Gwinnett County, GA Church History & Records

Mt. Moriah.

This church is one of the oldest in the county. Just what year witnessed its organization can not he stated, but some are inclined to believe that it was constituted in 1800. Certainly it was organized by or before 1820.

In July, 1828, the church had a membership of more than two hundred.

The church minute for October 31, 1836, reads as follows :

"The church at Mt. Moriah met in conference, Brother R. Philips, moderator, inquired for fellowship and Brother Miller came forward with a charge of intoxication against himself, and the church agreed to continue the case. Called for reference, and the case of Brother Samuel Fraser was laid over. Also the case of Brother Isaac Seago was laid over. Also, the case of Sister Elizabeth Brown was called and she came forward and gave satisfaction and her letter was granted."

On December 31, 1836, the church unanimously called Ansolom Anthony as pastor. On April 3, 1841, Rev. Richard Phillips was elected pastor. He was again called in 1845.

A camp-meeting was held for several years at this church in the forties and fifties. At the August, 1845, conference, a committee consisting of G. W. Morgan, Wm. Hall, Thos. Parish, John Cain and W. A. Cain was appointed to lay off the camp-ground. As a result of this camp-meeting, held in 1846, 29 joined the church at the next conference in October.

At the December meeting, "Charlott, a woman of color," joined by experience.

Richard Philips was elected pastor again in January, 1847, and also in December for the year 1818. D. H. oncrief was pastor in 1849.

At the Septemberm, 1840, conference, a charge was brought against G. W. Morgan, because he had joined the Masonic order. And sometime in the early history of the church, the following resolution relative to the church's attitude toward the Masons was adopted:

"Believing as we do that it is unrighteous for the children of light to mingle and mix with the sons of darkness: and as there seems to be a portion of the Baptist denomination that is embracing that which we believe to be erroneous for ministers of the gospel or even lay members to embrace, and which in its present development is calculated to injure the cause of religion and stop its progress so that the cause of Zion must languish on that account; and in order to clear our skirts from the blood of any man, we as the Baptist church at Mt. Moriah agree to enter our protest against what is called Free Masonry.

"Resolved, (1) That as a church we will from this time forward close our doors to any minister of the gospel who has become a member of the Masonic lodge, as soon as it comes to our knowledge, unless he will renounce his correspondence entirely with them and make satisfaction for his wrongs.

"Resolved, (2) That we hold any lay member in disorder who is or shall become a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he shall be deemed a disorderly walker and dealt with as a transgressor.

"Resolved, (3) That if any member has or shall come to the knowledge of any brother being a Free Mason and refuses to reveal the same to the church, we will hold him accountable and deal with him as a disorderly brother, unfaithful to the church.

"Resolved, (4) That we oppose Free Masonry as far as in our power lies in its present form, or until they (the Masons) will let their acts and obligations and all their secrecy come to the light of day, that we may judge more righteously and be the better able to do them justice and clear our skirts.

"Resolved, (5) That in order to show to the rising generation our disapprobation to all secret combinations, we have this preamble and resolution recorded in our church book."

November 1, 1851, the church in conference passed this resolution:

"We, the church, take into consideration the abstract part of our decorum that relates to Masonry, and enact that it be null and void."

James Lankston was chosen pastor in April, 1850, and in February of the following year Silas King was elected as such.

On December 5, 1851, Jas. M. Davis was ordained to the ministry. The ministers taking part in this important ceremony were Silas King and Amos Hadaway.

At this same conference, the church called James M. Davis, just ordained as a minister, to the pastorate of the church.

On a page of the church record and following immediately after the minute of the May, 1876, conference, the following statement is made: "In 1851, at the December meeting, Elder Jas. M. Davis, our present moderator, was set apart to the full gospel ministry. He has served the church as pastor since his ordination to the present time, and has baptized into the fellowship of the church 352 members. During that time Brethren D. Y. Maddox, G. L. Bagwell, L. Williams, P. Williams and F. V. Cheek have been called and set apart to the ministry."

Rev. Jas. M. Davis served the church from 1857 to 1888, and from 1892 to 1890, a period of 40 years. This minister was a great and good man, and during his ministerial career baptized more than a thousand people.

P. Williams served the church two years, 1889-'90, receiving 21 members; J. L. Phillips, 1897-'98, 7 members; L, Williams, 1899-'00; H. N. Rainey, 1901-'06, 20 members; F. V. Cheek, 1905-'06, 8 members; J. M. Williams, 1907-'08, 18 members; J. M. Hudlow, 1909-'10, 13 members; J. M. Sheffield is the present pastor. From 1874 to 1911, there have been 216 additions to the church by baptism.

In March, 1878, the church organized a Sunday school. It has been carried on most of the time since, the present superintendent being E. Williams. On August 5, 1859, a union meeting was held there, and all the churches represented were urged to hold weekly prayer-meetings.

The church has 149 members, to-wit:

Z. T. Maddox,	E. M. Hall,
Sr., A. C. Manning,	Mattie Pierce,
Harris Maddox,	Ina Roberts,
W. R. Puckett,	M. A. Hardy,
J. M. Tuggle,	Jane Clack,
C. A. Deaton,	Pearl Woodall,
H. M. Tuggle,	Jennie Wright,
G. W. Hardy,	Jennie Taylor,
J. O. Wright,	Lula Glosson,
M. F. Tuggle,	Carrie Hayes,
J. A. Deaton,	E. A. Deaton,
S. C. Lowery,	J. C. Pirkle,
R. A. Hayes,	Elizabeth Pool,
J. T. Harrison,	M. J. Skelton,
J. B. Evans,	Francis Mannon,
J. M. Taylor,	Hester Williams,
John Deaton,	Emma McDaniel,
F. P. Harrison,	Edna Maddox,
J. E. Hayes,	Elizabeth Frasier,
S. J. Wright,	Sarah Tuggle,
R. E. Stanley,	Ella Cleghorn,
Z. T. Maddox, Jr.,	Ruth Maddox,
J. M. Davis,	Nevada Deaton,
T. G. Hayes,	Lyle Tuggle,
H. D. Anglin,	Eliza Puckett,
W. E. Pool,	Mary Hoys,
C. H. Boggs,	Dora Patrick,
G. J. Tuggle,	Addic Lowery,
Dilmus Deaton,	Etta Tuggle,
Melvin McDaniel,	Orizine Taylor,
F. M. Hardy,	Felie Harrison,
J.P.Taylor,	M. A. Greason,
S. D. Harrison,	Lena Tuggle,
W. B. Stephens,	Ava Hall,
Marion Hall,	Corrine Lowry,
W. M. Hayes,	Nancy Timnis,
J. E. Harrison,	Lura Timnis,
Vernon Roberts,	B. L. Deaton,
John Farmer,	Anna Ludlow,
E. D. Clack,	I'arilce Dearton,
C. M. Manning,	Edna Manning,
Harvey Hayes,	W. J. Hayes,
Virgil Lowery,	Frances Harrison,
Ether Norris,	Georgia Harrison,
Leonard Timms,	Effie Harrison,
J. R. Holman,	Maud Rooks,
Lee Garner,	Mattie Maddox,
Herschel Rockmore,	E. A. Timms,
Andrew Hayes,	R. A. Wright,
O. D. Check,	Maggie Harrison,
Felix Willard,	Lula Evans,
A. J. Maddox,	Carrie Hardy,
G. C. Ethridge,	Margarett Taylor,
U. G. Sloan,	Mary Maddox,
Willis Harrison,	Missouri Tuggle,
Leonard McDainel	Leila Norris,
Al Pope,	Zelma Greeson,
George Mandcrs,	Dora Freeman,
J. E. Williams,	Ora Sizemore,
Lettie Rogers,	Georgia Cheek,
Francis Wilder,	Emma Stone,
Sarah Mauldin,	M. J. Bailey,
Susana Haynes,	Cora Tuggle,
Anna Roberts,	Leila Sloan,
Laura Davis,	Sallie Bell Manders,
Martha Haynes,	Mittie Willard,
Amanda Harrison,	Addie Boss,
Martha Deaton,	Hattic Merrett,
Caroline Clack,	GIco Evans,
Elizabeth Maddox,	Emma Pope,
Nancy Wilder,	H. R. Williams,
Francis Pope,	Gertrude Williams,
M. J. Hall,	Arcana Williams,
Margaret Hall,
Sallie Wages,

[Source: "Gwinnett Churches" by J. C. Flanigan, 1911,  submitted by C. Anthony] 

 
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