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| New Hope Baptist Church at Natchez. |
(Several months ago, I paid a visit to New Hope Baptist
Church, an historic church in the Natchez community in northern Monroe County,
Ala. While there, we took a look inside the church, and that’s when I noticed a
bulletin board in the back of the sanctuary, not far from the front entrance.
Tacked onto this board was a one-page, type-written history of the church by an
unknown author. What follows is the complete text from that document. Enjoy.)
CHURCH HISTORY
New Hope Baptist Church was established in 1855. Records
were burned when Mr. Charlie Helton’s house burned. Several years ago, we do
not know the exact time, this church was served by L.W. Lindsey, McWilliams,
Tolbert, Sturgis and Curry as pastors.
From 1894, A.P. Majors, Mitchell, Benton, Fusselle and
McLeod served as pastors until about 1930, when due to a small membership many
moved theirs to Beatrice.
Associational records show that A.P. Majors served the
church for more than 20 years. The records also show that he married, buried
and baptized more people than any other ordained minister in the Pine Barren
Association.
One of the most consecrated members of New Hope Church was
Wm. M. Davison, who for 15 years or more was Sunday School Superintendent and
never missed a Sunday. The Scripture with which he opened the service was
usually from Psalms and his favorite verse was “I have never seen the righteous
forsaken nor his seed found begging bread.” After his age forced him to give up
his Superintendency, Mr. J.A. Joiner very ably filled his place until Mr. Joiner
moved away.
In 1900, Hardy O’Gwyn and family, active church workers
moved away but G.C. Nettles Sr. and family from Buena Vista, also active in
church work, moved in and continued to assist in work here, thus Buena Vista’s
loss was Natchez gain.
On May 29, 1955, which was the 100th anniversary, Homecoming
was celebrated by the members, a vote was taken to make the first Sunday in
June a permanent Homecoming Day.
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