In the spring of 1888 the only church building of Cotton Gin Port was moved to Amory, the new little town three miles easr of the prominent river port. Because members of the church had moved to Amory, it was necessary to place the small fram buildings on logs and bring it to the railroad town, where worshipers of any denomination were welcome. Rev. Manier, pastor of the Cotton Gin Port Church, preached several times after the building was moved to the new location.
The first religious service ever held in Amory, however, was in the small school room on the Burkett property; the service was a prayer meeting conducted by an ordained Baptist minister, W. H. Green. The first sermon ever preached was by Rev. W. L. Gideon of Houston, the small room still being used. Because the 15×15 room was too small for the crowds that came, a suggestion was made to conduct the next service in the Collins Hotel.
Soon after that a union Sunday School was organized in the Christian Church, which had been brought in on logs and placed upon wooden sills. Although Baptist, Methodists, and Presbyterians enjoyed the fellowship and hospitality of members of the Christian Church, it was thought best to begin organization of other churches and Sunday Schools. The suggestion was made and followed that the Baptists meet in the hotel.
Records show that the Amory Baptist Church, later to be called the First Baptist Church, was organized “in 1888 in the Collins Hotel, then under construction”. Members were seated on the “sleepers”.
George H. Nettleton of Kansas City, Harcourt Amory, and Eugene U. R. Thayer had bought land, had it surveyed, and staked into building lots. Three corner lots were reserved to be donated to churches, space also being allocated for a school. The remaining lots were sold at auction on November 13, 14, and 15, 1887.
It was early in 1888 then that the Amory Baptist Church was organized by Bro. A. J. Miller, Pastor of the Aberdeen Church, and Bro. M. K. Thornton, Missionary for the Aberdeen Association from Aberdeen. Bro. W. L. Gideon, who lived in Houston, Mississippi, was called as the first pastor. Early members listed in the files of Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission were: W. T. Allen, J. C. Cheek, James Burkett, Mrs. James Lantrip, Mrs. Virgie Dalrymple, Earnest Lea, Mrs. Norman Patrick, Mrs. Bessie Quillen, Mrs. A. G. Thompson, Mrs. W. T. Allen, Mrs. J. C. Cheek, A. E. Dalrymple, W. A. Lea, Edgar Lea, J. R. Prewitt, Mrs. Ollie Rowan, Mrs. Tom Willis, S. A. Allen, Eugene Dalrymple, Miss Ella Green, Mrs. W. A. Lea, Eugene Lee, Henry Quillen, and Miss Fannie Stephens.
The Baptists were the first to erect a building in Amory. Record in Aberdeen show the deed recorded September 14, 1888, to James Burkett and J. D. Olinger as deacons of the Baptist Church. The first building was a framed structure erected on the corner of First Avenue and Third Street. There were no Sunday School rooms, a pull curtain being used to separate the adults from the children.
The struggle to pay the indebtedness on the building, as well as pay a preacher, was too much for the small group. T. R. Stevens, a deacon and church clerk, suggested to the Ladies’ Aid of the church, that they write to larger churches asking for financial support. The ladies complied by writing the churches at Senatobia, Sardis, Coldwater, and Hernando, all of them responding favorably.
Although records of those early days are scarce, minutes of the Ladies’ Aid Society frequently include names of pastors and activities of the church with which they were usually very actively involved. The first pastor, the one who had preached the first sermon in Amory, began serving in 1888. Just how long he served has not been determined, but he was succeeded by the second pastor, Rev. D. L. Hughey, who served until 1894.
In 1894 Bro. J. A. Rogers became pastor and served about five years – until 1899. He was followed by Bro. R. A. Cooper, who was pastor from 1900 to 1901. Then Bro. Rogers was called to serve again, this time from 1902 to 1904. Records show that the first pastorium was bought in 1904, a two-story house on the corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street.
Again the records of the Ladies’ Aid Society, 1901-1905, show that the ladies did quilting and sewing to help pay for the pastor’s home. They also took over the cleaning of the church to save a few dollars.
Bro. W. A. Jordan was pastor of the church from 1904 to 1906 and was followed by Bro. J. T. Haley (sometimes spelled Hailey), who was pastor from 1907 to 1911.
Bro. J. F. Measells was pastor from 1912 to 1914. Sometime about 1912 the Ladies’ Aid Society assumed the debt of $1400 on the pastorium and paid it off at the rate of about $300 a year. Mrs. J. M. Ayres proposed that a monthly pledge from every member be obtained and collected to help pay off the mortgage. Although this was a tremendous undertaking, it was carried to a successful finish. About the same time, 1912-1914, the first Christmas offering was sent by the Missionary Society to China in the amount of $3.
On April 1, 1914, a building committee was formed, the committee being composed of the following: Mr. Charles Rowan, chairman, Dr. I. W. Beauchamp, Dr. J. S. Williams, E. W. Flinn, and J. C. Cheek. Having seen the needs of a new and larger building for some time, the church authorized Mr. Edd Green to draw up the plans, Mr. W. A. Stockton to be the contractor. This structure was two-story light brick building with a basement. Mr. W. H. Cary gave the lot next to the one church owned for adequate spacing for the structure.
Again, starting in 1914, members of the church were asked to pledge to a building fund. These pledges ranged from five cents to four dollars per week (the average being from ten cents to a dollar). Only two gave as much as four dollars. The little group had a hard struggle; a treasurer’s report about this time showed that the pastor was paid $100 per month, a balance in the treasury showing $2.50. On one occasion it was necessary to borrow the pastor’s salary from the building fund. A committee was then appointed to collect enough money to replace what was taken from the building fund. The Building Committee proposed that $1,000 be borrowed on the pastorium.
By this time Bor. R. C. Blailock had succeeded Bro. Measells and served as pastor from 1914 to 1917. On August 2, 1916, the Home Mission Board mad a loan of $1,800 to the struggling group. The framed building was torn down and work begun on the new building. It was then necessary to borrow $1,500 more on the pastorium.
On August 27, 1916, the name First Baptist was adopted in order to borrow from the Home Mission Board. Before this time it had been known merely as the Baptist Church. To buy church pews Dr. G. S. Bryan was able to borrow $5,000 at 6% for six months from the Security Bank of Amory, six members signing the note. The congregation, which had been meeting the Presbyterian Church after the frame building had been torn down, interior was not competed until three years after the building was begun. Mr. W. A. Stockton, builder, at the age of 92 said: “The congregation was small, and there wasn’t much money available. My men worked when there were enough funds. When they ran out, we worked on something else. I returned to the church when they raised enough money. The building was completed three years after it was started.”
Again the ladies of the church played an important role, pledging and collecting every month from 1916 to 1925. By January 14, 1925, the building was paid for. By this time Bro. W. R. Becket, who was pastor from 1923-1925, had succeeded Bro. Farrow, who collapsed in the pulpit after preaching in the morning service, and died shortly thereafter. Bro. C. F. Hines was then called in 1925 and served until 1929. The furnishings of the church were not paid for until Bro. Measells returned to the pastorate in 1930 and continued to serve until 1955. Mr. J. C. Cheek paid the church $45 for the church bell saved from the frame building. According to Willie Ruple Rieves, the official bell ringer had been Mr. Sam Allen, a charter member.
Minutes from 1914-1925 reveal that occasionally it was necessary for the church to discipline some members for failing to live up to the Christian standards. Drinking , gambling, stealing, etc. were the the sins most often brought up. Usually the Bibical precept was followed. One member first went to the offender and asked that he do better. Later, if he did not repent, the fellowship was withdrawn (or he was “churched”). On one occasion the church roll was polled and those not “paying into the church” were asked to help with the pastor’s salary or withdraw.
During the pastorate of Bro. Farrow two significant events took place. About 1920 the Amory church joined the Monroe County Association. In 1921 the first, and only, foreign missionary went out from the church. Edison Allen went to Brazil and served there for over fifty years.
A significant year in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention was 1925. On May 13 of the year the Convention voted to approve a committee report to combine the best elements of the “Seventy-five Million Campaign” into a plan to solicit, combine, and direct the giving of Southern Baptists. This plan was named the Cooperative Program, but no vote was taken. For a number of years the church envelope had two sides, one for the Cooperative Program, the other for local benevolences. Each member chose where his money would go. A former treasurer says that for a number of years little was found on the Cooperative Program side. Bro. C. F. Hines was pastor at the time of the introduction of the Cooperative Program.
During the Depression years Bro. J. F. Measells returned to the pastorate in Amory, serving this time from 1930 to 1955, making a total of 27 years as pastor. While pastor for the second term in Amory, Bro. Measells promoted the young Cooperative Program. About 1933 he also promoted the Hundred Thousand Club to help pay off the Foreing Mission Board debt of $1,115,177.17. He also traveled over the state speaking for the “Now” club of the Mississippi Baptist Convention in an organized effort to reduce the indebtedness of the state convention.
During Bro. Measells’ pastorate there were two note burnings, one in payment of furnishings and pews, the other note being for the nursery building. A significant event occurred in 1942 in the purchase of a second pastor’s home, a stone building on 5th Street.
In September of 1945 a special Thanksgiving service was observed in recognition of the fact that from a list of 84 members who saw service in some theater during World War II not one was reported missing in action or killed during the conflict. There were an additional 44 whose families were members of the Amory church, making a total of 128.
In 1946 the first church organ, a Hammond, was bought, Virgina Cole being the first organist. Another significant year in the history of the church was 1949. That year a new two-story educational building was erected behind the auditorium of First Avenue, giving space for bed babies to 12 years of age. Also in 1949 the social hall was modernized with new tables and chairs and a kitchen with cabinets. In 1952 the installation of chimes brought joy to the shut-ins of the church and community.
In 1954 the auditorium was air-conditioned. About the same time Dr. G. S. Bryan gave the church two lots on 8th Avenue South, the lots later being sold and the money going into the church treasury. At the time Bro. Measells was pastoring the Amory church, he also served at intervals as pastor to the Smithville and Nettleton churches, preaching at 9 AM two Sundays per month. Upon his resignation in 1955 the church membership was recorded as 602 with a Sunday School enrollment of 633. With the coming of Dr. W. C. Tyler, President of Blue Mountain College, as interim pastor, the church bestowed upon Bro. Measells the title of Pastor Emeritus.
During the pastorate of Bro. Joseph N. Causey, who served from 1956-1957, there was great emphasis on youth. The Sunday School was divided into smaller groups. Mary Bunch, now Mrs. Hershel Lockhart, was employed as the first full time secretary for First Baptist Church. Plans for a new building were begun during Bro. Causey’s pastorate. In 1957 Arch Dalrymple III, whose grandparents were charter members, gave the chruch $20,000 from the Arch Dalrymple, Jr. Church Building Fund, enabling the church to buy the Flinn property on March 1, 1958. However, plans were postponed for building when Bro. Causey resigned to become pastor of First Baptist in Tupelo. Again Dr. W. C. Tyler came to serve as interim pastor until Bro. Dan Morton, who was to have the second longest tenure of the church’s pastors, came in 1958 and remained until 1971.
When Bro. Morton came to be pastor on March 1, 1958, the lot for a new building was immediately bought from Mrs. Flinn and a building committee formed, composed of the following: Hudson Anthony, Chairman, Tom Cole, Bill Fowlkes, Jack Francis, and J. E. Hodo. In 1959 B. A. England was hired as architect, and in 1961 the first phase of the building was completed. In order to raise the money for an auditorium seating 900, Sunday School space for 1,000, a kitchen and social hall, the church was incorporated and bonds were sold, the bonds to pay 5% on $200,000. The bonds were issued by the church with the church treasurer holding sales and recording of bonds saving the church about $2,500. Most of the bonds were bought by church members.
The church bought a new organ (Allen), and a church member gave a new baby grand piano (Baldwin). Early in April 1961, the first service was held in the new building before the pews were installed. The occasion was the beginning of a revival led by Bro. Dan Cameron, during which 54 were added by baptism and number by letter, as well as three committing themselves to full time Christian service.
With the prospects of new facilities and revived by growth of the church, the members adopted the Forward Program of Finance, held a Loyalty Dinner, and for 1960 oversubscribed a budget of $75,000 by $3,000. The Forward Program also brought in 247 tithers, the church adopted a unified budget with a percentage to the Cooperative Program, and a system of rotating deacons was begun, Open house for the new church library housing over 700 volumes was likewise held.
In 1961, Bro. Herbert Valentine was call as the first full time minister of music,. WIth more interest in missions being manifest, a missions committee was appointed, a city-wide religious census was taken, and plans were made for the establishment of the mission. On August 8, 1962, property for the mission was purchased for $11,000. The property, located on Hatley Road just beyond the intersection with Tschudi Road, was almost exactly where the religious survey had revealed the greatest number of lost and unaffiliated church members. On September 30, 1962, after door-to-door visitation in the neighborhood and personal invitation the mission opened with 52 attending, 40 being present for Sunday School. John E. Johnson served as superintendent, and other volunteers included Mrs. John E. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Allen, Mrs. Myrtle Cain, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Stevens, Mrs. Shelby Westbrook, and Mr. and Mrs. Ike Word.
In 1964 a North Monroe County Open Air Evangelistic Revival was held on the high school football field, Bro. Dan Cameron preaching. There were many professions of faith, a large number of members being added to First Baptist both for baptism and by letter.
In September of 1965 a Family Night program with members bringing covered dishes was instituted. Various Sunday School departments hosted these dinners.
Two items of note during 1966 were: the goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas offering was $2,070; and Bro. Morton, Chairman of the United Drys of Monroe County, assisted by a parade of young people carrying placards through the downtown streets, led to a vote which defeated legalized alcoholic beverages.
Also two events of the year in 1967 were the purchase of the property next to the church on 4th Street and the beginning of the deaf ministry, to which 32 came for one or more services each month during 1967-1968.
The Cooperative Program gifts increased during the years the church was following the two-plus plan (increase of 2% each year until reaching 50% of un-designated gifts of the church budget). In 1968 the Cooperative Program gifts totaled $16,000; in 1969, $18,000.
In 1969 the church employed Elwood Reames as architect for a proposed multi-space building to house a gymnasium, Sunday School space by pull partitions, and an office complex. Also in June of 1969 the church voted to have a 3-year old nursery school and a 4-year old kindergarten.
On November 21, 1971, Bro. Morton resigned; on the first Sunday of the following January Dr. James L. Travis, Professon of Bible at Blue Mountain College, was elected to supply. This he did until the coming of the next pastor, Dr. Larry Kennedy, in April of 1972.
On October 11, 1972, the church purchased Lot 4, Pecan Orchard Lane, 120′ X 200′ at a cost of $6,750 with a cash contribution of $2,000 returned to the church. A four bedroom, two bath pastorium was built at a cost of $42,708.
In May of 1973, Ray Burke was called as Minister of Music and Youth. About the same time the church bought the corner lot on Fourth Street and First Avenue, once owned by the church but sold at the time the second pastorium was purchased. In 1973 also the old church building was torn down and the stained glass windows sold to those who wished to buy them.
In February of 1976 Arch Dalrymple III and wife, Adine, in memory of his parents, Kathleen and Arch Dalrymple, Jr., offered the church a gift of a Sanctuary Pipe Organ to be built especially for the present auditorium. Designed by Dr. John Paul, Jackson, Mississippi, and built by Schantz Company of Orville, Ohio, the organ was one year in the building. After the installation of the organ the auditorium was redecorated.
On May 14, 1978, Dr. Kennedy resigned to go the First Baptist in Laurel. On September 3, 1978, Dr. James Futral was called as the new pastor.
The church, on December 19, 1979, accepted the offer of Home Cable T.V. Company to install lines and broadcast morning and evening services at no cost. This was accomplished by purchasing equipment valued at $2,500 which was donated by an anonymous church member.
The Lottie Moon Christmas offering by 1979 had reached $14,000. In 1980 a Building COmmittee was formed. It was composed of Bill Fowlkes, Jack Francis, Tom Cole, B. J. Stevens, Thomas Greer, Mable McCown, and Dottie Haney. Plans were drawn up, but the church voted not to build at that time. In October, 1981, Dr. Futral resigned to go to a church in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Howard Vickers of Mid-American Seminary in Memphis served as interim pastor until Bro. Jerry Massy came in July, 1982.
In 1983 Regina Harlow, a member of the the Singles Class, after making a mission trip to South America was commissioned as a journeyman by the Foreign Mission Board. Originally she was to be sent where she had visited – Bogota, Columbia, but because of political difficulties there, she was sent for her two-year mission tour to Quito, Ecuador.
Also in 1983 the church bought the Jones property on Third Street next to the original corner lot for $40,000. The Lawrence Ray Palmer Scholarship (later renamed the Lawrence and Louise Palmer Memorial Scholarship) was established for the education of church members going into full time Christian service, the first $10,000 being given by his son, Richard, and the present value being $55,000, several young men and/or women receiving money each year. The Deacon Family Ministry was begun that year, every family being assigned a deacon for special ministry to them.
In 1985 the Wee Wisdom Nursery School was converted into a Day Care Center, taking care of babies through five years, later from two to four years.
With continued growth the church felt the need for a building for adults, and on April 6, 1986, the church voted to build a Sunday School building at a cost of $285,000 ($242,000 for construction and $43,000 for equipment). The total cost of the building had been paid for the time the construction was completed that same year.
The December, 1986, Lottie Moon Christmas offering was the largest in the history of the church, $37,586, all from free-will offerings.
At the end of 1987 the total value of the church property was $1,458,226.97, the total membership 1,190, of which 851 are resident members. Total gifts to the Cooperative Program were $101,355.
In concluding the story of First Baptist Church, we must not be content to look upon past blessings, but let them challenge us for the future, look to the Lord for guidance and always give God the glory.
