Published: November 08, 2009 09:57 pm      

Church regains history

Gertrude “Tut” McFarland didn’t know the red flag with 39 blue stars — one of which represents her father — and three gold ones existed until recently.

Though she grew up attending the Dalton First United Methodist Church, she doesn’t remember seeing the church’s World War I service flag. The flag hung at the church in the early 1900s as a reminder of the 42 church members who served in the war.

Somehow, the flag disappeared. Its whereabouts remained unknown for many years until the flag was found recently in a vault at the Crown Garden and Archives. It was returned to the church during Sunday’s morning worship service.

“It was so thrilling to see the flag,” said McFarland, who obtained the flag from the archives to present to the congregation.

“I would like to do this in memory of my dad, Jim McFarland, and my three uncles, Ed McFarland, Judson Manly and Howard Manly, all who served in the war,” she said. “I was so excited about finding this flag, and it gives me so much pleasure to re-present it to the church.”

The flag was originally presented to the church on Jan. 4, 1918, according to a story in The Dalton Citizen, McFarland said. Later, another article appeared in the newspaper stating that a memorial service was held for the three who died in service, Hugh Gregory, Lewis Hopkins and Guy Felker.

Those who survived the war are represented by blue stars, while the three who died in battle are represented by gold stars. The flag’s stars were hand-sewn, most likely by ladies in the church, McFarland said.

When McFarland got the flag, she had it repaired and framed. She also framed a list of names of those represented on the flag, which she read aloud during the service. She asked family members to stand as she read, but only a handful stood.

Among those was church member Charles Robertson, who said his “family has always been here” at the church. Robertson’s father was Vernon Robertson, who was in the Navy during World War I.

“I was really proud,” Robertson said after the service. “I had never seen that flag before.”

One of the blue stars has a nurse’s pin on it, representing Ella Margaret Brown, who was deployed overseas as a nurse. Another star has a different pin on it, but McFarland didn’t know why or what it represented.

Blake King, the church’s chairman of the board of trustees, accepted the flag on behalf of the church.

“It will be displayed in honor and memory of all these heroes,” he said.

Robin Lindsey, the church’s pastor, said a prayer thanking God for the flag and the list of names and what they represent.

“These are your saints, who served our congregation, our country and community so that we might freely worship,” Lindsey prayed. “We thank you for their families who are still represented in our community and in our church, and we thank you for these three who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

Lindsey’s sermon centered on Sgt. Alvin York, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during battle in 1918.

“It’s not the story of killing,” Lindsey said. “It’s the story of a Christian man trying to save lives.... I want you to understand that we do not fight to hurt. We fight to protect. We are Christians.

“That’s what these people represent,” he said, referring to the church members who served in World War I. “That’s what you who are veterans today represent.”