Wesley

There is no record of the organization of Wesley Church or any mention of same until the 4th Quarterly Conference in the year 1900, when J.A. Heath was appointed Stewart of Wesley Church and Superintendent of the Sunday School.

The parsonage record of Butler shows that Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Heath were received into the church by certificate on August 29, 1900, by Rev. R. M. Wesley, pastor in charge of the Butler Church.

The first record I can find of the Bishop was A.W. Wilson, 1913, followed by W.A. Candler in the year 1914, and then the record stops. I am writing a good deal of this from memory and if some mistakes occur I am very sorry.

About the year 1897, Stephen Bazemore, a good Baptist brother, organized a Sunday School in the school house across the road from the present church building [1950].

Bro. R.M. Wesley, pastor of the Butler Circuit, organized a church August 29, 1900 in the schoolhouse and gave us an evening appointment in the school building until the present church was built. Bro. Wesley served Wesley Church one year and then we were transferred to the Geneva Circuit in 1901.

The Rev. J.M. Rustin, served Wesley Church one year as pastor of the Geneva Circuit, during which time the Rev. McDonald was Presiding Elder. We were returned to the Butler Circuit in the year 1902, then the Rev. W.G. Childres, pastor of the Butler Circuit, served Wesley Church a part of the year as there is no record of a 4th Quarterly Conference and no record of any revival at Wesley.

We were returned to the Butler Circuit in the year 1903, and the Rev. A.H. Bazemore served as pastor in 1903, during which year we built a brush arbor for our revival.

In the year 1904, Rev. J.S. Lewis, pastor, under J.O.A. Cook. Presiding Elder, Wesley Church was built by voluntary contributions. It was finished free of debt and edicated by Rev. J.O.A. Cook, Presiding Elder.

Brother Stephen Bazemore continued as Superintendent of the Sunday School until we moved into the new church and A.S. Wallace was elected superintendent of the Sunday School and continued until 1908 when he moved to Butler. R.M. Suggs was then elected Sunday School Superintendent and continued to act as superintendent for a period of 35 years. During this time our school was never inactive which I think was remarkable for a country church.

In the year 1908, the Rev. Paul Kindle came to us and, during a revival in which Dr. Kindle, his father, did the preaching, my wife and I came into the church from the Presbyterian Church at Thomaston. In the year 1909, the Rev. R.M. Booth came to us under the Rev. T.B. Stanford, Presiding Elder.

In the year 1910, we were transferred to the Talbot Circuit, under the Rev. G.C. Ingram for a period of two years. In 1912, we were returned to the Butler Circuit under the Rev. E.W. Anderson, who served for one year. In 1913, the Rev. J.H. Stanford came to us under the Rev. A.M. Williams, the Presiding Elder, who died during the third year of his ministry, and was followed by the Rev. J.P. Chatfield. The Rev. Stanford continued with us for four years and the chirch prospered under his ministry. In the year 1917, W.C. McGill served us for a year and was followed by the Rev. La. Harrell for two years. In 1920, another change was made and the Howard Circuit was formed of the churches--Howard, Wesley, Union, and Crowell, and continued for four years under the Rev. W.E. Hightower with the Rev. J.N. Peacock, Presiding Elder. In 1924, the Rev. C.L. Wall came to us under the Rev.J.P. Dell, Presiding Elder, and served us for three years.

[later history is available in the publication Butler-Herald 100 Years]

To the best of my memory, these were the charter members taken from Howard and Carsonville Churches:

J.A. Heath and wife
Peter Vanlandingham and wife
Miss Mae Vanlandingham
Mrs. Roxy Cosey
Mrs. Anna Heath
Miss Minnie Heath
G.W. Willis
Sidney Baldwin and wife
Mrs. Lena McBryde
Mrs. Nannie Samith
Mrs. J.C. Wade
Mrs. O.M. Bazemore