USA > Tennessee > Monroe County > Sweetwater > History of Sweetwater Valley > Part 31
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CHURCH ACTION ON SEVERAL QUESTIONS COMING BEFORE THEM.
"4th, Saturday of May, 1823 .- A question arose as to the saints' washing of feet. After some debate on the subject it was conceived to be a duty (by some) held out by the example of the Saviour's fol- lowers to pursue (see John, Chap XIII.) to be kept up at every sac- ramental occasion."
"A further question arose in the church whether it would be out of order or whether or not it was outside of duty to open a door for experience at any other time or place beside the regular meeting." Both questions were laid over.
. "4th Saturday in June, 1823 .- Subject of Saints' Foot Washing taken up. Agreed to attend to that ordinance the following Sunday after divine service." (The writers information is that it was afterward discontinued as not being at any time an essential part of the church service.)
"4th Saturday, July, 1823 .- After debate decided to be improper to open the door of the church except at regular meetings." (Suppos- edly for the reason that it required a unanimous vote for admission and then no complaint could be filed when done at regular meetings.)
"4th Saturday, May, 1831 .- A complaint was made to the church of a sister who had been communing with the Cumberland Presby- terians. She refused to apologize to the church or acknowledge that, she had committed an error. Non-fellowship was declared."
"4th Saturday in January, 1832 .- Resolved, That any male mem- ber failing to attend two meetings in succession shall be required to give a reason for his absence, unless the cause be known by some brother present." Resolved-"That any member drinking ardent spirits until the effect is perceptible shall be treated with as drunk."
Eli Cleveland, Moderator. R. Snead, Clerk.
4th Saturday in May, 1835 .- Resolved-"Whereas there are diffi- culties and disputings about missionary societies, associations, etc., much to the hurt of Zion, we the church at Sweetwater propose to our sister churches, within the bounds of Sweetwater Association, to meet with us in associate body at Chestua meeting house, on Tuesday be- fore the 4th Saturday in July next, for the purpose of consulting the best means to unite and bring about a union among the churches and brethren of the association and to consult and unite upon the best plan, according to the word of God, for the spread of the Gospel; churches to send letters and delegates. Brethren Cleveland, Snead and Taliaferro were appointed delegates to the meetings. Thus this church aligned itself with the Missionary Baptists in contradistinc- tion to those who opposing Foreign Missions and the payment of Pastors were sometimes termed "Hard Shell" Baptists. My informa- tion is that at the association held at Chestua a majority of the churches declared themselves in favor of both Home and Foreign Mis- sions. All the delegates sent by the church on Sweetwater were in favor of Missions. However as Pastors both brethren Cleveland and Snead refused pay for their services, not because they thought it wrong to pay preachers, but, as they were well off financially with- out the salary, the church they thought could more profitably apply the money to other uses.
A number of the brethren at different times were "unfellowshipped" for the offenses of "non attendance," "swearing," "drunkenness," "fighting," more for non-attendance on church meetings than for any other offense; a few for gambling. One brother in February, 1855,
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was non-fellowshipped for "betting on a shooting match" although that was not contrary to the laws of the State of Tennessee.
The recorded cases of gambling in the Bible are not numerous. Samson (Judges, Chaps. XIV. and XV.) bet with his friends "thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment." He thought he was betting on a "sure thing" and, as frequently happens, lost. He did not have the wherewith to pay. The way he got the means to liqui- date his "debt of honor" was anything but creditable. Samson was not a good loser. He spoke disrespectfully of his wife and left her with her parents. They soon got rid of her. The train of conse- quences were woeful all the way through. The Romans were great gamblers. They even cast lots for raiment of the Saviour.
SOME CHURCH STATISTICS.
From the inception of this church in 1820 up to and including the year 1872 there were more than 700 per- sons became members. The high water mark of mem- bership was reached in 1869, when the number of mem- bers became 289. The average of number would be from 159 to 160 according to church reports sent to the dif- ferent associations. It would require too much space to give all those who have been members of this church.
I would suggest however, if it is not already done, that the clerk of the church or some one compile an alphabetical list, giving the names of those who have been members, the date of admission, when died or dismissed,-a simple church history, so that such in- formation could be obtained without having to search through the whole of the church records. We give be- low some of the patronymics or surnames of the member- ship with the number in brackets, where there are sev- eral of the same name, for the first fifty years of this church or a little more than half of its existence.
Adams, Alexander, Allen, Arthur, Allison, Barnes, Brewer, Beaty, Burns, Bodkins, Brown, Boyd, Bowman, Byrum (7), Burch, Brazeale, Berry, Bryant, Cleveland (20), Callaway (10), Carter (8), Chesnutt (4), Cooper, Cannon, Davis (3), Duggan, Dillard (3), Edwards (6), Esman, Fine (3), Fry, Fryer, Ferguson, Franklin, Grum- mett, Grady, Grisom, Harrison, Hathaway, Harris, Hatchett, Hudson, Hyde, Hill (3), Hood (2), Hagen, Humble, Harless (6), Hight, Houstaign, Haskins, Kelly, Kyle, Isbell, Jameson, Johnson (18), Jones (22), Kell, Lilard (5), Latham, Lord (3), Laws (12), Lewis, Mrs. M. C. Lenoir, Mary Hogg, Leonard, Jackson (7), Mc-
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Spadden, McGuffey, McFalls, McMinn, McGuire, Moon, Martin (9), McNabb, Maberry, Miller (9), Moore, Mont- gomery, Moffett, May, Nichols, Nelson, Pharis, Purdy (5) Philpot, Pennington (10), Potter (6), Ragon (13), Ruth (14), Reed, Reynolds, Plemmons, Stephens (6), Snead (5), Selvage (5), Shelton, Stone, Scott, Snow, Stansbury, Turner, Taliaferro, Taylor, Tewell, Van, Wallens (3), Watkins (3), Walker (5), Wilson (7), Winters, Yoakum (5), Young. Of these 700 members about 15 were colored. Of these there were both put together only thirty-four non-fellowships and exclusions, in the first fifty years the church had an existence. Most of these were for the charges of drunkenness, profanity, fighting, dishonesty, gambling, non-attendance and communing with other sects or "societies." This would be, rating the average mem- bership at 150, less than one-half of one per cent. of exclusions per year.
During the time specified 1820-1872 the moderators elected by the church have been O. Patty, James Sewell, Eli Cleveland, Robt. Snead and S. J. Martin; the pas- tors, E. Cleveland, R. Snead, I. B. Kimbrough, J. P. Kefauver, D. M. Breaker; the clerks, Moses McSpad- den, Samuel Jameson, Wm. Johnson, John Pennington, Norris C. Hood, R. Snead, Wm. Lillard, W. E. Johnson, W. E. Jordan, F. K. Berry; the deacons, Saml. Jame- son, John Fine, R. Snead, W. H. Montgomery, D. Ragon, Nelson Miller, Jesse F. Jones, F. M. Pennington, W. E. Johnson and Jos. Ragon.
POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS IN CHURCH AN INJURY TO IT.
One reason for the great prosperity and increase in membership of this church from 1865 to 1870 was that no member was permitted to discuss the war or political parties inside of the church house during the Civil War or directly thereafter. This made it possible for all who attended church to meet on terms of amity and equality. During the sixties various Baptist churches in East Tennessee were rent and torn asunder so that it took years to recover.
Members were sometimes excluded merely for the part they took in the war. The discussion of state and
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national questions, which divide political parties, from the pulpit or in church meetings, nearly always is an injury to the church and rarely makes the political par- ties any better. In this particular church during the Civil War they prayed in public neither for the success of the armies of the Union or the Southern Confederacy whatever they may have done in private. True they prayed that the war should end and brother cease to shed the blood of brother.
There were members of this church who had sons on different sides of the struggle and it was generally un- derstood, and the rule was observed, that the right and wrong of the war, slavery or secession were not to be discussed in and around the church. Hence when the troops disbanded and came home there was little to apologize for or take back and all met on a friendly footing.
) The greatest number of accessions to this church in one year was in 1866 under the pastorate of Elder I. B. Kimbrough. So far as I am aware, no one knew on which side he stood during the Civil War. When asked the question he would reply that he was a preacher of the Gospel and not a politician or fighter. Yet he was a fearless man, none more so.
One Sunday he had an appointment, not at Sweet- water Church but a considerable distance from there. Some of the tough element in the neighborhood had threatened him. On that Sunday he arose in the pulpit and coolly remarked : "I am told on good authority that I am not going to be allowed to preach here today. I have had many appointments in the years that I have been preaching and have always filled them. By the help of God and these (here he placed a couple of six shooters on the pulpit before him) I expect to fill this one, you can listen or not just as you see fit." He was not in- terrupted during the sermon nor afterward.
He was pastor of the church on Sweetwater during the year 1866. On the last days of October that year there was a protracted meeting and a great revival. There were sixty-seven accessions to the church, fifty- six of them by experience and baptism. Some of those joining had fought on different sides during the Civil War, and some of them were approaching middle age.
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It was told in the country around that there was to be such a baptising as had never been known in this sec- tion before. A great concourse of people gathered there; they came from up and down the valley, from Pond Creek, Piney and the Flatwoods.
The day turned out to be very raw and chilly. Many doubters confidently asserted that few would have the nerve to be immersed under the circumstances. But all were there to a man and to a woman. Not one of the fifty-six held back or failed to stand the trying or- deal. The rite was performed in the creek not far from the church, when old soldiers who had fought each other valiantly in battle joined hands and marched into the water singing "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love." To me the ceremony was exceeding- ly impressive. Yet some were inclined to be sorry for them or sneer, "Poor thing, she will catch her death of cold, look how she shivers." "How foolish to risk their health in such a manner, thinking God will take care of them." "I'll bet that old fellow don't like a rebel any better than he did before." "There's one they ought to hold under till he blubbers, 'taint the first time he's been dipped." These were mostly asides on the outskirts of the crowd' and not really intended to interrupt the proceedings; yet I thought from how many points the same can be looked at. Take an ex- ample :
Jumbo was the largest elephant ever in capitivity. Notwithstanding his size (he was about twelve feet tall at his shoulders) ; he was docile and affectionate in dis- position. He and the baby elephant were almost con- stant companions and Jumbo felt himself responsible for his welfare and safety. On one occasion a train of Barnum & Bailey's circus was wrecked. Jumbo owing to his great strength soon extricated himself from the wreckage and could have got safely away. Just then he heard the trumpeting of the baby elephant which was almost paralyzed by fright. He turned, caught and threw the baby elephant from the track but was himself somehow caught in the debris and crippled so he had to be killed. This was what an elephant did. The owners had the skin stuffed and placed on a wheeled platform. On the circus tour in the grand entry Jumbo looking
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quite lifelike was drawn around the ring by four elephants making stately strides while the band played the funeral march of Chopin. The baby elephant whose life he had saved toddled along behind. This made some laugh, as that is what they went there for, but most of the 15,000 people present appreciated the solemnity of the scene. As for myself I would have not have com- plained if that had been all I saw for the price of ad- mission.
The Sweetwater church for many years owned a lot in Philadelphia, donated to them by Robt. Cleveland. On Saturday before the fourth Sunday in June, 1872, the Sweetwater church relinquished its title to the church in Philadelphia. Previous to this on Sat- urday before the fourth Sunday in May of that year letters of dismission were granted the following mem- bers in order to constitute a church at Philadelphia :
J. J. and Tabitha Swanner, H. H. Porter, Anderson and Phoebe Burns, Lavenia and Sanford Burns, C. F. and Mary Thompson, Cornelia Porter, B. F. Stansbury, Elizabeth Edwards, D. D., and Susan Kelly, Joseph Purdy, D. R. and Elizabeth Kelly, Lilah and Josephine Miller.
So the church on Sweetwater is remarkable both on account of its own membership, and as being the mother of several other prosperous churches.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH ON POND CREEK AND ITS SUCCES- SOR, THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT SWEETWATER.
On the 20th of November, 1824, there met at John Howell's in McMinn County, the following brethren and sisters : John and Millie Hancock, Thomas and Rufus Walden, James McClure, Barclay McClure, Wm. F. Briant, Wm. Jones, Jane Jones. They proceeded to organize a Baptist church and enunciated a declaration of faith and rules of decorum, not essentially different from the Baptist Church on Sweetwater. Wm. F. Bri- ant was elected clerk.
Some time afterward a small church and a shed for camp meeting purposes was built near where J. N. Heiskell now lives on Pond Creek; I do not know the
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date of erection of either but it must have been some time in the later twenties.
The church was reasonably prosperous. In October, 1827, it had fifty-seven members.
Samuel Jamieson was clerk from 1827 to 1830. Wm. F. Briant was clerk to March, 1833. William Harral- son from 1833 to 1838. James A. Small from 1838 to 1842, and then Thomas Dean until March, 1845. E. A. Taylor until 1860. Elder William Jones was pastor from 1831 to 1833. Elder R. H. Taliaferro from 1833 until March, 1841, when Elder Robert Snead was elected pastor. He was pastor until 1857.
This church was missionary in faith. It was recorded in the minutes that on the first Saturday in January, 1837, Wm. F. Briant and eight others, had left Pond Creek church, they say, "on account of the Missionary Bible Society and contributions to .foreign missions"; therefore the church considered them "not of us" and their names were erased from the church book.
On the first Saturday in December, 1844, some half dozen members were excluded for joining, what they denominated, the Christian Church, often termed the Campbellites. For these causes, and the unsuitability of the church building and the inconvenience to the mem- bers to attend at that place on the first Saturday in June, 1854, it was decided to endeavor to build a house of worship at the town of Sweetwater. In July, 1854, the church appointed brethren R. Snead, John Fine, Ma- jor Wallis, J. S. Taylor and E. A. Taylor, to control the fund for the building of the meeting house there. From that time until January, 1857, there was little business transacted at the Pond Creek Church and few members received. This was the last meeting at the Pond Creek church house.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT SWEETWATER.
I. T. Lenoir promised to donate a lot at the corner of the Athens road and Monroe Street for the location of a Baptist church to be the successor of the Pond Creek Baptist Church. Taking him at his word the com- mittee appointed by Pond Creek Baptist Church pro- ceeded to procure funds and erect a building thereon.
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This building was not ready for occupation or holding meetings until August, 1860. At that time Mary Car- oline Lenoir, Esther E. Yearwood, Elizabeth Cleveland, Elizabeth Bailey, James J. and Mary E. Sheldon, were received by letter, and W. B. Lenoir by experience.
On the first Saturday in December, 1860 there joined the church by experience and baptism: John A. Rowan, Thomas D. Taylor, Isaac and James Murray, Martha L. and Mary E. Taylor, Nancy Fine, Mary Rowan, John H. and Caroline Johnson, and by enrollment Mrs. Mary Rowan. W. H. Taylor was appointed clerk, and Elder Robert Snead was moderator. These continued in their offices during 1861 and 1862. The first pastor of the church elected in January, 1861, was H. W. Taylor, of Deep Spring, Grainger County, Tenn.
In August, 1861, there were received by letter, Elder W. A. Nelson and sister, M. M. Nelson.
The last church meeting held during the Civil War, was in August, 1862. From that until the summer of 1865 the church was occupied and used by the soldiers of one army or the other, Union or Confederate, for hos- pital and other purposes, so that church meetings could not be held. The first recorded church meeting after that was in August, 1865, when W. A. Nelson was mod- erator and E. A. Taylor, church clerk. Federal troops again occupied the church in latter part of 1865. There is no recorded meeting until the first Saturday in July, 1866. Then J. J. Sheldon was elected clerk and R. Snead, moderator. J. J. Sheldon continued in office and acted as clerk on the first Saturday in January, 1868. He died on January 18, 1868.
Up to the first Saturday in April, 1868, Elder R. Snead usually preached for the church although not a regular pastor; then brother J. F. Kefauver was called to the pastorate, and was pastor until May, 1870. The pastors of the church, from that time until 1889 were as follows: J. B. Lee, 1870-February, 1873; C. L. Bowling, August, 1875-July, 1876; T. A. Higdon, July, 1876-June, 1877; J. L. Lloyd, December, 1877-Decem- ber, 1878; W. C. Grace, April, 1879-December, 1882; D. M. McReynolds, November, 1883-April, 1889.
The following were clerks from the death of J. J. Sheldon: E. A. Taylor, January, 1868-January, 1876;
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W. B. Lenoir, February, 1876-April, 1881; John N. Janeway, November, 1881-July, 1887; Thomas M. Sam- ple, October, 1887-September, 1888; W. Morriss, Oc- tober, 1888-April, 1889.
After the death of I. T. Lenoir, in December, 1875. it was discussed by the deacons of the church and others, whether he had made a deed to the lot occupied by the Baptist church, to the deacons of the church and their successors, and if such deed had been recorded, if such deed was in existence. There was no record of such deed and if it had been made it was not to be found. It was especially important as there was some talk of building a parsonage on the lot and they wished a clear title to it for church purposes. Therefore in the year W. B. Lenoir, the heir-at-law of I. T. Lenoir, con- veyed to the deacons of the church and their successors the lot which the members of the Baptist church claimed they were entitled to, specifying in the deed that it should not be sold and should be used only for church purposes. As the membership of this church was small and few of them were in anything but moderate circum- stances when it was decided to build the parsonage, sub- scriptions were solicited by E. A. Taylor and others, to help us to build the parsonage. The subscriptions were liberal and came in from various sources and places. Among other subscriptions were $39.25 from the Baptist church at Madisonville, $35.00 from the First Baptist Church at Knoxville, $30.45 from the East Tennessee Baptist Association and $5.00 from the Brownsville Church in West Tennessee. Thus a very neat and com- modious parsonage was built at a cost of about $900. This building was commenced on the 23rd of August, 1880; the house was occupied the 22nd day of January, 1881, probably by the Rev. W. C. Grace, who was pas- tor of the church at that time.
In the church decided that they would build a new church building as the old one was not convenient or commodious. They wished to sell the old property for what they could get for it but they were debarred from doing so by the provisions of the deed from W. B. Lenoir. The committee from the church solicited him to make a deed to the church without any reservation. He was loath to do so fearing that the same thing might
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happen as happened in the case of the Baptist Sem- inary; that they might lose the new church property by mortgages or mechanic's liens. But after much so- licitation and promises, on the part of the church peo- ple that they would not attempt to build a church to cost more than they had valid subscriptions for and they could pay for, he consented. Therefore on he conveyed to trustees the old church and parsonage property by warranty deed. This helped considerably in the building of the new church which is a credit to the membership and an ornament to the , town. This is the most expensive and modern in its appointments of any church building in Sweetwater.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH,
Was the second church of any denomination built in Sweetwater. On the 15th of June, 1858, I. T. Lenoir conveyed to the stewards of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the following described property: Be- ginning at the corner of Monroe and High streets, thence westwardly with Monroe Street 250 feet to Street, thence at a right angle to Monroe Street to Henry Mayes' line, thence eastwardly with Wright Street to High Street, thence with High Street 180 feet to the beginning, containing about one acre. The consideration expressed was $100 dollars. This was never paid but was merely named that the church might have a clear deed to the property. There was no alley there then as there is now, and the location was considered ample for the building of both church and parsonage.
The first pastor in charge was the Rev. Kelly. In 1861 the Rev. J. W. Bowman was P. C. In 1862 James Atkin was P. E., and again in 1866. J. H. Brunner, P. E. in 1867-69; R. M. Hickey 1868-69; C. Long 1869-73. In the year - , owing to the growing need of the church, it was decided to sell the old' church building and site and erect a new building on some other loca- tion. Half of the original lot conveyed by I. T. Lenoir, to the stewards of the church had already been sold to help pay for repairs to church damaged during the Civil War and purchase a parsonage for the church.
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A lot for parsonage was bought, located just across the street from the Methodist church. This was afterwards sold, along with the church lot and building as part of a building fund for a new church. As the church had ac- quired a title to the Victoria College, formerly the Ma- sonic Lodge building, it was determined to build' a church there. J. W. Clark was chairman of the build- ing committee. He spent much of his time and money in the erection and construction of the same. He and J. K. Brown were the largest contributors. I have no schedule showing who were the subscribers to the build- ing fund, but I am satisfied the above statement is true.
The new church building was completed in the year 1892 and the parsonage a little later. I have not access to the reports of the building committee, therefore do not wish to make an estimate of its cost, but it was con- sidered the most costly church building and parsonage, up to that time, in the town. It would take up too much space to give the late history and statistics of this or any other church in Sweetwater.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT SWEETWATER.
On the 12th of January, 1861, I. T. Lenoir conveyed to J. H. Patton and F. Bogart, trustees for the Presby- terian church, a lot in the town of Sweetwater, opposite to where the Eagle Flouring Mill now stands and on a part of which is now a planing mill, near the Mad- isonville road : fronting on Walnut Street 190 feet and running back 110 feet to an alley, thence with that al- ley to the street on the Heiskell line, thence with that street to Walnut. This is not the deed description but merely for purposes of identification. It was the inten- tion of I. T. Lenoir to donate the lot with the provision . that it was to be used for church purposes. However, the elders and members of the church thought better to pay for the lot, so that if they wanted to sell it, at any time, and locate the church elsewhere, they could do so.
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