THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 14 May 2001 ***************************************************************** THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter VII - Pages 31-35. The first Baptist church organized in Tyler was on the 8th day of April, 1848, in the old log court house on the public square. The following members constituted the presbytery in its original organization. Elders W. H. Ray and W. B. Langston, Stephen Reaves, Georgia Reaves, W. S. Walker, Amy W. Walker, Hampton E. Hudnall, J. G. Adrian. There were only six lay members of the church. W. S. Walker was elected deacon, and Stephen Reaves, clerk. The only surviving member is Judge Stephen Reaves, who is an honored citizen of Tyler. Judge Reaves occupied positions of honor and trust in civic life - a lawyer of ability and prominence, consistant and honorable with himself, his God, his church and his fellowman. The others have received their reward beyond the river and are resting "under the shade of the trees." From the date of the church organization up to 1850, services were held in the same court house - then an Odd Fellow's hall and the U. S. Federal court room until the church built a house of worship. It grew in membership and influence, keeping abreast with the increasing population of the town and country, gathering in force of numbers and spiritual power. From this small beginning, the Baptists of Tyler now have two handsome church buildings and a membership of about seven hundred active men and women. The First Baptist church is a magnificent house on the modern plan, and an imposing and convenient building, one of the best in the state. The North Baptist church building is modest but a fine little house, convenient in seating and very attractive and inviting, with a live and progressive membership. In 1882, the Tyler Baptist church was chartered with the following trustees: J. T. White, George Yarbrough, E. H. Wells, A. J. Swann, R. H. Brown, J. M. Roberts. I notice the following names in the application for the charter: Stephen Reaves, George Yarbrough, J. T. White, R. H. Brown, John A. Brown, J. H. Bonner, A. J. Swann, T. R. Swann, S. S. Gibbs, E. H. Wells, W. J. Barron, G. R. Philips, A. J. Philips, E. B. Willis, Casey Askew, F. J. Owens, S. A. Goodman, W. J. Goodman, B. Human and T. W. Dood. The Tyler church (First Baptist), has had thirteen pastors, as follows: Reverend's W. H. Ray, W. B. Langston, G. G. Baggerly, J. S. Bledsoe, D. B. Morrell, J. R. Clark, N. P. Moore, J. H. Rowland, J. H. Stribbling, Redin Andrews, R. T. Yates, A. J. Fawcett, J. B. Gambrell. These named ministers show an excellent list of preachers of consecrated piety, most of them possessing scholarly attainments of a very high order. Some of them have reached prominence in church throughout the State, who filled the pulpit as past of the First Baptist Church. Rev. J. B. Gambrell, the present pastor of the First Baptist church is an educated Christian gentleman of pleasing address and companionable manners. He is a forceful, logical speaker and a graceful pulpit orator. He is a native Mississippian, educated at the University of Mississippi College, giving him the necessary polish and acquirements to fill the high calling in church he so well fills. He has the appearance of a number of useful years in front of him. He is a popular preacher, zealous in good works and of commanding influence. He is a very capable man and is using his talents in advancing the Master's cause. Rev. W. B. Kendall, pastor of the North Baptist Church, is a popular preacher and zealous in good works. He is an educated young man and has a bright future before him in his high calling, and his friends expect a rapid advancement in church position and influence. Rev. Kendall is an excellent preacher, able and pleasing in the pulpit, hence, popular with his church and the people. Rev. W. M. Webb is at the head of another Baptist Church with quite a following. He is an able preacher and is at home in discussing the tenents of his church. Rev. Webb is the capable editor of the Sword & Shield, a well supported weekly journal of that faith. The Primitive Baptist - Hard Shell - has no organization in this city, but a goodly number, here and there, can be found who hold with the tenacity to that faith and order. The Missionary Baptist, in point of numbers influence and wealth, takes the lead - in fact, it is a great religious body, accomplishing wonders as willing workers in the vineyard of the Lord. The writer knew in his boyhood and manhood each lay member of the first organized Baptist church in Tyler, and can say that the ground work was well laid and planned by the devoted six who planted and watered the infant church with constant and religious piety, until that small organization has reached its growth and good influence - that of a giant. This is a grand line of pioneer religious people, who worshipped God in this new country, invoking His blessings at the rising and setting of the sun. It was nursed into life amid the thrilling events of the early settlements, to hand down its good influences on the present civilization.