Organized in 1873, is a small body of very poor churches, located in Jackson county. There were a few rich slaveholders in said county, among whom was the Rev. Charles Roach, Sr. On his plantation there were three preachers, one Methodist and two Baptist. The Baptist preachers were Thomas and Perkins. Like many other ex-slaves, they retained the name of their master, and became known as Revs. Thomas and Perkins Roach. Rev. Robert Caver, at an early date after the close of the war, came into the county a Baptist preacher. These men became the organizers of the work in this county. The county is no longer so full of colored people as once it was, and hence the churches are very small and can’t support their pastors. Revs. James Larkin, Lewis Roach, T. J. Roach, Lewis Henshaw, F. Cobb, C. L. Lovelady, J. W. Robinson are doing what they can to keep up the work but they labor under great difficulties. It is the purpose of some to attempt to establish a school at Hollywood. If this project should mature there is a prophecy of better conditions in time to come. MUSCLE SHOALS ASSOCIATION Is among the largest and oldest Associations in the State, having been organized in 1869 by Revs. Henry Bynum, Wm. Coleman and W. E. Northcross, aided by Dr. Joseph Shackelford (white), of Trinity. I was with them as they met in the session of 1893 in the Courtland Church. In 1827, a Mr. D. P. Bestor, a white minister, preached in this section and began the work of organizing among the whites. I was told that the white church, constituted in Courtland in 1827, had long passed away and that of their building “one stone was not left upon another.” Only the vacant church lot remained to tell of what had been. The white people were gone we knew not how nor whither, but that the gospel which they had preached was blooming like a green bay tree in the hearts of their ex-slaves, this large Association was tangible evidence. The Rev. John Belle reminded his brethren that the time had been when he was the only man in the body who could write and when committees went out to consult and agree, and then returned to submit verbal reports, which he as clerk was expected to formulate. He compared this state of things with the present condition, wherein the _writer_ was the _rule_ and the _non_-writer the _exception_. This body is noted for church building. The people in Huntsville and Sheffield owe their buildings to the plan and liberality of this Association. The Rev. Paul Jones, for many years their moderator, was full of missionary zeal and wise plans, and pushed things in all directions. His death caused them a great loss.