A Century of Kingdom Service

Central Baptist Celebrates 100th Birthday

September 23, 2001

By August 1901 a disagreement had developed in the First Baptist Church of Carthage over mission giving.  Several members withdrew their letters and decided to organize a new Baptist Church in Carthage

Here are the highlights of the activities of Central Baptist Church during the past century:

1901:  On Thursday night, September 26, a meeting was held at the Christian Church to organize “Central Baptist Church”.  Four men and 13 women formed a congregation, and accepted Richard Kirkley as the church’s first candidate for baptism.

    The following Sunday afternoon, September 29, a pulpit committee was appointed and a Sunday school was organized.

On Wednesday night, October 2, the first prayer meeting was held at the home of Mrs. J.W. Gillaspie.  The Ladies Aid Society was formed, changing its name in 1916 to the Women’s Missionary Society.

1902:  On January 12, Rev. J.M. Wright of Rockwall became the first pastor of Central Baptist Church. Begun in 1902, this 240-seat auditorium was completed and dedicated in 1911.

In mid-February, a railroad chapel car named Good Will arrived in Carthage.  The Good Will meeting provided seventeen new members, nearly doubling the congregation.

On September 1, ground was broken for a new sanctuary, and by October the foundation was completed at a cost of $500.

1904:  In May, Rev. Wright left Carthage.  Within a month he was replaced by Rev. W.A. Reagan, who would serve Central until 1910, raising funds necessary to complete the sanctuary. Rev. J. M. Wright

1910:   Rev. E.H. Cunningham pastored Central for a few months.

1911:   In May, the 250-seat sanctuary was finally dedicated.  A parsonage was purchased, and Rev. J.L. Fields was the first inhabitant.

1912:   In January, Rev. L.L.F. Parker became Central’s pastor, serving for two years.

1915:  In January, Rev. J.A. Smith began a five-year ministry.

1921:  The Sunday School had grown to more than 100 “scholars,” with weekly attendance with a weekly attendance that frequently exceeded 70.

In July, Rev. J.M..P. Morrow ended a one-year pastorate.   In December Rev. F.M. Ferguson from Wolfe City became pastor, also serving for a year.    

1925:  Following nearly two years at Central, Rev. H.E. Summers was asked to leave.  He refused to move his family from the parsonage, so the next year Central bought a new parsonage, located just east of the sanctuary.

1926:  In January, Rev. C.L. Vermillion began a four-year ministry.  (His son, Charles, returned to Central as Business Manager Rev. C. L. Vermillion during the CBC Centennial year.)

1929:  Rev. Vermillion supervised construction of a six-room brick Sunday School addition.

1930:  In September, Rev. H.O. Malone became pastor, shepherding Central through five years of the Great Depression.

1933:  A revival conducted in April by Rev. Hyman Appelman nearly doubled the congregation.  The largest baptism in Central history was help at Prior Lake.

1934:  The WMU raised $1,400 to relieve Central’s precarious finances.In April 1933, a revival was conducted at Central by Dr. Hyman Appelman. A total of 98 new members joined the congregation, including 48 by baptism.

1935:  Rev. V.G. Garrett began a ministry which would last until 1942.

1937:  A frame Sunday School addition was built at a cost of $1,00.

1939:  A Hammond electric organ was purchased.Rev. V. G. Garrett standing on the porch of the old parsonage. The brick Sunday school annex to the original sanctuary is in the background.

1942:  In April, Rev. Lester A. McKinney began a ministry of more than five years.

1948:  In January, Dr. V.L. McKee became pastor, assuming leadership of a major building program.

1949:  In April, a new sanctuary was dedicated.  The original sanctuary was razed, and the bricks were used in constructing a church at Holland’s Quarters.

1950:  Several families volunteered to start a mission church sponsored by Central, to be called Southside Baptist.A new sanctuary was dedicated in April 1949. Columns were added later to the front, along with Sunday school space to the west.

1967:  Dr. V.L. McKee retired after a CBC ministry of two decades.  During the 1970’s he twice would serve Central again as interim pastor.

In February, Dr. Billy Simmons succeeded Dr. McKee as pastor.   The Simmmons family was the first to enjoy the spacious brick parsonage at 400 Perry.

1968:  In July, Dr. Simmons was succeeded by Rev. Darwin Scott, who would serve Central for more than four years.

1973:  In May, Rev. Robert Griffin began a four-year ministry.

1974: Rev. Griffin organized Central’s first summer mission building trip, which has become an annual tradition.

1978:  In April, Dr. Charles Dodson began a 19-year ministry.  During this tenure membership exceeded 1,000 and a television ministry flourished.

1987:  In April, a $1.12 million sanctuary was dedicated.   Upon the retirement of that debt the church launched a $1.25 million construction, and renovation project for Sunday School and fellowship.

1997:  Longtime music director Philip Sherrod retired to be succeeded by Dr. Harlan Hall, emeritus music minister of First Baptist Church, Longview.

1998:  Calvin Wittman, who had served on the foreign mission field, succeeded Dr. Dodson as pastor.

2001:  In April, following a lengthy service to Central as interim pastor, Dr. William C. Everett left retirement to move to Carthage and serve CBC full-time in its centennial year.

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Hats Off! to historian Bill O'Neal and The Panola Watchman for the history highlights of Central Baptist  Church.  Thanks to Sabrina Vega, Panola College community volunteer student, for her assistance for digitizing the information.

 

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04/07/08