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History

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History OfChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church

BY HARRY J. COLLINS JR. & FLOYD L. HAGAN SR.

Editorial Assistance Provided By Doug HerakovichAdditional editing by Linda Robuck

This publication was copyrighted in 2005.All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from Christ’s

Sanctified Holy Church or the authors.The graphics for this publication were contributed by Pam Varney of Piedmont Litho Incorporated in Raleigh, N.C.

The printing was completed by Theo Davis Sons of Zebulon, N.C.

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Dedicationhis book is written for and dedicated to all those who desire to know more about Sanctification andthose who love Sanctified People and to all those who are Sanctified by Grace and Faith in the shedblood of the resurrected Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God who reigns eternally.

Love you all,

Brother HarryBrother Floyd

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Acknowledgementshe publication of this book would have never come to pass without the competent assistance ofDoug Herakovich. His expertise as a writer and a published author were central to our effort.Portions of our research were rewritten to make our beloved story easier to read and under-stand. We are indebted to Doug for his patience, perseverance and professionalism.

The assistance of Linda Robuck as we came to the end of the project was so important to meet the pub-lication deadlines. In the process, she added much to the picture collection and the artistic value of theproduct.

Brother HarryBrother Floyd

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Contents

Page 1 It All Began On Chincoteague Island

Page 11 Spreading The Word

Page 17 Sanctified Groups Cross The Nation

Page 27 Traveling Into The 20th Century

Page 45 Go Forward

Page 63 A Singing People

Page 69 Local Churches Are Established

Page 119 Appendix

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Forwardhrist’s Sanctified Holy Church has been a very strong force in the personal lives of Bible believingSanctified people in the United States of America. The Gospel message worship style has changedthe lives of tens of thousands of people from the Eastern Shore of Virginia across the states to thePacific Ocean. The church today has vibrant, dynamic congregations in 10 southeastern states with

the headquarters located in Perry, Ga.The strong bonds between the members are fostered by the work of the Holy Spirit, frequent feastmeetings

in each church, and the annual campmeeting at Perry beginning the Saturday before the third Sunday in Julyeach year.

The central burial grounds bring families together all too frequently, but the real central force in the life ofthe church is its doctrinal belief in the teaching and experience of Sanctification.

Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church is an association of churches established primarily on the principle that sal-vation is accomplished by two separate works of the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son ofGod. The first work of grace is repentance before God, or asking for forgiveness of the sins that we havecommitted. The second work is the baptism of the Holy Ghost, or Sanctification, which is the indwelling ofthe Holy Spirit, eradicating the nature of sin.

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Introductionhe publication of the history of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church is a labor of love that has been undertaken by sev-eral people over the years. Most attempts have fallen short of capturing the image that we collectively share. Thiseffort, too, will probably not meet most people’s expectations. It is most likely impossible to capture in word orpicture the real essence of what this church has meant to its devoted believers. As we have come through the

100th anniversary of the church and now reached our 112th year since the founding, it is vitally important to capture asmuch history as we can before it is lost from the minds of those going on to heaven.

At the 100th anniversary service at the campground in 1992, Brother Harry J. Collins Jr. orally presented the history he hadresearched over many years beginning in Chincoteague, Va. Brother Floyd L. Hagan Sr. then presented the history of thetravels of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church that he had collected and researched for most of his life. Numerous people haveprovided additional historical information over the past 12 years.

From all the available data, Brother Harry and Brother Floyd have carefully and prayerfully tried to summarize, select andorganize the information into a readable history of the church. We do not claim that we have included or covered all thehistory. We know that there were Sanctified People preaching the Gospel in many places and communities where norecords were kept.

We praise the Lord for every effort and every person who has labored in the vineyard of the Lord over the years. We knowthat we now come to the promise in the Word that says, “I’ll give you houses you didn’t build, trees you didn’t plant, vine-yards you didn’t plant, and wells you didn’t dig.” The early Sanctified People from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware were theones who laid that foundation for Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church.

What vision, what ambition, what zeal – they moved forward although they were buffeted by persecution, obstacles andlack of financial resources. With no highways or cars, no airplanes and inaccessible railroads, the only means of transporta-tion was by boat. Dependency on homemade houseboats powered by wind and sails had to be the most difficult mode oftransportation in the world. Hard work, patience, trust in God, reliance on each other, and pure faith had to be in abun-dance for even survival. Where was their safety net? How secure is living on the surface of the waters of sounds, rivers,creeks and bays on the Atlantic coast? Besides the elements of wind, rain, tides, cold and heat, what about destructive peo-ple who would rob, beat, kill and pirate their unsecured material possessions? How much insurance did they have? All wasat risk every hour of the day and night. How could they possibly overcome their own doubts, fears, hunger, and desire forclothes, ease and entertainment enjoyed by the world? Sanctified People endured all of these trials for the sake of thegospel.

They had the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ and they had each other. They went from town to town and state to state, moti-vated by the desire to see others Sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

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Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church • 1

It All Began OnChincoteague Island

McCarter and Kenney gathered 16 charter members fortheir church, and they raised $25 to buy land. A one-quarteracre lot at the corner of Taylor and North Main Streets at thenorthern end of the town was purchased from Daniel W.Lewis. Soon thereafter, the Methodist Episcopal Churchbecame the third church on Chincoteague Island.

Over the next 20 years, the Methodist Episcopal congre-gation continually grew. During that period, the people whowould eventually become the founding members of Christ’sSanctified Holy Church were brought into the Methodist Epis-copal faith.

The Methodist Episcopal Church took a major step in 1885,when it was determined that a new church would be built.The majority of the congregation was from the downtownChincoteague area, and they wanted to build the new facilitynear the center of the town. However, a smaller group ofparishioners from the northern end of the island didn’t wantto move the church into town. After discussing the situation,both parties got what they wanted. Construction on a newchurch was begun downtown on Church Street, and the orig-inal church building was given to the group from the north-ern end of the island.

The old building was moved further up the island after thechurch was deeded a piece of property on Oct. 19, 1885. Forthe sum of $1, George and Trancy Birch passed a lot to seven

hrist’s Sanctified Holy Church was founded by aspiritually committed group of people in 1892 ona small island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.Eleven decades later, the ideals that inspiredthose people were being adhered to and

advanced by over 1,000 Sanctified People with churches in 17cities in nine states.

The desire that surged through the souls of the earlychurch leaders continued to flow for another 113 years, asChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church grew and developed into amagnificent testament to faith and commitment.

In the late 1800s, Chincoteague Island was a quiet little Vir-ginia community that was only reachable by boat. Oysters andfish drove the island’s economy. A building boom in 1890brought a new mill, a bakery and the town’s first barbershop.Nationally, the mechanical age was beginning to take hold. InMassachusetts, Frank and Charles Duryea built the first gaso-line automobile in 1892.

At that time, religion was an important part of most smalltowns in America, and there were three established churcheson Chincoteague Island. In 1841, the Union Baptist Churchwas founded, and the Methodist Protestant Church followed 12years later. Then, in 1869, the Reverend J.M. McCarter and J.L.Kenney journeyed to Chincoteague from Federalburg, Md., andthey started a Methodist Episcopal Church.

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trustees – William B. Chandler, R.W. Bishop, Charles Collins,Joseph B. Lynch, J.J. Jones, Thomas Bowden Jr., and J.W. Birch.The premise of the “sale” was that the property would bemaintained as a place of divine worship for the ministry andmembership of the Goodwill Independent Church.

Initially, preachers from the local churches on the islandtook turns preaching at the new location on Sunday after-noons. On Thursday nights, the members would have aprayer service. Joseph Lynch would lead the group throughthe reading of scriptures, and testimonies of members fol-lowed the readings.

In many ways, it was a time of change for the MethodistEpiscopal Church on Chincoteague. In August of 1884, theReverend J.M. Reese, who was serving as the minister of thechurch, persuaded the Goodwill Independent Church tobecome a part of the Methodist Episcopal Church and to wor-ship under the Wilmington Conference guidelines. At thesame time, the community at the northern end of the islandwas enjoying an influx of newcomers from Maryland andDelaware. Many of these people had been members of theSound Camp Methodist Church in Williamsville, Del., a Sus-sex County community near the Grey Creek area of Maryland.When they settled in Chincoteague, these newcomersbecame faithful members of the Goodwill IndependentChurch.

Joseph Lynch was one of the first Delaware natives tomove to Chincoteague. In 1869, the 29-year old Lynchbrought his wife, four sons and three daughters to the islandfrom Williamsville. Lynch quickly became a respected mem-ber of the Chincoteague community. He became a classleader at the Goodwill Independent Church, and he later con-tinued that role when the name was changed to the GoodwillMethodist Episcopal Church.

While the Methodist Episcopal Church was flourishing onthe island, the Methodist movement nationally was shifting itsphilosophies. Instead of pressing for individual change, thechurch began focusing on national and social matters.

Through the first half of the 1800s, the Methodist people wereplain in dress, behavior and worship. However, as the religiongained in numbers, wealth and social status, that simplicitybegan to change. In 1856, stringent rules prohibiting the useof specific items of ornamentation in dress were reduced inthe discipline to a general admonition. In the following years,the trend continued in other areas. The people who had oncedisciplined their members for attending shows were nowputting on shows. Old objections to card playing, dancing,Sabbath-breaking and theater-going began to fade away.

The traditional focus of the Methodist – to find individualsalvation – had been “modernized.” This change left manymembers feeling uneasy about the direction the Methodistswere heading. That uneasiness helped spawn the HolinessMovement, which rose from the Methodist churches on theEastern Shore in the later half of the 1800s.

In the previous century, Methodist founder John Wesleytaught his followers that salvation was attainable by everyoneif they took two distinct steps. The first step was Justification,which occurred when a person repented his or her sins.Beyond Justification lay Sanctification, a second blessing inwhich all that were Justified could enter. Sanctificationinvolved experiencing and knowing the perfect will of Godconcerning the individual.

By the end of the Civil War in the 1860s, a large portion ofthe Methodists were content to view the Christian life afterJustification as a process of growth into grace. The old focuson Sanctification was gradually fading away. The plain andsimple people of John Wesley also began gathering in largerand more elaborate churches, where they would worshipwith more formality and less freedom of the Spirit.

Joseph Lynch saw his church heading in that direction, andhe was troubled by the shift. He was deeply convinced that hecould not be truly saved without Holiness, even though hewas living in a Justified state. Because he was a leader of thechurch on Chincoteague Island, Lynch’s views became wellknown to the 110 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.


The strength of Lynch’s conviction led him to seek andobtain the blessing of Sanctification by the power of the HolyGhost, through faith and the cleansing blood of our LordJesus Christ. After his Sanctification in 1887, Lynch immedi-ately began preaching and teaching to others at every oppor-tunity. His friends and neighbors were listening, and over theyears many sought and obtained this blessing of Holiness asa distinct and separate blessing from that of Justification.

One of the first people to receive Sanctification after hear-ing Lynch preach was Sarah E. Collins. After taking that stepin 1889, Collins joined Lynch in his efforts. As more parish-ioners were Sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost, theMethodist Episcopal Church minister began to resent themovement. For their part, Lynch, Collins and their supportersbelieved that George Jones, the Methodist Episcopal ministeron the island, was an unholy man. They accordingly peti-tioned Methodist Episcopal Bishop Edward Andrews, whowas presiding over the Wilmington (Del.) Conference, for aholy man of God to preach the gospel at their church. A totalof 51 people signed the petition, which declared that theywould no longer pay an unholy man to act as their minister.

The petition was not well received in Wilmington. TheBishop responded by removing Lynch from his leadershipposition in the church, and the Bishop forbade any of thepetition signees from holding or conducting services in thechurch. The divide between the two groups on Chincoteagueincreased when the Sanctified People began holding servicesin a nearby workshop. At the quarterly meeting of theMethodist Episcopal Church, all of the trustees and stewardswho signed the petition to the Bishop (including T.B. Birch,Joshua Bowden and George W. Caulk) were turned out andreplaced.

At this point, the Sanctified People felt that the MethodistEpiscopal Church was opposed to their beliefs. On Feb. 14,1892, a committee of 10 was selected to speak on behalf ofthe Sanctified People. That group waited for the MethodistEpiscopal minister prior to the afternoon service that day,

and they asked for his consent to withdraw from the church.A list with the names of the 58 individuals who would startChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church was handed to the pastor bySarah Collins before the singing of the first hymn. Afterprayer, Joseph Lynch asked the minister to respond to theirrequest. When the request was rejected, the committeeimmediately left the church.

Later that day, the 10 members of the committee weresummoned by the magistrate on the charge of interrupting apublic worship. However, charges were never formallybrought against the committee members.

The next step was taken when 19 people met at the homeof William J. Collins and established and approved the newlyorganized Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church. That groupincluded Joseph Lynch, Sarah Collins, Parker Bowden, SarahBowden, Charlotte Lynch, John Collins, William Chandler,Sarah Chandler, Aaron Bowden, John Jones, William Collins,Mary Bowden, Catharine Birch, Maria Bowden, MargaretPowell, Lucinda Bishop, Joseph Gray, Mariah Collins andJames Workman.

The name of the new church was derived from two scrip-tures – Hebrews-12:23 (“To the general assembly and churchof the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the

This stone,which sits onthe Christ’sSanctifiedHoly Churchcampground,honors the 19people whoare consid-ered to befounders ofthe church.


Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”) andEphesians 5:25-27. Brother Harry Collins Jr. later wrote, “He isthe Christ, He is the Sanctifier, He is Holy and He is theChurch of the First Born.”

Because the group was forbidden to hold services in theGoodwill Methodist Episcopal Church, the first services forChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church were held in a small ware-house (measuring about 24 feet by 40 feet) where fishnets hadbeen stored. The building, which the members called “TheWorkshop,” was located just north of Howard Merritt’s storeon Chincoteague. The building had long rows of seats downeach side, and a large center section with the stand and pul-pit on the end. There were two large tin stoves on each sideto provide heat during the winter.

The Sanctified People had made the leap and followedtheir beliefs. Now they needed to map out the organization of

their new church. They first established a 19-person unit thatwas designated as Board No. 1. That group would elect theboard members, ordained ministers, deacons, deaconessesand class leaders.

Lynch and Collins then combined to write The Doctrines andDiscipline of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church. The little book,which was published in Salisbury, Md., in 1893, covered theorigination of the church, as well as the regulations, rules ofgoverning, and the articles of faith. It remains as one of thefew theological works ever published on the Eastern Shore.

In basic terms, Lynch and Collins wrote that if men andwomen were truly Sanctified holy, they would, of their ownaccord, follow the narrow path of Holiness and live accord-ing to the exhortation laid down in the Bible. They alsoembraced the 25th article of the Methodist Discipline, whichstated that Sanctification was the renewal of our fallennature by the Holy Ghost. In addition, the blood of atonementof Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, whereby we are notonly delivered from the guilt of sin, but are washed from itspollution, saved from its power, and enabled through graceto love God with all our hearts, and to walk blameless in HisHoly Commandments.

High moral standards were set for the Sanctified People.They separated themselves from any secret orders or clubs towhich they belonged (a popular past time during that era).They did not approve of taking the name of the Lord in vain,profaning the day of the Lord, or the use of intoxicatingliquors or tobacco in any form. They believed that worldlysongs, literature and amusements were not to the glory ofGod and provided no help to a spiritual life. They alsobelieved in the avoidance of places such as the theater, ball-rooms and circuses, and they were very plain in their dress.

From the beginning, it was asserted that there would be nosalaries for ministers of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church. Therewould be no money raising methods, collections or festivalsin the church, with every Sanctified person prepared to con-secrate their time to the service of the Lord. In the newchurch, everyone would feel equal whether they had little ora lot, because God looked on all alike. There was no creed butChrist, no law but love, and no guide but the Bible, as theyinstructed each person to search the scriptures for them-

“TheWorkshop”

still stood onChincoteague

Island over100 years

after it wasused for the

first meetingsof the Christ’s

SanctifiedHoly Church.


selves and to know what it meant to them in their lives. Theytaught that everyone who was Sanctified had the freedom topreach, testify, and sing as the Spirit moved on them(although, it should be noted that Lynch preferred short ser-mons, and he stopped anyone who took over 15 minutes todeliver their message). They believed that there was noschool or college that could reveal the secrets of the Bible aswell as the great teacher from Heaven could teach andinspire an individual.

The Sanctified People had learned that being savedthrough Sanctification of the Spirit, and a belief of the truth,caused them to become new creatures in Christ Jesus. Theyhad become heirs and joint-heirs with Him. This blessedwork of the Spirit allowed the people to understand the mys-tery that is hidden from the natural man and revealed to aSanctified person – the knowledge of the resurrection ofChrist, the second coming, the baptism, communion, andthat all was fulfilled in Christ.

As the beliefs of the Sanctified People became known,more worshippers joined the movement. The membershipquickly grew to 80 people, and the church had out-grown“The Workshop.” On February 18, 1892, the members ofBoard No. 1 became the trustees for a new property. John andMary Bowden deeded the land to the Board No. 1 so that anew church could be erected. The Board was listed as thetrustees for the property, and the agreement stated that thepremises would be used, kept and maintained as a place ofdivine worship for the use of the ministry and membership ofChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church, No. 1 of ChincoteagueIsland, Va.

From the beginning, the main goal of the Sanctified Peoplewas to spread the scripture of Holiness to everyone. Theyweren’t concerned with building elaborate churches. Theypreached wherever they could – at open air meetings, in oldoyster houses, abandoned churches or in private homes. Dur-ing their services, they were joyously free. They stood in agroup, singing, clapping their hands and shouting as they

felt the Spirit moving on them. They had no musical instru-ments. They had songbooks, but they contained no musicalnotes. Instead, the congregation depended on the sweet har-mony of the Spirit to sing the praises of God.

The Sanctified People quickly stood out in the Chin-coteague community, and they were called the SanctifiedBand, Lynchettes, Sanctificationess, Holy Jumpers, and Sanc-tified Worshippers.

While the direction of the new church was penned byLynch and Collins, a number of people were involved in theearly development of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church. In theminutes of the first official church gathering on February 14,1892, it was noted that a 19-member board had been unani-mously elected as the general manager and governing bodyof all business for the church.

In the following months, the church methodically continuedto develop. In July, the Board decided that a suitable burialground should be found for Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church

This chartshows theroots ofChrist’sSanctifiedHoly Church.

Christ’s SanctifiedHoly Church 1892


members. On July 29, 1892, in a board meeting at the home ofWilliam Collins, Joseph Lynch was installed as a minister, the FirstDeacon, Chief Leader and General Manager of church rule fol-lowing a unanimous vote of the board. At the same meeting,Sarah Collins was unanimously elected to the office of Deaconessand Chief Female Supervisor of all church work. In addition, bothLynch and Collins were ordained by the laying on of hands by theentire Board.

James Workman was also nominated and duly elected as aminister in Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church during that initialmeeting. Eight class leaders – Parker Bowden, Catharine Birch,Elizabeth Chandler, Joseph Gray, William Chandler, Sarah Bowden,Lydia Savage and John Bishop – were also appointed.

The first funeral at Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church was held forHettie Bishop Collins on April 26, 1892. Collins passed awaywhile visiting her daughters in Philadelphia, Pa., and was broughtback to her home on Chincoteague. The Sanctified People mether remains at the steamboat dock, and they carried her casketup the island for the funeral. They sang the songs of theRedeemed as they walked along to the church for the service.

On a happier note, the first marriage in Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch was held on April 6, 1893 when Reverend James Workmanjoined Mary Bloxom and Daniel Bishop.

On October 15, 1894, Charlotte Gray was nominated to becomea minister, and she was unanimously elected by the board. Graywas ordained by the laying on of hands by Deacon Joseph Lynchand Deaconess Sarah Collins.

It wasn’t long before the members wanted to share theirexperiences with people beyond the shores of ChincoteagueIsland. Early on, Sanctified People went to Delaware to preachto their relatives and others in the area. They visitedWilliamsville, Roxanna and Grey’s Creek (all towns in SussexCounty near the old Sound Camp Ground). Many of the Sanc-tified People – including the Lynches, Brasures, Collinses, Bish-ops, Fishers, Grays and Beechams – were originally from thatarea.

In the following months, similar trips were made to other

This is a copyof the original

deed for theland that was

donated to thechurch byJohn and

Mary Bowdenon

ChincoteagueIsland.


Trinity: That there is but one uncreated, unoriginated, infinite, and eternal being, theCreator, Preserver, and Governor of all things. That there is in this infinite essence a plu-rality of what is commonly called persons, not separately subsisting, but essentiallybelonging to the Godhead, which persons are commonly termed the Father, Son and HolyGhost, and are generally named the Trinity.

Holy Writ: That the sacred scriptures or Holy Books, which form the Old and New Tes-taments, contain a full revelation of the will of God in relation to man, and alone sufficientfor everything relative to the faith and practice of the Christian, and were given by inspi-ration of God.

Carnality Or Inbred Sin: That man was created in righteousness and true holinesswithout any moral imperfection or any kind of propensity to sin, but free to stand or fall.But he fell from this state, became morally corrupt in his nature, and transmitted his moraldefilement to all his posterity.

Redemption From Fall: That to counteract the evil principle, and bring man into a sav-able state, God, from his infinite love, formed the purpose of redeeming man from his lostestate by Jesus Christ, and in the interim sent his holy spirit to enlighten, strive with, andconvince men of sin, righteousness, and judgment. That in due time, Jesus, the Christ,the Son of God, the Savior of the world, became incarnated and sojourned among men,teaching the purest truth and working the most stupendous beneficent miracles.

Divinity Of Christ: That this divine person, foretold by the prophets and described bythe evangelists and apostles, is really and properly God, having by the inspired writersassigned to Him, every attribute essential to the Deity, being one with Him who is calledGod, Jehovah, etc.

Humanity Of Christ: That He is also a perfect man in consequence of his incarnation,and in that man or manhood dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; so His natureis two-fold – divine and human, or God manifested in the flesh. That His human natureis derived from the blessed Virgin Mary through the creative energy of the Holy Ghost, buthis divine nature, because God is infinite and eternal, uncreated, underived, and unbe-gotten, which were it otherwise, He could not be God in any proper sense of the word.That as He took upon Himself the nature of man, He died for the whole human race with-out respect of person equally for all and arose from the dead, and after showing Himselfmany days to His disciples and others, He ascended to Heaven, where as God manifestin the flesh, He continues, and shall continue to be, mediator for the human race till theconsummation of all things. That there is no salvation but through Him, and that through-out the Scriptures His passion and death are obtained by the shedding of his blood.

Pardon And Holiness And All The Blessings Of The Gospel Only Through Christ:That no human being since the fall either has or can have merit or worthiness of or byhimself. And, therefore, has nothing to claim from God, but in the way of His mercy throughChrist; therefore, pardon and holiness and every other blessing promised in the Gospelhave been purchased by His sacrificial death, and are given to man, not on account ofanything he had done or suffered or can do, but for His sake or through His merit alone.

Justification By Faith: That these blessings are received by faith, because not ofworks, nor of sufferings, but the power to believe or grace of faith is the free gift of God, with-out which none believe, but that the act of faith or actual believing is the act of the soul underthe influence of that power, but this power to believe, like all other gifts of God, may beslighted, not used or misused, in consequence of which that declaration. He that believethand is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:16).

Pardon Or Justification From Actual Sins: That justification or the pardon of allactual sin is an instantaneous act of God’s infinite mercy in behalf of a penitent soul, trust-ing only in the merits of Jesus Christ. That this act is absolute in respect of all past actualsins, all being forgiven where any are forgiven.

Sanctification Through Christ’s Shed Blood: That the souls of all believers or jus-tified persons must be purified and cleansed from all inbred sin. That moral corruption ofthe natural human heart, by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, here in this life withoutwhich none are prepared for Heaven, and that we must live under the continual influenceof the grace of Christ, without sinning against God, all evil tempers and sinful propensi-ties being destroyed and the heart being filled with pure love of God; and man being sanc-tified by the Holy Ghost and received instantaneously as justification.

Predestination And Eternal Security: That unless a person live and walk in the Spiritof perfect obedience to God’s Holy Law, he will fall from the grace of God and forfeit allhis Christian privileges and rights, which state of backsliding he may pursue, and if so,perish everlastingly. That the whole period of human life is a state of probation, in everypart of which a sinner may repent and turn to God, and in every part of it a believer may,if he wills, give way to sin and fall from grace attained, and that this possibility of attain-ment in grace or falling from them are essential to a state of trial or probation.

Promises Of God Conditional: That all the promises and threatenings of the Word ofGod are conditional as they regard man in reference to his being here and hereafter, andon this ground alone the Sacred Writings can be consistently interpreted or rightly judged.

Man, Free Moral Agent: That man is a free agent, never being impelled by any neces-sitating influence, either to do evil or good, but has it continually in his power to choosethe life or death that is set before him, on which ground he is an accountable being andanswerable for his own actions, and on this ground also he is alone capable of beingrewarded or punished. That this free will is a necessary constituent of his rational soul,without which man must be a mere machine, either the sport of blind chance or a merepatient of an irresistible necessity, and consequently not accountable for any acts to whichhe was irresistibly impelled. That every human being has this freedom of will with a suf-ficiency of light and power to direct its operations, and that this powerful light is not inher-ent in any man’s nature, but is graciously bestowed by Him who is a true light, thatlighteth every man that cometh into the world. That Jesus Christ has made by His onceoffering Himself upon the cross as a sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for thesins of the whole world, and that His gracious Spirit strives with and enlightens all men,thus putting them in a savable state; therefore, every human soul may be saved.

Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church Articles Of Faith


areas. The first bridges thatconnected Chincoteague tothe mainland were not builtuntil the 1920s, so the Sancti-fied People traveled by boat.They sailed as far as possibleby boat, and then people metthem with horses and wagonsto complete the journey.

The Sanctified People madea series of memorable trips toWilliamsville, Del., where theyeventually built a church. Onesuch meeting lasted most ofthe day, and it was neverbrought to a close. The peoplesimply went up the road sing-ing and shouting the praisesof God after they left thechurch. “I have never seensuch power in my life as theyshowed,” remembered SisterEva Riggs.

There was little entertain-ment available for people 113years ago, so when the travel-ing Sanctified People arrived ina small town, it was somethingof an event. In Franklin City,Va., the newspaper noted, “Thecongregation of Worshipperson Chincoteague Island, betterknown as the Sanctified Wor-shippers, have made arrange-ments to hold an all-daymeeting in Captain E.K. Youngand Sons Oyster House onSept. 23, 1892. The Sanctified

The Man Who Started It AllJoseph B. Lynch moved to Chincoteague Island in 1869, and his business sense

allowed him to build a prosperous life. However, when Lynch was 47 years old in1887, his life was truly enriched after he experienced Sanctification.

Lynch had worked as an oysterman, and he served as the lighthousekeeper on Asateague Island in Virginia for a time. According to his grandson,Joe Lynch, Joseph developed arthritis after working with wet hands formuch of his life. In 1887, Lynch journeyed to Philadelphia to see a doctor abouthis arthritis.

In September of 1894, a writer from the New York Recorder came toChincoteague to report on the Sanctified People, and he wrote extensivelyabout the group’s leader.

“Joseph B. Lynch was at one time one of the richest men on the island. Inaddition to a store and a farm, he owned several large oyster beds, from whichhe derived a comfortable income. His wife, Charlotte Collins Lynch, was athrifty woman and an excellent housewife, fond of her husband and devoted

to her three daughters and four sons. The daughters who even then, as theyare now, were the prettiest girls on Chincoteague Island.

“Lynch lived a simple life and was faithful to his church, the GoodwillMethodist Episcopal Church. In the year of 1887, his whole life was changedand worked wonderful results. The story of his conversion and the beginningof the Sanctified Band is told in the opening paragraph of the Discipline of theBand. Between the time he commenced preaching and others became inter-

ested, lie two years. He said, ‘Have faith in the cleansing blood of the Lord, become Sanctified, and then being holy, be for-ever happy.’

“For two years Joseph B. Lynch preached this strange doctrine to his neighbors. A remarkable change had come over him,and when those who knew him well found that the change was more than transient, they gave ear to his words and they oneby one joined with him and came to believe as he did.

“Joseph B. Lynch had become wonderfully happy. His income grew smaller and smaller and many of his friendsdeserted him and by slow degrees all his little fortune vanished. But in all these troubles, no one ever saw him frown or hearda single harsh word from his lips. He was wonderfully, gloriously, supremely happy and kept on preaching, and nothing thathappened had power to ruffle his contentment.”

Lynch also provided inspiration with his actions. Shortly after the creation of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, a young manapproached Lynch on Chincoteague. In an attempt to prove that there was no God, the man quoted the first verse of the 14th

Psalms, “The fool hath saith in his heart there is no God.” Brother Lynch responded that if the young man thought there was noGod, then he was the fool. The inquisitor then lost his temper, and he knocked Lynch to the ground. Lynch (who stood about fivefoot, four inches) showed his spirit by simply rising and walking away from the young man.

Lynch maintained his passion for the Word throughout his 60 years on earth. Over fifty years after the fact, Brother Ed Millerstill had vivid memories of Lynch’s dedication. In a 1952 sermon at the Camp Ground, Miller remembered working with Lynchas a painter in New Orleans, La. “Uncle Joe” was constantly preaching and talking to people about Holiness. Finally, Brother Edsuggested that it might be best if they did some work, and then started preaching.

Lynch finally stopped preaching on Sept. 3, 1900, when he passed away in Fernandina Beach, Fla. He was buried in Old BosqueBello Cemetery in Fernandina Beach. Lynch’s tombstone was move to the Camp Ground cemetery in 2000. Joseph and CharlotteLynch had four sons and three daughters – James, Ebenezer, Joseph R., Levin, Mary, Elizabeth and Annabel.

Joseph B. Lynch experiencedSanctification in 1887, and he laterfounded Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch. His gravestone is located inthe Old Bosque Bello Cemetery inFernandina Beach, Fla.


Band of (Chincoteague Island) held a meeting at FranklinCity, Va., last Sunday. There are several believers in the samefaith.”

A wonderful experience was enjoyed in Box Iron, Md.,where the Sanctified People held services in an abandonedMethodist Church and many people were Sanctified. In BoxIron, Joseph Lynch met a young man named Horace Truitt,who seemed to be very sincere in his belief. Lynch ordainedTruitt as a minister, hoping that Truitt would develop a newcongregation in Box Iron. Unfortunately, after a while Truitt

declared that he had been called to preach and receivedmoney for his preaching. Lynch immediately confronted Tru-itt and removed him as a minister for Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch.

Back on Chincoteague Island, Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch was gaining momentum. In September of 1894, awriter from the New York Recorder heard about a group thatwas preaching that a person could live a life free from sin andbe holy. The writer went to Chincoteague to investigate, andthis is what he wrote:

“Let me say right here that in all, I believe Joseph B.Lynch and Sarah E. Collins to have been perfectly sin-cere. After many long talks with these two, I am con-vinced they believe themselves to be sanctified andmoved by the Spirit. They invited me to attend theservices on Sunday and assured me that I would hearthe praises of the Lord.

“There were nearly a hundred men and women inthe church for the evening service. The interior of thebuilding was illuminated by six small lamps whoseflames flickered with each gust of wind. Joseph B.Lynch sat at the foot of the white altar reading theBible. The other members of the Band, rough,weather-beaten oystermen and their sunburnt wives,

were mostly occupied in reading the Bible or mutter-ing prayers. Every face bore the stamp of perfect con-tentment with full-souled peace and spiritualhappiness that shined in their faces.

“The preacher that night was William J. Collins,who did not require any special study or preparation,but that every soul in the room felt that they hadgained the Kingdom of Heaven. He started off withpraise unto God for his goodness to us as we are theapple of the Savior’s eye. There were ‘Amens’ fromeveryone. ‘The Lord has cleansed us and made usholy. Let us shout the praises of the Lord.’ There arosea mighty shout which made the rafters rattle. ‘Praisethe Lord!’ they cried. ‘We are the apple of His eye

Exterior of the Band’s Meeting House

and we are rich in His love! The Kingdom of Heavenis ours. The world is dying in sin.’

“The preacher spoke for nearly 15 minutes, singingthe praises of the Sanctified Band and shoutingthanks to God for His great gift of Sanctification. Everyfew minutes his voice was drowned by outbursts ofenthusiastic exclamations and his hearers clappedtheir hands and shouted for joy.

“They began to sing with one accord, ‘O Lamb ofGod I Come.’ Their voices grew louder, they jumped

higher and higher and clapped their hands with greatenthusiasm. The building began to tremble andpieces of plaster fell from the walls. The lights flickeredand fluttered as though they were going out. At theend of the service, Sarah E. Collins with her hands upand every head was bowed and in a low voice said thebenediction and all responded with ‘Amen.’ The serv-ice was now over, and one by one the worshipperswent out into the night.”


THE WEEKLY PRAYER MEETING, LEADER LYNCH EXHORTING.


Chapter

2Spreading The Word

he services in that tiny church on ChincoteagueIsland were remarkable events, but by the end of1894 the Sanctified People had become restless.In an effort to spread their Word, they began totravel throughout the Eastern Shore of Virginia,

Maryland and Delaware. Their dedication to the movementempowered the people to leave behind their oystering, clam-ming and fishing jobs on Chincoteague, along with theirhomes and virtually all of their possessions. They journeyedthrough unfamiliar areas, rarely charting a course in advanceand not knowing what they would encounter. They traveled,as God told Abraham, “To get thee out of thy country, andfrom thy kindred and from thy father’s house unto a landthat I will shew thee.”

In December of 1894, Joseph Lynch and 13 other churchmembers boarded the Annie Homan, a gaff-rigged sloop thatwas 18 feet wide and 60 feet long. Johnny Collins and John Bow-den bought the sailboat from a Mr. Jones in Oak Hall, Va., for$500. The Annie Homan sailed from Lewis Creek and went downthe coast to the Chesapeake Bay. The group sailed to Baltimore,Md., Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Va. Along the way, theyheld services wherever they could find a place to preach, includ-ing one service on the steps of the nation’s Capital.

It was a very difficult time for the Sanctified People whowere confined to the boat, and at the same time it was aremarkably uplifting period for the group.

T It Wasn’t EasyThe next time you are dreading a long drive for Camp Meeting or a Feast Meeting, consider

the plight of the earliest church members. Most of the travel in the early years of Christ’s Sanc-tified Holy Church was done by sailboat, and it was anything but easy. Typically, one sailboat wouldtow at least one floathouse, slowing the pace to a crawl even when the weather was favorable.

Brother William Parker (Brittan Parker’s father) and his family endured one of the more dif-ficult trips in church history during the first decade of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church.

Parker traded his farm in Old Trap, N.C., for a sailboat, and he moved his family and all hispossessions to Nixonton, N.C., where he joined up with a band of Sanctified People in April of1896. One day, Parker decided to go on a visit back to Old Trap. He was joined on the journeyby Johnny and Sue Needham, plus Lydia Tingle.

Here is Tingle’s version of the events that ensued: “We left Nixonton about noon on BrotherParker’s vessel and sailed down the (Little) river about eight miles to Albemarle Sound. Weanchored that evening in the Sound, with the wind blowing from the Northeast. The next morn-ing, the wind was blowing heavy and the sea was very rough. We stayed anchored there untilabout 2:00 in the afternoon.

“Then, the anchor chain broke. Brother Parker and Johnny tried to put up the sail, but thewind blew the sails off, so we had to go off before the wind. The sea looked so high that itseemed that (the waves) would cover over us at any time.

“I had heard them sing, ‘I’ve anchored my soul in the haven of rest, I’ll sail the wild seas nomore. Though the tempest may sweep, o’re the wide stormy deep, in Jesus I’m safe evermore.’That song had never appealed to me until on this boat, in this storm. Then it broke in my soulso sweet. I can never express the thrill. I knew God would take care of us.

“The vessel came to shore on the Tyrell County side of the Sound at about 4:00 in the afternoon.There were many shad fishermen on that shore. (Brothers Parker and Needham) went ashore, andof course they let them know who they were – Sanctified People. Some of the fishermen had heardSister Minnie Beauchamp Woolard preach a short time before then at Alligator River.

continued on page 12

12 • Spreading The Word

“Each night these fishermen would come aboard our boat and ask us tosing, and honey, we could sing, for our Lord had tuned our hearts. Theywould fill our boat cabin and all up on the boat deck to listen. One man froma farm up the shore invited us to dinner. We had plenty of company, and eachnight they wanted us to sing. Our Lord did bless us, and we could sing fromour hearts. Though we were shipwrecked, we were very happy. We weretrusting where we could not see.

“We had no money to go home, but one young man named Ben Watersborrowed a shad boat and offered to take us home. Late Saturday afternoon(a week after they had set sail), we left Tyrell Shore for Little River and Nixon-ton. Ben Waters said we must sing all of the way over. And honey, talk aboutsinging! We sang! We were young and happy in the Lord.

“At about 8:00 that night, we landed in back of Uncle Joe’s (Lynch) float,and went into the living room. It was full of our Sanctified People and somevisitors. They had no word from us since we left. They thought that perhapswe had been drowned. Now there was such rejoicing. They were so glad tosee us, and said that they had thought they would never see us again.”

After touring the cities and communities on the Chesapeake Bay, the Sanc-tified People headed back out of the bay and pointed the bow of the AnnieHoman southward. They sailed into the Currituck Sound and AlbemarleSound in North Carolina, eventually landing at Cannon Ferry, N.C.

They later went out and preached in small towns such as Old Trap, PineyWoods, Powell’s Point, Nixonton, Sparks Point and South Port. The servicesin North Carolina were wonderful experiences, and many people were Sanc-tified. Some of the new converts joined Lynch’s group, while others electedto establish a Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church while staying in their home-towns.

The traveling Sanctified People communicated their successes via mailback to the other church members back on Chincoteague, and in March of1895 another Sanctified band left the island.

Thirty-two church members sailed away from Chincoteague on theschooner, Rolly Hudson (which was owned by Charlie Bishop), and they wentto North Carolina to join the Sanctified People. As positive reports were con-tinually sent back to Chincoteague, more and more people headed to NorthCarolina. In May of 1895, a group of 18 Sanctified People sold their posses-sions and sailed out on the schooner, R.F. Hastings (which John Bowden andJohn Collins had purchased for $500 a week before they sailed southward).Another group eventually sailed southward on the William James, which wasowned by Tom and Joe Birch.

The growing Sanctified band in North Carolina needed housing, and theydecided that floathouses were the answer to their dilemma. The Lynch fam-ily already had a floathouse, which was a compact framehouse that wasattached to a rectangular barge. The floathouse had temporary walls, so thestructure could serve as an open, floating tabernacle, or it could be dividedinto two or three rooms. While they were living in the sailboats at the water-front town of Elizabeth City, N.C., in 1896, it was decided that they would buildtwo more floathouses. These new floathouses were built and occupied by thefamilies of Sammy Leary and the Bowdens. A fourth floathouse would laterserve as a home for Charlotte Gray’s family and the Tingles.

There were few powered boats at the time, so the five floathouses werepulled by the sailboats. This method allowed the Sanctified People to travel onthe Pamlico Sound and the Intercoastal Waterway. Using Elizabeth City as abase, the Sanctified People continued to visit small towns such as Old Trap, Pow-ell’s Point, Piney Woods, Nixonton, Cannon’s Ferry, South Port, Winter Quarters,Sparrow’s Point, Jarvisburg, South Creek, North Creeds and Little Washington.

John Canady provided the

drawing of the Annie Homan


Their efforts brought immediate dividends, with a largenumber of people starting on the path to Sanctification.

One of the people who joined the movement in North Car-olina was Sarah Harrison Vest. She later remembered, “Theyall looked like angels. Aunt Sade (Sarah Collins) was a youngwoman at that time, and also a wonderful preacher. Ithought she was the prettiest person I had ever seen in mywhole life.”

In 1895, Sarah Collins united four couples in marriage inOld Trap. The couples were Mary and Jordan Brown, Lou andFred Forbes, Annie Bell and Evan Leary, as well as Annieand Isaac Riggs.

John Thomas Boyce grew up in the North Carolina coun-tryside on the east side of the Chowan River. He helped withthe family farm and he was a partner in a fishing businesswith his father. Boyce heard the Sanctified People preaching

Setting Sail With The Sanctified PeopleIn today’s world, it is virtually impossible to understand the sacrifices made by the pioneers of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church. When Joseph Lynch and the early Sanctified Peo-

ple were called to spread the word of the Lord, they left behind their lives and took an incredibly difficult step.When the Sanctified People began traveling, their primary mode of transportation was by sailboats which towed “floathouses.” The floathouse pictured on the left was known as

“Uncle Joe’s Float Number 3,” and it is shown on the shore at Elizabeth City, N.C.

The second photo shows the Tingle-Gray float, which includes (from left to right)Henry Meads, Estella Tingle, Nais Tingle and their children (Alice, Clarence and Edgar),Mary Tingle, Asher Fisher, Charlotte Gray, Thomas Gray and their son George betweenthem, Minnie Beautchamp, Callie Gray, Luther Gray, Casher Gray, Willard Bishop, DallasThompson and Annie Murray with her baby Lee.

From left to right, the people on the platform are Stasha Bowden, James Alf Bow-den, and Ida Bowden. Standing on the ground (from left to right) are James Lynch, Mag-gie Powell (with her baby, Harry), Lizzie Chandler, Jimmie Workman, Joshua Breasure,Jordan Brown, Mary Brown, Angie Breasure, Lizzie Lynch, Eaven Leary, Anna BellLeary, Emma Burton, Florance Lynch and Joseph Lynch.

The person looking out the window is Mary Hudson.


in Edenton, N.C., near his home. John and his mother, MaryBoyce, got Sanctified at their home within one week of eachother. When the Sanctified People moved on, Boyce left his

fishing business with his father, forsaking all that he had inthe world to travel with the Sanctified People.

While they faced obvious hardships, those were wonderfultimes for the Sanctified People, and they carriedmany memories from that period. Sister Eva Riggslater wrote the following: “From 1895 to 1900, weestablished very few churches. We traveled so fastthat to build churches or even tabernacles wasimpossible. We preached on street corners, inschool houses, store buildings, city parks, court-houses, railroad stations, mission halls and anybuilding they would let us have. We would preachin their churches if they gave us the privilege, andmany of them did.

“We traveled all up and down the North Carolinacoast, and time would fail me to tell of all theplaces we stopped and preached. Lots of peoplegot Sanctified and thousands came out to hear uspreach, for people really wanted to hear the gospelin those days. It was like in the Bible times, it saysthe whole city came out to hear them, and so theydid in those days.

“I remember one instance when the peopleclosed down their sawmill because everyonewanted to hear the Sanctified People. We hadmeetings in the daytime, as there were no lights inthe buildings in that country to hold meetings atnight. We would all go back to the floats. All thatwanted to come to the floats – and many did – wewould have, and we would have meetings for themin the float houses.

“That was when Brother Marshall Woolard (whowould become a church leader) got Sanctified.Aunt Sade preached from the sixth chapter ofRomans and convinced him. He was a minister inthe Methodist Church, and he fell at our altar andgot Sanctified. His home was in the country nearLittle Washington, N.C.”


In addition to Woolard, many other families began travel-ing with the Sanctified People full time after the North Car-olina revivals. Among those who joined the church in theTar Heel state were Sammy Leary and his son, Evan; WilliamParker and his wife and son Brittan; Fred and Lew Forbes;singer and songwriter John Wesley Jones; Lizzy Vest; LydiaTingle; Maxie Tuttle; Noah Kite; Tommy Poyner; John Boyce;Annie Jones (Chandler); Hyman Edwards; and Isaac, Charlieand Billy Riggs.

The travel plans of the Sanctified People were often dic-tated by economics. In February of 1897, a local newspaper inOregon, N.C., reported that the Sanctified People were aboutto leave the area. The article stated, “Eel catching is one oftheir principal sources of income, and they have determinedto move further up the river, probably around Blount’s Creek,as eels have become very scarce in this section. They havecaught a vast number which they shipped to urban markets…

“So far as (this correspondent) can find, they have been anhonest, hard working people, and one that has done muchgood in this community.”

Finding the eel in the inlet proved to be extremely fortu-itous. According to Mary L. Smith’s bibliography: the Sancti-fied People were looking at a difficult winter in 1896-97.Because of the weather and food, they decided to go ashore.They found a farmer who let them move into the farm tenanthouses. They began helping on the farm, and then they foundeel beds in the water nearby. There was a great demand in thenorthern markets for eel, which was considered a delicacy inthose days. Fortunately, the Sanctified People discoveredsomeone who would ship the eel north for them. Accordingto Smith’s bibliography, “They felt like they had found a goldmine, a real answer to prayer. So, the ladies got to work andmade baskets to catch the eel, and the men cleaned andshipped them. By the spring, they had saved enough moneyto move on south.”

Back on Chincoteague, all the departures obviouslydrained the membership numbers on the island, and when 17more people announced that they were leaving the island to

join the traveling band in December of 1896, an importantdecision was made. The first church ever built for Christ’sSanctified Holy Church was sold. It had cost the SanctifiedPeople $2,000 to build the church that was approximatelyone mile north of the previous church. It was sold to theGoodwill Methodist Church for just $105. The Methodists heldservices in the church for a short time, and then it was sold toa man named Andrew Hill. Hill used the building for storagefor six years, and then it was destroyed by fire.

A small group of Sanctified People remained on Chin-coteague in 1897, and they held services in their homes for

The Oldest StandingChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church

The Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church building on Chincoteague Islandwas built in 1903, and it is still standing today. The site now has an histor-ical marker that says the following:

“Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church was established on this island on Feb-ruary 14, 1892, by Joseph B. Lynch, not far from this location. Doctrine isJustification and Sanctification. This building was erected in 1903. Since thisbeginning, churches are established throughout the Southeastern states,with headquarters in Perry, Ga., and a Camp Meeting Ground, cemetery, andhome for the aged. Annual Camp Meeting is the first Sunday in August ofeach year.” (The date for the Annual Camp Meeting was changed to the thirdSunday in July in 2001.)


the next six years. The Chincoteague band slowly grew, andthey eventually bought a piece of property from Parker Bow-den and his wife for $25 on May 18, 1903. A church was builton the land, and that church was still on the island over 100years later. Over the years, countless people have experi-enced Sanctification on that wooden altar, and services werestill being held there in the 21st century. Inside the church,there is a sign in back of the pulpit that reads, “No Creed ButChrist, No Law But Love, No Guide But the Bible.”

The views of the Sanctified People were gradually spread-ing from the roots set on Chincoteague Island. The travelingband was generally well received when they visited newcommunities, but the movement did face numerous chal-lenges. In February of 1897, a local newspaper in Oregon,N.C., published the following account of an interesting eventin the small coastal town:

They held many meetings – almost daily in all parts of thecountry about Oregon, Campbell’s Creek, Springs Creek andSouth Creek, at which places they have had large attendance.Some 150 persons have professed a belief in their doctrines ofsanctification. They have ordained one man and one woman asministers.

There has been more Bible reading and discussion during thepast four or five months than had been done in the same num-ber of years – perhaps 20 years would be nearer the fact – andwhilst many good men are opposing them, very many of the bestcitizens in the section where they have chiefly operated say thatthey have done great good, and that intemperance and Sabbathbreaking are almost things of the past. As an illustration, onChristmas before the last, one boat brought to Oregon over 30gallons of whiskey, whilst for last Christmas only brought onegallon and one pint.

Although many of our best citizens are in sympathy with,and endorse them, their opposition to a paid minister has, ofcourse, brought them in conflict with the preachers generally,both black and white. Some two weeks ago, the Reverend H.S.Davenport challenged them to a joint debate on scripture sub-jects, which was held at Oregon on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1897, by

Reverend Davenport of the Disciple Church, and Reverend SarahE. Collins of the Sanctified Church.

The following prophesisms were discussed:

1. Are persons born good or saved at conversion? Davenportaffirmed, Collins denied.

2. Are persons absolutely free from sin when sanctified?Collins affirmed, Davenport denied.

3. Are persons justified before they are sanctified? Collinsaffirmed, Davenport denied.

4. Is water baptism necessary to salvation at this day? Dav-enport affirmed, Collins denied.

5. May persons be baptized with the Holy Ghost now? Collinsaffirmed, Davenport denied.

6. Has woman any right to preach? Collins affirmed, Daven-port denied.

This discussion was held in the open air in the presence of alarge congregation and lasted about four hours. The best oforder was maintained, and close attention was given to thespeakers.

Mr. Davenport is a man about 60 years of age. He has been inthe ministry for many years, and is well equipped to maintain hisside of the subject. Mrs. Collins is about 30 years of age (actu-ally she was 26 at the time), of fine personal appearance andone of the ablest woman speakers we have ever heard. She hasbeen in the ministry about 10 years, in fact was co-leader withLynch, and the founders of what they call Christ’s SanctifiedHoly Church. She is thoroughly posted as to the doctrines sheadvocates, and seems to know the entire Bible by heart, and isundoubtedly the best educated and informed minister in thatdenomination.

Space will not allow us to give a report of the discussions, butwe feel warranted in saying that Reverend Davenport will notwant to renew the discussions, and that at least nine out of 10who heard the debate would give the victory to the woman.


Chapter

3Sanctified GroupsCross the Nation

he Sanctified People be-gan reaching out fromNorth Carolina in 1898.They divided into smallgroups, and traveled the

waters, rails and roads of America.Their sole purpose was to spreadtheir beliefs to others, and they jour-neyed to small towns and big cities allacross the nation. They typicallywould move into a town and stayanywhere from six months to twoyears. During that time, they wouldhold services in the surroundingcommunities so that they could reachas many people as possible.

As they traveled, the groups wouldoccasionally split or combine, andmembers would shift from one groupto another. Some converts joined upwith the traveling groups, while oth-ers would be left behind to do God’swork in their hometowns. It was as ifeach Sanctified Person was a threadthat was free to move as he or she

T

18 • Sanctified Groups Cross the Nation

chose. However, those individual threadswere intertwined by a common faith, andthat’s how the fabric of Christ’s SanctifiedHoly Church was formed.

Passion for the Word was high duringthis period, but money was scarce andliving arrangements were difficult. TheSanctified People rarely owned furniturein the early 1900s. They used orangecrates and nail kegs as chairs, and when-ever they moved, they simply nailedorange crates to the walls in the kitchenfor cabinets. Their main possessionswere feather mattresses, trunks anddishes. During their journeys, they wouldplace the mattress in a trunk and thenpack the dishes in and around the mat-tress for safekeeping.

When they first left the North Carolinacoast, Charlotte Gray and her groupwent to Florida while Joseph Lynch andanother crowd went back into Virginia.Lynch’s group first stopped at DeepCreek in the Tidewater region, and thenthey continued up the coast to Alexan-dria, Va. One Sunday, Lynch’s grouptook a steamer from Alexandria acrossthe Potomac River to Washington, D.C.They held a meeting on a square nearthe White House, and then on the stepsof the Capital building. One frugalbrother tried to save the 10-centsteamer fare and opted to row acrossthe Potomac. Unfortunately, he arrivedat the meeting place just as the servicewas about to end.

Lynch’s group next turned southwardto Harker’s Island in North Carolina. After

Colored Saints March ForwardOn their first trip down the Atlantic coast, the Sanctified Peo-

ple preached to groups of white and black people in North Car-olina at Harker’s Island, Beaufort and Morehead City. Before theturn of the century, churches were constructed at all three sites:

Harker’s Island Church – In the year of 1898, the SanctifiedPeople preached and established a church for the white folks onHarker’s Island. From these services a young man named GeorgeRose, who was 19 years of age, got converted and Sanctified. Histestimony was that he found the most sincere people he ever met.They were plain in dress, no jewelry or make up and kept theSabbath Day. His brother, Dallas Rose, later wrote a book, “AnEarnest Contender”, about receiving the blessing of Sanctified.

Beaufort Church – In the sameyear of 1898, with the help of theHarker’s Island church, theypreached to the black people atBeaufort. There were a great manywho got Sanctified, and withJoseph B. Lynch and Sarah E.Collins established a Christ’s Sanc-tified Holy Church for blacks.Among the leaders of that churchwere Barney Davis and his wifeMary Jane Davis, Henry and RoseHagett, Homer Jones, Mariah Potterand Al Sikes.

Morehead City, NC Church –This Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch for blacks was establishedby the Harker’s Island and Beau-fort Churches in 1899. They boughta piece of property and built achurch. The three churches wouldmeet on a Sunday of each monthand have an all day meeting. It waslike our feast meetings we holdtoday. It was a glorious time withthe whites and the blacks praisingthe Lord together.

The “Colored Saints”built this church inBeaufort, N.C. One ofthe leaders for thisgroup was BarneyDavis.


reaching both black and white people with the Gospel onHarker’s Island, Lynch guided his crowd to Beaufort, N.C.,Morehead City, N.C., Sneed’s Ferry, N.C., and Savannah, Ga.

On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine was sunk by sabo-teurs in Havanna Harbor in Cuba, and that event ignited theSpanish-American War. The Sanctified People with Lynchwere in Savannah while the war was being fought. Savannahwas a major staging point for American troops, who rodetrains to Savannah and then boarded ships bound for Cuba.The Sanctified People took advantage of the traffic, setting uplunch stands with large pots of clam chowder and pies to sellto the hungry troops.

Later that year, Lynch left Savannah and headed to Floridawith his group. At the time, Charlotte Gray’s crowd waspreaching in several towns around Cocoa, Fla. They heldmeetings in Sunshine State towns such as Ocala (whereBrother Thomas Slappey was found) and Palmetto. While inPalmetto, members of the group worked in the local lemonorchards. Another Sanctified band, which included the Chan-dlers and the Riggs, had branched off the Gray group, and theytraveled to Brunswick, Ga.

Eva Riggs later remembered her time in Georgia the fol-lowing way: “As more people kept getting Sanctified, theywould come out and travel with us to different places. Lots oftimes we would all get back together for a while, and then wewould scatter out into different crowds.”

In 1899, Lynch and his group went to Palatka, Fla., wherethey rented the old Cannonball Hotel. Several families movedinto the rooms upstairs, and they held services in the lobby onthe ground floor. One of the people touched by the words ofthe Sanctified People in Florida was a railroad worker namedAndrew Smith. Another person who first heard the word inFlorida was John Miller, who would later become a leader inthe church. Miller’s story is a good example of the strugglessome people faced when they turned to Sanctification duringthat period.

As a youngster, Miller moved with his family from Philadel-phia, Pa., to the backwoods of Florida in 1886. Each week, his

family would travel by wagon to Palatka in order to purchaseprovisions. When John was 33 years old, his father, Frank,encountered the Sanctified People on one such visit. Afterattending a service at the Cannonball Hotel, Frank asked theSanctified People if they would like to come to preach in hiscommunity.

John Miller had served as the clerk of the Missionary Bap-tist Church near Palatka for three years before he was intro-duced to the Sanctified People. After John and some of hisfriends heard Lynch’s crowd preach, they wanted the Sancti-fied People to come preach at their church. At that time, theMissionary Baptist Church held meetings just one weekendper month, with a conference meeting on Saturday and reg-ular services on Sunday. At one of these conference meetings,someone brought up the motion that the Sanctified Peopleshould be allowed to preach in their church. They put the ideato a vote, and it was eventually decided that the SanctifiedPeople should be invited to the church.

The Sanctified People journeyed to the community in wag-ons, and the people took them into their homes and pro-vided hospitality. They began to preach in the church, and anumber of people got Sanctified. Miller and 20 other membersof the Baptist Church were among those who chose Sanctifi-

The Memorable Winter Of 1899The Sanctified People faced one of their most daunting challenges in 1899, when

they encountered one of the most difficult winters on record.In February of 1999, an Associated Press story stated, “A century ago this week,

most of America shivered in the icy grip of the cold snap that set the standard for coldsnaps.”

How cold was it? A frigid air mass swept through the United States, setting recordlow temperatures in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsyl-vania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Many of the Sanctified People were in Florida during that winter. Snow flurriesappeared as far south as Fort Myers, Fla., and Lake City received three inches of snow.On Feb. 13, the state capital of Tallahassee set a state record with a temperature oftwo below zero. The following day, it was 29 degrees in Miami.


cation. Other Baptists, however, did not like the waythe Sanctified People worshipped, and they wantedthem out of their church.

The issue was brought up at the Baptists’ nextSaturday conference meeting. The congregationhad another vote, and the group that wanted theSanctified People to leave won by a small margin. Asthe clerk, Miller was seated next to the minister dur-ing the conference, and he was charged with keep-ing the minutes of the meeting. After the vote, Millerwrote in the church record, “Resolved, that the Mis-sionary Baptist Church bars its doors against thepreaching of the Holy Word of God.”

When Miller was called upon to read back theminutes at the close of the meeting, he dutifully readexactly what he had written. Not surprisingly, therewas a loud protest. “It’s not the Word of God we’reagainst, it’s those people we don’t want,” someshouted. During the commotion, someone made amotion that Miller be ousted from his role as thechurch clerk for heresy. That motion was put to avote, and a slight majority voted against Miller.Those folks thought that they had voted Miller out,but then he rose and informed the congregation thatthey needed a two-thirds majority to remove him. Hewent on to tell the audience that he was resigningfrom the church of his own free will, and then theother members who had been Sanctified alsoresigned. Among the people who joined Christ’sSanctified Holy Church along with John Miller at thistime were Ed Miller, Frank Miller, Dock Smith,Penny Tuttle, Johnny Green and Obe Call.

The rift at the Baptist Church didn’t mark an endto John Miller’s difficulties. Here’s what happenednext, according to Miller’s bibliography:

“Although his wife didn’t get Sanctified, sheagreed to come to John later after he went off withthe Sanctified People and got settled. So, John went


to a town not far awayand was farming for aman, as were otherswho got Sanctified inPalatka. But, it seemshis wife’s wordlybrothers incited heranger against BrotherJohn.”

The “locals” weren’talways hostile. Duringthe Spanish AmericanWar near the turn ofthe century, times werehard for many people.However, in Jack-sonville, Fla., on theSt. John’s River, agroup of SanctifiedPeople journeyed intotown and received anotable reception. TomGray went into a littlestore in South Jack-sonville, and he simplytold the man behindthe counter that hisgroup needed gro-ceries. Gray said thatthey didn’t have anymoney, but that they

would pay the grocer once they got jobs. The man took Grayat his word, and the Sanctified People got their groceries.

Later in 1899, some of the Sanctified People began tomigrate away from the coastline. The Lynch group visitedSister Charlotte Gray’s group in Cocoa, Fla. Lynch then took anumber of people across the state to Tampa, but their stay inTampa was brief. There was an outbreak of yellow fever, so

the Sanctified People quickly boarded a train bound forAtlanta, Ga. Before they entered Atlanta, their train wasstopped so that health inspectors could ensure that the pas-sengers weren’t carrying yellow fever. The train was haltednext to a prison. The Sanctified People left their cars, wentoutside, and began singing to the prisoners.

Once Lynch’s group reached Atlanta, they had a number ofgood meetings and many people were Sanctified. Duringtheir stay in the city, many of the men and women worked atan overall factory. Among the folks who joined the church atthat time were Neal Haggard, Louise Haggard Gray, LillieHaggard, Artie Bell Bradford, Brother Maxwell and GeorgeKimball.

While they were in Atlanta, they met a man named Mr.Green who invited them to preach at his mission in NewOrleans. Joseph Lynch headed for New Orleans with onegroup, and he left Brother Maxwell in charge of the SanctifiedPeople who chose to remain in Atlanta. Lynch and his crowdboarded a train for another long journey. In 1900, most of the75.9 million Americans traveled by train, boat, horse, mule orbicycle. One contemporary report described automobiles as“an expensive luxury item for the man who does not needone. It is well named the ‘devil wagon.’” Ford Motor Companyopened its doors for the first time in 1904.

When the Sanctified People reached New Orleans, theyfound that Mr. Green’s mission was old and dilapidated, sothey held meetings out on the street by the Mississippi River.While in New Orleans, the Sanctified People stayed at theSaint Charles Hotel.

The Sanctified People had a positive experience in NewOrleans, and many stories are still told from their days in theCrescent City. Once, Sister Millie Miller was preaching on a boxnear the riverfront. A man in the audience stepped forwardwhile she was preaching and said, “Sister, you are going topreach yourself to death. Take this dollar and take it easy.”Miller took the dollar and handed it to Joseph Lynch … andthen she went right back to preaching. There is another storyabout a Frenchman who was Sanctified in New Orleans.

On The RoadThroughout the first half of the

1900s, the Sanctified People traveledconstantly. Andrew “Dock” Smith wasSanctified in Palatka, Fla., in 1899.According to Smith’s records, he trav-eled to the following 46 cities with theSanctified People over the next 41 years:

Palmetto, Fla. Colorado Springs, Colo.Ellington, Fla. Fresno, Calif.Punta Gorda, Fla. San Jose, Calif.Fort Myers, Fla. Santa Ana, Calif.Arcadia, Fla. Pomona, Calif.Shreveport, La. La Junta, Colo.Vicksburg, Miss. Canon City, Colo.Jackson, Miss. Kansas City, Kan.Meridan, Miss. Russellville, Ark.Westpoint, Miss. Joplin, Mo.Greenville, Miss. Louisville, Ky.Dallas, Tex. Portland, Ky.Fort Worth, Tex. Mobile, Ala.Austin, Tex. Selma, Ala.San Antonio, Tex. Griffin, Ga.Lake Charles, La. Atlanta, Ga.Port Arthur, Tex. Augusta, Ga.Texarkana, Ark. Birmingham, Ala.Little Rock, Ark. Charleston, S.C.Pine Bluff, Ark. Charlotte, N.C.Memphis, Tenn. Jacksonville, Fla.Clarendon, Ark. Valdosta, Ga.Muskogee, Okla. St. Augustine, Fla.


Sister MillieMiller was an

active mem-ber of the

church in theearly 1900s.

While theystayed in

New Orleans,a number of

SanctifiedPeople

stayed at theSt. Charles

Hotel.

Shortly after he testi-fied, he passed awaywhile at a service.

The stay in NewOrleans came to a sud-den end when an out-break of small poxswept through the city.The Sanctified Peopleleft to avoid beingquarantined, and theyboarded a train forPensacola, Fla.

A great number ofpeople had been Sanc-tified in Florida in theearly stages of thechurch. In 1899, about40 church members

from all over Florida took a steamer across the Gulf of Mex-ico to the island town of Galveston, Tex. It was a difficult,storm-filled voyage, but that was just the beginning of the

ordeal. Shortly afterthey arrived in theLone Star State, Galve-ston was hit by thedeadliest hurricane inAmerican history. For-tunately, all of theSanctified People sur-vived the storm.

Traveling had be-come an important partof life for the SanctifiedPeople. For example,Sarah “Sade” Collins’crowd left South Port,

N.C., in 1898, and they moved 13 times over the next twoyears. All of those moves were made by boat or train. It was,without a doubt, a difficult time. Sacrifices were made byeveryone in order to spread the Word. The travelers left behindthe comfort and security of their homes, and the children weremoving so often that they frequently attended many differentschools in one year.

In early 1900, a group led by Joseph Lynch and Sade Collinswent from Pensacola, Fla., to Fernandina Beach, Fla. While inFernandina Beach, many of the Sanctified People were hiredto tear down an old hotel – the same hotel where MarshallWoolard’s crowd had lived the previous year.

There was also sad news for the Sanctified People in Fer-nandina Beach. Joseph Lynch, the founder and leader ofChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church, passed away on September 3,1900 (many say that it was food poisoning that caused hisdeath), and then Sister Mag Powell died a few hours later. Inthat short span of time, the church lost two strong soldierswho were both part of the crowd that left Chincoteague andbegan spreading the Word through travel.

After Lynch passed away, the Chandlers and the Riggsdecided to join Charlotte Gray’s group in Punta Gorda, Fla.Sarah E. Collins assumed the leadership of the church,and several members of the Lynch crowd boarded theschooner Annie Homan and headed northward. The AnnieHoman was towing a houseboat that was filled with blackbrothers and sisters. Originally from North Carolina, theblack people had traveled south to join the Sanctified Peo-ple in Florida.

At one point on the trip, the Annie Homan was docked inthe town of Bluffton, S.C., which is near the island nowknown as Hilton Head. The Sanctified People held meetingsin Bluffton, and their preaching was well received. A numberof people were Sanctified, and several families decided totravel with the Sanctified folks. The new members of thetravel party were the Goodwins (the parents of JennieRobuck), the Fripps, and the Causey’s.


While in Bluffton, there were a number of memorablemeetings that included Sanctified People who were bothwhite and black. Long before integration came to the South,meetings were held with both races in attendance. On oneevening, the white folks would take the stand while the black

members were seated. The following night, the two groupswould switch places.

In 1901, Sarah Collins’ group sailed away from Blufftonand headed toward Charleston, S.C. Then the trusty AnnieHoman ran aground on a sandbar. The vessel was pounded

When The Sky Fell, And The Ocean RoseWhen the 20th century began, Galveston, Tex., was a thriving, growing port city. Galveston had 38,000 residents, and it was the fourth largest city in the state

of Texas.All of that changed on Sept. 8, 1900. A monstrous hurricane hit the island that day, bringing winds that traveled at over 120 miles per hour and a tidal surge

that swept across the island. The storm killed over 6,000 people, and one-third of the city was destroyed.A group of about 40 Sanctified People were caught in Galveston when the “Great Storm” swallowed the island. Thankfully, all of the Sanctified People in Galve-

ston survived the hurricane, but it was a frightful experience for many of them.When the city officials realized that a severe hurricane was coming, they ordered everyone to evacuate their homes. Some did, but many elected to stay on

the second floor of their homes. A large group of Sanctified People decided to go to the City Water Works Building, a brick structure that was on the highest partof the island. Unfortunately, even that structure wasn’t safe. When the surging saltwater started to crumble the building walls, the people escaped and tried tomake it to the city water tower, which was nearby.

The Sanctified People were clinging to the tower when they saw three church members – Marshall and Minnie Woolard and Dora Price, being pushed awayby the tide and the winds. John Miller handed his money to John Boyce, and then Miller and his brother, Ed, went into the water. The Millers swam out to the strug-gling trio. Each of the brothers took one of the women back to the tower, and Marshall Woolard swam to safety on his own.

Another blessing was discovered after the storm ended. When the Sanctified People returned to their rented homes, all of the houses on the street had floatedaway except for the two buildings that had been rented by the Sanctified crowd. It wasn’t divine intervention that saved the houses, it was an old ChincoteagueIsland trick. The Sanctified People had cut holes in the floor before they left their houses. This allowed the rising water to come up through the floor instead ofpushing the houses off of their foundations.

The devasta-tion ofGalvestonwas nearlycomplete fol-lowing thehurricane.(Texas StateLibrary)


by the tides and the wind, and she eventually began to takeon water. The Sanctified People abandoned their ship andtook their wet possessions to Lady’s Island in South Car-olina. The Sanctified People had a short stay on the islandwhile the men beached the boat, recaulked it, and made itseaworthy again.

The stop at Lady Island may not have been planned, but thetime there was well spent. While they were on the beach, theynaturally began preaching.

When the Sanctified People finally reached Charleston,the fabled Annie Homan was sold. Sarah Collins’ group usedsome of the money from the sale to purchase train tickets toRichmond, Va. The Sanctified People had meetings in Rich-mond, and they also toured smaller cities in the state suchas Smithfield, Newport News and Lynchburg. The groupspent the winter in Lynchburg, with many working in thecotton mills. They performed a job known as “drawing,”which involved pulling the threads and preparing them forthe weaving process. It was a cold, snowy winter in Lynch-burg, and the Collins crew frequently caught themselvesthinking about Charlotte Gray’s group, which was holdingmeetings in warm Florida communities such as Orlando,Bartons, Arcadia, Titusville and Daytona.

One hundred years ago, there was a loose organizationamong the Sanctified People. There were several smallchurch communities in the South, as well as three distincttraveling crowds that remained in contact via mail. AfterJoseph Lynch passed away, Sarah Collins was the leader of agroup that was moving northward along the South Carolinacoast. Charlotte Gray’s crowd was traveling in Florida. At thesame time, Marshall Woolard was leading a third crowd thatincluded John Miller and his family. Woolard’s crowd was inTexas at the turn of the century.

The three traveling crowds had been working on a way tounite, and that mission was accomplished in the summer of1902 when everyone was called to Birmingham, Ala. One ofthe reasons that Birmingham was selected for the union

meeting was that the city’s steel industry offered plenty ofjobs. When they left Birmingham later in the summer, Collinsand Woolard took their crowds to Biloxi, Miss., and they latermade their way to Bay St. Louis, Miss. When they reached BaySt. Louis, the Sanctified men worked in oystering, and someof the women went to work in a shrimp factory.

After the union meet-ing, Charlotte Gray tookher crowd to Pass Chris-tan, Miss., where Graywas joined by the familiesof John Miller, Eva Riggs,William Parker and oth-ers. Delia Kight and sev-eral Sanctified women inPass Christian worked ata local shrimp factory.They were paid 10 centsper gallon to cleanshrimp. Kight later saidthat she never ateanother shrimp after thatexperience.

At the same time,most of John Miller’s oldgroup headed back toTexas, visiting places suchas Dallas, Fort Worth,Austin and San Antonio.In 1903 (the same year theWright brothers flew atKitty Hawk, N.C.), Millerreturned to Bay St. Louiswith a new idea. Some-how, Miller managed toconvince Sarah Collinsthat they should go to

Rudolph Esclavon joined the Sanctifiedcrowd in Louisiana in 1903.


California! Others joined that contingent in California, includingsome who traveled all the way from Chincoteague to the WestCoast. After making the long train journey westward, the Sanc-tified People held meetings at Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego,Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Long Beach.

While Miller and Collins were leading their folks around

California, Charlotte Gray’s group moved into westernLouisiana. One of the places they visited in Louisiana wasLake Charles, where they initially held meetings on streetcorners. Rudolph Esclavon was brought into the Sanctifiedfamily during such a meeting in 1903.

“Rudolph was walking along the street one Sunday

This photowas taken inCaliforniaaround 1903.

A Long Way From HomeChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church was created in the Eastern Shore region of Virginia in 1892. A dozen years later, the traveling Sanctified People reached some-

thing of a milestone when they journeyed to the West Coast.A Sanctified group led by Sarah Collins and John Miller traveled by train from Texas to Los Angeles in 1903. While relatively few new members were found in

California, the Sanctified People left a lasting impression in the region.Phineas Bresee was one Californian who was touched by the Sanctified People. At the time, Bresee was

a Methodist minister in Los Angeles. After attending services for over a year, he wrote: “I instinctively in spiritallied myself with them, and, while they must have known that I was not in the clear enjoyment of the bless-ing (of Sanctification), they seemed to appreciate whatever efforts I could and did make, in assisting them inthe work of holiness. They were very kind and gentle. They doubtless prayed much for me, but they did notpray at me, and they stood close by me, and sustained me …”

Bresee wrote that he later experienced “a transformed condition of life and blessing and unction and glory,which I had never known before … there came into my ministry a new element of spiritual life and power.”

Instead of joining the Sanctified People, Bresee eventually chose another path and became one of thefounders of the Nazarene Church.


afternoon and heard them singing and preaching as theywere standing on the street corner holding meeting,”remembered Rudolph’s wife, May Esclavon. “Sister LouiseGray was preaching. Rudolph had been reared in theCatholic church and was not allowed to visit anotherchurch, but God got hold of him that day and he neverwent back to the Catholic church. He sought and obtainedforgiveness of sin and Sanctification, and he cast his lotwith the Sanctified People.”

Early in the 20th century, the structure of Christ’s SanctifiedHoly Church slowly began to shift. As the membership in thechurch grew, more and more groups of Sanctified Peoplestarted traveling and touching hearts across the country.

In November of 1903, a fourth major crowd was createdwhen a group of about 30 Sanctified People, including BillyChandler, the Riggs, and George Bishop; traveled into Texas.That group started in Fort Worth, and then they went to

Houston, Port Lavaca and Victoria. Near Victoria, the Sancti-fied People began preaching in a building that was known asthe “Little Blue School House.” The time in the School Houseproved to be a magnificent experience. A number of peoplewere Sanctified in Victoria, including Willie Hobbs Sr., AraSloan (who would later become Willie’s wife), Watt Hanley,the Bonners (Oscar, Otho, Dan, Lavolia and Mattie), SamJernigan, Ella Slappey, Mack Chauvin, Ben Milam, Jessie Han-dley Sullivan, the Robucks and the Wrights.

Meanwhile, Sarah Collins left California in 1904 with aSanctified group and moved to Kansas. At the same time,Charlotte Gray’s crowd journeyed to Texarkana, Ark. Chandlerand Bishop ultimately joined Gray in Texarkana. Numerousother excursions were made in the Lone Star State. In 1905,Sanctified People visited Rockport, Tex., where Lizzie Currywas Sanctified on Christmas Eve. Her example was later fol-lowed by Nettie, Lee, Warren and Rufus Curry.

Earlier in 1905, it was decided that the Sanctified Peopleshould come together for their second union meeting. Theyselected Little Rock, Ark., as the site for the early August meet-ing. They had a wonderful time at the meeting, and they alsohandled some church business. They republished their disci-pline, and they reestablished their membership rolls. At thetime, there were 142 people traveling with the various Sancti-fied groups. That list included a number of people who wereSanctified at the union meeting, including Dela Birch (wholater married Noah Kites), as well as Walter and Nettie Brush.

A series of board meetings were also held in John Miller’shome in Little Rock. On Aug. 5, 1905, the board installedMiller and Thomas Poyner as deacons.

While the direction of the church was being decided at theunion meeting in Little Rock, a personal decision was beingmade in Louisiana. The French Sanctified People were hold-ing meetings and preaching the gospel in Bayou Blue, La., anda man named Louis Arceneaux was Sanctified at one of themeetings. Arceneaux and his wife were Catholics, and theyhad raised a large family together.

Lending A Helping HandWhen Charlotte Gray’s group was staying in Lake Charles, La., in 1903,

the Sanctified People visited a small community known as West Lake, La.The Sanctified People preached to a group of black people at an AfricanMethodist Episcopal Church (AME) and a Colored Methodist Church in WestLake. Many of the people there were Sanctified, and Gray eventually organ-ized them into Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church South on April 16, 1904. Grayordained deacons, deaconesses and ministers, and she helped them set uptheir own organization.

One of the first people Sanctified at the church was C.F. RigMaiden, andshe immediately began preaching to other members of the community. Oth-ers later joined RigMaiden, including Dempsey Perkins, A.C. Mitchell, JamesBriller Jr., and Lizzie Pleasant.

The black crowd eventually traveled through the Midwest and the north-west, and they started a number of churches that are still operating. SisterEffie Foss first heard about Sanctification from the black crowd in Chicago,Ill. Foss later got Sanctified and joined Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, andshe eventually was ordained as a minister in August of 1942.


hen the Little Rock union meeting came to aclose, Sarah Collins and John Miller returnedto the road with a crowd of Sanctified Peo-ple. They first went to Pine Bluff, Ark., whereseveral people were Sanctified, including

Tennie Cherry and James Foust.The Sanctified People then formed two crowds out of Pine

Bluff, with Collins leading a group to Louisiana and Miller’scrowd going to Clarendon, Ark. The people in Clarendonwere soon joined by Charlotte Gray’s crowd, and they stayedin the small town for nearly two years. The time spent inClarendon proved to be very productive, with people such asLige and Jonas Rainey, Charlie Mordick and Luther Gray get-ting Sanctified during that period.

Clarendon also served as a base that allowed the SanctifiedPeople to reach out to other communities in Arkansas. Theypreached in towns such as Connell’s Point and Kevil, andCharlotte Gray helped organize a church in Turner, Ark.Clemmey Booth was the deaconess of the new church inTurner, and three ministers were ordained – J.P. Hill, C.C.Grider and Ada Howard.

Word of mouth was the key for the traveling Sanctified Peo-ple. When they moved into a town, they would generally have

small audiences for their initial meetings. Then, after people inthe community began to spread the word, the Sanctified Peo-ple would usually see their audience grow. That’s how LizzieBonner joined the church in Fort Smith, Ark., back in 1905.

“A young man by the name of Marian Dillingham wasboarding with my mother. He attended their meetings forseveral weeks, and then he finally persuaded my mother to gohear them. She was a Methodist who was living up to all she

Chapter

4Traveling Into The20th Century

W

This photoapparentlyshows aSanctifiedgroup onthe“HolyJunipers”traveling toArkansas.

28 • Traveling Into The 20th Century

knew,” May Esclavon, who was 10 years old in 1905, said ofher mother. “She knew she didn’t have salvation, and so shebecame interested in the holy people and she and my fatherwere both Sanctified.

“Soon, the holy people were led to move on, and mymother went with them out in the world to preach the gospel.

We owned our home and two others, but we sold them andgave away everything except for what we would call a camp-ing outfit. We were living comfortably in Fort Smith, but mymother sacrificed her home, her belongings and her relativesand started to tell others about Jesus.”

A stay in Midland, Ark., provided many great memories for

In 1905, a group of Sanctified People led by Billy Riggs journeyed intoTexas. The stay in that area was one of the most remarkable sojourns duringthe church’s traveling period.

The Sanctified People first arrived in Victoria, Tex., in the fall of 1903. Fiftyyears later, William Hobbs Sr., remembered the events this way: “At the time,we lived about 10 miles out of town in a settlement known as the Burrows Set-tlement. The Sloans and the Handleys went into town and brought (the Sanc-tified People) out in wagons and carriages to hold meetings in the little schoolhouse known as the Blue School House. Some of the Sanctified People whocame to those meetings were Charlie and Alice Riggs, Cornelius and Lillie Hag-gard, Norris and Lydia Tingle, Issac and Annie Riggs, Johnny and Flonie Green,Alex and Agnes Ashley, and Billy and Eva Riggs. Others came at various timesfrom Port Lavaca, which was 27 miles away.

“They started services on a Saturday night in November, 1903, and I wentout to see what was going on. There on the stand my eyes fell on truly theSaints of God. When they started singing the Songs of the Redeemed, the housewas full of the power of the Lord. I had never seen a service carried on in thismanner. They all stood up and sung and began to shout, but none of it wasfunny to me. It went to my heart and stayed there.”

Those saintly people later spent a considerable amount of time in Rockport,Tex., a town located about 60 miles from Victoria. They moved in three coveredwagons, with a team of mules leading the way.

While the Sanctified People were based in Rockport, they frequently trav-eled to smaller communities around the city. They enjoyed tremendous successin the area. Many of the people who were Sanctified near Rockport now havenumerous descendants who are members of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church.That list included the Currys (there were 12 brothers and sisters).

Warren Curry was a rough-and-tumble cowboy who worked on a ranchnear Rockport. One day, he was riding his horse when he went by a placewhere the Sanctified People were holding a meeting. The wonderful singingdrew Curry in. He was quickly seized by the spirit, and his knees began to trem-ble. He soon got Sanctified, and he started traveling with the Sanctified folks.

The Sanctified People eventually built a rough board tabernacle on thenorthern side of Rockport, and they continued to gather support. Warren Curry’sexample was later followed by Lizzie Curry, Amos Rooke and Nettie CurryRooke Hagan. In August of 1967, Hagan wrote about her memories of Texas:

“In March, 1906, I went to visit Lizzie (Curry). She had gotten SanctifiedChristmas Eve, 1905. All Warren and Lizzie talked about was the Sanctified Peo-ple, how wonderful they were, and about their preaching … I really watchedevery act they did, and every word they said …

“I was real anxious to go to the meetings to see what it was all about. SoI was there at the tabernacle at 2:30. They were singing, and soon they stoodup. I shall never forget the feeling that came over me. I thought they were sobeautiful, and as they knelt down to pray it seemed as if something began totug or pull at my heart.”

Sanctified Success In The Lone Star StateThe Christ’sSanctified

Holy Churchat Port Arthur,

Tex., circa1890. Amongthose in the

photo are IdaFisher

Bowden,Asher Fisher

and CharlotteGray.


the Sanctified People, but their time in the community was farfrom perfect.

“This little town was quite a contrast to Fort Smith,” wrote

Esclavon. “My mother had taken pride in sending her children

to school, but there were no schools in Midland. It was a

small mining town, with company built houses of two and

While they were staying in Rockport, the Sanctified People made a visitto the home of Will and Melinee Hardy in the nearby community of Fulton,Tex. (three miles from Rockport), in July of 1906. They enjoyed a wonder-ful outdoor evening meeting in the Hardy’s yard. They hung lanterns on thetrees, and they used rough lumber for seats.

Nettie Hagan later wrote:“Lizzie took me to Brother Chandler’s when we got to Rockport. Several

families lived together there. They had a wonderful meeting, singing andshouting under the trees. I went to the altar, kneeling on the sand. Sundaymorning, Sunday school, Sunday afternoon, testimony meeting Sundaynight, I really began to pray and repent of my sins and the Lord sure didbless me that night. A burden rolled out of my heart.

“I never went home Monday. I wanted to get Sanctified before I wenthome. I stayed until Wednesday night, and on August 1, Wednesday nightafter 10:00 p.m., the Lord really did come into my heart. I began to praisethe Lord and tell what the Lord did for me.”

In March of 1907, a large part of the Sanctified group left Rockport andtook a train to the Ardmore Indian Territory (now a part of Oklahoma). A num-ber of the newly-Sanctified people remained in Rockport and continuedpreaching the word.

Another member of the local community who joined the Sanctified Peo-ple was Hazel Hardy Scarbrough (Will and Melinee’s daughter). She laterrecounted her memories of that time:

“Most of the Sanctified men fished for their living. So did my father. Theirmeetings were Sunday and Wednesday nights, and Saturday night andSunday afternoon. The ladies held the Wednesday night one, as the menwere on the fishing grounds through the week. I have seen Sister LizzieChandler shouting up the isle and others too. When they came in churchthey would greet each other with a kiss. We thought it so funny for men tokiss each other. They were such clean people, none used tobacco in anyform, they neither drank intoxicating liquor or used profane language. Theypaid cash for all their needs.”

Working For A LivingDuring their travels, Sanctified People worked a series of different professions. As

Faye Rogers said, the people did “anything they could do to make a dollar, whetherit was digging potatoes or picking cotton or whatever.”

One popular occupation for the women was doing laundry. In the early years, SaraBowden and Lizzie Leary formed a partnership washing clothes. At the first home,Sara would wash clothes while Lizzie would preach to the woman of the house. At thenext home, the two would switch roles.

In A Goodly Heritage, which was published by Millie Waites, there was a “partiallist” of 24 jobs that were handled by the men and women in the church:

1- Fishermen

2- Fished for turtles

3- Fished for eels for the northern market

4- Worked in a shrimp factory

5- Migrant farm workers

6- Oystermen

7- Carpentry work

8- Peddlers

9- Worked in a creamery

10- Worked in an overall factory

11- Laundry work

12- Dug mussels for the shells, which were used for buttons at a Clarendon, Ark.,factory

13- Worked in a button factory

14- Worked on lemon farms

15- Grew and sold vegetables

16- Rolled asphalt with wheelbarrows to build a road

17- Worked on the railroads

18- Trappers in Louisiana

19- Day laborers

20- Painters

21- Worked in cotton mills

22- Ran a boarding house

23- In Wichita, Kan., they made shirts for World War I soldiers at home from tinpatterns

24- Plaster work


three rooms, and some of them had cracks in them so that

you could see through. We carried water about a block and

had to pull it up with a rope and bucket from the well,

whereas we had running water in our home in Fort Smith.

But, the meetings in Midland stand out in my mind as the

greatest I have ever witnessed.

“They built a brush arbor (a simple structure constructed

with branches from trees and bushes) for outdoor meetings.

Great crowds of people attended, and it seemed everyone

was interested in their soul. I remember one Sunday after-

noon when Brother Marshall Woolard preached until sun-

down on water baptism. The sermon is still living in my mind

though I was only 11 years old at the time.”

In each town they visited, the Sanctified People were rou-

tinely joined by new converts. Many people from that period

remained with the church, and their descendants are still a

part of the Sanctified family. Others, however, chose a differ-

ent path.

Jessie Goodwin Jernigan, who lived in Fort Smith, Ark.,

was Sanctified in May of 1906. The following description was

written in her bibliography, “A little later, she noticed that

some of the young folks who had started with her were turn-

ing back discouraged, giving up and returning home to Fort

Smith, Ark. Pondering this sad state of affairs, the words and

music for ‘I’ll Go Every Step of the Way, Lord’ came to her and

she wrote them down. She didn’t want to turn back, and she

never did.”

The Sanctified movement was also growing in Louisiana,

where Sarah Collins’ group had found a home in Morgan

City. A tabernacle was built, and they were soon drawing

large crowds to their meetings. The group later moved to

New Iberia, La., where Robert Prince, Cora Carpenter and

E.E. Duplantis were all ordained to be ministers. In addition,

Jim and Cell Jones were Sanctified in New Iberia.

The traveling continued in 1906, when Charlotte Gray’s

group went up into Colorado. Billy Chandler and George

1 I’ll go every step of the way, LordThru storms or thru sunshine orrain,For my Savior has promised tolead meThru this life on the straight, nar-row way.

Cho. – I’ll go every step of the way,LordI’ll never, no never retreat,For I’ve found a safe anchor inJesusBy sitting right low at his feet.

2 I’ll go every step of the way, Lord,For Canaan is full in my view,I’ve entered the sweet land ofpromiseThe City where all things are new.

3 Oh, how grandly the scene liesbefore me,The fields for the harvest arewhite,And the Master is calling for work-ersWho will go and take part in thefight.

4 I’ve a witness as clear as thenoondayThat my Savior is dwelling withme;I have heard the everlastingGospel,And my soul evermore is free.

5 I’ve enlisted to fight in this army,Till the warfare is ended below,And the Master shall say, come uphigher,Where the joys up in heaven everflow.

No. 164 I’LL GO EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, LORDBy Sis. Jessie Jernigan

Irvin and Jessie Goodwin Jernigan


Bishop went to Fort Smith, Ark., where Gussy Christy, Lizzy

Bonner, Jesse Jernigan and Ed Vest were among those that

were Sanctified. Another Sanctified group, which included

members from Victoria, Tex., and Lake Charles, La., went to

Memphis, Tenn. The Millers were then gathering converts in

Alabama. Pearl Dillard was ordained by Brother John in Birm-

ingham, Ala., on March 6, 1906. That same year, a group of

younger Sanctified People moved to Colorado to spread the

word in a town called La Junta.

In 1907, some of the Sanctified People from Texas and

Louisiana traveled into the Ardmore Indian Territory (which

became a part of Oklahoma when the Sooner state was

inducted into the union late in 1907) by chartered train. At the

same time, Charlotte Gray’s group was in Arkansas, where her

son (George E. Gray) was Sanctified along with Elijah Blaylock.

When Sanctified People were on the road, it wasn’t always

easy to find a place for their meetings, but they generally

managed to find a helping hand in the community. Once near

Rockport, Tex., some people hung lanterns in their yard so

that a Sanctified crowd could hold a night meeting. Will and

Melanee Hardy hosted the Sanctified folks in Fulton, Tex.,

and they both got Sanctified.

Two of thepeople whowereSanctified inArkansaswere SarahElizabethAliceClelland(inset) andRobertHartsfield(preaching).Hartsfieldlater becamea strongpreacher whooften quotedthe poem, TheBridgeBuilder.


By the end of 1907, Sanctified People were influencing

communities across the nation. The Millers and Dock Smith

had moved into Missouri, while another group was in La

Junta, Colo. The travels continued in 1908, with Sarah Collins’

crowd moving to Alexandria, La., and then to Mobile, Ala. The

Millers journeyed to Coffeyville, Kan., and then went west for

In 1915, the group led by Brother Joe O’Hare posed for a photoin Oxford, Miss. Seated, from left to right, are Mr. Blaker, LillieOwens, Jeff Barren, Vickie Barron, Sister Pierce, Joe O’Hare, LillieO’Hare, Walter Kent, Martha Kent, Robert Hanna, Nettie Hanna,Anna Owens, Sister Blaker and Sister Huggins.

The second row, from left to right, includes Angie Avery, RufusCook, Ina Blaker, Tom Leggett, Clydie Avery, Mollie Moses, SamLangston, Sister Talent, Mollie Brewer, Florence Cook, JossieGatlin and Ora Vandiver.

Standing in the third row, from left to right, are Walter Gatlin,Johnie Wright, Jim Owens, Dave Blaker, Henry Scipper, BrotherHuggins, Hershell Vandiver, Elmer Miles, Frank Avery, Tom Jolley,Burwood Avery, Lee Owens, Retta Wright, Sister Hatcher and JaneWright.

The Comforterran this

remembrancefrom Brother

W.D. HobbsSr., who was

in Moss Point,Miss., in 1919.The Comforter

also printedthe names

that go alongwith the

group photo(bottom) from

Moss Point.


a return trip to California. Meanwhile, Marshall Woolard, the

Riggs and the Chandlers had all convened in Oklahoma City.

Woolard moved over to Topeka, Kan., the following year,

while John Miller’s group was in Fresno, Calif.

During that time, there was a group that lived in Connell’s

Point, Ark., and traveled throughout the area. They preached

to Robert and Ella Hartsfield, who got Sanctified, and Sarah

Elizabeth Alice Clelland also joined the church.

Clelland, who lived in Clarendon, Ark., had a unique story.

Two men had previously held a revival in the area, and the

men were preaching Sanctification. Sister Alice got Sanctified

under these two ministers along with Maude Maupin and a

lady named Mrs. Brown. However, the two preachers only

stayed two weeks before they moved on.

The three women then spent time reading and praying

together, asking God to send them help in their pursuit. Before

long, Charlotte Gray and John Miller arrived with a crowd of

Sanctified People. Those folks quickly won the hearts of Clel-

land and Maupin, who joined the Sanctified People.

Another interesting event occurred on Feb. 10, 1908. Noah

Kight and Delia Birch were married that day in Helena, Ark.

Following the ceremony, Noah gave everyone in attendance

an orange to show his appreciation for their appearance.

That show of kindness could be considered the church’s first

wedding reception.

When the calendar turned to 1910, Sanctified People had

moved into a pair of Mississippi towns. George Bishop’s

crowd was in Gulfport, Miss., and Sarah Collins was leading

a group 30 miles away in Scranton. Later in the year, Collins

and her people returned to New Orleans, where they enjoyed

success and built a tabernacle. Collins wrote to George

Bishop in March of 1911, inviting Bishop to join in their meet-

ings in Cajun communities such as Westwego, Des Allamones

and Bayou Blue.

In addition to the main traveling groups, there were also

numerous instances where a few members of the church

would branch out and make an effort to spread the Word in

small communities. One such excursion in 1910 brought

Alonza Clark in to the church.

“Alonza Clark was born and raised in Arkansas County,

Ark. Charlie Dillon, Charlie Cease, Albert McPherson and O.G.

Bates were the first ones he heard preach the gospel. He lis-

tened to their preaching for about a week before he began to

take notice of their lives,” it states in Clark’s bibliography.

“He had bought a farm and had driven one nail in his new

home when he saw our folks coming. He stopped to listen to

them and never hit another lick on the house. He sold his

land, farm and lumber and bought a floathouse with a four-

horse motor. He lived on the river for two years.”

In numerous instances, there was a small group of Sancti-

fied people who didn’t even view themselves as a crowd or a

church who preached and evangelized. Without a leader or a

preacher, they worked and witnessed to those around them

and led sinners to salvation through Sanctification. One such

While theSanctifiedPeople werein Louisiana,they broughtin a numberof “FrenchSanctifiedPeople,”including theMarthernfamily andothers in thisphoto.


case occurred in mid-Mississippi when Hallie Jefferies and

friends from Arkansas were itinerant farm laborers helping

pick cotton in some of the farms in Sunflower County. They

picked cotton all day and held a meeting after dinner on the

front porch of the peoples’ house who had hired them. In

this community, they reached Ed and Lee Hagan, Henry

Sicciper, Dela Bradley and others with the Gospel. With the

burden of sin lifted they sang and shouted on the porch and

in the yard.In 1911 in Sedalia, Missouri, the church took a step forward

when the first regular Sunday school classes were started.Brother Watt Handley was teaching one class, and Sister EvaRiggs led a second class. While at Sedalia, four young ladies– May Alsup, Hazel Hardy, May Owens and Priscilla Jones – allgot Sanctified on one night.

During this period of constant travel, the Sanctified Peoplefilled a series of different jobs. Warren Curry, who was Sanc-

tified in Rockport, Tex., is a perfect example of how these peo-ple survived. Curry traveled through Louisiana, Mississippiand Indiana. According to his bibliography: “He always knewhow to make a living although he was a carpenter by trade.He did most any kind of work – plastering, laying brick, sell-ing watermelons, churning milk to make buttermilk and but-ter, or working as a trapper. He always provided for his familyand helped those in need.”

Often times, employment depended on the area – in RockyFord, Colo., they found marvelous farm land and they grewwonderful watermelons and honeydew melons. In ColoradoSprings, Colo., James Foust and Thomas Gray had a job heat-ing frozen oil so they could oil train wheels. In Kansas City, itwas construction and work in meat processing factories. Forthe most part, however, Sanctified People found work in thebuilding industry. The church was filled with talented car-penters, painters and plasterers. One person would learn a

Hearing The Word In ArkansasThe following text was written by Florence Foust in 1961.

In the year of 1916, Sanctified People were led by the Spirit of God to come to Newport, Ark. I was a very young girl at that time. I first saw them one night when wewere having a little gathering at the school house to raise the money to pay our (Baptist) preacher. Old Brother Page was the leader of the gathering.

After the service was over, Brother Page asked all of us to stay for a few minutes, saying there was some Sanctified People who had recently moved into town, and wantedto sing for us along with giving their testimonies. Everyone began asking the other what kind of people these were. We were all wondering what they would look like andwhat they had to tell.

In a few minutes they came walking in the door. They each went and knelt down to say their prayer and then got up. Brother Robert Hartsfield then stepped out to tellwhat their mission was. They wanted to preach the Gospel, without money and without price, to all people. They wanted to explain that there was a better way to live thanto live in sin. He then told us that the Bible said, “He that sinneth is of the devil.” (John 3:8). He also quoted Romans 6:23, which says, “For the wages of sin is death, butthe gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

After this, Brother Robert, Sister Ella (Hartsfield), and Brother and Sister Hill started visiting in the homes of the people, holding meetings as they were invited. This oldBrother Page, who was a leader in the Baptist Church, began to seek the Lord and was gloriously Sanctified. I was beginning to fall in love with them too. I went home andtold my folk of the Sanctified People singing for us. They had never heard of such people. I had never heard such singing, and had never seen anyone shouting.

They looked like angles to me. They sang, “Don’t you know you have been wrong about the Bible, I believe.” Sister Ella Hartsfield bore down on the verse, “You heardthat preacher when he said no man could live without sin.” The power of God was all over them.

How I thank the Lord for ever sending them my way. They did not get discouraged because they did not have lots of work, or make lots of money. It was a small town,there was not many jobs, they only could get farming to do. They worked in the field, but kept holding meetings. Preaching, singing and praying. God honored their labor.


In many ways, Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church took flight during the first 15 yearsof the 20th century. Sanctified People were traveling across the country, spreadingthe word and drawing converts to the church.

However, as the church was spreading its wings, some members were con-cerned that the roots from Chincoteague were being left behind. Communicationbetween the traveling groups was by mail, and it was very difficult to pass timelyinformation during this period.

No one was more concerned than Charlotte Gray. One of the church’s founders,Gray had become uneasy about the direction of the Sanctified People. As oneobserver wrote, “She believed all the forces should be united and strengthened.”That, however, proved to be a difficult challenge. Gray attempted to hold a unionmeeting in Kansas City in 1915, but that effort did not meet her expectations.

Fortunately, Gray remained focus on bringing the Sanctified People together. In1917, Gray achieved her goal in magnificent fashion. She decided to invite every-one to a union meeting in Louisville, where the growing economy (thanks to thedeveloping steel industry) would provide plenty of jobs for the Sanctified People.

Gray worked tirelessly to bring as many people as possible to Louisville. In aneffort to spark more interest in the event, she even wrote the song, “On the UnionMeeting Ground.” The work paid off, and a large group of Sanctified People even-tually made the journey to Louisville. And they came from everywhere, including Cal-ifornia, Colorado, Louisiana, Kansas City, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri.

At that time, long distance travel was still a difficult proposition. Trains were the

main form of transportation, and Brother Elliott Sullivan was the travel agent for theSanctified People. Sullivan was working for a railroad company when he was Sanc-tified in Palm Beach, Fla. He was put in charge of chartering railroad cars for theSanctified People when they moved because he received reduced rates as a formeremployee. He chartered and scheduled all of the rail transportation for the Louisvilleunion meeting.

Even with Sullivan’s assistance, the trip to Louisville wasn’t easy. Still, the Sanc-tified People managed to make the journey enjoyable. Dan Bonner’s group was liv-ing in Bloomington, Tex., when they were called to Louisville. They happily boardedtheir train, eager to see friends and family they had not seen in years. That joy fre-quently erupted into song during the trip.

Bonner’s bibliography includes the following description of that time: “Dan hadto make arrangements to get his family, which consisted of wife (Laura) and six chil-dren by this time, to Louisville. He was filled with enthusiasm to make the move andbe in the meetings. His brother, Otho and his wife, would be there, and his brother,Oscar and his wife, Jessie (Laura’s sister). Also, Dan’s two sisters – Lavolia and Mat-tie – would be in Louisville. It would be a family reunion as well as a time to getacquainted with all the other members of the church.

“A train was chartered by Elliott Sullivan in Joplin, Mo., to make the trip toLouisville, where there was a strong group of black Sanctified members. All of thosewho had the privilege of meeting those blacks came away feeling enriched for hav-ing met and known them.”

Louisville Meeting Unites Sanctified People

Continued on page 36

craft, and then they would teach that profession to otherchurch members. Even with a skill, it was often difficult to findwork without local contacts. Around 1910, Jonas Raney andJohnny Green were working as painters in Colorado. Whenwork became scarce, the two brothers would go door-to-door seeking work.

The women frequently worked, often times starting laun-dry services or working as nurses or housekeepers.

In 1912, the Collins group migrated across Lake

Pontchartrain to Covington, La. The meetings in Covington

were tremendously successful, and Collins eventually

ordained three ministers – Frank Fitzgerald, Bennie Ervin

and Isabell Galloway – to lead groups at the three taberna-

cles they built in the Covington area. While the meetings in

Covington were successful, the economic situation there

was not always a positive. At times, the men would cross

Nettie Hagan had similar memories of her journey to Louisville.“In August, 1916, some of us in Kansas City moved to Louisville, Ky.,” she

wrote. “The big crowd chartered a train coach and came on later. Soon, thefolks from California came, and all the other crowds came one by one. Thebiggest crowd came from Louisiana.

“The railroad was near the tabernacle in Louisville, but the train depot wasa ways up town. Fortunately, our men got the L & N Railroad Company toswitch the coach from Louisiana on a sidetrack near our tabernacle. I shall neverforget that day. Excitement ran high as the train began to slow down. I expectthere were 50 people at the train to greet our folks. It was a great day for us all.

“… It was a wonderful time with the Saints of God, but in those days thegreatest concern was to go on to another field. The church business gotattended to, and then the crowds went on to new fields of labor.”

The union call wasn’t initially heeded by everyone. Times were tough in1917, with jobs and money at a premium. Still, the powerful spirit of the unionmeeting eventually reached well beyond the city of Louisville.

In Louisiana – Madisonville and Ponchatoula – a group of men hadremained behind. Rufus Curry later explained: “As the Saints began to gatherat the union meeting the Lord poured his blessings on them; they began towrite us in the south and tell us how the Lord was blessing them and the unitythat existed. It made us want to go.

“When one would get a letter we would all assemble to hear it read. Itseemed to make our hearts enlarge and love increase. So, about eight or ninefamilies decided to move to New Orleans to work and save enough money togo to the union meeting.

“We set a date to leave New Orleans. Part of our crowd were not ready andwrote us, in our house, a pitiful letter not to leave them and signed the letter‘The Poor Brethren.’ We set another date to leave New Orleans on April 6, 1917,and chartered a car on the Illinois Central Railroad. I believe 32 persons wereon the train, including the children. Brother W.D. Hobbs Sr., was our businessmanager. He arranged with the railroad for a special car.

“April sixth finally came. We left New Orleans at 7:30 p.m. on April 6,1917 and traveled all night; passed through Memphis, Tenn., where webought a newspaper with the bad news in a big headline: U.S. Declares WarOn Germany. We traveled most of the next day before reaching Louisville, Ky.The conductor told us he had a telegram telling us not to get off the train atthe depot. The brethren at Louisville had arranged to have our car switchedto Parkland where the tabernacle was and where most of our folks lived. Itwas parked at a crossing. Faith Lost In Sight! When my eyes beheld thestreet full of the Saints, let me tell you it was one of the prettiest sights myeyes ever saw.

“This picture is still in my mind. It seems all the folk that were at the unionmeeting stood with open arms to welcome us; some laughing, some crying,others hugging and kissing.”

Among those on that special car from Louisiana were W.D. Hobbs Sr., W.D.Hobbs Jr., Ara Hobbs, B.C. Hamilton, Annie Bell Hamilton, R.H. Curry, JennieCurry, Horace Curry, Willie Helberg, Regina Helberg, Brother Thompson, LouiseGray, Jimmie Gray, Susie Gray, J.R. Lynch, Angie Lynch, Bessie Lynch Bonner,Elige Rainey, Alice Rainey Parker, Mildred Rainey Vaughn, Inez Rainey Hagan,Lee Curry, Julia Curry, Robert Lee Curry, Lee Curry, Nicholas Prince, HildaPrince Green, Park Bowden, Sarah Bell Bowden, Brittan Parker, Mary LizBeauchamp and Sarah Collins.

The union meeting was extremely successful, with many people gettingSanctified during the meetings. In addition, it was a tremendous time of bond-ing for the entire Sanctified family.

Finally, the members began to leave Louisville. In Dan Bonner’s bibliogra-phy, it says, “It became evident after a few months in Louisville that the UnitedStates would enter World War I. The leaders advised all young men to take theirfamilies to the seaport towns and enter the shipyards to work, whereby theycould be exempt from bearing arms in time of war. Dan moved with his fam-ily to Mobile, Ala., to work in the shipyard. The family was still in Mobile at theend of the war when the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918.”



the lake and return to New Orleans to get work while the

women continued the meetings in Covington.

While Gray’s group was preaching in Covington, the

French Sanctified People were still holding their meetings

near New Orleans. In 1913, Brother Theles Marthern went to

Beau Shocta, an island in Lake Salvador. On the island,

Marthern found Mary and John Dufrene and their 12 chil-

dren. Mary, John and 10 of their children eventually got Sanc-

tified.

Of course, other Sanctified groups were still traveling

across the nation during this period. John and Ed Miller were

enjoying tremendous success in Montgomery, Ala.; Ed Vest

and Elliott Sullivan were preaching in Jefferson City, Mo.; and

the Riggs were in Sedalia, Mo. Johnny Green and Lillie Hag-

gard were holding meetings in Kansas City, Kan., and then

they moved out to Alhambra, Calif.

In 1915, the industrialization of America was moving for-

ward at a rapid rate. The Ford Motor Company introduced the

first moving assembly line the previous year, allowing the

company to produce 1,000 Model T automobiles per day. In

New York City, 150,000 garment workers went on a three-

month strike in an effort to win concessions that included

recognition of their union.

At the same time, Charlotte Gray moved to Kansas City. The

Sanctified People had exciting meetings in the city, drawing in

new members such as Bert and Mary Porter. Years later, Mary

remembered how she and her husband were introduced to

the Sanctified People.

“They were holding a meeting. The building was not at all

fine,” she wrote. “From inside, we heard beautiful singing. So,

we stopped to look in a while. There were no instruments of

music that caused us to stop and look in. They were singing

‘The Old Ship of Zion,’ and about the lifeboat in which they

were in.

“Many times we passed by and listened as they sangand shouted and prayed. We always stood outside thewindow, but one night we went inside the door. They gaveus such a warm welcome! ‘We’re so glad you came in!’

Collins Was The Anchor Early OnWhile Joseph Lynch is recognized as the founder of Christ’s Sanctified

Holy Church, Lynch received tremendous support in the early years fromSarah “Sade” Collins. She was one of the first people Sanctified on Chin-coteague Island, and she was a church leader although she was only 22years old. In the following decades, Collins continued to serve as an influ-ential force.

Sarah E. Tarr was born on September 5, 1870 in Chincoteague, Va. Shewas married to John E. Collins, and their daughter was born on August 28,1892. Jenny E. Collins would later marry Rufus Horace Curry, who servedas a deacon in Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church.

Sarah Collins was an original member of the governing board, which wasorganized on February 14, 1892. She was unanimously elected to the officeof Deaconess on July 14, 1892.

Shortly after she was ordained, Collins and her husband, Johnny, begantraveling with the Sanctified People. They left behind a prosperous life onChincoteague, where their home had hand-made, wall-to-wall carpeting(quite a luxury prior to 1900).

Collins further built her reputation in 1897 when she met a minister fromthe Disciple Church in a debate in Oregon, N.C. A local newspaper reportercovered the debate, and later wrote, “Mrs. Collins is about 30 years of age,of fine personal appearance and one of the ablest women speakers we haveever heard … She is thoroughly posted as to the doctrines she advocates,and seems to know the entire Bible by heart … Space will not allow us togive a report of the discussion, but we feel warranted in saying that Mr. Dav-enport will not want to renew the discussion and that at least nine out of 10who heard the debate would give the victory to the woman.”

In 1917, Collins and Charlotte Gray called all of the Sanctified People toLouisville, Ky., for a great union meeting.

Collins served the church until her death in 1943. She helped startchurches in numerous communities across the southeastern United States.When she passed away, Collins was the leader of a large church in Wilm-ington, N.C., in addition to being a minister and Deaconess for the entirechurch.


many said. They showed such love and a sweet spirit. Wewanted to go back again.

“I didn’t make a quick decision. I thought and prayed formany hours. I wanted to know if this would keep me even inthe dying hour. But, when convinced, I got converted. Isought earnestly and got Sanctified. I renounced the world

and its pleasures, and they don’t attract me anymore. I neverhave regretted when I heard the gospel trumpet sound.”

After settling in at Kansas City, Gray invited all the Sancti-fied People to meet in that city. This third union meetingwould draw church members from all regions of the country.

Nettie Hagan later wrote, “Amos and I sold all our house-

1 Now, brother, come and help me, for something is expected

It’s a time of special Union, and no one is rejectedOh, let us win the battle, and rescue those that are lostIt’s done by holy living, regardless of the cost.

Cho. – On the Union meeting ground, praise GodThere you will hear a joyful sound from the LordThere’ll be music all aroundWhere the grace of God is found,On the Union meeting ground, praise the Lord.

2 We need some nursing fathers, and nursing mothers too,Such as will break the bread of life, to the many or the

fewCome along, ye valiant soldier, and help us bear the

crossOh, if we furl the banner, there is someone will be lost.

3 Oh, come to the Union meeting, as our days on earth are few,

There might be something left undone, God has revealed to you

Then have your hearts uplifted, to God that lives aboveAnd the Holy Ghost will be sent down, and we’ll have

perfect love.

4 The purpose of this meeting, is to settle on the rockFor grievous wolves will enter in, who will not spare

the flock;Then feed my lambs, said Jesus, and do not hide awayWhat God has committed to your care, you’ll give an

account some day.

5 Come along, California, and Louisiana, too, come joinyour hearts together

And know what you can do, for thousands now arestarving

And laborers are but few, don’t say to selfSome other day, when God has called for you.

6 The Union meeting is started, and the Saints are gather-ing there

We need your prayers and presence, Oh, will you meet me there?

The summer will soon be ended, and the harvest days be o’er

We are going to a Union meeting, over on the other shore.

7 What a glorious Union meeting, up in Heaven by and byWhere we will meet together, if we are faithful till we

dieThere will be no opposition, and nothing there to blightOh, let us then be faithful, and settle on the right.

8 When the Union meeting is over, we all in one accordWill go out into some other place, as servants in the

LordNo returning to farms or vineyards nor countries for

our healthBut wholly follow Jesus, and trust him for our wealth.

No. 283 ON THE UNION MEETING GROUNDSis. Charlotte Gray


hold things and went to NewOrleans from Covington, soAmos could make enoughmoney to move us to KansasCity. Warren Curry and EbaMerritt came to New Orleansalso. Uncle Eba had a gas boatnamed the Jack Rabbit and ahouse trailer. They camped onthe canal at New Orleanswhile trapping there to getready to go to Kansas City.”

While certain individualsmade tremendous efforts toreach Kansas City, that unionmeeting was relatively unsuc-cessful. The poor turnout inKansas City caused AuntCharlotte to be concernedabout the church. Gray firmlybelieved that the SanctifiedPeople should remain on themove, and she was apprehen-sive that some groups hadspent so much time inLouisiana. It had even beenrumored that the SanctifiedPeople had purchased landand planted crops – a suresign that they were starting tosettle down. Gray was alsounhappy that some of herfolks were way out in Califor-nia, where distance madecommunication a challenge.

The Sanctified Warrior

A Pledge To MotherOur dear Mother has left us, gone away;Forever gone from this old world to stay.In Heaven today she’s a welcome guest,Because she loved her Lord the best.Gone to join the bright angel bandAround the great white throne of God to stand

While that sweet face no more we behold,There’s something left, that’s more than gold.A path in life she’s made so straight,It can only be followed by the step of a saint.The lessons you taught me I can only repay,With this pledge: I’m going to meet you someday.

So here’s my heart, and here’s my hand,To God I’ll be true and make a firm stand.From the Gospel you taught me I’ll never retreat,With the same I’ll meet you on the Golden Street.And the time will be short, it won’t be long;So, Comrade, stand firm, let’s all be strong.Denial and sacrifice you went thru to reach me,That I the Light of the Gospel might see.The debt is so large – how can I repay?But, this is my pledge, this I will say:The Gospel you taught me I’ll carry around,Sowing the seed in some good ground.

I pledge you that never will I settle down,Inviting upon me God’s righteous frown.But always remember the life that you spent,The Gospel you preached thru that land as you

went.Little stone from the mountain cut without hands,God’s Kingdom, roll on and cover all lands.

– John Miler

Charlotte Gray was one of the founders of Christ’sSanctified Holy Church, and she left an indelible mark onthe church before she passed away on November 1,1919 in Pascagola, Miss.

“That was the passing of a mighty warrior, for nonehas ever taken her place in this church,” Eva Riggs wrote30 years later.

Grey was living on a farm near Williamsville, Del., onGrey’s Creek when she first heard the Sanctified People.After helping to start a church in Delaware, Gray eventu-ally decided to spread the Gospel, and she started trav-eling with her husband, Tom. They sold their farm, settledtheir debts and sailed away with the Sanctified People.Gray first went down the Atlantic Coast, and in the fol-lowing years she preached in places like Memphis,Tenn.; Clarendon, Ark.; Pueblo, Colo.; and Hutchinson,Kan.

Wherever she went, Gray was a powerful influence.

Charlotte Hester Bishop Gray“Aunt Charlotte”

February 11, 1858 – November 2, 1919


With those thoughts in mind, Gray made a strong effort to

bring the Sanctified People together in Louisville, Ky., in 1917.

Gray even wrote a song, “On the Union Meeting Ground,” in

the hopes of raising interest in the church’s fourth union meet-

ing. In the end, all of Gray’s efforts paid off handsomely.

Shortly after the United States entered World War

I in 1918, the Sanctified People made the decision

to leave the Louisville Union Meeting. Ed Miller

took a group to Alabama, where they were

preaching in many towns. John Miller’s crowd

moved northward to Evansville, Ind., and

New Albany, Ind. Sarah Collins journeyed to

Madisonville, La., and Charlotte Gray’s folks

went to Moss Point, Miss.

In an effort to serve their country during

the war, the Sanctified People branched

out to various cities to work in the war

industry. While the war was the big news,

changes were happening everywhere.

About this time, Lee and Rufus Curry

bought a Model T automobile in Madis-

onville, La., possibly making them the first

Sanctified People to own a car. That Model

T helped the Curry family attend numerous

country meetings in Louisiana.

According to Noah Kight’s bibliography,

there was little movement during World War I

because “the adults were all much concerned

about the chaos throughout the country due to

the war.”

While in Evansville, the Sanctified People found

82-year old Brother Arnold, who got converted and

Sanctified along with his wife and two daughters (one of

whom was Katie Copeland).

There was also sad news in 1919, when a flu epidemic

swept across the nation. Three members of the Sanctified

family – Anna Bishop, Lige Raney and Harry Lewis – passed

away after battling the illness. In that same year, the church

lost one of its strongest leaders when Charlotte Gray

passed away in Pasagoula at the age of 61. In Octo-

ber of 1919, Charlotte Collins Lynch died at the

age of 74.

The years following World War I were filled

with travel, which was still crude by modern

standards.

The Sanctified People divided into a num-

ber of different groups, and they traversed

the southern United States preaching the

Gospel. For many, it was a return to a famil-

iar way of life. One bibliography stated,

“The Kight family moved from Louisville to

New Albany, Ind. There the tradition was

the same – find a place to live, build a

church or rent a place to hold meetings,

find jobs to earn money and support fami-

lies, and enroll children in schools.”

One of the most successful stops during

this period came in Birmingham, Ala., where

there was a great revival that began in 1920.

Sarah Collins and her large crowd moved into

the city, where they had a number of inspira-

tional meetings in the tabernacle that was

shipped by train from Mississippi and then

erected on 39th Street. Those events helped several

second generation church members take the step to

Sanctification. One of the first people to make that deci-

sion was Mary Chandler Beech (Billy Chandler’s daughter).

She was followed by Eva Prince, Dora Owen. Josh Merritt,

Sarah Collinsbecame a

church leaderwhen she

was only 22years old.


Nick Prince, Cecilia Slappey, Susie Gray, Lydia Slayton and

Samuel Jernigan Sr.

While the Sanctified People enjoyed wonderful meetings in

Birmingham, work was hard to find in the city. Four men –

Rufus Curry, Ebe Merritt, James Lynch and John Collins –

returned to Louisiana in 1921 to go trapping in the marshes.

The men were isolated for some time in Louisiana, and when

they finally made it to the post office there was a large stack

of mail waiting for them. At first, the men were afraid to

open the letters because they were certain that something ter-

rible must have happened for them to have so much mail.

Finally, Merritt began to read his mail, and tears filled his

eyes. Fortunately, they were tears of joy. The women back in

Birmingham had written every day to inform the men about

their marvelous meetings and the people who had chosen

Sanctification. When they heard about the revival, they gave

away all of their boats and traps and caught the next train

back to Birmingham.

That success in Birmingham continued for some time. On

October 16, 1921, 30 people were read into the church at a

meeting led by Sarah Collins in Pleasant Hill, Ala. Most of the

converts were from nearby Jemison, including Benny Martin

and A.L. Blow. Just eight days later in Birmingham, Collins’

listed 30 more people joining the church. Those remarkable

harvests were later eclipsed by the 45 members who were

brought into the Sanctified family on November 19, 1922 in

Birmingham.

The crowd in Atlanta was also moving forward. In a 1964

edition of The Comforter, Thomas Slappey remembered how

momentum built among the young people in the area: “Prior

to 1921, I do not believe the Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church

had ever experienced such a revival concerning their sons

and daughters as the revivals of Atlanta and Birmingham

during that year.

“In Atlanta one Sunday, it seems that Clarence Chauvinwent out to the tabernacle, and stood looking in the windowfor a while. Then he came in the front door, went straight tothe altar, and started praying.

Oh What A DayOne of the remarkable days in the history of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church was

November 19, 1922. During that one day in Birmingham, Ala., Sarah Collins read 45people into church membership.

The list of new members included:

Sister BeiriAmy BiddickMatthew BrownSylvia BrownDaniel ChandlerClara CollinsLottie CollinsAnapolis DillardSylvester DutchLeon GrayEdwin GreenHilda GreenJosh GreenSister GreerBrother Haggard

Annabelle HamiltonSister HatfieldWilliam HobbsJ.W. HoshDavid JonesEula JonesEdwin KennedyMike KennedyHazel LearyMarshall LearyRalph LearyRuth LearyEdward PhillipsEva PrinceNick Prince

Norene MaysJosh MerrittPaul MerrittTimothy MerrittSister MoppinDora OwenBlanche RiggsWillie RiggsAnna TubbsMay VaughnLilly WatersDave WilkersonKnoble WilkersonChristina WoolardJoe Vaughn

While the success of that one day may never be matched, Collins’ group cameclose a little later when 27 more people were read into the church. That list included:

Beatrice BeechVernon BeechNola BlaylockBessie BonnerOtto BonnerMaidie Lee BrushBearnice BurnsPete DavisLeara Davis

Belle DialMolly May FelterClyde FrippeLancie FrippeEd Addison JonesEmma Lou JonesLola May JonesBertie LearyEmma Lockhart

Mary Lockhart Jr.Inez ParkerVelma PoynterBessie SullivanWallace SullivanArthur WoolardElsie Woolard


“When a group of young men including Uncle Ray Smithheard about it, and saw the joy shining on the faces of ourfolks, they were touched.

“That night, we were all out at the tabernacle, and wewere all very much interested and concerned. Our folks weretruly filled with the Spirit, and as they began to sing,pray and preach, deep conviction fell on everyone of us. Some could hardly wait for the altarcall, and when it was given, the altar filledwith young people calling upon God.Words can never describe the feeling thatcame over us as our friends began get-ting converted and Sanctified. I believemost of that group was Sanctifiedbefore the year’s end. It was wonder-ful what the Lord had done.”

Those days in Birmingham weremarvelous. In the early 1920s,future church leaders such as RaySmith and Joseph Clelland wereSanctified in Birmingham andAtlanta, and they were only a smallpart of an amazing flood. Word ofthe excitement in Birmingham quicklyspread throughout the Sanctified fam-ily, drawing more and more members tothe city.

It proved to be a very wise decision.“The spirit and the power fell there as on the

day of Pentecost, a time and date that should godown in the history of the church,” remembered MayEsclavon. “The power struck every corner of the church –men and women that had not been known to show anyemotion before rose from their seats shouting and praisingGod. Many of our children were Sanctified. Charlie Riggs

stands out in my mind, as he got off the bus and was met bythe boys and came straight in to the altar and prayed his waythrough along with all the other boys and girls. It was inone of those wonderful meetings that Brother Luther Grayclimbed a post in order to dismiss the meeting, it was so late

and all were so happy.”At another memorable meeting just outside ofBirmingham, Marshall Woolard preached to an

overflow crowd for over two hours on thesubject of water baptism.

While a large Sanctified communitywas enjoying wonderful times in Birm-ingham, other groups were flourishingin other areas. There were smallcrowds traveling across the country,with the large groups being led byCollins, Ed Miller (in southernAlabama) and Warren Curry (inFlorida).

The environments were shifting,but the Sanctified People continuedtheir way of life. They were content,

but they were far from affluent.Around the same time, Ed Miller’s

group journeyed to Talladega, Ala.,where they rented an old college dormi-

tory with three floors. There were plenty ofrooms, and everyone was able to pick an

apartment to live in. The main floor had twolarge rooms that were used for Sunday school and

meetings.In 1927, the large crowd in Birmingham began to plan

another move. Sarah Collins felt it was time to find newground, so she took a group eastward to Charleston, S.C.Another group, led by E.K. Leary, Fred Woolard and Johnnie

MayExclavon,

co-leader ofCharleston,

SouthCarolinaChurch.


Green, left Birmingham and moved to Columbus, Ga. AliceClelland and Charlie Riggs led a third crowd, eventually find-ing a home in Meridian, Miss. In 1929, Clelland and Riggsmoved on to Jackson, Miss., with a good crowd, and they heldmeetings in Terry and Joy Valley.

Even with all the departures, a strong contingent remainedin Birmingham. They were holding frequent meetings atsmaller communities around the city, including Trussville,where Herston Ware was Sanctified.

At the beginning of the 1930s, Collins and her folks werestill in Charleston with a growing congregation.

The church took a legal step when Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch was officially incorporated following a board meetingin Charleston, on March 11, 1932. The corporate charter wasfiled in Savannah, Ga.

While Collins was working in Charleston, George Bishopand Warren Curry were leading a group in Augusta, Ga.; JohnBoyce had a group in Columbia, S.C.; and John Miller’s folkswere at Savannah, Ga. Around this time, the various groupsbegan the tradition of feast meetings, with one group hostingother church members over a weekend.

Nettie Hagan in 1967“An end comes to everything, except eternity, so I suppose an end hascome to our traveling. But, I still have a desire to see others keep trav-eling and preaching the ever lasting gospel to a lost world.

Spartanburg,SouthCarolinaChurchMeeting 1935


One such gathering led to a tragedy on Oct. 9, 1932.Brother Babe McPherson was carrying a carload of youngfolks back to Augusta, Ga., after Melvin and Ina Collier’s wed-ding in Charleston, S.C. Their car was hit by a drunk driver,and McPherson and Ruth Curry (age 22) were both killed.

On a happier note, Watt Handley and Robert Hartsfield leda crowd to the Memphis area around 1933. While in Memphis,they held a number of country meetings at rural communities.

In a small community known as Hollywood, Tenn., MinnieHandley Cross elected to seek the Lord during a wonderfulmeeting. Her example was followed by others in attendance,such as Charlie Foster and Jessie Dameron, Harvey and Sal-ley Walker, and Laurence and Mabel Wilson.

Later in 1933, George Bishop and Warren Curry venturedwith a group to Charlotte, N.C.; and Collins went fromCharleston to Greenville, S.C. By 1935, Bishop and Curryhad gone to Daytona Beach, Fla., and Collins was in Wilm-ington, N.C.

A portion of the Collins group had previously moved toSpartanburg, and that crowd flourished in the mid ‘30s. Mem-bers like Alice Clelland and Jonas Raney went to Spartanburgfrom Mississippi, while Robert Hartsfield and Watt Handleybrought a group from Memphis. At the end of the decade,some of the Sanctified People in Spartanburg moved north todo the Lord’s work in Norfolk, Va.

After building a church in Macon, Ga., in 1938, JohnMiller’s group made a move to High Point, N.C. One of theyoung men reached by the preaching there was RaymondSamuel Sr. At the same time, John’s brother Ed was travelingto Moultrie, Ga. In Moultrie, Miller’s crowd constructed a tab-ernacle on the town’s main street, and they had a number ofrewarding meetings in that holy house. Some of the people

who were Sanctified in Moultrie were Evelyn Libby Miller,Agnes Beasley Slappey, Daisy Manning Gray, Vonnie ManningWelch, Sarah Manning Miller, Ruth Manning Hobby, Ernestand Luna Graves, Clint and Nora Manning, plus Striplin andElsie Kelly.

“Times have changed since our older people started withthe gospel 60 years ago. The automobiles, the radio, the the-ater, television and out door movies have the mind of thepeople occupied and their attention is attracted to thenumerous things the world offers in this day and time. Thefloats on which our fathers traveled up and down the rivers,signing and attracting the attention of the people will notanswer in this day; neither will the street meetings we heldso often on the street corners and the tabernacles are fastgoing out of date.

“We seem to be bordering on the time for permanentchurches (five established churches at the time of Esclavon’swriting) to be established and do some permanent holy liv-ing among the neighbors and people and get our salvationout to them over the air and into the homes. The times havechanged and the Sanctified People have changed in manyways from the beginning. We used to walk, bicycle, or go onstreet cars, transferring many times. But, now we have thefinest of motor cars, air conditioned in the summer andheated in the winter; step out of warm cars and into a heat-ed home. Our homes are strictly modern with all conven-iences, with one family to a house, when we used to haveseveral families in one house who cooked on one stove andate at one table. We would charter a passenger car and afreight car to move our furniture and now a large movingvan comes to the door, loads up and meets us at our desti-nation and we go on living at home.”


n the summer of 1938, Sister Dilla Miller felt led by theLord to write the following letter to each crowd of peo-ple belonging to Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church:

For many years, we have talked of a place wherewe could meet once a year and spend two or three

weeks together; a country like where they took Joseph’sbones with them and buried him in the promised land. Thebones of our loved ones could be placed together, and alsowhere our old soldiers who had spent all their lives in laborfor the Master could spend the last mile of the way sur-rounded with every care and comfort. A place where wecould keep our song books and these 500 pounds of songbook plates we’ve been lifting and moving around.

It seems it is still being voiced, and some of us feel the Lordwould be well pleased with it; feel it would be something tobind the church together and also believe the Lord in whomall things are possible is able to work this out.

Who would have believed a few short years ago our burialfund would have nicely put away eight or 10 of God’s people,with today a surplus of $475.00, and many were the voicesraised against it. Many said it would fail, it wouldn’t succeed.I’m sending you my house plan and my name for it – “Pilgrim’sRest” (They don’t like “Old Folks Home”). Let each one senda name and all the ideas they want to. Buy anywhere from100 to 300 acres of land in a mild climate. Old folks can’t

Chapter

5Go Forward

I

John and DeeMiller werethe drivingforce behindthe creationof the churchcampground.

46 • Go Forward

stand cold weather; build anice church where those wholived there could have meetingall the time, yet large enoughwhen the big crowd comes inAugust. A house for whoevermanages the place and at firstjust enough houses to care forthose who would want to goat that time. Add more later asneeded. Electricity is gettingcheaper all the time. If possi-ble, heat the houses with elec-tricity as well as for cooking and lights. It would be so muchsafer for old people.

Have the houses built warm for winter and cool for summerwith all the comfort and conveniences these builders amongour people with all their ingenuity can think of; a herd ofgood cattle; hundreds of good hens and all the fruit can beraised in that section. In time it would support our old peopleand have perhaps a surplus. Then, as our people moved overthe country they could tell their congregation. Spread itabroad – we have a big camp meeting in August at “Pilgrim’sRest,” and give the state where it’s located, and perhaps peo-ple who wanted the Lord would hear of it and come there andfind Him. I believe if our folks want it, the Lord will help uswork it out.

With love and sincerity,Dilla

In the following months, Miller kept a record of the progressbeing made on the campground:

Having received a favorable report from Brother RobertHartsfield of Spartanburg, S.C., and also Brother Ed Millerfrom Moultrie, Ga., we felt encouraged to proceed with it. OnThursday night, June 16, 1938, Brother John Miller’s crowd ofpeople at High Point, N.C., held a special meeting for the pur-

pose mentioned above con-cerning this home for Christ’sSanctified Holy Church. Aftermuch discussion, they took astanding vote and the crowd atHigh Point, with the visitorspresent, voted 100 percent fora home for the church and foreach one to put forth everyeffort to establish the same.

On July 4, 1938 in Wilming-ton, N.C., Brother John Millerand his wife (Dilla), with some

of the leading people of High Point, N.C., and Brother EdMiller of Moultrie, Ga., met with Sister Sara E. Collins and herpeople which assembled at the tabernacle at 10:00.

At the opening of the meeting, there seemed to be a divi-sion or quite a few unbelievers among the people. This prob-ably was due on account of this subject not beingsatisfactorily explained so that the people could really seehow valuable this home and camp meeting would be to thechurch in later years.

After Brother John Miller began to discuss the home andcamp meeting, a great deal of interest was created, heartswere touched, souls were enlightened, and there was somuch enthusiasm until lunch was overlooked. SisterEsclavon made a good talk about the cemetery. Brother RaySmith came into the meeting late and had strong doubtsabout the home, but was soon helping work out plans. Whenthe service was brought to a close at 4:00 p.m., everybodyseemed to be in unity.

On July 17, 1938, at Spartanburg, S.C., in a called meetingat the home of Brother Ed Vest, there being present Brotherand Sister K.V. Copeland, Sister Dilla Miller and Sister SallyCease of High Point, N.C., besides the Spartanburg people.After the prayer, the home for Christ’s Sanctified Holy Churchwas discussed. Souls were made to see that instead of itbeing a dumping ground for the aged and infirm, this home

This structureserved as the

“Old FolksHome” in the

early years ofthe camp-

ground.


was to be the center of attraction for the church. A profitablemeeting was held at the close of which a standing vote wastaken and all present unanimously agreed all were in favor ofgoing forward. Meeting dismissed by Brother Ervin Jernigan.

Saturday night, July 30, 1938, Norfolk, Va., Board No. 1met at Sister Alice Clelland’s home. After prayer, as some of

the Board members did not understand how or why thechurch could have a home, this was thoroughly discussed andall agreed by a standing vote to proceed farther with it.

On July 31, 1938, the Board and members of Christ’s Sanc-tified Holy Church met in Norfolk, Va., at one of their usualfeast meetings. The meeting was called to order by the dea-

These docu-ments from1938 includea receipt for a$50 donation,as well aschecks writ-ten to coverthe first pay-ment for thecampgroundland. Thereceipt isfrom Aunt Deeto SisterMaude andBrother LewisMills. Themoney for thedonationcame from theprofit from thesale of ahouse.

48 • Go Forward

con of the church, J.W. Miller. The subject was announced thatChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church should have a headquartersand a camp meeting ground, and a place for the old Saintswhich are members of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church tospend their last days if so desired by them.

They said J.W. Miller, who is deacon and chairman of theBoard, put the question forth at the meeting to Board andmembers in regard to this question. The Board and its mem-bers quickly acted upon the question and decided to elect aBoard to take care of this matter. The Board was elected bythe vote of the church and it is called the Board of Extension.The names on the Board of Extension are as follows: J.W.Miller, George E. Gray, Charlie Riggs, Ray Smith, Tim Merritt,Hazel Scarborough and Jessie Sullivan.

At this meeting in Norfolk, after it was decided that wewanted a home or headquarters for the church, the nextquestion was “Where?” We felt it should be in the South. Oldfolks needed a warm climate and quickly South Carolina,Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Louisiana were nominated.

In Bible times, they sometimes decided things by castinglots. When they wanted to fill Judas Iscariot’s place, they castlots and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was numberedwith the 11 Disciples. So it was decided that the leadersshould go to their respective homes, put these named states

before their people and vote – each member having one vote.These votes were all sent to our Deaconess Sister Sarah E.

Collins at Wilmington, N.C., and when counted, the lot fellupon Georgia.

Brothers R.H. Curry, George E. Gray and E.P. Miller wereappointed to look for a place in Georgia. Among others, theyfound the Woolfolk place near Perry, Ga. The place wasinvestigated by Brother John Miller and others.

At High Point, N.C., on October 30, 1938, the Board ofExtension of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, a corporationunder the laws of Georgia, met for the purpose of hearing areport from the President of the Board, John Miller, on the pur-chase of a tract of land in Peach and Houston counties, Geor-gia, known as the W.W. Woolfolk Place.

Miller read a contract dated October 14, 1938 entered intoat Perry, Ga., between Mrs. Sarah Woolfolk and Mrs. MarthaSue Couch, the owners, and Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church inwhich it was agreed that the owners would sell the landdescribed in the contract for $10,000 upon the terms andconditions set forth in the contract.

Upon motion duly seconded and carried, this action ofJ.W. Miller was duly ratified and confirmed and he was fur-ther authorized together with the secretary of Christ’s Sanc-tified Holy Church to go ahead and complete the purchase ofthe land.

On Christmas Eve, 1938, John and Dilla Miller moved fromHigh Point, N.C., to the farm, donating their time and moneyto get things started. The first meeting was held on the campground on Confederate Memorial Day, 1939, under the TwinPines, back of where our present tabernacle now stands.During our first meeting, Brother Miller said to a very youngSanctified girl: “This young Sister is in our first meeting. Shewon’t live long enough to be in our last one.”

We have now a large tabernacle (not large enough), a dor-mitory with a mess hall below (not large enough) and areusing the farm home for an Old Folk’s Home. Five of the oldfolks have passed on from their labor to their reward. One ofour greatest needs is a larger, better place where all the old

This structureserved as the

firsttabernacle in

the earlyyears of the

campground


people all over the church could come and be comfortable totheir last days – a credit to the church. We have about 55camp houses belonging to members.

In the cemetery, all the tombstones are alike – no big “I’s”and little “U’s.” A man and a wife may have a double tomb-stone of the same design if they desire. Little Esther RuthAlsup, who God called home on August 12, 1940 from Nor-folk, Va., was the first one placed in our cemetery.

Bodies of our loved ones from Atlanta, Rome, Savannahand Macon, Ga.; from Anderson, Columbia and Charleston,S.C.; from Mobile, Montgomery and Birmingham, Ala.; Nor-folk, Va.; Memphis, Tenn.; and from Arizona have been senthere and their bodies placed side by side in our cemetery.

Sister Sarah E. Collins, mother of our church, deaconessand ordained minister, went to heaven from Wilmington,N.C., on July 28, 1943. On the first Sunday of our 1943 CampMeeting, there were no services in the morning. Funeral serv-ices were held at 2:30 p.m., conducted by Brother John Miller.

We felt that our camp meeting was “ruined” because ourmother was gone. But, our loss seemed to draw the hearts ofthe children closer together, creating a sweet loving spiritamong the people and much was accomplished in the 1943camp meeting.

On the following Sunday morning in our tabernacle on theold camp ground in August of 1943, after a short sermon byBrother Lloyd Collins and prayer by Brother L.C. Mills in one ofthe most sacred ceremonies in the history of our church,Brother John Miller, only remaining deacon and leader of thechurch, ordained by laying on of hands Brother Robert Hartsfieldas deacon of our church, Sisters Hattie Merritt and Alice Clellandas deaconesses; Brothers Harry Collins, Sr., Jonas Raney, PaulMerritt and Joseph Clelland as ordained ministers of our church.

As Brother Miller laid his hand on each head to ordainthem, with words that God alone could have given him (theywere so well suited to each person), a deep sacred feelingcame over the people and you couldn’t see a dry eye in thehouse. God grant each one will be a blessing and an orna-ment to this church.

In the summer of 1943,Brother O.G. Bates, now ofColumbia, S.C., then living inMacon, Ga., gave Brother Miller acheck for $210 with a requestthat he seek to persuade ourfolks to pay off the mortgage onour home and farm.

Brother Miller brought this upin one of our board meetingsheld during the camp meeting, and it was decided to make aneffort to accomplish this. Dilla Miller, secretary of the church,received these collections and today has a record of whopaid and how much.

The checks came in thick and fast, and on January 4, 1944,I sent a check for $8,500 to Mrs. Woolfolk and her daughter.Your secretary really enjoyed writing that check.

My late husband’s motto seemed to be the words of theLord to Moses, as the people stood with Pharaoh’s mighty

Young RuthAlsup wasthe first per-son buried atthe camp-groundcemetery.

50 • Go Forward

hosts behind them and the Raging Sea in front ofthem: “Go Forward!”

So, in closing, I would like to leave thatword with God’s people everywhere – GoForward. And, realizing that we’re alltravelers to the Bar of God, journeyingdown the pathway of life, and if wedon’t go God’s way, we won’t makethe port.

Dee Miller’s account, which waswritten in the late 1940’s, describesthe beginning of the campground.Charles Miller, who had studieddrafting, was tabbed to diagramwhat would become the churchcampground. Miller’s bibliographystates, “Some years later, he was calledupon to draw up the blueprints for thechurch campgrounds. Thus, it fell his lot tolay out all the streets and name them.” (Thenames were chosen from a list of suggestions sub-

mitted by various Sanctified People).Obviously, plenty of other members

lent a hand. Alonza Clark cut down thefirst tree when they were clearing landfor the campground, and he stayed inPerry to farm the church’s land. For twoyears, he was paid 30 cents a day for hiswork, and the fruits of his labor went tothe campground.

The first true camp meeting tookplace four months later in August of1939. The first out-of-towners to arrivefor the event were Rudolph and MayEsclavon, who drove up in their red Fordwith a trailer that carried a tent. Therewere a large number of tents pitched for

that initial meeting, which lasted two weeks.The first camp meeting photo was taken on

August 12, 1939.On a more somber note, 100 square

feet were cleared for the church ceme-tery in 1940. As previously men-tioned in Aunt Dee’s writings, thefirst person buried at the camp-ground was young Ruth Alsup,who had died at the age of 12 inNorfolk, Va. Ruth’s parents, Ednaand Joyce Alsup, had heard thatthere would be a cemetery at thecampground, and they wanted

their daughter buried with theSanctified folks. A year later, Daniel

Thomas Bonner helped initiate a bur-ial insurance plan for church members.The Woolfolk’s farmhouse served as

the initial old folks home, and theSanctified People soon constructed a taberna-

cle and a dormitory with a cafeteria on the bottomfloor. One informal meeting place during this time was thewater barrel that was placed between the dorm and thechurch. Small groups frequently gathered around the barrel,sipping water from a tin ladle during the hot days.

The next step was the construction of a concrete blockbuilding that housed men’s and women’s showers. Then, thefirst cabins were built on the grounds.

One-by-one, crude cabins were built along the dirt roads.Hazel Scarbrough later recounted how her home at thecampground was constructed: “In 1942, Brother Ed Millerbuilt us a cabin from wood from trees that grew on thecampground. He had trees cut and milled, and built ourcabin for $200 for everything, even the screens!”

The early cabins were rustic, with framing and woodenplanks, but no insulation. In addition, the cabins typicallyhad screens, but no glass windows. When camp meeting

CharlesMiller was

responsiblefor the origi-nal layout of

the camp-ground.

Alonza Clarkcut down thefirst trees on

the camp-ground land.

He laterworked the

campgroundfarm. Clark is

pictured infront of AuntDee’s cabin.

closed out each year, the area would echo with the sound ofhammers as people nailed boards over their “windows.”

In the following years, the size of the camp meeting con-tinually grew, and today there are approximately 200 cabins.The meetings are so powerful and Spirit-filled that most of thepeople were soon overcome with love and fellowship of theSpirit.


This flyer was used to promote the first camp meeting.

The MemorialGarden is animportant partof the camp-ground.

In the earlyyears, folksfrequentlygatheredaround thewater barrel.

52 • Go Forward

Brother Paul Merritt wrote a song that has become achurch-wide standard for people anticipating camp meeting.

Prayer, singing, preaching, testimonies, shouting and altarservices have been the consistent hallmarks during the first 65years of camp meetings. God’s Holy Spirit undiminished bythe passing of years has just increased reminding us of thewords of Isaiah, “of the increase of His government and king-dom there shall be no end.” During the first four years ofcamp meeting, the deacons and deaconesses ran the services.They selected the preachers themselves, or asked someone tohelp. In 1943, following the passing of Aunt Sade Collins,John Miller asked Brother Harry Collins Sr., to run the servicesthat year. At the end of that camp meeting, Collins suggestedthat a committee of people take on the job. From that time ona “Preacher’s Committee” consisting of a representative fromeach crowd has made the preaching and meeting runnersselections.

There is not an official record of the number of peoplewho have attended or gotten Sanctified through the years atcamp meeting, but a reasonable estimate for the averageattendance would be about 2,000, with an average of about50 a year getting Sanctified.

Less than two years after the first camp meeting, Amer-ica was attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 atPearl Harbor. That took the United States into a full-fledgedglobal war with the Axis powers – Japan, Germany andItaly. America was unprepared for a World War because thecountry was just beginning to come out of the deep finan-cial Depression of the 1930’s. Our government had tomobilize every resource for a survival program. Food,clothes, and most supplies were tightly rationed, includinggasoline. The country ceased to manufacture cars for thepublic, putting all production into defense. Many of theSanctified families had to relocate to be near shipyards inorder to have work that gave them an income or deferredthem from the military draft.

These events put a serious cloud over the ability of peopleto travel and attend the annual camp meeting. With the

The Old Camp Ground

When they start the first meetingthere’s a heavenly breeze

That will strengthen the weak handsand the feeble knees,

The old folks shouting and theyounger, too;

It’s the style in heaven – camp meetingtoo.

ChorusJust listen to the singing, what a joyful sound!It’s the saints rejoicing on the old campground.They are tuned with heaven and the angel choir –Just to be among them is my heart’s desire.

When I wake up in the morning and I hear the bell tollThere’s a wonderful feeling sweeps over my soulStarts the wheel turning, makes my cup run o’er.Renews my courage just a little bit more.

When I look at the young folks, how their faces shine;The God that you serve is also mine.The look on your face tells how you feel;Just keep your shoulder to the wheel.

When the Holy Spirit, like a rushing wind,Fills all the building and the people therein,The prayers ascending in one accordBring down the power, Oh! praise the Lord!

When He sends His chariot and I take a rideYou can lay my body on the hillside;What a great camp meeting in the Beulah LandHearing heavenly music by the angel band.

Paul Merritt Sr.


scarcity of cars and the tight rationing of gas, it was doubt-ful how many people who were not drafted into the militarycould make it there. Everyone prayed diligently, saved fru-gally, and pinched every gas stamp they could get theirhands on to make the trip. It seemed as if the greater thehardship and the greater the sacrifice, the more our peopleappreciated and treasured the privilege of being at campmeeting during those times. There was a greater depend-ence on each other for support and comfort due to theuncertainty of war.

In the summer of 1944, the sixth annual camp meetingwas held although World War II was raging in Europe and thePacific. The minutes from the meeting noted, “Our peoplehave been coming in ever since the first of the week, and Sat-urday morning every camp house but two was occupied andsome in the dormitory. Cars are here from Norfolk, Chin-coteague, Spartanburg, Atlanta, Charleston and Mobile. Thislooks like it is going to be the best camp meeting we haveever had. The gas and tires are rationed, but the Lord hasblessed us with just enough to get by on.”

It certainly wasn’t easy getting to Perry in those days, butthe Sanctified People were committed. In 1944, the trip from

the Delaware coast took three days. It was a challenge thatleft wonderful memories.

“We had a fella who wanted to go to camp meeting sobad, but he had a car that you wouldn’t hardly trust to go tothe neighborhood church,” remembered Faye Tarr Rogerswith a smile. “His car was held together with bailing wire.

“Well, we met him at the ferry, and our car was all loadeddown. Elwood and Hattie (Rickards), Daddy, Bobby(Rickards), Edgar and me and Momma. We come up on Har-vey Lynch, and he was loaded down. He and his wife and lit-tle boy were in the front seat, and the back seat had AuntEthel Beecham and two children. Aunt Ethel couldn’t stand tolet the wind blow on her because it would give her sinustrouble, so they had to keep the windows up for Aunt Ethel,and it was hot.

“They didn’t have room for their clothes, so they had suit-cases on the floor board in the back seat and they were sittingwith their legs up.”

Those mothers whose sons were serving overseas inharm’s way would wet the altars with their tears praying fortheir safe return. The young men raised in our church whowere not yet Sanctified became the great burden of the entire

Left photo Amy BittickMerrit by theoriginalpump.

Middle photo Ernest Currywith sonRonnie Curryin front ofCharlieFoster’s cabinin 1950.

Right photo Lee Haganbuilt thiscabin at 305Charity inearly 1950.

54 • Go Forward

church. Had everything been done to reach them with theGospel of Salvation before they were sent away? Would theyever return from such a bloody war? Prayers were ferventand sincere that the husbands, brothers, fathers and sonsmight be protected by God, and that they would get Sanctifiedif they were not. All of these circumstances brought OurFolks from all crowds closer together. Some of the minordifferences that had come between people did not seemimportant any longer. Everyone realized anew how preciouseach and every brother and sister was, and how much theyneeded each other’s love and fellowship. This knowledgeenriched the services, and the Spirit came down in a mightyand powerful way.

What was feared to hinder the development of the churchcamp meeting only turned into a force for great good ofChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church. God cares for His peopleregardless of the circumstances of this old world. Approxi-

mately 44 men raised in the church weredrafted into the military, with most of themseeing active combat duty, yet not one ofthem was lost. Those who were not Sancti-fied returned after the war grateful for thecontinuous prayers of the saints, and many ofthem came to camp meeting to seek theLord.

When the United States entered the warunder President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Con-gress quickly prepared the universal draftlegislation. This legislation contained analternative for the American peace lovingchurches who opposed direct participation inthe military as a violation to the command-ment “Thou shall not kill.” A civilian workprogram was developed for these people sothat they could serve their country in a non-military capacity. While many of the youngmen went to work at approved hospitals andnon-profit educational institutions, the

church created a farm program at the campground whichwas approved by the Selective Service.

In the early 1940’s some of the Sisters started keeping writ-ten records of the camp meeting services and what was tak-ing place. What an enormous job they had! As soon as thetechnology was available, their effort gave way to the use oftape recorders. This required microphones and an audio sys-tem. Along with this change, the old iron bell mounted in thepine trees was replaced by recorded chimes that Willie HaganSr. used to call the people to services. These chimes wouldgive a 30-minute notice prior to the start of each service.The outdoor speaker system also gave Brother Joseph Clel-land an opportunity to follow the early morning prayer serv-ice chimes with quite a loud scripture reading to be sure noone went back to sleep.

During the early years, there were occasions when allnight prayer services were held. However, it was realized

The Board ofExtensiongathered

shortly afterthe group

determinedthat a new

churchshould be

built on thecampground.

The boardincluded,

from left toright, Tom

Bonner,Brittian

Parker, EdHagan,Robert

Jernigan,Charlie Cogar,

Rufus Curry,George Gray,

Ray Smith Sr.,Lewis Mills

and FrankRobuck Sr.


that if someone prayed all night, they couldn’t hold up toattending all the services the next day. It has been a traditionsince the beginning of camp meeting to have four services a

day – early morning prayerservice, morning worshipservice, afternoon youngpeoples’ service, andevening worship service.Many of these would endwith an altar service. Thepreaching and testimonieshave always been the cor-nerstone of every service,richly interspersed withsinging and shouting.Shouting has often spreadfrom the stand to the aislesand in between the bencheswith many people coming forward. Sometimes convictionwould fall on sinners while the saints were singing and

shouting, and the altar would quicklybecome the center of attraction assomeone would come down to seek theLord.

At the start of the 1950s, George Grayled a push for a new church at the camp-ground. Bernard Collier remembers Grayrising at a meeting in 1952 and saying,“We’re going to build a new church, andwe need to raise money for it. BrotherBill Hobbs is going to give $1,000,Brother Frank Barker is going to give$1,000, Brother Brittan Parker is goingto give $1,000, and I’m going to give$1,000. He went around the room andnamed about 25 people … and none ofthem knew they were going to give$1,000 until George told them.”

The money was raised, and a churchwas built (using a set of plans that wereoriginally drawn for a Winn-Dixie gro-

Tom Bonnerplayed animportantrole in thedevelopmentof the camp-ground.

The original“conferencehall” laterbecame thecampgroundchapel.

Thechapel on thecampground.

56 • Go Forward

cery store. The plans, which were donated by Tom Bonner,were modified for the church). That church would serve theSanctified People well for 50 years. In order to replace the firsttabernacle and build a new church, 21 cabins had to bemoved from their lots to make way for the church. At thesame time, the old tabernacle was moved up the hill andconverted into a cafeteria. The old mess hall/dormitory wasalso moved to the back of the property. Later, an old, two-story World War II Army barracks was purchased and movedonto the campground to replace the aging dormitory. TheArmy barracks were remodeled, and remodeled, and remod-eled again to become what they were at the beginning of the21st century.

In the years that followed, the campground continued togrow. In 1953, the iron arch at the entrance way was erected,and other improvements followed.

The need was soon recognized to begin Bible School inorder to give special attention to the teaching of Our Folks’

children during camp meeting. In the early days of bibleschool, it was held under a tent in the morning sun, heatand gnats. It was quickly realized that the campground hada need for additional facilities. The first building to be addedafter the church, cafeteria and dormitory was a conferencehall building. Prior to that, the board and general confer-ence had met in the tent and later used the courthouse in thecenter of Perry. The first conference building was also pro-moted as a place to put pictures, artifacts and church mem-orabilia. This rectangular building had a flat roof, and iteventually became a chapel. Later, the bible school rooms anda Board meeting room were added to the structure alongwith a gable roof. Further renovations made the old hall achapel, which has served as a viewing and funeral chapel,Bible School assembly, and a meeting room.

Another change came after the original 1800 Georgiafarmhouse burned to the ground without any of the occu-pants being hurt. For several years, there was no Old Folks

LoisMcClendon

was a keyfigure in the

developmentof the old

folks home.


Home until a dedicated sister, LoisScott McClendon, proposed a monetarygift along with full-time service for therest of her life to create a modern“Home For the Aged.” That buildingwas completed in 1960, and dedicatedon July 4th of that year. The Home con-tained 39 beds and a central diningroom. Regularly scheduled churchservices were held throughout theyears in the dining room.

As younger “old folks” moved to thecampground, there was a desire for reg-ular stand-up meetings as had been tra-ditional throughout our church history.Since the nursing home’s dining roomwas not conducive to holding that styleof service, additional services were heldin the chapel on the campground. Itshould be noted that shouting services certainly did occur inthe dining room of the old home when the Spirit led.

Over the years, there was obviously a serious need forcampground maintenance as the facilities aged. The Chapeland Bible School rooms also needed an upgrade. The mainchurch had moisture problems along with some other wear-and-tear. The grounds needed care. What money was avail-able was taken by a few bigger projects such as new roofs,large air conditioning systems, and the road and bridge tothe Home that were washed out in a storm.

Seeing the need for considerable improvements, somesuggested closing the cafeteria and using the Perry Hoteland restaurants in town. However, most people felt thisplace just meant too much to do that. There were toomany memories – “it is where I got Sanctified,” “it is whereI met my future spouse,” “it is where I bring my little chil-dren to experience the things I experienced as a child”. Sothe young men and women who did not serve the churchas elders came together on their own and formed the

Young Men’s Work Program to address the facility needs.Working committees and teams of workers took on thechallenge of numerous projects. Some cleared thegrounds and undergrowth, built sidewalks and plantedshrubbery, while others remodeled the kitchen and diningrooms, added a new front entrance to the dining room,remodeled the chapel, dormitory and main church, addingcarpet and pews.

As that job progressed, workers came from near and far,members and nonmembers working together. It was evi-dent what a special place the campground had become toso many. While they were there working, services wereheld every evening in the chapel or main church, and beforelong many of the unsanctified were at the altar seeking theLord. This fellowship of working, eating, and worshipingtogether had a very positive effect on a whole generation ofpeople. Without a doubt, the Lord God of Israel has had ahand on this campground and His people, turning everyobstacle and challenge into a blessing. Surely, we are a

The campgroundchurch,which wasbuilt in 1953,served theSanctifiedPeople forover 50 years.

58 • Go Forward

richly blessed people and isn’t it evident that when we servethe Lord in the beauty of holiness, and work together as onepeople united in one purpose and Spirit, we are blessedbeyond measure!

In the 1960’s, years after the Old Folks Home had becomea state recognized support for Medicaid patients, the stan-dards for nursing home facilities made the old building obso-lete and it required replacement or closure. A brand newnursing home facility was completed in 1989, with 51 bedsfor our elderly people who needed them. At theThanksgiving meetings held on the campground in 1994,many of the men of the church started construction on a dayroom and church sanctuary at the new nursing home. Thatbuilding was dedicated on the first Saturday afternoon ofcamp meeting in 1995.

Over the years, the affection of our people for their camp-ground has far exceeded anything its originators could haveever dreamed. The great camp meetings, as well as the

many funeral services attended by somany friends and loved ones, haveadded to the great feeling that peoplehave when they come on those sacredgrounds. The building of new cabinsand houses in place of old cabins hasshown a steady growth of personalinvestment in this special place. Thisgreat love and appreciation for whathas become our central church head-quarters has been demonstrated inmany ways, not the least of which has

A new nurs-ing home wascompleted in

1989, and asanctuary

was addedsix years

later.

The groundbreaking cer-emony for thenursing home

included,from left toright, Tom

Bonner,Mariola

Cosby andFloyd Hagan.


been the persistent desire to add to the propertyacreage and continuously improve the roads, land-scaping and infrastructure.

In the early 1990s, a big investment was made inorder to make the campground community of cabinsand houses a fully modern little “city” with the instal-lation of a new public water system, fire protection,private sewer system, and paved streets to all lots andhouses. Later that decade, the ever-increasing ceme-tery site was redesigned and re-landscaped. Plans arenow in the works to increase its size and to providespace to take us well into the 21st century. Our gov-ernmental structure, which supervises and operatesthe year-round church-owned community, has contin-uously upgraded the buildings and grounds and hasput much investment into future planning to ensurethat this beloved place will be here for many genera-tions to come.

With the major renewal of the infra-structure complete and paid for, it waspossible in the late 1990s to take a seri-ous look at the cafeteria, which hadbeen created from the original woodentabernacle built in 1939 for the firstcamp meeting. While many remodel-ing endeavors and additions had takenplace over the years, the core woodenbuilding bore the signs of great age.Much equipment had been added to theweight-bearing loads, and the old woodstructure had wood-boring beetles. Inaddition to many deficiencies, thebuilding was a fire hazard. The leadersagonized over some way of saving theold, historic building which meant somuch to our people. The memories,great fellowship, and the blessings we

The oldcampgroundcafeteriawent througha number ofrenovations.

The chapel atthe nursinghome, built in1995.

60 • Go Forward

felt so many times when beautifulsinging would break out made itsremoval a difficult decision. In the finalanalysis, it was necessary to let the firedepartment take it up in smoke so thata new modern, carefully designedreplacement could be put in that samelocation. The four serving lines in thecafeteria with 400 table seats was com-plete in 1999, just in time for the firstSaturday night’s meals at camp meet-ing. How grateful we were for its com-pletion!

Landscaping around the new diningroom was improved, and that newlevel of beauty was extended aroundthe church, chapel and into the ceme-tery. Along the way, the Young Menand Women’s Rejuvenation Work

Program continued to provide manythings, including playground equip-ment for the little children, who somuch love their campground too. Inthe planning of the cafeteria, an indoorlocation was provided for a “child-friendly” play space.

The next really large project wasthe need to bring the worship sanctu-ary up to adequacy for the 21st centu-ry. The existing building, which wasconstructed in 1953, held so manyprecious memories that it was diffi-cult to even consider a replacement.For several years, engineers andarchitects explored all alternatives.In the final analysis, when consider-ing the load-bearing capacity of the

The newcafeteria was

opened in1999.

The camp-ground has

grown into abeautiful

environment.


foundation and roof system, the obsolete electrical andair conditioning systems, and with no plumbing or bath-rooms, entrance hall and ancillary support rooms, it wasdetermined that a complete replacement of the buildingwas necessary. Of utmost importance in making thisdecision was the desire to put in place a church buildingthat would serve our children, grandchildren, and gener-ations not yet born. Because we believe that the LordJesus Christ was well-pleased with the existence of thiscampground and that He had proved this to us by all Hisbountiful blessings, it should be made useful for hundredsof years to come.

With the unity of our leadership, the vote of all the gov-erning boards, and the financial support of all churches, thenew plans were carefully developed. At the end of the 2003camp meeting, demolition took place and the constructionwas started, due to be completed in time for the 2004 campmeeting.

Left:This aerialphoto of thecampgroundwas taken in1965.

Christ’sSanctifiedHoly ChurchCampgroundin the 50’staken fromthe watertower.

62 • Go Forward

These two aerial pho-tos, which were takenaround 1965, show thedeveloping camp-ground. The top photoshows the nursinghome, while the bot-tom photo includes thefull extent of thecampground duringthat time.


hrist’s Sanctified Holy Church is a church ofsinging people. From the first services in a prim-itive workshop on Chincoteague Island, Va.,congregational singing has been a fundamentalelement in the church’s worship practice. Over

the years, Sanctified People utilized many songs, hymns andspirituals during their services.

Recent research has cataloged approximately 1,000 songsthat have been used to some extent in the past 110 years ofthe church. Hymns that speak of joy in serving the Lord,songs that encourage and comfort, and songs that bring con-viction to those who do not know God. Many of these havebecome standards that have endured the test of time, andthey have a cherished place among the church congrega-tions. The members have long acknowledged the valuablelegacy of these songs, they celebrate them in the present,and they anticipate that the hymns will be appreciated byfuture generations of Sanctified People.

Based on information from early church members, thefirst hymn book published by Christ’s Sanctified Holy Churchwas printed in the early 1900’s. It was a small book thatincluded 284 songs with no other notation. There was anindex that denoted the songs by the first line of the firstverse, much like the arrangement of other hymnals pub-lished during this time. The songs included in the book

reflected the church’s theology concerning a life of Holiness,entire Sanctification, and freedom from sin. Over 50 per-cent of the songs published in the 1912 hymnal were alsoincluded in the church’s 2000 edition.

Chapter

6A Singing PeopleContributed By Steve Gray

CIt is notknown whenthe first hymnbook forChrist’sSanctifiedHoly Churchwas pub-lished.

64 • A Singing People

Through the many eras of Christian theology, there havebeen many types of hymns developed. It began with the sim-ple chanting of scripture and later included more elaboratelyrics and music that was written for professional performers.Each period has influenced the hymns that have been sung inChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church. The Songs of the Redeemedsongbook, which was published in 2000, is a reflection of allthese periods of history. Some of these hymns articulate thechurch’s theology as understood by the Bible, while othertitles speak of a collective appreciation of a life devoted toGod in the beauty of Holiness. Some of these have becomeanthems – well-liked hymns that are sung regularly in allcongregations.

A key ingredient in praisingGod is singing, whether aloneor in a congregation at church.In the 17th century, somedenominations were caught upin controversy as to whetherthe congregation should singor if the singing should be leftto practiced professionals. InChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church,congregational singing – acap-pella – is the hallmark of theworship services. Though thereis an emphasis today in manychurches for organized, prac-ticed singers, nothing canmatch the sound that comesfrom Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch when they are singing arendition of a hymn thatspeaks to the heart of all.

Worship services in thechurch have always relied onthe moving and direction ofthe Holy Spirit. The meetings

are typically comprised of preaching, praying, testifyingand singing. Since anyone is free to start a hymn as theyfeel the Holy Spirit prompting, it is not known what songswill be sung during the course of the service. Preachinginspires, exhorts and gives emphasis to the message ofSanctification and a life led by the Holy Spirit. Spontaneoustestimonies are offered on a volunteer basis. Prayers,sometimes emotional, are always addressed to God in afamiliar, informal language.

While many of the hymns sung at Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch services were gleaned from other churches, the Sanc-tified People have also penned many special songs. Theirsongs are generally identified with the Gospel song style that

Over theyears, there

have beennumerous

songbookscompiled

by theSanctified

People.

Published in New Orleans,Lousiana between 1912 and1915

Page from a handwrittensongbook by Ethel Hinkle


was developed during the 19th century. Because these com-positions were written specifically for Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch, they are treasured by the congregations. Most of thesongs were written prior to 1950, they were never copy-righted, and the composers never profited from their work.Other members have written songs that legally could not beincluded in Songs of the Redeemed because they wrote versesfor songs that had been copyrighted, or they altered the lyrics

from songs that were in the publicdomain.

Here is a quick look at some ofthe Sanctified People who con-tributed hymns to Songs of theRedeemed:

Sister Sarah Liz Bishop: Shewrote Carried Away To Babylon.

Sister Gussie Christy (1878-1963): As a young person, shewrote poetry and composedsongs that have become stan-dards in the church, includingHeaven Is Worth All The Pressing;and I’m So Glad I Found TheSweet Pathway. Christy wrote

Heaven Is Worth All The Pressing during a time when her twodaughters were seriously ill and quarantined.

Brother Ernest William Cory (1917-1999): He wroteRedeeming Love.

Ernest Cory

From left toright, Nancy(Dufran)Brush, EmmaConnell, JuliaCurry and LeeCurry sing inthe originaltabernacle atthe camp-ground.

Gussie Christy and daughters, Jessie King and Mime Tuttle


Brother Callie Robert Gray (1882-1969): Gray wrote threesongs – Almost Persuaded, Why Don’t You Come; I’m Glad ItReaches Me; and So Glad I Found The Way. Born on Oct. 22,1882 in Gray’s Creek, Del., his parents were Charlotte HesterBishop Gray and Thomas Edward Gray. Twelve years later, thefamily left Delaware and started traveling with the SanctifiedPeople. Gray wrote poems about many events in the historyof the church. He was able to capture the spirit of the Sanc-tified People with his verses, which often included humor.

Sister Charlotte Bishop Gray (1858-1919): An importantearly leader for the church, Gray wrote seven hymns: Don’tYou Know You Have Been Wrong About The Bible; I’ve FoundThe Living Fountain; Love God With All Your Heart; Now I haveSomebody To Love Me; Oh, How Busy We Ought To Be; On TheUnion Meeting Ground; and The Pure Testimony. Sister Char-lotte is pictured on page 39.

Brother Tim Hartsfield: He penned the hymn My Home Is OnThe Other Side.

Sister Ara Sloan Hobbs (1886-1967): She composed Yes, IKnow That He Will Know Me.

Brother Robert Nathan Jernigan (1919-1994): He wrote apair of hymns – Prince of Peace and Lead Me On, Lord.

Sister Jessie Carolina Goodwin Jernigan (1883-1971): Bornin Kansas, Jernigan’s mother died of tuberculosis when shewas only eight years old. She joined the Sanctified People in

Sam York, Sr.Robert Jernigan

Callie Gray with wife Bernie and daughters Leona, Lillian and Elodie

Tim Hartsfield Ara Hobbs


Fort Smith, Ark., in 1906. Years later, Jernigan noted thatsome of the young folks who had gotten Sanctified alongwith her were turning back. This inspired her to write I’ll GoEvery Step Of The Way, Lord. Jernigan went on to writeBehold The Brightness Of The City; Hear Him Calling; JesusLeads Me; Look On The Brightest Side; The Wise Shall Shine;and Walking The Plumbline. Her song and picture are fea-tured on page 30.

Brother Wesley Jones:He wrote Oh, Glory ToThe Lamb and Oh, WhatComfort It Brings.

Brother Paul ParkerMerritt Sr. (1904-1980):The most prolific song-writer in the church,16 of his titles are inthe Songs Of TheRedeemed. Accordingto his sons, Merrittwas always singing.They knew he wascomposing a newsong when hewould sit in hischair, with his headbowed, tapping hisfoot and quietlysinging words to himself. He would write his com-positions on anything he could find, once composing a hymnon a chewing gum wrapper. Merritt’s list of work includes thefollowing songs – Amen, Angels Hovering Around; Going ToRest Upon His Bosom; Got The Bridges Burned Behind Me; IBrought Nothing Into This World; I’m Going Bye And Bye; In TheBible We Read A Story; Jesus Is The Answer; Lean Upon The Sav-ior; Spoken Of By Prophets; Strength For The Day; The Man OfGalilee; The Old Camp Ground, The Old Landmark; The Rain;and The Wells Of Salvation. A picture of Paul Merritt Sr. is onpage 52.

Brother Sam York Sr.: He penned five hymns – I Have TakenUp The Cross; Come, Oh, Come To Me, Said Jesus; The King’sHighway; You Must Unload; and All Right.

Brother Joe Wilson: He composed Jesus Said We ShouldKeep His Commandments.

Wesley Jones and family

1950 Songbook


Brother Charles Wesley Miller (1921-1949): He wrote IWant No Wills Or Way Of My Own. His picture is on page 50.Brother John William Miller (1866-1948): An important

leader in the cause, he wrote two songs – He Did It All ForYou and The Way To Get Across. Miller’s picture can be seenon page 20.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, once noted that duringmeetings in England and Ireland, some members of the congregation wouldfrequently leap several feet into the air. Although not totally restricted to theMethodists, the phrase “shouting Methodists” was a 19th century termapplied to come congregations. The expression basically referred to lively,noisy services with fervent preaching, vocal individual prayers, sanctioning,hand clapping and an occasional leap. This fervent religious demonstrationwas associated with the revivals and camp meetings of the 19th century.These services included more of the Gospel and spiritual songs of the periodbecause this material could be sung with more exuberance.

The practice of shaking hands was also associated with the “shoutingMethodists.” Handshaking became a frequent practice for the Methodists,

and it was often done in concert with singing. At the end of the sermon, thepreacher would move through the congregation shaking hands with themembers while singing. This eventually developed into a ritual. The generalpractice of handshaking continues today in Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church.

During their days of missionary travel, the Sanctified People encounteredmany different styles of worship. In the 1890s, the Sanctified services wereinfluenced by some African worship traditions, including hand clapping andfoot stomping. In the absence of musical instruments, and as a technique to“keep time,” the practice of foot stomping in Christ’s Sanctified Holy Churchwas developed in the early 1920s by a group of Sanctified People inBirmingham, Ala.

— Steve Gray

Handshaking, Clapping, Foot Stomping and Shouting

1963 Songbook 1978 Songbook 2000 Songbook


Two Families Start The Albany Church

After having church services in Laurel, Miss.,for five years, two Sanctified men felt the callto find a new location early in 1949. K.V.Copeland and Joe Edwards considered a num-ber of towns, including Orangeburg, S.C., Grif-

fin, Ga., and Marietta, Ga., but they ultimately chose to movetheir families to the city of Albany, Ga. Copeland later wrote,“The feeling that Albany was the place kept coming over me… I know that God led me here.”

K.V. and his wife, Katie, loaded their four children intotheir Pontiac, and they made the 400-mile drive from Laurelto Albany. One reason they selected Albany was that it isonly about 70 miles from the church campground. At thetime, Albany had a population of about 35,000, and the com-munity revolved around Turner Air Force Base. However, ahuge United States Marine Depot was built in the city in 1951,and the population rose to 50,000 by 1960 and to 90,000 by1990.

When the Sanctified People arrived in Albany, they had a10-member congregation – K.V. Copeland’s family (includingKatie, plus children Paul, Nina, Katherine and Mildred) and JoeEdwards’ family (wife Rebecca, and daughters Evelyn andDorothy). They immediately began holding house meetings,

and they started their search for a site to build a church. A lotwas secured at 513 South Slappey Drive, and the process ofbuilding the church began.

Copeland and Edwards both had building experience, andthey received plenty of support from other Sanctified com-munities in the area. The Columbus, Ga., crowd was themost helpful, but assistance in all forms came from numerousother churches. With that help, the Albany crowd was able todedicate its new brick church on Aug. 5, 1950.

The support went beyond erecting the walls and roof forthe new church. Rufus Woods, who lived in Savannah, Ga.,moved to Albany to help get the community started. He wassoon joined by Frank and Rowena Miller, who arrived fromthe campground with their daughter, Ruth. On July 27, 1952,Frank Miller gave his testimony, shook hands with everyone,sat down in the front pew and passed away.

In the beginning, the two founding families had a roughtime in Albany.

“In those days, you built the church before you built yourhouse,” explained Mildred (Copeland) Davidson. “When wefirst got to Albany, we lived in a rickety old house that werented for about a year. There was not a lot of rental propertyin Albany at that time.”

During that same time, the group was working hard tobuild a congregation.

Chapter

7Local ChurchesAre Established

A

70 • Local Churches Are Established

“We would go out on Saturday and invite people to church.We would go door to door, and we would ask them if theywould come to church on Sunday,” remembered NaomiHodges. “Ruth Miller was the most effective person doingthat. She was very good at getting people out.”

In later years, the SanctifiedPeople in Albany were loaned aschool bus by the Columbuscrowd, and they would fill it up

on Sunday mornings on the way to services. Allen Davidsongenerally drove the bus for Sunday school, and he wouldinvite dozens of young people. Children frequently attended,but they were often from military families that would even-tually be transferred to bases in other cities. John Childress

drove the bus part of the time, and he had it repaintedbefore it was returned to the Columbus church.

The Sanctified People also reached out to the com-munity by holding meetings throughout the area. Ini-tially, the group held tent meetings, and then they builta portable tabernacle (the tabernacle was later pur-chased by K.V. Copeland and moved to the camp-ground. He used it until his death, and it now serves asthe cabin for Glen Copeland and his family).

These efforts were rewarded when numerous peoplewere Sanctified. Among those who joined the church inAlbany were Allen Davidson, Naomi and JohnnyHodges, Mary Davis, Emery Davidson, Liz Ruth Roberts,Elberta McCorvey and her children (Charles, Lynn andDiane), Cleo Davidson and her daughters (Elneita andHaroldene), Alice and Robert Hayes and their daughters(Carolyn and Faye), Buford and Jewel Harris, WalterFoster and Johnny Dempsey. Many others were Sancti-fied who were military people who moved away.

The key member of the community, however, was K.V.Copeland, who served as the group’s leader from 1949

until his passing in Nov. 14, 1970. Copeland was loved by all,and he was best remembered for the joy he brought to singing.

“K.V. sang most every song in the book … and then some,”Mildred Davidson remembered. “The Eastern Gates was oneof his favorites, but he had a lot of favorites.”

Copeland was a very dedicated man of God. He helpedeveryone he heard of who needed assistance. He visited hos-pitals and prisons, and even took strangers who were pass-ing through town into his home for the night. When he wasvoted on to Board No. 1, he became the youngest member ofthe group. Brother John Boyce said that K.V. was the kind ofperson that was needed on the board.

K.V. Copeland helped bringChrist’s Sanctified Holy Churchto Albany.

The photoabove shows

the Albanycongregation

in 1953.

The Albanychurch (right)is located on

SpringlakeDrive in

Leesburg, Ga.


Sanctified People Have A Long HistoryIn Atlanta

In 1899, the Sanctified People made their first journey toAtlanta. Joseph Lynch led a group that wasn’t really interestedin Atlanta, they were actually running from an outbreak ofYellow Fever in Tampa, Fla.

The Sanctified People returned to Atlanta 40 years later.This time, they went to the area with a purpose.

When Joseph Lynch’s crowd got off the train in Atlanta in1899, they walked into a city that had approximately 90,000citizens. By comparison, New York City had 3.4 million citi-zens, and Chicago was the country’s second largest city with1.6 million residents. The average life expectancy for a manwas 48 years, and women could expect to live three yearslonger.

When Alice Clelland and Robert Hartsfield journeyed toAtlanta in 1940, they were entering a much different place. Thepopulation had risen to 302,288, the average life expectancywas up to 63 years, and Germany had recently invaded Den-mark, Norway, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Clelland and Hartsfield had been in Norfolk for two years,and their evangelistic impulses told them it was time for amove. They made their way to Atlanta, where they werejoined by Tom Gray’s family, the Bonners, and John Scarbor-ough, among others. The Sanctified People were alsoreunited with two couples – the Hinkles and the Bradfords –who had been Sanctified in 1920 when John Miller’s grouptraveled through Atlanta.

A portable tabernacle was built on Candler Road in thesuburb of Decatur, but services were held at numerous sitesaround the city. When they started the church, they did nothave Sunday School lessons, but that began on Feb. 2, 1941with 24 members in attendance. Eventually, they began hold-ing meetings on Sunday afternoon and night, as well as Mon-day, Wednesday and Friday evenings.

About the time the United States entered World War II in1941, the church was moved to the Stone Mountain area,

where Corrine and Helen Britt were found. When the Ameri-cans began fighting in Europe and Asia, most of the Atlantacrowd went to Mobile, Ala., (led by Hartsfield and Scarbor-ough) to work in the shipyard for about three years. Clelland,however, remained in Atlanta with a small crowd.

After the war, some of the folks returned to Atlanta (oneexception was Hartsfield, who led a group to Columbia, S.C.).The congregation soon had new members. During a tentservice near Ellenwood, Eva Chapman and her two children(Wyman and Grace) were found, as well as the Cooks. Thetabernacle was moved to the community of Riverside for abrief time, then to Stone Mountain and then to Snellville.

In Decemberof 1950, thisgroup gath-ered outsidethe church inRex, Ga. Thefront rowincludes(from left toright) AliceMurphy,Nettie Cogarand SylviaBonner. ThesecondincludesJuanitaKessler, FredChapman,Danny Smith,Gloria Grayand LauraBonner. Theadults areRuby Martinand MaudieManning.

In 1975, theSanctifiedPeoplemoved into anew churchon RainbowDrive (left).The CandlerRoad Church(right) wasdedicated in1951.


In the late 1940s, the Atlanta church underwent a series ofimportant changes. Clelland made the decision to move toAnderson, S.C., and in 1946 Scarborough left for Mont-gomery, Ala. Dan Bonner and Charlie Coger were appointedleaders of the Atlanta group, and a council was created toprovide direction (Bonner would serve as a leader for over 50years until he passed away in 2002).

The community’s first permanent church was built innearby Rex, Ga. Then, in 1951, the church in Rex was sold,and a new one was built on Candler Road across the streetfrom where the Sanctified People originally worshipped inAtlanta. In October of 1951, a dedication ceremony was held,and Sanctified People from every crowd enjoyed a joyousexperience.

At the same time, the crowd was working to find membersin area communities. During this period, the Sanctified Peo-ple started a “mission church” in nearby Tucker, Ga. Thiseffort was led by Bert Brush and George Miller and their fam-ilies. Peggy (Sheriff) Hagan and her sister, Lillian, were Sanc-tified in Tucker.

Members new and old enjoyed the ladies meetings thatwere started at Candler Road. Every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.,the women in the church would gather to study the Bibleand meet around the altar.

After over 20 years on Candler Road, a new church wasbuilt on Rainbow Drive in 1975. The Sanctified People stayedin that facility for 12 years before they moved to their currentlocation in Stone Mountain.

Spirit Travels From Norfolk To Augusta

The spark for the Augusta Church was struck in Norfolk,Va., in the 1960s. The enthusiasm felt by the Sanctified Peo-ple in Norfolk eventually spilled over and flowed all the wayto Augusta.

Fortunately, the young married folks in Norfolk felt theyneeded to make a special contribution … so they did.

“It just became clear that we should be doing something,”said Lily Miller. “Our folks had been travelers, and that wasstill something we thoughtabout. We sold everythingand had $1,500, and wethought we were in goodshape.”

“We were in the youngmarried class in Norfolk,”Ruthie Jernigan remem-bered. “We were ener-getic, and we talked abouthelping others. Uncle PaulMerritt was our teacher, and he picked up on the talk andstarted looking for a place to move.

“After several trips, he said he could only think of Augusta,Ga., so we began talking about Augusta. People moved fromseveral different crowds, but most moved from Norfolk. Wemoved to Augusta in June of 1963, and we were thrilled to bethere! We have many memories of happy times in Augusta.

The currentchurch,

which wasbuilt in 1987,is located in

StoneMountain, Ga.

After starting in a portable taberna-cle, the Augusta crowd built achurch on Maryland Avenue in 1966.


Uncle Paul was the leader, and he said (to our embarrass-ment) that he could close his eyes and give the Bible to anyone there and they could preach.”

In the beginning, the Augusta Church was a portable tab-ernacle that was erected in communities such as Martinezand Grovetown (where Sonny Messner was Sanctified).Whenever the tabernacle was disassembled, the ladies in thecrowd would fix lunch and take it to the new site when thetabernacle was being assembled.

The first feast meeting in the Augusta area was held at theMartinez Community Building. An overwhelming crowdturned out for the service. It was so popular, in fact, they ranout of tea!

Those were good times in Augusta, and many fond mem-ories survived that era. For instance, there was the time thata horse wandered through the yard and almost entered thetabernacle. That wasn’t too much of a problem until one ofthe Jernigans broke out in a rash and nearly ended the meet-ing prematurely.

“We had a lot of colorful meetings in that tabernacle,”Ruthie Jernigan said. “One night Uncle Paul was preachingand Brother Lee (Jernigan) was holding Little Lee. BrotherLee turned on the big exhaust fan in the back of the taberna-cle – the one we had to turn off whenever people were talk-ing because it was so loud. We all started looking at Lee, buthe didn’t know where the noise the coming from!”

It wasn’t long before Paul Merritt found a suitable locationfor permanent church. The building was constructed onMaryland Avenue, and the doors were opened for the firsttime for a June wedding in 1966. The first feast meeting in thenew church was held on Feb. 14, about the time of theanniversary of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church.

Even after the permanent church was built, the Augustafolks still conducted tent meetings in the surrounding area.On one memorable evening, a tent was put up in the back-yard of Gene Vintson. A large group of Sanctified People fromColumbia, S.C., came for the service, and Gene and PhyllisVintson were both Sanctified.

“There was an unforgettable feeling in the tent that night,”remembered Ruthie Jernigan. “The whole stand startedshouting at one time! It was glorious!”

As the Augusta Church matured, more and more mem-bers started having families. Still, they continued to reachout to other members of the community. The group eventu-ally purchased a bus that would transport children to SundaySchool. Many years later, a group of Sanctified People wereenjoying a meal at Cracker Barrel when a young manapproached them. He told the diners that he had taken thebus to Sunday School long ago, and that the Sanctified Peo-ple had been a big influence in his life.

The growing church suffered a setback when Paul Merrittdied on Jan. 6, 1980 following an automobile accident. After afew weeks of soul searching, Joseph Clelland came with a groupof people from Columbia, S.C., and Brother Ben Jernigan wasordained as the new leader in Augusta. There were more than afew tears shed that night as everyone gave him their blessings.

Ben Jernigan guided the Augusta group through a pros-perous period for six years, and then the Sanctified Peoplemade another move. In June of 1986, virtually the entireAugusta crowd moved to Wilmington along with some Sanc-tified People from Charlotte.

America’s Most Historic City

The Sanctified Peoplepassed through Charlestonin 1898 on their way fromSouthport, N.C., to Savan-nah, Ga., but they did notstop to hold services.Upon their return north byboat after the death ofJoseph Lynch at FerdinaBeach, Fla., in 1900, theymade it back to Charleston

Over 100 years after Joseph Lynchand his people first journeyed to theCharleston area, the SanctifiedPeople worship at this church inHanahan, S.C.


where they sold the Anne Homan to raise railroad train faresfor the group to make their return trip to Virginia via rail.

It was not until 1929 that Aunt Sade’s crowd left Birming-ham, Ala., that a large group began gathering in Charlestonfor evangelistic purposes. Many of the Sanctified arrived tojoin Aunt Sade and find work during the depth of the GreatDepression. As previously noted, in Birmingham in the early1920s there were large, enthusiastic revivals among theyoung people (children of Sanctified families) plus new con-verts who had received the blessing of Sanctification. Thiswonderful trend of children born to members and growing upin Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church seeking the Lord for theirown forgiveness and Sanctification continued in the early1930s with many teenagers adding new life to the church.Among the many young Sanctified people, there were quite afew weddings performed in the services. Some list as many as25 couples there have been made with all of them creatingstrong bonds with the church and raising their children in thenurture and admonition of the Lord.

Beginning in 1934, as was the tradition of the Sanctified

leaders, they began looking for other fields of labor after sev-eral great years of growth in Charleston. Some went to Char-lotte, N.C., some to Greenville, S.C., some to Savannah, Ga.,where John Miller had arrived, and some to Spartanburg, S.C.,where Watt Handley had come from Memphis, Tenn. Thesewere times of much inter-crowd activity between crowds withFeastmeetings being held in Charleston, Savannah, Augusta,Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg and Charlotte.

With the church growing and with new converts and thegrowth of family groups in this part of the South and the manycrowds being populated, there was a sizeable group of Sanc-tified left in Charleston who did not move. Ed Vest and theremaining people continued to hold services in various placesaround Charleston, including house meetings when not goingout to country meetings. Among those who remained weresome of the descendants of Sanctified People who had notsought and obtained the blessing of Sanctification.

During the course of the early 1940s there were severaldeaths among the remaining Sanctified People. Ray Smithwas a popular and talented minister who was called upon to

This churchwas original-

ly built in1945 onSpruill

Avenue inCharleston.

The interiorphoto showsBrother Ray

Smithpreaching.


travel back to Charleston from Wilmington, N.C., to conductseveral of these funeral services.

Upon these return trips Uncle Ray saw the gathering ofthese 20-plus Sanctified People plus many unsanctified chil-dren and couples.

His heart yearned to see these children and young unsavedcousins and friends Sanctified. The more he thought aboutthem, the more the Lord laid it on his heart to go back toestablish a permanent church. Aunt Sade had laid her handson him and May Esclavon in Wilmington in 1937, and he hadpromised to help her in the Gospel with all his might. In 1943,Aunt Sade passed away and there were several people ofleadership capability in the Wilmington church.

Therefore, Ray Smith and Rudolph and May Esclavon feltfree to pursue the leading of the Holy Spirit. Smith told theEsclavons, “I’m going to Charleston if nobody goes with me.”He traveled to several of the existing churches andannounced his intensions to establish a permanent church inCharleston. This was a rather radical concept among hispeers in 1944. He appealed for prayers, support, and any whowere so led to join him in 1945, and quite a few did.

Besides those already living there, those who moved for theexpressed purpose of laboring in the vineyard of the Lordwith Smith and Esclavon in the first year were:

Marvin and Sally CeaseLeonard and Lola Mae HaganMime and John TuttleMaxie and Penny TuttleHorace and Lilliette Curry“Day-Day” DavisGussie ChristyLou, Jimmy and Susie Gray

At a house meeting in the home of Dan and Fannie MaeChandler on July 17, 1945, five young people went to thealtar to seek forgiveness that night. The following nightthese five were Sanctified namely Anna May and Billy Chan-dler, Floyd Hagan, Jack Esclavon and Margaret Ray. The

crowd felt exceedingly blessed and could hardly wait forthe completion of the church building on Spruill Avenuewhich was dedicated with a feast meeting on the secondSunday of September 1945.

The little church housed a young vibrant spirit filled con-gregation that alternated its services between four churchservices every week and country meetings in a tent or taber-nacle at frequent intervals. Over the years, three portabletabernacles were worn out in about 20 different locationsaround Charleston. Many revivals were held with servicesevery night of the week. An addition to the Spruill Avenuechurch contained four Sunday school classrooms.

By 1958, the Charleston church had outgrown those facil-ities and needed a larger church which was constructed inBelvedere Estates of Hanahan.

Over the years, many people have been a part of the localchurch and the following list attempts to include all whowere there between 1945 and 1995:

This photo oftheCharlestoncongregationwas takenaround 1963.TheSanctifiedPeople arepictured infront of thechurch thatwas built in1958 inHanahan,SouthCarolina.

Tamara Hanratty AberCharles & Gladys Atkins

Charles & Marilyn AikenCharles Aiken, Jr.


Faith AikenPatricia Rogers AlexanderDale AllenJackie AndersonPaul & Pat Arceneaux -

1965-1966John AtchisonDebbie AtchisonTom AtchisonGladys Lee AtkinsCleveland & Doris Authement

-1969-1973Brent Authement - 1969-19730.G. & Delia Bates -

1961-1964Bobby Barker - 1974-1975Johnny Lee Barker -

1966-1967Cindy Cease Baranowski -

1959-1990Nettie BeardBrenda Esclavon BentleyKelly & Ginger BentleyDiedra BentonChuck & Janet Bishop - 1993Chip Bishop - 1990-1994J.C. Bishop - 1993Harvey & Doris BishopNola BlaylockBecky BoisiertBernie Lewis Bonner -

1953-1%5Bill BonnerCarroll Bonner - 1970-1983June BonnerMyrtis BoswellDelia BradleyTania Fulmer Boyer

Ben & Nancy Brush -1959-1%3

Cindy Brush - 1959-1963Joey Brush - 1959-1963Bert Brush - 1958-1963, 1965Cindy Brush - 1987Edgar Brush - 1958-1963,

1966-1992Sylvia Brush - 1966-1982Bonnie Brush - 1966-1992Trey BrushDona Brush - 1958Steve Brush - 1958Tommy Brush - 1958Nancy BurkhartGloria Woods ButlerTammy Martin Barnes -

1964-1981Claudia Slayton BerryMinnie Brush - 1959-1963Bobby & Margarete Call -

1971-1979David Caddell - 1992Bob Call, Jr. - 1969Alice Gayle Call - 1969Obie Call - 1968John & Ruby CallRobert CampRobin Smith CampRobert CampCarroll Cease - 1945Dian Cease - 1964Barry Cease - 1967-1992Theresa Cease - 1970Krisallyn Cease - 1979Charlie & Costa Cease -

1953-1957Charlie Cease - 1945

Dottie Cease - 1945Michael Cease - 1960Jerry Cease - 1945Lynn Cease - 1947Jerry Cease Jr. - 1960Marvin & Sally Cease - 1945Billy Chandler - 1933Martha Chandler - 1968Gracie Chandler - 1971 -Dan & Fannie Mae ChandlerC,D. & Vicky ChandlerD-W. ChandlerErnie & Ima ChandlerMarty Chandler - 1968Roy Chandler - 1940-1945,

1966Paul & Bessie CherryBilly & Virgie CherryTennie CherryCorbin & Savannah CherryDorman & Christine Clark -

1958-1967Gordon Clark - 1955-1964Gladys Clark - 1955-1990Gussie ChristyFaye Williams Christley -

1944-1950Buddy ClellandDavid Coffey - 1992Jo Earl & Gail Collier -

1957-1960Jodi CollierBobby & Margaret Collier -

1970-1971Rob Collier - 1970-1971Debbie Collier - 1970-1971Melvin Collier - 1959-1994Ina Collier - 1959

Wendy Martin Collier - 1969Trudy Cease Collins -

1962-1984Lester & Rowena ClickRicky CookBilly CookNancy Curry CookBarbara Copeland -

1962-1986Glenn Copeland - 1962-1981Anita Copeland - 1958-1981David Copeland - 1980-1981Paul & Mary Ellen Copeland -

1962Arthur Curry - 1947Naomi Lewis Curry - 1953Renee Curry - 1975Todd Curry - 197 1 -Rachel Comstock Curry -

1995Bobby (B.L.) CurryAmos Lee CurryEddie CurryRalph CurryVivian CurryBuddy CurryRufus CurryRonnie CurryWarren Lee CurryLarry CurryHorace Curry - 1947-1990Lilliette Curry - 1947Horace Edward Curry - 1947Ernma Jean Curry - 1945Curtis Curry - 1958-1984,

1992Lena Curry - 1980-1984,

1992


Kelly Curry - 1981-1984,1992

Melinda Curry - 1983-1984,1992

Jenny Curry - 1992Cynthia Curry - 1970Rufus & Jenny CurryDelores CulverPaul CulverJason CulverSteven CulverLouise (DayDay) Davis -

1947-1965Mary Chandler DavisGrace Dickerson - 1968-1990Tennia Call DinkelbachEdna DutchJohnny DutchConnie DutchDeidra DutchFred & Mildred EsclavonNathan EsciavonJack & Zelma EsclavonMildred EsclavonGail EdwardsJessie Lee EvansBobby EvansMary FoustCarolyn FoustRichard & Susan FieldsE.B. Funderburk - 1947-1974Dot Funderburk - 1947Wally GabrieleDollie Shrions Geary-

1966-1970, 1978

Ron Geary - 1988Bill Gray - 1976-1978

Alma Parker Gray - 1970-1978Billy & Carolyn Gray -

1955-1957Bill Gray III - 1955-1957Callie GrayJimmy & Lou GraySusie GrayDebbie Bonner GreenshieldGeorge Grooms - 1963Barbara Grooms - 1967Jason Grooms - 1976Dusty Grooms - 1963Robin Cease Halbig - 1957Kathleen Slayton HortonWillie & Inez Hagan - 1%1Willie Hagan Jr. - 1961-1971,

1988Peggy Hagan - 1964-1971,

1988Brad Hagan - 1988Frankie Hagan - 1988George HaganEddie Hagan - 1961 -Bernice Hagan - 1967Alan Hagan - 1970Tess Smith Hagan - 1993Scott Hagan - 1972Deana Hagan - 1995-Levy & Grace HaganJimmy Hagan - 1969-1971Paul HaganGary & Jackie HaganFloyd Hagan - 1945-1979Naomi Hagan - 1954-1979Kenneth Hagan - 1963 -1979Leon Hagan - 1957-1979Leonard & Lola Mae Hagan -

1945

Jim & Doris HanrattyJim HanrattyHarold & Millie Hazel 1965Randy HazelCheryl HarrisSally Newberry HarveyRuth Lewis HawkinsJean HaynesH.W. HelbergFrederick HelbergDoris HensonHosea & Clara HensonCarlisle & Hazel HensonElner HolcombMarie Woods Hobbs -

1983-1984Lois Martin HughesMike HughesBubba Hutson - 1965Buddy Hutson - 1965Ina Collier Hutson - 1959Ken Hutson - 1972-1988Melissa Hutson - 1977Betty Hutson - 1966Rock Hutson - 1966Sandie Hutson - 1965Lamar & Charlotte HutsonBobby Jernigan - 1978-1981Rob Jernigan - 1978-1993Steve Jernigan - 1978-1994Natalie Jernigan - 1978-1993Jimmy JesterRolinda JesterDavid & Lilly JonesDavid JonesJohn JonesMariam JonesJerilyn King Jordan

Lola KaiserCharles & Evelyn Kelly -

1955John Kelly - 1966-1994Strip & Elsie Kelly -

1962-1975Titus & Lula KinibrellJames King - 1958Julie Ann Evans King - 1951 -Jimmy King - 1960Jeffrey King - 1962Jerilyn King - 1964Julie King - 1966Johnathan King - 1968Clyde King - 1974Willie King - 1974-1995Emma Lou & Watson KnightJermene Curry Koester - 1962John & Jewel KrajovicSteve KramerNita Holly KuckBeverly Lewis LagetteFaye Earl Rogers LaidlawFreddie LairdRoy LairdRoxanne LairdBob Lamons - 1971 -Patricia Collier Lamons -

1959Melanie Lamons - 1978Kimberly Lamons - 1982Harry 0. LeeEba & Elodie Lewis -

1953-1990Paul & Grace LewisRoland LewisMichelle Heiberg LooperSandy Call McFadden


Cheri Chandler Mahaffey -1966

Sue Funderburk ManningVaden Marcus - 1963-1968Katherine MarcusFrancis ManderiniCurtis Martin - 1964Emily Ware Martin - 1966Dunc & Edith McElvaneyEldwood McClammy -

1954-1965Peachie McClammy -

1954-1993Larry McClammy - 1954David McClammyFlorence McCormickCarolyn Smith McDowell -

1950Margaret Ann Collier Merritt -

1970-1971Chuck Merritt IIIMillie MillerGene Mitchell - 1993-1994Andy & Emily MorachGeorge & Dot Murphy -

1977-1984Doug Murphy - 1970-1988Gail Woods Murphy -

1979-1988Phillip Murphy - 1961 -Jo Ann Riggs Murphy - 1946Phil Murphy - 1965Kevin Murphy - 1968Allison Murphy - 1971 -Jerry MurphyClyde Murphy

Carol Ann MurphyFanny MurphySandra MurphyWally & Ruthie Jean Oxner -

1960-1961Janice Bonner Norman -

1965-1981Mike PainterBritton Parker - 1970-1977Alice Parker - 1970-1979Cleo Patterson - 1949-1971Barry PidgeonJulie PidgeonJosette Pidgeon WeissDorothy PikeJan Funderburk PitsorElmond PollardShuford & Ruth PriceJim PriceHenry Price - 1945-1948Mary McClammy RabelClearance, Bessie & Margaret

RayCecil RayLuther RayRuby RayBob & Polly ReeseBobby ReeseKippy ReeseRandy ReeseCliff ReeseMark ReeseAnna Mae Chandler Rickards

-1932-1950Bill & Sadie RiggsBuddy Riggs

Charlie& Lottie RiggsCharles & Samie Riggs -

1986Diane Riggs - 1986Roy RiggsErnie Riggs - 1946-1951Jean Riggs - 1946Mary Nell RoachRandy Roach - 1972-1995Dawn Barker Roach -

1989-1995Daniel Roach - 1989-1995Stephanie Roach - 1990-1995Michelle Roach - 1992-1995Byron RoachKaren Taff Roach - 1962Gideon Roach - 1990Heather Roach - 1962Doug RoanLinda Price RoanLinda Hagan Robuck -

1945-1966Gloria Cease Rodgers - 1955Travis Rodgers - 1976Tamara Rodgers - 1978Micky Rodgers - 1970Ricky RodgersFaye Rogers - 1977Tracey Martin Rogers -

1967-1981David RoofLorraine Curry Roof - 1964Charlie Rooke - 1928Ruby Rooke - 1968Horace Rooke Sr. - 1928

Mildred RookeHorace RookeTommy RookeHollis RookeBuddy Rooke - 1939Henry RookeTappy RookeSonja Cease Sayles -

1964-1992Garland Simons - 1968-1991Catherine Chandler Simons -

1945-1946, 1967-1990Chuck & Bonnie SimonsChuckie SimonsAngie SimonsTerry Simons - 1968-1977Patty Simons - 1977Gail Authement Slappey -

1969-1971Roy & Agnes Slappey -

1949-1951Roy Slappey - 1950-1952Tommy Slappey - 1949-1951Wayne Slappey - 1950-1951Charlie SlappeyThomas & Ella SlappeyJill Funderburk SmeltzerBeverly Downs SmithJimmy & Patsy SmithDonnie Smith - 1944Donnie Smith, Jr.Terri SmithTina SmithRay & Eula Smith - 1945Ray Smith - 1946


Ruth Smith - 1944Dorothy Jean Freeman Smith

- 1948-1975Ray Smith III - 1950-1976Freeman Smith - 1954-1981Mark Smith - 1951-1989Mandy Grooms Smith -

1973-1995Winks SnowdenDorothy & Clarence StameyIrby StameyAnn StameyCheryl StameyDale StameyGail StameyGerald StameyEvelyn Ruth Price Stewart -

1946-1948Johnny & Sue SullivanEdgar Tarr - 1956Jeanette Tarr - 1945Ed Tarr - 1957Julie TarrChristy Tarr - 1982Joshua Tarr - 1989Estelle TarrSherrie Cease Todd - 1955Justin ToddBrandon ToddRaymond TrotterJohn Tuttle - 1945Mime Tuttle - 1945-1987Maxie Tuttle - 1946-196’ )Pennie Tuttle - 1946-1960J.R. VaughnDavid Vaughn

Millie Rooke WaiteKaron & Judy WalkerRichard & Pearl Walker -

1968-1977Sammy Walkcr - 1968-1977Richard Walker Jr. -

1968-1977Peggy Walker - 1973-1980Denise Murphy Walsh -

1964-1986Herston & Juanita Ware -

1967-1993Richilieu WeeksFreddie Wehunt - 1975-1977,

1990Martha Walker Wehunt -

1970-1977, 1990Shannon Wehunt - 1990LaWanna Welch - 1962-1968,

1992Marc Welch - 1992 -June WestmorelandSheila McClammy WhiteDebbie McClammy WilliamsEdward Williams - 1944-1950,

1973-1977Ruthie Williams - 1973-1977Eddie Williams - 1973-1977Jay Williams - 1973-1977Lottie Williams - 1944-1950Eva WilliamsMary WoliverCharles (Bunkie) & Jean

Woliver

WEDDINGS

Dora Virginia Chandler & Willie Edgar Rodgers, Jr.

The first couple to be married in our church here in

Charleston.

Willie & Dora Rodgers - October 14,1945

Garland & Catherine Simons - February 24,1946

Jerry & Lynn Cease - June 18, 1954

Edgar & Jeanette Tarr - April 13, 1955

Horace & Emma Jean Curry - October 4, 195 8

James & Julie Ann King - September 12,1959

Phillip & JoAnn Murphy - June 16,1962

H. W. & Lois Heiberg - May 3,1963

Tommy & Bernie Bonner - June 12,1965

Willie & Peggy Hagan - May 21, 1966

Frankie & Linda Robuck - September 10, 1966

Buddy & Ina Ruth Hutson - December 3, 1966

Arthur & Naomi Curry - November 2, 1968

Hugh & Lawanna Welch - December 7,1968

Bobby & Dollie Jernigan - November 14,1970

Alton & Cleo Patterson - February 20, 1971

Bob & Patricia Lamons - June 12,1971

LaRoy & Gail Slappey - July 3, 1971

Larry & Joan Curry - January 27, 1973

Micky & Gloria Rodgers - June 23, 1973

Bill & Alma Gray - March, 1976

Sammy & Ellen Walker - September 3,1977

Dan & Janice Norman - November 21, 1981

Glenn & Anita Copeland - December 2,1978

Jerry & Trudy Collins - September 22, 1984

Ty & Mandy Smith - September 16,1995


Anna Mae Chandler(Rickards) - 1945

Billy Chandler - 1945Margaret Ray - 1945Jack Esclavon - 1945Floyd Hagan - 1945Dunk & Edith McElvaney -

1945Fannie Johnson - 1946Jean Riggs - 1946Bettie Morris - 1946Nita Holly - 1946Jimmy Holly - 1946Ruth Clark - 1946Dorothy Cook Cease - 1946Irene Sullivan - 1946Wallace Sullivan - 1946Edith McElvaney - 1946Fred Esclavon - 1947Edith Marcus - 1947Elizabeth Vaughn - 1947E.B. Funderburk - 1948Vaden Marcus - 1948Mildred Esclavon - 1948Carroll Cease - 1948Mary Chandler Davis - 1948Jean Henson- 1948Dan Henson - 1948Charlie Cease - 1949Harvey Bishop - 1949Doris Bishop - 1949Horace Edward Curry - 1950Junior Mixson - 1950Jeanette Tuttle Tarr - 1950Lynn Funderburk - 1950

Edna Henson - 1950Bettie Mae Vaughn - 1951Jessie Lee Evans - 1951Julie Ann Evans King - 1952Mr. Evans - 1952Cleo Hall Patterson - 1952Arthur Curry - 1952Dale Allen - 1952Lilliette, Esclavon - 1952Charlie Rooke - 1953John Wesley Jones - 1953Bernie Lewis Bonner - 1953Emma Jean Hagan Curry -

1953Mr. Boyd - 1953Billy Evans - 1954Billy Bird - 1954Grandpa Evans - 1954Grandma Evans - 1954Shirley Fagon - 1954Barbara Henson - 1954Tommy Funderburk - 1954Mr. Hodges - 1954Rachel Axon - 1954Myrtle Eadie - 1954Jan Funderburk Pitsor - 1954Jill Funderburk Smeltzer -

1954Brenda Esclavon - 1955Gordon Clark - 1955Gladys Clark - 1955Winks Snowden - 1955“Smoky” Carter - 1956Alfred Morris - 1956Peggy Henson- 1956

Naomi Lewis Curry - 1956Rufus Curry - 1956Frank Atkins - 1956Gladys Atkins - 1956Charles Kelly - 1956Gladys Fitt - 1957Jerry King Fitzgerald - 1957Francis Hagan - 1957Lee Hagan - 1957Cecil Foust - 1957Ramona Christopher - 1957Johnny Fin - 1957Joe Earl Collier - 1957Evelyn Kelly - 1958Edgar Brush - 1958Jo Ann Riggs Murphy - 1958Carolyn Smith - 1958Larry McClammy - 1958Pat McClammy - 1958Ernest Atkins - 1958Sue Funderburk Manning -

1958Donnie Smith - 1958Fred McCutchin - 1958Shirley Andrews - 1958Dorsey Regwald - 1958Ina Ruth Collier Hutson -

1958Janice Bonner - 1958Patsy Walker - 1958Diane Walker - 1958Mary McClammy - 1958Millie Rooke Waite - 1959Donny Henson - t958Betty Mae McCutchen - 1958

Lois Martin Hughes - 1958Peggy Henson - 1958Barbara Blalock - 1958Millard Roger - 1958Merle Roger - 1958Mary Ester Koger - 1958Nancy Brush - 1958James King - 1958Walter Foster - 1959Dorothy J Smith - 1959Linda Hagan Robuck - 1959Baynard Evans - 1959Arthur Curry - 1959Cheryl King - 1959Lucille Driggers - 1959Peggy Henson - 1959Albert Evans - 1959Pearl Langdale - 1960Jimmy Holly - 1960Roy Riggs - 1960Shirley Flagon - 1960Warren Lee Curry - 1960Larry Curry - 1960Nancy Curry Cook - 1960Connie Dutsch - 1960Francis McCutchen - 1.960Alfred Lee - 1960Fera Stewart - 1960Delores Evans - 1960Alton Mixson - 1960Carolyn Smith - 1960Joanie Clark - 1960C.D. Chandler - 1961Lena Henson - 1961Richelou Weeks - 1961

SANCTIFIED(This list was taken primarily from records kept by Sis. May. There have been no records kept since her death so this list is not complete.)


Chick Evans - 1961Edward Hagan - 1961Dorothy Stamey - 1962Irby Stamey - 1962Patricia Collier Lamons -

1962Ann Stamey - 1962Gail Statney - 1962Clarence Stamey - 1962Bill Quarrels - 1962Helen Quarrels - 1962Buddy Hutson - 1962Polly Reese - 1963Sue Cady - 1964Paul Lewis - 1964Robert Reese - 1965Jim Shanklin - 1965Peggy Shanklin - 1965Curtis Curry - 1967Anita Hagan Copeland -

1969Glenn Copeland - 1968Barbara Copeland - 1968Sherrie Cease Todd - 1968Ed Tarr - 1968Sammy Walker - 1968Richard Walker Jr. - 1968Robin Cease Halbig - 1968Cindy Cease Baranowski -

1968Jerry Cease Jr. - 1968Ricky Cook - 1968Martha Ann Fitt - 1968Johnnie Fitt - 1968Julia Reynolds - 1968Doris Walker - 1968Kenneth Walker - 1968David Walker - 1968

Sheila Bonner - 1968Micky Rodgers - 1970Debbie Evans - 1970Randy Roach - 1972Josh Simons - 1978Chuck Simons - 1980Bonnie Simons - 1980Bob Call Jr.Diane CallRoy LairdFreddie LairdRoxanne LairdJay WardSteve KramerMary Nell RoachByron RoachC.D. ChandlerVicky ChandlerAngie SimonsRobert CampRuby CallAnita CallTina CallJohnny Lynn CallWally VillaDavid RoofMike PainterJohn KrajovikDavid Roach Sr.Robin SmithMelissa HutsonJason GroomsKimberly LamonsChip Bishop - 1992Melanie Lamons - 1992Deborah Simons ~ 1994Ben Mitchell - 1994

Tradition Continues On Chincoteague

Christ’s Sanctified Church was born on ChincoteagueIsland in Virginia, 1892. Over 112 years later, the same spiritthat created the church was still living on the island.

In accordance with the focus of the church at the time,most of the original members left the island shortly afterthey became Sanctified to preach the gospel of holiness toother places. The few Sanctified People that were left wor-shipped in their houses. In 1903 a group of them decided tobuild a church. They bought a piece of property from Parkerand Addie Jester for $25. The following were the trustees for

the church: William J. Collins, Eli-jah Brasure, John W. Jones,Alongo Tarr, Dan Bishop, JamesJones, George Scott, Charles B.Merritt and J.S. Bowden. Theyheld regular services in the

SanctifiedPeople havebeen wor-shipping intheChincoteaguechurch forover 100years.

Floyd Haganstands next tothe historicalmarker at theChincoteaguechurch.


church from that date and by 1920 they had a membershipof 50 members.

There came a Rev. Ervin Thomas Liddell who was a formerpastor of the Union Baptist Church who claimed to get Sanc-tified in a hotel room in Philadelphia, Pa., and joined with theSanctified People. After a while he began to preach an opinionor doctrine at variance with Christ’s Sanctified Holy Churchdoctrine and was told he could not preach anymore in thechurch. From that he left and took with him 40 members. He,

with the forty members, went about a mile from the churchand they built a church called the Tabernacle. It was not longbefore he left the island and the church was dissolved.

There were about 10 members who stayed faithful toChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church. They were William andMariah Collins, Elijah and Hester Brasure, Sale and IdaDoughty, Minnie Merritt, Maggie Jester, Anna Bloxon andElizabeth Jester. This small group held Sunday school andservices every Sunday morning. In 1932, Brother Josh andStell Tarr moved from Birmingham, Ala., to Chincoteagueand did their best to help build the Chincoteague congrega-tion. He convinced Will Collins to wire the church so theycould hold Sunday night services. Previously, those meetingswere held by kerosene lamplight.

In 1936, Harry J. Collins Sr. was Sanctified and soon after-ward Charles W. Collins Sr. was Sanctified and they beganregular services. The Sanctified People from the Norfolk, Va.,church along with the Omar, Del., church would visit theisland church on weekends to help with the services.

In Norfolk, Va., in October 1939, Will Collins passed awayduring an evening service saying, “I want to be with my peo-ple.” From his passing a great revival began on Chincoteagueand many souls were Sanctified.

In 1943, the church purchased the old Methodist ProtestantChurch on Church Street. It was being used as a lunch roomfor the school. They remodeled it to suit the way that theyworshipped. They held services in it until some membersmoved from the island and some passed away. They soldthat building in 1963. The members then started their servicesin the little church up the island.

The Chincoteague church and the Omar, Del., church heldservices jointly in the towns of Greenbackville, Va., Stockton,Md., Iron Shire, Md., Taylorville, Md., Girtletree, Md., andShowell, Md., and they held tent meetings on Chincoteague.At these meetings many were Sanctified.

Since 1990, Brother Dewey Tarr has been holding Sundayschool every Sunday morning. The Sunday school class holdsan annual feast meeting in October.

Nannie Hudson, George Carter, Maggie Carter, Hester van Peterson, Glais Bowden, AdaHudson, Emma Merritt, John Collins, Mary Hudson - Norris Hudson, Mary Lou Magee,Elizabeth Tarr, Sarah Hill, Hester Merritt Brown, Kate Cooper, Lou Gray, Mary Tarr, AnnaBloxon, Anna _______, Betty Jester, Anna Derrickson, Roda Powell, Harry Hudson, JoeHill, Lillie Hill, Ervin T. Lidell, Lynn Tarr, Alice Tarr, Hattie Birch, Elizabeth Jester, MannieMartin - John Martin, George Gray, Oliver Jester, Albert Martin, Dora Tarr, Fanny Snead,Mariah Collins, Will Collins, Josh Reed, Elmer Merritt, Edna Collin Lynch, Manie Bowden,Mattie _______, Webster Burgess, Gertrude Jester, ______ Lewis, Jane Tarr, ElmerWatson, Billie Hickman, Paul Hickman, Joe Reed, Annias Tingle, ______ Jones, RufusBurgess, John Martin, Curtis Bloxom, Bias Cooper, Victor _______, (1920-24).


Columbia Church Has 60-Year History

At the close of World War II in the fall of 1945 a group ofSanctified People moved from Mobile, Ala., and Spartanburg,S.C., to establish a church in Columbia, S.C. The leaders atthat time were Bro. Robert Hartsfield and Sis. Jessie Sullivan.Among the first arrivals were Frank and May Barker, Oveltonand Bessie Collier, Tom and Virginia Bonner, T.F. and EvelynBarker, Johnnie and Helen Barker, Otho and Beatrice Cox,Bennie and Auline Martin, O.G. and Della Bates, Marshalland Dilla Price, Frank and Jennie Robuck, Charlie and RitherRiggs, Charlie and Costa Cease, Luther and Dixie Busbee,Hubert and Nellie Brooks, Brady and Mildred Watts, and Ash-ley and Minnie Cross.

They soon built a wood framed building to worship in, andafter a few years enlarged and remodeled it to the presentchurch it is today.

In their efforts to spread the Gospel of Sanctification theyhave held services in over 25 different places in tabernacles,tents and store buildings. One of these places that many wereSanctified was in Bro. Jake Temples house near Saluda, S.C.In another place called Sawyerdale, in a store building theTooles, Jumpers, and many others were Sanctified afterweeks of services.Some of the places where they held meetings:

An old store building in PelionDevil’s Backbone at Lake MurrayA field near the Temples’ homeGrandpa Temples’ homeThree different locations in Swansea, S.C.Sumter HighwayA store building in Sawyerdale (1954)A school house in SawyerdaleA school house in PeakAn old church in PeakA tabernacle in Leesville (1951 or ’52)Charleston Highway below Sandy Run

A traffic circle on Highway 378(two times)

No. 6 Highway off of Highway215 toward Swansea

Cross AnchorBatesburg on property in shop-

ping center owned by LeeJernigan

Wagener in Town Pavilion

Bro. Joseph and Sis. Beatrice Clelland moved to Columbia,S.C., in the year of 1949. He was a wonderful help in pro-viding these services, and he later became a leader after Sis.Jessie Sullivan moved to be with her daughter, after beingthe leader of the Columbia Church for 41 years. Bro. JosephClelland and Bro. Frank Barker were the leaders of theColumbia Church until Bro. Frank passed away. Followingthe illness of Bro. Joseph Clelland in 1991, Bro. Harry Collinsbecame the leader, and one year later Sis. Faye Christleybecame a Co-leader with him. Through the years, leaders

The Columbiafolks havemet at thissite for over55 years.

Feast meetingin the 50’s.“Dinner onthe ground.”


such as Bro. Robert Hartsfield, Sis. Jessie Sullivan, Bro.Frank Barker, Bro. Joseph Clelland, Bro. Harry Collins, Sis.Faye Christley, and the entire congregation have helpedapproximately 675 people that were affiliated with theColumbia Church, for over these 60 years.

The Church has five services a week and an annualMother’s Day feast meeting since its beginning.

We cannot tell of all the blessings that God has blessed theColumbia Church, as he has with all our Churches since thefounding of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church in 1892.

Christ’s Sanctified Holy ChurchColumbia, South Carolina

From 1945 to the Present, November, 2002

Joyce AlsupEdna AlsupMary AlsupJack AlsupLeonard AlsupCatherine AlsupRoy AlsupJames P. AndrewsMarjorie AndrewsClay ArceneauxClara ArceneauxWally ArceneauxFlora ArceneauxBetsy ArceneauxPaul ArceneauxPatsy ArceneauxCliff ArceneauxClay ArceneauxAllen ArceneauxCecile ArceneauxAllen Arceneaux, Jr.Jackie ArceneauxSharon ArceneauxDiane BaileyWallace BaileyElva BaileyCrystal Bailey

Bobby BaileyCharles BakerMartha Ann BakerVicki BakerJimmy BarberJeannie BarberJohnathan BarberBro. Frank BarkerSis. Mae BarkerWillis BarkerSusie BarkerJohnnie Lee BarkerVirginia BarkerJ. J. “Johnny” BarkerRhoda BarkerHelen BarkerMary Helen BarkerJohnetta BarkerT. F. Barker, Jr.Evelyn BarkerFlora BarkerShirley Andrews BarkerBobby BarkerPeggy BarkerRay Basham0. G. BatesDelia Bates

0. G. Bates, Jr.Elizabeth BatesPatricia BatesBobby BatesRuss BeckLillie BeckBuddy BeckMary BeckRuby BeckWalter BeckAllen BeckAngie BeckSylvia BeckWilliam BeechamCharlotte BeechamMaude BittickThurmond BlairDortha BlairYvonne BlairAlfred BlairTom BonnerVirginia BonnerJanice BonnerTeresa BonnerSheila BonnerErnest 0. BrittVanise Britt

Hubert BrooksNellie BrooksArch BrooksVirginia BrooksA. J. BrooksErnestine BrooksJanet BrooksGary BrooksCynthia BrooksTeresa BrooksNeal BrooksJoe BrooksR. C. BrooksLucille BrooksMarie Cross BrooksJames BrownCosta BrownJimmy BrownCalvin BrownSandy Merritt BrownCalvin Brown, Jr.Louie BryanLillian BryanFreddie BryanLuther BusbeeDixie BusbeeGene Busbee


Billy BusbeeNettie BusbeeObed CallRebecca CallJohn CallRuby CallJoe CampJimmie CampBuddy CampBill CampKathy CampDougie CampErin CampSadie CampDouglas CampDavid G.”Gilp” CarterEliza CarterOscar CauseyCharlie CeaseCosta CeaseBuddy ChauvinLouise ChauvinLouise ChauvinJackie Andrews ChauvinGladys ChauvinHarry ChauvinCarole Louise ChauvinTed ChauvinTrina ChauvinPreston ChauvinAlyssa ChauvinCorbin CherrySavannah CherryJerry “Jr.”CherryDonnie “Chris” ChristleyFay Williams Christley

Donnie Christley, Jr.Steve ChristleyKaren ChristleyKaren Dooley ChristleyChad ChristleyDillon ChristleyRandy ChristleyTerry ChristleyNicki ChristleyDorman ClarkChristine ClarkJoan ClarkBro. E. Joseph Clelland, Sr.,

LeaderSis. Beatrice ClellandBertie Jo ClellandBuddy ClellandEddie F. ClellandTerry Lee Clelland, Sr.Lester ClickRowena ClickHarriett ClickJan ClickRay CockrellAlice Temple CockrellSteven CockrellJustin CockrellChristin CockrellKayley CockrellSavannah CockrellGeorgia CockrellBessie CollierOvelton CollierJoe Earl CollierGail Clark CollierMelvin Collier

Ina CollierIna Ruth CollierPatricia Ann CollierMelvin Gene CollierElwood CollierTissie CollierCharles CollierJo Ann CollierCheryl CollierElwood Collier, Jr.Charlotte CollierTommy CollierJ. T. CollierHarry Collins, IIIRobin CollinsWill CollinsKatie CollinsStacey CollinsBro. Harry Collins, Jr.,

Current LeaderDot CollinsDenny Collins, Sr.Kitty CollinsDenny Collins, Jr.Nancy CollinsJerry CollinsTrudy CollinsSabrina CollinsJeremy CollinsFrances CollinsBobby Collins, Jr.Shirley Merritt CollinsGrace ConantJackie CorbittMargie CorbittOtho Cox

Beatrice CoxBilly CoxBetty CoxMary CoxRuth CoxMildred CoxRuth CoxMr. CrimAshley CrossWalter CrossRachel CrossPam CrossClair CrossJack CrossClara CrossGeorge CrossWoodrow CrossNorman CrossArthur CurryLorraine CurryJennene CurryAnita DavisFred DavisTommy DavisDerrell DavisHembree DavisLola DavisHembree Davis, Jr.Alvin DavisBarbara DavisRamsey DavisGreta DavisJohnny DempseyOcie Mae DempseyClarence DownsEula Downs


Marian DownsBeverly DownsJeanette DownsLawrence DownsBeulah Bell DownsRuth DownsD. B. DurdenMattie DurdenD. B. Durden, Jr.Connie DupreeHazel DupreeCharlie DymockDebbie DymockTess DymockJodie Collier EishJim EishAaron EishGabrielle EishTim EllisTim EllisDoris EllisJason EllisKathleen EllisDebbie EsselAshley EsselGlenn EsselStacey EsselEnos FoustMary FoustHarley GallopJeanine GallopBill GrayEllen GrayBilly GrayCarolyn GrayGloria Gray

Wayne GrayDeAnne GrayZane GrayBarry GrayBill Gray, Jr.Edward GreerKathy GriffinLuna GulledgePearl GunterFloyd HaganLillie HaganEd HaganNettie HaganLevy HaganGrace HaganJoe HaganPaul HaganJimmy HaganLois HaganLavolia HandlyElmer HandlyDell HandlyGail HandlyWatt HandlyJudy HandlyBro. Robert Hartsfield,

LeaderSis. Ella HartsfieldAldred HatfieldLillie Gray HatfieldW. D. HatfieldHenrietta HatfieldSonja HatfieldGene HatfieldLarry HatfieldWesley Hatfield

Janice HatfieldKay HatfieldRichard HatfieldCharles HatfieldGerald HuttoRoss HuttoLarry HatchellRudy HeadenHal HeberYuvanee HookerAnn HookerBuster HookerWayne HookerCorrine HookerMichael HopkinsBeth Gray HopkinsEthan HopkinsAmelia HopkinsGerald HuttoRoss HuttoCherry JamesEnzie JeffcoatErvin JerniganJessie JerniganRobert JerniganCharlotte JerniganBobby JerniganSharon JerniganRocky JohnsonGussie JohnsonRoland JohnsonRosiland JohnsonEthel JonesLester JonesJackie JonesJohn Jones

Ezra JumperPearly JumperFreddie KingEdna Mae KingJo Ann KingDale KingDavid KingSheila KolbLewis KolbManning KolbBob LamonsBodie LamonsLinda LamonsTim LamonsTerri LamonsKayla. LamonsCole LamonsEva LamonsCarl Lee LamonsNorman LangstonSara LangstonNorman Langston, Jr.Wendy LangstonDalton Cooper LangstonAmy LangstonJewel LangstonNora LindleyEvelyn LisleCharlotte Ann LisleJunior LittlefieldBrian LovettBobby LynchEster LynchBennie MartinAuline MartinPaul Martin


Mary MartinDoris MartinWayne MartinKyle MartinJennifer MartinDorothy McCullumAlberta McCorveyBetty Mae McCutcheonTommy McCutcheonMr. McGillMrs. McGillDale McDanielLois McLendonJosh MerrittAmy MerrittHattie MerrittTim MerrittMae Tim MerrittFred MerrittLouise MerrittPaul P. Merritt, Jr.Hazel Clelland MerrittBarbara MillerGeorge Henry MillerHelen MillerJames MinnickFrances MinnickBonnie Clelland MooreDoris MooreGerry MurphyFannie MurphySandra MurphyCarol Ann MurphyClyde MurphyJohn NelsonCecil Newberry

Polly NewberryKen NewberryMike NewberrySally NewberryKelly NewberryBenji NewberryRandy NewberryGreg NewberryJohnny OxnerWally OxnerRuthy Jean OxnerVicki OxnerWyman OxnerBarbara Collins PaceClint ParnellWalter ParnellBannie PattersonKenny PattersonEmma PattersonJoyce Cross PerryMarshall PriceDilla PriceRuth PriceFrankie PriceRalph PriceNancy PriceJudy PriceDora PriceIrene QuinnSuzanne Oxner RenshlerJulia ReynoldsCharlie RiggsRither RiggsRandy RoachDawn Barker RoachDaniel Roach

Stephanie RoachMichelle RoachKelroy RobuckHattie RobuckMattie RobuckFrank Robuck, Sr.Jennie RobuckGrace RobuckRoss RobuckFrank Robuck, Jr.Donnie RobuckDiane RobuckLloyd E. Robuck, Sr.Katie RobuckLloyd E. Robuck, Jr.Charlie RobuckPam RodgersJackie RodriguesWally RodriguesElla Jean RollinsVernon RollinsTappy Rogers RookeHenry RookeDon SamolApril SamolLeanne SamolErin SamolChris SeelingJan ShawBernice SimonsJosh SimonsClara SimonsMargie Simons DavisGarland SimonsKatherine SimonsChuck Simons

Terry SimonsDolly SimonsRoy SlappyAgnes SlappyLaroy SlappyWayne SlappyTommy SlappyPeggy SlappyCharlie SlappyCharles SlaytonCloyd SlaytonMae SlaytonSteve SlaytonClaudia SlaytonKathleen SlaytonLouise SlaytonWillie SlaytonLydia SlaytonBroadus SmithBarbara SmithSteve SmithTerry SmithElizabeth SmithJames SmithDanny StarnesAldaresa StarnesJeffrey StarnesJustin StarnesJordan StarnesGay SteadingGene StewartDoris StewartRuth StewartP. K. StricklandNaomi StricklandBro. Elliott Sullivan


Sis. Jessie Sullivan, LeaderAlbert SullivanDot SullivanWallace SullivanIrene SullivanJohn SullivanPearl TateJack TateGere Ann TateJoe TeagueKay TeagueNicole TeagueJoey TeagueJessica TeagueBill TeagueKristen TeagueEmily TeagueErin TeagueBaby TeagueShanna TeemTori TeemPatterson TempleErsie TempleGrady TempleKenny TempleRobert TempleDavid TempleJean TempleMaurance TempleAnthony TempleClark TempleTim TempleKelly TempleRachel TempleElizabeth TempleBazzie Temple

Ola TempleJake TemplePam TempleNoah TempleMary TempleHattie ToddBetty ToolePaul TooleRessie TooleMiranda TooleIrby TooleLegare TooleJohnny TooleJeannie TooleMandy TooleCindy TooleJay TooleMelissa TooleJason TooleJohnnie TooleLester TooleYvonne TooleDonald TooleJimmy TrippRobin TrippJoe VaughnMartha VaughnJoe Albert VaughnAnn VaughnDebbie VaughnJerry Wayne VaughnEd VestLizzie VestKevin VinsonTracy VinsonRyan Vinson

Harvey WalkerSally WalkerFrances WalkerRichard WalkerPearl Brooks WalkerSammy WalkerRichard Walker, Jr.Naomi WalkerHarvey Walker, Jr.Doris WalkerKenneth WalkerDebbie WalkerDavid WalkerKaren WalkerKelly WalkerCrystal WalkerDiane WalkerCharles WalkerErlene WarrenBrady WattsMildred WattsEileen WattsJoyce WattsLeila WattsBob WestJackie WestJames E. “M” WhittinghamJanie WhittinghamRobbie WhittinghamJ. E. Whittingham, Jr.Tom WilletClarence Williams, Sr.Marie WilliamsRobert WilliamsRuby WilliamsSherry Williams

Joe WilliamsShelley WilliamsAlbert WilliamsClarence Williams, Jr.Lynn WilliamsClarence Williams, IIILottie WilliamsEdward WilliamsRuth Hagan WilliamsEddie WilliamsSandra WilliamsElaine WilliamsJay WilliamsJessie WilliamsSid WilliamsPaul WoodsJoe WoodsLinda WoodsKarl WrightMickey WrightKaren WrightSusan WrightScotty WrightWarren “Stocky” WrightBeverly Collins WrightMeredith WrightWhitney WrightBradMary Lou


Sanctified Folks Drawn To Evans

The community of Evans, Ga., experienced remarkablegrowth during the second half of the 20th century. In 1950,Columbia County was a rural area with a population of9,525. When the century came to a close, that populationfigure had jumped to 91,613.

Evans is approximately 20 miles from Augusta, Ga., andmost of the people who started the Evans church came fromAugusta. The original group included the families of Robertand Lee Jernigan, as well as the Collier, Simons, Brush,Dempsey, Miller, Mustin and Vaughn families. Those folkswere soon joined by the Arcenaux, Rogers and Cross fami-lies.

While those families formed the foundation for the Evanschurch, they received considerable assistance for Sanctifiedfolks across the Southeast. The first step was taken whenthe group purchased a lot at 136 North Belair Road. Then, asmall brick sanctuary was constructed. Approximately 50volunteers from other communities came to Evans to helpbuild the church.

“Most of the work for the church was done during ‘week-end workdays,’” said Lily Miller. “The men would work onthe church, and the church ladies would serve a picnic stylelunch. In retrospect, all that work was actually a lot of fun.”

Once the church was built, the Evans crowd went abouttrying to fill it. On Saturdays, the members would go door-to-door meeting the people in the community. They wouldcarry bubble gum for the kids, and informational flyers. Thenext day, the Sanctified People would drive through thosesame neighborhoods in school buses. They started with twobuses, and the program eventually grew to four buses. Theywould fill up the buses with children, and head for thechurch.

“Times are different now, but back then we had fourbuses. We would go to the neighborhoods and introduceourselves, then we would come back the next day and thekids would jump on the bus,” said Doris (Miller) Dempsey.

As a child, Hui Jin Kimstepped onto one of thosebuses. Years later, Kimwas Sanctified, and sheeventually went to med-ical school and became adoctor.

Alicia Story was anoth-er bus rider who wastouched by her experi-ences as a child.

“I was around seven when I started riding the Red buswith Dan and Lily Miller,” Story remembered. “My fatherworked for Dan. Then, we moved, but the church sent theBlue bus to come and take us to Sunday school and church.Then, my father’s worldly lifestyle became more importantto him than his children, and God sent Miss Lily to take careof me so I became ‘family’ to all my adopted relatives at thechurch. That’s when I became a bus worker. Mother and I

Expansionsand renova-tions pro-duced thecurrentchurch onNorth BelairRoad.

The original church in Evans wasbuilt in 1976.


would go out every Saturday and hand outflyers to the bus kids and picked up morekids.

“With all due respect, I think I was the luckiest bus kidever and I know the bus ministry, by God’s hand, caused thesingle most important event in my life by bringing me intothe family of God.”

All the outreach efforts led to expansions on North BelairRoad. In the following years, a kitchen, fellowship hall,Sunday school rooms (in 1982), and a gym were all added tothe facility.

Greensboro Adds To North Carolina Legacy

Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church has enjoyed a presence inNorth Carolina for over 100 years. Some of the first evangel-istic stops after the Sanctified People left Chincoteague wereon the coast of North Carolina. Meetings were held in com-munities such as Old Trap, Cannon’s Ferry and Piney Woods.

A crowd was located in Wilmington, N.C., in the late

1930s, and that group gave birth to the idea of a centralheadquarters for the church, a campground, a home for theaged and a cemetery. There was also a Sanctified crowd inHigh Point around the same time, and Rufus Curry led agroup to Charlotte in the 1950s.

In addition, a Sanctified church was established in Raleighin 1955. Seven years later, the majority of those folksincluding Frank and Jennie Robuck, Don Robuck, Leon andRuthie Stewart, Shuford and Ruth Price, Henry Price, Linda

Price, Dale McDaniel, Hallie Jefferies,Mildred and Ruth Cox, Hubert andElsie Brooks, Hattie Todd, Burniceand Minnie Simons, Dan Norman,Joe and Martha Vaughn, plus Jerryand Joe Albert – moved on toMemphis, Tenn.

The Sanctified People stayed inthe Memphis area for 13 years. Theyunited with several local people(Lawrence and Mable Wilson, LolaRogers, Sister McKee and Brother

Wilbanks) who had been touched by a group of SanctifiedPeople who had visited the region previously. Over theyears, others came and joined the Memphis crowd, includ-ing Doug Roan, Belle and Gene Stewart; Otho and BeatriceCox and their children (Billy, Betty and Mary); T.F. and EvelynBarker and their daughter Flora; Robin and Pagie Waldenand their daughter Jannell; A.J. and Teen Brooks and theirchildren (Janet, Gary, Cynthia, Teresa and Debbie); VirginiaHartsfield; Ina Cogar; Bernice and Peggy Walker; Floyd andNellie Forbes and their children (Carolyn and Reginald). Inaddition, Diane Brooks married Don Robuck and joined thecongregation.

The Memphis crowd was evangelistic, and they heldmeetings throughout the region in tents, portable taberna-cles, store buildings, and just about anywhere they foundsuitable. Among those Sanctified during this time were Royand Peggy Bennett. The group also reached into Arkansas

TheSanctifiedPeople in

Evans usedschool busesto reach outto the com-

munity.


with their meetings, and four people (John and Lelia Chapin,and Joe and Maude Chapin) were Sanctified in a store build-ing in Missouri.

In 1975, the Memphis crowd decided that it was onceagain time to move. Some of the Sanctified People returnedto North Carolina, landing in Asheville or Charlotte, whileothers went to Augusta, Ga.

The move to Charlotte proved to be rewarding. The origi-nal group in the city included Leon and Ruthie Stewart andtheir children (Leon and Cindy), Henry and Flora Price andtheir children (Bonnie and Jeff), Shuford and Ruth Price, plusDon and Diane Robuck and their children (Denise, Donnie,David and Derek). The Charlotte crowd grew with the arrivalof Doug and Linda Roan and their children Wayne, Holly andKelly; Roy and Peggy Bennett and their children (Joy andRosh); Virginia Hartsfield; Jennie Robuck; Eugene and BelleStewart; Gary Collier; Becky Riggs; Sandy Bonner; Doug andRuth Camp; Ray and Alice Cockrell and their son Steven;Gerry and Mary Anne Havlena and their daughter Kim;Lacey and Dot Ansell and their daughter Theresa; plus Rayand Carolyn Roan Basham and their children (Rowman,Risha, Rhett and Roark).

The crowd was also bolstered for a short time by the pres-ence of the White family (Johnny and Barbara and their chil-dren, Nicki and Travis), the Clark family (Danny and Linda,plus their children, Bobby and Rickie) and the Plaisances(Sidney and Bessie).

Initially, services in Charlotte were held in an old storebuilding. Every time the men stomped in that building, thedust would come up through the cracks. When they shout-ed, the dust really flew! There was very little heat in thebuilding, so the children were wrapped in blankets duringthe winter.

The group then began building a church in nearbyPineville, and Sanctified folks from other cities came to helpwith the project. During that period, an apartment buildingwas rented where they would hold meetings over the week-ends. The visitors who were assisting with the construction

would sleep upstairs, andthey had some memo-rable meetings down-stairs.

While in Charlotte, thegroup continued to reachout to local communities.During one set of meet-ings in an old restaurant inStatesville, N.C., four peo-ple – William and DorothyForbes, plus Ralph Forbesand Rosalyn Morrison –were Sanctified.

In 1985, people in Charlotte started casting their gazetoward Wilmington, N.C., where the children of someSanctified People lived. They began holding meetings in a

TheGreensborochurch firstheld servicesin January of1990.

When many members of the theGreensboro crowd first moved toNorth Carolina, they initially settledin the Charlotte area and built thischurch in Pineville.


church they rented near where the children and grandchil-dren of Charlie and Ella Dillon lived. Those meetings wereSpirit filled, and they soon began to attract Sanctified folksfrom other cities.

It was later learned that the pastor of the church that wasbeing rented had been to the altar when the SanctifiedPeople were in Wilmington years earlier. He said he was 14years old at the time, and the experience changed his life. Hesaid he would never forget the singing and preaching of theSanctified People. The pastor eventually sold the church tothe Sanctified People, and it was remodeled to fit theSanctified manner of worship.

In 1986, the Sanctified People from Charlotte began theirmove to Wilmington, and they were joined by folks fromother crowds. The spirit was very strong in their meetings,and many people were Sanctified.

Three years after the Wilmington church was established,the Tar Heel state gained its fourth Sanctified congregation

when a group from Wilmington began a move toGreensboro. The move was led by Leon Stewart, who hadspent time in each of the other three Sanctified communitiesin North Carolina.

“We wanted something that was centrally located to ourcrowd, and we had a lot of roots in North Carolina,” Stewartexplained. “Greensboro was centrally located for our crowd,with churches in Norfolk, Columbia and Raleigh. Plus,Greensboro is close to the campground.”

In the beginning, the Greensboro crowd included the fol-lowing people:- Leon and Ruthie Stewart- Leon and Kim Stewart- Cindy Stewart- Henry and Flora Price- Bonnie Price- Jeff Price- Shuford and Ruth Price- Gene and Belle Stewart- Pearl Comstock- Lilly Kofer- Willie and Virginia Pierce- Jennie Robuck- Ray and Alice Cockrell, and their son Steven- Gerry and Mary Anne Havlena, and their daughter Kim- Ralph Forbes- Reginald and Sandy Forbes, Andy and Priscilla- Nellie Forbes- Carolyn Forbes

Once the city was chosen, it was Leon’s wife, Ruthie, whofound the lot on Tower Road in central Greensboro. Then,thanks to considerable assistance from the Sanctified folksfrom Raleigh and Norfolk, a wonderful church with twoSunday schoolrooms and bathrooms, as well as a kitch-enette area was built in 100 days.

The new church enjoyed a memorable first meeting inJanuary of 1990 when Gene and Cindy (Stewart) Mustin

This portabletabernacle

that wasoriginally

built inMemphis and

later movedto sites inArkansas.

The photo-graph was

taken inPalestine,

Ark., in 1966.The childrenare, from leftto right, Leon

Stewart Jr.,Mike Gregory

and TheresaAnsell.


were married. That marriage brought Mustin to Greensboro,and others followed. Rowman Basham married KimHavlena; Hal Spencer married Bonnie Price; Jeff Price mar-ried Rene Curry; Robert Jernigan married Carolyn Forbes;Ralph Forbes married Kim Vintson Mason, who had threechildren -Bonnie, Brad and Caitlin.

New arrivals in Greensboro included J.C. Bishop; RoarkBasham; Ola Temples; Don and Diane Robuck and their sons(Donnie, David and Derek); Dot Ansell; Alicia Aston; andJared Skelton. Austin Peery got Sanctified in Greensboro andmoved to Raleigh after he married Elise Norman.

The Greensboro crowd also expanded thanks to the birthsof Alex and Sara Stewart; Olivia, Emma and Gray Mustin;Anna and Adam Spencer; plus Samantha Christley (thegranddaughter of Ralph and Kim Forbes).

During its first 13 years of worship, the Greensborochurch has been stable. While the congregation has beensmall, attendance has been very good and the Spirit hasbeen strong.

Houma Roots Run To Blue Bayou

The history of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church is filled withamazing stories about incredible revivals. None of thosegatherings left a stronger imprint than the revival at a placeknown as Blue Bayou in Louisiana.

In 1898, Sarah Collins led a small group of SanctifiedPeople to Cajun country about 50 miles west of New Orleans.When Collins arrived, she immediately drew a crowd. Initially,the local people came out of curiosity. Few people in the areahad ever traveled outside the region, and, as Lucina LabatMatherne said, “That lady had come from far, far away.”

Lucina was one of those who went to hear Collins speak,and her story has been passed down to her family throughthe years. Laura Owens, Lucina’s granddaughter, recentlyrecounted the story:

“My grandparents, Theles and Lucina Matherne, were

strict French Catholics who couldn’tread a word of English. Lucina hadbeen a Catholic all of her life, but shewas unfulfilled. She was doing housework one day whensomeone comes to the house and told her, ‘There is awoman at Bayou Blue who is talking about the devil andabout heaven. This woman isn’t talking like a priest, and sheis scaring people!’

“Lucina said that she wanted to hear this woman talk, andshe told her husband, ‘If you don’t take me, I’ll go by myself.’They had to paddle for 5-10 miles through the canals ontheir skiff. The only other way to Bayou Blue was on a littlemuddy road, but no one had cars back then.

“Lucina was saved that day when she heard Sarah Collins.She returned home and started to tell all the Catholic peoplethat she had changed her way, that she had found some-thing wonderful. Her parents were upset that she left theCatholic faith, but the other people said, ‘She was a goodwoman, but she’s better now, and she’s not letting up onus.’”

Lucina was ordained as a minister by Collins in 1907, andshe brought many people into the church. Unfortunately, she

These docu-mentsmarked theordination ofThelesMatherne in1917.


was never able to convert her husband, who remained aCatholic. In 1913, 31-year old Lucina suddenly became veryill. On her deathbed, Lucina told her husband, “If you don’tbecome Sanctified, I’m going to come back and pinch yourtoes at night. I’m not going to leave you alone until you getSanctified.”

It was not an easy road for Theles Matherne, but hebecame Sanctified in 1917 and he was later ordained as aminister.

“My grandfather could barely read English at the time, buthe prayed to God because he wanted to be able to preachthe Bible in English,” Owens said. “When he was Sanctified,he only had a French bible. He prayed and prayed for wis-dom, and in no time he started learning to read an EnglishBible, and he soon became an outstanding preacher.”

Matherne built a solid congregation of 20 members, butwhen he passed away in 1931 it marked a difficult time forthe group. Six years later, a Sanctified church was built near-by in Des Allemands.

“Josh and Joe Green came and helped build the church,”Owens said. “A little while later, they changed the owner-

ship of the church over to the Sanctified Church of Christ.Josh Green and Lee Curry came in and tried to convert peo-ple away from Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, but the peo-ple wouldn’t do it. When they failed, they told the people tostop using the church, but they kept on using it.”

This situation continued for over four decades. Finally, in1980, the church was sold to another group, and the newowner locked out the Sanctified People. The small congre-gation continued to worship in house meetings.

On March 8, 2002, the Board recognized the Houma con-gregation as an associated church and approved DannyClark, Bob Owens and Steve Gray as the trustees. Two yearslater, the group began looking for land to build a newchurch. An appropriate lot was found, and the church pur-chased the property in the fall of 2002. There was a smallhouse on the land, and the Sanctified People began holdingSunday school in the building. However, the design of thehouse limited their ability to hold regular church services.

Shortly before this book went to press, a preliminarydesign for an auditorium addition had been completed, andthe group in Houma hoped to start construction on theirnew home in the fall of 2005.

Sanctified People Return To Jacksonville

The Sanctified faith first touched Florida cities such asJacksonville and St. Augustine in the 1890s. SanctifiedPeople congregated in the area frequently for the next fivedecades, and then they began to disperse across theSoutheast in the 1940s. Even though most of the SanctifiedPeople had departed, the legacy of the faith still remained inthe area.

In the summer of 1964, the Lord led Elwood and Charlotte“Tissie” Collier from Decatur, Ga., into the Sunshine State.The Colliers met with Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church’s BoardNo. 1 in Charleston, S.C., and they obtained permission to goto Jacksonville, Fla., to start a new church.

Preliminary drawing of the sanctuary to be built in Houma, Louisiana.


“I was on the stand at campmeeting,and I looked out over the congregation,”Tissie remembered. “I saw so many peo-ple I knew that were from Jacksonvillewho didn’t have the Lord. The Lordmoved me, ‘The fields are ripe with har-vest, and you need to go.’ So, we talkedit over, and we decided that was whatwe were meant to do.

“When we got there, we found out thatthe Lord had moved before us. One ofthe first people we talked to after themove was Mr. Waldrop, who had beenSanctified as a young boy inBirmingham. He said, ‘Elwood, I’ve beenwaiting for this, for you to ask me to findthe Lord.’”

While the Colliers had a small congre-gation waiting for them, there was nochurch, so they started with house meet-ings.

“We had house meetings from 1964-69,” Tissie said. “Every Sunday, we wouldgather all we could at our house. Wewould have service, and then we wouldeat dinner. We would feed everyone, andwe would keep talking to them. We had as many as 40 peo-ple some days.”

Among those Sanctified during those house meetingswere William Renfroe, Bonnie Williams and Louie Thomas.

Two of the early converts were Elwood’s cousins, Doyleand Virlan Grier. Many of the other families that assisted theColliers had longtime ties to the Sanctified People. Thosefamilies included the Grays, Felders and Pervises, as well asSister Freeman, Sister Renfroe and Sister Pyle. That groupquickly found more support from newly Sanctified peoplesuch as the Bernard Family, the Thomas family, the Stewartfamily, the Jones family, the Marshall family, the Williams

family, the Ashton family, the Waldrup family, the Grier fam-ily and Pauline Fredrick.

In 1969, fortune smiled on the Jacksonville crowd andthey found a piece of property and began the process ofbuilding a church.

“We had been looking for a lot for four years, and we hadbeen turned down so many times because people didn’twant a church in their neighborhood,” Elwood said. “Oneday, I saw a real estate agent putting a sign up in a yardwhen I drove by. I stopped and asked about the lot. She said,‘I haven’t even listed it yet.’

“I told her, ‘Well, I’ll be right back by because I want this

ThisJacksonvillefeast meeting,which tookplace around1975, was awonderfulevent.


place.’ And I wentback after work. Itwas that quick.

“It was so excit-ing. We had every-thing we neededon that one pieceof property.

We built a sanctuary next to the house in 1968, and weused that house for four or five years for Sunday school.”

After Campmeeting in 1968, Luther Gray traveled toJacksonville and helped stake off the new building. In thefollowing months, Sanctified Folks from numerous differentchurches went to Jacksonville to work on the church, withspecial assistance provided by the Atlanta crowd.

During that period, the Jacksonville community was forti-fied by the arrival of Sanctified families from other cities.The list of newcomers included the Lockharts, the Cosbys,

the Williamses, the Colliers, the Slappeys, the Blairs, theLearys, the Hynums, the Cross family, the Pattersons, theAuthements, the Beechams, the Robertsons and theMeltons, as well as Sister Harris.

At the same time, the congregation was adding localmembers. The Griders, Sister Howard, the Jones family, theKuter family, the Johnigan family, the Wiggins family andBrother Watts were all Sanctified during that period.

The Jacksonville community took another step forward in1977 when the house was removed and a building with sixSunday School rooms and a fellowship hall was constructed.

Birmingham Flame Burning In Jemison

In 1920, an amazing spirit swept through a revival inBirmingham, Ala. The spark that was ignited in Birminghamis still burning in Jemison, Ala., a small community that isabout 30 miles south of Birmingham.

TheJacksonville

church,which was

built in 1977,has enjoyed a

blessed his-tory.

The Sanctified People (from left to right, Cashier Gray, Ella Gray,Elwood Collier, Luther Gray, and Ruby Sewart) break ground on theJacksonville church.


Over 50 people were Sanctified during the historicBirmingham revival, which was led by Sarah Collins. Manyof those folks chose to travel with the Sanctified People 80years ago, but they still had a connection to the Birminghamarea. In 1952, that connection was reaffirmed during theannual camp meeting in Georgia.

Benny and Auline Martin, who were living in WestColumbia, S.C., at the time, still had family back in Jemison.The Martins made the decision to visit those relatives andmake an effort to spread the Word in the community, andBenny got permission to have a service in a local churchfrom the church’s trustees.

Many people in the area had heard of the Sanctified People,so the Martins’ first meeting drew a good crowd. After thatsuccessful first meeting, however, the church trustees decid-ed that they wouldn’t let the Martins use their building in thefuture. Among those who attended the meeting were Othoand Bea Cox, Frank and Jennie Robuck, Olton and BessieCollier, as well as Minnie and Ashley Cross. Most of thosefolks came to Jemison from Columbia, along with the Martins.

A few weeks after that exciting initial service, FateLittlefield purchased a one-acre lot on County Road 185 sothat a church could be built. Fortunately, there were a num-ber of Sanctified People with building experience who weremaking the trip to Jemison for services. Ashley Cross putdown the foundation, and a plan was made to complete theproject. The folks decided they would begin work on aThursday morning, and they planned on having services inthe church on Saturday evening. Many people in the com-munity thought this plan was humorous, but with the help ofJames Brown, the Robucks, Otho Cox and Buddy Chauvin,that Saturday night meeting was held (albeit without a flooror lights, and with stud walls).

Shortly after the church was completed with eight-inchsiding, two more Sanctified couples – Frank and Mae Barkerplus Johnny and Helen Barker – came to Jemison fromColumbia. Later in the year, the Martins made a permanentmove from West Columbia.

Meanwhile, a large group of Sanctified People were stillcommuting from Columbia to Jemison. Nearly every week-end for a year, two or three carloads of people would leave

TheSanctifiedflame wasrekindled inJemison in2001.

BennyMartin’scookhousewhich wasmoved to thechurch is stillused today.


Columbia on Friday evening after work, and they wouldreturn on Sunday night. The group made the 400-mile trip,which included a ferry ride over the Coosa River, in eight to10 hours. When the travelers arrived in Jemison, theRobucks had two mobile homes set up on the Martin’s prop-erty, and Cross had a third mobile home. Eventually, a stand-alone kitchen was built and all of the group’s meals wereprepared there while they were in Jemison.

After the 1953 camp meeting, the Robucks and the Coxesmade the decision to move to the area. They were soon fol-lowed by Ruth and Mildred Cox, P.K. and Naomi Strickland,Luther and Dixie Busby, and Fred and Edna Mae King. D.K.and Betty Collins came six months later, but they left laterthat year.

In addition to the Sanctified People who arrived fromother communities, several local people also joined thechurch. Ola and Riley Blow were Sanctified at the very firstmeeting in 1952, and Leona Littlefield was Sanctified soonafter the church was built. In the following months, Hazeland Buster Williamson also joined. Additions to the churchcontinued throughout the early years in Jemison, with IreneEllison, Bernie and Louise Varden, Lorene Cost andGeraldine Ellison all joining.

As the congregation grew, so did the church building.First, a frame building with a truss roof was erected to housetwo Sunday school rooms. Restrooms were later added, thekitchen was eventually moved up to the church, and a din-ing hall was built.

The momentum continued throughout the 1950s inJemison, with the Sanctification of Datha Littlefield, LouiseVarden and Freddie Hall (who died in an auto accident at theage of 15). Wilton Littlefield was eventually Sanctified on hisdeathbed.

During this period, the folks in Jemison were also reach-ing out to other communities. Aldred Hatfield had family 50miles away in Selma, Ala., and the Sanctified People heldseveral meetings there in a portable tabernacle. Barbara

(Miller) Bearden, plus Willie, Henraetta and Sonya Hatfieldwere Sanctified during those meetings.

While the congregation was adding members, somemembers left the community to continue their evangelis-tic efforts elsewhere. The Robucks, Ruth and MildredCox, and the Sticklands all went to spread the Spirit inRaleigh, N.C. Freddie and Edna Mae King moved toMississippi.

These departures weakened the Jemison church, but thecongregation continued to meet under the leadership ofOtho Cox. Finally, in 1990, the crowd had shrunk to two orthree families, and Cox moved to the campground. At thatpoint, they stopped holding services in Jemison.

Ten years later, some people in Jemison inquired aboutbuying the land on County Road 185. In May of 2001, theBoard appointed four men – Leon Stewart, Ben Jernigan,George Cross and Frank Robuck – to serve as trustees for theland and church building. The trustees decided that theyshould hold a meeting in the Jemison church in order togauge interest in re-starting the church before they sold theland.

The Sanctified People returned to Jemison for a weekendof meetings, and they were well received by the communi-ty. Instead of selling the property, they began talking aboutbuilding a new congregation. Jemison native JimWilliamson went to the 2001 camp meeting, and he wasSanctified there. Then Don and Diane Robuck moved fromGreensboro to Jemison, and they started regular services inAugust of 2001. Ross, Kim and Grace Robuck soon joinedDon and Diane. In addition, the new Jemison crowdreceived frequent visits from Sam and Teresa Jernigan,Stocky and Beverly Wright, Gary and Becky Collier, plusnumerous people from Atlanta.

The efforts of these people soon brought results. Amongthose Sanctified in recent years were Betty Kincaid, MaryPannell, Stephanie Orr, Kevin Orr, Brook Tillery, CindyPorter, Joann Lewis and Teresa (Varden) Curtis.


Roots Run Deep In Norfolk

Each of the communities in Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch has a lineage that can be traced back to the founda-tion of the church in Chincoteague. None of those commu-nities, however, has a more direct link to the church’s birth-place than the Norfolk crowd. And the folks in Norfolk havemade their connection to Chincoteague even stronger overthe past 50 years.

The Sanctified People journeyed through the Tidewaterregion in Virginia for the first time at the end of the 19th cen-tury when Joseph Lynch led a group through the area onhouseboats. Forty years later, the Sanctified People returnedto stay. This time, the man who brought the SanctifiedPeople to Norfolk was George Gray. The son of Thomas andCharlotte Gray, George was born on July 26, 1892 inWilliamsville, Del., and he grew up on a farm on GraysCreek. His family joined up with Lynch’s folks onChincoteague in 1894, and Gray’s mother became one of themost powerful figures in the early years of the church.

George Gray was living in Spartanburg, S.C., in 1936when he made a trip to Chincoteague along with his wife,Dora. Stirred by the Spirit, George and Dora began holding

meetings on the island, and many descendants of SanctifiedPeople were brought into the church. After this success, theGrays recognized a tremendous opportunity to help revital-

ize old Sanctified communities on the Atlantic coast, such asBelvidere (N.C.), Old Trap (N.C.), Piney Woods (N.C.) andOmar (Del.).

The Grays, who had family ties to the area, were not thefirst Sanctified People to re-visit the region. In the 1930s, RaySmith journeyed from Wilmington, N.C., to Old Trap andheld meetings for a week in the church that SanctifiedPeople had built some 35 years earlier. Josh Tarr returned tohis roots in Omar, Del., to fuel the fires in 1932. WhenGeorge and Dora arrived, Tarr assisted them in their efforts.However, not everyone in Christ’s Sanctified Church sup-ported the direction the Grays were taking. Some of the eld-ers within the church were clinging to the old ways, whichstated that once you preached in an area, you sought newground and did not return to that same location.

The Grays eventually returned to their home inSpartanburg with a plan for a new form of evangelism. Overthe first 40 years of Christ’s Sanctified Church, the memberstraveled across the country preaching whenever and wher-ever they could. In the 1930s, this approach was becoming

The Norfolkchurch haskept theSanctifiedbond strongthroughoutthe region.

The Norfolk crowd has nurtured the Sanctified churches at Old Trap andBelvidere in North Carolina.


less and less productive dueto societal changes. TheGrays wanted to start achurch in Norfolk, with thatchurch serving as a base forspreading the gospel to peo-ple throughout the region.

Robert Hartsfield saw themerit in the Grays’ plan, andin 1938 he led a group ofover 100 Sanctified Peopleto Norfolk. Hartsfield servedas the leader, along withAlice Clelland (who movedfrom Anderson, S.C.).Among the early arrivals inNorfolk were the Bates, theHagans, Brittan Parker,George Gray, the Mills andthe Robucks.

The group quickly built atabernacle in a neighbor-hood on Lens Avenue in theBelmont Place section of thecity. The Sanctified Peoplebegan to pursue their mis-sion, but they ran into anobstacle. The people in theneighborhood didn’t appre-ciate the enthusiasm of the

Sanctified People (they called them “the Noisy Saints”), so anew site was sought for the tabernacle.

The tabernacle was next erected at the corner of RushStreet and Tait Terrace in the Coleman Place section oftown, and wood shavings were scattered on the floor. TheSanctified People remained at this location for about threeyears, and during that period the group began traveling andbonding with the people from Chincoteague, Omar, and Old

Trap. The tradition of “Fifth Sunday” meetings began, withone church hosting the other Sanctified communities in thearea each time a calendar month included a fifth Sunday.

The churches took turns hosting the “Fifth Sunday” event,and in October of 1939 it was Norfolk’s turn. That meetingevolved into a revival, and 40 people eventually went to thealtar and became Sanctified.

There were many joyful memories created at the churchon Rush Street, but there was also some sorrow. In 1939,Will Collins passed away during a meeting in the church.

The Norfolk community eventually outgrew its taberna-cle, so another move was made in 1941. The SanctifiedPeople built a structure in a neighborhood on Brown Avenuein the Brambleton section of the city. The building initiallyserved as a church, but it was designed so that it could even-tually be converted into a duplex and sold. This building,which hosted meetings for four years, had two doors in thefront, a rock lath unplastered ceiling, and a tongue andgroove pine floor. One problem on Brown Avenue was park-ing. More and more members had purchased automobiles,and the location did not have a parking lot.

The arrival of automobiles allowed more and more peo-ple to make the trip to Norfolk. In 1942, an 11-year oldThomas Mustin moved with his parents (John and Ruth)from Montgomery, Ala., along with two other families – theJohnsons (Bill, Pauline and Virginia) and L.D. Mustin’s fami-ly (wife Clara, plus children Dorothy, Jack and L.D. Jr.). Thetravel party was completed by Johnnie Francis and MargaretMustin.

“We all made the trip in three cars – John (Mustin) had a1941 Plymouth, L.D. had a ’42 Plymouth, and Bill Johnsonhad a 1940 Chrysler,” Thomas Mustin said. “It was the mid-dle of winter, and it was cold and snowing.

“(World War II) was starting, and it was tough to find aplace to live then. We moved into an old farmhouse that wasowned by Bill Miller. All 13 of us lived there, and there wasnothing in the farmhouse when we got there. We got ourwater from a hand pump, and we had an outhouse. We did-

The first tab-ernacle wasbuilt on Lens

Avenue in1938. It is pic-

tured on thefar left in this

photograph.

The Norfolkcrowd held

numeroustent meetings

during theearly years ofthe congrega-

tion.

The BrownAvenue

church wasbuilt in 1942.It was later

turned into aduplex and

sold.


n’t even have a refrigerator. We just had a fruit crate that weset outside on the windowsill. In the morning, if it got toocold the milk bottles would freeze and they would bust.

“It was quite an experience.”Although times were tough, the men got jobs as firemen,

and their living situation became more comfortable.With new additions arriving in the community, the Norfolk

crowd continued to look for the right home. In 1945, an oldbrick church on Elkhorn Avenue was purchased, but it wassoon sold and another facility was built by the SanctifiedPeople on Princess Anne Road. That building saw manywonderful meetings, including Norfolk’s first-ever SunriseService and Easter Feast meetings in 1948.

One year later, Louis Mills bought an interesting piece ofland on Sewells Point Road. The 12-acre lot already had astructure that was called the “Melody Barn” that had previ-ously hosted dances. That dance hall was turned into ameeting place, and services were held there until a churchwas built on the property in 1949. When it was constructed,the Norfolk church became the first bricked worship hall inChrist’s Sanctified Church. At that point, the old “MelodyBarn” was converted into a fellowship hall for dinners andgatherings.

Those gatherings were getting larger and larger, asSanctified People from other communities gravitated toNorfolk. In particular, a group from Wilmington arrived in1939 and took up residence in the adjoining city ofPortsmouth. The new arrivals, who were being led by EvaRiggs, initially considered building a church in Portsmouth.However, the energy in Norfolk eventually drew them intothat community.

The Norfolk church also pursued new members in thearea, and they eventually built their congregation up to 180members. That outreach campaign was powered by the manwho brought the Sanctified People back to the city.

“George Gray was quite a man,” remembered BernardCollier. “He was a promoter, a motivator, and an innovator.”

In the early 1950s, the church purchased two used school

buses at an auction. Those buses brought people from localneighborhoods to services for a number of years. Around thatsame time, Lee Jernigan and a group of men built a portabletabernacle that was used for services around the city.

The group wasn’t just working to spread the Gospel inNorfolk. They also continued to provide critical support tothe crowds in places such as Chincoteague, Old Trap andBelvidere. These were small communities that were strug-gling to find members. George Gray and the entire Norfolkfamily made a commitment to those churches, and thatcommitment was still burning brightly decades later.

Today, the folks in Norfolk can use the Chesapeake BayBridge/Tunnel to reach Chincoteague in about two hours.In George Gray’s day, there was an old ferry that carriedpeople from Norfolk to Cape Charles, and then they woulddrive to the island. In an effort to save money, theSanctified People would often leave their cars behind inNorfolk (it cost $5.00 to take a car on the ferry, but it wasonly $1.25 for a individual on foot to make the trip). Theywould board the ferry, and the crowd in Chincoteaguewould pick them up when they reached Cape Charles. Thenthey would drive to the island.

There weremany crowd-ed meetingsat thePrincess AnnRoad churchin the late1940s.


Eventually, the coastalcommunities developed intoone extended congregation.Roland and Edna Collinshelped transport people tomeetings in different towns,and they were assisted byHarry Collins, Lloyd Collinsand Estelle Collins. Rolandwas one of the first churchmembers in the area whohad an automobile. However,during World War II it wasdifficult getting gas and tiresbecause those items werebeing rationed.

The work of theseSanctified People broughtresults. George Gray andJosh Tarr re-started thechurch in Old Trap followinga revival in 1946. Thechurch, which was builtaround 1905, was definitelyin the country – you had todrive through a creek toreach the building. Thatrural location also led toanother problem – thechurch was originally builton the wrong lot, and it had

to be moved in 1954. During the 1946 revival, the Forbes(Ruth, Weston and Lorraine) were Sanctified along withJenny Pierce, Maggie Hurdle and the Jones (Marie, Sam andRosie).

At the 1952 campmeeting, Shuford Price was Sanctifiedafter he began attending meetings in Belvidere. A fewmonths later, a tremendous revival started in Piney Woods,

N.C. Although it was 60 miles from Norfolk, folks from thecity made the journey 42 straight nights.

“We had anywhere from 20 to 60 people make the tripeach night,” said Bernard Collier, who was 14 years old atthe time. “That was the first revival I was involved with, andI only missed one night. I usually rode over with ShufordPrice in his Oldsmobile.

“We would pack our dinner in the trunk of the car, andthen we would have a picnic when we got to Piney Woods.”

The effort paid remark-able dividends, with over 30people being Sanctified dur-ing the revival.

Old Trap was anotherpopular destination for theSanctified People fromNorfolk. From 1962-80, theNorfolk crowd routinelymade bus trips up to OldTrap for meetings. After a

short break, Norfolk folks attended meetings in Old Trap vir-tually every Saturday night from 1983-90. Among thoseSanctified in Old Trap were Zola Mae Stevenson, Geraldine

The “MelodyBarn” wasconverted

into a churchby the

SanctifiedPeople of

Norfolk.

The church atSewell Pointwas the first

brick worshiphall forChrist’s

SanctifiedHoly Church.

Sundayschool buses

were animportant

part of theNorfolk con-gregation in

the 1960s.

The S.S. Pocahontas was one of the ferry boats that operated in theChesapeake Bay area.

The church’s old annex wasreplaced in 1973.


Overton, Joseph Riggs, Ramona(Riggs) Litchfield and WalterLitchfield.

While Gray was diligently pro-moting the work on the coast ofVirginia, other members of theNorfolk community had a differentvision. In 1953, Rufus Curry led agroup of about 20 Sanctified Peoplefrom Norfolk to Charlotte, N.C.,where they began holding meet-ings. A decade later, another groupof about 40 people led by Paul

Merritt left Norfolk to start a church in Augusta, Ga.The Norfolk community was branching out in many areas,

yet its roots remained strong. Local growth led the leadersto add Sunday School rooms to the church in 1954. Theexterior of the church was re-modeled in 1968 and in 1973,an annex that serves as a fellowship hall was built.

The crowd did suffer a setback in 1963 when George Graypassed away at the church during a meeting. Gray frequent-ly said, “This is a church of the people, for the people, and bythe people … Everybody is somebody here.”

Gray was a very, very special somebody. In addition toserving as the spark that brought the Sanctified People toNorfolk, Gray was a leader for the group from 1950 until hisdeath.

The original Norfolk leaders – Hartsfield and Clelland –were followed by John Scarborough in 1940. Two years later,Eva Riggs and Maude Mills began an eight-year stint in theleadership role. Riggs and Gray formed the leading partner-ship from 1950-54, and then Bill Hobbs and Brittan Parkerworked with Gray following Riggs’ death. After Gray passedaway in 1963, Hobbs and Parker took charge from 1963 until1971, when Parker moved to Charleston, S.C.

Hobbs led the way as the lone leader from 1971-78, thenhe was joined in the position by Bobby Collins and GeorgeMiller. In 1984, Collins and Miller became the two leaders for

the community. Miller passed away in 1993, and Collins diednine years later. Thomas Mustin and Raymond Samuels Sr.,were voted leaders in 1995, when they assisted Collins.

Eva Riggs was one of theearly leaders of theNorfolk church.

Joyce AlsupEdna AlsupJack AlsupRoy AlsupLeonard AlsupRuth AlsupT.F. “Frank” BarkerMay BarkerT.F. Barker Jr.J.J. BarkerO.G. BatesElizabeth BatesSarah Jane

Beacham MillerOscar BonnerPriscilla BonnerThomas L. BonnerCharles BonnerOtho BonnerDan BonnerMargaret BonnerTommy BonnerOtto BonnerLuther BusbeeDixie BusbeeGene BusbeeBarbara BusbeeEddie ClellandAlice ClellandE. Joseph ClellandBeatrice ClellandBertie Clelland

Hazel ClellandRowena Miller ClickDoris Stewart

CollierPearl Dempsey

ComstockAshley CrossMinnie CrossJohnny DempseyOcie Mae Bates

DempseyJ.W. DempseyDoris Miller

DempseyFelix GatlinCallie GatlinNat GatlinGeorge E. GrayDora V. GrayLuther W. “Bud”

GrayHerman FulmerDorothy Gatlin

HarringtonRosemary Gatlin

HarrisRobert HartsfieldElla HartsfieldTim HartsfieldHester HartsfieldDavid HatcherLucille Hatcher

David Ray HatcherElizabeth Bates HillSamuel B. JerniganNaomi JerniganBen JerniganMarvin JerniganRuby JerniganLee JerniganOtto KesslerBernice KesslerMary Fulmer

KesslerMaudie Gray

ManningBetty Jernigan

MerrittMary Bonner

MerrittFrank Miller Sr.Rena MillerBill MillerHelen MillerBilly MillerRhoda Belle MillerFrank MillerSarah MillerGilbert MillerCharles W. MillerGeorge H. MillerEvelyn MillerJonas RaneyNora Raney

The Original Norfolk Congregation


Frank Robuck Sr.Jennie RobuckFrank Robuck Jr.Ella Jean Alsup

RollinsCharles R. Samuels

Sr.Faye SamuelsJohn ScarboroughHazel Scarborough

Bernice WilliamsSimons

Frances KesslerSimons

Fannie Ruth MillerSmith

Flora Bonner SmithGene StewartBelle StewartLeon Stewart

Tom WillettClarence Williams

Sr.Marie WilliamsClarence Williams

Jr.Robert WilliamsMickey Alsup

Wright

time to build a permanent church.Construction began on a buildingon the corner of Seymour andEdgefield Streets in North Augusta,S.C., in late 1996, and it was com-pleted in September of 1997.

Vaughn continued to serve inthat role until she moved to theChurch Home for the Aged at thecampground in January of 1998. Atthat time, Vaughn appointed RessieToole as the group’s new leader.

Ressie Toole passed away in2004 and Gene Vintson took overthe leadership role.

The first baby born to theAugusta crowd was RachaelWright, the daughter of Linda andLeonard Wright. In the following years, babies were born toKurt and Kelly Vintson (Evan and Harrison), Tim and GraceTemple (Abigail and Rebecca), Chris and Lisa Cosby (Chrissaand Nicholas) and Clark and Kelly Temple (Elizabeth).

Omar Was One Of The First Destinations

In the early years, the roots of Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch spread from Chincoteague Island in Virginia toDelaware.

When Joseph Lynch began preaching Sanctification off theisland, one of the first places he testified was at SoundCamp, a campground near the coast of Delaware. Many ofthe people on Chincoteague had migrated to the island fromthat region of Delaware. Although the Sound Camp was runby the Methodist church, it was a place where religious ideaswere presented and discussed. Ananias Tingle was one ofthe people who enjoyed hearing different preachers atSound Camp.

North Augusta Continues To Grow

In 1986, the majority of the Augusta, Ga., crowd movedto Wilmington, N.C., to establish a new church. MarthaVaughn became the leader of the 20-member North

Augusta congregation thatdid not make the move.

In the mid-1990s, the group rented a small building inAiken, S.C., for services. Then, in 1996, Vaughn felt it was

The church inNorth

Augustaopened its

doors to theSanctifiedPeople in

1997.

Joe Vaughn and his wifeMartha, who was thechurch leader in NorthAugusta, posed outsidethe church.


“He would hang around and listen to anything he couldlisten to, and he just got interested in Sanctification,” saidEdgar Tarr, Tingle’s grandson.

The Tingles, Ananias and his wife Estella (Evans), weretwo of the first people from Delaware to join Lynch’s group.Around 1890, one of thefirst churches to hold serv-ices for Christ’s SanctifiedHoly Church was inWilliamsville, Del., nearSound Camp. As Faye(Tarr) Rogers said, it wasn’tall smooth sailing for theSanctified People, whowere borrowing a churchfrom another group.

“There was a lot of con-troversy surrounding thechurch then,” Rogers said.“Some of the men in thearea didn’t want theirwomen folk going to thatchurch there, and theytried to stop them.

“One of the stories theytold about that church wasthat some men came in theback of church one timeand sat down with guns ontheir laps. They said, ‘If anyone gets up to talk, we’ll shootthem.’ Well, one lady got up to preach, and it was like themen couldn’t move. They all just sat there until she wasdone, and then they left.

“A fire later burned down that church. The people whoowned that church used the insurance money to buildanother church. Years later, that second church was rentedby Josh Tarr for the Sanctified People.”

The Tingles and another Delaware family, the Grays, were

on the original floathouses that headed down the Atlanticcoast in 1896. They stayed with the Sanctified People,becoming an important part of the church as they traveledthe country spreading the Gospel.

By 1932, the idea of settling down was starting to spreadamong the SanctifiedPeople. Joshua Tarr (Edgarand Faye’s father) had livedin Birmingham for sevenyears when he decided itwas time for a change. InMarch of 1932, Tarr movedhis family to Chincoteague.Six months later, theymoved up the coast toDelaware. In 1933, theTarrs were holding housemeetings in lower SussexCounty in Delaware nearWilliamsville. In addition,they held meetings in anold schoolhouse in a com-munity known as Byard,Del., that was owned byJacob Rickards (Jacob andhis son Elwood were bothSanctified).

“They knew SanctifiedPeople up there, and they

knew dad was a good orator, so they asked him to preach,”remembered Edgar.

Tarr pulled together a Sanctified congregation and beganholding services. A couple of years later, he was given anopportunity to preach on the last Sunday night of the SoundCamp gathering. Tarr delivered a passion-filled sermon infront of a crowd that may have exceeded 1,000 people thatnight. No one remembers why, but that sermon turned outto be the last one ever delivered at Sound Camp.

This churchwas moved toOmar by theSanctifiedPeople in1942.


“I asked him aboutthat later,” Faye Rogerssaid. “I said, ‘What inthe world did youpreach on?’ ‘I preachedon the old man — car-nal nature.’ Carnality issanctioned as a part ofChristian life by theMethodist church, butnot sanctioned by thescriptures as we read it.I’m sure he stirred upsome controversy.”

On Feb. 11, 1933, theSanctified People inDelaware found ahome when Joshua Tarrrented a church atJohnson’s Corner. Thebuilding was discov-

ered by John Beecham, and he invited Tarr to preach there.Eventually, Tarr made a deal with the owners.

“It was an abandoned one-room church with lamps thatwere lit with coal oil. We had 41 turn out for our first meet-ing at Johnson’s Corner, and that’s a lot when you’re out inthe country,” Edgar Tarr said.

Many wonderful services were held at Johnson’s Cornerover the next six years.

“We had crowds of people!,” Faye said. “They would haveto raise the windows, and people would sit in the windows,and they would be sitting on the cars and trucks outside. Wejust had crowds of people come to those meetings. Honey,they would get converted in the pews, and they would comeout a shoutin’ all down the aisle to the front.”

The key to the success in Johnson Corner was the bal-anced preaching of Joshua and Estella Tarr.

“My mother was the honey preacher, and my father was

the corn preacher. He told you just what you were doingwrong,” explained Faye. “When she got through preaching,you thought you were the grandest thing God had evermade. When Daddy got through, you thought you had to goback to the altar.”

Among those who joined the congregation at Johnson’sCorner was Jonah McCabe, who moved back to the areafrom Shelbyville, Del.

The church went through a transition in 1942, when theymoved to a building in Omar. The Sanctified People rentedthe facility, which was built as a lodge hall and then turnedinto a small one-room church. The dominant feature wasan ornate, decorative ceiling that had three lights thatdropped down in the middle of the room. The crowd laterreceived a nice set of benches from another church. EdgarTarr said, with a laugh, “We had the classiest benches of ourfolks back then.”

After renting the Omar building for 21 years, Christ’sSanctified Holy Church bought the building in 1963 for$2,000.

While they had a new home in Omar, the SanctifiedPeople were frequently reaching out to other communities.They journeyed to places in Maryland such as Iron Shier,Stockton and Girtletree. During one memorable meeting inan old bakery in Taylorville, Md., the Richardsons (Dell,Frank and John) and the Rodneys (Thomas and Ellen) wereall Sanctified.

Throughout the years, and Omar crowd frequently wentto Chincoteague. In 1934, Joshua Tarr led a three-weekrevival on the island that eventually led to the re-starting ofthe Chincoteague church. There were numerous movingrevivals on the island, and folks from Delaware were a bigpart of the events. They would work all day long, and thenhit the road.

“It was 60 miles each way on two-lane, turtle-backedroads,” Faye Rogers said. “We would have a car loaded withpassengers, and it would take us about 90 minutes. Wewould be singing all the way down and all the way back.

Josh Tarr was the driving force behindthe arrival of the Sanctified People inOmar.


We would leave about 6:00 p.m., and we would get backabout midnight … and then we would have to go to workthe next day.”

The Omar folks didn’t just make the journey for revivals.“When we were first married, we would go to

Chincoteague on Saturday nights,” Rogers said. “We wouldgo to the Saturday night meeting when we wanted some-place to go or something to do. We would take the kids andgo down there, and we would stop by Pop Pointer’s and getoyster rolls, oysters steams, oyster stew and fried oystersandwiches to take with us.”

In later years, the tradition of “Fifth Sunday” meetings wasdeveloped. The crowds from Omar, Norfolk andChincoteague would all gather for a union meeting whenev-er a calendar month included a fifth Sunday. The location ofthe meeting would rotate between the three churches.

The leader of the Omar church, Joshua Tarr, passed awayin 1975. His wife, Estella, took over his role until she movedto Charleston in 1985. Fifteen years later, the Omar crowdhad dwindled in numbers. However, the Norfolk group stilltraveled to Omar once a year to hold a service in the church.

Raleigh Reaches 50 Years Old

The Sanctified people first landed in Raleigh, N.C., when agroup of church members moved to the city on an evangel-istic mission in 1955. That group included people from theBirmingham, Ala., crowd and some folks fromChincoteague, Va. How did they end up in Raleigh? Theywanted to spread the Sanctified word, and they simply chosea city that was approximately halfway between their homecommunities.

That group thought it was making a standard evangelistictrip, the type of journey church members had been makingfor over 50 years. The plan was to visit Raleigh for a fewmonths or a year, spread the word, and then move on.However, in the 1950s things were changing for Christ’sSanctified Holy Church. The old traditions of travel hadbegun to fade away, with more and more church memberselecting to find a stable home.

Frank Robuck Sr., who lived in Birmingham, first came upwith the plan to visit Raleigh, and he pitched his idea to thecrowd on Chincoteague. The Sanctified People were allfamiliar with Raleigh because the major north-south high-

The Raleighchurch onStricklandRoad wascompleted in1995.


way in those days (U.S.1) went through the city. Today,Interstate 95 fills that role.

In September of 1955, a group moved to Raleigh andbegan holding services in a storefront off the old Highway 64bypass (that location is now in downtown Lizard Lick). Thatinitial crowd included Frank and Jennie Robuck and theirchildren (Frank Jr., and Don), along with Ruth and MildredCox, P.K. and Naomi Strickland, as well as Hubert Brooks,Barbara Bearden and Hattie Todd. Six months later, thosefolks were joined by D.K. and Betty Collins, who had comedown from Chincoteague. In 1958, Roland and Edna Collinsjoined the group from Chincoteague.

Those early services were frequently bolstered bySanctified visitors who traveled up from Columbia, S.C., andother members from places such as Norfolk andChincoteague would also visit occasionally. One earlytragedy in the history of the Raleigh church occurred onMarch 27, 1956. Charles Collins, who had come from

Chincoteague to support the church, died in a car accidentwhen he was heading back to Virginia.

The newcomers to Raleigh were well received by thelocals, and they slowly began to build a congregation. In thesummer of 1956, they moved from the storefront to a largetent that was located on Charlie Adams’ farm off Highway 42near Old Stage Road. A number of people were sanctified atthat location, including Bob and Pearl Bowling, as well asBetty and Junior Lawrence.

The next step was the construction of a portable taberna-cle with panel walls. The tabernacle could be pulled apart,and then re-assembled in a new community. A platform wasset at the front of the tabernacle, and benches were placedon a dirt floor that was covered with wood shavings. TheSanctified People held services with the tabernacle in townsthroughout the eastern part of North Carolina, reachingplaces such as Hoboken, Selma and Durham, to name a few.

The leader of the Raleigh church at this time was Frank

In 1976, theRaleigh

crowd beganholding serv-

ices at thischurch inCary, N.C.


Robuck Sr., but a key player during thisperiod was Hubert Brooks. After arrivingin Raleigh from Birmingham, Brooksbecame the man who found new loca-tions for the services, and then made allthe arrangements before the tabernaclewas moved to the new site. Brooks servedthe church well until he passed away inAugust of 1962.

“Hubert Brooks was a real salesman,and he was an important part of what wewere doing back then,” remembered Frank Robuck Jr. “Hewas the type of person who mixed well with everyone. Hecould walk into a barber shop in a new town, and when hewalked out he had a bunch of new friends.”

In 1957, the church made another move. The home for thechurch was shifted to Morrisville, just outside the Raleighcity limits. Initially, services were held in a large tent, andconverts included Roscoe and Gerdy McDaniel, Furmon andFrancis Jenkins, Bobby and Ruth Davis, the Paces, and JimJenkins. In the winter of 1959, the Paces gave the church andacre of land on Church Street in Morrisville. The portabletabernacle was moved to the site, and it was transformedinto a “semi-permanent” structure. The tabernacle wasenlarged, and shingles were put on the roof. Once that wasdone, the Sanctified People eventually built a new portabletabernacle so that they could continue to reach out to othercommunities.

The Raleigh folks were working hard to build their owncommunity, and they were receiving plenty of assistancefrom the other Christ Sanctified Holy Churches. Sanctifiedvisitors consistently traveled to Raleigh from throughoutthe Southeast, and a number of those visitors eventuallyelected to move to Raleigh. The list of newcomers includedsingle men such as Roy Chandler, Dan Norman, LeonStewart and Howard Lynch, as well as Shuford and RuthPrice and their four children (Evelyn Ruth, Jim, Henry andLinda), plus Davis and Hallie Jeffries.

Later in the ‘50s, Lee and Sarah Jernigan came fromThomasville, Ga. The new arrivals also included Burnice andMinnie Simons as well as Roland and Edna Collins. Twoother families helped swell the church membership – Dennyand Kitty Collins brought their four children (Barbara, Jerry,Denny and Beverly) and Richard and Pearl Walker camewith sons Sammy and Richard. Leon Stewart also broughthis family to Raleigh for a short time during this period.

In the early 1960s, an evangelistic plan was developedthat would move the nucleus of the Sanctified crowd fromRaleigh to Memphis, Tenn. Most of the older folks chose toleave Raleigh in accordance with the traditional ways ofChrist’s Sanctified Holy Church – move into an area, start anew church, move on and spread the word in another com-munity.

Events, however, altered those plans for some of theyounger members. In January of 1963, Roland Collins passedaway in an automobile accident in Delaware. His son, D.K.Collins, delayed his move to Memphis so that he could set-tle some details concerning his father’s business back inChincoteague.

Frank Robuck Jr. was in a similar situation. His fathermade the move to Memphis, and young Frank was assignedthe task of wrapping up family business in Raleigh andColumbia, S.C.

For a while, both D.K. Collins and Frank Robuck Jr. wentabout their duties, fully expecting to meet up with the

These twophotos showthe portabletabernaclethat theRaleighcrowd usedin theMorrisvillearea.


Sanctified People in Memphis at some point. The two youngmen spent time in Virginia and South Carolina, but they fre-quently returned to Raleigh. During that period, a smallgroup held semi-regular services in Morrisville.

In 1964, Robuck’s work in Columbia was finished, and hemoved into a house next door to D.K. and Betty Collins inRaleigh. They began to hold regular services in Morrisville,and gradually they began to draw local folks into their con-gregation. However, as late as 1966, Robuck and theCollinses still thought they would end up in Memphis oncethey tied up some financial dealings in the Raleigh area.

Over the second half of the decade, momentum began tobuild in Raleigh. Sunday services were a staple, and theystarted holding Sunday school and Wednesday night meet-ings more and more. Visitors from other communities werestill playing an important role in Raleigh, but the foundationof a strong local congregation was forming. Frank Robuckhad married Linda Hagan from Charleston. Raleigh-area resi-dents such as the Burgesses, plus Jimmy and Linda Kay Fullerhad become Sanctified. In addition, Steve and Gere Ann Grayhad moved to Raleigh from Norfolk, and Willie and PeggyHagan had arrived from Charleston, S.C. Two other women –Jeanette Gray and Joan Call– later came from Norfolk. Graywould marry Johnny Collins, and Call would wed Larry Curry.

Robuck and Collins never really sat down and said, “Thisis it. We’re staying in Raleigh.” However, a symbolic stepwas taken in 1968, when the sawdust floor was replacedwith plywood – more and more young children were comingto the services, and the sawdust had to go.

While they were working to make a more permanentsanctuary, the group continued to reach out to nearby com-munities. They held a series of tent meetings on 401 South,and Peggy (Bowling) and Willie Hayes were re-united withthe Sanctified People. The tent meetings, however, werestarting to bring diminishing returns. In the summer of 1968,they set up a tent on Highway 50 near Willow Springs.

“I think we had one couple come to the service,” Robuckremembered. “They drove up, and they stayed in their car

with their air conditioning and just listened. That’s when werealized that things had changed. People didn’t want to be outin the heat with the bugs anymore. Things were different.”

The Raleigh church, like most of the Sanctified crowds,turned its attention toward building a stable, permanenthome. Sunday School rooms were added to the church, andthat was followed by a bathroom and then gas heaters(these replaced an old-fashioned “trash burner” stove).

Eventually, simple additions weren’t enough for the grow-ing congregation. Bobby and Shirley Collins had come fromNorfolk, and they were soon followed by Danny and AliceCollins. Children were being born, and more and more localswere attending the services. In 1976, land was purchased onWalnut Street in Cary, a site that was basically in the middleof Morrisville, Willow Springs and Raleigh communities.

The Sanctified People quickly filled their new building inCary with new converts and the new arrivals to the area.

While the list of Sanctified people in Raleigh was growing,the church leaders took care to create a solid foundation.Before they reached Cary, Robuck and Collins decided tocreate a steering committee that would provide direction forthe church. While they were in the Cary church, the com-mittee drew up a set of goals and objectives in order to clar-ify the path for the church.

Eventually, a board of trustees was created. The congre-gation voted on the initial board in September 2000, and itincluded D.K. Collins, Frank Robuck, Jr., Floyd Hagan, SteveGray and Glen Copeland. Donnie Barnes and Mike Merrittwere later added to the board of trustees. That board, usingthe mother church as a guide, wrote bylaws for the Raleighchurch and they were approved by the congregation.

Shortly after those guidelines were created, the churchtook another step forward. In 1994, construction began on anew house of worship on Strickland Road in North Raleigh.A warehouse facility off Millbrook Road served as a tempo-rary home for one year while the new church was beingbuilt. Then, in March of 1995, the Sanctified People movedinto their new home.


Lacy, Dot, Shelia & TheresaAnsell

Alicia AstonDeborah , Lenwood, Eva, &

Jewel AllenPaul & Pat ArceneauxClay, Demi & Paul

ArceneauxCliff & Denise (Robuck)

ArceneauxMartha Anne BakerDonnie, Tammy, Tiffany,

Tyler & Lucas BarnesDon & Ann BattsEddie & Barbara (Copeland)

BedwellBrian, Shannon (Curry)

Bennett & DevinChip, Shelly, Michael, Lee

and Kate BishopDan, Elaine. Scot and

Timothy BrewerJustin BryantJoyce & Adrienne BryantThe Burgesses & David,

Becky BurgessBobby & Margarete CallEdward, Jamie, Christina

and Britt CallAlex, Liz, Ryan, Cory &

Shawna CarrChris, Judy, Patrick, Kaeli, &

Aiden ClearyTerry & DeanNa (Gray)

ClellandHeather ClellandT.C. CollierDana CollierKatie CollierTed, Angela, Cole & Caleb

CollierChris, Wendy, Griffin, Jessie

& Casher CollierBobby, Shirley (Merritt)

Carrie & Robert CollinsEdna CollinsDanny and Alice CollinsDon, Anita, Brittani &

Zachary CollinsEsther CollinsJohnny, Jeanette, Matt,

Patrick & Grant CollinsWayne, Judy, Susan, Cindy,

Jill, & Ronald CollinsDK and Betty CollinsKatie CollinsWill CollinsJohnnie, Debbie, Angie &

Rachael ComstockGlenn, Anita, David, Diana

& Stephen CopelandPaul and Mary Ellen

CopelandDavid Cosby

Listed below are the people that were sanctified or havebeen a part of the Raleigh Church since the early 70’s. OurChurch has been truly blessed. We are so thankful andappreciate the contribution that each one has made to theRaleigh Church and to the body of Christ.

Billy and Linda CoxNorman & Debbie CrossLarry CurryJoan CurryBenjamin CurryRuth Davis and SonsJimmy, Linda, Gwen, Pam,

Karen & Marie FullerDennis, Linda, Michelle,

Jerry, Allen, Crystal & JoshGodwin

Alice GraySteve, Gere Ann & Laurie GrayFloyd & Naomi HaganKenneth, Anna, Ashton,

Daniel and ChristianaWillie, Peggy, Frankie &

Bradly HaganLee and Sharon HaganLeonard and Lola Mae

HaganPatricia (Batts), Meredith &

Paige HansfordKenneth HardeeWillie, Peggy, Gina, Tony,

Randolph & SabrinaHayes

Doug, Gerri (Robuck) &Jamie Herakovich

Monty, Vicki, Caitlin &Parker Hobbs

John and Billie Ruth HughesJohn HughesFurmon and Francis JenkinsAmy JerniganJosh JerniganSarah, Marlene & Jonathan

Jernigan

Striplin and Elsie KellyTom & Diane LambersonJr. and Betty LawrenceBob & Linda LynchGwenn and Millard MaloneyBob & Debbie McCollumRoscoe and Gerdy McDanielDale & Angie McDanielDorothy (Gypsie) McDanielKen & Marnie (Lamberson)

McKensieEd & Betty MerrittMitchell, Sally, Stephanie,

Melisa & McKensieMerritt

Michael, Shelli, Megan,Hannah & Presley Merritt

Sonny MerrittGene MitchellMickie (Jenkins) MooreAlberto MorganNay & Natalie NewelRobert, Jackie, ,Jennifer &

Doug NolesDan and Janice NormanDanny NormanDrew, Lynn & Andrew

NormanBryant, Sabrina, Jasmine &

Stone PearceAustin, E’lise & Ina Marie

PeeryJim and Wendy PriceDoug, Linda, Wayne, Holly

and Kelly RoanJennie RobuckFrank and Linda RobuckFrank Sr. & Grace Robuck


Joy In The Valley In Terry

The seeds of the Sanctified community in Terry, Miss.,were planted in a place with the melodious name of JoyValley. During the first half of the 20th century, the SanctifiedPeople were roaming the country, spreading the Gospelwherever and whenever they could. Late in the summer of1930, a Sanctified band led by Alice Clelland journeyed intoHinds County, Mississippi. They stopped in towns likeFlorence, Jackson and Meridan, and then they came to anarea that would later be known as Joy Valley.

In addition to Alice Clelland, the group included EddieClelland, Joseph and Beatrice Clelland, Ben and NeomiJernigan, Jonas and Nora Raney, Charley and Alice Riggs, aswell as Charles and Lottie Riggs. After a house meeting inFlorence one day, the Sanctified People were invited to

preach at the home of George and CoraHydrick, who lived near Terry on GeorgetownRoad (which is now known as Moncure-Marble Road).

The Hydrick house had four rooms and along front porch, but it wasn’t large enough forthe crowds that came for the meetings.Although they were in the country, peoplecame from miles around. Some rode on theirbuggies, others on horses, wagons or mules,and some even walked to the gatherings. Atthat time, very few people in the area ownedautomobiles.

When the winter of 1930-31 ended, themeetings were moved outdoors. TheWhittington’s yard had several tall Mississippipines and stately oaks, and they served as theceiling for the Sanctified People. A crude plat-form and alter were constructed. Logs, treestumps and boards were turned into benchesand seats, and lanterns were hung from thetrees after the sun went down. That wonderful

Ross, Kim, Nicholas &Maddie Robuck

Don, Diane, Denise, Donnie,Derek & David Robuck

Scott, Tracy, Ethan &Victoria

Charles and Faye RogersGarth and Christen (Simons)

StevensRich, Dana (Lamberson)

Ariel & Kelsey StylesPearl & Jack TateMay (Jenkins) Upchurch,

Jimmy, Jamie and LoriJoe, Ann, Debbie & Joey

Vaughn

Jimmy WaterhouseHugh, LaWanna, Mike &

Marc WelchMike, Chrissy, Hunter &

DylanEdward & Ruthie WilliamsEddie & Sandra WilliamsJay, Christy, Cameron &

Callie WilliamsJoy WoodsNathan, Rachael Wright &

Tara DotzauerHarry, Susie & Amy WrightKarl and Mickey WrightThe Bowlings

The spirit thatarose in JoyValley led to

the churchthat nowstands in

Terry.


setting became the backdrop for some of the most memo-rable meetings in the history of Christ’s Sanctified HolyChurch. Each day, the sweet voices of praise and joyoussong rang out over the hills and echoed down through thevalley, and people began referring to the area as “Joy Valley.”

The Sanctified People held a revival in Joy Valley that last-ed for over a month, and they drew huge crowds the entiretime. The folks in rural Mississippi didn’t have telephones orradio in the 1930s, but the news of the Sanctified Peoplespread quickly by word of mouth. During one meeting at JoyValley, an amazing 96 people were Sanctified, including an18-year old youngster named Otho Cox.

“I was with my friend, Johnny Patterson, and we werecatching minnows in a creek for our trout lines,” Coxremembered. “Johnny told me, ‘There is a woman in JoyValley that is as pretty as an angel, and she can sing just likean angel.’ Well, I told Johnny I thought he was lying, but hesaid, ‘Hold still in the boat and you can hear them singing.’

“Well, we heard them singing, and of course I had to gotake a look for myself.”

Cox never missed another meeting in Joy Valley, eventhough it was a six-mile journey from his home. “I wouldstart walking along the road, and I would just hope thatsomeone would drive by and they would let me ride on theirrunning board,” he said.

The Sanctified People caused quite a stir in the little com-munity, and they soon caught the attention of the area’sclergy. The First Baptist Church had scheduled a revival of itsown that summer, but Deacon Lee Taylor was concernedthat no one would attend his revival because they were soenthralled with the Sanctified People. Taylor went to aSanctified meeting in the hopes of convincing Clelland toschedule her future services around the Baptist revival sothat people could attend both meetings. However, Taylorended up becoming Sanctified, and they never had therevival at the First Baptist Church.

Others who were Sanctified in Joy Valley included Edgarand Myra George; Rosie Patterson; Betty, Vernon and Hunter

Whittington; Joe andBertha Lee Cooper; MargieHedgepeth; Martha LulaWalker and Sister LulaMae Cooper. In addition todrawing the local resi-dents, the power of themeetings in Joy Valley alsodrew Sanctified folks fromother areas. Among thosethat visited was SisterSade Collins.

Finally, in 1931, SisterAlice Clelland felt it wastime to move on. The

Sanctified band head-ed for new groundafter Clelland installeda leadership confer-ence for the newly-Sanctified local people

who chose not to leave their homes. That conference includ-ed Lee Taylor, Hunter Whittington and Tommy White.

A tabernacle was eventually built in Terry, Miss., whichwas three miles from Joy Valley. A solid congregation wasalso built, but then a change occurred. Representatives fromthe Sanctified Church of Christ, a religion that had basicallybranched off of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, arrived inTerry in 1936. These people met with Whittington, and theyoffered to build him a new church if he would shift his con-gregation to the Sanctified Church of Christ. Whittingtonwas told that his people could continue to worship in the

HunterWhittingtonwas a keyfigure in theTerry church.


same way, and they would have a building for their services.Whittington wasn’t certain what to do, so he sent a letter

to the Clellands asking for guidance. Whittington didn’t hearback from the Clellands, and he eventually accepted theoffer from the Sanctified Church of Christ.

The church was built, and Whittington was ordained asa minister in the Sanctified Church of Christ. Whittingtondeveloped a strong congregation, and the group contin-ued to work well with the Sanctified Church of Christ forthe next 14 years. However, in 1950, another changecame to Terry. The Sanctified Church of Christ altered itsdirection in a number of ways, straying away from thebeliefs of the Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church. The newSanctified Church of Christ would include paid ministers,musical instruments as a part of the services, tithing andwater baptisms.

When Whittington was presented with these changes, heinformed the leaders of the Sanctified Church of Christ thathe was not interested in following that path. The two sidesdiscussed the issues at length, but Whittington would notalter his position. In 1953, the Sanctified Church of Christfinally removed Whittington as a minister.

As Mary Lou Mitchell remembered, “Brother Hunter was acourageous man.” He had certainly come a long way in 20years. It was said in Terry that before Whittington wasSanctified, “even the devil would have blushed at his badworks.” Following his Sanctification, those same folks mar-veled at “a new creature, a new life, a wonderful person thatChrist had made in Hunter Whittington.”

Whittington left the church with four people – his wife,Betty; Mary Lou Mitchell; Pagie Walden, and Brother Robin.This tiny band was now without a church, so Whittingtonbegan hosting prayer meetings at his home. Later, the groupwould move from house to house, holding meetings. Thiswas a difficult time for the small Sanctified band, but betterdays were ahead.

“We were discouraged at that point,” Mitchell remem-bered. “That’s when Brother Hunter asked us, ‘How wouldyou like to meet the old folks? The first people that camedown here and Sanctified our people.’ I was astounded. Iasked, ‘Do you mean there is another church that preaches,teaches and holds worship as we do?’”

The rest of the group thought it was a wonderful idea, sothey all headed to Georgia for the 1955 campmeeting.

“It was wonderful to be on the campground that first yearwe were back,” Mitchell said. “They welcomed us back andtreated us like family. It was so good to see those people. Wehad started to wonder if those people existed any more.”

The group was re-energized when they returned toMississippi, and they once again had the support of Christ’sSanctified Holy Church. They bought an old tent from anoth-er church along with some folding chairs. Mitchell and Pagie

TheWilmington

congregationmeets in this

church onMarketStreet.


Walden sewed up the worn old tent “and prayed the seamswould hold.” The seams held, and the group began holdingtent meetings in the area.

Later that year, Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church officiallyre-organized the Terry congregation when Joseph Clelland,Ray Smith, Leon Stewart and Lee Jernigan visited the com-munity. In April of 1956, construction was completed on achurch on Beasley Road in Terry. Ruth Ringe, Walden’s sis-ter, was Sanctified just before the group moved into theirnew church, and Lula Mae Walker became the first personto be Sanctified in the new church.

The congregation suffered a setback in 1969 whenWhittington passed away. Pagie Walden said, “Everyoneloved Brother Hunter. We all felt like we had lost our Dadwhen he died.”

Walden was named the new leader, with Billy Mitchellacting as the assistant leader. The congregation continuedto move forward in the following years. A kitchen was addedto the church in 1996, and then the exterior was bricked andcarpet was added.

The Terry congregation has dwindled in numbers in thepast decades, but the group still holds onto the spirit of JoyValley.

The Carolina Coast - Wilmington, NC

Beginning in the 1960s, a group of Sanctified Peopledeveloped a successful congregation in Augusta, Ga. Twodecades later, a large portion of the Augusta group wasmotivated to find a new home.

According to Ruthie Jernigan, a series of events led thefolks from Augusta to Wilmington, N.C., in May of 1985:

“Brother Leon and Sister Evelyn Ruth Stewart ofCharlotte, N.C., had an unction to go to Wilmington andpreach after the death of Sister Ella Dillon. The Lord wasworking on both ends it seems, because a mighty revivalbroke out in Wilmington.

“We rented a church on Southern Boulevard and hadSunday afternoon meetings. Another church owned thebuilding, and they had Sunday morning and Sunday nightservices. Lloyd and Betty Robuck were Sanctified, and thenthey were joined by Sandy Mussellwhite, Edna (Dillon)Schupp, Naomi (Dillon) Strickland, Roy Robuck, RoshBennett, Wayne Roan and Charlie and Catherin Robuck.”

The remarkable spirit in Wilmington continued to burn,and the Sanctified People were making weekly trips to thecity (a five-hour ride from Augusta, and four and a half hours

The SouthernBoulevardchurch heldmany won-derful memo-ries.


from Charlotte). In June of 1986, the majority of the Augustacrowd moved to Wilmington along with some SanctifiedPeople from Charlotte. Leon Stewart and Ben Jerniganserved as the leaders, and the congregation included peoplefrom many different crowds.

Eventually, the Sanctified People in Wilmington pur-chased the church on Southern Boulevard from a ReverendGore. The building was renovated, and the Sanctified Peopleworshipped there from 1986 until 1994. Approximately 35people were Sanctified in that church. Then, in 1989,Stewart departed with a group of Sanctified People in orderto start a church in Greensboro, N.C.

At the same time, the community was reaching out to oth-ers at satellite meetings in small North Carolina towns likeRose Hill, Hampstead and Southport.

In 1994, Brother Tommy Davis found a lot on MarketStreet in Wilmington, and plans were made for a new churchin what would prove to be an ideal location. Constructionbegan with the help of Sanctified People from other cities,and the new church quickly took shape. However, the oldchurch was sold before the new one was completed, soservices were held temporarily at the Scotts Hill Marina forseveral weeks until the new building was finished.

Even during the construction, the community continuedto thrive. Brother Dewey Tarr was converted in the oldchurch and then Sanctified in the new building on MarketStreet.

“When he came to service in the old church, he shoutedall the way to the altar,” remembered Ruthie Jernigan. “Hegot down and prayed and got up shouting some more, andhe has been shouting ever since!”

The spirit is still flowing on Market Street, where about 50people were Sanctified in the church’s first decade. There isdinner at the church every month, and the feast meeting isstill held on the Sunday closest to Feb. 14 each year. In 2003,the church was in the process of adding on two SundaySchool rooms to their facility. Brother Ben Jernigan serves asthe leader and minister, and there is a five-member confer-ence that includes Terry Clelland, Samm Jernigan, CharlieRobuck, Rosh Bennett and Fances Rickards.

“We have spirit-filled meetings, all love one another, worktogether and there is excitement in the air when we havevisitors,” summed up Ruthie Jernigan.

Former Churches

The following cities had Christ’s Sanctified Holy Churchesat some point, but the Sanctified People chose to move on toother fields:Anderson, S.C.

The core of the church in Anderson, S.C., came fromAtlanta between December 1946 and July 1949, with AliceClelland serving as the group leader. The list of people whomoved from Atlanta to Anderson during that period included:

Alice ClellandEddie ClellandE. Joseph Clelland

Sr.Beatrice Clelland

Bertie Jo ClellandHazel Mae

ClellandBonnie Jean

Clelland

E.J. “Buddy”Clelland Jr.

Sadie CampRuby CampDouglas Camp

TheAnderson,

SouthCarolina

Church wasestablished

in the late1940’s.


Harley GallopBill GrayEllen GrayLillie GrayBilly GrayEd HaganNettie Hagan

Clarence MerrittJr.

Eva MerrittFrances MerrittRoy SlappyAgnes SlappyLaRoy Slappy

Tommy SlappyJoe VaughnMartha VaughnJoe Albert VaughnJerry Wayne

Vaughn

Richard), the Gibbys, plus Mrs. Rice and her daughter.The initial meetings in Anderson were brush harbor meet-

ings. A tabernacle was then built, and the congregationbegan to grow. The group did suffer a setback when SisterAlice Clelland passed away on June 29, 1948. Following herdeath, several people moved away from the community(including John and Dilla Miller, who went back toMontgomery). Most of the Anderson members moved toColumbia shortly after Sister Alice’s death. Joseph Clellandand his family were among the last to migrate to Columbia,making the move on July 4, 1949.

Harrisburg, Arkansas

In approximately 1948, another large influx came toAnderson from St. Augustine, Fla. That Sanctified groupincluded:

Those two main groups were supplemented by Sanctifiedfamilies who came from other areas, including the Millers(John and Dilla from Montgomery, Ala.) and the Carters (Gilpand Cora from Wilmington, N.C.).

The Sanctified People enjoyed a prosperous period inAnderson. When they held their first meetings in the town,they only had 17 people in attendance. When theAnderson Church was sold and the Sanctified Peoplemoved to West Columbia, they had approximately 75 peo-ple in their group. Some of the people who got Sanctifiedin Anderson were the Taylors (Nellie, Raymond and

Harry J. BeechamRuby Mae

BeechamHarry J. Beecham

Jr.Melvin CollierIna CollierMelvin Gene

CollierIna Ruth CollierPatricia CollierWarren CurryRowena CurryLevy Hagan

Grace HaganRuth HaganJoe HaganPaul HaganLois HaganJimmy HaganLee HaganVirgie HaganMildred HaganGeorge MurphyDot MurphyPhillip MurphyAlice MurphyK.P. Patterson

Emma PattersonAlton PattersonMary “Tiny”

PattersonVernon PattersonCharles PattersonMary Ellen

PattersonTappy Rogers

Gainesville, Fla.Harrisburg, Ark.Huntsville, Ala.Memphis, Tenn.Orlando, Fla.

Statesville, Ga.Summerville, S.C.Thomasville, Ga.Tucker, Ga.

Some additional cities that fromer churches were estab-lished.


Memphis, Tennessee Summerville, South Carolina

Thomasville, Georgia Tucker, Georgia

Appendix • 119

First Board No. 1February 14, 1892Chincoteague Island, Va.

Bro. Joseph B. LynchSis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. Parker W. BowdenSis. Sarah J. BowdenSis. Charlotte M. LynchBro. John E. CollinsBro. William J. ChandlerSis Sarah E. ChandlerBro. Aaron T. BowdenBro. John W. JonesBro. William J. CollinsSis. Mary J. BowdenSis. Catharine BirchSis. Maria BowdenSis. Margaret PowellSis. Lucinda BishopBro. Joseph S. GraySis. Mariah C. CollinsBro. James W. Workman

Deacon: Bro. Joseph B.Lynch

Deaconess: Sis. Sarah E.Collins

Board No. 11916Louisville, Ky.

Sis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. John W. MillerBro. Charlie RiggsSis. Alice Clelland

Sis. Charlotte LynchSis. Jemima BishopBro. Asher FisherSis. Mary HudsonSis. Dilla Miller

Bro. William RiggsSis. Eva RiggsBro. Isaac RiggsBro. John T. BoyceBro. Parker W. BowdenSis. Sarah B. BowdenBro. E.K. LearyBro. John CollinsBro. W.R. Hanley

Deacon: Bro. John W. MillerDeaconesses: Sis. Sarah E.

CollinsSis. Charlotte H. Gray

Board No. 11920Birmingham, Ala.

Sis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. John W. Miller

Bro. Charlie RiggsSis. Alice ClellandSis. Mary SmithBro. William RiggsBro. John T. BoyceBro. Parker W. BowdenBro. E.K. LearySis. Dilla MillerSis. Hattie MerrittBro. Callie GrayBro. A.J. SmithBro. Warren CurrySis. Millie MillerSis. Eva Riggs

Sis. Jemma BishopSis. Sarah B. BowdenBro. W.R. Hanley

Deacon: Bro. John W.Miller

APPENDIX

Bro. Joseph B. Lynch

Sis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. John W. Miller Sis. Charlotte H. Gray

120 • Appendix

Deaconess: Sarah E.Collins

Board No. 1July 15, 1937Wilmington, N.C.

Sis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. John W. MillerBro. Charlie RiggsSis. Alice ClellandSis. Mary BeechBro. William RiggsBro. John T. BoyceBro. Rudolf EsclavonSis. Ritha RiggsBro. K.V. CopelandBro. Robert HartsfieldSis. Dilla MillerSis. Hattie MerrittSis. Maude MillsBro. E.P. MillerBro. Rufus CurrySis. Millie MillerBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Eva Riggs

Deacon: Bro. John W. MillerDeaconess: Sis. Sarah E.

Collins

Board No. 1August, 1940Perry, Ga.Sis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. Charles B. RiggsBro. Frank BarkerBro. Rudolph Esclavon

Bro. K.V. CopelandSis. Dilla MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Millie MillerSis. Alice ClellandBro. John MillerSis. Mary BeechBro. John BoyceSis. Rither RiggsBro. Robert HartsfieldSis. Hattie MerrittBro. Edgar MillerSis. Eva RiggsBro. Rufus Curry

Deacon: Bro. John MillerDeaconess: Sis. Sarah E.

Collins

Board No. 1August, 1941Perry, Ga.Sis. Sarah E. CollinsBro. Charles B. RiggsBro. Frank BarkerBro. Rudolph EsclavonBro. K.V. CopelandSis. Dilla MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Millie MillerSis. Alice ClellandBro. John MillerSis. Mary BeechSis. Jessie SullivanSis. Rither RiggsBro. Robert Hartsfield

Sis. Hattie MerrittBro. Edgar MillerSis. Eva RiggsBro. Rufus Curry

Deacon: Bro. John MillerDeaconess: Sis. Sarah E.

Collins

Board No. 1October, 1949Perry, Ga.Sis. Hattie MerrittSis. Eva RiggsBro. Charles B. RiggsBro. K.V. CopelandBro. Rufus CurryBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Mary BeechBro. Frank BarkerBro. Robert HartsfieldSis. Dilla MillerSis. Millie MillerSis. Maude MillsSis. Rither RiggsBro. Edgar MillerBro. Rudolph EsclavonSis. Jessie Sullivan

Deacon: Bro. RobertHartsfield

Deaconess: Sis. HattieMerritt

Board No. 1August, 1953

Bro. Frank BarkerBro. Rudolph EsclavonBro. K.V. Copeland

Bro. Robert Hartsfield

Sis. Hattie Merritt

Appendix • 121

Sis. Dilla MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Millie MillerBro. Ray Smith Sr.Sis. Jessie SullivanSis. Rither RiggsBro. Robert HartsfieldSis. Hattie MerrittBro. Otho CoxSis. Eva RiggsBro. Rufus Curry

Deacons: Bro. RobertHartsfield

Bro. Rufus CurryDeaconess: Sis. Hattie

Merritt

Board No. 1August, 1959Bro. Frank Barker

Sis. Jessie SullivanSis. Rither RiggsBro. Robert HartsfieldSis. Hattie MerrittBro. Otho CoxBro. Charlie CogarBro. Rufus CurryBro. Frank RobuckBro. Rudolph EsclavonBro. K.V. CopelandSis. Dilla MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Millie MillerBro. Ray Smith Sr.



Merritt

Board No. 1August 1961Bro. Frank BarkerSis. Jessie SullivanSis. Rither RiggsBro. Robert HartsfieldBro. Timothy MerrittBro. Otho CoxBro. Charlie CogarBro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Frank RobuckBro. Willie HaganBro. K.V. CopelandSis. Dilla MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.

Sis. Millie MillerBro. Rufus Curry



Merritt

Board No. 1August 1964Bro. Frank BarkerSis. Jessie SullivanSis. Jenny CurryBro. Robert HartsfieldBro. Timothy MerrittBro. Otho CoxBro. Charlie CogarSis. Martha VaughnBro. Frank RobuckBro. Willie HaganBro. K.V. CopelandSis. Dilla MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Ruby JerniganBro. Ray Smith Sr.


Bro. Paul Merritt Sr.

Board No. 1August 1972Bro. Frank BarkerSis. Jessie SullivanSis. Jenny CurryBro. Harry Collins Jr.

Bro. Timothy MerrittBro. Otho CoxSis. Ruby JerniganBro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Joseph ClellandBro. Willie HaganBro. Floyd HaganSis. Millie MillerSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Martha Vaughn

Deacon: Bro. Paul MerrittSr.

Deaconess: Sis. HattieMerritt

Board No. 1August 1974Bro. Frank BarkerSis. Jessie SullivanBro. Ben Jernigan

Bro. Rufus Curry

Bro. Paul Merritt Sr.

122 • Appendix

Bro. Harry Collins Jr.Bro. Timothy MerrittBro. Otho CoxBro. Leon StewartSis. Martha VaughnBro. Joseph ClellandBro. Willie HaganBro. Floyd HaganBro. Bernard CollierSis. Maude MillsBro. Paul Merritt Sr.Sis. Ruby JerniganBro. Ray Smith Sr.

Deacons: Bro. Paul Merritt Sr.Bro. Joseph Clelland

Deaconess: Sis. JessieSullivan

Board No. 1August 1, 1980Bro. Joseph ClellandSis. Jessie SullivanBro. Frank BarkerBro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Willie HaganBro. Otho CoxBro. Leon StewartBro. Timothy MerrittSis. Martha VaughnBro. Floyd HaganBro. Harry Collins Jr.Bro. Ben JerniganBro. Bernard Collier

Deacon: Bro. JosephClelland


Board No. 1August, 1982Bro. Frank BarkerSis. Jessie SullivanBro. Ben JerniganBro. Harry Collins Jr.Sis. Jean RiggsBro. Otho CoxSis. Martha VaughnBro. Joseph ClellandBro. Willie HaganBro. Floyd HaganBro. Bernard CollierSis. Maude MillsBro. Leon StewartBro. Ray Smith Sr.

Deacon: Bro. JosephClelland


Board No. 1August 1983Bro. Frank BarkerSis. Jessie SullivanBro. Ben JerniganBro. Harry Collins Jr.Sis. Jean RiggsBro. Otho CoxBro. Leon StewartBro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Joseph ClellandBro. Willie HaganBro. Floyd HaganBro. Bernard CollierSis. Maude MillsSis. Martha Vaughn

Deacons: Bro. JosephClelland

Bro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Harry Collins Jr.Deaconess: Sis. Jessie

Sullivan

Sis. Jessie Sullivan

Bro. Joseph Clelland

Bro. Ray Smith Sr.

Bro. Harry Collins Jr.

Appendix • 123

Board No. 1August 1990Sis. Martha MustinSis. Jessie SullivanBro. Ben JerniganBro. Harry Collins Jr.Sis. Jean RiggsBro. Otho CoxBro. Leon StewartSis. Martha VaughnBro. Glenn CopelandBro. Joseph ClellandBro. Willie HaganBro. Floyd HaganBro. Bernard CollierBro. Charlie RiggsSis. Mae Tim MerrittSis. Flora PriceBro. Ray Smith Sr.

Deacons: Bro. JosephClelland

Bro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Harry Collins Jr.Deaconess: Sis. Jessie

Sullivan

Board No. 1February 14, 1992Perry, Ga.Bro. Joseph ClellandBro. Harry Collins Jr.Bro. Floyd HaganBro. Ben JerniganBro. Leon StewartBro. Ray Smith Sr.Sis. Jessie SullivanBro. Otho Cox

Bro. Willie HaganSis. Jean RiggsBro. Bernard CollierBro. Steve GraySis. Martha MustinSis. Flora PriceBro. Glenn CopelandBro. Charles Riggs

Deacons: Bro. JosephClellandBro. Ray Smith Sr.Bro. Harry Collins Jr.


Board No. 1August 2000Sis. Martha MustinBro. Floyd HaganBro. Bernard CollierBro. Charles Riggs

Bro. Leon StewartSis. Martha VaughnBro. Glenn CopelandBro. Ben JerniganBro. Harry Collins Jr.Sis. Jean RiggsBro. Otho CoxSis. Flora PriceBro. Ray Smith Sr.

Deacons: Bro. Ray SmithSr.Bro. Harry Collins Jr.Bro. Floyd HaganBro. Leon StewartBro. Ben Jernigan

Bro. Leon Stewart

Bro. Ben Jernigan

Bro. Floyd Hagan


1939 Camp Meeting

1944 Camp Meeting


1950 Camp Meeting

1956 Camp Meeting


1964 Camp Meeting

1970 Camp Meeting


1976 Camp Meeting

1981 Camp Meeting


1986 Camp Meeting

1992 Camp Meeting


2000 Camp Meeting

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