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VOLUME 90
Covington First Baptist Church Has 132-Year History
Homecoming Sunday Brings
Friends, Members Together
Homecoming and Sunday School Rally Day were held
Sunday at the First Baptist Church. Approximately 450
members, former members and friends gathered for the
first homecoming services to be observed in the 132 years
since the first meeting of the church in 1832, Sunday School
with an enrollment of 535 had
409 members present.
Rev. Walker Combs, the only
living former pastor of the
church, . was guest speaker at
the morning service. Rev. Edgar
Callaway is present pastor of
the church. Rev. Combs, now a
resident of Social Circle, was
pastor of the church for 35 years,
having retired two years ago
when Rev. Callaway assumed his
duties as pastor.
During the 132 years of the
Baptist Church, 22 pastors have
served the church. The following
history of the Covington Baptist
Church was recorded when the
church celebrated the twenty
fifth anniversary of Rev. Combs
as pastor in 1942.
On the twenty-first of June,
1823, thirteen men and women
met together and constituted a
Baptist Church, in the town of
Covington. Three ministers of
the faith, Rev. Joel Colley, Luke
Robinson and Richard Pace were
the constituting council and
Francis Cook was the clerk, pro
tem of the meeting. On the rec
ord book these thirteen sub
scribed their names. Rev. Joel
Colley became the first Pastor,
and on March 6, 1824 the church
had grown sufficiently to buy
three acres of land on the north
side of Dried Indian Creek, for
the munificient sum of $5.00 and
on July 1, 1826, they cleared up
the land at a cost of $13.00 and
began the erection of the house
of worship just where the Negro
School house stands in this year
of grace.
The church belonged to the
Ocmulgee Association and some
strange and significant notes
are recorded in those days. On
July 3, 1824, a resolution was
passed which postponed foot
wishing until they could get into
their new house.
George Daniel was the first
man licensed to preach, October
2, 1824, tho afterwards it was
prolific in this respect.
The first Treasurer was John
Almand and the first deacons,
Hardy Morgan and George Dan
iel (afterwards made preacher).
The first Negro member admitt
ed was “Bother Glasgow, the
property of Mr. Matthew Smith,
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Fkone 2535 (310 Usher St.) Covington, Ga.
February 6, 1825.” Later on fully
an average of one half of the
membership were from the slave
race until after 1865. Brother
James Hambrick was elected
“singing clerk” April 2, 1825.
The first subscription list for
the support of the gospel was
passed around in August 1825,
upon the election of Pastor Col
ley.
The first prayer meeting men
tioned was December 31, 1825.
The house of worship was fin
ished soon after July 1826, and
for sometime the body seemed
to be quite vigorous, according
to frequent acknowledgements
to the church and occasional ex
pulsions in the midst of acces
sions.
On February 3, 1827, Rev. T.
J. Hand was elected to succeed
Rev. Joel Colley. Here is a
record showing leave granted to
Jerry, a colored brother, to
preach in the church on May 4,
1827, and every succeeding sec
ond Sabbath.
Three days meetings were
held in those days, once a year,
and how the people did drink
in the messages from the various
preachers! There were frequent
additions to the church at the
regular times of worship.
The sexton received $6.00 a
year for his services. The prayer
meeting became a fixed appoint
ment on Thursday night of each
week. On November 2, 1827, J.
R. Hand was licensed to preach,
and on May 31, 1828, John Al
mand was licensed likewise.
The first house of worship was
burned by Girard’s raiders on
July 22, 1863, together with a
lot of cotton then stored in it.
The next house of worship was
where the jail is located, and
after the war the church had
its struggle for existance, run
ning down to a very few at times
but never ceasing. When the
third house was built Rev. J. M.
Britain was pastor. (Note: This
was later used as a Christian
Science Church and is now an
apartment house on College
Street).
In 1839 occurred the split be
tween the missionary wing and
the anti-missionaries.
The church has had some men
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Covington's ONLY HOM£ - OWNED and HOME - OPERATED Newspaper
First Baptist Church Scene of First Homecoming
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as pastors who are notable in
. other fields of usefulness, for
example, Dr. Cheney was the
, inventor of the well-known
“Cheney’s Expectorant.” Dr. J.
I M. Brittain was a distinguished
‘ educator and moderator of the
’ Stone Mountain Association for
, many years. Several of his pre
decessors have held that office.
In 1905 the church bought a
, corner lot one block from the
public square, containing a nine
( room pastorium and room for
a new house of worship. This
was completed sn 1910, under
’ the leadership of Rev. E. R.
Pendleton, Pastor. The members
of the building committee were,
’ R. E. Parker, E. H. Jordan, N. S.
' Turner, C. E. Cook, P. J. Huson,
G D. Butler, C. J. Norman and
JH. B. Anderson.
I I
The charter for the Baptist
[ Church was granted by Judge
, Roan on June 30, and we are
. indebted to Mr. C. C. King for
, promptly closing up the matter
as a contribution to the cause;
also to Mr. A. D. Meador and
Major John B. Davis for giving
the church their fees.
On Sunday, July 4, the church
made the deacons the trustees
by law, and now they have
plenary authority to transact
busines for the body. ,
(The above information was
derived from the Baptist Bulle
tin of July 14, 1909. This bulle
tin was launched by Rev. E. R.
Pendleton and was published
weekly.)
Soon after 1917, the lot next to
the church on Floyd Street was
purchased through the interest
and generosity of the late N. S.
Turner.
The following are those who
i have served' as pastors since
!1823: Joel Colley, T. J. Hand,
| George Daniel,. David Carter
Cook, Stephen Mayfield. William
| Spears, Dr. Cheney, J. F. Edens,
J. M. Brittain, T. J. Swanson,
Christopher White, J. M. Still
well, I. G. Walker (uncle of the
present pastor, Walker Combs),
R. E. L. Harris, J. T. Fields, S. C.
. Hood, B. W. Collier, E. R Pendle
’ ton, M P. Jackson, H. W. Wil
liams and J. Walker Combs.
The Covington Church has
grown from this original mem
bership of thirteen to the pres
ent enrollment of approximately
500. The church is now in the
midst of another large expansion I
to take care of the increase in 1
Sunday School and Church. The
new Educational Annex is ex- •
I pected to be started in the early
spring. This annex will be ap-
I proximately a $150,000 building
and will be built on the east
side of the present structure
connecting to the annex added
to the church in 1928.
At the conclusion of the morn
ing worship service a basket
lunch was served on the church
grounds with an enjoyable meet
ing of old friends.
Members, former members and
friends attending from out-of
town were: Rev. and Mrs. Wal
ker Combs, Social Circle; Mrs.
A. D. Meadors and daughter
Mrs. Hugh McGarity and herl
son Meador McGarity of Clarks
ton; Mr. and Mrs. Hall and
.daughter Miss Caroline Hali of.
COVINGTON, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1954
Covington First Baptist Church
Elect Officers tor 1954-55
Officers elected to serve in
Sunday School and Training
Union at the First Baptist Church
for the year 1954-55 have
been selected as follows:
Suniay School General Of
ficers: Superintendent, Jack
Chapman; associate superintend
ent, Neal Hinton; Secretary, Ter
ry Avery; associate secretary,
Olin Costley.
Adult Department: superin
i tendent, Mark Davis; associate
I superiintendent, Cecil Swords;
secretary, Mrs. Neal Hinton;
pianist. Miss Fletcher Lou Luns
ford; teachers, Fidelis-Matrons,
Miss Lois Gray; Estherian, Mrs.
R. O. Arnold; Loyalty, Mrs. Ed
gar A. Callaway; Men's Class,
Tyrus Wood; Harvester Class, N.
Atlanta; Mrs. P. T. Bradley,
Greensboro; Miss. Car oli n e
Aiken, Red Oak; Mrs. W. W.
Aiken, Lyons; Mrs. Virginia
Tetter, Atlanta; Mr. and Mrs.
Porter McCullough and Porter
McCullough. Jr., Decatur; Mr.
and Mrs. Paul Yarbrough and
children Nancy and Buddy of
Cummins; Mr. and Mrs. C. E.
Hawkins and son Charles of
Avondale; Mr. Ernest E. Parker,
Atlanta; Mr. and Mrs. Ernest
Wren and son Walter, Macon;
Dan Greer, Atlanta; Miss Leigh
Skinner, Milledgeville; Hugh
Madden, Almon; Mr. and Mrs.
J. C. Upshaw, Avondale; Miss
Elizabeth Felker and Branham
Felker of Atlanta. Also present
were a number of the boys from
Emory at Oxford.
First Baptist Church Youth Work Outstanding
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IN ITS 132 YEAR history the Covington Baptist Church has made major contributions in its work
with the youth of the church, as is typified in the above picture of the Royal Ambassadors at a cere
mony held recently. Pictured are front row. left io right: Rev. Edgar A. Callaway, pastor: Bobby
Travis and Mrs. R. H. Patterson, counselor. Back row, left io right: Kenneth Costley, R. H. Pat
terson Jr. Frank Turner, Melvin Capps, Nelson Allen, Claude Beed and Leo Mallard Jr.
S. Turner. «
Young People's Department:
Associate Superintendent, Tom
Blair; secretary, J. V. Patton;
teachers-Girls. Mrs. W. E. Smith;
boys. Ward Mobley; Oxford Em
ory Boys Class, A. C. Davis.
Intermediate Department: su
-1 perintendent, Rucker Ginn; as
sociate superintendent, Mrs.
Ward Mobley; Secretary, Mrs.
Fred Lott; Pianist, Miss Molly
Mitcham. Teachers, 13-year girls,
Mrs. Marcus Bryant; 14 year
girls, Mrs. Cecil Swords; 15-16
year girls, Mrs. Tyrus Wood; 13-
14 year boys, Johnny Johnson;
15-16 year boys, Leo Mallard.
Junior Department: superin
tendent, Mrs. J. T. McKay; as
sociate superintendent, Mrs. Jack
Chapman; secretary, Mrs. Tom
Skinner; pianist, Mrs. T. A. Rape.
Teachers, 9 year girls, Mrs. J. V.
Patton; 10 year girls, Mrs. Joel
Walls; 11 year girls, Mrs., Tom
Heard; 12 year girls. Mrs. Hugh
McDonald; 9-10 year boys. Ray
Moore; 11 year boys, Don Wood;
12 year boys, Charles King.
Primary-Beginner Department:
Superintendent, Mrs. Harry
Dietz; associate superintendent,
Mrs. Jack Dooley; secretary, Mrs.
Holland Tuck; pianist, Mrs.
Lanier Hardman. Teachers 4years,
Miss Mary Alice King; 5 years,
Mrs. Otis Spillers; 6 years, Mrs.
John Bush; 7 years, Miss Car
olyn Campbell; 8 years, Miss
Shirley King.
Nursery No. 1, Mrs. A. C.
Davis.
Nursery No. 2, superintend-
New Officers of
Baptist WMU
Installed Mon.
Mrs. J. V. Patton heads the
roster of officers of the First Bap
tist Woman’s Missionary Society
for the 1954-55 year. Officers
were installed at the general
meeting of the society at the
church Monday, October 4th.
The retiring president, Mrs.
J. W. Richardson, presented Mrs.
E. A. Callaway, president of the
Stone Mountain Associational
W. M. U., who conducted an in
stallation service in which the
officers and their duties were
compared to outstanding women
of the Bible and sendees rendered
by them.
Officers installed are as follows:
president. Mrs. J. V. Patton; first
vice president, Mrs. J. W. Richard
son; second vice president, Mrs.
Tom Heard; young people’s de
rector, Mrs. S. L. Hardman; re
cording secretary, Mrs. T. D.
Meadors; corresponding secretary,
Mrs. C. C. Kings; treasurer, Mrs.
J. E. Hutchins: buisness women’s
chairman, Mrs. Ward Mobley;
circle chairmen, Mrs. W. W.
Crowe, Mrs. J. W. Alexander;
YWA counselor, Mrs. N. S. Turn
er; intermediate RA counselor,
Mrs. R. H. Patterson; junior RA
counselor, Lanier Hardman; in-
Tyrus Wood junior GA counselors
Tyrus Wood; junior Ga counselors
Mrs. J. W. Richardson, Mrs. E. A.
Callaway; Sunbeam leaders, Mrs.
Holland Tuck, Mrs. Tom Blair;
pianist, Mrs. S. L. Hardman;
chorister, Mrs. Hugh McDonald.
Committee chairman installed
are mission study, Mrs. E. R.
Harris; stewardship, Mrs. W. R.
Nunn; social, Mrs. W. C. Mathis;
publicity, Mrs. W. Marcus Bry
ant: community missions, Miss
Marie Alexander; White Cross,
Mrs. C. G. Henderson.
The retiring president was pre
sented a silver compote by Mrs.
S. L. Hardman on behalf of the
society.
ent, Mrs. Bert Adams; assistant,
Mrs. David Butler Jr.
Officers for Training Union
follow: Director, Herbert Lott;
associate director, Tyrus Wood;
secretary, Miss Carolyn Camp
bell.
Adult Department: director,
Donald Chambers; associate di
rector, Barney Mitcham; sec
retary, Miss Mary Alice King.
Young People's Department:
Counsellor. Mrs. Tyrus Wood.
Intermediate Department: di
rector, Mrs. Tom Blair; sponsor,
Mrs. Roy Steadham.
Junior Department: Director,
Ray Moore: secretary, Mrs. Al
bert Barnett.
Primary Department: leader, '
Mrs. W. E. Smith.
Beginner Department: leader, ;
Miss Minnie Lou Davis; asso
ciate leader, Mrs. Tom Skiinner.
Nursery: superintendent, Mrs.
Donald Chambers.
APEG Group
Os Newton High
Continues Work
Two committees of the New
ton County APEG group met
Monday night at 7:30 at the
Newton County High School to
pursue their discussions and
findings relative to their respect
ive topics for study.
The School Program Commit
tee, headed by Mrs. Aubra Sher
wood. continued their study of
Social Studies, Fine Arts, Voca
tional and Practical Arts. Coun
seling and Guidance, Student
Activities, Program Services, in
cluding availability of central,
classroom, city, and regional li
braries, and bookmobile service;
and the Improvement of Instruc
tion Program, in relation to the
goal of Adequate Program of
Education for Georgia children
in the future.
Approximately 23 members of
the committee were present.
A committee composed of Ed
die Najjar Homer Sharn, Jim
McKay, Mrs. C. R. Goodrich, Mrs.
Hugh McDonald and Mrs. Leo
Mallard was appointed by Mrs.
Sherwood to bring to a con
clusion the study of remaining
topics, with recommendations
relative to the same.
Probably the most significant
reaction from the current series
of APEG meetings was the rec
ommendation adopted by this
committee to establish a Parent-
Teachers Association in Newton
County High School.
The Pupil Enrollment Com-
DR. A. LOUGHEAD
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9:30 A. M. TO 6:00 P. M.
OFFICE HOURS SATURDAY 9:30 TO 2:00 P. M.
CLOSED THURSDAY
Phone 3565 — Porterdale Road — Covington, Ga.
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THIS PAPER IS COVINGTONS
INDEX TO CIVIC PRIDE
AND PROSPERITY
Father of Mrs.
Brooks Greer Dies
H. C. Easterling of Cortland.
New York, died at his home Sept
ember 22, with funeral services
being held September 25 in Cort
land. He was the father of Mrs.
Brooks Greer.
Besides Mrs. Greer of Coving
ton, he is survived by two other
daughters Miss Sally Easterling,
formerly of Covington, now a stu
dent at East Carolina College in
Greenville, North Carolina; Mrs.
R. A. Swindell of Swan Quarter,
North Carolina; three sons J. P.
and H. C. Easterling Jr., of Harts
vill, South Carolina and L. W.
Easterling of Mt. Holly, New
Jersey, and several grandchil
dren.
The NEWS extends sympathy
to the bereaved family.
mittee. of which Mrs. L. M. Burks
is chairman, reported progress is
their evaluation of statistics rel
ative to pupil enrollment for ths
ensuing six years in relation h
records of births in Newtos
County in the past six years
The findings of this committss
will figure largely in plans fit
future school facilities for ‘ ths
ever increasing enrollment o!
pupils. Seven membesrs of ths
committee were present to taks
part in the discussions.
It takes only > one-fourth ths
time to prepare meals using com
mercially ready-to-serve food?
compared with prepreparing all
the food at home. But they cost
one-third more.
NUMBER 41