WARE COUNTY, GA -CHURCHES  - Baptist  Central Baptist

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CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH
 BEGAN AS TABERNACLE
Contributed by Barbara Walker Winge.

SOURCE:  Waycross Journal-Herald,
 Monday, April 22, 1974, p. 20-C

On June 13, 1909 a group of Baptist organized the
Central Baptist Church, then kown as the Central
Baptist Tabernacle. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Shops had recently been opened and Waycross was
increasing in population.  Calvin Parker and John W.
McGee were discussing the need for a new Church at
the soda fountain in Scruggs' Pharmacy, the Phoenix
Hotel Building, when the suggestion was made to
secure a tent and erect it as a place of worship for
the newcomers.

T. S. Paschal, C. H. Lowther and W. F. Easton joined
Mr. Parker and Mr. McGee in purchasing a large ten. 
They obtained permission from Richard G. Scruggs to
place the tent on his property at the corner of
Burnel and Reed Streets. B. B. Gray donated a car-
load of flooring.  A platform was built at one end,
providing space for a pulpit, a choir loft, and a
baptistery.

The Rev. W. H. Scruggs preached the first service on
May 30, 1909.  It was an overflow congregation.  As
new spread through out the city, interest grew.  Two
weeks late on June 13, the church was organized with
Rev. Scruggs as minister, and Rev. G. S. Baxter as
presbytery.  There were 109 charter members, among
these were Mrs. W. E. Bates, Mrs. B. M. Settle, Mrs.
H. C. Thackston, and Mrs. Addie Bell Lowther Hiatt
[all were still Living at the time this article was
written.] Douglas Morrison was the first member to
be received upon profession of faith and Thelma
Smith was the first to be baptized in the tent
baptistery.

The first elected officers were W. E. Bates
treasurer; W. H. Bullard clerk; Judge A. P. Perham,
historian; Judge H. P. Brewer, Chairman of the board
of the following board of deacons:  D. A. McGee, E.
D. Carswell, W. E. Bates, T. H. Miller, G. W. Gray,
and D. O. Morton, T. W. Morrison, W. D. O'Quinn, and
W. G. Sutton. Ground breaking for a permanent
building was June 20, 1910. Winton E. Bates, Jr. and
Thelma Smith, two of the youngest  members held the
shovels.  The cornerstone was placed on Dec. 09,
1910, and the first service was held in March
1911.The doorplates were designed by W. H. Bullard. 
There are 109 stars for the charter members and one
large star for the Rev. Scruggs. On March 16, 1913,
the congregation gathered to burn the mortgage in a
large bonfire.  The debts of $2,455 for the original
building had been settled.

The first annex was built in 1924 to provide more
Sunday School Space.  Additional building programs
have kept the Church enlarging. A Church pastorium,
the former P. N. Harley home located directly behind
the Church facing Reed Street, was purchased and
Rev. H. L. Walton was the first pastor to take up
residency in 1920.  The house was later moved to a
lot facing Brunel Street .