CHURCHES

April 10, 1886, the First Congregational Church was organized. The attractive building on Euclid Avenue and Main Street was erected by Mr. Mace under the direction of the Board of Trustees: J. Willis Westlake, J. R. Hurst, M. L. Granville, and F. E. Nettleton. The opening service held in April, 1889, was conducted by Dr. Zadiary Eddy, the pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. John C. Staples and Rev. Sidney Crawford. The latter came from Tampa where he had nursed in a yellow fever epidemic to which his wife fell a victim. The longest pastorate was that of Rev. Mason Noble, 1892-1908. The church is now served by Dr. Scott F. Hershey.

In 1891 a Baptist Church was organized at Winnemissett, which moved to Lake Helen the next year and held services in the Mace building. The charter members living are: Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Mace, Ellis G. Blake, Mrs. M. Fernandez, and R. H. Hyman. The beautiful building was completed and dedicated Jan. 27, 1895. It was given by Mrs. Anna E. Blake of Arlington, Massachusetts, as a memorial to her son. It is on Euclid Avenue. The society now consists of two hundred and twentyfive members. They own a "pastorium", house furnished and grove. They have a Sunday School; B. Y. P. U.; W. M. U.; and Sunbeam Band and support an orphan in the state Orphan's Home. The pastors' names follow: Rev. E. Macy, Rev. John McKinney of DeLand (supply), Rev. S. D. Woods, Rev. Charles Brenner, Rev. J.B. Webb, Rev. J. T. Jeffries, Rev. E. Wells, Rev. T. E. Waldrup and the present pastor, Rev. Edward W. Holland (1923). The Methodist Church was founded June 12, 1923 with forty-nine members. Mrs. E. M. Weeks of DeLand was one of the main forces in organizing and building the church. She was the first Sunday School superintendent. The building is on Lakeview Avenue. The names of the Ministers are:

Rev. 0. E. Rice, 1923; 

Rev. R. F. Hodnett,1925; 

Rev. B. M. Montgomery, 1926; 

and Rev. E. L. Holladay, 1927.

There are five churches for colored people, located on the west side :

African Methodist Episcopal, organized in 1893, membership 200, Reverend Samuels, pastor.

Primitive Baptist, organized in 1903, membership 50, 

Reverend Bright, pastor.

Missionary Baptist, organized in 1905, membership 150, 

Reverend Williams, pastor.

Missionary Baptist, organized m 1908, membership 75, Reverend White, pastor.

Methodist Episcopal, organized in 1918, membership 25, Reverend Zanders, pastor.

Excerpt from, The History of DeLand and Lake Helen, Florida.

Written by, Helen Parce DeLand.