Photograph of church by Randy Carpenter
History: In 1840 the Rev. Harris Stearns, the son of Zachariah Stearns and pastor of the Marion Circuit, organized a Methodist Church for the community. The church stood one mile from where the Courthouse now stands and was called the Red Level M.E. Church.
Original members were: Stephen Johnson and wife; Jesse Adams and wife; Daniel Whatley and wife; Jacob Sistruck Sr and wife, Daniel Sistrunk and wife; Benjamin Griffith and wife, Jacob Sistrunk Jr and wife.
After Butler was founded in 1852, the church was moved to town and called the Butler Methodist Church During the pastorate of Rev. George Johnson (1877-1878), a new church was erected. On June 7, 1878, Bishop Haygood dedicated the new church. The membership was listed as 130.
On August 2, 1919, the old building was disposed of and the proceeds applied to the erection of a new building. In 1920 the present church building was erected. In 1952, a Church School Annex as added to the Church. The parsonage was completed in 1964.
Rev. Harris Stearns, 1840 Rev. Thomas Coleman, 1841 Rev. Joseph Talley, 1842 Rev. Brith and Rev. Feraby, 1843 Rev. William Bussey and Rev. Richard Mayfield, 1844 Rev. Jacob Danforth, 1845 Rev. L. Steagall, 1846 Rev. Joseph Talley, 1847 Rev. Craven and Rev. Y.F. Tigner, 1848 Rev. Charles L. Hayes, 1849-1850 Rev. Thomas Gideon, 1851 Rev. Joseph Clark, 1852 Rev. J.M. Marshall, 1853 Rev. Chappell Brooks, 1854 Rev. Wyatt Brooks, 1855-1856 Rev. Smith Davenport, 1857 Rev. William Booth, 1858 Rev. Leonard Rush, 1859 Rev. John Robinson and Rev. McLemore, 1860 Rev.. A.J. Dean and Rev. Andrews, 1861 Rev. John Berry and Rev. M.J. Jenkins, 1862 Rev. Wyatt Brooks, 1863-1864 Rev. C.M. Mitchell, 1865 Rev. G.C. Clark, 1866 Rev. G.L.W. Anthony, 1867-1868 Rev. B.F. Willliamson, 1869-1870 Rev. J.R. Littlejohn, 1871-1872 Rev. W.M.D. Bond, 1873 Rev. J.E. Rentz, 1874-1875 Rev. W.J. Robinson, 1876 Rev. George F. Johnson, 1877-1878 Rev. R.L. Wiggins, 1879-1880 Rev. R.T. Evans, 1881 Rev. J.B.K. Smith, 1882 Rev. J.D. Mauldin, 1883 Rev. T.K. Leonard, 1884 Rev. C.D. Adams, 1885-1886 Rev. R.T. Lowe, 1887-1888 Rev. L.V. Crawley, 1889 Rev. J.W. Brewton, 1890 Rev. M.B. Ferrell, 1891 Rev. J.T. Mimbs, 1892-1893 Rev. M.A. Phillips, 1894-1895 Rev. J.S. Funderburk, 1896-1897 Rev. J.T. Ainsworth, 1898-1900 Rev. R.M. Wesley, 1901 Rev. John Seals, 1902 Rev. G.S. Childres, 1903 Rev. J.S. Lewis, 1904-1905 Rev. J. Bazemore, 1906-1907 Rev. Paul Kendall, 1908 Rev. R.M. Booth, 1909 Rev. R.W. Brown, 1910 Rev. Earl Anderson, 1911-1912 Rev. John Stanford, 1913-1916 Rev. A.J. McGill, 1917 Rev. L.A. Harrell, 1918-1921 Rev. B.A. Pafford, 1922-1923 Rev. O.L. Kelley, 1924 Rev. J.W. McCord, 1925 Rev. L.T. Rogers, 1926-1927 Rev. H.E. Hightower, 1928 Rev. H.E. Griffin, 1929-1930 Rev. J.A. Cook, 1931-1932 Rev. W.E. Hightower, 1933-1935 Rev. Edgar Martin, 1936-1938 Rev. F.J. Gilbert, 1939-1942 Rev. Lamar Glenn, 1943--1945 Rev. Warren Stipe, 1946-1949 Rev. C.W. Hancock, 1950-1953 Rev. Hoke Hatcher, 1953-1955 Rev. H.C. Marx, 1955-1957 Rev. C. Ted Griner, 1957-1961 Rev. Walter McCleskey, 1961-1963 Rev. Ted Bass, 1963-1967 Rev. Frank Terry, 1967-1970 Rev. Roy L. Gardner, 1970-1972 Rev. Charles Dennis, 1972-
Source: History of The Butler Herald, 1977 printed on100th birthday of The Butler Herald.
Thanks to Judy Hice! Deed
Deed Bk A - Taylor County pg 30 Bibb County 21 June 1852 Wm B. Johnston (Bibb) to Stephen Johnson, Jesse Adams, John Sturdivant, Hardy Williamson, Daniel Whatley, Trustees of Methodist Episcopal Church south of Butler $1 Town of Butler Lot 1 in Square No 15 containing 19,000 sq feet Signed Wm B. Johnston per E.J. Johnston, atty