This is a forward but it seems when I try to foward the original message it become an attachment so this is a forward cut and paste...Char ________________________ Yes, in the 1700's, slaves could be members and there was special seating for them. A man of color named Wolly who belonged to John Abernathy was a member. I know that's the right John Abernathy, because Wolly is mentioned in the estate settlement. I can't find John Abernathy on the membership roll, but I did find Chesley Davis (John's father-in-law). Let me refine that last statement: John's father-in-law was Chesley Davis; there were several men named Chesley Davis; a Chesley Davis or two or three were members of BRBC; they were probably men younger than John Abernathy, so maybe John's father-in-law was not a member. ANYWAY...let's now jump to the 1800's: On p. 18 of BUSH RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH Anniversary Celebration 1771-1996, it is stated: "The War Between the States came to a close. During this strenuous time the church had succeeded in 'carrying on.' But now with the end of the war and the freedom of the slaves, the church was confronted with another problem - what to do with the colored church members. This was soon solved, for in 1866, the church agreed to give the colored members of the church a plot of the church property on which they might erect a building of their own. A committee consisting of B. R. Mangum, A. P. Davis and William Smith was given charge of this matter. Up until this time the slaves and their masters had belonged to the same church and worshipped in the same building. A gallery was built on three sides of all the old churches and it was in these galleries that the slaves sat and worshipped. On June 13, 1866, thirrty-nine colored members were dismissed from the ''white folks' church and a committee from the church was appointed to help them and to draw up papers giving them their legal rights as a church. The church was built beyond the spring and just across the road from the old cemetery. Later, the negroes bought some land of their own a little farther down the road to Newberry and on it they built a substantial church building. There were some of the slaves who would not go to the negro church, but preferred to continue to worship with the white people, and they were permitted to stay. In 1871 the church roll was revised for the second time and we find that the total number of white members was 206 and the total number of negroes was 38. On February 10, 1866, Asa P. Davis was elected a deacon in the church." p. 20 "Rev. M. E. Broadus succeeded Rev. Mr. Rice as pastor in 1878 and remained for three yars as pastor, at a salary of $300 per year. During 1878 many changes were made. The pulpit was remodeled, the windows reparied and the church repainted inside and out. The church roll was revised for the third time, showing an enrollment of 162 white members, 13 colored members and 13 out of the 162 white members out of bounds. Those thirteen who lived too far away from the church to attend its services were told to put their church letter [membership] in some church near them or they would be dicipllined!" p. 21 Rev. W. B. Elkin followed Mr. Thomason as pastor and seerved for one year. Rev. Mr. Fowler preached the first part of 1883 and Rev. W. J. Langston came the latter part of the year to be pastor. He served until 1892 with a salary of $300 per year. Mr. Langston was a faithful, conscientious preacher and pastor, much beloved by the church he served. During this ministry the pulpit, which was at the opposite end of the church from where it is now, was removed. A new one was placed at the other end of the church, which location it has today. The gallery which was on both sides and one end of the church and which was used by the negroes was torn down." Both churches look very nice. The church for African-Americans is red brick, as I recall, and the other one is white. The old cemetery is on the road just a few yards from the "white folks" church, and the parsonage is across the road (facing the church). Section I of the book, History of Bush River Baptist Church, was written by Mrs. C. M. Smith, Historian, Kinards, SC, August, 1934. p. 3 "We are fortunate in having a brief outline of the organization and beginning of Bush River Chruch in 'The Annals of Newberry C ounty' by O'Neall and Chapman. Also, we have our own original church record, which was begun in 1792 and has been ekpt intact, with the exception of a few years, down through the centuries....[she quotes ANNALS] then states: "We go now to our own original church record as it was begun to be kept by Michael Landers, the first clerk. This record is well preserved, well written in a clear and intelligible handwriting. So, I give you word for word p. 4 as copied from the original record, the facts leading up to the time when a permanent record of the church began to be kept." Mary Alice ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com