There is no record of the exact date our church was established, but it seems to have been in 1868.

Bro. Henry Newman held a two-week revival in a brush harbor. At the end of this revival, it was decided to organize a church. The church was given the name Corinth after the church at Corinth in the Bible.

At this time, they built a slightly better shelter. This was done by put­ting posts in the ground and covering them with boards. Sawdust was put on the ground to serve as a floor. The seats were made from blocks of wood with planks laid across them. This served as the church until cold weather, at which time they moved into a one-room log building which was the school house.

The first recorded minutes of the church were in 1880. At this time, the church met for the purpose of electing delegates to the association. They were Bro. Newman, Jasper Dye, J.L. Davis and J. B. Elliot.

In 1896, W. H. Davis donated 1 1/2 acres of land for the purpose of building a church and for the cemetery. The white frame church was built near the site of our new church. The church also served as a school until 1943 when Midway School was built.

The minutes were recorded only once a year for several years. They only had church services once a month in early years of the church.

Corinth was host to the Beech River Baptist Association in 1908. Dr. W. Golden preached the missionary sermon. Dr. G.M. Savage was in atten­dance. All churches combined gave $384.61 for missions.

Corinth again hosted the association in 1952. A memorial page was placed in the minutes for Bro. George Kolwyck. He had conducted 45 meetings during his ministry. He died while on his knees praying in the North Bemis Baptist Church. Bro. E.E. Duesner preached the missionary sermon.

In 1938, it was voted to have preaching twice a month with Sunday school every Sunday.

The church would not carry on any business on Sundays, so they would meet on Saturday night for their business meetings. In 1945 it was voted to abolish this rule and to have business meetings on Sunday.

Corinth Church moved into its new block building on August 1, 1965, which is now fellowship hall. Dedication was held the 5th Sunday in Octo­ber, 1965.

In 1972 two Sunday school rooms and bathrooms were added. Arra and Jessie Kolwyck bought the brick and paid for the labor to have the church bricked at this time.

The church voted to go full-time December 14, 1975.

In 1976, the church was remodeled. An addition was built on to the back to be used for Sunday school rooms and fellowship hall. The bathrooms were moved, a baptistmal was added, and new pews were installed.

The first Bible school was held in 1976.

The first service in the new sanctuary was held Sunday night, July 17, 1994. A baptismal service was held with Randy Lindsey being baptised. Re­vival also began that day. Bro. Jeff Flowers was the visiting evangelist.

In 1938, the BYPU was started and officers were elected as follows:

Acteens was established in April of 1986. Their first meeting was held in June of 1986. Those in the first enrollment were Kristy Hendrix, Jana Hendrix, and Christy Hughes with Shirley Austin as leader. Their first Rec­ognition Service was held at Union Baptist Church on October 19, 1986. The first Recognition Service held at Corinth Baptist Church was in October, 1987. At that time there were eight enrolled with Valerie Renfroe leader.

The Mission Group was was started in April, 1986. Mission Friend Leaders were Sherry and Valerie Renfroe with three enrolled: Mallory Renfroe, Jessica Renfroe and P. R. Morris.

G.A's leader was Carol Morris. Enrolled were Jennifer Morris, Haley Bedwell, Tammy Austin, Terrie Hill and Kelley Hendrix.

R.A leaders were and are Keith Renfroe, Ray Morris and Phil Threet with three members: Chris Maness, Micah Renfroe and Bruce Taylor.

The WMU was organized in January, 1990, with Mrs. Edith Blackwell as president, which position she is still serving. The WMU is a support group for each Mission class. They are also prayer warriors and support all the needs of the church.

As of today our leaders are Vickey Wadley, Mission Friends; Jewell Reeves and Sherry Renfroe, G.A's; Valerie Renfroe and Joy Threet, Acteens.

Today our missions have expanded and are growing in number and spirit.

Preachers Ordained at Cornith
1. J.B. Eads	5. Dennis Reeves
2. Lee Carrington	6. James Renfroe
3. George Kolwyck	7. Robert Reeves
4. J.V. Reeves	8. Curtis Wilson

PASTORS OF CORINTH BAPTIST CHURCH 1868-1884 Henry Newman 1884-1891 C. C. Bussel 1892-1897 G. H. Wood 1897-1899 J. B. Hays 1900-1903 E. L. Davis 1904-1905 C. C. Bussel 1906-1908 O. H. Davis 1908-1910 T. M. Newman 1911-1914 Asa Joyner 1914-1919 Lee Carrington 1919-1928 George Kolwyck 1928-1929 W. F. Boren 1930-1935 George Kolwyck 1935-1936 Bro. SaHer 1936-1937 George Kolwyck 1937-1938 Cecil Young 1938-1948 Lee Carrington 1949-1950 Graddie Woods 1950-1959 Arvin Rhodes 1960-1962 C. L. Haggard 1963-1968 Connie Burton 1968-1971 John Powers 1971-1975 Ervin McDaniel 1975-1978 Harold Hopper 1978-1984 John D. Small 1984-1986 Harold Hopper 1987- Don Franks

Henry Newman founded Corinth Baptist Church in approximately 1868. He had a son, T.M. Newman, who was also a Baptist preacher and pastored Corinth Church at one time. He also had two grandsons who were Baptist preachers, George Kolwyck and J. T. Bradfield. George Kolwyck also pastored Corinth Church for several years. Clarence Kolwyck, a great grandson of Henry Newman and a lawyer at Chattanooga, Tennessee, wrote this about his great­grandfather in the history of the family:

"Elder Henry Newman came into the wilderness of West Ten­nessee as a hell fire and brimstone Baptist preacher, with the zeal of John the Baptist and the determination to stamp out sin wherever found. Being a tall, rawboned Lincolnesque type, with the ability of Cassius Clay and the reach of Joe Lewis, he was not adverse to using other means when the Bible failed him in his many encounters with the devil."

There are decendents of Henry Newman that are members of Corinth Church at the present time.

Click here for Corinth Cemetery

This article found at the Henderson County Library