|
Mt.
Bethel Baptist Church
Anderson County, South Carolina Genealogy
Trails
 Mt. Bethel was
constituted February 13, 1836 with 15 members
meeting for worship on the second Sunday of the
month under a brush arbor. In 1837, a small log house was
built for a place of worship. Because the only flooring which
it boasted was wheat straw over the bare ground, it was given
the name "Straw Pen". Some years later a larger and more
substantial building was erected at a total cost of $40.00.
This building was used until 1873. By 1838 the total
membership had grown to 35. The first burial in the cemetery
was a fifteen year old young man in 1838. Later in 1839, the
church baptized 24 and had a total membership of
58.
By the year of
1848, the mailing address was shown as the Craytonville Post
Office with the membership at 63. Sunday School was
organized in 1870 with 30 members and in 1873, the third
building was erected to seat 400 people. This building was
made of wood with clapboard siding. The church grew to
173 members in the next several years. The pastor's
salary was $50.00 per year in 1877. and by 1882, the pastor's
salary had risen to $100.00 per year.
In 1883, Mt.
Bethel reported having 2 Sunday Schools in 2 locations with
one school reporting 61 enrolled and the other school
reporting 88 enrolled. In 1885, a new school house was built
on church grounds. During 1888, the church obtained 2 services
a month on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. In 1891, the church raised
$25.00 for the purpose of assisting in the building of an
orphanage as well as $5.00 for the purchase of a
Bible.
In April of
1912, a baptismal pool was constructed on church grounds and
in 1924 a new brick building that would seat 1000 at a
cost of $12,850.00 was ready to be built. It was dedicated in
May of 1925 and was debt-free. Membership had jumped to
626. In 1946, the church added a parsonage and the first
full time pastor was added. A new educational building was
built in 1962, and the cost of this building was $57,944.00.
(Source: Mt. Bethel Baptist
Church website) |