The following is an article from Argyll Colony Plus Vol.5 No.2 Spring 1990:(This History was written by Henry Hodgen, now deceased, of Red Springs, North Carolina) "In Hoke County, a short distance east of the Allendale Community Building, and just north of the intersection of county roads #1314 and #1318 is the site of Old Raft Swamp Presbyterian Church. A few yards south of it is the cemetery of John McMillan who gave land for the church. The first recorded reference to Raft Swamp is in the journal of Rev. Hugh McAden, who was sent by the Synod of Philadelphia as a missionary to preach to the Scots of the Cape Fear Valley. He records that he preached at the home of John McMillan to a group known as the Raft Swamp Meeting. He also tells of preaching at the home of Roger McNeill on the Cape Fear (now Old Bluff Church), at Alexander McKay's (now Longstreet Church) and at the Home of Mr. Cameron (now Barbecue Church). This was in the year 1755 so there were Presbyterians in the area before that time. These Scots had repeatedly applied to the Church of Scotland for a minister to be sent but the mother church never acted on their requests. For the next years there was no regular minister at Raft Swamp but it was supplied by itinerant preachers and whatever preacher happened to pass through. Then came the Revolutionary War and the religious life as well as other enterprises suffered. After the close of the Revolution, it was learned that a Highland preacher was in Charleston, SC seeking a location. John McCormick, Duncan McMillan and a Mr. Currie, members of the Raft Swamp, consulted and determined to visit him. They constructed a boat in the swamp of Lumber River and set off down the Lumber River and The Little PeeDee into Winyah Bay at Georgetown. There they left the boat and set off by foot to Charleston. They located the Rev. Duncan Crawford, a Highland Preacher who had served in the British service as a chaplain and remained in NC after the Revolution. After explaining their situation the Rev. Crawford agreed to accept their offer and the four set off on foot to Georgetown carrying the preacher's effects on their backs. ........After landing at Campbells Bridge near Floral College the preachers effects were loaded on a drag and carried to Raft Swamp where he immediately set about his labors........................................................................ In 1789 Rev Crawford organized Raft Swamp Church, although services had been conducted on the site since 1750. Hugh McAden preached there in 1755, Rev. James Campbell made it one of his regular points from 1757 till the Revolution, Rev. John McLoud of Bluff Preached there frequently. After the church burned in 1825, Raft Swamp was not rebuilt. Unfortunately there was a great temperance revival about this time and a schism in the congregation resulted. As the old court records show, many of these old Scotsmen considered the family still property of considerable value, passing from father to son. So Raft Swamp congregation divided into factions of dry, wet, and apathetic. It is told the drys joined the Centre and the wets chose Bethel where the minister was far more tolerant of the situation. However a solid nucleus met at McPall's Mill where they usually had a passing preacher. In 1832 this group changed their location to what is now Antioch and in 1833 changed the name to Antioch. Therefore Antioch is the successor to Raft Swamp. By 1800 the members of Raft Swamp had formed churches more centrally located to their community and as a result Raft Swamp was the mother church of Antioch, Big Rockfish, Center, Laurel Hill, Philadelphus, Ashpole, and Saint Pauls. Besides exerting a great influence on religious life in the area, it contributed to the cause of Presbyterianism in the South. By 1800 5 of it's sons were studying for the ministry at Dr. Caldwell's school in Guilford County. They were Daniel Brown, Duncan Brown, Malcolm McNair, Murdock McMillan, and Murdock Murphy. Brown was licensed by Orange Presbytery at Barbecue Church in 1800 and the other four at the same place in 1801."