The Children of Bethel
By Henry Piarrot
When God takes his hand to the universe, some of the most beautiful and reverent places on earth appear. The two century old Bethel Baptist
Church in Sevierville, TN is one example. In its perfectly American setting at 2776 Bethel Church Road, the children of this historic
congregation have been learning to play, and pray together for more than 200
years. Still today, her halls are alive with the sound of families, chasing tomorrow until the day after skins a knee.
The ancient word “
Bethel” means “
the house of God,” and is the name of a holy city in central Palestine, approximately a dozen miles north of Jerusalem. During many of antiquity’s anxious times, Bethel was the place the children of Israel chose for seeking counsel from God. It is reported Elijah visited Bethel, and the "
sons of the prophets" resided there as well. During the Jefferson administration, in December 1803, “
The Arm of the Fork Church of Pigeon” was organized. At that
time, Brother George Oldham was named deacon.
The first journal record is dated May 1804 and states, “
The Baptist Church of Christ, met at Bethel Meeting House the fourth Saturday in May 1804. After worship, preceded to business and received by experience CHARITY, a black woman.” The second entry, made a month later, documents the official adoption of“
Bethel” as the name of their new church. Before Lewis and Clark’s adventure and the War of 1812, preceding Jackson’s trip to New Orleans, or Crockett's to the Alamo, the Bethel Baptist Church has been the center of it’s community. As in the days of Elijah, this Bethel congregation embrace “
their house of God,” seeking counsel, comfort and prayer.
Beside the sanctuary lies the church’s cemetery. There are some graves there that pre-date 1799. Many of the founding families chose to never leave Bethel and are buried on the grounds. However, among all of the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, far too many are children. There are also 44 veterans buried there.
Youngest of his parents’ nine children, Allen “
Cotton” Howard became a child of Bethel upon his birth in 1925, four years before the death of his mother. His father re-married a year later and his new wife Miss Clara became the keeper of the children for many years. A veteran of the South Pacific, today, Howard is the only survivor among the 15 young men this tiny community sent to rescuecivilization during WWII. “
Cotton” and his wife Juanita have been married over 50 years, also marking her time as a member.
Kenneth Stansberry has served as the pastor of Bethel since January 1998. Understanding Bethel is a living history, he is dedicated to preserving the traditions of the church, balancing the management of a replacement sanctuary built in 1904, while making sure the needs of the congregation are addressed. Many years ago, life-long members Delmar Thomas and Veryl Henderson were children with “
Cotton,” running across the old wooden bridge to be on time for Miss Clara’s Sunday school class. Sadly, most of their family and friends from that time have passed on and many are at rest on the grounds at Bethel.A neighbor of the Howards’ Gary Loveday joined the church 31 years ago at the age of 25. Upon ultimately joining the elders for Bible Study, “
Cotton” welcomed him to the “
last class” of the Bethel Baptist Church. “
When you graduate from this class,‘ he told his friend
, ‘they put you outside.”
When it is quiet, you can almost hear the laughter of all who have played and prayed here before. Now, as it was then, the sound of children represents the beautiful music of a loving congregation. It is the tradition of Bethel, that the lessons learned here in the past areshared today to inspire the future.
Henry Piarrot is a hotel manager in Sevier County. Please send all story recommendations to hpiarr@yaho.com
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