CHAPTER 1: EARLY YEARS

Enon Baptist Church was organized on June 21, 1851, by L. R. Jennings and Harvin Vandavier with fourteen members, five men and nine women. The members elected Reverend L. R. Jennings as first pastor. Reverend John Arial was also elected as first church clerk. In a period of time, three deacons were elected. They were Reverend John Aria!, Mr. J. R. Gary and Mr. Felix Rogers.

Reverend John Arial donated four acres of land on which a brush arbor was built. Services were held in this arbor until a wooden structure was built of hand-hewed logs. This building served the congregation until 1874 when a brick church was erected. The brick were handmade near the Horne of Abe Mauldin, a faithful member of Enon Church. This small, sturdy church was used as built for sixty-four years.

During the first meeting, the twelve rules of decorum were read and adopted. Also, the church appointed Elder A. Vandavier and Reverend John Arial, two of the charter members, to carry a petition to the Twelve Mile River Association to be accepted as a member there. Enon Church was accepted into the association in August 1851.

Miss Amanda Craine was the first member to be baptized in the new church. Later, three Negro slaves presented themselves as candidates for baptism. On September 4, 1853, Lewis, a black man belonging to E. Griffin, presented himself as a candidate for baptism. Then in July 1854, Griffin's black slave, Lewis, was expelled from the fellowship, because he was stealing and concealing his master's produce.

Reverend John Arial owned most of the land surrounding Enon Church and the land where the Arial Mill now stands. He owned Arial Mountain, and, in fact, most of the land for miles around belonged to his estate. He was licensed into the ministry in July 1851, and ordained to preach the gospel on March 31, 1854. He preached many years and was clerk of the church and a deacon for some time. He was one of the leading Baptist ministers of that day in the community.

He married Miss Perthinice Blassingame and to this union was born several children. Among them was Mr. W. H. Arial, father of Mr. Torn Arial, who lived near Enon Church and was owner of the Oak Grove Dairy, which was situated at the old home place of his parents. Mr. Torn's daughter, Cecil Long, owns it now, and his granddaughter, Phronise McNealy, lives there and is a member of Enon Church. Her sons, Torn and Ben, are also members of Enon Church.

There were other wealthy families in the Enon Church Community, although there is no information about them. However, they did their part to carry on the Lord's work, which made Enon Church a living church for each of us to serve in today. 

In September 1851, Elder James Humphery was called as pastor and served until October 1852. During this time, John Arial and L. R. Gary were elected deacons of the church. Beginning in July 1852, Reverend H. Vandiver served as supply pastor for the remainder of the year. In October 1852, Elder J. R. Hunnicutt was called as pastor for the years 1853, 1854, and part of 1857. In 1854, Felix Rogers was elected deacon of the church.

During the early years of the church, the people were punished for their misdeeds. No one was spared from church discipline. Member's accused of unchristian conduct, such as drinking, stealing, dancing, cursing, and even family troubles were brought before the church for discipline. If found guilty, some were turned away from the church. For many years discipline was a strong policy of the church, but as time passed, this policy changed.

When the union meeting of the church was held, it began at nine o'clock on a Sunday, and lasted all day, continuing all week until the next Sunday at six o'clock. The first Sunday school was organized in March of 1854 with a few members.

Reverend W. B. Singleton was pastor for Enon Church from 1855 to 1859, and then again in1885 was supply pastor many times. He was evidently a very likeable person and was fondly called "Uncle Buck" by most of the people. He was born in North Carolina on January 28, 1821, and was married August 13, 1840. He joined the Mount Carmel Baptist Church on November 23, 1842 and was ordained to the ministry in 1852. Reverend Singleton was for fifty years a pioneer minister in Pickens, Anderson, Greenville, and Oconee Counties. For many years he served as Moderator of Twelve Mile River Association and of the Piedmont Association and preached the First Introductory Sermon. He organized many of our leading area churches and pastored them. His last sermon in 1898, dedicated the Beaver Dam Church. He served Mount Carmel Church for fourteen years as pastor. He died at his home in Pickens County on September 10, 1898 at the age of seventy-eight.

In 1857, Reverend J. James Wilson served the church as pastor part time.

Reverend John Arial was part time pastor in 1857, 1858, and 1859. He was pastor from 1860 until 1862.

The work continued during the Civil War, but with several of the men away serving the Confederacy. The pastor, Reverend John Arial, continued the church work with less help. The women and children did all they could at church, and sacrificed in their homes.

Reverend T. R. Gary was called to the church during the periods 1863 to 1866, and 1869 to 1876. The church set aside pages in the church minutes to record tributes to those of its number killed in the Civil War. It was with grief that the church recorded the deaths of our honored and beloved men who fell victims in the terrible war of 1861 until 1865.

The following are the names of the men that died:

On Saturday, November 9, 1873, a council of Baptist men convened at Easley Station to consider the possibility of organizing a Baptist Church in Easley. The council is said to have met under several oak trees at the place where T. E. Jones & Son Furniture once stood on Pendleton Street. The Council was composed of Labon Mauldin, Milton P. Rogers, James Hinton, and A. M. Hamilton from Enon Baptist Church. This information was taken from an article in the Centennial Edition of the Easley Progress.

After being in the Twelve Mile River Association for a: number of years, Enon people were instrumental in forming a new association, which was known as the Piedmont Association. Enon Church as been in this association since 1878.

Reverend D. W. Hiott was called ftom) he years 1876 to 1880 and for one year, 1913. Regular conferences were held and membership steadily increased. Reverend Hiott was a tall, distinguished man with a small beard on his chin. He was a very likeable person and served many churches in Pickens County. Reverend G. M. Rodgers and Reverend J. W. Hutchins served as pastors during 1881 to 1884.

Reverend Benjamin Holder was called to serve in 1886. He was born in 1823 and joined Secona Church in April 1843. He was ordained at the same church in February 1856, under the pastorate of Reverend W. B. Singleton. During his life he pastured Mountain Grove, Tabor, Oolenoy, Secona, Enon, Mile Creek, Pisgah, Townville, Old Liberty, Prater's Creek, Stony Point in Georgia, Chauga, Griffin, West Union, Coneross, Return, First Liberty, Hepsibah, Shiloh, Saluda, Poplar Spring and other churches in North Carolina. He lived to the ripe old age of ninety-two. An article appeared in the Baptist Courier on February 11, 1915, telling of his passing and his life.

Reverend S. A. Gary was Enon's pastor in 1887 to 1888.

In the early church services there were no musical instruments, except for a tuning fork to set the pitch. The old Baptist Hymnal was used. Enon Church had purchased an organ before October 1887, so at this time they had one, and James A. Norris was elected organist. Joseph Smith and M. P. Rogers were song leaders.

In the early days of our church new converts were probably baptized in a nearby pond or river. However, a pool was built fairly early, because in August 1890, church members had to repair the pool, so several people could be baptized. In 1896, a new pool was built, and paid for, except for $5.00. As a matter of interest in 1892, the Sexton of the church was paid $4.00 a year.

In these early days, when a deacon was needed, the candidate and his wife were strictly examined by Biblical requirements and then observed for three months before he was ordained, if found acceptable.