REF., Caldwell Parish in Slices
Beginning a Brief History of Caldwell Parish, La.
1838-1971
by H. Ted Woods
Claitor's Publishing Division
Baton Rouge 
1972
pages 79 and 80

CATAHOULA CHURCH OLDEST IN AREA

  The oldest Baptist church in this area is the old Catahoula Baptist 
Church, located just west of Enterprise, in a community not too far 
from the Caldwell Parish line.  Its history begins long before the 
Civil War, and since that time there have been many parish citizens 
affiliated with it as members. 
  In 1822 Henry Humble Sr., emigrated from Mississippi, Amite County, 
and settled on the Ouachita River near Duty Ferry in Catahoula Parish.  
He was among the first settlers in this region. The few citizens scattered 
over a large district of country, gave themselves up to the savage life 
that belonged to the frontier.  Under such circumstances, it required 
strong faith and fervent love of souls to undertake to plant the standards 
of Christianity in this wilderness, which were flowing enterprising from 
the older states.
  Henry Humble, although at an advanced age being born in 1765 began 
to gather scattered neighbors together and with the hand of John Hill, 
a licensed preacher, preached to them the gospel of peace.
  In 1826 the Catahoula Baptist Church was constituted by Henry Humble, 
Sr., and Elder John Impson, with seven members. This was the first church 
in this section of the country. Shortly after this church enjoyed revival 
season and twenty members were added to the church by Baptism. Henry 
Humble, who has many descendants in Caldwell Parish today, served as 
pastor of the church until his death on October 29, 1829, on his return 
from the annual meeting of a Baptist Association in St. Landry Parish. 
His death occurred near Pollock. After this church began to decline due 
to the fact that other churches were being formed out of the membership 
of the church, among these being Old Bethel Baptist Church, located four 
miles west of Clarks, in 1831, being the second oldest church in the area; 
the Jerusalem Baptist Church, organized in 1837, Aimwell in 1839 and Old 
Union Baptist Church in Ward 9, in 1842.
  At the time that Old Bethel Church was established, the Baptist churches 
in the area were members of the Louisiana Baptist Association, but two 
years later the Concord Baptist Association was organized and the churches 
in the area became members. Sometime later, the local churches were 
affiliated with the Ouachita Baptist Association.  at the 1850 meeting 
of that association, Rev. Thomas Meredith declared that the Mt. Pleasant 
Baptist Church which he had organized in 1844, was no longer a member 
of the association. He the called a convention, at which those who 
sympathized with him forced an anti-missionary association at Pilgrim 
Rest Church, September 10, 1851. The new association did not prosper 
and finally became extinct. Meredith returned from his wanderings and
Acknowledged the Articles of Faith of the Palestine Baptist Association. 
After some time the local churches of Baptist faith again became 
affiliated with the Ouachita Baptist Association, and two parish ministers,
who were brothers, Rev. Thomas Humble and Rev. L. N. Humble, were long
time officials.