Religion: Little Egypt

A Yankee in a convertible can enter the town of Egypt, Miss, lighting a cigarette, leave it exhaling his first drag, and never know that he has been anywhere at all. But Egypt is somewhere, all right; it contains a couple of general stores and filling stations and 100 citizens as civic-minded and world-aware as just about any in the U.S. It also contains the outstanding rural church in the South.

That is what the award said, presented by the Emory University Town & Country School to the Egypt Methodist Church, which won out over 1,329 competing churches in 13 states. Until last year, Egypt Methodist had only 14 members. They had no building of their own, but met with the Baptists (membership 43) and listened to Baptist preachers. Then the Methodists got two more members. Galvanized by this shot in the arm, they set out to get a preacher of their own and a church to put him in.

Tall, earnest Harold L. Hathorn, 30, came with his pretty blonde wife Clyde Marie and things really began to hum. The women of the church gave three dinners at which they raised $1,200 for the new building. Then they sat down and began writing letters—to prominent Mississippians, to former “Egyptians” who had moved away, to leading U.S. church figures, asking for $10 from each. Last spring the $12,000 brick church was finished except for the pews.

Egypt Methodist won its $1,000 award on the basis of five standards which were applied to all competing churches: ministerial leadership, progress in the past year, effective use of its resources, community cooperation, evidence of “world concern.” But it was all summed up in the judges’ words: “Because they did more with less.” They expect to go on doing more. “Winning this prize has set a high standard for us to live up to,” says Pastor Hathorn.

Last week 32-member Egypt Methodist was abustle to raise about $500 more to add to the prize money for the purchase of 14 new pews. “I have no fear about obtaining the money.” said Pastor Hathorn confidently. “Nothing stops our women when they go after something.”