County of church: Carroll County
Locaion of church: Carrollton-Villa Rica Hwy., NE of Carrollton, Sand Hill
Established: 1853
The church was locked, the marquee has nothing but the church name...no service times, etc. So, that leads me to believe this church is no longer active.
One historic source lists this church as a "Cme" church...why the small letters I am not sure. I believe this stands for Colored Methodist Church but, again, not sure.
IN Missouri the Black Methodists churches are identified as AME churches.
Below follows a letter I found, written in 1951, about the history of the church...is has many misspellings and lack, sometimes, of capital letters when they should be there...I copied exactly as they had it...the way a quote should be.
"History of Temperence [sic] Methodist Church.
"The Temperence Methodist Church located at Sand Hill, Ga.
in Carroll County, was organized about 1853.
"The people of that section organized a Temperence society
and erected a building for their meetings about 1840. This
was a two story building. It was in this building that the
Temperence Methodist church was organized. This building was
constructed of logs. bout 1880 this building was replaced by
a frame church on the same grounds. In those days the Temperence church experenced great revivals. Having great men as
their pastors.
"From 1883 to 1903 the Temperence church was served by
the following pastors: The Rev. S.U. Braswell, F.B. Smith,
J.M. Sewel, John Bruce Asst., W.J. Wood, S. W. Rogers,
J.M. Foller, Preston Braswell, A.G. Shankle, J.E. Russell,
R.C. Cleckle, J.D.L. Sawington, T.P. Graham and B.N. Tramuch.
"By 1903 the towm of Carrollton, seven miles away had
become a thringing towm. Many of the families of Sand Hill
moved away to Carrollton, leaving so few members at the Temperence Church that it was necessary to close the doors in 1903.
Since that time Sand Hill has grown into a nice sized community.
In 1950 the Temperence church was reopened by The Rev. James
w. Sells, Extensian Secretary of Rural Work in the Southeastern
Jurisdiction. At that time a class of members was received
into the Church.
"The building that was erected in 1880 is still standing.
A few good men kept the roof repaired. When the church was reopened it was painted on the outside and was re-ceiled.
"At the Conference of June 1951, Rev. Leroy Smith was
assigned pastor of the Temperence Church. During this
Conference year the church building has been recovered, a
new pulpit has been installed.
"Temperence church is a historical church. Having it's
beginning in a Temperence house. Mr. Carroll the man who
founded Carroll County was a charter member of the Temperence
church. His body is at rest in the cemetery near the church.
Signed, Sam James
Carrollton, Ga. R.F.D. 1
Chairman Historical Committee"