First Baptist Church, Tyler, 21 June 1912, Smith County, TX

***************************************************************** 
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
14 April 2001
*****************************************************************

Tyler Weekly Courier-Times, Friday, June 21, 1912

NEWSPAPERS 27 YEARS OLD TAKEN FROM CORNER-STONE OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

The corner stone of the old First Baptist church building was opened
Friday afternoon.  On account of faulty construction of the copper box
in which the articles had been placed water had gotten in to box and
the contents were thoroughly wet.

The exact date of the laying of the corner stone is not given on any of
the articles, but is is supposed to have been about February 28th, 1885.
This conclusion is arrived at because copies of the Galveston News and
a Weekly Democrat and Reporter both being of that date, were taken from
the box.  Besides these two newspapers, the box contained several coins, 
both gold and silver, a bible and a song book, they being about 3 x 5 
inches in size.

In addition to these articles was a copy of the Minutes of the Thirty-
Third Annual Session of the Cherokee Baptist Association, and also a
Women's Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church South,
which appears to have been held at Kansas City, Mo., in June 1884.

There was also a small wooden tube about 2 inches long, which contained
about a dozen grains of what appeared to be spices of some kind, which, 
we understand, were placed there by the Masons.

The proceedings of the Cherokee Baptist Association show that the 
association met in Tyler.  Tulley Choice was moderator, Geo. P. Birdwell,
Clerk, and J. C. Tarbutton, treasurer.

The minutes are so badly mutilated that it is difficult to read any part
of it, except a few lines on different pages.  On one page enough can be
made out to show that a committee composed of Stephen Reaves and A. J.
Swann had been appointed to prepare the deed transferring the lot on 
East Ferguson street, where a brick church house was destroyed by fire
some time prior, from the Cherokee Baptist Association to the 
congregation of the First Baptist church.

Old settlers will recall that the church building alluded to was located
on the lot just east of the I. and G. N. depot, across the track, which
property was recently bought by the Tyler Overall Factory.  The church
building was of brick and was destroyed by fire, which caught from a 
cotton gin belonging to Rowland Bros., which burned on the site where 
is now located the Tyler Merchants' Free Wagon Yard.

The names of many men who are now dead and gone are to be seen in the
minutes, as well as the names of many who are still living and are 
actively identified with the First Baptist church of Tyler, and with
other churches throughout this section.  Among those who are dead, we
note the name of Stephen Reaves, the father of S. D. Reaves; A. J.
Swann, Geo. Yarbrough, S. S. Gibbs, M. J. Dean, J. W. Orr, and many 
others.

Looking over these minutes, marked with the ruthless tooth of time many
memories arise, as we recourt the works of service of those who are now 
on the other side of the river, but we should be not unmindful of those 
who are still with us, fighting with undiminished vigor for the cause 
of the Master.

In another issue of the Courier-Times, we will print extracts from the
Democrat and Reporter, of which H. V. Hamilton, now deceased, was 
editor.

The booklet showing the proceedings of the Woman's Missionary Society
of the Methodist church, South, does not present the names of any 
individuals that the writer is familiar with.  Methodists of the city
who wish to look over these old proceedings are welcome to do so, by
calling at this office.