According to records, the second church founded in the area now comprising Taylor County was the Antioch Baptist Church, located ten miles north of Butler on the west side of Highway 19. This area was formerly in Talbot County, in the area that became a portion of Taylor County. The small community of Five Points was near by and even as early as 1841, a school is mentioned in deeds as being in 24th Dis LL150. Antioch Church is LL161.
"Let it be remembered by all succeeding generations that we a few scattered members of the Baptist Order in Talbot County, Georgia, believe it to be our indespensible duty and great priviledge to be set in order as a Church of Jesus Christ, having sonculted each other on the all important subject and sent for ministerial aid to come and look into our standing.
Brethren JAMES STEELY and HENRY HOOTEN came forward by church authority and on January 28, 1829 constituted the following members of this church.: Rev. HENRY BELL, WILLIAM T. BURKE, LEMUEL COX(son of Icabod), WILLIAM RUSKIN (son-in-law of Icabod; wife Mary(Polly), ICHABOD COX, GEORGE PALMER and TOM of color; EPSY ANN BURKE, CAROLINE L. COX, CAROLINE POWELL, MARY COX, MARTHA PALMER and JUDY, of color. "
Thus begins the first recorded minutes of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. They called the church Antioch. Brother HENRY HOOTEN was chosen as pastor and William T. Burke was chosen church clerk. On February 15, 1829 the doors of Antioch Church were opened for the reception of members with Bro. Hooten, Moderator, and William T. Burke, Clerk.
NOTE:HOOTEN, REV. HENRY, 87 yrs., b. 9-2-1765 Bertie Co., N.C., d. 1-15-51, Pike Co. Ala. 05-20-1852 p.83 col. 4 Christian Index.
Several came forward for membership. One of them was a Negro woman, the property of Ichabod Cox. The mistress of this woman lies sleeping in the cemetery outside this church. It is interesting to note that in the early days of Antioch, Mr. and Mrs. Ichabod Cox were founders and faithful members of the Antioch Church. They often attended, bringing with them their daughter and small grandson. That little boy in knee pants was destined to become well known through Georgia and even the United States as a Confederate general, United States Senator and Governor of Georgia.
Born in Upson County, John B. Gordon frequently visited his grandparents in Talbot County and later bought the Gordon Farm on the Flint River in the Beechwood area of Taylor County. Mrs. Cox sleeps today in the churchyard where her small grandson once played.
So even in the beginning Antioch was fulfilling its duty as a Missionary Baptist Church by receiving slaves into its membership.
The new members, indeed the citizens of the vicinity of all denominations of Christians, were deeply interested in the new church for the Baptist people. Everybody joined in helping to further the undertaking of their Baptist neighbors and during the time of planning to accomplish their designs, they worshipped in a little log house west of the present church on the right of the road near Five Points. They believed that "where two or three are gathered together in My Name there I am in the midst' to own and bless.
On August 30, 1829, a resolution was offered in a meeting to purchase a building lot for a church. A committee was appointed and it acted rapidly for on Oct 17, the committee reported favorably on 'Lot Number 161 in 24th Land District of Talbot County belonging to Icabod Cox'. Their report was accepted.
On November 16, 1829, the church agreed on a permanent pastor and in December, the church in conference made a unanimous choice of the Rev. John Ross for the year 1830. Lemuel Cox was chosen deacon.
The Rev. Ross served the church for 8 years with marked success and from the old church books it seemed that new members were added to the roll at every conference. At his lamented death the church assumed all funeral expenses and agreed to place on his grave 'a tomb, the foundation to be of rock, the rest hard burned brick, painted with lime and surmounted by marble'. This memorial was erected about a mile east of the present site of the church and cemetery in what is known as the Mitchell Cemetery.
Mrs. Nora M. Woodward wrote the history of the church for the 100th anniversary in 1929. She stated during this period, W.J.F. Mitchell was received into the church.
"As a child I well remember his baptism in Flint River, just below the flat landing. In the large audience on the riverbank was Indian Dick, the last member of the Cherokee tribe to leave this immediate section. When he came up on a large majestic bay horse, he attracted much attention."The Mr. Mitchell later became a deacon of the church, ordained in 1854.
Another deacon ordained into the old Antioch Church who was prominent in churches throughout the county and found in the old church records of at least three other churches was Sanders W. Durham. S.W. Durham and Persons Walker were chosen as deacons during the pastorate of the Rev. James Perryman, the second pastor of the church, who probably served from 1837-1841. Durham served as a deacon and later as a pastor both at Antioch and Butler. In a letter written by the Rev. John Howell to The Christian Index in September, 1855, the story of Brother Durham's evangelical work is told as he worked in revivals in both Taylor and Marion Counties.
Conference was always held on Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in each month. At the beginning of every conference, the doors of the church was opened for the reception of new members.
Church membership and Christian character were a very serious matter. For example on May 16, 1829, a charge was made against 'Sister Mason, a woman of color, property of William T. Burke, for forsaking her husband and swearing. Bro Burke was appointed to cie her to attend the next conference in course to answer to said charge. On June 29, 1829, the church took up the charge perferred against Sister Mason and preceded to excommunicate her from the church.'
Those early days in the 30's and 40's saw large crowds fill the church for services and many added to the membership. The average attendance was 200 to 300 persons. However the glories of the 'Old South' ended late in the 50's and early in the 60's and the rumblings of war grew louder and Antioch was great affected by the War Between the States.
As day dawned on May 25, 1861, the young men in every family prepared to go to Butler (now the county seat of Taylor County which Antioch became a part of when it was created from Talbot and other neighboring counties in 1852) to 'go to war' -- the war that would not last long and would soon be over. Beginning at the Flint River, the Mitchells, the Caldwells, the Fullers, the Millers, the Rileys, the Grays, the Jarrells, the Gassetts, the McCants, the Sheridans, the Colberts and others were called to hear the farewell speech by Col A.H. Riley and to join the ranks of the Taylor County Rifles.
The people gathered at Antioch for prayer. The records say, 'The church is lonely. The great oaks throw shadows of sorrow. Our dear ones are off and away. Antioch continued the shrine of our hearts for prayer and a rendezvous for our young people for social and religious pleasures. Homes and mothers were busy with spinning wheels and looms making cloth for clothing for our boys -- in all states below the Mason and Dixon line. Fathers were engaged in farming, making food for widows and orphans, for the army and slaves, indeed for the whole people of the South. Sorrow prevailed for four long years. During these days of heartaches, Antioch was still in our midst working and praying for our sorrow stricken people.
The old church showed the touch of the war's mockery as but few of our boys from Antioch survived. Among those returning was the dauntless sharp-shooter, W.H. Gassett, than whom no braver soldier ever donned uniform or shoulderd a gun fighting the four bitter years without once returning home.'
Later after his return home, this W.H. Gassett was 'given another post of trust' and made a deacon of the church. After his death it was recorded that 'he bore aloft the banner of his stewardship as loyally, as conscientiously and fearlessly as he did the flag of the Southern Confederacy and now that the muffled drum's sad roll has beat this soldier's last tatto, he lies sleeping in the churchyard and the place which knew him once shall know him no more forever. Soldier of God and Lee, we salute thee'.
With the return of peace, Anticoah needed repairs. However, in thses poverty stricken days no money was available for the job. Two young ladies of the church, Miss Nora Riley and Miss Lucy Woodward, borrowed Will Gilson's road cart and called at every house in the Carsonville district of the county asking for any kind of help that could be obtained for the work on the church. The people gave as much as they possibly could and gave it with loving and willing hearts so that the old church could be carried on. One man, Gene Perkins, gave the shingles and nails, hauled them to the church and helped to nail them on.
Saturday, October 20, 1867, conference moved that a committee of five brethren be appinted, 3 colored and 2 white, to help the clerk, W.J.F. Mitchell, to draw up letters of dismissal for the purpose of being constituted into a separate church for 'our colored brethren'. Thus, Antioch Baptist Church for the colored people was organized in 1869.
Saturday, February 20, 1869, a move was made that on the Sabbath morning of the next meeting in March, the church would meet to form a Sabbath School. All friends in the neighborhood were invited to attend at this time. Thus, in March 1869, the first Sunday School was organized.
According to the records, the best that could be found, Antioch joined the Western Association formed in Harris County at LaGrange. Years later, Antioch joined the Columbus Association.
In August 1954, the church voted to join the Rehoboth Association and was accepted into this group.
In the early days the church was a necessary tool of social control. The frontier was a rough place and the law, as represented by the state, was scarce, while a man's church memberhsip was a mark of status. To help keep the peace, the churches would often call hearings of those of their congregation who were acting 'indecent' and if they were found guilty, they would lose their church membership, a very harsh punishment -- but at least very effective.
Antioch records, as most Baptist church records, are filled with these hearings -- the charges ranging from hog stealing to dancing to 'missing two conferences without just cause'. The names of these culprits range from very prominent young ladies or gentlemen to the less renowned -- none were beyong being called on the carpet for wrongdoing and the old fellowships were very strict. Some were expelled and some 'made apologies' with promises to do better.
On September 12, 1853, in the conference minutes it is found the first mention of The Christian Index for the church membership. A sum of $10 be designated for The Index to be sent to Civil War service men and was called 'army missions'. The Index has been in the budget for a number of years for every family.
The first minister to be ordained was Bro. S.W. DURHAM in December 1837. The following pastors served Antioch:
Rev. JOHN ROSS 1830 Rev. JAMES PERRYMAN 1837-1841 Dr. B. L. Ross (son of John) Dr. JOHN SEARCY F.M. BLALOCK G.W. WEEKLY T.J. BELL HENRY MOSELY GEORGE WHITE T.L. HOLMES M.T. GAULTNEY A.Z. MATTHEWS H.O. HUGHES J.L. PITTMAN E.H. DUNN J.E. PATE J.L. REEVES A.V. MOSS PAUL HENDLEY HUBERT SHEPHERD WILLIAM C. CAULEY J.H. STANFORD GARY A. OSBORNE TOM W. HARRELL WILLIAM T. BERRY Rev. R. DOYLE MOORE.
Source: History of The Butler Herald, 1977 printed on 100th birthday of The Butler Herald.
Material gathered by Mrs. Joe Blasche from an account of the centennial celebration in 1929 as told in the Butler Herald and from The Columbus Enquirer on Sept 17, 1945 when the Columbus Baptist Association met at Antioch.
Minutes from the early church are abstracted in "They Tarried in Taylor County" by Essie Childs pg 13-18.
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