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Members keep New Bethel strong
by LaToya Mack Sutton, Wake Weekly Staff Writer
Sadie Purvis joined New Bethel Baptist Church in 1939. She was just 11 years old.
Her family has a long history at the Rolesville church and in the community. Purvis' grandmother, born in 1852, was 13 when the slaves were freed. Two years later, New Bethel had its beginnings. Freedom to worship Blacks worshiped along with whites at Rolesville Baptist Church until after the Civil War in 1864. New Bethel Baptist Church was founded in 1867 by freed slaves who wanted a church of their own. Nineteen black men and women met on the fourth Sunday in April 1867 at a place called Temperance Hall, which was south of Rolesville Baptist Church on the other side of Rolesville Road. The first church was built that year on land donated by Isham Young, a white man. The first church was a log structure across the street from the present-day church. Deacons from Rolesville Baptist Church helped build the sanctuary. The first church was called Second Baptist or Colored Baptist Church. Getting religion Purvis, born in Martin County, began attending New Bethel with her grandmother when her father moved the family to Rolesville after her mother died in 1930. One of Purvis' early memories includes going to revivals during the daytime with her grandmother. Adults usually went to the revivals at night, she said. Revivals were always held the third week in September, Purvis said. Baptisms took place on the fourth Sunday in September. Purvis joined New Bethel during one of those revivals. She and her sister, Purvis said, decided they would "wait until the end of the week to get religion so we could go to the whole revival." Pearlene Dunn "confessed Christ" when she was 14. She and all the other candidates for salvation were lined up on the front pew at church. "I was baptized on a cold day in September 1949 in Blackmon Pond," Dunn said. Purvis and Dunn said they had to change their wet clothes in a tobacco barn near the pond after baptism. Dunn said somebody stole her shoes when she was baptized. Ice cream and barbecue Purvis' father, Walter S. "Babe" Young, was one of the deacons in the church's early days. He served for 50 years and was chairman of the deacon board. Young was also the church treasurer, but they didn't collect much money in the farming community, Purvis said. "There were Sundays when they didn't raise $5, but somehow they kept the church going," Purvis said. Purvis' aunts used their talents in the kitchen to raise money for the church's needs. Her aunt, Corinna Young, sold homemade ice cream at 5 cents a cone to buy the church's first communion set. Another aunt, Alvorada Young, sold barbecue sandwiches, lemonade and chicken. "She would have socials (once a month) on Fridays," Purvis said. "Whatever money was made, she turned it over to the church." Alvorada also organized New Bethel's first usher board. Good ol' days New Bethel's older members light up with joy when they talk about the "good ol' days." For them church was a fun, exciting place to be. "We only had church one Sunday in the month," Dunn said. "I just couldn't wait to get to New Bethel." Though Dunn's family lived near Zebulon, the family's nine children traveled to church in a wagon until their dad got a Model T Ford. The children enjoyed watching the adults during church. Ann Parks' grandmother Eliza Dunn had the youngsters tickled when she praised God. "When we were children, she would get to shouting in church," Parks said. "She would run from one side to the other. One time she got to shouting and (Parks') mama said, 'Mama has got one of the biggest white handkerchiefs.'" Parks said they found out that the handkerchief her grandmother had was one of Parks' old diapers. Church wasn't all fun for children. They were expected to learn scripture and be involved in the service. All of the children learned a Bible verse in Sunday school. On children's day, all the young people recited a speech. Parks said children were taught that, even though they could enjoy church, there were limits to what was acceptable in the house of the Lord. "I felt (the church) is a sacred place," Parks said. "You don't play. That's the respect you had for it." Parks said she wishes she could see more of that today. "I don't know, but there's just something different," she said. "I wish we could get back to the teaching of our children." Winds of change Purvis left Rolesville in 1952 and moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked with the Lebanese Embassy. She moved to New York in 1955. Things at New Bethel changed a lot before Purvis moved back to Rolesville in 1990. "When I left New Bethel, we had one choir. When I came back, they had five," Purvis said. "They had guitars, pianos -- the whole bit." New Bethel is making sure the younger members never forget their church's and their people's roots. The church has Heritage Day each year on the third Sunday in February. Members dress up in the clothes worn long ago and bring in things most young people don't get a chance to see everyday -- like irons that had to be heated on the stove, straightening combs and wash pots. Remembering the past is something people need to do, Purvis said. "It lets you know where you come from," she said. "You have no idea where you're going unless you know where you come from." As a people and a church, New Bethel has come a long way. The congregation has grown to nearly 500 members. Pastor Lenwood Long Sr. said every year the church honors the former slaves who just wanted a place of their own to worship. "It hasn't always been this way. We've come from disgrace by grace," Long said. "Every anniversary we make mention of (the church founders.) We thank God for their leap of faith."
Last Updated On: February 2, 2006
Copyright 2006 The Wake Weekly