuse which she withstood with remarkable restraint. Finally, he told her: "You don't know how to drive a horse. Let me show you." Whereupon, he turned the horse around, nego-tiated the same curve in the creek and turned the buggy over himself!
The ice cream social has been a tradition at Dillon Chapel since the early days, when the congregation met, and visited, and made home-made ice cream and sold the ladies tasty cakes and pies. It was a big money maker for the church and helped pay the bills when the economic conditions were bad. Yet, at one time, it was banned as a social event
--but the church prospered nevertheless.
This came about because of an event early in Rev. Doran Houston's ministry. Dillon Chapel was his first charge --he was a student pastor still studying at Marshall and pre-paring to enter Duke University Seminary. It was one of his first experiences with an ice cream social, so he just sat back and observed. A band was brought in from Hunting-ton and several of the members were very drunk when they arrived. it was being held in the white frame church, since only the basement was completed in the new church.
But when the band struck up a dance in the front of the church, Rev. Houston took over.
"This chruch has not yet been abandoned as a church. It is representative
of the unfinished church next door. And we don't believe in drunkenness
and dancing in church. If this is all you have to do this evening -- this
is closed down as of right now. One of the band members said:
"Aw,
shut up."
Rev. Houston said, "Now listen here, I don't know if you know who you are talking to or not. But you're not going to do what you've been doing. That's how it is --as long as I'm preacher here, we won't have anymore socials."
He sent them packing -- without pay!
Well, the local people got their cakes nad pies to-gether, and huffed and puffed and went home. But he stuck by his word.
Four years later, after one of the most successful ministries at Dillon Chapel, he was being considered for a fifth year. One of the trustees said, "Four years is enough for any preacher, and he has been here four years; and besides, he doesn't want us to have socials, and I don't want him back."
But he came for a fifth year -- one of our most beloved pastors. When he left for Seminary, the brick church was completed and paid for to the last penny; there was a success-ful bus ministry; attendance was at an all-time high of 200 members (a record which still stands!) There was talk of enlarging the sanctuary as the building was often packed. So the church at Dillon Chapel thrived and prospered -- even though the traditional ice cream social ceased during those five years!
Rev. Duncan never dreamed of being anything but a minister, but he was 30 years old, married with a family, before the dream became a reality. As a child he was taken to church every Sunday by his mother; and by graduation from high school he knew he had to be a preacher. He graduated from a junior college in Tennessee and served as a teacher1 principal, millwright, and coal miner before being shown the way to continue his education. He enjoyed all his jobs, but at the back of his mind was his desire to preach.
One mentor told him: "If you have the desire, you will find a way." The way came with his first appoilltm~~Lt at Sterret in the coal-fields of Logan County, where his experience with miners helped him identify with his congregation. In his first year there he had 60 people saved at a revival at his church; and they were baptised in February when there was ice on the river. He didn't know about wet suits, so he baptised in his street clothes. The Lord must have made allowances for he didn't suffer frost-bite
After serving four years at Sterret, he was sent to Ceredo in order
to finish his education at Marshall. In addition to pastoring, rearing
a family, and going back to school, he did janitorial work at the elementary
school and field house at Kenova
Rev. Duncan was sent to Dillon Chapel in 1958, on the Dillon Chapel - Mt. Union Circuit. When he came here he preached to an average of 25 on Sunday mornings; when he left, he played to a full house. He attributes his success to "visiting, visiting, and more visiting." He earned a reputation as a visit-ing preacher, which led to his present position as associate pastor at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Since his "retirement", he averages 70 visits a week to hospitals, nursing homes, to the elderly, and home-bound.
Following several charges all over West Virginia, Rev. Duncan bought a house at Salt Rock, but shortly after became associated with St. Luke's. On his travels on route 10, he sometimes visited with dine Dillon, who was very ill. dine told him one day that he would like him to preach his funeral, a request he honored.
One of the moments that stands out in his memory at Dillon Chapel was his first Sunday in the pulpit. The church at that time had a lay-leader who felt he should run things. He got into a very vocal argument with another member and when he turned the meeting over to Rev. Duncan, it was five minutes til 12 noon! Rev. duncan proceeded to tell the congregation how glad he was to be there, and gave the benediciton. Thus ended what was probably the shortest sermon of his career.
Rev. duncan notes that he knew the church had had difficult-ies when
he came. But he was accepted graciously, and the people were always
good to him, and he to them. He had no problems
which a little love couldn't smooth over.
And that has been his story wherever he went. He is a minister
who loves people, and smooths out the difficulities with a little loving
kindness.
For the number of members on its roles, Dillon Chapel has provided a large proportion of ministers throughout the years. Some were lay preachers, some seminary trained, and still others were student ministers who completed their education and entered as full time ministers while pastoring Dillon Chapel.
One such lay preacher was Alexander A. Nash, a local business man and life-time member of our community. He and Rev. Earl Debar were crucial in selling the idea of a new church, noting that the little white church was too small, outdated, and badly in need of modern conveniences.
Alex, who had been converted a year or two before, tithed everything
he had accumulated over the years as a successful businessman. That
tithe money constructed the basement of the new church. Later, he
provided shingles for the roof, and made other major repairs as needed.
During Rev. Houston's ministry, he ran a very successful bus ministry.
The Sunday School Classes spilled over to the church bus which doubled
as the Young Girl’s Class.
Called to preach he was a kind, generous, spiritual pastor. In
addition to filling the pulpit in many churches he was appointed to Mount
Union and in 1963 to Dillon Chapel as pastor. In later years he served
as teacher of the Men’s Class.
Of the many things which Alex taught us in his Christian calling, one
stands in my memory. "You don’t have to understand every word of
the Bible to be saved." If we just live by the parts we do know that
will be sufficient
The church roof presented a problem from the first. It was first
built with a flat roof which proved unsatisfactory because of leakage.
So it was decided to build up a slope roof. Alex Nash agreed to buy the
materials and Bennie Edens, with the help of some of the men in the community,
agreed to put it on.
This presented a technical problem. Because of the original flat
roof and the dimensions of the building, it was necessary to construct
a very steep roof. A five-inch rise to each foot is standard; it
was necessary to build a 15-inch rise to each foot on the church roof,
which makes it very difficult to repair!
One of the men helping to roof was Millard Jeffrey. While working on the scaffold one day, he stepped off the board backward and fell -- about four feet to the flat roof below. Bennie says, "If he had been on the west side of the building, we would have lost Millard for sure that day."
The roof has continued to be a problem for workmen. One preacher, Chuck pullin~,vowed to~eat his 5th Sunday dinner on the church roof if the Sunday School Drive pushed the attendance over 150. He didn’t make it which must have been a mixed blessing to him.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
RECOLLECTIONS OF PASTORS - Jack Jeffrey
June 11, 1989
The first pastor that Jack remembers hearing about from his parents was E.T. Caton who was at Dillon Chapel in 1923. In the heat of the summer, the church windows were open to catch the cooling breezes. Often a group of men would stand outside with their arms on the window sills, listening to the sermon and talking. On one such occasion, when the talking grew too loud, Rev. Caton threw a hymn book at them, declaring that he couldn't preach with all that noise!
The first pastor whom Jack personally remembers was Raymond Workman. A boy at the time, he attended Sunday School and got away as soon as possible. He remembers Raymond helping anybody in the community with their work. Once, the Jeffreys were hoeing cane when he stopped and asked if they had an extra hoe.
"You can have mine," Jack said hopefully. Rev. Workman took the hoe and Millard sent Jack to the barn to get another one. The preacher hoed and talked, talked and hoed, all after-noon until the job was done. That was his style: to go where people were (usually in the fields) and to talk as he worked. The people in the community may have forgotten his sermons, but they have never forgotten his rolling up his sleeves and helping out!
In 1944-45, Howard Hall served during the difficult days of World War
II. Jack was big buddies with Rev. Hall, who had been a college athlete
and had played football for Morris Harvey
in Barboursville. Once when visiting another church with Rev.
Hall, Jack recalls a lady rushing out hysterically, pleading with the pastor
to break up a fight. "Now Mrs. So-and-so," he said, "just calm down.
I've paid good money to see fights which weren't as good as this.
They'll quit when they've finished." And he sat back to enjoy the
fight! Rev. Hall, a Logan County native, recently died in Florida,
where he had retired.
The preacher Jack recalls visiting in the community, among the sick, home-bound and elderly, was Rev. Mack Thomasson. He continued his hospital visits well into his 80's and served as associate pastor after his retirement.
Jack also felt that Rev. Layfette Vinson was always on hand during illness, crisis or death in the family, lending his support and help.
Perhaps the preacher Jack will never forget was J.C. (Jake) O'Dell, a bachelor who stayed only one year at Dillon Chapel. When Jack was a teen-ager he led the youth group in the church even though he was not yet a Christian.
The youth had planned an ice-cream social to sponsor some activities,
and it was duly approved by the Church. The evening came, the cakes
and pies were baked, and the youth were setting up the tables on the lawn
when Rev. O'Dell came out.
"I've decided not to have the social today," he said.
"But we had it approved and everything's ready," replied Jack.
"I know that, but I just can't have it today," said Rev. O 'Dell.
"Well, the way I see it, you aren't having it anyway. We are.
and you don't have anything to do with it." Well, one word led to
another, and Jack ended up chasing the good reverend into the parsonage.
He ran upstairs and yelled out the window, "Now you get on out of here
or I'm going to call the State Police."
"How are you going to do that?" Jack asked.
"On that telephone right there," he replied.
So Jack, who was standing on the porch, kicked the screen door in and
jerked the telephone cord out of the wall.
"If you come down here," he yelled, "the only thing you are going to
get is an ambulance to take you to the hospital."
About this time Jack's Aunt Kathleen Blankenship intervened.
"Now, Jack," she said, as she took his arm and guided him off the porch.
"I know you are not a Christian, but this is church property and you can't
act like that." So she allowed the youth group to move all their
tables and set up their social under her walnut tree. And everyone
was happy. Praise God for wise relatives!
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
APPLEBUTTER MAKING
June 18, 1989
One of the mainstays of the church financing over the years has been
applebutter making. In the beginning this was women's work, the men
being busy with "hard labor." In this farming community, the skill
was handed down from one generation to another as one of the means to feed
their families.
Most of us cut our teeth on fresh butter, home-made biscuits and apple-butter.
Jack jeffrey remembers Argie Dunford, Lora Linkfield, and Mrs. Ullom making
applebutter when he was a young man. They were stirring in front of the
old church which had been moved where the garage now is. There was
a downpour and they were struggling to hold a small umbrella over the kettle
and keep the fire going.
Jack and Enoch Mills were driving by when Jack suggested that they stop and help. This was in Jack's drinking days, Enoch wanted to know what the church women would say about their drinking.
"I don't care what they say," said Jack. "It isn't any of their
business. Let's go." So they sent the ladies to the shelter
of the church, while they kept the wood burning. By this time, the
creeks were rising, with water running everywhere back of the church, over
the bridge, and under the houses. Eventually the sun came out and the grateful
ladies (now dried out) finished their kettle of applebutter.
For many years these ladies, as well as Gladys Dunford, Vernie Bradbury, and Eunice Nash helped keep the doors open with their excellent applebutter. There is a lot of work in gathering the wood, selecting the apples, and peeling the apples.
There is a lot of skill in getting the right apples, getting just the right flavoring, using the proper copper-bottomed kettles, obtaining properly cured wood, and stirring continually to prevent any scorching or sticking. There is also an art in taking off the apple butter at the proper time when it is not too thin to corner or too thick to spread. Because it is today a dying art which few have learned, our church has no difficulty in selling all we can make. And the one kettle has expanded into several kettles. The church makes around 200 gallons each year.
In the early days the only kettle was owned by Eula Jeffrey. It
had been given to her by her grandmother. Folks for miles around
borrowed that kettle. One time it was borrowed as far away as portsmouth
Ohio. The kettle eventually wore thin in the bottom and was retired.
Paula Jenkins now keeps it as a momento.
Today applebutter making has become almost a necessity to take up the
slack of falling contributions. Although the men of the church do
the actual stirring, the women spend several evenings peeling apples and
cook for the workers. The men of the church, including Laddie Meadows,
Charlie Cooke, Gene Hileman, the Jeffrey's, Jackie Morgan, and Bill Dawson,
have had a large part in the annual event. In later years Bob Talbert
has made an important contribution by cleaning the kettles with his pressure
cleaning truck. This has been such a successful money-maker, that
some of the retired men have bought a cane mill and the next big project
is raising cane and making molasses!
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
CHURCH MARRIAGES
June 25, 1989
Over the years, there have been many marriages performed at Dillon Chapel. This is not a complete listing, but it does include those couples and families who are still associated with the church.
The oldest couple still with us that was married here is Paul and Pauline Jeffrey, who were married August 14, 1943. Theirs was a war-time marriage. They were married only three days when Paul left for the service. She was 17 and he was 19. Having their ceremony delayed by a lost blood test and forgotten witnesses, they were anxious to get on with it. They were married in the parsonage by Rev. Raymond Workman, who was in his coveralls. He offered to go change into a suit, but Pauline, already nervous and upset over the delays, said: "Just go on with the ceremony." Pauline recalls many lonely nights lighting a light in her window to indicate prayers for an absent serviceman.
Their daughter, Paula, was married to don Jenkins at Dillon Chapel on June 12, 1968, by Rev. Ira Mentz.
Catherine Nash and Paul Morgan were wed on October 14, 1955, by the Rev. Curtis Jarvis. Catherine says she was so nervous that that is all she can remember about the ceremony.
On December 6, 1958, Charles Edward Pullen and Judy Frances Patton were united in matrimony by Rev. Thomas A. Duncan. He was ill with the flu and got out of bed to do the ceremony.
Everything went smoothly except the preacher used the wrong given name for the bride and had to do it over. The rings were also placed on the wrong hand, but everything turned out right.
Next were Linda Sargeant and Charles Cooke who were married on July 22, 1961, also by Rev. Thomas Duncan. Linda remembers when they knelt to pray, Charles stepped on her gown and she was afraid it would be torn off if she stood up.
Patricia Gilpin and Ronnie Jeffrey were married on a scorching July 3, 1964, by the Rev. Hugh Lamb. Their main impression was that of the heat in the unairconditioned sanctuary.
Clara Ferrell and John Furry were married November 6, 1982, by Rev. Dennis Smith. John also put the ring on the wrong hand, but got it right the second time! John and Clara met in the fall, both loved the fall, and were married in the fall, complete with fall colors as the theme of the wedding party. The altar was decorated with corn shucks and pumpkins, and wheat adorned their wedding cake.
All of the children of Patty and Laddie Meadows were married at Dillon
Chapel. Kimberly Jean Meadows married Paul Lee Beach on May 16, 1987,
by Rev. Layfette Vinson. Mark Allen Meadows was married to Laura
Sue Brown on May 7, 1981, by Rev. Travis Wells, Jr. Michael Reed
Meadows married Sandra Gail Teachout on December 17, 1988 with Rev. Tim
Allen officiating. The Meadow's give a new meaning to the phrase
"church family.
Bill and Cherry Dawson were married July 3, 1982, by Rev. Dennis Smith. Cherry says Bill couldn't remember the words after having them repeated! Laddie Meadows gave the couple a beautifully wrapped gift after the ceremony to be opened before the congregation. It contained several useful items including a hog ring for Bill's nose, dog collars for both of them, and aspirin, just in case. Laddie believes in the Scout Motto:"Be prepared!"
May we in the future continue to have many happy and memorable marriages in our church home.
A tenth of a century at Dillon Chapel has been very important to me and those of my family.
My First wife Cecelia and I became dissatisfied with our church life at Barboursville First Methodist Church. So, when Laddie Meadows invited me to a work party, I met the Dillon Chapel Family while constructing the add-on Sunday School classes. Churck Pullen was the minister and a transfer of membership was next.
I felt the nearness of my Lord that I had missed be-fore. It was at this time I painted Christ as I visualized our savior.
The loss of my father and my first wife within a year of each other gave me little hope that my mother would sur-vive her serious illness, after 81 days in intensive care and the doctor said only a miracle could save her. She didn't know the power of prayer of the Dillon Chapel Family
During this period of time the Bell Tower was built and David Groves rebaptized me by emersion at Mt. Union... followed by the meeting of my loving wife, Cherry. Wedding Bells were next in the Dillon Chapel with the blessing of the Church Family. Our 7th Anniversary is tomorrow. Thank you God!
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
Reflections by Laddie Meadows
July 9, 1989
Chuck Pullins served as pastor to Dillon Chapel from
1974-1978.
During the early part of his ministry our Sunday School Program grew rapidly. Church felt that we needed more Sunday School rooms without using the Fellowhsip Hall or the stage. We kicked around the idea of buying a trailer and turning it into classrooms at one of our Board Meetings. Then we decided to add on to the basement. This seemed to be the right way to go for several reasons, for one, the children would not have to go out in inclement weather to get to their classrooms. We then established a Building Fund. A Building Committee was established as follows: Laddie Meadows, Chairman; Orville Sizemore, Treasurer; Gene Gilles-pie; Jack Jeffrey; Linda Cooke; Charlie Cooke; Ben Edens; Rufus Hensley; and Teresa Nash. To start our Building Program many members of the congregation donated money.
We had our first barbecue in June 1977 and it was suc-cessful in making $1,287.77 for our Building Program, and the proceeds from our 1976 and 1977 applebutter makin' project was put into the Building Fund.
The Methodist Men and Methodist Women also held fund raising projects
to help add to the Building Fund.
In July of 1977, we dug the basement. Elliott Adkins operated the dozer and charged $150.00 for his service.
July 21st we poured the footers for our new classrooms and we were on the way. The cost of the footer was $258.00. For the next few weeks members, friends and neighbors laid the block for the walls and also moved hte well inside of the chruch. We placed our seweres, pipes, wire and plastic overr top of level sand at the cost of $1,563.78. We left part of the blocks out at the end toward the street so that a concrete floor could be poured for the addition.
September 21, 1977, concrete floors were poured for our new classrooms at the cost of $476.25, plus a cash payment of $100.00 to Mr. Cox for leveling and finishing of the concrete floors.
For the next few months we put up the interior walls and placed termite shield, plates, sills, subfloor, tar paper, shingles, electric, and plumbed the new addition at the cost of $2,461.76.
That Brings us to December of 1977, and cold weather and lots of snow and another story later.
Centennial Minutes
When the Roof Fell In--Laddie Meadows
July 16, 1989
During the early part of 1978, we hAd several very hard winter storms. At times we had 31 inches of snow on the ground an 24 degrees below zero weather.
We worked on Saturdays and week days to finish our classrooms. In the David Grove's Victory Classroom we used an electric heater to lay brick for the fireplace. The bricks were brought in to thaw so we could lay them up.
It was toward the last of February when we had a few warm days in a row and our Pastor (Chuck- Pullins) was in the upstairs bathroom shaving one morning when he heard a loud pop. He looked out the window and was amazed that the snow, which was several feet deep on the church roof, had slid off on the new classrooms roof and collasped the roof.
The United Mehtodist Men were called and we crawled in under the roof and jacked it up. With a few braces and blocks a little patching here and there, we were back in shape again.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
"The Exalters" as part
of Dillon Chapel
July 23, 1989 - Henrietta Hileman
In June 1979, Dillon Chapel was getting a new minister, John Smith. For his first Sunday in the pulpit at Dillon, it was suggested that we have "Special Singing". Therefore, Peggy Jeffrey, Henrietta Hileman, Gene Gillespie, and Orville Sizemore decided to try singing as a quartet. They asked Mike Dillon to play the piano, and Tommy Ferguson played the drums. Everyone said they enjoyed the singing and encouraged them to continue.
The group started practicing regularly with Mike Dillon as lead singer and pianist. They discussed the reason they were singing as being '1to exalt the Lord." Therefore, Orville Sizemore suggested the quartet be named "The Exalters". (A few years later Earl Bostic sang bass for the quartet.)
God sent the "Exalters" to many different churches. From Dillon Chapel to many other in WV, OH, KY, and even Henderson, North Carolina for a homecoming at a church Chuck Pullins-, a former Pastor of Dillon Chapel, was serving. They sang for Civic Organizations such as the Veteran's Home at Barboursville and a Nursing Home at Catlettsburg, KY to name a few.
The quartet witnessed many souls saved and was joyously blessed in God's Ministry.
Many, many people of the churches that were visited expressed their thanks to Dillon Chapel for sharing The Exalter Quartet with them.
The group continued to sing for 7½ years and the Lord continued to bless.
When they decided to stop singing, they considered the fact that they needed to spend more time with their families. However, they still sing sometimes at their home church
CENTENNIAL AINUTES
Memories by Thomas J. Jeffrey
July 30, 1989
One of the first things that I remember about this church is that we used to have two separate Sunday School openings.
The adults had their Sunday School opening upstairs and the kids had their own special opening downstairs. We were fortunate to have a piano player for each one. Jean Zimmerman was the Sunday School Superintendant of the children's department. The little kids would carry the little chairs that we still have in the preschool classes out in front of the pews to sit
in. The oldest kids would sit in the back and see what they could get away with. Jean had a little bell like you press for service in some businesses and she would ring it to restore order. We enjoyed having our own Sunday School openings.
A word about the pews that were in the basement. When I joined the Boy Scouts, those pews were still in the basement. Each Monday night the first scouts to arrive had to move all of those old pews against the wall so that we would have room to hold our meeting and play games.
I still remember Sunday School Teachers who taught me. Mrs. Beulah Paugh taught the Primary grades. She was so dedicated. I don't know how long she had been teaching, but she said whe would teach until the end and she did until her health failed. Every Sunday she would end the class by having us all gather close enough to put our hands on her bible and we would sing "The B-I-B-L-E, Yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God. The B-I-B-L-E".
My next teacher was Gladys Dunford. The love she had for God and all of us stuck with me. Each Sunday she would have us all say a Bible verse. For a long time1 the only one I knew was "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." Psalm 122;1. I never could remember the reference and I had to look it up in a concordance to write it today. Gladys encouraged me to learn other verses and so during this time I memorized Psalm 23.
Junior High students were taught by Mrs. Linkfield. She also was filled with God's love. I think she sponsored the 4H club here at the church called the Melissa Go Getters. When I joined the MYF, Mrs. Linkfield was also sponsoring that group. Not long after I was promoted to Mrs. Linkdield's class, Mother gave our Sunday School offering to my sister, Ruthann,to split with me. I don't know how much she had but I wanted half to put in my class. I went into Mrs. Dunford's room to get my part of the offering and it didn't appear that Ruthann was giving me half. I hit my sister serveral times, well I guess you might say I beat her up. Mrs. Dunford was appalled that a boy would do that but she didn't say anything. Mrs. Dunford never mentioned it to me and she must have kept it to herself. I was amazed that Ruthann didn't tell it. Finally,I must have been 30 years old before I told Mother about it. Mother asked Gladys and she still remembered that incident.
Well back to Mrs. Linkfield. She taught our class for about a year. I think she had an illness and had too slow down. For whatever reason we had a few substitutes and then a permanent replacement was found. Charles Barbour was Sunday School Superintendant of all ages by that time and he was one of our substitutes. Eddie Harbour, Gene Hileman, and Eva Barbour also taught our class from time to time. In the end Eva Barbour became our permanent teacher. I would like to have been one of Mrs. Barbour's students in school. She did such a good job of explaining our Sunday School lessons and I am sure she was that kind of teacher in school also. All of our subs had been good but God in his wisdom blessed us with Eva Barbour as our permanent teacher.
All of my Sunday School Teachers were different, but they were all successful because they had faith in God and were doing his will. Sharing your testimony and your Christian life is one of the most effective parts of teaching. Because God spoke to me through these great people and others, I accepted Christ and remain Christian.
Everyone who went to church at Dillon Chapel before the 1930's remembers Charles and Nannie Stewart. They lived several miles up route 10 and walked to church for Sunday morning and evening services and for prayer meeting. They carried an oil lantern which they lit to walk home after dark. She always dressed in black--long sleeves and long dresses, summer and winter, and wore either a black hat or shawl. Charlie had snow white hair and John L. Lewis eyebrows, which in spite of his gentle manner, sometimes frightened the children.
Although she had no children of her own, Nan taught many children about the love of God. Many people in the community still have the cards carefully saved from Nan Stewart's card class.
After her husband died, Nannie was moved into a little house across from the church, where the congregation could see to it that her needs were met. So Nan, the lady in black who had no children of her own, taught the children of Davis Creek about Jesus -- and for her faithfulness was cared for in her old age by a grateful church.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
DILLON CHAPEL DEED
August 13, 1989
This Deed entered into by Thomas Thornburg and the Trustees of
the Methodist Church, South.
It was delivered to the Rev. Marlin Blankenship on August 19, 1891.
The first trustees were names familiar to this community:
R. P. Hensley who was Rufus Hensley's grandfather
Marlin Blankenship who was the patriarch of all the Blankenships in
the Davis Creek area
Benjamin F. Dillon (Uncle Bob) was Nannie Wilson' 5 grandfather.
John Doss for whom Doss Hill is named.
Jefferson Bolen who built the large white house across from the church.
Many have asked why such a long wait between the chartering of the church
in 1889 and the obtaining of the deed in 1891. It is only speculation --
but it may have been due to the legal entanglements in settling the estate
of Reece Dillon.
00
The BSA Troop 63, sponsored by the Houston Endeavor Class, was formed in 1953, but it folded in just six months. Still sponsored by Dillon Chapel UMC, the Troop was reformed in 1954 when a Church and Committee member convinced Mr. Jack Jeffrey, who was just out of USMC, to be a temporary Scoutmaster until a permanent one could be found. The committee is still looking.
The Troop has been as low as 10 boys and as high as 52 boys. It presently has 40 boys which ranks it among the biggest troop in West Virginia. Some boys have dads that were in the troop some 25 years ago.
The Troop takes trips that are paid for in part by the boys, but mostly by fund raisers. Week long trips have been to Myrtle Beach, Boundary Waters, Appalachian Trail, Sherwood Lake, and, in June of 1990, to the Grand Canyon. Shorter trips have been to Cranberry Glades, Greenbrier River Trail, Gettysburg, and Monte Carlo. Summer camps have been held at East Lynn Lake since 1978.
In the year 1984, the Scout Troop started their own building, which
is located on the church property. They started from "zero" and,
from proceeds of a fund raiser dinner, poured the footer on June 16, 1984,
at a cost of $5,587.34. They
started using the building in late 1986.
The present staff has been a team since 1985. Many others have been in and out. The three on staff have their Wood Badge, which is the highest training award. And their experience totals 50 years.
Fifty-one Eagle Scouts have come out of this troop in the last 35 years. Although this is not a national record, it is a significant milestone for the United Methodist sponsored troops in West Virginia. Less than 2 out of 100 boys makes Eagle Scout. For the presentation of the 50th and 51st Eagle Scout Award, Sen. Jay Rockefeller was the key speaker.
Scouts from Troop 63 have become military officers, clergymen, coaches, teachers, CPAs, businessmen and respected blue collar employees. They have used the knowledge acquired all over the world, including the battlefields of Vietnam. There is no way to accurately determine how many boys have been members of Troop 63 through the years but it is sure to number well into the hundreds; and the influence of the Troop and Church into 1000'S as better men go into the world.
That isn't a bad ministry considering it costs the church only enough
to light and air condition the building. The boys are encouraged
to seek and worship God. As the Promise states:
1'On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty, to God and my Country
. .
Between the stock market crash in 1929 and the end of World Was II, lay fifteen year of hard times. It must have seemed to the people of Melissa that the Depression was here to stay. The Church suffered as well. Most of the people in the community worked on their farms or dairies, where cash was always scarce and conditions were made worse by years of drought and falling farm prices. Few owned automobiles, so transportation to jobs was a problem.
during those years, the Ice-cream Social was a mainstay for the church fund-raising. People in the community donated milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and the church people made ice cream, pies, and cakes which those outside the community came to buy.
Della Jeffrey remembers that when she was a girl, she and her friends would help Vernie Hensley Bradbury make ice-cream. The girls would beat the eggs until their arms ached; and the boys would turn the crank. Vernie made lots of ice-cream every year to keep the church going.
Aunt Buelah Paugh has often been given credit for keeping the church doors open during hard times. If there was a specific need, she would knock on doors with her basket asking for dona-tions. And she kept at it until the needs were met. People responded and gave what they could. Many who would offer the fifty cents or a dollar they could spare, would drop it in Beulah's basket when she came knocking.
The church at Dillon Chapel was more able to weather the storm than many more affluent city churches because it had no debt and few expenses. The main problem was getting enough money to pay the preacher. During these years, preachers were given a substantial cut in salary, but even that was often more than people could pay In 1939 there was no appointment made. Raymond Workman served in 1940 and 1941. Again in 1942 the minister appointed to Dillon Chapel was listed as Beulah Paugh. No one was able to explain why -- but the lack of funds to pay the preacher was the probable cause.
When the preacher had more than one church or there was no appointment, local lay preachers took over the service. One such preacher was Chris Chambers, a very spiritual man who served the Lord in any way he was asked. When he preached, the congregation always knew he would close the service with his favorite hymn: "Amazing Grace." The years that Dillon Chapel had no appointment, the congregation grew very familiar with "Amazing Grace
All things come to an end -- even war and depression. Prosperity returned after the war, and more jobs became available in Barboursville and Huntington. More people bought automobiles, and Mellissa became a mobile community. By 1948, the community was affluent enough to begin financing a new church. They had survived the Great Depression.
Bennie Edens wonders if anyone besides himself remembers the Christmas Day, 1911, when there was a death, a birth, a burial, and a wedding on Davis Creek? The wedding was that of a Bryant boy from Hughes Branch and a C1onch girl. The burial was that of Charlie Stewart's mother. Thc birt:h was probably that of Margaret S. Stevenson to Ouida Glassell and Charles
w. Stevenson. The death was that of Bennie’s cousin, Chauncey Edens. He and Bennie were rabbit hunting and Chauncey was crushed to death by a falling rock, while Bennie, a few steps behind was unhurt. It makes one wonder about the fate that takes one and leaves another. All in all, it was a Christmas Day long remembered in the community.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
MEMORIES - by Chuck Pullins
September 10, 1989 - Homecoming
There are so many things that I remember about my first appointment. None are really the most memorable; therefore, I would like to just highlight a few:
I remember our coming and our going with some of the same feelings. I might be one of the first United Methodist pastors who ever had to preach a trial sermon. I was asked by the District Superintendent, Emerson Wood, to come to Dillon Chapel on a cold Sunday night in January to preach. "If you're good enough, I'll appoint you there," he said. I couldn't believe that people thought it was good enough. I continually believe God warped their hearing enough, just to give me an opportunity to do His thing in that small valley community.
I remember the leaving The great "bash" that the people called a '1roast" was terrific. My heart was so filled with love and appreciation for four and one-half years of sharing together. My heart, for the first time in my life, was also broken.
I remember our "apple butter" makin' time, our working together around the church; our men's trip to Ely, Minnesota; the children's time in worship; the growth of the church; people being saved and lives being renewed.
I remember Sunday afternoon naps and long talks Vic and I had about the church and how we would, in the winter time lay in bed and watch the wind blow the curtains through the windows.
I remember the Palm sunday morning our first born made his triumphant entry into the world. You folks helped us so much in that adjustment period with remedies and advice on parenting of which we both felt we didn't need.
I remember people telling us that we would never make it at Dillon Chapel because it was too difficult a place to pastor. Isn't it great that God can take a situation and our avail-ability and work for good regardless of what people think.
In the formative years of a pastor's life and ministry a group of people known as Dillon Chapel United Methodist Church embraced him and his family with love and acceptance and helped him lay the foundation for a life of ministry in the Kingdom of God. With fond memories, great appreciation, and abiding love, we celebrate with you on the festive occasion of your centennial year of ministry in "Melissa".
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
The Completing of the Present Church
September 17, 1989
When Rev. Doran Houston came to Dillon Chapel in August, 1949, the basement was already completed, the roof of which was later to form the sub-floor for the upstairs. The entrance was on the side through the present kitchen. The basement served both as Sunday School rooms and sanctuary; social events were held in the little white church which was moved between the parsonage and the old store building.
It fell to Rev. Houston to complete the building effort. When the Spirit is present, the programs follow. He first concentrated on the spiritual life of the church: emphasizing revival, cottage prayer meetings, visitation in the community. As the membership grew, so did the enthusiam for the building program. There were no fund-raising projects: the Church let its needs be known, and the funds were always provided.
Everything was done on a cash-and-carry basis: when a load of bricks was needed, they were not purchased until the money came in. Month after month, the congregation -- and many in the community -- gave what they could. It was always sufficient.
Alec Nash and Haskell Ullom were the Building Committee; Roy Doss, a
grandson of Rev. Blankenship, did the rough carpentry work. Bennie
Eden and Sam Hensley completed the finish work.
Much of the interior oak was donated by the people in the community.
They donated $50.00 for each pew -- and the donor's name was engraved on
the sanctuary as well, as a permanent memorial to the generosity of the
people and the community.
In 1951, Freeman and Lola Sargent sold the land back of the church to the creek for $100.00, $50.00 of which was donated for a pew. This much needed land, greatly expanded the usable space for the activities of the church.
Thus in 1952, without one penny of indebtedness, this phase of the building program was completed. When the Spirit of God is present, and the people work for a common goal, anything is possible.
In 1927, a young lady from Boone County, Argie Dunford, came to Davis Creek as a young bride. Almost immediately she began to attend church at Dillon Chapel, whose minister then was Rev. R. C. Ellis.
That was 62 years ago. Through all those years, Argie became
a legend for her good cooking (remember those Italian cakes at church functions?)
and her sweet attitude -- always
kind, gentle, and concerned with others. It was always
inspiring sight to see Argie walking from her home to services. She
had ben baptized at 13 in the Coal River and has attended chruch faithfully
ever since.
Asked about her special song, "How Creat Thou Art," she says there is no particular event associated with it. "It just always moves me," she says, which is, after all, the pur-pose of church music.
Her one disappointment was the failure of her husband, Earl, to give his life to the Lord. "I prayed for him from the time we were married -- oh sometimes I thought it just wasn't any use -- but that was the Devil tempting me. You just have to keep praying." So she continued to pray -- and to preach the greatest sermon: the example of a Christian life well lived.
The years brought increasing health problems for Earl --and Argie devote~I' herself to caring for him. In spite of her own frailities, she sometimes drug him from the bedroom to the living room on a blanket. "The Lord gives you the necessary strength to do what has to be done," she says.
One day he told Argie: "The Lord has forgiven me of all my sins and I want to be baptized. I don't want to be sprinkled, I want to be put under. Jesus was baptized in a river."
Soon after he asked Rev. Vinson to baptize him. After talking
to him for a while, he realized he had made peace with the Lord.
So the preacher, Gene Gillespie, and Laddie Meadows carried Earl down to
the Guyandotte River at Booten Creek. He was so weak that he
had to be carried in a chair, but his wish was granted. On
August 22, 1985, he was baptized. God still answers prayers -- ask
Argie, who "prayed without ceasing" for 58 years!
One of the bonuses for our ministers at Dillon Chapel is an updated parsonage with modern utilities -- but this was not always so.
The parsonage was constructed by Claude Dillon in the mid 1920's, a time of relative prosperity. However1 when the Depression came, it was difficult to pay for and maintain. At one time, it was offered to Mr. Dunford to move across the road to his lot. He turned down the offer. Vernie Bradbury and Claude Dillon were two menbecs who went house to house seeking pledges to keep the parsonage afloat. Thanks to the church and community working together, we were able to hang on.
In the early 1940's when Raymond Workman was minister, it was proposed that the men dig a well, as his wife Elsie was ill and unable to carry water from a neighbor's, as the minister's family had always done. There was some debate, during which one trustee said: 111f ;e are able to carry water, so is the preacher." His view did not prevail, and Raymond and Elsie had their water!
When Rev. and Mrs. Houston moved in during the late 1940's the condition
was deplorable. Rev. Workman's hard-won water still had not been
pumped into the house, the roof leaked everywhere, and the only plumbing
was an outhouse
shared with the church. Irene Houston says that on Sunday
morning if she didn't get UD and out by 9:00 am, she had to stand in line
with the church folks!
The only heat was coal or wood. Rev. Houston said he had a pot-bellied stove in his study upstairs. One day he built a roaring fire which almost set the house on fire. He had to get water to douse the stove.
During his ministry, the house was painted and the roof repaired. Over the years many improvements were made -- most of which were the work of the men of the church and community who donated their skills in carpentry, electrical work, and plumbing. The front and back porches were enclosed to provide more room; the kitchen was updated, and a bath installed; vinyl sideln was added. So today, our ministers can enjoy modern conveniences.
But alas. The more things change, the more they stay the same. During the energy crisis and sky-rocketing fuel prices, the men installed a wood stove!
A lifetime of memories for me can be found in Dillon Chapel United Methodist Church, a church that my aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, brothers, husband and children have attended together.
My earliest recollections are of attending Sunday School as a young child and the Rev. Doran Houston preaching. When my parents moved from Pea Ridge to Davis Creek, we began attending Dillon Chapel regularly. Among my Sunday School teachers were Mrs. Lola Sargent and Mrs. Linkfield.
One Sunday evening, Aunt Evelyn, Barbara and I had come to church.
The Rev. Flowers had an altar call and I went forward. I was eleven
years old and wanted to dedicate my life to God. Later, was sprinkled.
I became involved in the Youth Group, M.Y.F. (Methodist Youth Fellowship).
Our youth group was a large group. It was the social outlet for the
teens in this area. We had our meeting, sub-district meetings, planned
bake sales and ice cream socials, helped lead the opening of church services,
and occasionally sang. The Thomas girls, Marla, Donna, and Deborah,
all had good voices. I, with my outstanding musical talent, helped
them at times. Our youth group was really outstanding. Rev.
Flowers, Rev. Duncan and Rev. Travis Wells went beyond the call of duty
to invite the youth to the parsonage for parties. One Valentine's
Day party, there was a deep snow on the ground. Barbara Blankenship
and I had baked cakes for the party. I remember trudging through
the heavy snow with the sky full of lightening.
I remember Mrs. Sargent's class of girls only.' We felt very
special having a class with no boys. Later the boys and girls were
in same class.
I recall a revival when Jackie and Catherine (Nash) Morgan were courting quite heavily. I paid more attention to them than the minister that night.
During the summer, I helped with Bible School, as an assistant. A couple of summers I had my own class. At 14, I really was impressed with teaching and decided this would become my career.
The years passed and were kind to me.
Don and I were married June 12, 1968, here at Dillon Chapel by the Rev. Mentz, and we have attended this church ever since.
Both of my children, Andrew and Ashley, have attended Dillon Chapel since their births.
I am looking forward to many new memory making events for the future
with Dillon Chapel and my children's acceptance of Christ, their weddings,
our grandchildren, etc.
Dillon Chapel has been the incubator of several fine preachers, including Alec and Normal Nash, George Porter, Hugh Lam, and Tex Frye.
Dillon chapel is indeed indebted to the Nash brothers, Alec, Normal, Jeffie, and Henry. Jeffie was Sunday School Superintendent for over 15 years; Alec and Normal were preachers. They were sons of Delia and Agustus Nash, one of the first families to settle on Davis Creek. Delia was a life-long member of Dillon Chapel and faithfully brought her large family to church here.
Normal and his wife Wealtha were both converted here. In the 1940's, it was a custom to use a church couple's new-born baby for the baby Jesus in the church Christmas play. Normal and Wealtha, as a youn couple, brought their baby daughter, Sandra, to act as baby Jesus. It was about that time, in 1943, that Normal was converted. He served many churches for 35 years, including 4 years at Salt Rock, 13 years at Mt. Pisgah; he also served at Lavalette, the Henderson Charge and the Accoville Charge.
After serving God long and well, Normal Nash died in 1977, on a Sunday morning, his Bible laying on the table ready for Sunday services. A fitting end to a life well-lived.
George Porter, along with his wife Ruby Lee Chambers, was converted at the first revival held by Doran Houston. Ruby Lee's father was also converted at that time. After George had already graduated from Marshall, he told his wife that he had been called to preach. Before he could act on his decision, he was drafted into service. Mrs. Porter took this as a sign that George was not meant to be a preacher. However, the Lord thought otherwise. He served as an assistant chaplain during the Korean War.
After the war, he told his wife that he might still have to serve the Lord as a minister. When she protested, he said: "What do you mean, woman? I have preached from here overseas and back. What is the difference?"
George went on to Duke University Seminary and served long and faithfully in the Methodist Conference. One of the highlights of his career was a highly successful ministry at Steele Memorial for nine years. He first served at Oakland, Maryland and Halifax, Virginia. He is now retired, and seriously ill, at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Hugh Lam was another preacher who came out of the same revival. He was married to Estil Paugh, a daughter of Beulah and Ishmael Paugh, who had herself been reared in the church at Dillon Chapel. Hugh had originally been saved at Bloomingdale Baptist, but it hadn't taken. He was renewed at Dillon Chapel during Houston's now-famous revival.
Before this rededication, Hugh had an alcohol problem, a fact he was always quick to witness to. He often praised God for his cure. During the revival he came to the altar, but didn't get satisfaction of his salvation. That night he had hallucinations. He called Estil's mother, Beulah Paugh, and she prayed with him most of the night. Hugh promised the Lord that if He would help him through this night, that he would serve Him.
Well, the next week he neither touched nor thought about a drink until Friday came. He always bought two fifths of whiskey and when he passed the liquor store at 20th Street, he had his hand on the door before he even thought. Then, it was as if a Voice said to him: "Hugh, what did you promise?" He turned away and never took another drink.
Sometime later, he told Rev. Houston that he had the calling to preach. Rev. Houston said he couldn't visualize Hugh as a preacher, but the Lord did. He made a fine one.
His widow, Estil, recalls that he told her he had doubts about his ability to preach. "I just can't do that," he said. He wrestled with this for a while and one night before evening services he said to Estil: "Now if the Lord wants me to preach, let Him call on me to preach tonight." When he arrived, the Sunday School superintendent, Hatsell Ullom, said the preacher they had for the service couldn't make it and asked Hugh to preach. He never doubted his calling again.
Tex Frye was another preacher who made a decision to preach while attending Dillon Chapel. The church made regular contributions to his education while Tex was at Duke University. Jack Jeffrey remembers well the service in which Tex announced his decision. You might not believe it, but Jack swears at this time that Tex was bashful, mumbled when he spoke, and looked at the floor. He was sitting beside Jack when he suddenly said, "I've been called to preach." Jack thought he had heard wrong. "I've been called to preach," repeated Tex, looking at the floor. "Called to preach?" yelled Jack in surprise. "If God called you, he can call anybody," Jack declared. When Tex finished Seminary and returned to Dillon Chapel to preach, Jack was astounded at the clarity and power of his sermon.
Tex's story, as well as the others noted here, just proves that if the Lord calls you to serve, he gives you the power to do it.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
YET A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN
In Re: The Late Reverend David Groves
October 22, 1989 - Thomas J. Jeffrey
He ended every worship service with his telephone number because he wanted the congregation to know that they could call on him any time, day or night.
He preached from Revelations warning of losing our first love. The congregation responded with rededication.
He made visitation a priority. He encouraged the congre-gation to visit and lead the way be example. As a result whole families, who had been attending church but had not made a profession of faith, came forward to accept Christ and become members.
He was a student pastor attending United Seminary, but his church came first. When someone died, he was there to comfort the family and to preach the funeral.
Dillon Chapel was a growing church in his vision. His sermons had references to needing an expanded sanctuary. Attendance was increasing, people were excited and the Spirit was spreading.
The church planned a New Years Eve celebration and Watch Night Service that promised to be a good time. It was planned to have such appeal that many would choose to celebrate with us and avoid the traditional parties. The evening was a grand success. We played games, watched movies, ate holiday goodies, sat by the woodstove watching the fire and had a wonderful fellowship. But our preacher seemed a little low. Maybe he had been working too hard we thought. We had our service around 11:00 p.m. praising God for the blessings of the past year and asking His continued Presence in the next year. Our preacher didn't seem to have his usual energy. We wondered about that.
Shortly into the new year the preacher announced that he would have to take some time off. He said he might tell us why later. He returned to the pulpit to preach only a few times after that. The disease and the medication tore at his body so much that he wasn't able even to attend. For 3 month as he battled with cancer, his faith inspired us all.
His goal was to win his fight with that awful disease and to recuperate in time to preach on Easter Sunday. We all prayed for his recovery. He was so young and had been so full of life. Shortly before Easter we received the news that those deva-statingly powerful medicines had defeated the disease. We were elated and so grateful to God. But complications began and David Groves began that final sleep awaiting the awakening sound of the trumpet of God.
Sometime before Easter while the choir was preparing for the cantata,
the church door opened and David slipped quietly into the back pew.
He listened for awhile and before he left, he announced in his barely audible
voice that he was going to preach on Easter Sunday. But it wasn’t
to be. The week before Easter our pastor went to be with his Lord.
On that sad Easter Sunday morning, though full of grief, our
choir presented the cantata. As the service progressed a feeling
of hope and love came over us for we were sure that our preacher had been
welcomed home. The Sancturary door opened and closed during that
special service and we all looked, but no one entered.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
WORKING TOGETHER FOR A BUS MINISTRY
October 29, 1989
At the peak of Dillon Chapel's membership, Sunday School often passed the 200 mark. One of the reasons for the increase was the bus ministry, which was a cornerstone of the community for many years.
It took the efforts of the whole church to make it work. Alec Nash, as a newly converted Christian, volunteered to drive for Sunday morning services. Sometimes, he made two runs.
Alec rigged a speaker on top of the bus with a mike so he and the preacher could talk to the people in the community. On Saturdays, the preacher and Alec drove the bus across Doss Hill and up Route 10 until they ran out of houses. Then they would go up Hughes Branch to Long Branch, talking through the loud-speaker as they went.
Hatsell Ullom was responsible for keeping the bus mechanically fit to run. Other members formed visitation teams which visited weekly those families who might make use of the bus: people who didn't drive, people who were elderly, children who had no transportation to Sunday School. People felt that the church cared for their welfare and were reaching out to meet their needs, so they responded. Many times, whole families, whose children rode the bus, became involved with the church.A successful bus ministry took a lot of hard, faithful work, and support on the part of the congregation. When you think about it, this is true of any successful program which the church sponsors.'
In the past few months we have heard tales of drama, heroism, and humor on the part of the people of Dillon Chapel. But one thread of warning runs through these remembrances:
people remember the unkind word, the un-Christian act, the thoughtless deed, long after the good has been erased from their memory!
Several people interviewed clearly remembered one minister, a vain, handsome man, who in a struggling community "was always dressed fit to kill." He had a sweet, gentle wife whom the community took under its wing. When she wanted to go home for Christmas, they were unable to get gas to make the trip because of rationing. One kind-hearted member of the congregation gave the preacher some of his gas-stamps and told him "to take that little woman home to be with her family over the holidays." Instead, the preacher put her on a bus--and kept the coveted gas stamps for himself!
Another minister had a reputation for an outstanding temper. One boy,
about 16 years old, was sitting on the front pew during a sermon.
Behind him two boys were talking. The preacher stopped in the
middle of a sentence, pointed a finger at the boy, and said: "Hey, you!
Stop that talking or leave riqht now. I'm not going to put up with
that kind of disruption." Confused, the kid turned around to see
who was talking.
"Don't turn around. I'm talking to you." That was almost
60 years ago, and it is the main thing he remembers about that preacher.
"It was the last time I ever heard him preach," he said. "I. never
went back while he was there."
These object lessons are by no means confined to the ministry. The church once split over whether the piano was to be upstairs or downstairs.
One dedicated teacher was locked out of the downstairs along with her children when two of the trustees disagreed on having a children's service. "They weren't very nice to me," she says. "They acted like they owned the church." The memory still rankles, decades later.
Now all these people were Christians --dedicated to serving God--they no doubt preached many fine sermons, prayed, worshipped visited and did other things required of their Christian vocation yet how are they remembered? Not for the many godly acts--but for the one very human indiscretion! Unfair? Maybe. But is human nature to recall the wrongs against us. Therein is the lesson for all Christian witnesses.
Four hundred years ago the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare said it best: "The evil that men do live after, while the good is oft interred with their bones."
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
AUNT BEULAH PAUGH
November 12, 1989 - by Thomas J Jeffrey
All but the youngest in the community remember Aunt Beulah's faith and serice to Dillon Chapel. She was an active Christian and supporting member of this church for her entire life. Aunt Beulah gave herself to service in every capacity that was entrusted to her. Among other things she was an officer in the WSCS which was a forerunner of the United Methodist Women, a member of the Administrative Board and a long time Sunday School Teacher.
My earliest memory of Dillon Chapel recalls attending Mrs. Paugh's Sunday School Class. At the end of every session we all put our hands on her Bible and sang "The B-I-B-L-E" as had students in her class for generations. Once leaders considered realigning the Sunday School classes and assigning new teachers. When this was presented to Mrs. Paugh, she said that she would teach until the end and she did except for a few years after her health forced her to be a shut-in. Evelyn Eden remembers that Aunt Beulah was her teacher when she was a little girl. Mrs. Paugh set an example for several generations of children.
It seems the church has always struggled financially. Many remember
Aunt Beulah asking for donations to the church by going door to door.
The ladies of the church often gathered to make quilts which were sold
to help the church and Aunt Beulah was there. The church has always
made applebutter to help with expenses and Aunt Beulah was there.
According to Evelyn Eden,
Aunt Beulah was her Sunday School teacher and always there to help.
Aunt Beulah loved to testify. Though her testimony seldom varied, she was always among the first to enthusiastically testify. She talked about the little white church by the side of the road and what it had meant to her. She liked to tell of her prayers for her family and how they had changed when they were converted. Her son-in-law, Hugh Lamb, even became a Methodist minister and served until his death.
When there was no piano Aunt Beulah would lead the singing. Charlie Barbour recalls a time when Aunt Beulah was returning from vacation and arrived at church late. When she came through the doors, the congregation was singing "Dwelling in Beulah Land." Mrs. Paugh was overjoyed and testified that the group was welcoming her back to her church with that song.
Commitments like Aunt Beulah Paugh's are what God requires and what churches depend on. There are many who would say that Dillon Chapel might not have survived without the tireless faithful service of Aunt Beulah Paugh.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
HISTORY OF DILLON CHAPEL U.M.C. (on back of Centennial plates)
November 19, 1989 - by Judy Pullen
In the beginning Dillon Chapel existed only in the hearts of the people of Davis Creek who gathered to worship God.
In 1859, Rev. John T. Johnson of Wayne was the first pastor, later serving as Chaplain of the 8th Virginia Cavalry, C.S.A. After the Civil War, he resumed monthly services, followed by other circuit riders. In 1889, under the guidence of Rev. Adam Given and Rev. Marlin Blankenship, the first little white chapel was erected. The land was pledged by Reece Dillon before his death in 1888, and the church named in his memory. The present brick church was erected in May 1951, under the leadership of Rev. Doran Houston, and expanded in 1978, by Rev. Charles Pullins
No matter where the people of Davis Creek have met to worship - in their homes, barns, under the trees, in the white chapel or brick church - God has always been in their midst.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
REV. M. GROVER FLOWERS
November 27, 1989
While Rev. M. G. Flowers served Dillon Chapel only one year, he had a long, illustrous career in the Methodist Church. He was converted at the old 9th Avenue Methodist Church, and by the time he was 15, he knew he wanted to be a preacher--but he didn't know how to go about reaching his goal, as his father had plans for him to take up a skilled trade.
Just after graduation from high school, he rode his bike to Morris Harvey College at Barboursville and when he left, he was signed up for the following semester. He still didn't know where the money would come from.
After learning of his son's actions, his father was silent through supper and slept on it overnight. The next morning as his father left for work, he handed M. G. Flowers half a semester's tuition (he never did figure out how his father knew the exact amount of the tuition) and said to him: "You've made a committment--you will have to keep it." After that his parents supported his decision wholeheartedly.
After that, doors were opened. After his first year, he made his own way as a janitor/maintenance man. After his second year, he accepted his first charge at Kermit--his career was off and running. He preached until his retirement 50 years later. Kermit was his "baptism by fire." At the time he arrived there, there was an election day gunfight that left three men dead. It was a violent place and time--but if a mountain man liked you, he would support you through thick and thin!
At Omar, he had in his congregation, members of Devil Anse
Hatfield's clan--including his daughter known as Aunt Betty.
The famous feud, only one of many in the area, was the
responsibility of Hatfield's sons, not Devil Anse, a good
Baptist, who moved to get out of the bloodshed.
In addition to Southern West Virginia, he served 16 years at the Paw Paw area of Northern West Virginia, the Lewisburg area and just across the border in Kentucky. In his "spare time" he finished his Master's Degree and all but nine hours of his Ph.D. at W. Va. University. From the first charge he enjoyed preaching and he liked people. He found people in the different parts of the state to be quite diverse, but each had something unique to offer.
Although he served only one year at Dillon Chapel he was comfortable in its parsonage and has only fond memories of its people, whom he found to be honest and straight-forward and willing to help him in a troubled period of his live. At that time he served four churches in five years. His wife was ill with a nervous disorder, and he was forced to spend much time at home. He had to rely on the lay people of the church. He particularly remembers Jeffie Nash, the Paughs, Charlie Wallace, and Alec Nash who often chaired committees or held prayermeetings in his absence.
He has never regretted the choice he made as a 15 year old, or the rash act of signing up for college before he had the money. But with the help of others, a way was made for him to serve God. He does wish he could have served at Dillon at a better period of his life and that he might have had the opportunity to serve longer among people whom he liked and admired.
The people of Davis Creek gathered to worship as early as 1859. Why were they so long in building a church? Research has turned up one reason: the existence of a one-room, pole-log building in which services were held. It was built on the Dillon farm, up the hollow from the present church. Before there was a road built, people traveled the creek. When the water was up, they could not hold services, so the Dillons decided to donate land on the road so the congregation could meet year round. Eulah Jeffrey remembered attending services there as a child. Her mother, Lilly Hensley Dillon, often talked of the old log church up the hollow. Except for their remine-scences, there would be no record of such a structure ever existing.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
THE MOST MEMORABLE REVIVAL
December 10, 1989
The year Rev. Houston came to Davis Creek, he had a full schedule. He worked for West Virginia Steel for a time; he was attending Marshall, and he was pastoring full-time. A revival was planned and there was some debate about whom the evangelist should be. Alec Nash suggested that they might as well "season" the new preacher, much as one might season firewood that it might burn with a hotter flame. So in spite of his busy schedule, Rev. Houston agreed to preach what turned out to be the most memorable and far-reaching revival in Dillon Chapel history.
The spadework was carried out weeks in advance: "You can't convert people if you can't get them into church." Team visita-tion, a hallmark of Houston's ministry, was intensified in the weeks before the revival. Cottage prayer meetings were held in homes around the community once or twice a week.
At one such prayer meeting, Alma, Louise, Carl and Sherwood Eden were
converted. Bennie, who was then middle-aged, had never been a Christian.
He came to the altar during the revival. But he seemed unable to make a
commitment. The preacher asked:
"Ben, what is your problem?"
"Preacher, it's hard for me to believe that my faith can just
change my life."
"Well it can if you just let it." They talked a little longer and finally the preacher said: "Ben just give me your hand. From this moment on you are going to accept Christ whether any big feelings come or not." And so he did. And the feeling came -- right on the spot! He has served well and faithfully for over forty years.
Others who were saved became the backbone of the growing church: George and Ruby Chambers Porter and her father, Don Chambers; Hattie and Roy Doss, Hugh Lamb, and Kathleen Blankenship. In all twenty souls came to Christ, including two who became preachers.
So the best remembered revival of all time was conducted by a busy new preacher in an unfinished basement. But it pro-vided the enthusiastic fire to complete the church building, and to provide the vigor to serve the church for many years to follow.
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
ODDS AND ENDS
December 17, 1989
In the course of this research, many stories have been gathered which have not been used in a Centennial Minute, but still deserve to be preserved for posterity. This is a wrap-up of those stories.
Do you remember when Mr. Ross bought land across from the church and put a fence across the road? R.W. Hensley made a trip to town and got it removed in a few hours!
Do you remember Jeffie Nash reluctantly taking on the post of Sunday School Superintendent, and keeping it for over fifteen years?
How many old-timers remember when Jeffie Nash planted all the maple trees around the church? How many remember the maple trees, the last of which was cut down a few years ago?
Do you remember when Jack Jeffrey was Mrs. Blankenship's star performer for Church pagents? She always thought he would be an actor!
Do you remember the District Superintendent who wanted to close Dillon Chapel and "send" the congregation to Pea Ridge? Jack spoke for all of us when he said: "You might close the church, but you won't send us anywhere." And we pulled together and kept the church afloat.
Do you remember the pastor who was hooked on missionary work? Laddie Meadows and Jack Jeffrey were in Knoxville for Little league play-offs, and rounded the corner of a building to find the preacher on the arm of a blonde. Jack said: "Well, how do you do Rev. _______. Is this where you do your missionary work?
Ladies, do you remember the time the cat was locked up in the church and ate off the corner of a dish of ham salad prepared for a dinner? The women scooped around the bite and served it anyway. Some of the women took that secret to their graves.
Do you remember Al Harshbarger saying if he sold his house he would tithe the purchase price to the church? Peggy Jeffrey assured him he would sell it. He did so and used the money to pave the parking lot.
Do you remember the night after a Christmas Play when some of the men parked outside a woman’s house all night to let the preacher know that they weren’t going to put up with his monkey business?
If you are old enough to remember all these things, you go back a long way with Dillon Chapel!
CENTENNIAL MINUTES
PROGRESS DURING THE CENTENNIAL YEAR - Rev. Tim
Allen
December 31, 1989
Today is a special day. It is the last Sunday of the year, the last day of the year, and this morning we share our last Centennial Minute. This period of our worship is a time that I have grown to look forward to because I have learned so much, and through the sharing of these minutes witnessed a bonding of this congregation.
With deliberate intention, I have reserved this last Sunday and last Centennial Minute. When we began this process, and as we proceeded, I felt as though I had nothing to contribute to the history and nostalgia of Dillon Chapel. However, in addition to learning about the church, you have also taught me that through our connectional system and the Spirit which makes us one, I was linked to this church before I came, am an active part of it while I am here, and should the church do this again in another hundred years, my family and I will no doubt be a Bi-Centennial Minute ourselves.
What I'd like to ask you this morning is, "Do you remember 1989?" It was the year when the parsonage became home to a baby of the pastoral family for the first time in some fifteen years. It was the year Dillon Chapel celebrated 100 years as a Methodist/United Methodist Church. There was a year long celebration involving Centennial Minutes each Sunday morning, a special Homecoming, and Bishop William Boyd Grove came during Advent to guest preach and contribute to the celebration. Do you remember the beautiful banners which adourned our Sanctuary walls and reminded us that though we had completed 100 years, we were simply catching our breath to begin the next 100.
Many physical improvements were completed at the church and parsonage. For example, awnings went up, concrete pads were poured, smoke detecters and emergency exit lights were installed, roofs got patched, the nursery ceiling was lowered, and a considerablee amount of gravel was spread to vastly improve the parking lot and the road around the church. Furthermore, it was the year when the parsonage hot water heater was moved inside the back porch of the parsonage, a new water line was laid, and plans were made to finally do away with the old well house between the church and the parsonage. These are only some highlights of the many large and small improvements made by the people of Dillon Chapel as they worked together in 1989.
Apple Butter making tradition continued, Senator John D. Rockefeller
visited in August to present Eagle awards to Scott
Furry and Doug Triplett (the 50th and 51st Eagle Scouts at Dillon
Chapel). It was so cold in December that the parsonage water
froze.