From the Burke County Archives, thanks to Carol and others.
[Pictures provided by the archivist display a bell very much unlike a Revere Bell]
FEWHISTORICCHURCHESANDHOMES245downtomakewayfortheedificewhichstillstands,TheTrueCitizencommented:Theoldbuildingwasstronglyputtogetheraccordingtotheoldfashion,thecornerpostsbeingsolidandhewnfromsinglepiecesoftimber,whilethejoistsweredove-tailedin,andsecuredwithstrongbarsofironwithboltsthroughthemandthroughtheplate,andthelathsweresplitinsteadofbeingsawn.Andtheoldbellborethefollowinginscriptioncastinthemetal:Revere&SonCongregationalChurch,Waynesborough181827TheCongregationalname,however,didnotlongsurvive.In1819achurchatBathwasconstituted.ThevillageofBath,inRichmondCounty,wassettledasasummerhomebysomerichplantersofBurke,wholargelycomposedthemembershipoftheWaynesborochurch.TheyerectedatBathafinebuildingandamanse,andforaboutsixtyyearstheministersresidedatBathandservedbothchurches.Theunion,knownasthe"Presbyterian28ChurchofWaynesboroandBath,continueduntil1879.Duringthisperiodseveralpastorsstandout:EbenezerB.Caldwell;RemembranceChamberlain;FrancisR.Goulding;T.M.DwightandRufusK.Porter.TheRev.SamuelKennedyTalmage,pastoroftheAugustachurch(1828-1836),nodoubtalsofilledpulpitsatBathandWaynesborooccasionally.CaldwellhadservedtheWaynesborochurchbeforetheunion,hadbeenRectorofBurkeAcademythere,butdied,1819,atBath.Chamberlain,aVermonter,aftergraduatingfromPrincetonSeminaryin1820,servedfirstinWaynesboro,buthedidnotstaylong.Hisgreatachievementwasasamissionaryevangelist.HetraveledextensivelythroughtheupperpartofGeorgiaandorganizedchurchafterchurch."ToChamberlainandafewotheryoungmen,whocameintothestateaboutthesametime,istobeattributedheriseandextensionofthePresbyterianChuuchinGeorgia."29Gouldingwastheinventorofasewingmachine,andauthored,afterleavingBath,thewell-knownboys'book,The30YoungMarooners.ThepresentchurchbuildinginWaynesborowaserectedin1884,thistimesoastofaceWilliamsStreet.ThededicationtookplaceinDecember1884.AquotationfromTheAugustaChronicleprovidesapartialdescriptionoftheinterior:AgenialsungreetedthededicationdayofthePresbyterianchurchinWaynesboroonSunday,thegoodMastersendingbothbrightnessandwarmthtocheertheheartsofthefaithful.Theinteriorofthechurchpresentedamostattractiveapearance--withthewhitewallsandwalnutfurniture,thecontrastbeinghappyineffect.Fromthecenterhungan
The True Citizen, May 16, 1884. Page
"A New Church"
The Buildinghasbeenpulleddown,andlumberisbeingputontlioground,andworkmenarealreadyengagedinputtingupanewbuilding.—MajorWilkins,asusual,istheprineipalfigureinthisenterpriseandthemostliberalcontributortothebuildingfound.Theoldbttildinaccordingtothebestinformationwecangatherwasbuiltabouttheyear1812, and the old Bell bears the following inscription cast in the metal:“Revere & Son CongregationalChurch,Waynes-borough,1818.”Thebuildingwasstronglyputtogetheraftertliooldfashion,thecornerpostsbeingsolidandhewnfromsinglepiecesoftimber,whiletliojoistsweredove-tailedin,andsecuredwithstrongbar'sofironwithboltsthroughthemandthroughtheplate,andthelathsweresplitinsteadofbeingsawn.ItisprobablethatthePresbyteriansorCongregationalistswerethemostnumeroussecthere,inthedayitwaserected,anditwasprobablywastheonlybuildingofworshipinthethensmallvillage.TheBaptistandMethodistdenominationsnowgreatlyoutnumberthePresbyterians,whohaveonlysmallcongregationinthisvicinity,ThenewchurchwillbonearthesizeoftheBaptistchurchandwillcostabout$2,000.Mr.Trowbrlgeliasbeenawardedthecontractforbuilding.
The True Citizen, March 30, 1889
The new bell for the Presbyterian church is at the depot awaiting its|exaltation to its high home on the top of the steeple.Itisagreatim- improvement on its predecessor which was so promptly returned to the party sending it. The bell weighs 500 pounds and its clear mellow tones in another week can be heard calling together from far and near the worshippers of that church .
April 6, 1889 from the True Citizen of Waynesboro, GA.The new bell of the Presbyterian church to which we referred in our last issue, has been placed inposition. The steeple had to be strengthened and the windows enlarged.
Waynesboro, Georgia, Revere Bell,
likely Lost in Time