Documenting the American South Logo
Excerpt from Oral History Interview with Geraldine Ray, September 13, 1997. Interview R-0128. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

Regular church attendance seen as family tradition

Geraldine and J.T. Ray attended a church in Barnardsville regularly for decades, though it only met twice a month. She believed in attending church as a tradition instilled in her from childhood.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Geraldine Ray, September 13, 1997. Interview R-0128. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

KELLY ELAINE NAVIES:
So, one of things that I wanted to ask you about that I haven't touched on yet, is religion. All this time when you were growing up were you attending church regularly?
GERALDINE RAY:
Yes, every Sunday that we had it - bein out there in a rural area, Reverend Hamilton was the pastor and he'd come I think two Sundays out of a month.
KELLY ELAINE NAVIES:
The Hamilton that married you?
GERALDINE RAY:
Yes, so see he knew me from a child and he also knew J.T. from a child.
KELLY ELAINE NAVIES:
So, he'd come out to Barnardsville two Sundays out of a month. Where would he preach at?
GERALDINE RAY:
In the church, we had a little wooden church . . . real small little church.
KELLY ELAINE NAVIES:
What was the name of it?
GERALDINE RAY:
Uh, was it Mountainview; I think it was Mountainview. It was mountain - something.
KELLY ELAINE NAVIES:
So, basically you guys only attended church two times.
GERALDINE RAY:
Oh well we went other places to church . . . we went to Mars Hill Church, come out here if they had something. When we'd get a way.
KELLY ELAINE NAVIES:
So, did you consider yourself a very religious person when you were growing up?
GERALDINE RAY:
No, not really. That was just something you done. You went to church, you went to church and uh you 'bide accordingly. See, the older folks didn't play with you like the young folks. When you went to church, you went and stayed all day. You was there for Sunday School, you was there for service, then you was back at 2:00 or 3: 00, then you was back [in church] at night. So, you were in Church. You didn't get up and run out like children do now. You went there and you stayed. You went out, they'd get a switch and come and get you. That's just the way it was.