Bethel Baptist Church Records, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Pamela Strother Downs
Transcribed to text file by Lynda Weldon
Date: May 9, 2007

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Saturday May 26.1888.
Religious exercises and preaching by pastor.  Priviledges of the 
church extended.  Received Brother Joseph Willis and Sister Martha 
Willis by letter from Occupy Church, and Sister Anna (Mrs. Polk) 
Willis to the renewal of the covenant.  Went into conference. Miss
Mary J. Bryant, Misses Mary Lard, Elizabeth Cloud, John R. Strother and
Henry Stanley were excluded from the fellowship of the church. On 
motion resolved to elect a deacon at our next regular meeting. 
Adjourned until tomorrow.
L. M. Nichols, Mod.
John Strother, Jr., Clerk.

Sunday 27.
Church met.  Services and preaching by pastor.  Priviledges of the 
church extended.  Received Miss Texana Strother, J. H. Strother and 
John Coker by experiences as candidates for baptism and Mrs. Arcila (John) 
Coker by letter from Occupy Church.  Adjourned in order. 
L. M. Nichols, Mod.
John Strother, Jr., Clerk.

Saturday June 23, 1888.
church met to previous appointment.  Services and preaching by Eld. A.
D. Mayo.  Priviledges of the church extended.  Matthew Willis and Romelzy
Willis were received by experience as candidates for baptism.  Minutes
read and approved.  On motion Brother John Strother was elected deacon.
A request for letters of dismission was received from Brother G. and Sister
Carolyn McCloud, but the church considering that all of the former members
had been guilty of neglecting duty refused to grant the letters until the 
Brother and Sister should present themselves before the church with due 
acknowledgements. Adjourned in order. 
L. M. Nichols, Mod.
John Strother, Jr., Clerk.

Sunday 24.
Church met.  The ordination of baptism was administered to J. H. Strother, 
John Coker, Matthew Willis, Romelzy Willis and Texana Strother.  Services 
by Elds. Nichols and Mayo.  Privilidges of the church extended and Osborn 
Willis, Lemuel J. Willis , Elijah Dyer, Daniel Lard, Frank Perkins, and 
Mrs. Samantha Lard were received by experience as candidates for baptism. 
Adjourned in order.
L. M. Nichols, Mod.
John Strother, Jr., Clerk.

Saturday July 21, 1888.
Church met.  Had preaching by pastor. Priviledges of the church was 
extended.  Brother Aaron Fee came forward to the renewal of the covenent, 
and Mrs. Martha (Frank) Perkins was received by experience as a candidate 
for baptism.  Went into conference.  Minutes of the last meeting read and
approved with the correction of one mistake.  On motion Brother J. H. 
Strother was elected clerk of the church.  Brother W. T. Donn then informed
the church that himself, Brother Joseph Rodriguez and J. A. Odom were a 
committee sent from Pine Grove Church to investigate the case of Sister 
Mary J. Bryant who had been baptized into the fellowship of that church 
without confessing that she belonged once to Bethel.  This matter was taken
up and discussed at length, after which it was decided that the sister should
be excluded from Pine Grove Church, return to Bethel, be restored and 
(continued on next page)

at this meeting J. Strother Jr. was elected deacon, but the addressed does not know 
it.