Pine Log Methodist Church, Campground, and Cemetery - Rydal , GA
Posted by: 
Sprinterman
N 34° 20.935 W 084° 43.520
16S E 709218 N 3803188
Located GA 140, W of US 411, Rydal, Ga.
Waymark Code: WM2RX3
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 12/16/2007
Views: 119
This church is home to hundreds of local residents who attend and maintain this historic place. The grounds feature a large number of wooden structures used for camp meetings of the type typical in much of the Old South. The church is very active with something going on almost every day. The old Cemetery started in about 1850 honors the people and families of the area who contributed so much to development of modern day north Georgia. The campgrounds take you back to days gone by but are still used today. One interesting story about the days of camp meetings in the sweltering Georgia summer comes from an article written by The Rev. Frank Logue on his website (
visit link) The story is as follows:
Pine Log, Georgia where in August of 1886, the Reverend J.N. Sullivan preached a revival during a sweltering week-long series of meetings. He preached fervently, but the congregation just did respond. The people there that last day later remembered well how the preacher fell to his knees and prayed, “Lord, if it takes it to move the hearts of these people, shake the ground on which this old building stands.”
The words were barely out of his mouth—I did tell y’all these two stories are true, right. Anyway, Sullivan had barely finished his prayer when the building shook so forcefully that all inside felt it. The congregation remembers seeing the preacher’s water pitcher and glass of water shake on the pulpit.
The reaction was immediate, intense and sustained. The congregation rushed to the altar to pray. A few fanned out to spread the word and others from nearby homes joined those already in the church. The worshippers prayed through the night. The next day, news reached Pine Log of a major earthquake in Charleston, South Carolina. It was shock waves from that earthquake that shook Pine Log Methodist. But knowing the cause did not shake the faith of those awakened by the revival. The church remained filled with religious fervor. Attendance and contributions gained and stayed up, camp meetings resumed and a new, larger church was built, which Victoria, Griffin and I have visited. The zeal reawakened by the earthquake remained strong.