The Pearsall Memorial Cross
The Cross hanging above the entryway in the Bethany Presbyterian Church sanctuary comes from Pearsall Memorial Presbyterian Church, where it hung above the communion table for about 65 years (between November 1953 to June 2019.) The cross is in the Celtic form, carved from antiqued Philippine Mahogany. It was carved by Mr. Jack H. Ramseur, a cousin of Dr. B. Frank Hall. Working together, the two men designed the symbols it carries. The cross has foliated arms (leaves) symbolic of life flowing from the cross, like the budding of Aaron’s rod. It is super-imposed on the Druid Circle which symbolizes the world and which, in turn, is twined by the grapevine, which symbolizes Christ the Vine (“I am the vine, ye are the branches”) circling the entire world. The Cross bears the symbols of the Trinity: at the top the crown of God the Father, in the arms the descending Dove of the Holy Spirit and the triangle of fishes that signify Christ the Son. This is the oldest of Christian symbols, used in early Rome as a recognition sign among persecuted Christians. The letters of the Greek word for “fish”: IXTHUS are the initial of Iesu Christo Theou Uiso Soter, or “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.” Beneath the symbols of the Trinity are the bannered Lamb of Redemption and, coming from Him, the lily of immortality. At the center of the Cross is the Christian cryptogram: Iota Eta Sigma, the first three letters of the Name of Jesus. So, the scope of Christian theology is in the symbols on the Cross: life from death, the round world entwined by Christ the Fruitful Vine, the Trinity, Redemption and immortality for the believer, all through the Cross of Christ.
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Based upon the pamphlet “What Mean Ye by these Stones? The Significance of Christian Symbols Displayed in Pearsall Memorial Presbyterian Church” by B. Frank Hall, June 1977
In the fall of 2018 Hurricane Florence devastated the church buildings under the stewardship of Bethany Presbyterian on Castle Hayne Road and Pearsall Memorial Presbyterian on Market Street. With Rev. Aaron Doll in Stated Supply pastoral leadership of both congregations, they began worshiping together in the Pearsall Sanctuary (one of the only parts of the building left untouched by flood damage) while Bethany made repairs. On June 30th 2019 the Pearsall Memorial congregation made the difficult decision to be dissolved. There were just not enough remaining members to make repairs feasible. We believe there was providence in bringing the two churches together for a time. The members grew to be friends, and upon closing, the majority of Pearsall folks transferred their memberships to Bethany. The surviving furnishings and supplies at Pearsall benefitted many area congregations. Many items were able to be brought to Bethany however to replace the contents of the church lost by the hurricane. The cross carved by Mr. Ramseur is among the legacy of Pearsall Memorial memories preserved at Bethany.