Episcopal Church of the Incarnation

Our History

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The Celtic Cross atop the church.

A BRIEF HISTORY

OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION

The Episcopal Church in West Point began in 1870 when the Rev. Henry Harris conducted monthly services for a group in the Union Church building on Court Street. At that time, there were seven members on the church roll. Miss Florence Peugh organized a Sunday School with classes conducted weekly in her room at the Henley House.

On October 14, 1872, a small group of Episcopalians in West Point organized a mission called St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church. The members raised $500.00 to purchase a lot and eventually to erect a building. By 1873, the number of communicants had increased to sixty with services twice monthly. But no church was built at that time, and membership dropped somewhat until the arrival of the Rev. W. P. Browne in 1886. He held monthly services in the Court House and, at this time, St. Joseph’s was renamed Church of the Incarnation. The Rev. Browne was very dedicated to his duties in the mission field, and with only one assistant, he erected the church building. Benches were constructed of plain boards, and the Altar was a kitchen table covered in green felt. The warmth, spiritual love, and devotion to each other that was contained in that little frame structure has continued throughout more than one hundred and thirty years of the church’s existence.

In the early 1900’s, Church of the Incarnation made plans to erect a more modern building. The little board-and-battan church Rev. Browne had built was moved to an adjacent lot, and the new brick foundation rose about sixteen feet. Shortly thereafter, the church suffered a setback when the priest who had encouraged the new building was called away. World War I began, and membership and finances again declined. A local lawyer and member of First Methodist Church served as a lay reader, and the Eucharist was celebrated by a visiting priest once a month.

Members struggled faithfully to keep the church together until the early thirties. In the midst of the Depression, a young member who was a recent graduate in architecture proposed using the bricks in the abandoned foundation to veneer the little frame building of Rev. Browne. This project was the “boost” that Incarnation needed. Over the next two decades, a parish hall was added, and a rectory was built. For the first time in many years, Incarnation had a resident priest and continued to prosper.

In 1980, a second addition consisting of a larger parish hall, choir room, office, and new kitchen was added. The first parish hall was converted to much-needed Sunday School rooms. In 1997, the small rectory was sold and the church purchased a beautiful 4-bedroom rectory.

Church of the Incarnation achieved Parish status in 1999 at the 172nd Annual Council of the Diocese of Mississippi meeting in Hattiesburg. It was a wonderful culmination of the love, faithfulness, and dedication of many loyal church members and leaders throughout the years.

Among the many gifted clergy who have served Incarnation over the years, two went on to become bishops. The Rev. R. Bland Mitchell, who served Incarnation as a deacon assistant from 1912-1915, later became Bishop of Arkansas. And the Rev. C. Brinkley Morton, who served as vicar from July 1, 1959 to May 31, 1962, later became Bishop of San Diego.

Church of the Incarnation continues to provide beautiful, dignified worship in the Anglican tradition. We also serve the community by hosting weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, meetings of Project Homestead (a non-profit organization that operates the local Food Pantry and serves needy children and families in Clay County), as well as participating in the yearly Adopt-A-Family program at Christmas time. As a church family, we are committed to growing in the love of God and neighbor, and we look forward to continuing that tradition for many years to come.

Adapted from “A History and Background of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation” by Rufus Ward, Parish Archivist and Licensed Diocesan Lay Reader.

Church musicians play music at the annual “Mass in the Grass”

Roster of Priests

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church 1872 – 1877

Episcopal Church of the Incarnation 1877 – Present

Henry C. Harris: 1870-1871*

Joesph Emmart Brown: 1871-1872*

William A. W. Maybin: 1872-1874

Heber O. Crane: 1874-1875

G. W. Sinclair Ayres: 1883-1885*

William P. Browne: April 8, 1886-April 12, 1889

George H. Edwards: 1889-1891*

James M. Magruder: 1893-1896

Walter R. Dye: 1897-1901*

R. W. Barnwell: 1902-1905*

J. Lundy Sykes: 1906-July 1915*

B. Bland Mitchell (assistant): 1912-1915*

John Gass: 1915-1917

J. W. Fulford: 1917-1919*

William J. Wilson: 1920-1922*

Charles E. Freeman: 1923-1924*

Raymond E. McBain: 1928-1931*

Charles G. Hamilton: July 1931 (1932*)-July 1933

William B. Allen: 1933-1935

Frank E. Walters: September 1935-December 1936

William Mercer Green, Jr.: January 1937-March 1939

J. Lundy Sykes: 1939-1940*

Bradner J. Moore: July16, 1941 (1940*) – May 15, 1946

James W. Emmerson: November 1946-May 1950

1. Emile Joffrion: 1951-1954

Thomas B. Smythe, Jr.: September 1954-January 1958

Hugh McD. Morse, Jr.: 1958-1959

2. Brinkley Morton: July 1, 1959 – May 31, 1962

Ralph E. Leach, Jr.: September 15, 1962 – November 30, 1963

Elmer M. Boykin: February 12, 1964-January 1970

James M. Pulliam: Circa 1970-1973

Charles K. Floyd, Jr.: March 1, 1971-April 13, 1975

Craig P. Fickling: June 1, 1976-June 4, 1978

Dr. Edward O. deBary: July 15, 1978-July 31 1982

John McKee Sloan: March 15, 1983-December 28-1986

Eldridge Eugene Asbury: June 1, 1987-April 30, 1994

James Knox Polk Van Zandt: July 1, 1994-April 30, 2000

Dr. Charles Bryan Owen: September 2, 2001 – January 8, 2006

Karl C. Schaffenburg: July 30, 2006 -

*source: The Episcopal Church in Mississippi: 1763-1992

The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi: Jackson, MS

Historical Marker for Episcopal Church of the Incarnation

© 2006 by Church of the Incarnation

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