Love this! I am a semi-retired Southern Baptist Pastor. I have been through the Cove three times over the years. Around 2012, I did a revival at Wears Valley Baptist Church and they allowed my wife and I to "vacation" for the week during the day. It was our last trip before my wife became ill. She passed away in 2015. I look forward to getting back there again. I love that place and I love these videos! Thank you Donnie!

The more I see of this modern life, the more I long for the old ways. How far we have strayed. Thank you Mr Donnie.

Not only is the history of Appalachia fascinating, but you are a expert story teller! Thank you so much Mr. Laws for making the history of Appalachia come alive.

I start by hitting the like button before I ever watch because I know it’s going to be good. Thank you sir for taking us with you.

I have been to the Primitive Baptist Church. I was moved to sit in a pew and give thanks for the faithful ones who served the Lord in that place. The baptisms made me cry - not many in my community getting baptized anymore. God, please help us.

Deeding the land over to God...how awesome! It was His, anyway! Beautiful old churches, each one sacred and sanctified. Thank you, Donnie.❤️

cades cove seems like it could be a little bit of heaven down here on earth. I like how they used a wood burner right inside the church to keep warm. lot of history behind them church’s. thanks for sharing Donnie

Loved the old churches usually visit them out in cades cove love the Appalachian history to them

I loved all these stories. The last church was my favorite with the deed to God. ❤

That was a lovely tour Donnie. I like how you ended the video showing the sweet baptisms in the creek. Your comment about how many people were saved in these old churches touched my heart.

Thank you Donnie. ❤️👍

I really enjoy going through old graveyards. I find it so fascinating and I always wonder about people’s lives. It’s as if you can hear the hymns floating out onto the grounds from the days of old.

Beautiful place thanks for sharing your videos

I thank you for passing these stories on, to keep the memories of the past alive.. God Bless You.

So beautiful Mr. Donnie. Sad to see churches lost to time. But comforting to see all those long gone people as an example for all of us. God Bless you Mr. Donnie. God Bless us all. 🙏🌎💜

Love the history of these churches. Thank you.

❤❤❤

Sir you never fail to warm my heart a bit. This is my neck of the woods and I miss it badly. Been through everyone of those churches

Thanks brother, I love the old churches, our church was built in 1958, been going there for 45 years.

The people of Appalachia, my people, they worked hard and they loved and worship God. There are little old churches here and one day I will meet them in heaven. Thanx for a beautiful video, of ever we needed Jesus we desperately need Him now. This world is a mess. God Bless Mr Donnie.

Thanks Donnie for sharing this great story about churchs of Great Smoky mountain.

You and your content suits me to the ground, Sir! Kindness, grace, respect, and yearning, warms and guides the troubled heart and soul. Thank you

What a wonderful tribute to these old churches. this is when people lived by the Laws of god in the bible. I Love that one was deeded to God the creator of all things. This was a wonderful story Donnie. Thank you friend for sharing this, sincerely, Louise

Thank you Donnie with your videos you help me find my family I am blown away it's been 50 years

I used to attend a very old church way out in the country. Our preacher had what was called a charge. He preached at three different churches on Sunday mornings. Services started at 9:00 am at the first church and continued throughout the morning until 12:00 noon at the last church. These three churches were not close to each other which meant the preacher had to travel very fast between services. People used to say that you needed to keep your eyes open for the preacher if you were driving on the connector roads. He drove like a "shine runner" back there in those woods. Such simpler time. What memories. Wonderful video Mr. Donnie. God bless.

I get lost in time EVERY time I go over there ... One of my Loves here in these Hills.... Thank you again Mr Donnie ❣️ ❤️&🙏

The cause of gentlemen like you Donnie history is gonna live for a long long time appreciate the stories love my history Thank you very much God-bless

My wife’s dad was born at metcalfe bottoms he was the youngest of seven. He a attended little green brier school. We’ve been back many times and would take her aunts and uncle’s her dad’s brothers and sisters her dad died when she was fourteen. I could listen to them for hours the only thing left is is a stone wall her grandpa built from river rock from the little river. I guess it was lucky for me the park moved them out or I would never have met my beautiful wife of 45 years . All the aunts and uncles are gone now but we still go back with our children and grandkids to show them where they come from and hopefully they will will do the same with their children when my wife and I are gone I think it’s very important to know where you came from. I really enjoy listening to your stories , being born and raised in the hills of east Tn.

This one stirred up a fond guilt memory chip Donnie. 1996 my wife's mother & her youngest sister & our 16 yr. old daughter & 15 yr. old son - went on vacation with us to Branson Missouri. The sisters wanted to show us where they were raised up. Then after that we went to the old church they had attended. The church was built similar to the other one's in your video. It was about noon on a week day & it's door was unlocked. We went inside & listened to the sisters, who were both widowed & in their mid sixties, revel in their past stories of their times in their congregation. The younger sister picked up one of the old hymnals & said - while earthly thinking... ''I've just got to take this home with me to N.C.'' And so she did. Not one to ever correct an elder, I left a short note of explanation & a $50 donation inside the long handled offering basket - turned with it's opening hanging on the wall. One day I'm sure we will witness what the Preacher had to say about that one! May the 3:16 of the book of John - living within our hearts - be found so written upon the scroll of 3:16 in the book of Malachi.

Love hearing these old story’s .Our old church up in the mountains is falling in there’s no one left there all dead I miss the old homecomings and the services there it all fading away. ❤

Sweet memories. Churches in the country; places for 📖security, 🙏sanity, and refuge. Settings fo celebrating weddings, Easter,Easter, Christmas. And for Donnie, continuing prayers in this moment, for his own healing recovery at being a hiker again, a history treasure finder !

How interesting Donnie. I absolutely love these stories of cades cove. That is my favorite place too visit. It is so peaceful. God bless you for telling the stories of this beautiful place....😊

My husband and I love Cades Cove and the beautiful old churches. Thank you for being a wonderful tour guide. God bless.

Watched this last night As a lover of the Smokies and a Methodist preacher I found it very interesting and your treatment of the the lives and faith of the ppl wonderfully done Thanks brother

Beautiful places and a better time of life. Thank you for sharing this for all of us who love and miss the older times. People don't seem to appreciate beauty and the peace that a running creek has to offer. Blessings

The churches are beautiful. We enjoy the stories. Touch my heart.

What a beautiful blessing these churches are to still be standing and preservation. I call it Decoration Day myself. I've heard stories of how my Great Grandmother and other ladies would make paper flowers for Decoration Day and for the family and friends when someone passed as the lay in wake. People sit up all night in the home of the deceased as they lay in wake in their home. That's what they did many years ago instead of being in a funeral parlor. I've attended many funerals where the deceased loved one was in the home and yes, they did lay nickels on their eyes. . Time sure does change a lot in this world. Thank you for putting this history video together of churches in Cades Cove. I'm sure it takes a lot to do all you do to bring us your content. You are very appreciated Mr. Laws. God blessings on all.

Your love for God, people and creation is inspiring. Thank you Mr. Donnie for preserving these sacred stories.

Stories and history. Your tour of the churches, research and commentary is much appreciated. Thanks for sharing.

Watching your videos makes me want to visit the USA. Love your voice. Could listen to your stories forever. Thank you. ❤

Deeded the land to God! What a statement that makes. Thank you for sharing Mr. Laws!

We sure do enjoy your religious stories, they are wonderful.

Old beautiful church's great storys thank you

I love your soothing voice giving us all your stories and history that could be lost and forgotten..Bless you and thank you.

One of the old churches has a small cemetery behind it. I set out reading the names and dates on the tomb stones. On many, family after family member, mostly children, had expired within days of each other. One family had 6-7 kids, young children, who'd passed one after the other. I wept uncontrollably as if they were my own. Not one child survived in that family. How the parents bore such grief is beyond my reconing. Could you please do a story of the epidemics that swept through Cades Cove and dates, and number of deaths?

I always enjoy the Beauty of Cades Cove when we’re able to visit. Thank you for telling the history of the churches. It just amazes me the amount of people that lived in the Cove. But I understand why. It’s beauty & resources.

Visited Cades Cove about four years ago.Can’t wait to go back beautiful place.

Donnie, thank you for sharing these churches with us. My third great grandparents were Primitive Baptists in Roane County, Tennessee. This feels like it'd be very close to the kind of community they would've lived in.

All your videos are great Donnie, my daughter got married in the Smoky mountains years ago, I took my mother .she's been gone now for 4 years. But you brought back some memories, cuz I took her to Cades cove, I think we went to the primitive Church, and then we went to the mill when we had cornmeal ground .she got a bag and I also. My that is the best corn meal, I've ever had. thanks for the memories Donnie.

I can almost hear the four part harmonies as the congregation sing those wonderful old songs of praise from the old shape note hymnals. God bless you for the church stories.

Thank you so much Mr. Donnie for sharing all this history of these churches of days gone by. We were just in Cades Cove last week. We love that place. GOD BLESS YOU!!!! 😇😇🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️❤️🙌🏻👍🏻🙌🏻👍🏻

Very interesting! I appreciate you sharing this with us all. Keep up the good work!

Great video! Old churches are so awesome.They are precious! Thank you. 😊

Thank you Donnie! I enjoyed listening to your stories about the five churches of Cades Cove. The baptism photos are amazing so many people!

I was married in Cades Cove, under a rainbow. It was an amazing day.

Love the churches and the history, awesome

Thank you so much. I love Cades Cove and your video is very beautiful. I could sit and listen to you all day long. You’re truly a wonderful story teller.

Thankyou Donnie for keeping this history alive

Thank you so very much sir. I have been to the ones that are still standing on the loop before. But never known of there stories or about the ones that are no longer there. God bless you sir and your whole family....🙏❤🙏❤🙏😊🙂😀

You sold me on a vacation to this beautiful place.

Beautiful places indeed Donnie. What Beauty Nature beholds😊💖✌🏼

This is so interesting and awesome churches and history. Cades Cove is so beautiful. Donnie thank you all your work you put in and share with us is a rare wonderful gift thank you Donnie GOD bless you

Donnie thank so much for sharing this valuable history. In the 1960s, my church had a split like the first one. Those that left the church, formed a separate Christian church in town and luckily, both are still in operation today.

I grew custom to your stories and love them. For some reason i dont think im getting them like i did before. But i look forward each week to your stories. Please keep them coming.

LOVE this video!! and LOVE Cades Cove. Thank you Donnie! Great Job! God bless you🙏😇❤️

This was wonderful. It felt good seeing those churches, and it harkened back to a simpler less complicated time that in my opinion was better than the turmoil we have today. And the stories were so well told.

Awesome work on cades cove especially our lords houses Thank you Donnie Laws Godbless you and yours

Thank you for preserving the history of these beautiful places.

Great video on the Church history! Thanks for presenting it. We are all deeded to God! Amen!

That was a great little ol story 💒 and I for one needed to hear it... God bless you for blessing us with all u share.. Thank you for the feeling of life's good ol days..I miss it so much..

WOW .....The History of those Churches and the way you told them brought tears to my eyes What a BEAUTIFUL place 💙💙

Thank you Mr. Laws for another wonderful story.

Thank you Donnie.

Yes beautiful nature and old places.

My Uncle Bun was a Baptist Minister in Bellville, WV. He would travel every so often and preach revivals. He was such a good man and I still remember sitting in that little church with my grandpa and dad. I can't wait until we all reunite in Heaven one day. Everyday will be a revival with Our Lord.

Thank you friend. Reminds me of our little church in southeaster Kentucky and the treasured people that attended in days gone by. God bless.

Thank you Donnie God bless🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Thank you for the stories. We love those churches and stop each time we drive through.

I appreciate your work in sharing this valuable history. Divisions in churches happened even there. The prayer rocks testimony was a great tribute to their fervent prayers in my opinion. I'm honored to hear about these peoples lives and actually hear the recording and see the pictures. Thank you Donnie and God bless your work.

Thank you, Donnie. That was so interesting. I just feel enriched with knowledge about these almost forgotten times. God Bless you, Sir.

Thank you Mr. Donnie!

Oh but the stories of some of the services these churches could tell!!! Thanks for sharing Donnie.

I Love Cades Cove! And I Love that you have made this video on the churches, I had to go back through pictures of mine to look at again haven't been back there since 2012. Thank You again. Such wonderful memories.

John McCaulley's story of the prayer rocks makes me think of this verse. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Thanks Donnie for bringing this story to us.

Yes sir. This has been another wonderful video. And, God Bless you for sharing this with the rest of us.

some beautiful old buildings, such rich history - I love it !

I enjoyed all these mysteries! But the black panther story brought back memories! Up in my families area in the mountains I've heard those screams and they put years on me when I heard them. Your a great story teller Donnie!

Back in the late 1990's my youngins and i had moved to Cookeville TN. It is so amazingly beautiful and I had lived for several years in St. Bethlehem TN before I had children. But Cookeville was not cityfide where we lived in the mountains as St Bethlehem was. I would have liked to have stayed. We had no modern anything. Cooled our food in the creek near my front door. Used outhouse, lighted with kerosene and candles. Cooked and heated with wood cook stove. Transportation was with horse and wagon. Washed clothes by hand. Showered behind sheets out back of cabin. But there was one horrid critter I could not bare...the camel-cricket. Fat off white bodies, clung to ones clothes, hair, skin, just everything. One could not hardly scrap them off. They jumped and flew like a cricket but were not scared of anything. When they were squished they let out the most horrid stench and thick disgusting substance. I gave up living there and we came home to north central Indiana and have never left again. Brook🧑‍🌾🍏🍎

I just love your videos. This reminds me of the old country Baptist Church I went to as a child in Spruce Pine NC . Most of my family is buried there. So many great memories. Thanks so much for posting your videos.

Donnie, your videos are truly priceless.

Donnie 👋 I just want you to know how much I appreciate you and always look forward to seeing your videos 🙌 you are awesum and love your rendition of all the history you share, keep it going and as always watching from Ohio 🙌🙌🙌

Thank you and God-bless you

Amen!! Thank you Mr Donnie, God bless you and please keep sharing🙏

Yay Storytime & Thanks Mr Donnie!😊❤️

Another wonderful history lesson, thank you so much.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story and the beautiful landscape.😊❤

I wouldn't mind getting lost in a place like this.

Beautiful archival photos and video Donnie ...makes one think of just how many viable little communities and their sacred churches were not preserved like Cades Cove ...it is such a beautiful little mountain valley. May God Bless You and Yours ....Thank You for the video Brother.

Wow! Beautiful!

I truly enjoy your stories. Would like to meet you sometime Donnie. God bless you.