Bethel Primitive Baptist Church

From First Book of Minutes of Bethel Baptist Church
Submitted by Sabrina Hagler

Send additional information to Margie Daniels and I will include it here, thanks.

State of Alabama, Barbour County April the 11^th day 1835 an application for the constitution of a church called brotheren, then went into Solomon Sikes as our presbytery, then we met according to appointment, then went into the constitution of a church, we the presbytery finding the brothren orthodox in faith, then constituted them into a church, and the name of said church is known by the name of Bethel, the names of the brothren of constitution as follows:

John Tew Dismissed by letter

J.W. Thomas Deceased 9, February 1853

Miriam Thomas Deceased

Anna Thomas

These was in the constitution (5 above)

Asa Wilkerson Dismissed by letter

Elizabeth Wilkerson Dismissed by letter

Benjamin Hinote (these 2 names were

Elizabeth Hinote listed then drawn thru)

Rhoda Bentley

Charity Helms

Olift Barnes

Nancy Barnes

Selah Roberson Dismissed by letter

Joel Helms Dismissed by letter

Lecy Helms Dismissed by letter

John Helms Sr.

Rebecca Helms Dismissed by letter

Milbra Chaney

Rebecca Reader Dismissed by letter

Abraham Helms Deceased 3-22-1852

Aaron Helms Dismissed by letter

Mary Magdalene Helms Dismissed by letter

John Bentley Dismissed by letter

John Helms Jr.

Hezekiah Thomas Dismissed by letter

Elizabeth Thomas Dismissed by letter

Mary Flowers

Mahalah Ludly

Martha Wells Deceased

Seleah Coola

Emanuel Thomas

Rebecca Tew Dismissed by letter

Patience Tew

Benjamin Hinote Dismissed by letter

Elizabeth Hinote Dismissed by letter

Hilyard Helms Dismissed by letter

Mahalah Helms Dismissed by letter

Rhoda Bentley Restored and dismissed

Jonathan Tew Dismissed by letter

Nancy Tew Dismissed by letter

Ire Segres Deceased Aug. 1, 1850

Josiah Bass

William Tew Dismissed by letter

May 9, 1835 J.W. Thomas deacon

John Thomas clerk

John Tew moderator

Sept. 10, 1836 Received Asa Wilkerson and wife Rhoda Bentley by letter

Jan. 7, 1837 Called Solomon Sikes as supply. Agreed to help these 3 sisters to get a letter from North Carolina, “to wit Olift and Nancy Barnes and Selah Roberson”.

Aug. 12, 1837 Received Charity Helms by letter.

Nov. 11, 1837 Received 5 members, Benjamin Hinote and wife, Olift and Nancy Barnes, and Selah Roberson.

Aug. 18, 1838 Received 5 members on confession of faith: Joel Helms and wife, John Helms and wife, and Milbra Chaney. One by experience, Elender Helms.

Sept. 15, 1838 Received Rebecca Reader by experience.

Jan. 19, 1839 Received one acknowledgment, Abraham Helms. Also received Aaron Helms and wife, Magdalene.

Mar. 16, 1839 Received John Bentley and John Helms.

Apr. 20, 1839 Received Hezekiah and wife by experience.

June 15, 1839 William W. Pain called as supply. Mary Flowers received by experience.

July 22, 1839 J.W. Thomas chose as deacon.

Aug. 17, 1839 Mahalah Ludlem received by letter. Joel Helms and Lecy Helms dismissed by letter. Martha Wells received by letter; Sely Cooley received by experience.

Sept. 14, 1839 Aaron Helms and Hezekiah Thomas ordained as deacons. W.W. Paine and John Tew as presbytery.

July 15, 1840 Received Emanuel Thomas by experience.

Mar. 14, 1841 Cary Curey chosen supply.

Apr. 15, 1841 Hezekiah Thomas applied for letter of dismissal for himself and wife, by letter from Mount Pleasant Church, Coffee County (Coffee was a new county then).

July 23, 1841 Rhoda Bentley received by restoration.

Jan. 15, 1842 Sister Elender Helms granted letter for dismissal.

Apr. 16, 1842 Agreed to correspond with Mt. Pleasant Church, Coffee County, by letter and messengers. Aaron Helms was moderator.

Apr. 29, 1843 Received Rebecca and Patience Tew by letter. Chose Jesse Tomlin supply, received Hilliard Helms and wife by experience.

May 18, 1843 Received Benjamin Hinote and wife Elizabeth by letter. Authorized John Helms to exercise his gift within the church. Agreed that Aaron Helms to be licensed.

June 17, 1843 Agreed that Aaron Helms be ordained. Moses Helms, moderator.

Aug. 18, 1843 Aaron Helms examined by William W. Paine- was authorized “to act in all cases as a legal administrator of all the ordinances of Jesus Christ,” during his good order.

Sept. 11, 1843 Called a presbytery. Zacheus Nix and Joel _____ to ordain deacons.

Feb. 10, 1844 Aaron Helms called as supply.

Sept. 11, 1844 Agreed to “liberate” Asa Wilkerson. Agreed to join Choctawhatchie Association and chose delegates John Helms, Benjamin Hinote and Johnny Thomas.

Nov. 18, 1844 Asa Wilkerson comes forward and desires that whereas the church had given him liberty to exercise his gifts within the church, he submit it to the church that he wished to remain as he was.

Nov. 14, 1847 Jonathan Tew and wife and Ira Segers, received by letter.

Feb. 19, 1848 Received Josiah Bass.

Mar. 14, 1848 Received William Tew by letter and Louis____ a black man by letter.

Apr. 15, 1848 Received Polly Bass by letter, received Carson Tomberlin by experience.

Jan. 20, 1849 Received Allen Bass by letter.

Mar. 17, 1849 Received Hezekiah Thomas and wife Elizabeth by letter.

Apr. 14, 1849 Received Francis Bass by letter.

July 14, 1849 Received letter from Mount (?) Peled(?) Church requesting correspondence.

Nov. & Dec. James Baxley was moderator

Jan. 19, 1850 Rebecca Helms dismissed by letter.

Sept. 14, 1850 Hezekiah Thomas elected as church clerk.

Nov. 17. 1850 Uriah Bass and Rachel his wife received by letter.

May 17, 1851 John L. Wood received by letter.

Oct. 19, 1851 Caroline Reader received by experience.

July 17, 1852 Jeptha and Barbara Thomas received by letter.

Jan. 15, 1853 “Presented by Brother John D. Collens his credentials”.

Feb. 19, 1853 John Helms elected clerk.

July 10, 1853 Appointed 2 brethren to visit Bersheba Church to inquire into Bro. Findley’s liberties.

Aug. 20, 1853 Aaron Helms and wife Mary Magdaline received by letter.

Nov. 19, 1853 Josiah Bass acknowledged that he had been insulted and had to fight expressed his sorrow that such things did occur and asked the church to forgive him.

Jan. 14, 1854 Rebecca Reader given letter of dismissal

Dec. 16, 1854 Charles S. Pellum supply.

June 30, 1855 Barden A. Tharp and Lucy Tharp received by letter.

Oct. 6, 1855 Isaac Dykes by experience

May 31, 1856 Marget Sheperd by letter

Dec. 6, 1856 B. Charles Pellum supply.

June 6, 1857 Siles K. Shire by letter

Jan. 2, 1858 John N. Shire and wife Radhel Shire by ____. (Am sure Siles should be Silas and Shire should be Shirah).

Sept. 29, 1860 Eldred Medley and wife Mary F. Medley and Jordan Miller and wife Julian (Julie Ann?) Miller.

Nov. 3, 1860 Received Mary Helms by an experience of grace. Received Mina, a slave by an experience of grace.

June 7, 1860 Nancy Hagler by experience.

Aug. 31, 1861 Sarah Ann Parmer by experience.

Sept. 1861 Solomon Shirah by experience.

May 3, 1862 William Herston (an ordained deacon) and Linda Herston received by letter.

Nov. 7, 1862 Martha Ganday on confession of faith.

Apr. 4, 1863 Mary E. Hurstin, by experience.

May 2, 1863 Elizabeth Hardy and Elizabeth E. Hicks by experience.

Aug. 5, 1865 Winety Pearce by letter.

Feb. 3, 1866 Riley Baxley and wife L. Baxley.

Mar. 3, 1866 Received Frances A. Hurston.

May 9, 1866 Elizabeth M. Sims by letter.

Mar. 3, 1867 Rebecca Reader and Winity Dubose by letter.

July 6, 1867 Mary L. Knight by experience.

July 7, 1867 Holey Helms by experience.

Aug. 3, 1867 Lizey a freed woman by experience.

Apr. 11,1868 Elizabeth Ann Heath by experience.

June 5, 1869 J.H.T. Scarborough by letter.

Mar. 5, 1870 Hilliard and Mahaley Helms by letter.

Oct. 1,1870 Georgean Rebecca Helms by experience.

Nov. 5, 1870 Pearcey Tilor and Sarah Wood by letter.

Dec.31, 1870 Elizabeth Ann Heath by letter.

Nov. 30, 1872 Colored member expelled “for joining a society not of our order”.

Apr. 5, 1873 Nancy Sheppard by experience.

May 2, 1875 Sarah Jane Helms by experience.

Feb. 19,1876 James Baxley by letter, Elizabeth Thomas restored.

May 20,1876 Jane Chanler by letter, Daniel Lee and Marion Monk by experience.

Sept. 16,1876 Emey Monk by experience.

Oct. 14, 1876 Robert Carroll by experience.

Jan. 20, 1877 A.M. Helms by experience.

May 19, 1877 Victory Helms by experience.

June 16, 1877 Marion Monk chosen as deacon.

Aug. 18, 1877 S.B. Shirah by restoration.

Aug. 22, 1879 General meeting of 3^rd district of Choctawhatchee Associaton read letters from following churches (named, with their delegates): Antioch – William Baxley, James Hardzog, P.L. Thomas. Mt. Enon – James Hutto, Solomon Creel. Bethel – Aaron Helms, M. Monk, S.K. Shirah. Bersheeba – C.A. Morgan, Jackson Hagler.

A letter and delegates from the 1^st district J. (?) Dykes, W.H. McKoy, L.H. Stucky. From Conecuh Association –P.P. Sheals

July 20, 1882 Josiah Bass restored.

Sept. 29, 1883 Lieuan Thomas by experience.

This is the end of the Original Book – 1862-1883

From the second book of minutes of Bethel Baptist Church

June 9, 1884 Correspondence from sister churches: Mt. Enon – James Hutto, Corinth – J. Helms, L.B. Pitts.

July 12, 1884 Correspondence: Salem – John Grantham, Corinth – J. Helms, L.B. Pitts, Sardis – D. Williams, L.H. Stuckey.

Dec. 20,1884 J.D. Baxley “liberated”.

June 20, 1885 Received John Medley by experience.

Sept. 19,1885 P.L. Thomas chosen supply pastor.

May 15,1886 S.K. Shirah released from clerkship, W.L.A. Whigham appointed in his stead.

Oct. 16,1886 Mary Parmer, Mary Payne, Dyso Prescott received by experience, Lee Hanks chosen supply for coming year.

Sept. 11,1887 P.B. Baxley by letter, C.L. Baxley and George Hardy by experience.

Nov. 20,1887 W.H. Heath by experience, Benjamin Baxley granted privilege of exercising his gift among churches.

Feb. 19,1887 J.D. and Martha Baxley by letter. Elizabeth Heath restored.

Apr. 17,1887 Mention of conference to be adjourned at Belcher Spring – ruled illegal.

June 18,1887 A.M. Bland and Mollie Bland by certificate of baptism.

July 9,1887 Charles Hardy, H.J. Saunders,Sarah Shirah by experience.

Aug.1, 1887 “Taken reference of ordaining a deacon”. Chose P.L. Thomas as moderator, J.H.T. Scarborough as mouthpiece for the church. S.K. Shirah clerk proceeded to ordain W.L.A. Whigham, P.L. Thomas and Lee Hanks, presbytery.

Aug.25, 1887 Letters from different churches comprising 3^rd District of Choctawhatchee Association.

Corinth – W.F. Flournoy, S. (?) H. Tew.

Bethel – S.K. Shirah, M. Monk, W.L.A. Whigham, George Hardy.

Bethlehem – B.F. Green

Mt. Enon – W.Y. Carr, J.W. Bedsole.

Antioch – E.S. Warr, William Baxley, James Hartzog, P.L. Thomas. (William Baxley at Antioch was apparently half uncle to William Baxley at Bethel. Bejamin and William at Bethel were, I think brothers. J.D. Baxley most likely was their brother.)

Ephesus – David Tomberlin

Visitors received – 1^st District, “a brother”

2^nd District, Bro. Morgan.

June 23,1888 J.A. Hardy, L.A. Helms and Abijah Reader by experience.

June 23,1888 Church at Beersheba called for the ordination of J.D. Baxley to the ministry, which was granted.

July 20,1888 J.D. Baxley ordained. Appointed a committee to visit Mt. Enon Church to labor with that church for holding members in disorder for belonging to a singing convention, “which is contrary to sound doctrine”.

Aug. 24,1888 Met at Mt. Enon, Henry County. Received J. Hadzog by letter. J.W. Watson and W.J. Marah as visitors. Returned correspondence from Mt. Zion by M. Monk, Joe Helms, and E.J. Tew. Returned correspondence to Macedonia, Dale County by M. Monk and Scarborough (J.H.T.)

Sept. 15,1888 Refused fellowship with Mt. Enon for holding members that belonged to singing conventions.

Jan. 1,1889 Mention of a letter from Newhope Church of Western Association of Geneva County, Al.

May 25,1889 Adopted a letter drawn up by J.E.W. Henderson to Beulah Church concerning a doctrine advocated by Eld. Curry.

Sept. 14,1889 N.J. Evans by experience.

Nov. 23,1889 Elizabeth Cooper by letter.

Oct. 22,1890 Annie Condre by experience.

Sept. 19,1891 P.L. Thomas chosen supply.

Aug. 27,1891 District meeting. Sermon by J.J. Byrd. W.J. Parish, clerk (Henry County). Letters from Mt. Enon (Henry County)- W.Y. Carr H. Stringfellow, J.A. Woodham.

New Hope – William Jernigan, W.A. Harrison

Bethlehem – Davidson and G.W. Williamson

Piscah – J. (?) C. Tomberlin and N.J. Evans

Antioch – James Hardzog and H.W. Bass

Corinth – H. Tew W.M. Fuqua, and J.B. Mitchell

Nov. 22,1891 Mention of Sister Catherine Easterling.

Feb. 27,1892 Letters of dismissal granted to Bro. Benjamin Thomas and Sister Nanci A. Horne. (P.L. Thomas, I.A. Thomas and Benjamin Thomas were brothers).

Apr. 23,1892 Brother Euta and Barto Evans by experience.

June 25,1892 Sister Phena Helms received.

May 24,1894 Mancey Payns by experience. John O. Medley appointed clerk.

June 23,1894 Lieu (?) Ann Booth had joined another dednomation (was sister to P.L. Thomas).

Sept. 29,1894 Sermon by P.L. Thomas (Lafayette, called Fayte).

June 18,1895 E.M. Medley chosen deacon.

July 18,1895 Mary C. Parmer and W.F. Walker received by experience, baptized by Eld. Lee Hanck. Elders J.W. Parker, J.J. Byrd, Lee Hanck, P.L. Thomas, Z (?) T (?) Marsh formed a presbytery with regard to examination of Medley’s qualifications.

June 12,1897 Received Sister A.E. Whigham’s letter.

Aug. 7,1897 Julie Saunders and Tellie Saunders by experience.

Sept. 11,1897 J.L. Saunders by experience. P.L. Thomas chosen Pastor.

Oct. 9,1897 Agreed for I.A. Thomas and G. (?) M. Hardy to exercise their gifts. Letters from other churches:

Antioch – James Hardzog, D.G. Grissett

Corinth – W.F. Flournoy, J.W. Benefield

Piscah – H.W. Bass, J.B. Braxton and W.T. Helms

New Hope – William Jernigan

I want to say thank you to Mr. Winford Horne from Clayton, Alabama; he supplied all this history for me to share with everyone.

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11/04/2009 Last updated