The Belton Journal (Belton, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 7, 1914 Page: 7 of 16
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Some of Belton's Magnificent Churches and the Pastors
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First Baptist Church.
HISTORICAL SKETCH FIRST BAP-
TIST CHURCH.
Truly has it been said that "no peo-
ple are greater than their religion."
This holds not only with reference to
nations, but as to local communit'cs
as well. In this particular Belton has
been and is, most happily situated.
Its religious institutions show that
the little city has a high standard of
religious ideals and conduct.
Because of its close relations with
Baylor College, the First Baptist
church has been a priceless boon to
the religious life of Belton, for its re-
ligious influence is not only felt local-
ly, but extends to thousands of the
best homes in Texas as well as homes
beyond the borders of this common-
wealth.
The religious activities of those of
the Baptist faith extend away back
in the dim past. But, the work of the
Baptists did not take tangible form
until in the latter sixties. At this
time a Baptist minister, Rev. Geo.
Baines, Sr., long since deceased, came
and organized the first congregation
of Baptists. The little frontier con-
gregation struggled for aa existence,
and did but little.
In January 1875 there came a min-
ister, with his family, and became
pastor of the little distracted flock.
This man was a man of God—like
Jacob, he had "power with God and
with men." He came, feeling that
this was the field in which his Lord
would, have him do service. With a
faith that knew no defeat and a deter-
mination that never wavered, he en-
tered upon the task of reviving the
little congregation that had become
scattered. And from that day the lit-
tle church began to look up and hope
returned to them. This same daunt-
less leader soon made his impress up-
on the entire people ofthe communi-
ty, and until his death he was a rec-
ognized leader among men, not only
in religious circles, but in the ma-
terial development of Belton as well.
Thi3 man was Rev. M. V. Smith,
whose memory is loved and revered
by all of the older citizens of this lit-
tle city.
The first step of Rev. Smith was to
reorganize the church, and then he
set himself to the task of erecting a
meeting house in which the little con-
gregation could worship. The first
meeting house was erected on Main
street, on the present site of the home
of Hon. O. P. Pyle, editor of The Bel-
ton Journal. In this little house the
church worshipped, while the pastor
and family resided in the basement
and an adjoining room of the build-
ing. Many happy, helpful years were
spent by the little band, in this house,
following their leader.
But, after awhile the congregation
outgrew their quarters and it became
evident that a meeting house must be
provided for. The pastor, true to his
spirit, set himself to the task, and the
first building on the present site of
the church, was erected in the early
eighties. The pastorate of Rev.
Smith continued through eighteen
yean—1875 to 1893.
Following Rev. Smith, Rev. W. C.
Lattimore came as pastor and carried
on the work for four years and resign-
ed. Then, came Rev. R. K. Maiden,
as pastor, whose first undertaking
was to enlarge the meeting house,
which was done to the delight not
only of the congregation, but all the
people throughout the city. Follow-
ing Rev. Maiden's four years came
Rev. E. G. Townsend as pastor of the
congregation, through whose able
mini«rtry and tactful pastoral work
the church prospered and developed
into larger undertakings.
With the resignation of Rev. Town-
send as pastor came Rev. Win. B. Mc-
Garity, the present pastor. Mr. Mc-
Garity's relations with .the church be-
gan March 1, 1908, and for more than
a half dozen years he has led the con-
gregation, and with each year they
have been led to larger visions of the
work of the church and to higher
ideals of Christian conduct and piety,
until now it is * great, well-organised,
working force in the kingdom of God
for righteousness, standing for the
a lift «f humanity physically, mental-
ly, morally and religiously. Rev. Me-
Garity is not oAly an excellent pulpit
r, bat he Is also a splendid or-
ganizer of the forces of his congrega-
tion, and, therefore, every department
of the church is working in per'ect
harmony and great results ire follow-
ing.
Rev. McGarity has surrounded him-
self, as pastor, with a board of strong,
substantial devout men of hi>. f.ong'-e-
gations as deacons. The board of
deacons consists of J. D. Bas-.ci chair-
man; J. R. Donnell, secretary; E. H.
Wells, A. B. Jackson, C. E. Hillyer, J.
M. Frazier, C. B. Smith, Peyton Ja-
cob, J. E. Hicks, J. H. Pepper, W. F.
Rosborough and John R. Fellrath. W.
E. Rosborough is also the recording
clerk of the church.
At this writing there are 451 resi-
dent members of the church. T.nere
arc many non-resident members, con-
sisting chiefly of young ladies who
have come from elsewhere to be sti..'-
ents in Baylor College.
As intimated above, some of the
greatest work of the church has aver
been able to accomplish has been in
connection with Baylor College. The
congregation holds two annual revival
meetings. One of these meetings ''5
always in connection with Baylor and
for the benefit of the students of that
institution. In this connection, meet-
ings have been held and every student
of the college became converted to
Christ. As a result of these meetings,
the church has representation in al-
most every land beneath the skies.
Young women who were converted
while at Baylor have gone out to every
quarter of the earth as missionaries
and as Workers in other walks of life.
Therefore, from grateful hearts all
over this great, large world, the old
First Baptist church is held in sacred
memory by those who first; came to
know the Lord in this holy place.
During the year 1913, two substan-
tial additions were made to the plant
of the church, which were imperative
because of the growing needs of the
church for more adequate facilities
with which to carry on its work. The
first was a gallery in the rear of the
church, which is used for Sunday
school purposes regularly and is used
on special occasions for the congrega-
tions attending the worship of the
church. The other improvement is
the primary Sunday school annex.
This was constructed to the rear of
the pulpit, stretching clear across, the
width of the entire building. The an-
nex is equipped with the things essen-
tial to successful primary Sunday
school work. There is an average at-
tendance in the primary department
of the Sunday school of seventy-five.
The Sunday school proper is splen-
didly organized, with Prof. Peyton
Jacob as superintendent. There is an
average attendance of three hundred
in the school and it is thoroughly
graded, having a Baraca class, Phila-
thea class, business men's class, wom-
en's class, and mixed Bible class.
The church maintains a successful
system of finances by which the ex-
penses of the church are met regular-
ly and promptly and by which the sev-
eral different denominational enter-
prises fostered by the church receive
regular contributions from the con-
gregation.
But of all the departments of the
church's work the Woman's Mission-
ary Society is possibly the most re-
markable. Every woman in the
church is a member of the Woman's
Society, and, naturally, of course,
with such conditions existing, the So-
ciety is known among Baptists
throughout Texas as one of the lead-
ing Woman's Societies of the Baptist
brotherhood. However, this happy
situation does not exist by mere acci-
dent—there is a cause. Elsewhere
mention is made of one of the earlier
pastors, as to the giant strides the
church made under his leadings—
Rev. M. V. Smith. He finished his
work and has gone on to his reward.
His faithful life's companion survives
him. When her husband was called
away, Mrs. M. V. Smith remained be-
hind, to love and serve the church in
her capacity with the same degree of
devotion that her preacher husband
loved the church, and served in his
capacity, while he was here. The
years have come and gone and this
faithful woman of God has given her-
self unselfishly, without faltering, to
the woman's work in the church. And
by her constant work,
ing weary of her task, with the aid of
the other splendid women of the con-
gregation, the woman's work jf the
church has come to be almost ideal in
its organization and enterprise.
The social life of the church is de-
lightful. The workers in the congre-
gation keep constantly in mind not
only the spiritual good of the mem-
bers, but the intellectual and social
welfare of the members as well.
Therefore, all that is possible, is done
for the social welfare of the members,
particularly, the younger ones.
A senior B. Y. P. U. is maintained,
which meets regularly and is in a
healthy and prosperous condition. In
this the young people get training
for service as well as social develop-
ment. A juniior B. Y. P. U. is also
maintained and is committed to those
who know how to control children and
develop their child nature.
Perhaps the greatest social event in
the life of this church is the annual
banquet, given by the ladies to the
male members of the congregation. It
has come to be expected, and the men
wait each recurring year for the time
to come, when they may go to the
banquet table, and enjoy the delicious
edibles, served by the fair ladies. At
this banquet, topics touching church
life and work only are discussed. And
at these meetings much help and
strength come to all men, for it is a
"get-to-gether" meeting, and brings
all the men folks of the church into
closer relations with each other.
It seems the dawn has just come
for this great congregation of enthus-
iastic religious workers. There is a
deep-seated conviction now in the
minds of all the observing among the
congregation that a new building,
more modern and more adapted to the
needs of the enlarged work of the
church is imperative and that the
church will be hindered more or less
until this happy consummation is real-
ized. Already the pastor and his cot-
erie of church officers and workers in
the various departments of the church
have this under prayerful advisement.
Glorious, indeed, is the history of
the First Baptist church, Belton, and
more glorious are its future achieve-
ments to be, if the pastor shall be per-
mitted in anywise to see the realiza-
tion of his dreams.
The church owns two chapels, in
which Sunday schools are maintain-
ed, on Sunday afternoons. One of
these is the South Side chapel, and
the other is the Cotton Factory chapel.
On Sunday afternoons, workers from
the church go to these places and con-
duct Sunday school and other relig-
ious exercises. It is the hope of the
congregation at some time in the fu-
ture to see these chapels develop into
regular churches and maintain all de-
partments of the work.
CHURCH OF CHRIST.
For several years a few members of
the Church of Christ have struggled
against various difficulties to build
up a church in Belton. As they had
no place of their own in which to
worship they met from house to
house, or any place they could get.
during this time little progress was
made except to keep the cause alive.
The first Sunday in February, 1912,
H .F. Olliver of Cleburne, called the
members together at the home of J.
P. Brightwell for the purpose of or-
ganizing and placing the work on a
permanent basis if possible. Thir-
teen members were present at this
meeting to assume the responsibilities
of the organization. Through the un-
tiring efforts of Bro. Oliver, a neat
frame building at the corner of Penel-
ope street and Third Avenue was pur-
chased from the Christian Church on
terms they could meet. This property
was transferred to the Church of
Christ on or about February 15, 1912.
In May of the same year Bro. Oliver
returned and held a meeting in the
house with several additions by con-
fession and baptism, and the church
much encouraged and strengthened.
Much credit is due Bro. Oliver for liis
efforts here, so nobly put forth in get-
ting the work on a firm basis when
the hopes of a good congregation may
be realized. In July, 1912, F. J. Ber-
ry of Madisonville, held a few days
meeting which gave strength to the
work and encouragement to the work-
ers. In October 1912, C. D. Crouch
began work with the church as local
minister. He continued his labors one
year, devoting one half of his time to
the Belton church. The church en-
joyed a healthy growth in attendance
during his labors.-'In May, 1913, Lee
P. Mansfield of Waco, held a meeting
lasting several days. Besides adding
several new members this meeting
gave much strength and courage to
the work along all lines. On January
15, 1914, N. 0. Ray moved from
Greenville to Belton to labor with this
church as their minister. He preaches
on first and third Sundays of each
month. Besides this he devotes much
time to house to house work in which
he endeavors to impress the members
with their duty individually as Chris-
tians. While he has labored here only
a short time, his efforts are already
showing good results.
The congregation meets every Sun-
day at eleven o'clock for the regular
worship. One prominent feature of
this service is the partaking of the
Lord's Supper. The teaching done at
this service is with a view to increas-
ing the seal and consecration of the
members. In addition to this service
life:
.
Montgomery, W. M. Williams, and the-v
present pastor, E. C. Boynton.
During the pastorate of Mr. Duo-
ning the church procured a tot upon
which a minister's home was erected^
a substantial and attractive strae&tre^
adding much to the equipment of the
work. A number of revivals ft
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BEITON, TEXAS,
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Presbyterians of Belton have a
neat, well equipped, modern church
building constructed of concrete
blocks.
The present resident membership
of the church is about 155. The Sun-
day school enrollment in all depart-
ments is about 205. The present pas-
tor has been with the church only
since last July. The officers of the
church are as follows:
Pastor, E. L. Storey.
Elders: T. L. Means, clerk; D. C.
Burkes, M. H. Shanklin, J. M. Scott,
Judge J. D. Robinson.
Deacons: C. W. Meyer, treasurer;
W. W. Stockton, N. A. Ensor, E. E. j
Upshaw, ' Hosea Robinson, W. A.
Means, F. Muelhouse, H. R. Kelso.
Sunday School Officers: T. L.
Means, superintendent; J. D. Robin-
son, assistant superintendent and di-
rector of music; Jas. Harris, assistant
superintendent; Henry Lee Van Dor-
en, assistant superintendent; Arthur
Cook, assistant superintendent; Victor
Means, assistant superintendent; Ar-
thur Cook, secretary and treasurer;
Miss Loulie Meyer, superintendent
home department; Miss Bertha Clark,
superintendent cradle roll; Miss Ruth
Scott, treasurer of orphans fund.
L. Storey
This church is blessed with an ac-
tive wide-awake Christian Endeavor
society and two ladies societies. Each
of these societies are doing splendid
work in its sphere. Their officers are
as follows:
Christian Endeavor Society: Henry
Lee Van Doren, president; Rogers
Tulloch, 1st vice president; Edgar
Sparks, 2nd vice president; Miss Ruth
Scott, recording secretary; Miss Em-
ma J. Meyer, corresponding secretary;
Mr. P. H. Daugherty, treasurer.
Ladies Aid Society: Mrs. A. G.
Vick, president; Miss Ella Means,
secretary; Mrs. E. E. Upshaw, treas-
urer.
Ladies Missionary Society: Mrs. C.
W. Meyer, president; Miss Ella Means
secretary and treasurer.
The Unafraid Men's Bible Class,
which is a union Bible class, meets
in this church every Sunday afternoon
at 2 o'clock. This class recently cele-
brated its third anniversary. It con-
tinues to be a source of inspiration
and strength to the many men who
attend it.
ed the numeral strength of the congrw-
gaticm, prominent among these being:
a great gathering under the leader-
ship of Evahgelists Sanders and Dour*-
hit, an open air meeting. Perhaps the
greatest protracted effort was that of
Rev. J. L. Brandt, of St. Louis, held
during Mr. William's pastorate. Sc>
large was the growth of the ehurcls
from this meeting that it became ap-
parent that the quarters then used
were insufficient to accommodate the
congregation and its activities. Ac-
cordingly the lot was sold, and ther
property on the southwest corner of
the square, formerly used as an operas
house and later for store and banking
purposes, was purchased and the pres-
ent splendid plant provided. Under
the enthusiastic and practical leader-
ship of Mr. Williams the membership
continued to increase, and rev?Val
conducted by Revs. Addison Clark and
J. W. Marshall, and by Evangelists*
Cross and Ogle, built up the eongre-
gation materially.
At the time of this review, the
church numbers about 300 members*
with some 250 or more regular^ en-
rolled in the Bible schooL A' Chris*
tian Endeavor Society is> maintained^
and an enthusiastic Ladles' Aid Socie-
ty works faithfully for-the welfare of
the Christian Woman's Board of Mis-
sions of the Disciples of Christ. Aaide^
too, from the support of its own en-
terprises, the church is large con-
tributor to the Bell County Christian*
Missionary society, and through it*
various agencies expends over $125-
annually for the support of th aged
and the orphans among the DfccipIesJ 1
The general causes of home aiicf for-
eign missions are not overlooked inr
the schedule of yearly offerings, the
church and both through public con-
tributions and the gifts of individual-
members have been astaunch support-
er of Christian education, the gifts
for this purpose duriDg the last se -
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yiffeii!
First Christian Church.
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHI RCH.
The Church of Christ.
the church maintains a gdod Bible
school. More than sixty are engaged
in this work and most of them are
young people and children. Much im-
portance is attached to this work and |
it is perhaps one of the most prosper- j
ous lines of work in the church. There
is a Wednesday night prayer meeting
service carried on by the church and
also a Thursday afternoon Bible class
for the ladies.
The church has enjoyed a steady-
growth all the while and now the
membership numbers about seventy-
five.
N. O. Ray was born and reared in
Middle, Tennessee. He came to Tex-
as about eighteen years ago. In 1898
he decided to devote his life to the
ministry and in ordev to prepare him-
self for more efficient work he en-
tered the Nashville Bible School,
Nashville, Tennessee. He was in this
college three years. After this he re-
turned to Texas and has devoted his
entire time to preaching except two
years he taught in a Bible college. He
has done evangelistic work in Texas,
Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and
Tennessee. As a local minister he has
labored with the church in Austin,
Denison and Greenville, Texas, before
accepting the work at Belton.
The First Christian Church of Hel-
ton was organized more than thirty-
years ago. For a number of
years the congregations met Tn the
old union church, on Penelope St.,
just above the Central Avenue, in a
building since converted into a hotel.
Dr. W. L. Harrison, of Troy, visited
the church monthly, giving one or two
Sundays to the work. Other preach-
ers served the congregation in like
manner, among whom was the Rev.
Mr. Speed, who resided in Belton, but
did not give full time to the church.
In 1885 the Ladies' Aid Society pur-
chased a lot on Penelope and Third
Ave., adding to the tract by a second
purchase in 1887. The following
spring a protracted meeting was held
by Evangelists Kendrick and Rose-
crans, a building having in the mean-
time been erected on the church prop-
erty. Soon after this revival, in the
autumn of 1888, Rev. S. K. Hallan, of
Kentucky, was called as a regular pas-
tor, giving full time to the work, and
under his efficient labors the young
church grew and prospered. Other
resident ministers of the congrega-
tion have been R. R. Hamlin, D. W.
Pritchett, Phillip F. King, B. F. Wil-
son, J. B. Bohannon, M. S. Dunning,
C. T. Radford, Geo. W. Lee, W. C.
oral years aggregating more than
$12,000.
Within the past year, a numhwr a£
forward steps have been taken by the
church in the organization of its va^
ious activities. The primary depart*-
ment of the Sunday school fa one of
the best in the country, nearfy all the
teachers being in possession of the in>
ternational teacher-training diploma.
The training work itself is constantly
carried on, classes in both the first
and succeeding course of stud'yj A
modern and excellent heating syKtens
has been installed, making it possible
to keep the large auditorium poEfiacfe-
ly comfortable throughout tiie winter
season. Other adaptations amfimpeov—
ments of the equipment are planned
as may be needed. The church has
in addition to the Sunday school and
congregational facilities a ladies' par-
lor and reception room where special
class meetings, functions, etc., may
be held, and has for its aim in th
purpose of equipping the building
with its opportunities for conference
or work, and its general accessibility
so open to the public as to fulfill in
some degree at least the ideal' ef the
modern church—a place where the
public may find the cordial invita&biv
the open dorr and the sympathetie-
welcome, not alone on Sunday hufc
daily.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
N. O. Ray.
The people called Methodist have
always been in the forefront in pio-
neering a country. Shortly after the
town of Belton had been established
the voice of the Methodist itenerant
preacher was heard proclaiming the
gospel of Christ to the villagers. In
the year 1870 funds were raised for
the erection of the first Methodist
church in the town, and during the
following year the congregation be-
gan worshipping in the new building.
A Methodist Sunday school was imme-
diately organized, and, without a
break, it has continued, and now is
one of the very best organized, and
most successful Sunday schools in the
county, of this denomination. About
thirty'years ago the present church
building was erected, and at that time
was tha finest, and most up-to-date
Methodist church in the then North-
western Texas conference. The pas-
(ContiiMMd on P«fl« Eight.). 1
tor at that time was Rev. W. I*.
Nelms, who is now stationed at
Georgetown, and the contractor and*
builder was Ben D. Lee. The build-
ing was of splendid material and of
the very best construction, as has been
demonstrateC. by the thirty years it
has served the congregation as a place
of worship. The membership is nowr
laying plans for the erection, of m
more modern and up-to-date struc-
ture. The architect has been selected
and plans and specifications are being:
made, and the contract will be let fm
the near future. The present mnn
bership is si* hundred and thirty*'
four. All the departments «f the
church are well organised and the
work is being pushed forwfcnr witih
splendid success. Under the
tration of the present
church has greatly prospered. One
hundred and forty-two
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The Belton Journal (Belton, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 7, 1914, newspaper, May 7, 1914; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth233462/m1/7/?q=%22~1%22~1&rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.