THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA C286.09 A588a UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00043579564 FOR USE ONLY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION Form No. A-368. Rev. 8/95 ; Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from e of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, http://archive.org/details/pathwaytochristiOOangi PATHWAY TO CHRISTIAN HERITAGE NEW LIFE — ANGIER BAPTIST CHURCH 1883-1983 Angier, North Carolina Library of Congress No. 83-082230 Printed in the United States of America Edwards & Broughton Company, Raleigh, N.C. 1983 II 6<X. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction V Acknowledgments VII Picture of First Church (1884-1925) VIII History of New Life — Angier Baptist Church . 1 In Memoriam 19 Pastors 21 Pictorial History 42 Historical Documents 56 Picture of Second Church (1925-1957) 88 Statistics 89 Selected Minutes of Business Meetings 103 Centennial Committee 216 Picture of Present Church 216 III "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead ." me in a plain path . Psalm 27:11 IV INTRODUCTION The Lord Makes Great Things Happen Through People Who Have Faith In 1883 a small group of families, living in what we now call the Currin Cross Road Community, were challenged by the Lord to organize a church. They knew very little as to how to go about this task, but they would succeed. They began having prayer meetings in different homes to talk it over among themselves and with the Lord. Soon one of the mem- bers offered to give them an old storage house to meet in. They accepted the building, which was about 18 x 30 feet and from then on it was known as the New Life Baptist Church. After having several meetings in the church, they felt that they were or- ganized well enough to start looking for a pastor. In a few weeks they acquired a part time pastor and began having services every other Sunday. Soon the church started to grow, and before the end of the year, they realized they needed a larger building. The men of the church had a meeting and made plans to build a larger church. The lumber for the new building was furnished by one of the members and the work was done by the church members. After about six months, the new building was oc- cupied. Now, after one hundred years, with many ups and downs, several different locations, three different buildings, pastor changes, additions of music direc- tors and youth leaders we are still proclaiming the same gospel; that you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved. V We hope and pray, as we look back at the past and see what has been done under very difficult cir- cumstances, that we will be inspired to go forward with great expectations. If we take advantage of what we have learned and have the faith of those few a hundred years ago, we should do great things for God and for our people in the next hundred years. Joe D. Currin VI ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The following are sources of this information: Little River Baptist Association Minutes Wake Forest University Baptist Library Biblical Recorder Minutes of the available Church Business Meet- ings Minutes of the available Deacons and Deaconesses Meetings VII VIII HISTORY New Life — Angier Baptist Church 1883-1983 Prior to the organization of the Church, Rev. Archie N. Campbell had been preaching in the homes in the community around Angier for about a year. Soon the crowds became too large to meet in the homes. On September 18, 1883, Rev. Campbell held a meeting in McLeod and Pates whiskey shop, which was about five miles south of Angier, and the Church was or- ganized at that time. The Presbytery was composed of Allen Betts, A. N. Campbell and J. M. Holleman. The following came from Neill's Creek church by letter: J. F. McLeod. J. J. Butts, B. F. McLeod, and Perrin Pate, who were the first Deacons, and Julia McLeod and Sally McLeod. After the Church was organized, the following came forward for baptism: Norman Nor- dan, William Searcy, J. E. Messer, C. C. Barnes, J. E. Barnes, J. Y. Matthews, Flora Nordan, W. C. Weaver, W. M. Moore, Annie Matthews, Elizabeth Searcy, Sarah Deal, and Ludella McLeod. Baptism service was set for the following Sunday at Reuben Matthews" pond. Doors of the Church were opened and J. L. Johnson and Julius McLeod came forward for baptism. J. M. Holleman was appointed moderator and A. N. Campbell was clerk. The group read and adopted an Articles of Faith and a Church Covenant, then announced that this organization was a regular Baptist Church and would be named The New Life Baptist Church. Minutes of the November 1. 1883. Little River As- 1 " sociation Report read: "On motion, petitioning letters were called for. "The newly constituted church at New Life pre- sented a petition, and on motion, it was referred to a committee consisting of William Brooks, Sherod Patterson and John A. Senter. "The committee at once examined and reported the church orthodox, and recommended its reception/* "On motion, the church was received and the dele- gates welcomed to seats. The delegates were: B. F. Campbell, Ed Nordan, C. C. Barnes and J. E. Messer. In 1884 a one-room church building was erected about three miles south of Angier where the E. R. Mabry estate is now located, near Currin's Cross- roads. The minutes of the Little River Association of 1887 stated the condition of the church building as "Good house, not ceiled". At church conference held On Saturday before the second Sunday in August 1900, while Elder E. O. Johnson was pastor, plans were made to move the Church into the town of Angier. A committee com- posed of J. L. Johnson and J. A. Hockaday was to purchase land on which to locate the Church. The building committee was: Perrin Pate, J. B. Hockaday, B. E. Barbour, W. H. Stephenson, C. W. Flowers and B. C. Hockaday. The Church building was torn down and moved by wagon into the town of Angier. The building was re- built on the corner of South Broad Street and East Mclver Street. Mr. A. L. Overby donated a strip of land beside the Church to be used as a parking area for horses and buggies. Minutes of the church conference in October 1901 called the church New Life Baptist Church. In 1902 the name of the Church was changed to Angier Baptist 2 Church. The Associational minutes of October 1903 read as follows: "Angier — The Executive Board appropriates $25.00, the State Board gives $50.00 and the Church gives about $25.00. At the beginning of the year the Church was unfinished and had a debt on the house. The debt has been paid, Church completed and is now being painted. This point is in the territory unfriendly to missions, but outlook is very hopeful. At a meeting often days four were baptized, congregations are good and progress is looked for. Elder J. M. Holleman served this point last year and has been called for the ensuing year."' In April 1908 mention was made in the minutes of a need to find a way to raise money for the pastors salary. A card was sent to each member requesting that the member pledge an amount and return the card by the first Sunday in May. The amount pledged was to be paid by November first of that year. In September 1910 a need was seen for a finance committee "to attend to last year's and this year's finances". The committee members were: J. L. Johnson, C. W. Flowers, D. E. Nordan, J. E. Deal. W. A. Deal, W. H. Stephenson and D. A. McLeod. During the summer of 1911 the minutes indicated the Church was growing. They made plans to pur- chase lamps for the Church and employ a sexton. Brother Perrin Pate, at one dollar per month. In August 1912 a motion was made, seconded and carried that the church adopt the Duplex Envelope System of collecting the pastor's salary. In October 1912. Pastor Holleman informed the Church that due to ill health he was unable to serve the Church further as their pastor and asked them to call someone else to succeed him. He was completing ten years of service. In November 1912 the Church voted to call Rev. J. A. Campbell as pastor for the year 1913 at a salary of $150.00. Rev. Campbell preached his first sermon on the fourth Sunday in November 1912 and accepted the pastorate. In June 1913 a great revival was held, which lasted ten days. Mr. Flowers said "it was the best revival ever held in this church" with sixteen members being added to the membership. This revival was held by Rev. Fred N. Day. Also, Rev. Day held an eight-day revival in June 1914 with four additions to the Church. In August 1915 another great revival was held by Rev. C. Almon Upchurch. The crowds were so large they moved the services to R. D. Overby & Brothers Warehouse. Twenty-six were received for baptism and two under the watch care. In January 1916 three deacons were elected: D. A. McLeod, B. C. Hockaday and C. W. Flowers. Brother S. H. Broadwell received a large vote and on Sunday morning was elected a deacon, making eight deacons.