Willow Swamp Baptist Church History.
Hebrews 10:25,
“Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”.
The Willow Swamp Baptist Church had its beginning in the year 1805, when on June 1st, thirty six member of good standing received their dismissal, at their own request, from the Dean Swamp Baptist Church near Springfield, SC. They were dismissed for the purpose of organizing a church on Willow Swamp Creek. It was on August 10th of the same year that these members met at the home of William Tyler on Willow Swamp Creek and with the help of the brethren, James Sweat and Isaac Duabosque, the Presbytery chosen to constitute them into a church, they drew up a constitution for "the Church of Christ" and were organized into what is now known as the Willow Swamp Baptist Church. The first two deacons were the brethren, Richard Simons and Charles Felder and also the first preacher being listed as being Brother Charles Felder.
In the original minute book are recorded minutes from 1805 through 1887. Through the conferences, the church kept in touch with the actions in the lives of its members. Although we had civil and criminal courts back in those days, since the Constitution of the United States provided for this when the Constitution was of accepted by all the states in 1788, it seems that the church, however, held its own little court at each conference. Members were brought up for dancing, personal disputes between two members, or even husbands and wives, the use of profanity, drunkenness, and many other things. If said member was found guilty, he was expelled from the church, but could be reinstated if proper repentance was shown.
The Willow Swamp Church has had five different houses of worship since its beginning. The first was a small one room wooden structure on Willow Swamp Creek about 1 1/4 miles west of its present location. Here whites and blacks worshipped together, seated in separate sections. After worshipping in this little church building for a number of years, the second church house was built just across the road from the present church. They worshipped in this building until 1865.
Lumber was stacked on the grounds. Then it happened - the never forgotten Sherman March swept through the South and the church and the stack of lumber were burned! The minutes record that the lumber had not even been paid for at the time. The dark days of reconstruction provided no money for the building of a church house, so for the next ten years worship was held in what they called a "shelter" which stood in the same spot as our present church. This "shelter" served as a school during these same years as well.
In 1869, the community had recuperated enough to begin plans for the erection of another church house. The Blacks were authorized to build their own church, and the church Clerk was authorized to give them their letters upon request.
The Reverend S.B. Sawyer, pastor at the time, gave the lumber for the building of the whites, and later a large one room frame structure with a front porch supported by tall columns was erected. It was located where the cemetery is now. This served as a meeting place for about 55 years, when the church decided in 1919 to erect the present structure.
The late B.B. Williams, Sr. played a great part in the building of the church house, for he gave all the brick that went into the massive structure. Our present building was completed in the summer of 1920, and stands as a beautiful memorial to the struggle our ancestors went through to give us the heritage of their faith, their religious beliefs, and their loyalty to Jesus Christ.
Willow Swamp Baptist Church has been serving the Lord Jesus Christ for over 200 years, and we will continue to do so until that day when He takes us all home to be with him in Heaven.
If you would like more information on our church please do not hesitate to call, or come visit us during any of our weekly services.
“Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”.
The Willow Swamp Baptist Church had its beginning in the year 1805, when on June 1st, thirty six member of good standing received their dismissal, at their own request, from the Dean Swamp Baptist Church near Springfield, SC. They were dismissed for the purpose of organizing a church on Willow Swamp Creek. It was on August 10th of the same year that these members met at the home of William Tyler on Willow Swamp Creek and with the help of the brethren, James Sweat and Isaac Duabosque, the Presbytery chosen to constitute them into a church, they drew up a constitution for "the Church of Christ" and were organized into what is now known as the Willow Swamp Baptist Church. The first two deacons were the brethren, Richard Simons and Charles Felder and also the first preacher being listed as being Brother Charles Felder.
In the original minute book are recorded minutes from 1805 through 1887. Through the conferences, the church kept in touch with the actions in the lives of its members. Although we had civil and criminal courts back in those days, since the Constitution of the United States provided for this when the Constitution was of accepted by all the states in 1788, it seems that the church, however, held its own little court at each conference. Members were brought up for dancing, personal disputes between two members, or even husbands and wives, the use of profanity, drunkenness, and many other things. If said member was found guilty, he was expelled from the church, but could be reinstated if proper repentance was shown.
The Willow Swamp Church has had five different houses of worship since its beginning. The first was a small one room wooden structure on Willow Swamp Creek about 1 1/4 miles west of its present location. Here whites and blacks worshipped together, seated in separate sections. After worshipping in this little church building for a number of years, the second church house was built just across the road from the present church. They worshipped in this building until 1865.
Lumber was stacked on the grounds. Then it happened - the never forgotten Sherman March swept through the South and the church and the stack of lumber were burned! The minutes record that the lumber had not even been paid for at the time. The dark days of reconstruction provided no money for the building of a church house, so for the next ten years worship was held in what they called a "shelter" which stood in the same spot as our present church. This "shelter" served as a school during these same years as well.
In 1869, the community had recuperated enough to begin plans for the erection of another church house. The Blacks were authorized to build their own church, and the church Clerk was authorized to give them their letters upon request.
The Reverend S.B. Sawyer, pastor at the time, gave the lumber for the building of the whites, and later a large one room frame structure with a front porch supported by tall columns was erected. It was located where the cemetery is now. This served as a meeting place for about 55 years, when the church decided in 1919 to erect the present structure.
The late B.B. Williams, Sr. played a great part in the building of the church house, for he gave all the brick that went into the massive structure. Our present building was completed in the summer of 1920, and stands as a beautiful memorial to the struggle our ancestors went through to give us the heritage of their faith, their religious beliefs, and their loyalty to Jesus Christ.
Willow Swamp Baptist Church has been serving the Lord Jesus Christ for over 200 years, and we will continue to do so until that day when He takes us all home to be with him in Heaven.
If you would like more information on our church please do not hesitate to call, or come visit us during any of our weekly services.