African American Music Culture

Chapter 4

CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS, AND WORSHIP PRACTICES

The culture, traditions, and worship practices of the Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church have endured over many years. A very traditional church family, having ‘dinner on the grounds’, revival, weddings, funerals, and different events have remained and made a lasting impression upon the culture of Piney Grove Church over the years.

A high point of the culture of the Piney Grove church was “having dinner on the ground.” This custom was as old as the Church itself. Often times the services lasted all day, one in the morning and a second in the afternoon. After the Civil War, most of the members lived at least a mile from the church, so it was more convenient to eat at church than travel home and return for the second service. The women prepared enormous amounts of food transported in huge trunks. In the days of the horse and wagon, many members spread the food out on the back of the wagons and members moved from one wagon to the other enjoying food and friendship. When the church hosted the Fifth Sunday Singing Convention in July 1962, the members served dinner on the grounds. Church members now celebrate dinner on the grounds inside the church annex.

Revival was also a part of the culture. This special time of year has been traditional for as long as any of the elders remember. During revival, sinner and saint alike repented of their sins or renewed their vows to God. Neal Starling, Jr. (1930-2002) recalled revival when he was a young man:

"This was somewhere [sic] during the time of the late 30s and early 40s. Revival was usually held around June or July and I remember how it was a time for young and old to testify. Everyone would get up and tell what God had done for them. It didn’t matter how full the church was everyone stood to tell about the good news. When it was time to baptize the new converts, they were baptized at the creek named Pumpkin Creek, which was about one or two miles from the church. They didn’t have a baptizing pool on the church grounds in those days; [sic] that was why they went to the creek. [And] talking about a good time. It was really something else."

Once a convert decided to join the church, they were baptized. Baptisms were important to slaves because this represented a spiritual death, rebirth, and initiation was a memorable occasion for the slaves. Baptism was perhaps the most dramatic ritual in the slave’s religious life. Also important was the phenomenon of being slain in the Spirit, or shouting as the elders of the church sometimes refer to it. As to the origin of this behavior

Raboteau wrote:

"Ecstatic behavior, in the form of spirit of possession, is central to the liturgy of West

African peoples and their descendants in many parts of the New World. Slaves and ex-slaves sought and welcomed the presence of the Spirit, which moved worshippers to shout and dance not only during the special ‘seasons of revival’ but also, during church."

From 1834 to the 1920s, the baptism ceremony took place at a spring about one-fourth of a mile distance. In the late 1920s-1930s, the elders stopped maintenance around the spring and the congregation held the ceremony in Pumpkin Creek. During the late 1940s, the elders built a concrete pool directly behind the church, and in 2001, the church added an indoor pool for baptism.

Revival normally occurred in the month of July. The revival began on the Monday evening after the second Sunday in July. The minister for the week was customarily chosen by the pastor of the church and served revival for at least two years. It was also customary that the pastor and the guest minister of the week board with a deacon of the church during revival because of the long distance that the ministers often had to travel. During the pastorate of Reverend Chambers, in 1967 and 1968, a Reverend W. M. Upshaw of Eufaula, Alabama was the minister for the week. In July 1969, Reverend Wiggins of Phenix City, Alabama conducted the services. The main road leading to the church was not paved, and when it rained, the road was not passable. So, in July 1971, the annual revival was held at Big Bethel Free Will Baptist Church, located within the city limits of Cuthbert.

The church believed in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, but according to oral accounts and church records, there was only one church wedding ceremony that occurred September 18, 1981 when Reverend Willie D. Slaughter married Reverend Willie Ben Mathis and Lillie B. Johnson. Most parishioners married at the courthouse or at their homes. The remote location of the church no doubt played a significant role in the number of church weddings.

Funerals were also a part of the church culture. The church bell sounded when a neighbor of the Piney Grove Settlement or a member of the Piney Grove Church family died. On the day of the funeral, the church bell rang when the bereaved family approached the church. The church marshall directed the funeral processional. The only marshall that the Piney Grove ever had was a man named Otis Ben Starling. Once the family arrived, the undertaker or clergy led the bereaved family in prayer. The clergy, the pallbearers, and the bereaved family would enter the church in pairs and the family preceded according to the degree of kinship; for example, mother, father, brother, sister, and so forth. As the procession entered the church, the well-wishers and friends of the family, who were seated at the rear of the church, stood until all of the family members were seated. The clergy, commonly the minister who officiated read or recited Psalm 23. Usually, the bereaved family viewed the body as they moved toward their seats afterwards the congregation and/or choir would sing a song. A member of the clergy would then read a scripture from the Old and New Testament. Some funerals featured a solo or duet sung by one selected by the family.

Although Baptists believed in the tithe, members of the Piney Grove family have struggled with the issue. Many did not understand the reason behind tithing.

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings [sic]. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open up the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devour for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts."

Tithing was a Biblical principle in which a believer gave ten percent of his or her earnings to the church. Tithing placed one on the top rung of the giving ladder, representing the Old Testament admonition that God received time, talent, and treasure. Tithing provided the church with the opportunity to meet all institutional needs and to support to the fullest home and world missions.

When one member responded to a question about tithing she replied, “When I hear a preacher carry on about how blessed it is to give than receive, I run and hide with my pocketbook because I know all he wants is my money.” For an estimated 164 years of Piney Grove’s history, members paid dues. Some dues were as little as $.10 in 1962. Reverend Brown, asked about the origination of dues in the African American Missionary Baptist church, stated:

"Paying dues was mostly in the rural areas. Due to lack of education and knowledge, pastors from generations ago taught members to pay dues instead of the tithe. It has not been so long ago that pastors have been educated about the tithe and the importance of it in the financing of the church. It has been my observance that younger pastors are more willing to teaching [sic] tithing in the church."

The church operated for many years under the dues system and each ward collected dues from its members. The monies took the place of the tithe and paid the salary of the pastor. The members were divided into four to five wards and a junior ward. Each ward had a leader, and the leader had the responsibility to collect dues from their ward members. Ward leaders faithfully collected dues from their members’ and the pastor and deacons of the church encouraged them to demonstrate stewardship. In 1969, the weather had hindered the roads impassible, so church for that Sunday was not held. However, ward leaders did manage to go to each member’s home and collect dues. It was not until the pastorate of Reverend Marvin Brown that the members began to move slowly toward tithing.

The initial absence of tithing led to another sub-culture within Piney Grove Church referred to as programs. Over the years, Piney Grove implemented a number of programs each year. These programs were often used as fund raisers and an opportunity to fellowship with other churches within the area. Programs included the Pastor’s Anniversary, Youth Day, Men and Women Day, Black and White program, Christmas, and Easter.

The Pastor’s Anniversary normally occurred in February on the regular meeting Sunday. There were two sermons delivered on this Sunday. The pastor preached during the regular worship service, and an invited preacher of the minister’s choice to administer the evening service. The church also gave the pastor a monetary anniversary gift. Occasionally, the pastor’s immediate family received recognition with flowers and monetary gifts also.

The Youth Day program originated to celebrate the youth in the church family. This program was often put together by youth with direction from the Youth Director of the church. The youth participated in the entire program, and invited youth from other churches in the area. On most occasions, the pastor procured a preacher for the youth day message. However, there were occasions when the Youth Director would be in charge of obtaining a speaker. Not until the Brown pastorate did the church first celebrate its first annual youth revival. This ceremony began the week approaching the third Sunday of the month of during which the youth day program occurred. It often began for example on a Wednesday evening and lasted through Friday evening. The services began at approximately 7:30 p.m. each evening and the only difference between the Youth Revival and the Annual Church Revival was that the youth of the church and community were in charge of the services.

Deacon Eddie Starling suggested the first Men Day Program. Later Marjorie Allen suggested a Women Day Rally. Eventually the fellowship observed an Annual Men and Women’s Day Program and it was held during the month of October. The Men and Women’s Day program celebrated and highlighted the unity of the men and women of God. The program involved participation by men and women from other churches in the community. The Annual Black and White program emerged as a fund-raiser to benefit the Adult choir. Normally, the men wore black and the women white. The members of the choir each paid a “taxation” of twenty-five dollars or more as a part of this fundraiser. The monies raised provided for whatever the choir needed. The program began normally like any other event at the church: devotional exercises, scripture, prayer, a selection from the choir, a solo, a sermon by the pastor of the church or whoever was invited to speak, an invitation to discipleship, remarks, and then the benediction.

Also a part of the culture of the Piney Grove Missionary Baptist church was its meeting schedules. Like most rural churches, Piney Grove was basically a weekend operation. Worship services were held once a month. The meeting Sunday of Piney Grove has changed over the past 169 years. In 1877, the church met during the first Sunday and later changed in 1882 to the fourth Sunday of each month. It is not known exactly when the schedule changed to the third Sunday of each month. The worship service originally began at Noon. In 1999, the worship hour changed to eleven thirty am. In August 2003, the church began holding service each Sunday.

Piney Grove was a member of the Southwest Baptist Association which held a meeting in Cuthbert, Georgia, on October 4, 1877. The Southwest Baptist Association minutes reflected that the church had baptized sixteen, accepted two by letter, restored one, and excluded two members. There was a total of 63 members in all. In 1884, Piney Grove reported 16 members baptized, 6 restored, and 4 excluded. The membership for that year numbered 100. In 1885, Piney Grove reported having a total membership of 114. Unfortunately, there were no more records of the Piney Grove church within that association after 1885.

However, over 100 years later, Piney Grove joined another association called the Home Mission Association in 1973. The church remained in the association until 1986. The church decided to discontinue their membership in the association because some members felt that the association called for financial expenditures that did not benefit the church. The church did not join another association.

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