By John Mann
Bethany Baptist Church celebrated its 235th anniversary on Sept. 11 with a day-long celebration.
The church was founded in the Guinea area of Caroline County in 1770. By 1800, the congregation had relocated to its present site just across the Spotsylvania County line, near Thornburg. A frame building was erected and members worshipped in it until fire destroyed it in 1842. The present brick house of worship dates to 1843.
The church was begun during the period of religious persecution of dissenters from the then-established church in Virginia, and was in the mainstream of the struggle of Baptists and other dissenters for freedom of religion.
Such freedom would eventually be provided in Virginia by Thomas Jefferson's “Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,” a document that would provide the framework for the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution a few years later.
Bethany's first pastor, Nathaniel Holloway, was arrested for preaching in the home of John Partlow, and Partlow was arrested for allowing his home to be used for an unauthorized worship service.
John Waller and Absalom Waller were the second and third pastors of the congregation.
At the conclusion of last month's anniversary service, members buried a time capsule that included a history of the church and pictures and messages from Sunday school classes and church organizations. The capsule is to be opened on the 275th anniversary of the church in 2045. Newspapers and other items of local interest were also included to provide a “glimpse” of the Bethany community of 2005.
The oldest member of Bethany, Esther Blanton, aged 97, helped the pastor and some young children bury the time capsule.
The traditional dinner on the grounds was followed by a gospel music program in the afternoon.
A series of revival services also were held the following week, featuring former pastors of Bethany and neighboring Beulah Baptist Church, an African-American congregation formed by former members of Bethany who began their own fellowship in the 1870's following the Emancipation Proclamation. The two congregations share several special services throughout the year.
Special to the Herald
John Mann is the 29th pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Woodford.