Macon Civil War Era Churches

Macon Civil War Era Churches. "Truly a church-going city". , On his first Sunday in Macon in 1864, artillery officer Captain Thomas Key from Alabama visited the largest church in the city. The Presbyterian Church (2 see map) on Mulberry with seating for 800 was built in 1858, having been relocated twice since the congregation's founding in 1825., The following Sunday, Key attended the Episcopal Church (3 see map) on Walnut, founded in 1825, built in 1834 and enlarged in 1850. He noted, "The stained glass windows gave out many rays of different hues.", The next Sunday, Key attended services at Mulberry Methodist Church (1), founded in 1825, built in 1827 but replaced with a larger building in 1849-50. The faithful Captain wrote, "How many privileges we are now enjoying stationed here, than we have had at any time during the wart Macon is truly a church-going city.", Organized in 1826, the Baptist Church (4) had several locations prior to the war. In 1853, the congregation "erected a handsome and tasteful Gothic edifice on Second Street, in the heart of the city, at a cost of $18,000." The church relocated to High Street in 1887., Black and white Baptists worshiped together, though separated by galleries, until freedmen and slaves were provided with their own church (10) in 1845. Although the colored congregation at New and Colton Streets exercised the authority to receive members, the church was led by a white pastor until emancipation., Washington Avenue Presbyterian Church (8) is reportedly the oldest African American Presbyterian Church in Georgia, originating in 1839. Freedman Reverend David Laney was pastor prior, during, and after the war., With the construction of a new and larger Methodist sanctuary in 1849, the smaller wooden church was most likely relocated to New Street near Walnut (7) for freedmen and slaves. Two churches emerged from this congregation after emancipation, Steward Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (11) on Cotton Avenue in 1870 and Holsey Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal (9) on Washington Avenue, also in 1870., In 1841, Reverend James Graham arrived in Macon to pastor 50 Roman Catholic families, purchasing the vacant Presbyterian Church building on Fourth Street (5) in 1841, the congregation would relocate once again soon after the war to the old Presbyterian down the street (6), where it remained until St. Joseph Church at the head of Poplar Street was completed in 1903., Organized in 1844, Macon's United Hebrew Society purchased land in Rose Hill Cemetery for its members. Meeting above retail stores in 1856, the congregation adopted a constitution. For many years, the Jewish Temple was located on Poplar Street before Temple Beth Israel was built and dedicated on Cherry Street in 1902.