THE HISTORY OF THE LORD'S CHURCH IN LYNCHBURG
The history of the church of Christ in Lynchburg dates back to the mid 1800’s. At that time it was known as the Christian church. Though no one knows who planted the church, we are able to know some of her charter members. History records the following people as among the first members of the Lynchburg church - Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Shaw, Nancy C. & Eliza Womack, Mr. & Mrs. W.P. Bobo, B.H. Berry, R.B. Parks, James McBride, Mr. & Mrs. T.E. Simpson and Sarah J. Simpson. A few names of additional members have been obtained - Mr. & Mrs. E.W. Womack, M.N. Moore, Mr. & Mrs. M.N. Parkes, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas H. Parks and their daughters, Mr. & Mrs. E.Y. Salmon and their six children, Mr. & Mrs. John. N. Sullivan and family, Mrs. John. H. Taylor, S.E. Jones, D.D. Blythe, and James H. Jones. The first elders of the Lynchburg church were S.E. Jones, T.W. Brents, Calvin R. Darnall, and Thomas J. Shaw. Other elders were M.N. Moore, James H. Jones, and D.D. Blythe. Deacons served in the church at Lynchburg, but only one name is found - Rufus B. Parks. The Lynchburg church had monthly preaching. Before the civil war T.W. Brents and Calvin R. Darnall were the regular preachers. Brents was a medical doctor. However, his reputation as a Bible scholar caused him to become widely known in the brotherhood. His book, “The Gospel Plan Of Salvation,” is still in print to this day. After the civil war monthly preaching was done by Thomas J. Shaw. Among song leaders were M.N. Moore and T.H. Parks. The Lynchburg church was described as evangelistic, helping to plant the church at Liberty Hill, Mulberry, and supplying several members for the forming of the County Line congregation. The church is said to have had well-ordered Bible classes and excellent singing. Gospel meetings were conducted, such as the one in August of 1879 with preaching by Granville Lipscomb. Members of the Lynchburg congregation, as well as County Line, Lois and Liberty Hill were simply called Christians, as recorded in Goodspeed’s history of Moore County. In 1849, the congregation erected its first church building that was dedicated in June of the same year by elder S.E. Jones. The building stood on the east side of the public square, Main Street. The church met in this building until about 1875, at which time the building was sold to the newly organized county to be used as its courthouse. The building served as the courthouse until it was consumed by the town fire of December 1883. The present building was erected in 1875 and dedicated on September 26 of the same year. Presently mounted on the wall of the auditorium next to the bulletin board is said to be the original communion set used during worship when this building was first utilized. Dr. Salmon, a member of the church, formerly owned the land on which the present building stands. The land was estimated as three fourths of an acre. The purchase price was four hundred dollars, due January 1, 1875. After the due date ten percent interest would be added until maturity paid. The Lynchburg church paid Dr. Salmon four hundred and sixty dollars on July 1, 1876, at which time a deed was to be written by J. L. Bryant & Co.