Baptist Church & Cemetery
by William Archibald Touchton
During the first forty years her members met for worship in an old log building located on the west side of the Alapaha river near the old Lee bridge. It was here that the Rev. C. Howell, R. Friar, R.S. Harvey and other devoted "Men of God" preached to the Adams, Howells, Touchtons, Roberts, Fenders, Tomlinsons and others of the original settlers, inspiring them to seek the better way of life.
Macedonia was a pioneer's Church, its first members had but recently saw trouble with Billy Bowlegs and his Indian followers. Having just returned from driving the red men to their reservation in the Florida Everglades, they met to give thanks to God for their new freedom from the Indian threat, --- and Macedonia was born.
Having looked to God for guidance in their lives, they soon realized the value of joining with their neighbors along each side of the river south to the Florida line in forming a unit of county government, and Echols County was born with the county seat at Troublesome, later known as Statenville, in 1958.
In those early days the men and women of Macedonia believed in regular attendance, and it was made an invariable rule that an absence from conference required an excuse, and, sometimes an apology. So it was no wonder that "Gods Elect" came, and by whatever conveyance available.
A regular scene on "Conference Saturdays" and Preaching Sundays" around the little log church included saddled horses and mules, wagons, oxen drawn wagons and carts, and several bateaux , or small river boats, along the west bank of the river in which worshipers rowed to and from services from their homes up and down the river.
It was early realized that the church, located as it was on land too low for a cemetery, would soon have to be relocated on higher ground. But for forty years its members had to bury their dead here and there was convenience permitted. To remedy this Bro. Bill Howell promised to give the present site as early as the late 1850s. But before plans could be completed the Civil War intervened, and it was not until the year, 1887 that the surviving members felt able to undertake the task of building a new building. But then Bro. Bill Howell had gone to rest and could not complete his promised gift of a site on which to build. It was then that his widow and their son Willie came forward and made good a promise of near forty years' standing.
Although that dark period of American history misnamed "Reconstruction", had come and gone leaving in its wake poverty and mysery (sic), this band of God's servants felt they must undertake this great task.
As was decreed by Solomon of old in the buioding (sic) of the Temple, only the best materials were to be used and the most skilled workmen employed. And so it was.
Bro. John Touchton, a member of the Stockton Church but lent to Macedonia as one of its Deacons, whose remains now lie on these grounds, took the contract for the tidy sum of $100.00. He and his sons did the principal part of the work, calling in the membership as a working to assist involving the world. And twice they have been victorious. Their struggles and their blood have dedicated Macedonia to the task that lies ahead, that of holding aloft the torch that guides the feet of mankind to that bright land of God's tomorrow.
This building has just undergone a complete renovation, inside and out, and with her first paint job, except for an inside paint job applied about twenty-five years ago. The two front entrances have been closed in favor of the beautiful double-door entrance donated by the family of, and dedicated to our pastor, Rev. John D. Paulk. The side door to the South was closed and a window put in its place. The kerosene lamps in use for many years was transformed as a donation by Bro. Grover H. Carter, and a deep well donated by Bro. L.W. Touchton and family now add to the pleasure and comfort of worship.
Macedonia was the first pastorate of Rev. John D. Paulk, who was ordained as a result of a call by this church in 1927. He has served continuously since that time.
Now at the end of Macedonia's first century, we celebrate, and we re-dedicate our lives to inspiring those who follow us to carry the light. Rev. Marvin V. Stedham, our Associational Field Worker, having just completed a series of inspiring sermons, hands to us a new light, made bright by the faithful service of our pastor, Rev. John D. Paulk, which we, as time goes on, must hold even higher, and pass to the hands of those who follow us.
And may God grant to the next century grace and peace, may our enrollment showing 340 entries from the Church's beginning until now be an inspiration to future generations.
(Read August 8th, 1948, by Mrs. I.R. (Bud) Roberts.)
