In today’s edition of The Newport Plain Talk readers will find a new, full-color publication titled “Faith,” a Cocke County church directory compiled with the assistance of the churches that are included. Faith has a long history in our community and there is nobody better to write about that than our own Eddie Walker.
Faith of fathers, Holy faith … Readers will recognize those words from an old hymn which focuses on the spiritual foundation which was built for us by our ancestors beginning centuries ago. While all men and women throughout the years have not had to deal with dungeons, fires and swords as did the first soldiers of the cross, the present spiritual life of a community is the result of their works, their paths of faith of which have not always been peaceful and smooth.
The first Spanish and English explorers and settlers to this country came under the flag of a sovereign and a country, as well as the banner of the church. As the population moved from the coastal regions westward into the wilderness, their faith along with their varied doctrines came with them.
In this region of the Appalachians, William Bean, the first permanent settler, was in present-day Washington County in 1769, and by the late 1770s there were churches in that area, Baptist and Presbyterian. Circuit-riding missionaries of various faiths passed through the area, sowing seeds of faith among the people.
Settlement began in what is now Cocke County in 1783, and the first church was organized here on Dec. 6, 1787, and was constituted as “the Baptist society on Big Pigeon River.” Although not right on the banks of the river as it first was, for 237 years this church has spread God’s word and still functions today.
The 1780s saw Methodist missionaries in the area. The first Methodist church, Pine Chapel, was established in 1786 in adjoining Jefferson County near Swansylvania, but there were no churches in Cocke County until 1814 when Zion Church was established in Old Newport and Oven Creek north of Parrottsville.
Other local churches with long histories are Clay Creek Baptist (1828), Del Rio [Big Creek] Baptist (1832), Newport [Pisgah] Presbyterian (1833), Pleasant Grove Baptist (1838), Union Baptist (1844) and Salem Lutheran (1844).
The years saw more churches established and other denominations arrived. Now the religious fabric of Cocke County includes churches of several Baptist denominations (Primitive, Missionary, Free-Will and Independent), United Methodists, Global Methodists, Lutherans, Disciples of Christ, Church of Christ, Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, several Pentecostal denominations (Church of God, Assembly of God, Holiness), AME Zion, Seventh Day Adventist, Latter Day Saints as well as non-denominational and community churches.
Cocke County churches generally have been known for their spirit of cooperation with one another. Yes, there have been different theologies, doctrines and practices. Most realized that all were worshiping the same God, and congregations rarely publicly criticized any others. In the early years of present-day Newport, Pisgah Presbyterian was the only church building and was used by all denominations for a Union Sunday School and preachings on alternate Sundays. More recently, the Roman Catholics and Episcopalians shared the same building for 14 years.
We hope you enjoy this special edition of “Faith,” our Cocke County church directory.
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