Photography by Gail Des Jardin
Bethany Presbyterian
Greene | Organized 1786
Bethany Presbyterian Church, organized in 1786 with 50 members, is one of the oldest Presbyterian congregations in Georgia’s backcountry. The first meeting place was a simple brush arbor, later replaced by a hewn-log building erected near the present site. Each member contributed logs and labor to construct it. Life on the frontier was still perilous, and during services, guards stood watch for potential attacks.
+ Continue readingAfter the turn of the 19th century, a more comfortable sanctuary was built, considered the finest country church in the Presbytery at the time. In 1872, it was replaced by the current sanctuary. Membership grew steadily, reaching 180 by 1880. Bethany was the site of a significant event in 1886, decades before the famous Scopes “Monkey Trial.” That year, Dr. James Woodrow, an uncle of future president Woodrow Wilson, was tried for heresy by the Presbytery of Augusta at Bethany Church. A highly educated man, Dr. Woodrow was the first professor in Georgia to hold a Ph.D. and later served as president of the University of South Carolina.
The controversy arose when Dr. Woodrow taught a form of Darwinian evolution that conflicted with a literal interpretation of Genesis. His accuser, Rev. Dr. William Adams, argued passionately against evolution, at one point humorously tracing the progress of life to a frog before declaring, “In some way or another this frog got ashore and that, brethren of this assembly, was the landing of your first ancestor.” Dr. Woodrow defended his views and was ultimately found not guilty. The trial remains a fascinating chapter in both religious and scientific history, illustrating the tension between faith and emerging scientific thought in the 19th century.
Today, Bethany Presbyterian continues to stand as a testament to the endurance of early Georgia congregations, preserving not only a place of worship but also a rich legacy of frontier faith, community effort, and historical significance.