Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church is a true original

Bob Meyers

Columnist

The Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Milton is one of the oldest churches in North Georgia. A bubbling spring across the dirt road from the church had the appearance of boiling water and contributed to the church’s name. For many years baptisms were made in a baptistry beside the spring. Sometimes the church members would fill buckets with water and take them to the church to drink during the services. Twice a year they would pour water from the spring into basins in the church to wash each other’s feet during communion services.

Following a split in the Baptist community in 1832, four men and six women from different churches created the first Primitive Baptist Church in north Georgia in 1837. A City of Milton historical marker by the entrance to the Sanctuary is testimony to the uniqueness of this small country church.

The group’s first worship sessions were held in a log house. After the Civil War a frame house replaced the log structure. It was rebuilt following a cyclone in 1937. In October 2020 a huge oak tree fell on the fellowship building cutting it in half during tropical storm Zeta. Thanks to support from members and other Primitive Baptist Churches, the building was restored quickly.

The ancient church cemetery is on a lovely hilltop above the church. There are approximately 618 gravesites in the cemetery according to the Find a Grave website. Many pioneer family members are buried there such as Cagle (46 gravesites), Phillips (42 gravesites), Cook, Dinsmore, Day, Holcomb, Nix and Neese.

The church is a member of the “Little River Association” a group of Primitive Baptist Churches from the local area. The association meets twice a year. The Milton church hosted a meeting in April of this year. Member churches include the Union Primitive Baptist Church in Roswell, Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church in Sandy Springs, and the Shoal Creek Primitive Baptist Church in Canton.

Pastor Randall Cagle has been with the church since his birth. He says “the church was the first place I was carried to after my birth.” A retired Fulton County fireman, Randall was ordained in 1987 and pastored in several

Primitive Baptist Churches prior to becoming pastor in Milton in 2020. He explains that the church’s lineage comes through the Anabaptists, not the Reformation, unlike some Baptist denominations. The Anabaptists originated in the 1520s in Europe. They believed that baptism should be reserved for adults who could make reasoned decisions about matters of faith. They believe in simple living and acts of service, and they emphasize community including worship where all family members meet together. Acapella singing plays an important role in their weekly services. Boiling Springs participates in Communion and feet washing services twice a year as was performed during the Last Supper in the Bible. Pastor Cagle’s favorite saying is that after the destruction of the fellowship hall in 2020 “we didn’t bounce back, we bounced forward.” Bouncing forward is the church’s guiding principle today.

Randall Cagle is not the first member of his family to serve as Pastor. His father Edward Cagle (1927-2018) was the pastor for 20 years until his death. For information on the church please go to www.boilingspringpbc.org or call 770- 630-7150.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.