Our History

Extended Version Continued

In the year 1870 Reverend Peter William Edge, native of Marietta, Georgia moved to Jones County where he took charge of the Elam Church and the Blountsville Academy. The Blountsville School was an old institution, it having been chartered by the State of Georgia in 1834. Under the leadership of Rev. Edge both the school and the church showed progress. During Rev. Edge's first year as pastor of Elam Church there were 16 baptisms; the second year 13 baptisms. In 1873, Rev. Edge left the Elam Church Community and located in neighboring Twiggs County where he had been called as pastor of Stone Creek Baptist Church and engaged to take charge of the local Stone Creek Academy.

Local church discipline was rigidly administered during the early history of the Elam Church and the congregation sat in Judgment on many of its wayward members. Any deviation from the accepted code immediately brought members before the Church Conference. Some of the offenses were dancing, swearing, drinking, non-attendance, adultery, improper Christian conduct dealing in alcoholic liquors, murder etc. To cit. examples: July, 1874 ~ Committee appointed to see --- and ---, charged with the offense of dancing Feb., 1875 - Committee appointed to see o-o for non-attendance; June, 1876 - The Church accepted the acknowledgment of --- and -~- for dancing June, 1876 - Brothers ---and --m appointed to see ---, charged with adultery; Hay, 1885 - Excluded --- for dancing and using profanity' In May, 1883, the church passed a resolution to exclude all members who fail three times in succession to attend Conference.

Contrary to the laws of nature, instead of becoming senile with age Elam Church has developed stronger with each passing generation. At the turn of the twentieth century and immediately thereafter, the church was busy disciplining its wayward members; seeking funds to raise the pastors salary from $8.00 to $10.00 or $12.00 per month; taking offerings for missions and orphans home; planning homecoming meetings with dinner served on the church grounds; donating to the building of the Haddock Church; purchasing song books as well as a church carpet; and in 1914, a Woman's Missionary Union was organized.

A building fund was started early in 1950. Plans were drawn and presented to Church Conference for additional educational space which was approved on July 11, 1954. The first church sponsored Vacation Bible School was held in June 1955 with Mrs. W. C. Watson, principal. In 1959, the church was completely remodeled including the installation of central heating and air conditioning. Many members and friends of the church donated money and material resources for the successful renovation of the sanctuary. Hugh Emerson of Florid a, formerly of this community, was most generous in his contribution toward the remodeling of the church. However, without the local interest of the membership and the smaller donations of nickels, dimes and dollars the renovation would not have been possible. For years of omitting a name from the list of known citizens making donations toward the remodeling program, the list is not being published.

Certainly, God's Spirit swept through Baptist churches in North America one hundred fifty years ago to stir Baptist people to a world-encircling mission. Through two men, Luther Rice and Adoniram Judson, the Holy Spirit spoke to the churches. Through less than a score of local Baptists God's Spirit moved to create and constitute Elam (Elire) Baptist Church in 1808. God's Spirit moved and directed these Christians in establishing Baptist churches in the vast wilderness of today's Middle and South Georgia region. This glorious heritage, steeped in tradition of the past, is a great bond, but the future image must not be bound by these ties and this alone. It is a new day

It was during the 1930's that the B.Y.P.U. became an active church organization. Numbering among the past and present B.Y.P.U. (B.T.U.) leaders are Albert Batchelor, Mrs. Paul Green, Miss Myrtle Batchelor, Miss Mary Valentine, Mrs. Ralph Lowe, Miss Lucile Moore, Charles Burgess, W. C. Davis, Wesley Long, Paul Simpson and Robert Wells.

The reactivated W.M.U. of 1928 (also 1914) continued active during the 1930's. Several of the past and present leaders of this organization, although not a complete listing since 1914, are as follows: Mrs. Hattie Pitts, Mrs. Nellie Valentine, Mrs. C. W. Holsenbeck, Mrs. W. C. Watson, Mrs. Myrtle McInvale, Mrs. J. D. Williams, Mrs. Paul Green, Mrs. Mildred Evans, Mrs. Jewel Burgess, Mrs. Earl Batchelor, Mrs. Robert Wells and Mrs. James Balkcorn, Jr.

During the 1940 decade, war clouds darkened the horizon. Jobs were more plentiful; money flowed more freely and additional coins were finding their way into the church collection plates. The United States of America was attacked by the Empire of Japan on Sundays, December 7, 1941, and soon local defense plants were buzzing with activity and additional young men were called into the armed forces. Many food and luxury items were rationed as sugar, canned goods, meats, shoes, gasoline, automobile tires et-cetera. The church was much in prayer for the Nation and her service men.

On June 21, 1942, immediately following regular worship service a wedding ceremony was witnessed by the congregation when Miss Jewel Batchelor became the bride of Charles Burgess.

On August 23, 1914, an arm of the Church was extended to Robert's Station. Regular worship services were held in the Robert's Schoolhouse where several members united with the Elam Church through the Robert Is Mission. One family to Join at the Mission was the J. T. Wood Family who later removed to Twiggs County.

The Church witnessed an awakening in the late 1920's. It was during this period of time that the church approved its first budget, bought a new piano, planned and constructed an educational annex, reorganized the Woman's Missionary Society, had several creditable study courses9 gave generously of its proportionate income to missionary endeavors and witnessed a numerical increase in church attendance. Elam, like most of its sister rural churches of yesteryear had no favorable facilities for Sunday School and other graded Christian educational programs. However, in 1928, the Church purchased an abandoned Jones County school building and had it moved to the Church grounds where G. D. Etheridge, contractor converted it into an educational annex.

The forward movements of the late 1920;s continued into the 1930's with added enthusiasm. During a series of summer revival meetings twenty-three persons were received into the church. The indebtedness incurred by the church for the educational annex was liquidated. In 1936 the church was wired for electricity. The Southern Baptist Cooperative programs as supported and regular contributions were made for this purpose. In 1932, four deacons were ordained, namely: W. M. Simmerson, Willis Cheek, W. Claude Watson, and Lewis Etheridge. In 1934, Homer Burnette was also ordained a deacon.

Let us understand our past, interpret our present in the light of it, and face the future with a courage and a flexibility of attitude that will enable us to adopt to this new day, with its changed conditions What we do today will fashion our future.

Yesteryear is gone, tomorrow is ever before us. Let us move into the tomorrow's with confidence, unity, and dedication that our image in the world shall be a clear and decisive Christian witness. And "To God be the Glory".

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