By: Fred McCaleb
First services began about 1845 or earlier. One Sunday a series of meetings began at Berea W.A.Black doing the preaching. A large crowd was in attendance for the first session. Many people from surrounding areas attended this meeting in each year. They had special attachment to the church.
History dates deep into the past. Under the influence of minister John Taylor and Jeremiah Randolph this church established in 1845 and so has as far as is known it was the only Church of Christ existing in Fayette County prior to the Civil War. John Taylor who lived from 1807 to 1885, came down from Franklin County on a mule with few essentials and a Bible in his saddle bag. He always carried a leather bound New Testament in his hat, so he could reach for it with ease. Covers worn on both backs of the book were worn by rubbing against the top of his head. Possibly the book had some effect on the good person, since he was completely bald where the book rubbed against what once was his hair.
He was so familiar with the New Testament that if someone gave him a verse he could quote the verse above and the one below from memory. He often entertained a circle of friends around the fireside with these mental feats.The minister was smith to carpenter engaged in his work between services in these outcropping while traveling with the young preacher through Marion County they noted an outcropping of coal. The young man momentarily forgot his future in the ministry and began by telling about developing the natural resources and becoming wealthy. The other man quietly warned that he supposed that all would be developed some day, but be ordered by qualified men in his own good time . In the meantime it was the preacher Jeremiah Randolph, who lived from 1806 to 1894, came from Walker County, later settling in the new river where he continued to preach in the surrounding area.
Some of the Berea Church of Christ preachers were W.P. Anthony, F.C. McCollum, Andrew McCaleb. Other families among the first were the Thorntons, Logans, McArthurs and others. Berea has been located at several sites throughout its long history. There have been 4 buildings at the present lolcation. One was destroyed by a tornado, one burned, one was torn down to to clean up the ground for the spacious brick structure which was built in 1959. Other preachers at the church were John McCaleb, Jimmy Woods, B.C. Faque, James Wade, O.C. Dobbs, Gus Dunn, Gus Nichols, Houston Haney and Wiley Hollingsworth. Mr. & Mrs. Houston Haney, Wiley Hollingsworth and a few others have been members of the church for more than 60 years. Mr. Haney is widely known throughout the county and is said to have preached more funerals for people of all faiths than any other minister. From the day when the Berea churchyard was only a clearing in the wilderness to today the institution has stood exerting an influence on many in this county and serving the community needs. It’s a very old and good church.
Fred McCaleb
