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Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church & Graveyard |
Cemetery Records, Courtesy of Richard M. Livingston, Sept. 13, 1985
Arranged by Spessard Stone
Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church was founded in 1871 in the Chicora community. There have been three churches at its site, located at the end of Bethlehem Road, about four miles west of SR 37. Bethlehem Road is 4 3/4 miles south of the railroad crossing at Bradley Junction on SR 37 in Polk County, Florida. The first church, a log building, burned in a woods fire in the early 1900s. Services were then held under a brush arbor until the second log church was constructed. The present concrete block church was erected in 1958.
Ray Albritton in Recollections of Time Gone By (1997), pages 71-72, wrote of the church: "The Primitive Baptist Church is sometimes called the 'Hardshell Church'...Bethlehem church was founded on the doctrine of Absolute Predestination...Fellowship and brotherly love are extremely important in the Primitive Baptist church. It is heart warming to see the pleasure that they get from being with one another. It is common for the men to embrace when greeting old friends. The practice of total immersion when baptizing is rigidly followed as is the old custom of washing one another's feet. There is never a collection plate passed in the church. There is a small table in front of the pulpit and if you choose, you may place an offering there. If you want to contribute to the preacher, he will accept your offering but you will never be asked to make a contribution."
Services are held on the fourth Sunday of each month with sacred heart sings every fith Sunday.
Bethlehem Memorial Cemetery, Inc. has set up a memorial trust fund to take care of the cemetery.
January 17, 2002