Burnt Corn's Bethany Baptist Church has long history

Bethany Baptist Church

Like a lot of people in our area, I hated to hear that the old Bethany Baptist Church had been damaged in the storm that passed over Burnt Corn on the night of Dec. 28.

Presently located near the intersection of County Road 5 and County Road 15, this historic church was first established in Conecuh County in 1821. Sources say that the church moved in 1846 to a site on Camp Ground Creek in the Puryearville community near Burnt Corn. In 1874, after the War Between the States, the present-day church building was built in “downtown” Burnt Corn. It was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in May 2001.

The earliest reference to this church that I could find in back issues of The Monroe Journal was in a front-page story published in the Oct. 13, 1884 edition of the newspaper. Under the headline, “The Bethlehem Baptist Association,” the story let readers know that the 68^th annual meeting of the association was held at the church between Sept. 27 and Sept. 29. The Rev. B.J. Skinner was elected moderator; T.S. Wiggins, clerk and C.S. Rabb, treasurer.

“It was generally admitted that the attendance was larger than for many years past, and the community of Burnt Corn sustained its reputation for hospitality for which they are proverbial,” the article said. “The different objects fostered by the body were fully discussed. The only changes made were the appointing of an executive committee to cooperate with the state board on the subject of missions, within the bounds of the association, and a statistical secretary appointed to gather statistics of Sunday schools within the association.”

The writer of the article, who was not named, was apparently from Evergreen. “The road from Evergreen to Burnt Corn, where the above association was held, was dry and dusty, but the tedium of the journey was, to the writer, relieved and the presence of all the disagreeable surroundings forgotten, in the companionship of one of Evergreen’s interesting young ladies, who accompanied him thither,” he wrote.

He also noted that the people of Burnt Corn seemed “to be happy and prosperous and are ready at all times to extend a generous welcome to the stranger who may tarry within their gates. The session of the association was very harmonious and the Master’s cause was advanced.”

Those of you who read the paper last week will also remember that several grave markers in the graveyard beside the church were damaged in the storm. Those of you who have been to this graveyard before will know that there are about 150 marked graves there. The oldest grave that I’ve ever been able to find there is that of Dr. John Watkins, who passed away in August 1853.

Looking around the graveyard, you will see a number of other graves from before 1874, the year that the present-day church building was constructed. This makes me wonder if an earlier church had been located on the property prior to 1874. If anyone in the reading audience knows the answer to this question, please let me know by emailing me at news@monroejournal.com.