MACON COUNTY CHURCHES
In pioneer days, itinerant preachers more commonly known as circuit riders traveled the countryside. An early Macon County pastor, Elder J.W. Cook of Elmer, recalls his remarkable record of 45 years: sermons preached, 5,784; miles traveled, 35,840; weddings performed, 780; miles traveled to officiate at weddings, 15,600; funerals preached, 936; miles traveled for funerals, 18,720—all on horseback or on foot.
Among the first churches organized in Macon County were the Little Zion Baptist near Elmer, 1836; Big Spring church north of Macon, 1839; Blanket Grove near La Plata, 1840; Mt. Tabor Baptist east of Atlanta, 1840; Bethlehem Methodist southwest of Anabel, 1840; Mt. Salem Baptist southwest of Excello, 1841; Liberty Cumberland Presbyterian, 1841; Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian south of La Plata, 1843; Antioch Christian southwest of Bevier, 1850; and Bethlehem Church at Sue City,
1850.
By 1913 Macon County had the following denominations represented in its towns: Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Congregationalist, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran, Methodist Episcopal, Southern Methodist, African Methodist, Presbyterian U.S.A., Cumberland Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Catholic.
Among the first churches organized in Macon County were the Little Zion Baptist near Elmer, 1836; Big Spring church north of Macon, 1839; Blanket Grove near La Plata, 1840; Mt. Tabor Baptist east of Atlanta, 1840; Bethlehem Methodist southwest of Anabel, 1840; Mt. Salem Baptist southwest of Excello, 1841; Liberty Cumberland Presbyterian, 1841; Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian south of La Plata, 1843; Antioch Christian southwest of Bevier, 1850; and Bethlehem Church at Sue City,
1850.
By 1913 Macon County had the following denominations represented in its towns: Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Congregationalist, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran, Methodist Episcopal, Southern Methodist, African Methodist, Presbyterian U.S.A., Cumberland Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Catholic.
