The Gospel Messenger Dec. 23, 1916 page 827 Vol. 64 No. 52

MY TRIP TO MIDDLE TENNESSEE

 The writer left his home in Eastern Tennessee Nov. 3 and reached Lawrenceburg Nov. 5, and began a series of meetings at a mission point three miles east of the town, continuing about two weeks, Eleven were added to the church by confession and baptism, and a number of others are near the Kingdom as a result of the meeting There are about thirty-three members in that congregation now. Five years ago there were only two of the  Brethren in that vicinity,—Bro. C. D. Leighton and wife The Brethren have had a great deal of opposition in that  section, but they are getting strong enough to overcome it. Middle Tennessee is a good mission field for the Brethren. The church there seems to be in good working order and is doing the best it can, but they need help. Nov. 19 I went to the Crowson church, five miles west of Lawrenceburg, and had a meeting on Sunday night. Thence, next day, I went to a Methodist church,—three miles still farther west,—and held a few meetings. Nov. 25 the church met in Bro. Calvin Shively's home, in Lawrenceburg, to elect some church officers, and to organize a congregation on the cast side of town. Bro. William Leighton was elected deacon of the Lone Star congregation (this is the name of that church), and Bro. A. M. Bashor was elected as their elder. So he has charge of that and the Crowson church. Bro. Shively is a minister in the Crowson congregation; Brethren Bashor and Shively have done a good work in that section. The church also elected Bro. Ervin Higgins as deacon in the Crowson congregation. After the organization I went back to the Methodist church and held three more meetings. Thence I returned to Lone Star, and stayed till after Thanksgiving. We had a very interesting service that day. The good sisters furnished dinner on the grounds, and the brethren did some work on the church lot.

  Lawrenceburg is the county-seat of Lawrence County. The county is in one of the lower tiers and borders on Alabama. The area contains 395,456 acres. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad passes through the county in a northeasterly direction. The county has an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level, has a very desirable climate, unmarked by great extremes of cold or heat. It is about midway between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. It has good water from springs and wells. The soil is adapted to growing fruits and vegetables. The leading crops are corn, wheat, oats, rye, cow peas, soy beans, grass, clover, cotton, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. The rainfall averages fifty-two inches during the year. Lawrence County claims to have good public schools with a High School at Lawrenceburg. Church facilities are also good, Land ranges in price from eight to sixty-five dollars per acre. It gives a poor man a good chance to purchase a home in a fine, level county. Brethren are solicited to come this way, if they are looking for a home, because land is advancing in price, Lawrence County has been bonded for $300,000, to make pike roads, and this has gone into effect. Jesse D. Clarke.

The Gospel Messenger Jan. 6, 1917 page 10 Vol. 66 No. 1

FROM THE CROWSON CHURCH AND LONE STAR MISSION. TENN.

Bro. J. D. Clark, of Jonesboro, Tenn. came to this place and began preaching for us, at the Lone Star Mission, Nov. 5. He continued until Sunday, Nov. 19. Eleven were made willing to accept Christ upon the terms of the Gospel and were baptized. Five are heads of families, and five are between the ages of ten and fourteen. All are Sunday-school pupils. Good impressions were left on the minds of others who are counting the cost.

   We went from here to the Crowson church, where Bro. Clark began meetings on Sunday night, and continued until the following Sunday night. Much interest was manifested. He then returned to the Lone Star Mission and preached the Word with power until Thanksgiving.

   On Saturday, Nov. 25, the church was called together in council, to consider the advisability of organizing the Lone Star mission into a separate congregation, which was agreed to. This leaves the Crowson church with twenty-three members, and the Lone Star church with twenty-eight. An election was held for deacons, which resulted in choosing Bro. William Leighton for the Lone Star church, and Bro. Ervin Higgins for the Crowson church.

   The prospects here are bright, if only we had more workers in this great harvest field of the South! We are located eighty miles south of Nashville, on the Jackson Highway leading from Chicago to New Orleans by way of Nashville, and also on the L. and N. R. R. from Nashville to Florence, Ala. Any of our Brethren, passing from the North to the South, might find it convenient to stop with us and investigate our needs, and the prospects of mission work in this part of the great Southland, and " whensoever ye will ye may do us good."

Lawrenceburg, Tenn., Dec. 24. A. M. Bashor.