Lillington saw its first demonstration by the hooded klan Friday when seven white-robed members of the Ku Klux Klan marched into the Baptist church just as the revival meeting was drawing to a close and, facing the altar, presented to Rev. W.R. Beach, the pastor, an envelope containing a letter and $25 in paper bills. It was while a song was being sung, “I Hear My Savior Calling,” and the chorus was finished while the knighted men stood at attention facing the pulpit and pastor. After the pastor had thanked them for their presence and interest, the hooded visitors marched out. The letter in the envelope read thus:
Lillington, Dec. 5, 1924
Dear Brother:
On behalf of the Lillington members of the Klan No. 85, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Realm of North Carolina, we wish to present you with this purse of $25 as a token of our sincere appreciation of your services in this town and community during this revival. We feel that you have rendered this town and community a service that will be for its everlasting good. We also wish to remind you that the Ku Klux Klan stands for the things that you preach and that we teach our members at all times that the living Christ is a Klansman’s Criterion of character.
We are with you in your good work 100 per cent and convey to you our sincere good wishes and pray God that generous success in the Lord’s work may crown your noble efforts in bringing souls to Christ and making the world a better place in which to spend that period of preparation for the greater and better and only life to come,
Yours most sincerely,
Lillington Members of Klan no. 35, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Realm of North Carolina
It was the first intimation that most people here ever had that there was a full-fledged order of the Klan in Lillington, and eyes that has perhaps become drowsy following the evening service were at once opened to the limit. Not a word, however, has been heard of the action of the Klan except in commendation of the presentation of the purse and letter to the pastor. the money and letter, though taken in hand by Pastor Beach, were intended for Dr. Zeno Wall of Goldsboro, who sat just behind the alter and who has been preaching twice daily here in the Baptist church for the past week.
Dr. Wall was a power in the pulpit. He is not an evangelist, but as an exponent of the World of God he stands in the front ranks of the pulpiteers of his day. The people of Lillington have fallen deeply in love with him, and judging by his expression of appreciation of the manner in which he has been received and treated here, he has come into a high regard for Lillington and its people. He left last night for his home in Goldsboro, being met here by his assistant pastor, Rev. Mr. Thomas. By unanimous vote the congregation last night requested him to come to Lillington again at his earliest opportunity.
From the Dunn Dispatch as printed on the front page of the Carolina Jeffersonian, Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, December 18, 1924
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