In 1988, The Centennial History of Hurricane, WV was published to commemorate the town’s 100th anniversary. The publication included the histories of 16 Hurricane area churches. This week’s selection is the 2nd of the church histories which were published in 1988.
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH
Submitted by Beaulah Foster Gibson
The Bethel Baptist Church, located on Big Hurricane Creek, approximately 3 1/2 miles north of the town of Hurricane, West Virginia, was organized July, 1869, having seventeen charter members, namely: Lucretia Gibson, Joe Sovine, George Leadman, Joe Smith, Edward Bailey, Asbury Wiley, John Harbour, Part Sovine, John Gibson, Bill Neal, Zan Neal, J.L. Foster, George Quarles, Mark Wooten, John Chapman, Thomas Gibson, and John Wooten.
The first church was a log building situated where the state road No. 19 is at this time.
The logs were cut and hauled by cattle and horse teams from the surrounding properties, by the residents.
The pews were made of large logs split into the middle, the logs were made by smaller pieces of wood. All of this was done by hand.
The property for this building was given by James (Jim) Gibson, a brother of the two of the charter members, John Gibson and Thomas Gibson.
The earliest recorded date of the established organization was in July of 1892, the listing of a business meeting and those in attendance at that time.
The present church building was built in 1903. This building was first erected parallel with Sleepy Creek, where it stood until 1953. As the population grew, it naturally became necessary to expand and improve the church facilities. It was the decision of the membership to move it to the back of the church property with the entrance facing the road where it now stands.
The doors have never been closed. It continues to provide a sacred sanctuary for the preaching of the Gospel and the furthering of the Lord’s work.
All these years it has been a lamp unto our feet, and a light to our pathway, to this and surrounding communities, and extends a welcome to whosoever will enter.
