Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church

Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church will celebrate her 198th homecoming anniversary on Sunday, March 6, 2022. We invite all who can to come and celebrate with us on this momentous occasion. Since God does not change and the Bible is always true, Bethlehem Church holds to the past with uncompromising faith and looks toward the future with unwavering confidence in God. Come worship and adore with us the God of Heaven and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

The Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church was constituted in 1824. The following is taken from the church's original minutes:

February 6, 1824

"We, a few scattering Baptists in this wilderness country, feeling our lonesome situation, as sheep having no Shepherd, often having conferred together, have agreed to have a meeting house on Lot No. 17 in the District 10, formally Morrow now Pike County on the west side of the creek."

March 6, 1824

"We, a few brethren, met according to our appointment and the brethren attended as helps, Henry Hooten and Joseph Chapman, proceeded to look into our state and finding us orthodox, proceeded to the Constitution."

There were six constitutional members of the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church.

On July 3, 1824, the church joined the Oakmulgy Association. Then in October, 1824, the church joined a different association. The minutes from this date read as follows: "We agree to join the association to be constituted in Monroe County, Georgia." The minutes do not give the name of the new association.

In 1825, the first of many Negroes joined the church. Minutes from Saturday, June 4, 1825, read as follows: "James Walker's Mary Ann (a woman of collour) offered and was received in fellowship by an experience of Grace, likewise Lotta (a woman of collour), the property of James Walker, was received on an experience of Grace."

In April of 1831, the church adopted the doctrines of the Echeconnee Association. The church had its greatest membership in 1839. At that time, it is recorded that there were 66 members in the church.

On September 6, 1851, a committee concerning the meeting house was brought to order. The committee reported that they had agreed to have Phillip Cunningham do the work on the meeting house for $300. According to records, Cunningham agreed to have the meeting house finished by the December 25 of that year.

In January of 1896, the church changed its meeting date from the first Sunday in the month to the second.

In 1909 W.G. Boyt gave Bethlehem Church its first organ. In 1918 the church purchased another organ for $65. On May 14, 1939, a committee was appointed to buy a piano for the church.

In 1945, the century-old pews were replaced with new ones. Three years later the church decided to install electrical wiring in its building. On May 26, 1948, the 124 year-old-church had electricity for the first time in its history.

On Sunday, November 10, 1956, the church voted unanimously to meet bi-monthly. Then in 1963, the church agreed to start full-time services. The church later reverted to second and fourth Sundays of each month. The church now has full time services again.

The annual meeting date for the church has remained flexible. The Homecoming date is set for the first Sunday in March.

CONSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS OF THE

BETHLEHEM PRIMlTIVE BAPTIST CHURCH:

Eli Walker William Norman Anna Walker

Jeptha Walker Nancy Walker Vashia Norman

PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED THE

BETHLEHEM PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH:

Thomas Leverett (1824-1826)

Jacob King (1827-1829)(1831)

Amos King (1830)

Joseph Battle (1832-1835)

John Hamrick (1835)

David Wood (1836-1837)

Thomas C. Trice (1838-1840)

W.C. Cleaveland (1841)

William McCarra (1842-1846)(1848)

John Barker (1847)

Elijah Thompson (1849-1851)

John Dickey (1852-1861) (1884-1888)

Samuel Bentley (1862-1880)

James H. Smith (1881-1883)

W.W. Childs (1889-1941)

J.T. McArthur 1941 supplies

George Johnson 1941 supplies

R. H. Jennings 1941 supplies

W.F. Mims (1943-1955)

F.A. DeVane (1956-1962)

Tommy Hart (1963-1965)

Haywood Goolsby (1967)

Ed Evans (1969-1993)

Chris Hill (1994 - Present)

DEACONS ORDAINED BY THE BETHLEHEM

PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH:

Eli Walker Plesant Davis F.M. Boyt

T. Horsley T. Cook Carl York

T.K. Smith E.M. Barker J.C. Blount

L.F. Keener C.R. Corley Jesse McSwain

Elijah Thompson Thomas Trice Aldine McKinley

James Gibson C.S. Ellington Jefferson Bentley

Jesse Jackson James H. Trice Quinton Partain

J.Y. Walker Jimmy Barker

MINISTERS ORDAINED BY THE BETHLEHEM

PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH:

Jacob King 1826 Joseph John Battle 1834

Anderson Smith 1828 Elijah Thompson

Homecoming