The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-23
A GRAND OLD oHuRoH.
Interesting Services at It's ssmi-Cen'
tenniaI Celebration.


Quitman, Ga, Aug 22.-Liberty Bap-
tist Church at Grooverville, in this coun-
ty. celebrated It's semi-ceutenuial on Sat
4 urday, the 18th of August. The occasion
was a very interesting one, and there was
/ present one of the largest crowds ever
} seen at a public gathering in the county.
! The church was constituted on the 18TH
! OF August, 1S43, just fifty years to the day
! from the time of the celebration Of 1t s
/ semi-centennial. The members who or
/ gained the church were Elisha +. Smith,
! r. L. Standard, James 7. Baker, Nancy
| Hagan, Sarah A. Grower, Mary Smith,
| amanda Denmark and Sarah Whitfield.
| A ii of these names are familiar ones in all
| OF South Georgia, and will be recognized by
III any old Inhabitants all over this section.
OF these members but one, Mrs. S. A.
Grower. is living. She was present at
the celebration exercises, and was the
happy recipient Of many good wishes and
congratulations Elders II. j. Mays
Jesse Goodman and Thomas Lang formed
/ the Churchs presbyterY. at the time
of it's organization. Rev Il. J. Mays,
4 who has many descendants now living in
South Georgia, was the church's first
pastor. lie served not quite two years
The church's other pastors have BEEN
Rev. B. $. Fuller, from lS45 to lS49 Rev.
j. 3. Lacy, from 1919 to 1855 Rev. 4. J.
BIuett from 1850 to 1867. Rcv. James Nc
Bryde, from 1867 to 1871; Rev. G. ID.
Campbell, from 1871 to 1872, and Rev. J. M.
Rus hin from 1872 TO the present time, he
now being the pastor in charge. The
deacOns of the church have been, Breth-
rem H. l. Denmark, ordained in 1874, L. T.
Jones, in 1852; J. Densler, in 1853; g. A.
Davis, in 1862; K. j. Grower, in 1855; A.
w. GrUl yer, in 1859; +. M. Grower and
j. W. M'cMullen in 1873; d. A. Grower
and J. W. Handbook in 1881.
MISSIONARY CHURCH.
The chu rch has been a missionary body
ever since its constitution; and is the
mother of several of the strongest Mis-
sionary aptist churches in this section,
notably among them the church at Bos-
ton, Ga, and the one at Hickory Head in
this county. The leading spirit and the
prime mover in the organization of this
church was Mrs. Nancy Hagan, whose
name is mentioned above as one of the ORR
ginal mena bers. She is to-day well remem-
bered by numbers of the older
inhabitants of this section as
one of the most remarkable women
among the pioneers of this section Her
descendants in this and adjoining coun-
ties in Georlria, as well as in Florida, are
numerous, and among them all her name
is held in ssscred reverence. A part of
the programme in the days exercises was
the reading OF poem written by her over
fifty years ago on the dedication of this
church. The poem was recited by her
great-great grand daughter, Miss Mary
Grower. Another poem written by her
at about the same time was recited
by great granddaughter, Miss Bertha
Grower. Other features of the day were
the roll call of members from the day of
the churchs organization to the present
time, "A History of the Church" by Rev.
J. M. Rushin, "The Progress of Bap-
list Principles During Fifty Years" by
Capt. j. G. Mccall, and brief sketches of
the older pastors and members by differ
ent ones. Delegates and representatives
from over twenty other churches in this
section were present
Old Liberty Baptist church is one of
the Missionary Baptist churches in the
the state, it's name is familiar to all Bap-
lists in the state and all will be glad to
learn that it is still in a hourishing con-
dition. O. l. G.