CHAPTER III: BRIGHTER OUTLOOK

At this time in our church the work was slow but with many, many prayers and the leadership of pastors there was a brighter future for Enon Church.

Reverend Fred V. Johnson was pastor from 1929 to January 1931.

Reverend Claude H. Hamby served as Enon's pastor from 1931 - 1933. He was born October 22, 1907 at Mountain Rest, South Carolina in Oconee County. He was called to preach while in high school in 1926 and was ordained April 5, 1931, in the First Baptist Church in Pelzer, South Carolina. He attended the following schools: Long Creek Academy, Long Creek, South Carolina; Mars Hill Junior College, Mars Hill, North Carolina; Furman University; and, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Reverend Hamby was pastor at the following churches: Mount Tabor, Dacusville, South Carolina; Enon Baptist; Big Creek Baptist, Williamston, South Carolina; Southern Worsted Baptist, Greenville, South Carolina; Clinchfield Baptist, Marion, North Carolina; Richland Baptist, Owenton, Kentucky; First Baptist, Great Falls, South Carolina; Mount Zion Baptist, Great Falls, South Carolina; Locust Hill Baptist, Travelers Rest, South Carolina; Rich Hill, Heath Springs, South Carolina; and, Shady Grove Baptist, Belton, South Carolina.

Reverend Hamby served as Director of Missions at Union Baptist, in Monroe, North Carolina, and as Associate Pastor in Augusta Heights Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. He began his work there on January 1, 1974.

He has served in the following capacities: President of Tri-County Pastors' Conference (Chester- York-Moriah Association); Vice Moderator, North Greenville Association; Chairman, Promotion and Stewardship, North Greenville Association; Chairman of Evangelism, North Greenville Association; President, Pastors' Conference; Moriah Association; Chairman, Promotion and Stewardship, Moriah Association; Moderator, Moriah Association; and, Chairman of Evangelism in Moriah Association.

Reverend Claude Hamby also served on the General Board and the Nominating Committee of State Convention. He preached the State Convention sermon in November 1962, in Columbia, South Carolina, and served as a Trustee of North Greenville Junior College. Reverend Hamby married Sara Welborn, a native of Anderson, South Carolina.

When Reverend Hamby came to Enon Church, the congregation was small in number. But with his leadership, care, and love for the church, there was a brighter outlook.

Reverend Thomas Milton Hamby was called as pastor in January 1934, and he served until 1940.

On Saturday, August 25, 1934, the church was called into special conference for the purpose of making acknowledgements to the ones who were turned away from the church about seven years before. Several people said they were sorry about what had happened, and they indicated they would like to come back. A motion was made to revise the church roll and included the names of those that were excluded. The majority of the church members adopted the motion; those that were turned away approved of what was done.

A new piano was purchased in 1936.

On February 11, 1940, the church called conference and a motion was made and seconded for all deacons to retire. There were twenty-seven votes for and no opposition. The following slate of deacons "Was elected to serve the church: Mr. Dan Mauldin, Mr. J. M. Rogers, Mr. J. E. Revis, Mr. B. F. Dillard, and Mr. Alvin Bracken.

In 1939, Sunday school rooms were built on each side of the pulpit, which had been built on the west side of the church in 1910. The Enon Church family was increasing weekly under the leadership of Reverend Milton Hamby.

Reverend Hamby had a vision for Enon Church and accomplished many things while he served. He had a great love for people and worked 10 see them saved. The people of Enon loved him as a pastor and a man who loved the Lord.

The church collected money to send the pastor to the Baptist Convention that was held in Baltimore, Maryland, in June 1940. OJ}. July 28, 1940, at the close of the service, Reverend Milton Hamby submitted his resignation and it was accepted. His last sermon at Enon was August 25, 1940.

Thomas Milton Hamby was born October 15, 1909 at Mountain Rest, South Carolina. He was saved and baptized into the fellowship of Double Springs Baptist Church at Mountain Rest. He was licensed at Long Creek Academy Church in 1926 while he was a student at the academy.

He was ordained at the Locust Hill Baptist Church, Travelers Rest, South Carolina, in June 1933. He was called as pastor to the Locust Hill Baptist in May 1933. He was a graduate of Furman University, with an AB degree, and a graduate of Southern Baptist Seminary with a masters and a doctorate degree in theology. Reverend Hamby was both teacher and preacher at EnoI1 Baptist, Milford Baptist, Locust Hill Baptist and Marietta Baptist in South Carolina. He also served Indian Creek Baptist in Indiana and later three churches in Alabama: First Baptist of Gunterville, First Baptist of Lanett, and First Baptist of Talladega. After retiring he served as interim pastor for four additional years.

He served as moderator of one association, president of the Alabama's Pastors' Conference and president of the Southern Seminary Alumni of Alabama. He wrote the Sunday school lesson material for the teachers twice and for the Adult Quarterly twice. He has published a book, Christ and the Cross, and is listed in the book of Who's Who. While at Enon, Reverend Milton Hamby married Daisy Welborn of Anderson County. Their two daughters live in Washington, D.C. In 1938, Mrs. Hamby reorganized the Enon WMS, which had not met for some years. All the people loved her.

In 1937, the church was wired for electric lights and Duke Power provided power soon thereafter. Until this time, the church used oil lamps.

Reverend Herman Lewis served our church from November 1, 1940, to May 1944. He was born July 22, 1914, in Lincoln, Georgia. Some years later his family moved to Easley, South Carolina. Because of his father's death, he had to stop school in the eighth grade and go to work in the mill. He was a member of Park Street Church and was licensed and ordained in late 1930 to preach the gospel. After becoming a preacher, he went back to school and graduated from Easley High School, and later attended Erskine Seminary and Furman University.

Reverend Lewis served Enon Church, King's Grove Baptist, Mount Airy Baptist, New Hope Baptist, and Park Street Baptist for twenty-four years. He visited the Holy Land and was a member of the Board of South Carolina Baptist Hospitals. He went to the 1955 Baptist World Alliance in London, England, and to the Baptist World Alliance in Brazil.

The minutes of the Piedmont Association in July 1943, described Reverend Lewis as an aggressive young pastor. He was serving the Piedmont Association in his second term as moderator. He was probably the youngest person to have ever served in this capacity. The fact that he was re-elected without opposition spoke well of the satisfactory and efficient manner in which he handled the business of the association.

Reverend Lewis was married to Lillie Bush of Liberty, South Carolina, who was a teacher for many years. It was said that Reverend Lewis would come and sit on thy porch steps at the front of the church many times in the stillness of the evening making plans for Enon Church to reach the people of the community and praying for leadership and needs of the church. He loved the people at Enon and was loved by them.

In January 1941, two new chairs were purchased for the pulpit, and in February of the same year, a rug was purchased for the pulpit floor. Sometime earlier the church had taken out insurance on the building and in 1941, the congregation was collecting money to pay the premium.

In February 1942, a concrete porch was constructed at the front of the church. At this time the church voted to go on record for disapproving of any legal gambling or having horse races on Sunday. They also voted to take a firmer stand to keep church and state separate. In September 1942, the church voted to give the pastor a set fee of $10.00 a sermon or $30.00 a month. In May 1943, the Broadman Hymnals were purchased.

In 1943, a baptistery was installed in Enon Church. The original pool, though in unusable condition, still stands on a small creek behind the church. This pool was a sacred place in a beautiful setting. Crowds of people would stand or sit on the slope leading down to the pool. Everyone would join in the singing of the beloved hymn, "Shall We Gather at the River" and observed the candidates who were waiting their turn to be baptized.

October 1943, the church voted to paint the Sunday School rooms, the baptistery pool and outside wood work. The church also approved extending to the pastor an indefinite call with the understanding that he would be given a six weeks to three months notice if Enon desired a change and that he would do likewise. The Sunday School time was changed to 10:30 AM. In November 1943, the church voted to raise the preacher's salary from $10.00 to $22.50 a sermon and to raise the janitor's salary to $4.00 a week. A new stove was also purchased for the church.

In January 1944, a service flag was purchased and a birthday jar was started for the orphanage, with gifts to be given at Thanksgiving. Our church, for years, had gathered produce and sent it to the Connie Maxwell Children's Horne. The deacons recommended to the church that the shrubbery around the church be replaced and this was done. At this time, that had been planned and recommended by the deacons, was accepted by the church.