Highland Church
The Highlands is perhaps one of the most desirable portions of Louisville in which to live. Its elevation, its proximity to beautiful parks, its comparative cleanliness all combines to its popularity as desirable place of residence. It is now quite thickly populated, and new houses are constantly being constructed.
In the summer of 1896 arrangements were made with Bro. Jas. A. Harding, and a tent meeting was held. The families here then who arranged for this meeting were those of Brethren Rubel, Tucker, Davidson, and Beebe. After this meeting, Koenigstein Hall, on Baxter Avenue, was rented for Lord’s Day meetings, and Bro. A. B. Lipscomb for this little band on Sunday, attending the College at Lexington during the week. This arrangement continued for about three years.
In 1898 ground was secured, at a cost of $2,100, and the house in which we now meet was placed therein in 1899 at a cost of $3,500.
The previous year another tent-meeting was conducted. Brother Lipscomb did the preaching; J. P. Sewell led the singing. In the spring of 1900 Brother Lipscomb resigned. Bro. S. P. Pitman followed as preacher for a few months.
In June another tent-meeting was held, Brother Harding again preaching. In this meeting, as in the others, there were several additions.
The church was then without a preacher till the last day in October 1902, when Isaac C. Hoskins, the present evangelist, began work with the church; since when there have been added to the membership about forty, including none who came during the preaching of Bro. H. H. Adamson, recently. The membership now numbers about eighty, and as a church it is aggressively engaged in the Master’s cause. The work is distributed among the membership; the prayer-meetings are conducted, and the supper presided over far more frequently by some of the brethren than by the preacher. Indeed, this work is very largely conducted by the brethren, the church being blest in having a larger than average number of men who pray and speak in public.
It is thoroughly missionary in belief and practice; a godly number of members were under the instruction of Bro. M. C. Kurfees at Campbell Street before coming up here. Last year this little band gave more than $200 towards the support of our mission work in Japan, and their preacher proclaims the Gospel in other fields in the homeland.
This church has been tried by fire, and doubtless will be again. There were those who were not satisfied with the things that were written. Not being able to introduce things and methods that now divide a once united people, they went out from us.
A band that is simply Christian, that strives to work and worship according to apostolic teaching and precedent, is not popular here; but on the other hand, some come many blocks to worship God and to meet with his people.
There is a large field in the midst of which we are and which we hope to cultivate for the. Master.
If we are faithful and zealous for Christ’s glory, there is apparently no reason why the church should not become within a few years a great source of blessing to this community; but if we are not, our candlestick will be removed, and our inheritance given to another.
-Isaac C. Hoskins, in “The Christian Leader and the Way,” Volume XVII, Number 39, September 27, 1904
