BURNING OF CENTENARY CHURCH WAS UNFORGETTABLE OCCASION

In one's life a memory of a certain event often stands out as unforgettable. In mine, it was that of the burning of Centenary Methodist church on the corner of Bellevue and North Ellis Street that took place in the early 1920s. The huge stained-glass windows marked the beauty of the church. In those days it was very difficult to extinguish a fire, especially one of intensity. A horse-drawn truck with a meager amount of hose and with no aerial ladder made getting control of a fire most difficult.

We lived very close to Centenary Methodist Church and I have a vivid memory of seeing from an upstairs window that faced the church the huge sparks that came over our way endangering the entire neighborhood. Suddenly the interior of the church burst out in a flame and lit up the huge stained-glass windows with a beauty so extraordinary that it will always stand out in my mind as most memorable.

The ruins of the church remained a sad memory, however, for a new and even more beautiful Centenary Methodist Church was built and was followed in recent months by a huge and exotic education building. It took courage, cooperation and willingness among its members to complete this great task, but what a joy it turned out to be, and what a beautiful sight for the people of Cape Girardeau to behold.