THE churches of a community are
the bulwarks of its progress and
enlightenment even more than its
schools, for commercial and mental ad
vancement need the pillars of moral con
ception and responsibility to make them
substantial and lasting. What can society
accomplish with the labor of man s mind
and body without the influence of his
moral nature to define his relations and
duties to his fellow-man? How futile
would be the efforts of legislators, courts
and magistrates to make and enforce laws
for the common good without that moral
public sentiment for which the churches
of our land are recognized to be respon
sible. Even the man upon the outside
appreciates their beneficent influence and
few there are looking for new homes
who would not consider the church
spires of each city as sponsors of truth
and justice. They make happier homes
and more contented people, and New
port finds a laudable pride in the num
ber of her churches. Five Protestant de
nominations and the Catholic church are
represented, and a Jewish congregation
hold regular services, hoping at 110 faf'
distant date to erect a temple for their
people.
Methodist Church.—The Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, holds the lead
ership in point of membership, having
310 communicants. The church prop
erty consists of a handsome brick edifice
and parsonage, valued at^iS?000- Eev.
M. B. Umsted ba£ had this charge three
tjmes or twelve years. The church was
organized by him in 1874* built through
his leadership in 1898 and now during
his third pastorate of four years the
building is being remodeled and beauti
fied to better its acoustic properties. His
work has won him the devotion of his
neonle.
Episcopal Church.—St. Paul’s Epis
copal Church was organized in Jackson
port and an edifice built there in 1873*
Rev. D. B. Ramsey being the first rector.
The church now has a membership of
200 members and has just constructed
a handsome $10,000 stone structure.
Rev. George D. Norton is rector and his
tireless energy and perseverance have a
monument in this beautiful church.
Christian Church. —This denomina
tion first effected a local organization
August 25, 1889. The building, which is
a substantial frame, with baptistery,
dressing rooms and class room, was
erected that same year and a parsonage
on the adjoining lot. The resident mem
bership is about fifty and the pastor,
Rev. T. F. Richardson, iu inerly of New
Weston, Ohio, and a since and highly
esteemed leader of his dock, conducts
regular services.
Presbyterian Church.—This church
effected an organization and built a
house of worship in 1886 under the pas
torate of Rev. R. B. Willis, who is again
its head after several intervening
1
charges. He is a very able divine, who
divides his Sabbaths with the Newport
and Searcy churches. 1 he church has
also constructed a parsonage and has a
membership of 70.
Baptist Church. — The Baptist de
nomination was first organized October
9, 1892, with ten members, one of whom
alone remains. It was through the mis
sionary efforts of Rev. R. C. Medearis
that a Sunday School room was erected
in 1901, but a debt of $1,600 was left,
which has since been wiped out under
the pastorates of Revs. H. E. Gabby, 1.
C. Mahan and H. M. Long. The last
named is the present pastor and the
church is being strengthened by his
work.
Catholic Church.—This church has a
membership of 50, having built a neat
little edifice in 1896 through the work ot
Rev. Eugene Weibel, dean of northeast
Arkansas. While few in numbers, the
members are loyal in their faith, bather
Cattani, of Jonesboro, has charge of this
congregation.
Christian Church. Rev. T. F. Richardson, Pastor.
M. E. Church South.
a total of 6,551- ^ her schools 3,113
whites are enrolled and 1,316 blacks, or
an aggregate of 4,4^9- Expending each
vear $20,000 in salaries to her 104 teach
ers the education of her sons and
daughters is each year receiving more
thoughtful attention.
Coming down to our own city, New
port has an excellent public school sys
tem whose efficiency has been wonder
fully developed during the administration
of the present superintendent, rrot
George R. Hopkins. The property of
the city schools is worth $12,000 to
$i=;ooo. They have an enrollment of 35°
whites and 204 colored, and employ
seven white and four colored teachers. •
..
I Fraternal Societies |
+»»»»»4444444444444#+***4*
<< YT'RIENDSHIP is but a name, I
J/ love no one,” has been accred
ited the remark of Napoleon;
not when a lonely exile upon St.
Helena in the despair of his enforced
solitude, but in the rising glory of his
conquering career. Yet few men theie
are who feel as Bonaparte and even ess
there should be who stop to contemplate
his sad end. Duties to self, fellow-man
and God have been represented as con
centric circles. To follow the lines of
one, carry you with the duties of the
others. To be true to one’s self you best
fulfill your relations to God and man.
And thus not a part of the church, but
following its mission of promoting
“peace on earth, good will toward men,
the fraternal organizations of our land
have been a noble and blessed factor in
the gospel of humanitarian sympathy
and love, aiding society and developing
the better nature of the individual man.
The beneficial purposes and results of
fraternal and insurance societies are too
well recognized to need citation, and
especially in our city have their pros
perity and numbers attested the faith of
our people in their good purpose.
Masonic Order.—The oldest of fra
ternities, dating back 5,903 years, a pow
er and beacon light from birth, surviving
the “dark ages,” and the most powerful
order of our age, was instituted in i8ob
in Jacksonport, the old county seat, from
which the lodge took its name. In 1894
this lodge was consolidated with Forti
tude Lodge, No. 397, of Newport, un
der the name of Jackson Lodge, No. 191,
F. & A. M. The officers are: R. H.
Askew, W. M.; G. B. Norton, S. W.,
G. M. Sink, J. W.; R. M. Laird, treas
urer; J. R. Mayhan, secretary. The
lodge meets every second Wednesday of
each month in the Masonic Hall.
Jackson Chapter, No. 40, Royal Arch
Masons, instituted in 1867 at Jackson
port and removed to Newport in 1893,
meets the fourth Thursday of every
month. The officers are: C. W. Beard,
H. P.; J. S. Graham, king; J. W. Phil
lips, scribe; J. R. Mayhan, secretary; R.
M. Laird, treasurer.
Odd Fellows.—Newport Lodge, No.
71, I. O. O. F., was organized May 27,
1875, the late Captain George W. Hurley
being the leading spirit of its formation.
He was later honored as grand master
by the state body, which :has also con
ferred distinction upon another member,
Jewish Services.—While the Jews of
✓ this city have no temple, they are per
mitted to enjoy the exhortations of
Rabbi Louis Wolsey, of Little Rock, one
Sunday every month, and doubtless be
fore many years will have an orgamza
-tion and temple for worship.
f PUBLIC SCHOOLS t
THE Legislature of this state has
from an early date extended the
arm of support and encourage
ment to our public schools. In 1867 the
free schools were given a firm basis,
when a tax levy was made for their sup
port and the offices of state superintend
ent and county examiners created to
keep the schools abreast with the times
in methods and courses of study.
Under the influence of continued fa
vorable legislation the state now has a
magnificent system, embracing 5>ooo
school buildings, valued at $3,000,000,
employing 7,600 teachers, who instruct
300,000 pupils at a total cost of over a
million and a half dollars.
Jackson County is composed of 40
school districts and has 4,831 white chil
dren of school age and 1,720 colored, or
Photo by Bowen.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Under Construction—Now Completed.