As published (expect where formatting was web prohibitive) in Cass County Connections Volume 23 Number 2 September 1977.  Cass County Connections is a quarterly publication put out by the Cass County Genealogical Society of Cass County, Texas. Permission granted by Cass County Genealogical Society to Dana Thomas for publishing on The Cass County, TXGenWeb Project Pages.

CHURCH MINUTES OF THE ENON BAPTIST CHURCH

Knights Bluff, Cass County, Texas

This information was taken from the original Church minutes by Velma Green Foster when she was Enon Church Clerk. She was Clerk for the Enon Church from September 6th, 1952 to 1976. Her father-in-law, Leroy Foster, was Enon Church Clerk in 1911. Velma is the daughter-in-law of James Leroy Foster and Annie Molly Ida Griffin. Molly's father was James Sargent Griffin and her Grandfather was James Washington Griffin.

The spelling, punctuation and structure is as written.

The Enon Primitive Baptist Church was constituted June 7, 1845 in Cass County, by Elders Spencer, Edwards and Charles Jones as a presbytery. First five members were T.J. Foster, Elysabeath Barcraft, Rebecca Kolbe, Malysa Fenson, Bethena Davis.

Brother Spencer Edwards was their pastor from the beginning but first record of his name as Moderator was in Oct. 1845. First record of an appointed clerk was in October 1845, when T.J. Foster was appointed.

First black man baptised into our church was in June 1845, named Porter.

June 1847 Elder Mark Allen was called as pastor.

July 1848 another black man, belonging to Mr. Proctor, joined and was baptised. His name was John.

In August 1848, brother T.J. Foster was appointed by the church as treasureman, to receive contributions at anytime and he should keep a minute of all contributions.

May, 1850 Elder Michael Burkhalter as Moderator in Elder Mark Allens place.

Black brother Porter, property of Mr. Rickey, was excluded for stealing and useing bad language.

April 1852 Wm. H. Burkhalter appointed treasure for church.

Feb. 1852 John M. Burkhalter was appointed their clerk.

July 1854 William Griffin was appointed their clerk.

1861 Jones Frances was called as assistant clerk.

June 1864 D. W. Burkhalter was chosen as their moderator, as their moderator had died. Burkhalter ask church to exclude him because he had forfited his right to fellowship for trying to seduce M.E. Griffin

March 1866, J.W. Griffin was ordained as deacon.

April 1870, W. Morgan was appointed their clerk in Bro. Griffins place by his request.

April 19, 1879 J.W. Griffin was licensed to preach. Elder I. Herring was moderator all these years. 1881 J.W. Braley Mod.

Jan. 1883 J.W. Griffin was chosen as pastor and Moderator, with his conscent to be ordained and set apart to the ministry when legal presbarty could be obtained.

March 1884 W.A. Boon was called clerk.

Aug. 1884 J.W. Griffin was ordained minister.

Oct. 1890 Brother A.S. Griffin was called as clerk, after brother W.A. Boon was granted a letter of dismissal.

3rd Sunday in Oct. 1889 Church called for the liberation of Brother J.S. Griffin to preach. Motion and second carried.

March 1891, Brother J.S. Griffin confessed he was guilty of committing an assault on brother J.P. Griffin. He was forgiven.

Enon was first known as State Line Church.

State Line church chose Elder J.S. Griffin to the care of said church and requested

Enon to have him set apart to the ministery, Nov, 1891/ He was ordained Dec. 1891.

State line church was the first church J.S. Griffin served as ordained minister.

Oct. 1893 Elder J.S. Griffin was called pastor of Enon church, and G.W. Griffin clerk.

Sept. 1895 Elder J.W. Griffin was chosen pastor and G.W. clerk.

Dec. 1898 Elder J.S. Griffin was called pastor again.

Feb. 1903 Elder J.W. Griffin was called as Moderator and C.F. Griffin clerk.

Nov. 1904 J.S. Griffin called as pastor and G.W. Griffin clerk.

Oct. 19, 1907 brother C.L. Brown was called as clerk.

Feb. 18, 1911 Mr. Leroy Foster called as clerk.

January 1912 Enon Church called on sister churches, Mt Olive, Bethel and Providence to meet with them in council. They agreed with council findings. They said the churches trouble was caused by Elder J.W. Griffin for adviseing their members to drink their dram and adviseing the breathern not to make acknoledgement for getting drunk, when the church was trying to decipline. We find the church did exercise long forbarence. We deem your work all in order by feel you made a mistake in allowing Elder J.W. Griffin to go unrebuked. We find Elder J.S. Griffin has been sorely persecuted, but amist all of this, has not moved from the truth. We deem him a sound and a safe man and that he is worthy of your love and prayers. This was published in the Trumpet.

Note written on side of paper: J.S. Griffins little girl died March 1912

Elder J.W. Griffin was excluded for unfaithfulness to the church. He and his wife were restored April 1916.

Nov. 1919 Elder W.T. Jones was appointed to help as pastor.

Oct. 1921. Move and second to adopt a treasure plan of financing our church expense. Motion carried.

April 8, 1923 - Brother J.O. Mayfield and J.L. Foster were ordained as deacons.

Sept. 8, 1923 J.T. Foster was elected clerk. and J.S. Griffin recalled pastor.

Feb. 9, 1924 J.L. Foster was called as clerk again.

J.W. Griffin died July 29, 1919. J.S. died Feb. 9, 1942. Elmer Griffin died July 17, 1930. Dillie Harwell died Nov. 11, 1939.

Aug. 7, 1926 J.L. Foster was elected treasureman.

Oct. 1927. John Griffin & Mary got church letters.

Oct. 12, 1929 John Griffin was ordained deacon and was received by letter from Rock Spring Church the same day.

Sept. 12, 1931 - Floyd McMillion joined by letter.

Nov. 11, 1933 H.C. Slate was called pastor. J.L. Foster re-called clerk.

Aug. 31, 1934 bro M.B. Allen was called clerk.

Nov. 3, 1934 Sallie McMillion was called clerk because brother Allens nerversness.

Artis Foster and Velma joined the church July 8, 1934

Elder H.C. Slate resigned as pastor April 4, 1942. Elder A.H. Brown was elected to finish out Eld. Slates time.

Brother Elbert Brown was ordained Minister July 16, 1944.

Aug. 3, 1946, Yevon Pilcher joined by letter from Rock Springs Church.

Dec, 4, 1948 - Church first agreed to take money out of church treasure to buy flowers for members who die.

Nov. 5, 1949, M.E. Green was ordained as deacon.

5 Sunday in May, 1966. Artis Foster was ordained as deacon.

Jan. 4, 1958 was Elder L.D. Hills last conference meeting.

May 31, 1958 Elder I.W. Thornton was called to finsh out Elder Hills time.

Aug. 16, 1958 Elder Thornton was called as pastor.

Sept. 4, 1937 Elder Hill joined Enon Church

Mar. 6, 1938 ordained as deacon.

Nov. 1, 1941 ordained to preach.

Sept., 4, 1943 - Called as pastor

Elder L.D. Hills ordaination was first called for April 5, 1941.

Elders H.C. Slate, S.F. Moore and deacons - M.B. Allen, J.O. Mayfield, J.L. Foster, E.C. Brown, Clarence Allen, J.S. Hellums, were in ordaination service, Nov. 1, 1941.

Sept. 1, 1922, brother and sister M.B. Allen joined our church.

Nov. 3, 1934 Sallie McMillion was called clerk. Served until June 5, 1937.

June 5, 1937 brother Johnny Hellums was called clerk.

Brother Lewis Horn & wife Lois and brother Gid Condley were the first members baptized by Elder L.D. Hill.

May 18, 1941 brother C.H. Allen and J.S. Hellums were ordained as deacons. Elders S.F. Moore, W.T. Jones, J.M. Denton J.B. Thomas, H.C. Slate. S.F. Moore Mod. H.C. Slate clerk

Nov. 30, 1940 - Brother E. C. Brown wa liberated to preach.

Brother Browns ordination for ministry was called for June 3, 1944. Ordaination was July 16, 1944.

Brother and sister Eugene Hendrix got letters of dismissal Nov. 30, 1940. The church called for his ordaination Dec. 31, 1938 as deacon.

Feb. 5, 1939 ordination services were had, for brothers, M.B. Allen, E.C. Brown and brother Eugene Hendrix. Brother L.D. Hill was spoksman for the church. Elder S.F. Moore Moderator, Raymond McClurg, clerk. H.C. Slate delivered the charge and Elder J.B. Thomas delivered the ordination prayer/ Elders were: J.B. Thomas, W.T. Jones, S.F. Moore, H.C. Slate. Deacons: Raymond McClurg, Tommie Foster, Melvin Fowler, J.L. Foster, L.D. Hilland G.D. Martin.

Elder Henry Cash acting as our Moderator for first time. June 20, 1959. Called Moderator August 20, 1960. He and Sister Maggie joined our church April 18, 1959.

Sallie McMillion was appointed to write resolutions of respect for deceised members, Dec. 17, 1960.

Brother Melvin and Sylvia Allen joined our church Feb. 17, 1962. Brother Allen was liberated to preach, Aug. 17, 1963. Ordained 5th Sunday in Dec. 1963. The 29th Called as pastor Oct. 17, 1964.

Tom and Ruby Thomas came back to our church, Feb. 7, 1965.

Elder J.S. Griffin was ordained as minister at the age of 21 years. Was borned Feb. 2, 1864. Died Feb. 9, 1942.

M.E. Green was ordained as deacon Nov. 5, 1947. Dec. 4, 1948, church voted to take money from church fund to buy funeral wreaths for deceised members.

Brother Vernon Griffin was liberated to preach Nov. 21, 1971. Ordained 5th Sunday in July 30, 1972

Brother Joe Mayfield was our first treasureman. He was called Sept. 1, 1945.

Artis Foster was called treasureman Aug. 31, 1946. Brother C. H. Alled was called as assistant treasureman Dec. 4, 1948

I, Velma Foster, started my book work as clerk protem Feb. 2, 1952. Called clerk Sept. 6, 1952. First resolution of respect I wrote was for sister Hill, Mar. 31, 1945. Acted as clerk protem for 8 conferences. Called clerk and missed 20 conferences in 20 years.

This information was copied from The Cass County Genealogical Society, 1975, Vol. II, No. 2, pg. 21.

ENON CHURCH

Enon Primitive Baptist Church was constituted 7 June 1845, by Elders Spencer, Edwards and Charles Jones, near Havana, in Cass County, fifteen miles west of Line Ferry, on Sulphur River, with the following members: T.J. Foster, Elizabeth Barcraft, Rebecca Kolbe, Malissa Henson and Bythena Davis.

Elders Edwards and Jones preached for this church, till 1847, when Elder Mark Allen was chosen and served until 1850, at which time Elder Michael Burkhalter was chosen and served till 1860, when Elder Jacob Herring was called and served till 1878, when Elder J.W. Barley was called and served till 1882, at which time Elder J.W. Griffin was called and served till 1893. Elders J.W. and J.S. Griffin, have served the church since 1882.

This church passed resolutions of non-fellowship for absolute prepestination of all things, including sin and the no change doctrine. This church is one of the pioneer Churches, and desires credit for the stability in the faith and practice of the Primitive Baptists in Texas.