Besides Brother Mason, other early ministers of the church included Virgil Y. Wood and Joseph Green (or Greer). By 1884 the church had 60 members with monthly preaching by Brother V.Y. Wood, property valued at $400, a Sunday School with an enrollment of 40. Thomas P. Clark was the presiding elder.
Reverend Brown was the minister in 1890, and Green Owen was the minister in 1896. J.D. Woods was minister from 1898 through 1901.
The church originally stood by the Bethlehem Cemetery, located on the old Batesville-Searcy Road that followed east of Little Red River until crossing at Beal’s Ferry north of Searcy.
In 1915 the church moved to its present location, at which time the name was changed from Bethlehem to Bethel Grove.
Christian Standard, January 12, 1935, p. 45
Christian Yearbook, 1885
Goodspeed, p. 125
Christian Yearbook, 1897
Christian Yearbook, 1889 & 1900, 1901, 1902
For additional information,visit www.bethelgrove.org on the Internet. The church’s address is 2956 Highway 157, Judsonia, AR 72081.