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j'IRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, *>AY ST. LOUIS, MS ,
On August 17, 1969, Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast* with tidal waves of over 20 feet and winds of over 200 MPH. This was the worst storm in the history of our country. Among those who lost much --if not all ? were members of this church. Eight homes of church members were destroyed, including those of the Dossetts, the Schaefers, the Tarletons and Dr. & Mrs. Cox. Other homes were totally unlivable such as those of Warren and Agnes Sick, "friends" of the church since 1962, and John and Eleanor Hill, members since 1963. Fifty-four church families consisting of one hundred sixty-four people were affected by the storm. Most of the officers of the church just escaped with their lives.
The church received only minor damage. The church manse also came through exceptionally well; the Pastor was the only church officer who had a home in which to live ? and it had been crushed by a large tree. A number of people who had no where else to go, found refuge and ate their neals there. A few Sundays after the devastating hurricane, chairs had to be placed in the aisle of the church for the pews would not hold all the people who attended! A special "Camille Committee" was appointed by the Session to supervise, suggest and act on the distribution of funds to the needy people of the congregation. Members were Robert Warner, Chairman; John Hill, John Landon, Jay Howe and Dr. Walter Russo.
On April 21, 1970, the Session addressed a Memorial to the Presbytery of South Mississippi which read, in part:
Brethren, We, the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi wish to express to you, and through you, we hope, to Presbyterians everywhere, our profound appreciation for your prompt, merciful, generous and living assistance in a time of desperate need - i.e. the aftermath of the hurricane, Camille, Amid all the devastation and debris, when so much of our property, and so many of us, were beaten and battered, shattered