Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1840
Ebenezer means “stone of help”believed to have come from the stone set up by Samuel after the defeat of the Philistines. Samuel 7:12
The old Ebenezer Church was back down a lane in the woods and is long gone. There were three cemeteries close to the old church one white, one black and one unidentified.
Camp Meetings
The early settlers brought with them their Bibles , faith and their love for the camp meetings (early revivals as we know them now).
Old Ebenezer would be the site of the Presbyterians*, Old Salem Church at Cotton Grove was the location of the Methodist and later the grounds at Church of Big Springs was the site of the Baptist. Later the grounds of the Big Black Creek Church at Denmark. ( need more verification on this)
* In 1833 was the largest camp ever held at Ebenezer the preacher sent by the missionary board was Dr Alexander McNutt assisted by Alexander Campbell . In an article in 1833 it was said scores and scores were saved the blessings were abundant. The hymn that sung was “Who so ever will may come”
Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church was moved to Mercer when the railroad came to Mercer ,1901. The ministers were on a circuit 1st and 3rd were the Baptist, the 2nd and 4th were the Methodist the 5th the Presbyterian. Now they would attend Bible study (Sunday school) at their church .Then go to the church if they wanted a minister . It was reported most people of all faiths would attend Sunday Worship services no matter what preacher was preaching.
Soon the togetherness turned into separate services doctrines were doctrines after all.
Now I am going to the other extremes looking into Doggeries (early saloons) there were none in Mercer but they were in Denmark.
HistoryandstoriesoftheHatchieRiver 