1860
Association: "A report to the Convention of the Enoree River Baptist Association, March 2, 1860, Elder s. Powell was requested to act as president and C.P. Dill, secretary pro tem. It appears by this that the Enoree River Baptist Association was re-organized after several years of inactivity. Delegates from the NLBC were listed as follows: C.P. Dill, Wm McKinney, E.C. Cunningham, while those from Union Church were listed as Elder S. Powell, R. Talley, Samuel Tinsley. It is believed that of those were from NLBC." (1)
"The list of known churches participating in the Enoree River Baptist Association is as follows: Hendersonville, North Fork, Gap Creek, Union, Boiling Springs, Cedar Springs, Enoree, Grove Station, Lima, Sandy Springs, Fork Shoals, and Standing Springs Baptist Churches." (1)
"On October 6, 1860, NLBC, along with many other churches, united with the Greenville Baptist Association. A this time T. E. Dill was the pastor, and the delegates from this church were H. Goode, E.Cunninghom and C.P. Dill. The church reported 120 members and contributed $2.05 for the Minute of the Greenville Association," (1)
Membership: 120 members. (2)
1861
The Civil War: The times got really hard in 1891. The church had lasted 13 years, but it was very difficult to keep it going during the CW. Some of its members were away fighting in the Confederate Army. Abraham Lincoln was President of the US, and Jefferson Davis was President of the Confederate States. The county was terribly divided, and thousands of young men were dying in the brutal and bloody war. Yet, Rev Powell was a tremendous spiritual lead trough this time. The families leaned on him for guidance and spiritual strength. Lincoln eventually signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, with led to the freedom of all slaves. He was assassinated at Ford's Theater in Washington DC on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth. This was after the war had ended. Rev S.T. Dill was the pastor at the time. Johnson said of Dill, 'God used him... to help the organization to weather the closing days of eh CW. (2)
Pastor: "Rev. James Runion, 1849-50, 64, 69. Help guide a spiritual revival. 1864 Revival.
Rev. Stephen Powell 1850-63, 68. "He was with them when the church moved form the Absalom Talley farm to the Asheville Highway, the present sites.....guided the church through the days of Civil War.
Membership: "In 1861 the membership was reported at 109, their having been three dismissed by letter and two by death." (1)
Finances: " In 1861, a Committee to press the claims of the Agricultural Society was appointed by Moderator of the Association. It was urged that each church from a society in their church. The duty of this society was to gather crops that wee promised. These would be sold to help pay the expenses at the Orphanage, hospital, and other cooperative efforts of the association and State Convention Agencies. From New Liberty C. P. Dill was selected to be the representative to urge the church to organize such a society." (1)
Association: "The Association meet with the NLBC in 1861. The delegates listed were C.P. Dill, W. McKinney, and J. Norris from NLBC. Since the meeting was at this church, many others of the members attended and served on several of the committees to assist the association in carrying out its program of work. The association was divided into sections. NLBC was place in section number two, which included: Glassy Mountain, Pleasant Hill, Double Springs, Enoree, and Bethuel Baptist Churches." (1)
1862-1863
Membership: "The years of 1862 and 1863 did not show too great a lose or gain; 105." (1)
1864
Membership: "A great revival swept through the church. There was hardly a home in the community that was not affected. Many church member were stirred; many redirected their lives to the Lord. All the phases of the work felt the result of this great spiritual emphasis in 1864. Although many members were away in military service, and attendance at services sometimes was small, there were 35 baptisms reported." (1)
"This was the first year that the church reported having colored brethren as members. In this year there were 127 white members, and 16 colored members, making a total of 143. Many colored people lived and worked on the farms of members of New Liberty, and they were accepted into the membership. It was the common practice of most of the churches in the association to accept colored members by to list them as Colored when making their reports." (1)
"There are many years in the life of a church when sowing is necessary. To the public eye, it appears that the church is standing still, or may be looking backwards, but such is not always he case. One never knows the complete plane of God. He may use a pastor in a particular situation for a definite purpose, though that purpose may not be revealed fully to the pastor of the church. But sometime later God's purpose may be revealed in both." (1)
1865
Membership: "In the year 1865, there were no reported additions 123 members." (1)
Pastor: "Rev S. T. Dill; 1865-66, 92-93; "very little is known of this ministry. God used him though, to help the organization to weather the closing days of the Civil War." (1)
1866-1867
Pastor: "Rev C. M. Philips 1866-67
Membership: "The total membership stood at 97." (1)
Church Discipline: "In 1867, 35 were excluded for various reasons, the major problem appearing to be non-church attendance. The Civil war was over, and the people appeared to slip back into their old routine." (1)
Association: "In the year 1866, Brother Enoch Cunningham was elected to the executive committee of the association and served with zeal and fervency for the Lord." (1)
"In 1867 NLBC was transferred from district number two to district number one in the association. Other churches in this district were Marietta, Lima, Middle Rive, North Fork, Saluda, and Enoree Baptist Churches." (1)
1868-1869
Pastor: Rev. Stephen Powell; "poor health." (1); Rev. James Runion 1868
Membership: "There was a total of 67 whites and 6 colored, making a grand total of 73." (1)
1870-1871
Pastor: "Rev. M. R. Smith: 1870-1872. "Lay preacher; Sunday School was organized." (1)
Membership: 1870: "Whites 107; colored 6; total, 107." 1871 the total membership was as follows; Whites 108; colored 4; total 112." (1)
Sunday School: "In 1871 New Liberty organized a Sunday School. Proudly she reported to the association a flourishing school. The number of teachers or members was not given." (1)
1872
Pastor: Rev N. Smith 1872-1875.
Membership: "in 1872, following closely upon the organization of the Sunday School work in the Church, 27 were received into the church by baptism and six by letter. Total membership as follows: Whites, 137; Colored, 4. Total 141." (1)
1973
Membership: "During the year 1873 their was a national panic when people found that their spending dollar had dropped in value. People turned to the Lord in their hour of need and a great interest was shown in the Sunday School work. These together led to a spirit for revival in the church. Total membership; White 140. (1)
1874
Membership: "The year 1874, was a sowing year. The value received cannot be placed on record. Total 130. (1)
1876
Pastor: Rev A.D. Bowers 1875-1876 & Rev John A. Dill 1875-1878; "The church for the first time in its history began to have service twice a month. Previously the services wee conducted once a month. He did not mind so much the fact that half of his congregation stayed on the outside of the church during the preaching servicers. The men had adopted the practice of remaining on the outside in order to talk and to whittle. Brother Dill would complete his service inside, step down from the pulpit, and proceed to the front door. There he would preach to the men who and remained on the outside during the services. This practice soon led the men to enter and remain inside during worship hours." (1)
Rev John Alberry Dill, son of Mr C,P, and Mrs Dorcas Dill of this city, died at his residence near Belleview Post Office 14 miles above the city, at 3 o'clock on Monday morning last, Sept 19th. He was about 46 years of age. When the war broke out in 1860, he entered the Confederate service, and made a faithful solider for four years, receiving a slight wound, at the Battle of Seven Pines. After the surrender of General Lee's army, he returned home and soon thereafter married he eldest daughter of William McKinney, Sr. Esq., who survives him. In early manhood he joined the Baptist church and about 1871, was ordained to the Gospel Minster. As a pastor of Enoree and New Liberty Churches, he did much good, and his death will cause a vacancy. Mr Dill was confined to his room four weeks with a affliction with the lung Beside his widow, four sons, and three daughters survive him. The remains of he decease were to have been buried at New Liberty at 11 o'clock conducted by Rev Thomas Dill. This obituary was dated September 21, 1887.
When Dill pastored New Liberty, there was a problem with men standing outside chatting whittling while their wives and children were inside for the service. It has been said that Dill would preach, then walk outside and preach to the men, too. Soon the men started going inside to worship with their family. (2)
Family members told us that Rev Dill broke ice to baptize and later get sick and died. (RTB)
Sunday School: "During the year of 1876, the Sunday School program among the churches of the association was on the decline. But this year marked the organization of a Sunday School Association for the Greenville County. J. A. Dill, Pastor at New Liberty, was placed on the committee to represent this Church. New Liberty reported a Sunday School consisting of two male and two female teachers and 33 scholars. H. E. Robinson was the Sunday School superintendent and J. G. Talley the secretary." (1)
General Information: "in 1876 the church reported a library containing 100 volumes. Then from year to year they reported additional volumes being added." (1)
1878
Membership: "In 1878, there appeared to be a great spiritual harvest. The church had increased its preaching services to twice a month. An increase in attendance at all service was noted, and the Church was blessed tremendously. 14 were received by baptism." (1)
Sunday School: " In 1878, the associational leaders were still trying to get many churches to engage in teaching of God's Word in the Sunday School. The following is quoted from the Sunday Scholl Report to the association that year; "Had we a trumpet voice its sound should be . Come to the Sunday School." New Liberty reported a very good school in progress, with 7 teachers and 73 scholars. The school was a blessing to the church and the community. Brother D. B. Talley was the superintendent and Annie w. Nicoll was the secretary." (1)
1879
Association: "The spirit of the times of 1879 can be sen from the minutes of the association. A certain church had a difference of opinion within her membership, and a part of the membership withdrew fellowship and organized a new church. When this new church made application to the association for membership, a committee was appointed it investigate. After much prayer, and counseling,the two churches, guided by the Holy Spirit agreed to surrender al unkind feelings, and in love of Christ to unite again in church fellowship and Christian work. The above is quoted from the Minutes of the Greenville Association, 1878." (10
1880
Pastor: Rev T.F. Nelson; "During 1880 a great revival swept through the Church." (1) Paid pastor with poundings (2)
Membership: "In 1880, 29 were received by baptisms...147 members were reported" (1)
Sunday School: "The associational leaders were still trying to get other churches to adopt the Sunday School program in their churches. An excerpt from the annual associational report for the yea is as follows: "An opponent of Sunday School instruction would be looked upon as an ecclesiastical Rip Van Winkle." from the Minutes of the Greenville Baptist Association, 1880)." (1)
