SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH
©Elizabeth Robertson 2003
File Contributed by Jane Newton. Copyright Jane Newton.
HISTORY OF SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH
Monroe County
Shiloh Baptist Church
Organized 1826
Second Oldest Baptist Church in Georgia
The following article was written by Eugene Anderson and appeared in the Macon Telegraph in 1945.
' AROUND THE CIRCLE ' by Eugene Anderson
"First, its members warred against each other, dividing one church into two congregations.
Then its old men and young men had to go to war against unfriendly Indians.
Then another war caused Indians to be used against the new settlers, calling fathers and sons to bloody war, followed by more Indian troubles.
Then came the war of brother against brother, father against son - the War of the Sixties.
Troubles were so frequent, the church membership dwindled to fifteen whites and disbandment was advised, but one member swore to keep the doors open and to run the church rather than see it die.
That's Shiloh Baptist church, above Collier's Station, on the paved road between Forsyth and Barnesville. The site is now in Lamar county, but there was no such county in the days of the church's founding. The annual home-coming was celebrated again this year on the second Sunday in September, which has long been a 'preaching day' for the regular congregation. This time Robert H. Culpepper, ministerial student at Mercer University, began his services as pastor, and preached his
first sermon to his first congregation.
Present were descendants of the church's organizers, friends of old-time members and many others who never miss an opportunity to return to the community.
Those who split off from Shiloh in the early days didn't believe in 'benevolences'. Altogether they were contributing two dollars a year as a congregation to support foreight missions, but they thought even that was wrong; so they withdrew from Shiloh and went over to Goggans, about three miles distance and established what has since been known as the Union Primitive Baptist church. Shiloh has continued to send her benevolences to the missionary field, but they have grown larger.
The one member who said she would preserve the church even if all others left Shiloh was the memorable Mrs. D. W. Manry. Her husband was ordained there to preach.
At one time the Negro members outnumbered the white members three for one, and a portion of the building was set apart for them.
Rev. J. S. Murrow was sent from Shiloh as the first missionary of Rehoboth Association to teach the Cherokee Indians. He spent the remainder of his days among the Indians, being captivated by them.
Names that stand out in the early records of the beloved church are Mrs. Rebecca Collier, Mrs. Mary Wright, Mrs. Polly Harp, Mrs. G. W. Sheram, Mrs. J. M. White, Mrs. Matthew Gibbs and Mrs. Caswell Purifoy, Mrs. Mary Ann Collier, Mrs. L. W. Morrison, Mrs. Millie Jossey, Mrs. Simcon Mabry, Mrs. Mary Whitten, Mrs. C. O. Goodwynne, Mrs. H. W. Cain, Mrs. S. H. Zellner, Mrs. J. W. Banks, Mrs. Mattie Merritt, Mrs. Eliza F. Manry, who gave the land for the church, having it inherited from her
grandfather's estate. Members of the Manry family have been active from the beginning down to the present day, Miss Obie Manry a daughter of Mrs. Eliza Manry, being organist and active in other capacities today. If the building needs new steps, she finds a way to get them. Whatever is needed enlists her devoted and effective service.
Pastors of the church have been Rev. John T. Kimbell, serving thrity-six years; Rev. Freddie Reeves, Rev. Mr. Langley, Rev. Caswell Purifoy, Rev. W. J. Stephens, Rev. C. B. Waught, Rev. A. C. Wellons, Rev. A. C. Smith, Rev. T. H. Stout, Rev. J. C. Mays (now of Macon), Rev. J. J. Dumas, Rev. N. L. Carswell, Rev. J. A. Drewry, Dr. E. J. Forrester of Mercer's Bible faculty, Dr. J. H. Foster of Bessie Tift, Rev. C. E. Hitt, Rev. G. R. Brown, Rev. H. C. Hedgpeth, and others.
The story of the church and its members shows that in the early days before transportation was easy, ministers and members often walked what would not be considered great distances to attend church. Whether this was because of their zeal or because of the strict discipline that caused expulsion for non-attendance is left for the reader to guess. But Shiloh's members are as devoted today as at any time in the church's history."
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