Oak Grove Church

(1900-?)

The Gospel Messenger Oct. 13, 1900 page 656 Vol. 38 No. 41

A New Congregation In Eastern North Carolina.

About six years ago a blind man by the name of Haynes, now dead, an evangelist, preached in eastern North Carolina and baptized a Mr. Williams, then a citizen of North Carolina, and ordained him a minister in what he called the church of God. It was trine immersion. Three yearS later Williams baptized Lewis Foys, then a minister in the Free Will Baptist church, and ordained him a minister. Since then Lewis Foys baptized twenty-one persons in his community and organized them, there being one minister, one exhorter and one deacon, with a house of worship. Their faith and practice were almost identical with the Brethren's. But they stood without conference relations. So far as they know Haynes represented only himself. His church, the church of God, could not be found.

  Elder Foys came in possession of some of our literature and at once put himself in correspondence with our General Mission Board.   It was only a short time till he developed a desire to unite himself and his little flock with the Brethren church. Last February the Board asked me to pay them a visit and see what could be done toward bringing them into the church. On the seventeenth day of March I went down. But when it was stated to them that they would have to be rebaptized, they having been baptized just as we baptize, and that their present organization would be a

thing of the past, they were slightly set back. Whereupon it was suggested that they take more time to weigh the matter and labor to be united. This was accepted.

  But before the Board meeting in May, Elder Foys wrote the board that they were well nigh a unit to come, and to send some one to attend to their wants. So, according to the Board's request, Bro. J. M. Cline, of Knightly, Va., and myself went to them the twelfth of September, and on the seventeenth twelve persona were baptized, and on the same day they were organized. Bro. Lewis Foys was elected as minister, Bro. Jerry Foys as deacon, Sister Anna Foys as secretary and treasurer. Brethren Bryant Mitchel and Jerry Foys as trustees, and H. C. Early was chosen as elder for the present. The new organization is to be known as the White Oak Grove congregation. They own a cburchhouse 20 x 30 feet, not yet plastered or ceiled, located four miles south of LaGrange, Lenoir County, North Carolina.

   One of the twelve baptized had not been a member of the former organization. Two applicants for membership were not baptized on account of their health. They expect to come soon. And we feel there are others near.

  With the necessary help and judicious management we think the outlook rather promising. The doctrine is new to those people, but they say our practice agrees with the reading exactly. Now let it be known to traveling ministers that they will meet a ready welcome in this little church and find a field ripe for the sickle. May God's blessing abound.

H. C. Early.  Montevideo, Va., Sept. 29.