CENTENNIAL STORY, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, TYLER, SMITH CO, TEXAS, 1848-1948

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Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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Used with the permission of Dr. Michael Massar, Pastor
First Baptist Church, Tyler, TX
Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
11 February 2001
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A Short History 0f TYLER'S FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

The Days of Our Fathers 
1848-1853

The history of the first hundred years of the First Baptist Church of 
Tyler, from its ear1y pio­neers to the present day, is a record of 
heroism, endurance, sacrifice and zeal.  Because these vir­tues were 
practiced by the faithful, blessings have come to a multitude. The 
story reflects glory to the early Christians, for whom we give thanks. 
It offers an example to those who live in the second century to 
accomplish more through Christian ef­forts, planting God's rule in the 
hearts of men.

There was nothing spectacular about the com­ing of the settlers to the 
virgin land and unshep­herded wilderness. They came with their families 
to make homes. The God-fearing people brought with them the gospel, 
the words of Him who died for the redemption of man. These hardy people 
pushed into a new country along the King's High­way deep into the 
interior of the republic called-TEXAS.

Tyler, with a few stores and homes, was a small village in East Texas 
which was established one year after Texas was admitted to the union. 
The first efforts of the villagers in the settlement had so filled 
them with joy that they met April 8, 1848, in the first log court 
house on the north side of the square and organized the Tyler Baptist 
Church. It was the fifty-third Baptist Church organized in the state 
and is today one of twenty with an unbroken existence. In the book 
written by Captain Sid S. Johnson, "Some Biographies Historical," 
is found, "the court house was of rustic structure furnished strictly 
in primitive style, with mother earth as the floor."

The following constituted the presbytery in its organization: "Elder" 
W. H. Ray and "Elder" W. B. Langston. There were six constitutional 
members: "Brother" Stephen Reaves, "Sister" Georgia A. Reaves, 
"Brother" W. S. Walker, "Sis­ter" Amy W. Walker, "Brother" Hampton E. 
Hudnall, and "Brother" J. D. Adrian.  "Elder Ray was called as the 
first pastor of the church. The first five have living descendants who 
are members of the church today.

The officers of the church were the first dea­con, Brother" W. S. 
Walker, and the first church clerk, "Brother" Stephen Reaves, whose 
wife, Amy, was a a daughter of "Brother" W. S. Walker, Deacon J. D. 
Adrian has descendants liv­ing in Ben Wheeler.

Worship service, often several hours long, was held in the courthouse 
for two years. Meet­ings convened on the Saturday preceding and the 
third Sunday of each month. Members were call­ed to worship according 
to Biblical practice, the blowing of a horn.

The church began with eight members but at the end of the first year 
the membership had in­creased to twenty-eight.  The membership num­bered 
sixty-eight in 1850. For five years services were held in the Odd 
Fellows Hall and the Feder­al courthouse. The church affiliated in 1852 
with the Cherokee Baptist Association which had been organized in 1850.

ONE GENERATION SHALL PRAISE THY WORKS TO ANOTHER - 1854 - 1882

Rev. G. G. Baggerly was pastor when the first church building was 
started in 1855, located in the 300 block of East Ferguson street. That 
same year the church was host to the Baptist Con­vention of East Texas. 
The church building was not yet completed when it was destroyed by fire 
in December, 1856. The second church was a one room brick house, forty 
by sixty f et, built in 1859 while Rev. J. T. Bledsoe was the pastor. 
He was perhaps more active in the organization of other churches than 
any preacher in his time. Then the war between the states and the 
recon­struction period disrupted normal living.

Dr. J. H. Stribling came as pastor in 1874. The minutes of April 25, 
1878, record that many improvements were made and gifts had been 
re­ceived from the following Tyler firms: "a gift of an elegant 
chandelier from H. H. Rowland and Brother, druggists; a reed organ 
from Messrs. Beaird and Hamilton; and a beautiful carpet from W. G. 
Wimberly."

The pastor and Messrs E. H. (~allahan and E. H. Wells were sent as 
delegates to the East Tex­as Baptist Convention held in Henderson in 
May, 1878. The representation was on a money basis of ten dollars for 
each delegate; the collection of $30.00 enabled three men to go.  The 
minutes continued to read, "A more satisfactory financial plan was 
adopted:  
(1) Permanent objects to be aided by the church shall be determined by 
a sum to be divided to each.  
(2) Deacons will collect the contributions.   
(3) Current expenses would be met by Sunday collections, the excess 
being donated to the library fund of the Sunday School.  
(4) A standing committee of five to look after the pecuniary conditions 
of the members and church charities.  
(5) Blank books provided by the deacons for names of the entire church 
mem­bership, opposite names entered was the amount assessed each member.  
(6) A committee of ten to assess members or the families of the church for its support.  
(7) Deficiency in the fund shall be~ raised by voluntary offerings."

While Rev. Reddin Andrews was pastor, the church received its first 
charter, June, 1882. The trustees were J. T. White, George Yarbrough,
F. H. Wells, A. J. Swann, R. H. Brown, and J. M; Roberts. Early in 
1882 the second church burned but the members found a temporary 
location, renting the Albertson Opera House, which was located on the 
present site of the Peoples Nation­al Bank.

SOWERS OF THE SEED - 1883 - 1908

Confronted with the building of the third church, the members thought 
it was advisable to change the location. On North Bois d' Arc. street,
adjoining the present church property a lot ninety by one hundred 
seventy-two feet was bought for $1,300 cash. The deed to the East 
Ferguson Street lot had been vested in the Cherokee Baptist 
Association. A transfer of title was made to the Tyler Baptist Church 
at the annual meeting of the asso­ciation in October, 1884, at Mt. Zion 
church, Smith County.

R. H. Brown proposed that he would be one of twenty to give $500 to 
the building fund. The challenge was accepted, and nearly $5,000 was 
subscribed by February 15,1883. Plans were made and approved in 
September, 1883. M. T. Brown, Dr. F. H. Wells, and T. R. Swann were 
appointed; to the building and soliciting,commttee.  S. S. Gibbs was 
appointed to collect the funds. The church was not completed when the 
first service was held on June 20,1886.

Churches of the county were called into con­ference on the fifth Sunday 
in May, 1887, for the purpose of organizing the Smith County Baptist 
Association. It was found that sentiment did not justify the 
organization. The next years saw many revivals. With Rev. Sam Jones 
of Georgia con ducting the meeting, twenty-seven came for baptism in 
March, 1890. A well known evangelist of Texas, Rev. Sid Williams, 
conducted the annual meeting in January, 1895. Twenty came by letter, 
thirty by baptism, five thousand dollars was rais­ed, and the church 
debt was paid.

Two deacons elected in 1894 were George R. Phillips, later serving 
as chairman of the board of deacons, and J. H. Legrand. Mr. Legrand, 
who was known as "Mr. Jim" because of his kindly greetings as head 
usher, served in this capacity until his death on April 1, 1934. 
Deacon R. A. Dean, who was efficient in keeping the church minutes 
for thirty-six years and whose records have been valuable in preparing 
this history, was elected church clerk in May, 1904.

During this year there was a five months period without a pastor and 
visiting ministers con­ducted Sunday services. During that time twenty 
came by letter and forty-one by baptism. One Sun­day afternoon in an 
evangelistic service led by T. B. Butler (editor and owner of the 
Tyler Courier Times), eight were received by letter and thirteen by 
baptism.


THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WAS LAID - 1909 - 1929

December, 1909, subscription to the building fund for the fourth church 
building, located on the corner of West Ferguson Street and North 
Bois d' Arc Avenue netted $23,000.00. The mem­bers of the building 
committee were Dr. G. L. Yates, R. H. Brown, W. G. Human, Carl Wood, 
and Dr. C. C. Crews.   October 18,  1911, the ground was broken for the 
building and the pro­gram was as follows:

Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name.
Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dr. G. L. Yates.
Scripture Reading  . . . . . . . . . . . . . From Ezra, third chapter.
Review of The Church From Its Organization . . . . . . . .R. H. Brown.
Future of The Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carl Wood.
Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blest Be The Tie That Binds."
Closing Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rev. John Holland

There were forty members taking their turn at the spade who were members 
when the third church was built in 1886 The oldest in member­ship was 
Mrs. M. L. Herndon.

A beautiful brick building was opened for service March 20,1913. At the 
first Sunday morn­ing service Miss Virginia Sledge, granddaughter of 
R. H. Brown, presented herself for member-ship. At that time the total 
membership was seven hunderd forty-eight. The attendance at Sunday 
School the opening day was eight hundred sixty-five, the Men's Bible 
Class was one of the largest in the state and was taught by the pastor.  
Dr. C. L. Yates remained with the church until the close of 1917. His 
service was fruitful and he created a deep and abiding fellowship in 
the church. When the debt on the church was paid, the house was 
dedicated to the Lord December, 1922, Dr. Yates returning to preach 
the dedica­tory sermon.  The program of that service is given here:

Scripture Reading . . . . . . From the Eighth Chapter of First Kings.
Sermon  . . . . . . .I was glad when they said unto me let is go into 
                     the house of the Lord."
Dedicatory Prayer	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R. H. Brown

The home going of R. H. Brown November 4,1924. marked the passing of 
one who had been a member of the church fifty-four years, deacon for
fifty--one years, and chairman of the board for twenty-five years. 
The church had been blessed by the service of this distinguished and 
consecrated Christian.

ENLARGE THE PLACE OF THY TENT

In 1929 Dr. Porter M. Bailes accepted the challenge of a field ready 
for harvest. As pastor of the First Baptist Church, his work has be 
characterized by evangelism and expansion. For a short period in 1936 
a mission was established the corner of Selman Street and N. Palace Ave.
In preparation for the expansion of the churh plant in 1931, the large 
southern type two story frame house which for many years had been 
the parsonage, was torn down to make place for the new educational 
building. T. 0. Wright, a member of the church, executed an oil lease 
to the church in June, 1933. The well was successful and the first 
check received in September, 1933 which amounted to $410.33.  There 
had been an agreement with Mr. Wright that the income from the oil well 
would be used to erect the building memory of his wife, the late Lillie 
Belle Wright.  A committee appointed to plan the campaign included: 
M. J. Harvey, T. M. Doyle, J. R. Moore, J. R. Shelton, Wiley Akins, and 
J. F. McKee. On the finance committee were W. F. McKinne W. V. Henson, 
John M. Stephens, Judge J. Warren, and H. M. Eagle.  John M. Stephen,
E. L. Pinkston, Dr. C. C. Crews, H. M. Eagle an W. V. Henson were 
members of the building committee. The building was to cost $75,300.00.
The church voted March 24, 1934, to raise $20,000.00 before starting 
the building. On Februay 24, a special offering amounting to $5,000.00 
was taken.  Mr. Wright's total cash contributions rhe building amounted 
to more than $23,000.00

After the indebtedness was paid off, the building was dedicated 
November 14,1937 with the following program:

Invocation - J. R. Moore.
Scripture Reading - W. V. Boone.
Building Committee Chairman - M. J. Harvey.
Report - R. A. Dean.
Sermon - Dr. L. R. Scarborough, President Southwestern Seminary at 
Fort Worth (who had baptized the late Lillie Belle Wright as a girl.)
Closing Prayer - Dr. Porter M. Bailes. 
Songs - Led by John H. Gary.

REMODELING

By Febmaty, 1939, it was thought advisable to remodel and modernize 
the main building, which was so completely done that only the 
foun­dation, walls and stained glass windows of the or­iginal building 
were left.  The  air-conditioned auditorium contains a new three manual 
Kimball Pipe Organ, one thousand two hundred nine leather cushioned 
chairs, costing $6,500.00 and the chancel and choir loft finished in
mahogany at a cost of $2,000.00. The total cost was $80,000.00.

While the remodeling was being done, Sun­day morning service was held at 
the Liberty The­atre. evening, service in the auditorium of the 
Edu­cational Building, and six classes of the Sunday School met in rooms 
in the office building opposite the post office.  When work was
completed, the first service was held on Sunday, September 24. 1939, 
in the beautiful remodeled building.

The weekly  church  paper, "First Baptist Reporter." was first 
published September 3,1940, but was discontinued after a few issues. 
On June 1. 1943, publication began anew, it is now a wel­comed weekly
visitor into the homes of the church members.

Sallie Goodman LeGrand, member of a well knownTyler family, and of 
the church passed away April 16,1939, leaving in her will a 
substan­tial gift to the church.  The legal firm, T. N. Jones and 
Eugene Talbert, members of the church, tendered their services in 
the successful settlement of the estate.

It is not possible to record the passing of all the faithful  members,
but there was one whose life counted heavily in the great history of  
the church.  R. B. Long, a member for seventy con­secutive years and a 
deacon for many years, was a consecrated Christian and faithful in his 
steward­ship.

WORLD WAR II SERVICE

Recognizing members of the church who were serving in the armed forces 
of the country, Mrs. H. M. Eagle gave to the church a "service flag" as 
a memorial to her husband, the late Henry M. Eagle, a former deacon 
and church treasurer who had given long and honorable service in the 
kingdom of the Lord. The American flag, the Christian flag, and the 
Service flag were placed in th auditorium on October 5, 1942.

Providing for the recreational needs of Camp Fannin soldiers when off 
duty, the church opened the Baptist Service Center, located on the 
second floor of the building at 219 North Broadway. The capable 
hostesses in charge were Mesdames Mary Brown, J. 0. Sullivan, Frances 
Turman Huff, and Misses Mildred Shaw and Eli May Bailes.  The center 
was furnished with lounge, reading rooms, snack bar, and necessar 
equipment.

The church was asked February 29, 1944, pack and send to the Russians 
for their war needs two hundred kits but not to include Bibles.  The 
kits were filled as requested, followed by a large package containing 
Bibles to be given to those in Russians who could accept and read them.

The church was a center for the Red Cross in receiving blood donations 
and for church wom­en servicing clothes for soldiers at Camp Fannin. 
Many men in service stationed at the camp desired membership in the 
church.  A total of one hun­dred eight were carried on the Watchcare 
roll.

CONTRIBUTIONS

Rev. Frank Andrews of Tyler began his work in 1941 as evangelist to 
inmates of the Texas State Prison System.  Part of the support for his 
work came as individual gifts from members of the church.

When the Southern Baptist Convention ac­quired a large indebtedness, 
The Hundred Thou­sand Club met the emergency. Many members of the 
church made monthly payments to the fund. and when a balance occurred, 
the amount was ap­plied to the local church note.

RADIO MINISTRY

When the church went to "full time" preaching it was thought a 
milestone had been reached in its growth, thus enabling more people 
to hear oftener the word of God

Farther down the years with the help of science a larger congregation 
than any one could think of is now made possible by the radio.  
Beginning 1947 the church broadcasts the first Sunday morning of each 
month from eleven to twelve over station KGKB, Tyler. The remaining 
Sunday mornings of the month over station KGKB-FM, from eleven to 
eleven-thirty, Tyler time.

The Young Men's Bible Class broadcasts their Sunday School program each 
Sunday morning from ten to ten forty-five over station KRST, Tyler.

MINISTRY TO OTHERS

The First Baptist Church of Tyler is proud of its institutional 
development; yet far deeper has been the influence of the church on 
the spiritual development of its members. Some of the factors which 
have enriched the spiritual life here and those of Baptists elsewhere 
have been its support of the following: gifts to the Baptist pastors 
yearly retreat; transportation of members to Ridgecrest, North 
Carolina, and other assemblies: endowment retirement for the church 
staff; gifts for the relief of minis­ters; substantial gifts to the 
Dr. George W. Truett Memorial, Dallas, and to the J. B. Tidwell 
Build­mg at Baylor University; gifts to East Texas Baptist College at
Marshall, Texas; a college student scholarship fund; special gifts to 
the Cooperative Program; donations to the dormitory and endowment funds 
of Butler College, co-educational Baptist Collge, for the colored in 
Tyler; donations to the Southwestern Seminary at Fort Worth, Texas, 
the Southern Baptist Seminary at Louisville, Kentucky, the Bible 
Institute at New Orleans, Louisiana, and to the Golden Gate Baptist 
Seminiry at Oakland, California; gifts to the Valley Hospital at 
Harlingen, Texas, to the Mexican Baptist Orphanage at San Antonio, 
Texas, to relief and rehabilitation, and to the Pineywoods Baptist 
Encampment. The church has built outright and equipped the Tyler Cabin 
at Pineywood Encampment. The church has also ex­tended aid to the First 
Baptist Church at Copenhagen, Denmark, and has helped missionaries the 
world over.

Nearer home, the following churches have been aided in recent building 
programs: North Dixie Baptist, Mt. Sylvan, Emmanuel, Bullard, Dean, 
Calvary at Tyler, Williams Memorial, Edom, True Vine (colored) at 
Tyler, Gresham, Liberty (colored) at Tyler, Mt. Zion, Sylvania, 
Queen Street at Ty­ler, Bethel, Hillcrest and Damascus. This gift 
record has been included in the history in order that the membership
might know how extensive the gifts have been over and above the 
Co-operative Program and how the gifts have reached out to the 
community, to the county to our country, and to the utter­most parts of 
the earth.

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BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE

A First Baptist Church Member, Mrs. C. C. Crews, heads the Baptist 
World Alliance relief work in Austria. The program centers in Vienna, 
where a community house with varied activities and facili­ties are 
planned. These are to include the feeding of the children and aged, 
the distribution of supplies, sewing rooms, baths and clinics for 
prenatal and post natal care, tuberculosis and nutrition.   Night 
programs will include recreational and educational programs with 
spiritual emphasis. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of 
these my brethen, ye have done it unto me.