From the church website: Elim Baptist Church was constituted in the summer of 1870 about two miles north of Egypt. A man of great influence and social leader in the community brought about a split in the church at Oliver (Little Ogeechee Baptist) over the use of an organ in their song services. Dr. A. B. Lanier organized Elim Baptist Church because of this issue. He and others who favored the use of an instrument left the Little Ogeechee Baptist Church and founded Elim Egypt Baptist Church. The first church building was erected in 1871. After the rift over the organ was healed, Elim Baptist and Little Ogeechee joined together in a union Sunday School from 1874-1876. In 1902 Elim changed its name to Elam Egypt and moved to the Egypt community. By 1902 the Egypt community was growing… There was also a 17-room hotel, two grocery stores, a post office, and a train deport. The present sanctuary was built in 1902 and the same year a pump organ was given to the church.
I grew up in that church. Vacation Bible school, Sunday school, Church, singing in the youth choir, Sunday evening youth program. We had a good many youth at that time. We had a teen group and Bob Brinson and his wife Joan did a lot of things with us. We had spaghetti dinners and chicken dinners at the old school house in Egypt to raise money for the youth group. Our biggest trip was to Six Flags over Georgia. Some of the group were from the Smith, Edwards, Hall, Roundtree, Futch, and Gunby families. This was between 1967- 1970 years. My Sisters and I were baptized there. What fond memories of that church and All of the people that attended there.
I attended Sunday School and Vacation Bible School in this church.
My Grandmother Mattie Carroll Fryar Dutton played the old pump organ that use to sit in the vestibule of the church. It was donated by my Grandfather Thomas Absalom Dutton to the church. For a long time there was a small plaque on the front stating this.
My Grandfather was a deacon.
I spent many summers with my grandparents in Egypt. I came up from Jacksonville Florida. There was a character named Carroll Dutton who was a friend of my grandfather. He taught me how to ride a bicycle and shoot my grandfathers .410 shotgun. He always told folks he was from Egg Wipe Georgia… since that is what it looks like if you have a sense of humor, what a character. He came down to Florida and worked on my grandfathers tugboat here in Jacksonville. I still have the compass off of that old tug when they scraped her… lots of memories from Egg Wipe!
Just looking back at these comments. That man names Carroll Dutton was my Uncle. He was the son of Thomas Absalom Dutton/Mattie Carroll Fryar.
They lived on what was then called Dutton Lane where you can see the old house through the trees from the old Foy Cemetery which was land from my Great Great Grandfather George Foy, whose grave site is also
pictured in this group of pic on Egypt. In 2013 the old house was still
standing but in sad shape. Have you any old photos or history of the area.
Jackie Monson Purdy. Union City, CA
These are all from Effingham co. I am the pastor at Elam Egypt Baptist Church. Thanks for remembering us with your photos
I am not sure if you were the Pastor I spoke with when we were in Savannah, back a couple years ago. We visited the church and spoke with
a lady there, we later spoke on the phone. I mentioned that I had remembered that my Mother had said that she thought there was a grave
yard for those who had worked on the old Foy/Dutton home just past
the cemetery. Looking from the back of the house it would have been
straight back. I think we talked about how now they are able to find old
graves. Just a thought. Jackie Purdy
My wife and I were married in this church on 9-20-86, my fateher in law served as deacon there for many years until his death in 12-08
Beautiful and stately old church – similar to what are found throughout our great State.
Thanks for all your kind comments, Tom! Glad you are enjoying Vanishing South Georgia…
I don’t think I can even get enough of these churches. Thanks.