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CENTENNIAL MINUTES
EARLY MEMORIES - FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER C.A. 1911

May 7, 1989

      One of Ben Blankenship's earliest memories was walking barefoot to Sunday School on a warm, Sabbath morning when he was about three. His first teacher was Shina Schoenlein. He carried his two pennies his mother had given him clutched in his fist. When Mrs. Schoenlein passed around a little basket with money in it, he thought he would have some. When he reached into the basket, his teacher gently said: "No, no, honey. You are supposed to put it in--not take it out!"
       Mrs. Schoenlein taught many years at Dillon Chapel before she and her husband moved to Huntington. There she became a Salvation Army lady who carried her little basket into the toughest streets and the roughest bars without fear. She was never molested as she collected money for God.
       One of the funniest stories Ben remembers involved Mrs. Schoenlein and her husband, Jim. In the old days, the road often ran through the creek. There the rocks were slick, and one curve was particularly treacherous. Mrs. Schoenlein was driving the buggy, and when she rounded the curve, the buggy overturned. Well, her husband was livid. He showered her with verbal abuse which she withstood with remarkable restraint. Finally, he told her: "You don't know how to drive a horse. Let me show you. Whereupon, he turned the horse around, negotiated the same curve in the creek and turned the buggy over himself!

       The ice cream social has been a tradition at Dillon Chapel since the early days, when the congregation met, and visited, and made home-made ice cream and sold the ladies tasty cakes and pies. It was a big money maker for the church and helped pay the bills when the economic conditions were bad. Yet, at one time, it was banned as a social event -- but the church prospered nevertheless.
       This came about because of an event early in Rev. Doran Houston's ministry. Dillon Chapel was his first charge -- he was a student pastor still studying at Marshall and preparing to enter Duke University Seminary. It was one of his first experiences with an ice cream social, so he just sat back and observed. A band was brought in from Huntington and several of the members were very drunk when they arrived. It was being held in the white frame church, since only the basement was completed in the new church.
       But when the band struck up a dance in the front of the church, Rev. Houston took over.
       "This church has not yet been abandoned as a church. It is representative of the unfinished church next door. And we don't believe in drunkenness and dancing in church. If this is all you have to do this evening -- this is closed down as of right now. One of the band members said: "Aw, shut up."
       Rev. Houston said, "Now listen here, I don't know if you know who you are talking to or not. But you're not going to do what you've been doing. That's how it is -- as long as I'm preacher here, we won't have anymore socials."
       He sent them packing -- without pay!
       Well, the local people got their cakes and pies together, and huffed and puffed and went home. But he stuck by his word.
       Four years later, after one of the most successful ministries at Dillon Chapel, he was being considered for a fifth year. One of the trustees said, "Four years is enough for any preacher, and he has been here four years; and besides, he doesn't want us to have socials, and I don't want him back."
       But he came for a fifth year -- one of our most beloved pastors. When he left for Seminary, the brick church was completed and paid for to the last penny; there was a successful bus ministry; attendance was at an all-time high of 200 members (a record which still stands!) There was talk of enlarging the sanctuary as the building was often packed. So the church at Dillon Chapel thrived and prospered -- even though the traditional ice cream social ceased during those five years!

       Rev. Duncan never dreamed of being anything but a minister, but he was 30 years old, married with a family, before the dream became a reality. As a child he was taken to church every Sunday by his mother; and by graduation from high school he knew he had to be a preacher. He graduated from a junior college in Tennessee and served as a teacher, principal, millwright, and coal miner before being shown the way to continue his education. He enjoyed all his jobs, but at the back of his mind was his desire to preach.
       One mentor told him: "If you have the desire, you will find a way." The way came with his first appointment at Sterret in the coal-fields of Logan County, where his experience with miners helped him identify with his congregation. In his first year there he had 60 people saved at a revival at his church; and they were baptised in February when there was ice on the river. He didn't know about wet suits, so he baptised in his street clothes. The Lord must have made allowances for he didn't suffer frost-bite!
       After serving four years at Sterret, he was sent to Ceredo in order to finish his education at Marshall. In addition to pastoring, rearing a family, and going back to school, he did janitorial work at the elementary school and field house at Kenova.
       Rev. Duncan was sent to Dillon Chapel in 1958, on the Dillon Chapel - Mt. Union Circuit. When he came here he preached to an average of 25 on Sunday mornings; when he left, he played to a full house. He attributes his success to "visiting, visiting, and more visiting." He earned a reputation as a visiting preacher, which led to his present position as associate pastor at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Since his "retirement", he averages 70 visits a week to hospitals, nursing homes, to the elderly, and home-bound.
       Following several charges all over West Virginia, Rev. Duncan bought a house at Salt Rock, but shortly after became associated with St. Luke's. On his travels on route 10, he sometimes visited with Cline Dillon, who was very ill. Cline told him one day that he would like him to preach his funeral, a request he honored.
       One of the moments that stands out in his memory at Dillon Chapel was his first Sunday in the pulpit. The church at that time had a lay-leader who felt he should run things. He got into a very vocal argument with another member and when he turned the meeting over to Rev. Duncan, it was five minutes til 12 noon! Rev. Duncan proceeded to tell the congregation how glad he was to be there, and gave the benediciton. Thus ended what was probably the shortest sermon of his career.
       Rev. Duncan notes that he knew the church had had difficulties when he came. But he was accepted graciously, and the people were always good to him, and he to them. He had no problems which a little love couldn't smooth over.
       And that has been his story wherever he went. He is a minister who loves people, and smooths out the difficulities with a little loving kindness.

       For the number of members on its roles, Dillon Chapel has provided a large proportion of ministers throughout the years. Some were lay preachers, some seminary trained, and still others were student ministers who completed their education and entered as full time ministers while pastoring Dillon Chapel.
       One such lay preacher was Alexander A. Nash, a local business man and life-time member of our community. He and Rev. Earl Debar were crucial in selling the idea of a new church, noting that the little white church was too small, outdated, and badly in need of modern conveniences.
       Alex, who had been converted a year or two before, tithed everything he had accumulated over the years as a successful businessman. That tithe money constructed the basement of the new church. Later, he provided shingles for the roof, and made other major repairs as needed. During Rev. Houston's ministry, he ran a very successful bus ministry. The Sunday School Classes spilled over to the church bus which doubled as the Young Girl’s Class.
       Called to preach he was a kind, generous, spiritual pastor. In addition to filling the pulpit in many churches he was appointed to Mount Union and in 1963 to Dillon Chapel as pastor. In later years he served as teacher of the Men’s Class.
       Of the many things which Alex taught us in his Christian calling, one stands in my memory. "You don’t have to understand every word of the Bible to be saved." If we just live by the parts we do know that will be sufficient!