The Doubtful Believer
The churches in the community have played
an important part in our history. Fayette County is
especially remembered for its once numerous “all day
singings with dinner on the ground.” When I was a child my
family never missed the annual singing at Flat Creek Church
on the first Sunday in May and the annual singing at
Ebenezer Church on the second Sunday in June. The church
yards would be filled with automobiles and for miles in all
directions cars were parked on the sides of the then dirt
roads. The church building would be completely filled and a
huge crowd milled around the outside like bees. The church
building literally seemed to rock with the singing that
could be heard for quite a distance. Teenagers seldom went
inside but used the time to socialize. This was a good
place for a young lady to find a “fellow” or for a young
man to find a “girl.” At noon everyone spread the food they
had brought from home on the tables built for the occasion
and everyone helped themselves. You’ve never seen such a
feast! We all ate till we could pop and there were still
lots of “leftovers.”
Until more recent times churches were relatively small.
Since many families had no automobile, a church could serve
only those who lived nearby. While most people belonged to
a particular church, you would find any activity at a
church, religious or otherwise, attended by a majority of
the community regardless of their religious convictions.
Churches of different faiths strongly supported each other.
For example, since there was a limited number of children
in any particular district, a church of one faith and a
church of another faith might join in having a summer Bible
school.
Here’s a story that’s been told about a member of the
Shakerag Community. I’ll call him “Mr. Walt.” Before
television and even before radio for some the church
provided the necessary social activity as well as spiritual
guidance for the community. A week long church revival was
always more than a religious experience. It was one of the
few opportunities for neighbors to get together. One of the
churches was having revival meetings at night. Each night
would find the small church with standing room only. On
this particular night Mr. Walt was standing in the back of
the church listening intently with tears streaming down his
face as the preacher delivered a sermon warning of hell and
damnation for failure to be saved. Mr. Walt was not a
strong religious person and not even too familiar with the
Bible; however, he did attend church often, as did most of
the folks in the community. At the end of the service, the
preacher asked all those wishing to be saved to come to the
front of the church. Still very emotional, Mr. Walt went
and stood in front of the preacher.
"Do you, Brother Walt, believe that they crucified our
Lord?” asked the preacher.
And the preacher went on, "I say, Brother Walt, do you
believe that Jesus suffered and died on the Cross to save
you from sin?"
Mr. Walt dried the tears from his eyes and in a sincerely
concerned voice responded, “Let’s hope not!”