As we were traveling with our cousins in the Sandy Hill region of Pembrokeshire, Don and I were pleasantly surprised at coming upon the Aenon Baptist Church. In one painting that I found, it is referred to by the artist as the Chapel at Sandy Hill.
The country Baptist church where I grew up and was baptized was not much larger than this one. When Don and I married we attended his family's church for 20 years or more. In 1982 we, along with our son, joined a large local Baptist church where we still worship and serve.
A Baptist church was built at Sandy Haven on the St. Ishmael's side of the water in 1814. It also served the people of Herbandston who, when the tide was low enough, crossed by the stepping stones. In 1877 this more accessible chapel was opened at Sandy Hill and is still in regular use.
The plaque set in the stones: "Aenon Baptist Chapel 1877." Aenon is a Greek word coming from a Hebrew term
ay-yin and meaning 'spring' or 'natural fountain' and is found only once in the bible. John 3:23 reads, "Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized."
Adjacent to the chapel and up a steep hill is the perfect spot for a small cemetery. Several headstones were quite weathered and difficult to read. As we left, we reflected upon our disappointment that we could not go inside the chapel. It was closed up tightly with no sign of anyone around.
No comments:
Post a Comment