Friendship Baptist (Wilkes County, Ga.)

Friendship Baptist and its picturesque, intriguing, 19th century graveyard rests alone on a grassy knoll set back from a winding country road. The church and cemetery rise alone out of the field with no nearby neighbors. There is no paved drive or dirt tracks to this gaunt but still proud church. There are no signs of visitors, no dead flowers on graves, no outside signs of painting or maintenance of any kind in recent years. But, the structure is still sound, the grounds clear of weeds and debris, the cemetery in remarkably good though well-worn condition. Friendship Church is listed as "presently inactive." The interior is in relatively good shape, has its original lovely primitive pews, the windows and doors are sound, there are obvious signs of cleaning and attention and, clearly, the church, grounds and cemetery are being cared for by someone. Because it has been inactive for some time, records concerning its past are sketchy. The church began as an arm of Clark's Station Baptist in January, 1826 and that on May 7, 1831 it was constituted with 33 members, 12 of whom were black. The size and quality of the present structure indicate that it did at one time prosper. The last known Deacon from the mid 1970's was Lonnie C. Moon.