Church History

CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND HISTORY

The Olive Branch Baptist church was organized in the year 1846, by the efforts of a Baptist minister, Elder B. D. C. Herring.  The organization meeting was held at the home of Elder Herring then located some distance south and west of the Hoosier vicinity.  The organization was completed with seven charter members who evidently had been members of the Samaria church, or of distant churches.  The church covenant and articles of faith which were adopted prove their soundness in the word of God and their simple faith in Him.

The record of the organization meetings read as follows:

“Record of the proceedings of a meeting, held by Baptist brethren and sisters according to previous appointment, May 30^th and 31^st in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six in Stogden (Stockton) township, Greene County.  Set for the purpose of constituting a regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ.  Elder B. D. C. Herring, the minister who attended and delivered an appropriate sermon from the Acts of the Apostles, 2^nd chapter and 47^th verse, after which Brother Isaac Mitchell was chosen moderator.  After proper deliberation and with due regards towards our brethren by reason of a long established custom with our brethren of calling a council of brethren from a number of different churches, there being none present but those who expect to go in the constitution, it was agreed that we adjourn until the Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock.

Met according to adjournment and after singing and prayer by Elder B. D. C. Herring, the meeting was called together by the moderator and proceeded in the following order to constitute a few believers into a church on gospel principles:

First: Calling for the letters where the following brethren and sisters handed in letters of dismission and recommendation which were read and accepted and the names enrolled as follows: Elder B. D. C. Herring; Isaac Mitchell; Matilda Pope; Jane West; Fieldin Herring; William Mitchell; Elizabeth Mitchell; Rachel Mitchell.

Second: We unanimously agree to be constituted into a Gospel church or in other words having in view the glory of God and the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, as well as the mutual comfort of each Gospel church on the principles of the New Testament.”

During the year of 1846, the church acquired property, by a gift from David Bledsoe, at the present site of the Salem church.  Olive Branch still holds title to a plot of land adjoining the Salem property on the east.  Meetings were held regularly, once each month in a log building which had previously been erected.  By the close of the year the total church membership had increased to nineteen.  Of this increase eleven were admitted by letter or relation of Christian experience and one by baptism.  There were seventeen additions during the year of 1847, mainly by baptism.

During the years that followed, the membership increased steadily and the work continued under the pastorate of Elder B. D. C. Herring.  The meeting place was, in the meantime, moved to the approximate location of the present Lebanon church.  This was known as the “Old Log Meeting House.”  It is not known why the church was moved to that location, or just how the property was acquired.  Until recent years the Olive Branch church held title to a plot of land that is now a part of the Lebanon cemetery.

In 1856 Elder Herring organized the Lebanon Baptist church and moved his membership there.  He closed his work at Olive Branch and was succeeded by Elders Trent, Cole, and McBride who carried on the work for the following four years.  There is no record available as to the meeting place of the church during those four years.  There are no records for the Civil War Period, 1860 – 1866.  It seems evident that regular services were discontinued during that time.

The early church held strict discipline over its membership.  Exclusions were- common for such violations of conduct as swearing, dancing, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, card playing, unbecoming games, Sabbath breaking, and non-attendance of church services.  It may be added that the members excluded usually appeared before the church in a short while, to make confessions of their misconduct and ask to be reinstated.

Regular quarter time service was resumed, probably at the Burge school house in April of 1866.

In September of that year Elder James Plew was called as pastor.  One of the greatest events in the history of the church was the revival held at the Burge school house, beginning in December and continuing to February 19, 1867.  This was known as the “Sixty-Five Day Revival.”  In this meeting, under the preaching of Elder Plew, the membership was greatly revived and there were forty additions to the church by baptism and ten by letter.  It seems that the total membership was then about sixty-five.  Elder Plew continued as pastor of the church for four years with a salary of $150.00 per year.

During the year of 1867, the present site of the Olive Branch church was selected, and a frame building was erected.  The place selected was known as “The Crossroads” as a number of roads converged there.  The land was donated by Alexander Beasley, one of the members.  Later additional land was granted the church by Ransom Beasley and other heirs to the land.  The land of that grant lay between the original church property and State Road 54.  The Olive Branch cemetery was started in 1868 when an infant of John Fullum was buried there.  John Fullum himself, was probably the first member to be buried there.  The Olive Branch cemetery has always rendered a free burying ground, and many of the early members are buried there.