--------~------;;-------;:;;---------------~

4,~U (t~~

~~ , 1f.[81'O Y' F FLIPPEN ME'rHODISl' CHURCH

Zear eth ist Church was r an1zej in 1 40, ne year bet' re; the " v

• Churm at 0X:f' 1! ' lra:a bu:f:Jlt.•

The r e:u' w~ re:call. thii. t "Zeal''' 1-5 a B1ble name which. means ItIit t~e ".

Ibds' name as 1ven t ne ef the est cities f canaan. When he cities

~ the p]a ~were 'e~tr yed, zear was spar as a r fu e f r ~.

Zoar Churcht w s tw - miles n rth :f the F~1p n C !IIlmunity on the

tlanta- con. r ,. rmw H1~hway II 42,. One a~re i£ h was dee b;W 11&5 f1rst

ensb t - the Tru-ste 'ZOAlP' Chu:rct'thew G1~bep't" Al~e Johnson.

and Benjamin ~b,b, for the SUDll ~- tEl dellars ( • 00) • Ctyf rea t gr nd-­

children:r _'. Benjamm Cr&Jbb, Mrs. Bo-b Payne and Mr. ~h Kelley.s1til

reside in c nou~h, Geep ia.)

taL cation en the east side f the r ,wher the Tunis rod

enters the nta~Mac. III l' a , Z l' Church, w s; constructed. The framing was;

pine; p !e.s. R u hi, wi e b 9..rds were use f r weather boardin •

There was n eei~ at all. inside the structure. The benches, were home­

made witlm De board for the- back SUppOJI't:. The pUlpl1t was in the north_ en

elf the build1nc. There: was me or in the south of the build1ng and tw ­

d ,Cl'TS in the north,. one Ql!Il e1thep- s1 e; near the flameD c rner". square

a~tar surr unde the Chance~. Wind ws were on each sida.

cr.-ss the r ad from the Church was a large ~rove of s. l-Dn' ' the

:rs s we:re tie in the coo~ shade f the trees. Hopse-draWlll vehicles include

shining bug ies. f'arm wacons, and J:casionally- an_ cart.

The road! on which Z ar was 1 .cated was traveled by one wing o,:C.

Sherman's rmy orn their way t the sei.,. but, like the '7. ar ef the p]ains of

canaan" God spare Zoar Church fr m the torch f the enemy.

For fourteen years after Zoar was founded: we, have . records extant.

The deed was recor ed in 1840, four years before. the Northe2'n and SOUth rn

sep ration f the Methodist churehf For ten years after the beginnang ~f the

Methodist €hurch" SouthJwe have n records f the rth G or ia Conference"

~ ratheu of the churches that now compose the Lorth Geor~ia Conference.

In J!.854 there were, nly nine districts in Ge ~,ia, namely: Athens,

ugust&, Dahlonega. Marietta. ~Grange., Malcon., C lumbus, DJmpkin... and

SandersvilJJ.e.•

Z ar Church was pr ~ in the r1, tta District and on the Uoving,ton ~

Circuit in' the year 1854. It ap~8~~t this section was nearest tha.t.

circuit th2.m ny others recorded in the- Minutes of that time. The; P'l'esidin

Elder of the, Malrietta D1stric.t duri~ thaLt time was Rev. J.W. Talle-y. It

there:fore· is evident that the first pastop of ZO&r Chlr ch was Rev., W..R.,

Branham" pastor of C vin,ton C1rcu1.t in 1854.

I1'll 1855 the Atlant District was formed. At th1.s time MCDonough became

a Charge, within this Distric.t with, Hi d Lana as Pastor. The MCDono~gh

Circuit probably included alll the churches, w1thiru . wide r dius. Zo.ar Church

was a part of the McDonoUgh Char~a. The rec rds shQW th t the McDonOUgh

Circu:tt had 474 members,. 9 local preachers '0 and 107 SUn:d y SChool Pllpi1.1.sx

in the year 1856.

One of the e rly circuit riders, Windsor GrayhaD1J. preached oftelll at (185 ,)

Zo r fter he was superaIlDJ.1, ted. BrotheJJ' Grayham was a.. preachel" of great powe •

He was the great grandi' ther of Wilson J1. Cul.p,ep-l)-er, who, is now a preacher in

the North Geor ia COnference.

In 1859 the Griffin Dis,trict was f rme • McDono h was wi thin the

bounds of this new District. The Reverend W.R. Branham was p~ointed the

Presiding Elder of the Distr1~t. During this> ye, Jonesbor reported for the

first time as a Ch rge. A.t th t time Dle DcDono h Pastor" Rev. H..H., Waters t

liv d in Jonesboro.

lh 1860 the McDonough Charge, Rev. Robert W. I,o;vet't stor, paj;

123.00 for isS31ons. Prior to this date n mention is made in the Mllnutes

f the amounlt padd ~_ Pasto1' t s salar;w.

In ]L861 McDonough and Jonesbor were. in the same Charge with TJl8

Reverend ~bert Gr y as Pastor. This arraniement pravailed until. the year

1864 wherJl McDonoush and Jackson w re p ced on the same Char~e. resum bly

the smaller churches around McDonou~h wer~ included in al~ the bove chan~ s

which affected McDbnou~h.

In the year JJ365 McDonough wa.s withdr wn from. Char e affiliations

with Jackso1'Jl and, alo~ with the smaller churches,. a in became the. cDonau h

Charge.

The Geor~1a Conference was divided in 18-66, forming the North Geor~1a

CO.lllference nd the South Geor&1a Conference. At th1' same Coni' nc the

fixed salaries f r pr chers became the order. This is tha first time salar1e:l

WeTe m e. specific.

Dr,anization f the CoJ.or .E. Church wa& affecte in 1867.. Shortly

thel'eafter McDono~h hil its firs.t cor nssion. At tb1-a th re were

five churches D the 14CDono\l&h Charge.

The Con£e~ence ·f 1870"which. met in AU&ust&., p:a.sse reso.lutiollS t ~;'/t:',,/

e&ta..blish a· pl'lan's) EPa in the th GeorgJ.ai C nfe.rence. Church

s ever been unmindfuL of the ~reatnesa f that reso.lution. nQll' of tne

priVilege of h v.dnc a small p rt in th1a Chriatian wo~ •

Lay deL atea were sent to the Annua~ Q arenee f r the firs.t t e.

in 1871. imi the dele ates from the Griffiu District wue Ja.s.e. N.· H rris,

br ther of the .late. Jud e. .el. ~~is, and Benj L. ~per.

:rn l871 the Stewards of the local Church ware uthorized to) fix th

pay o£ their reapective p&stor&.

S.even churches, were. numb red 1nl the McDaJJo~ Charge in 1872.· 0

of these was. Zoar. The cha e in charge. b u aries and tranaf'ers. from. one.

ch 'rge to ano.theIl' of e:hUpches were. cJ.ear imications of the growth into

maturity of the ever exp.andi Me.thodist Churdb.

t Sparta, Ge r&:.j:a Bish ,p Pierce presided at the Conference; of 1876.

Brother A.cr. Harris. was: the e1.eg te fro. zoar Church'. The ~Jr.i name has

from e rly d y& been associ ted With the Church.

The Woman's Mis$ionary So,ciaty of the N rth Ge r ia Cant' nee WaS

organ:f-z-.ed :tn 1878. The first 1 1. society s at Marietta, Geor~ia. It was

nOJt until the ye r 1900 t~ t this Church w 50 t ' or aniz.e for th&s great

work.

The sa~y of the s tor· of the MC;})oIrough Char~a in the yea.r l881..

was $ 476.67. This, how ver, did not include chick ns, syrup, ani potatoes.

!n the yesterdays s in the pr sent th pastor's: salary is neve~ the maxim

f his compensation.

Tragedy came t "the cDonough Ch r&a in th ye 1.884. The RevereDd

bert. Gray" who, had s rved s . sto.r for only six onths, passed on. to his

e ar Church was s '1.d, aLong wi th i.ts one era of land, for

the sum r $ 1.00.00 cash to on MP·. rlow. From this time forward IIZoaJl'''

dro.p,s out. o;f h:tstol1y and ' new ChUrch olnMllmew J.ocatioDl. emer ea.

Th SO. them R ilr Qld from.tu ta d just been complet d im.

1886,and Flippen w a m de PoS.t Office. 'BBus8ee6:

T1'Ie membe:ush1p of Z alI" felt that the Flip be -beour - - -­

l.oc tion for' the Church. and uthorized the. st.a.r., Rav. JIm • 13Owdam.,

5 dl the trua'te s) at thaJt time, J.R. Price. J.R. Pair, an C.R. 'ttie:t' som

~Q,t o£ land nd conatruct & new Church. Th n w Church. wasto seeurte'

to bear the n e of the Community, ~liRpen·.

Th' nd for the naw Church s ~iv n by Mr. A.G. Harris, (His daughter,1

Mrs. Howard R. cr:lWIIlfcl1ae~J Q,f Ea1St POint })as; just i ven a p.llaque to b~

pllacedJ 111, the Church ill me /ry f her f fther~.

iley, a resident of Jonesb r , was emplo,yed to build the

Churc.h. While this construction was unde.J y, the membership worshi.PJped in

the Fli pen SchoaJ..

The new Church 'w s cODq>l.et and r dy for dedication 1D 1.886.· Bishop

Warren; '. Gandl.er pr ach the dedic tory sermon. Hi V. Jo,hn M. Bowden was

the flLstor.

significant chang came about when worship services were begun in

the new Flippen Church. new ora:an was purchased, and for the first time-

the mem:bers sa to the accompan1m nt f a mus1 1 instrument. sallie Fannie

Harris was the first ora: niat. She w1ll be r embered a.s- the. ughtelr of

A.G. Halrris nd the ma·ther -r Hi -rris cGurry. The latter is now a member

f th Offici 1 Board Q)f the Church t Flippen.

The first sumlay Scho UL SUperintendent of F11p)j)t'n Church was Mr., Menry

Lowern. lie 'W s; SUp.erintendent, -t Zoar whelJl s.ervides were last held there.

Other sup:erinrt.endert s throu~h the y rs· w r: .B.

stansell, J.B. Rowan, Dr. B•• HOXOD, J.T. strickland, H.C. Ril Y" cTQJ1Q.

Eo d, sam Da;il.ey, nd W.C. Dall y, the pre.s nt SUp.erintendent. diVJ'

¥r. J .B. Rowan sep-ved! 10 er tha~o.theJr Sup.sr'intendent. He, often walked

throu h sn w, ill1 the Winter and 1n.tense he t of summeJi" t ,r ch his Church.

His duties did not end ith tho of sup rintend nt. he 'p.ened the Church.

buil.t fires, tau ht 'c1 ss;~ nd served s so leader. Mr. Rowan's f i th­Fv,"es$

to, Flippen Church is s,t111. bear1n~ fru t .•

i

Z all' Churc nave ' eat b11she 8J. cemetery, but hortly a1'ter the Fl~pl

Chur was complete., lot. f 1 nd ell' ss the l' d fr the Church w s se

aside: as a: p' ce. £ th ,s.e lfh l' st £1' m th labors. T first one ta., 'b,e

burie yPtice rD., frl ' f fie years who die in la95.

fth t e p' c of mare an re ve be ' th th s d of this .

hal wed spo,'t,. memibel"'8 fe~t re keenly the ne f l' better care o:f the

cem tery. Durin the m ev. C. J. Gr 'lhe (1.947) The Flippen M.em.ori ~

an1z ti III meets twice cn ye , l~ nd

Spri~. The cemetery is cJ..e tech meati. e orial service is held

at ch Sprin mating.

The historian 1s always interested n what pe p~e reo thinking a.bout

durin any erioct f hist ry-• .Bel w 1,s p rt at a resolution passed t the

Annual CoIllf renee at' 1892, which. met at dison, 'or ia. " he scri,p.,tural

ebservance of the Christia sabbath is t civi 11bel't. and: upon

t len ely ends. th t piritua p er with wlU.cJ:n &.Lone. the . urc aan ho

t c0DQ:UeIl" the w rJL ." This shoUiJ.d f'i'er fa d :for ur conte p rary thinking.

e. It was ithci.rawn in

97.

Aft l' rema in the tlan District for fo te years, the _~l«l

Me::Dozlotllgh. r, was a " in p ce 'thin. the juriscl:iction f the GriffiDl

District.. The R verend Frank S. Hudson wa , the Pastor wh l'll this change was

ma~.

It s 1l'll 1897 that the first rtbl Lea e was or anise at Flip n.

Miss, G' rtrude Da.:U.ey s· e~ected pre;giden't.

Names P:l?.ear~ in! th old records c.la s leaders, de.1egates, ete.. ar :

J.R. Pair. G•• R wan, W.C. Hami ton, .:r.L. Str z1er, •• Hul1I1&, .C. ar is,

, J.W. Rountr e, W.L. Bail', and J.K. Ho •

7

Jrn the year 19,00 the Pa tor, Rev. F.S. Hudson, appointe the: £o.1.lowin«

Twentieth C,entury Commd.ttee..

J. C. Harris- J•• Rountl'ee

Miss l' Price­

Tempemnc.e­

J •. B. Rowan Rav. T.J. Johnson

iss. Annie Harris Miss aphelia Pair

It is very int.erestiIli to nUJte the eM e in the bud ;et fr IIIl. early

t1lles t the present. The McDonough Char e' :ti.n 1.893 s asse.ssed $ 800.-00.­

FLtipp.en's shar . of this was 150.00. Fl:i.ppen stewards at that tim were.

• G. Harris. ..B. &li.ley, J.B. R n, and M.D. Rountree. D1 .1905 th Charge

sasses CL 940.00. Fl:1.ppen's p rt was .105 •.00.

The atewards in 19.0!7 were: W.Rl. Buren. J •.T. Strickland, and W.L. Glass.

During this year the membership of 2(J7 was assessed ~80.00 and paid., 200.00.

The Pastor's salary f r the McDoDO~ Char~e :1.n 1909 s 1000.00.

F~p~enpaid $ 225.00 of th$s am unt.

In: .19.10 the t tal mount raise-d by the Flippen Church .ft r .u. purp ses

was $ 594.00.

Th t. by the Fl.tp. n Church during the

CQ~erence Year .1950-5.1 was $ 2,6.18.43.

-r The first Woman's Missionary society was or anize t F1ipp;en in 1900 wit !IS

M.D. R tree as; President. These or aniz tions wera. a.£f cted at the F1i.ppen

Church duri~ the ministry f The Reverend Frank • HUdson. MOl! necent~

n ddttion ~ r" n1 tion s been dded to th Woman's Society. ill 1947

th Wesleyan Se~vice Guild s or nized. This s dur ~, the m nistr of

R v. C.~. Grilbe.

One of th ereat preachers of th.is Conference; who, served F1:lppen is

Rev. II. • Edmo son. He served t~ McDonough Ch rein 1903. For bi..s many

contributions and fiDe w rlt:JFl.:iip;p.en ~1ngly rem mbers h.1.s pastorate,.

It was Bro. Edmondson who, organize the Flippen Juvenile issio y

S ciety. Thj:s roup s k111:mm. as "The Edmondson Juveniles". Amo ; the members

Br fl, now a Steward, W.C. I)Uley, now S.S. Sup.erintend nt

and Steward. Blla Da.i~ey, Ev) Harris. JOM ul. Ro n, Kate• GIalss, and ,G s. Miss, Willie, Rountree w s Lady na~er a,f the Edmo:mdson

Juverll:1.es.

The Reverend Jim En~1and succeededl Mr. Edmondson. H, s-erve-d faithfully

and well for four years.

In 1914 the Reverend H race 8m th became Jastor of th cDonau h Char e,.

lie was the las-t Pastor of the McDOl:lO:lJL2:h Char&,e to serve Flippen. I:ru 1915

Flippen was ' ced with the Stockbridie GhalI'ge,. Th R verend Walter carmicba.

was then tor' at st ckbri~e_.

(JIttt "1#­

The Stockbrid &"W8S put in the SOUlth Atlanta Diatr1ct in 1916., T

Reverend P.E. LaPrade: Vi -s; l?r lSiding Elder- and, The Re-verend Wi Iter Carmichael

. was the Stockbridge Pastor. Brother carmichae~ later. enter d orLd ar I as

Chaplain. 41-1~e. Id~~<l .o/~ r~;e.r-

The Reverend John Jenkins, was Presiding Elderl\192 ,129. 130. '31., In

~93l the Stockbridge Ghar e. went back into the GriUin District.

Durin the min4stry of the Reverend G.P. cantrell (in ~934) Flippen

Church was remode~e • StLnday Schoo~ rooms were bUilt, a choir lo.r* constructeq

mew ews dde" nd o.ther improvement ......

ai d'Uri~ the minis.try of Rav. "F. • Ba.1~ey (JS 0) much work was done.

in virq: the Chureh. This w s m de p_o sib.Le by Mrs. C. Edward right

Atlant • She as formerly Miss za Johnson. d ughter of the Reverend T.J.

J on.. a ~ ca~ pre cher of the Fl:tp n Church f many years. Mr •. Wr iht

ave freely of her sub:st nee; to the Church of her childboo • The maIllf . ­,

ov ments inc e were f'oofi , intil1&. ca» et~. pU1pit .fJ1rniture,

and ~ be utiful mem ri ~ window to h r family.

A.na;theJ!" for rd step: in phJtsica . rovements was d in. ~947 dur

the mini try of R&¥. C.J. Grillie. BrQ,ther Grille drew ns fran

sUlpepvised the construction f recr t10n bulld1n&;. The cost of thi

structure w s 2500.00. But for the many contr butions f friends nd

members this cost w ul have been much ~r ter. The men ve of the:t.r t

and, money. the. 1 dies i ve supper t and many p; p1.e i v utensils and

appliances to equip the buildil1& fter it was co ~ete..

Fbm- imsters bav,e ione out from, the Flippen Church. • t-ald.p. J. •

R ree, s·on f Mr. and Mrs. J m W. Roun'tr e.,served the South. Gear 1a

Conf'erence. S1nc:e his. sup:e nnuatioliD. he nd his wife ve li~ed in their

TUton, Ge ria. • !ley, s n f Mr. s. A. Dail y, &~~-()-.n)

h sepvec in the th Geor i Confer nc • His pres n 1n'tm.. nt is

Chic, a, G r i Lovette Burch., son of Mr. and Mrs. W•• Burch, serve in

the North Geor i Conference. He Bsed om to his reward last ye 1" 5),

and was bur' dint .•UpJpen Cemetery. Burch. Fannin, son :£ 11_• .w.I.­ nd M;r •

Hug nn:l:ll!. is now s~~ th Wo stock Chair the N rt Ge or

C J1.e ·(~950~).

Fl1pll6n Chur g&.ve her' y JIlIi..lUJiOQ.(1 1n e cll. of ur maj J?

wars. FOUT rn the service fl i a;:f Wor.ld War II. These weI' f

Wayn-e Phill1'p, erl'y Stewart, Willi. Touchstone, and Harris Branna.

10

Two of the Fl:tpp.en eJDlbers of yester y served fai thf'ully on the

Bard of Trustees f Shingler if camp. They w reo M.D. Rountree. a.nd .1. Glas •

Servi with ) less diligence nd concern t prese -t is W.C. Dalley-., The

f ct that a tent is wned and ma1r.ut ined by the Church is clear evidence of

Flipp~n's lave for and interes~ 1m Shingleroof.

The membershf.p of the Flippen. Church at the end of the Conterence Year

1950-51 is 275.

The officials of tPe Church, for 1950-51 ara:

Rev. Robert L. Taylor was app ,inted Pa~stor of the Stockbridge in J"UJ1le,

~949. He has served the conference years 1949-50 and 1950-51.

Board of Stewards­

Geo.rge A. Brannan Miss> Allie B. Fanmd.'n Ta deE. Nail David A. Branmn H.P. Fo&ter L. PauJi. R warn J .R. Carmichael. Mrs. J.J. Hollow8.7 Mrs. zackery Th~psom W.C. Dailey W. Ha;rris McCurry Hi !race R 111 n Sherwood Bra.I1lJan(HonorarYD.T. Foster •• C wan

Sunday School SUper1m ndent: W.C. Da.il.ey

Youth Counselor­

W.S.C.s. President- Mrs. Carrie SU stewart Mrs. Harris cCurry{ W.S• .Bu:1J.d)

Pr sident Boar of Education- Mrs. L.L. Mo re

Trustee - W.C. Dailey T•• Nail.. Sherwood Brannan A.C. Babb R.·T. Rowan

Church! Treasurer- J .R. carmichael

:A:ls-tors throu the years have been:­

1. -Tom M. Bowden 2. J.W. st1p 3.Ji.E. Rosser 4. W.W. Brinsfield 5. Ji.W• Thurman: 6. F.S. Hudson 7. J.L. Moon 8. R. • Edmondson

9. J'. • England ll. OUn ~ 12. A. B. sanders 13. H,. s. smith

14. W.P. carmichael 15. W., '. Wells~6. Rev. SOrrells 17...l.S. Thrailkll

1.8. R.E. Rutland 19. D.B. Cantrell 20. J'.L. Harrison 21. 1.P. HUckaby

22. G.J. Davis 23. Richard Lane 24. ALbert Gray 25. Richard Waters

.. .. r I~

1II

rs­.'l .­T.E. :Ha1rben 2a. J s Harris26. bert Lovet . 27.

29 • G.T. Embry 30. eTo M. Bri ht 3Ji... Jo Harr1.s .)

32. Ja es R. Mayso 33. A.W. Rowland 34. J.W. rbro~h

35. Richard W. Ro. ers 36. c.e. Spe e 37. Ge r e Tho 5

38. J.C. DaVids 39. Sherman ~land 40. W.P. Em1th

cantr~4 • J.T. Richardson 42. T. S L·. Harwell. 43, G.P.

44. G.G. Ramsey 45. J.W. ~ 4&. Y.A. BaiJ..ey

Grilhe.47'. Jom M. Maxwel~ 48. R.B. lql.e 49. C.J.

50. Robert L. Taylor

District SUperintendents ( Presiding Elders before Unification)­

3. e s W. HintOl'1.

6. Jalm Simmo

9. Jam s E. Evans

12. W.W. Wi dsworth

15. W.F. G~e!Ul

18. P.B. Prde

21. R.L. Russell

t11ea recor s ha e no,t; been

pl'a eJ"l1,ec}, and; ma~ imp , t nt eVient h:we L sine, en for otten, 1.t is

ssible to. recor many th1 ' s which st have o.ce:ure that

reader in:tere:s:t. Ho~we er, th& wr1te~ hop:es that. within &- ages ill. be . ­

cluded historical da whiCh wilL inspir ach reade~ i such nn that ru w11~

w nt. to Ltv the same kind of h '; lUe whieh is c raet.eri tic :r tillls who

names an inO. ence ll~ thro h the ye s.