THE EUFAULA ASSOCIATION.
Organized in 1867, is perhaps the oldest Colored Association in Alabama. Its chief founders were: Revs. William McCoo and Jerry Shorter, and Deacons J. E. Timothy, of Eufaula, and Byrd Day, of Glennville. This body is peculiarly organized on some lines. For example: Their Sunday School work is divided into districts, which districts, under their several leaders, hold so many meetings a year at different centers of the population. A carefully prepared program is carried out, led on by certain persons who have been previously named and informed. And they have a preachers’ association.
POST OFFICES OF CHURCHES.
Eufaula, Clayton, Glennville, Hurtsboro, Lofton, Pittsboro, Midway, Hatchechubbee, Seale, Jerigan, Cowikee, Oatston, Oswichee, Coal Ridge, Louisville, Hawkinsville, Guerryton, Abbeville, Three-Notch, Enon, Cochran, Batesville. Eufaula is the leading point in the district.
LEADING MEN.
Revs. G. W. Webb, J. D. Maddox, Wm. Williams, James Peterson, L. F. O’Bryant, I. Bostic, N. Bostic, Eufaula.
Revs. W. R. Forbes, E. A. McCall, Columbus, Ga.
Revs. Wm. Pattrick, E. P. Pattrick, Wm. Blakely, Clayton.
Rev. J. Q. A. Wilhite, Selma.
Revs. J. H. Upshaw, T. H. Mitchell, Hatchechubbee.
Revs. A. A. Rivers, J. J. Young, Midway.
The author has been unable to obtain the post office address of the following names: Revs. S. Allen, R. H. Wright, T. Thomas, C. H. Ammons, P. Shorter, J. Torbert, M. Davis, P. Battle, G. W. Moore, L. B. Mitchell, R. Turpin, P. Johnson, E. R. Joseph, E. Crawford. For several years Rev. L. P. Foster has been the missionary for this body.
Bro. Byrd Day, a pioneer in this part of the State, relates the following interesting story: “As I could read in the days of slavery, and as the people on the place wanted to know the sayings of God, as they called the Bible, they bought me a Bible and got me to read for them. We slaves were allowed night farms in those days. An acre or so of land was given to each person wanting to work at night. Well, in order that I might study the Bible, the other slaves on the place worked my patch for me. So I studied the book and read it to them.”
The writer once spent a month in Eufaula giving Bible instruction to ministers, and was paid by the “Ministers’ Association.”