First Baptist Church

Information about my church

"Welcome to my church page"

Welcome to my church page. It will have information about my church. Like the Pastor and the other staff. But nothing personal unless I clear it with them to make sure that it's ok with them. But mainly I'll have like their education and other churchs where they've served and maybe other jobs thye've had. But mainly I just want to provide a little history on the church and maybe about what's happening at First Baptist. Right now we are in the process of building a new building where the old one was. Today June 16 1999 they started tearing down the old part so that they can get ready to build the new building.

Well I finally have my slide show of the old church when they were tearing it down and of building the new one. It's pictures of when they put up the new steeple. Click here to see it with How Great Thou Art playing along. Enjoy the show and when it's done, please sign one of my guestbooks and let me know how you liked it and how it worked for you. I mean let me know if you had any problems with it and what if any. If you're broswer challanged, I mean if your broswer doesn't support frames then you won't be able to get the first link, the page will just be black. So click here for my nonframes version and enjoy the show. Ditto on above.Thanks.

Click here to hear 'Knockin on Heaven's Door' again
.

Click here to hear 'Heaven can wait'

This is taken the from program that we had for the last service, which was Easter Sunday, April 4, 1999, on the front of it, it has a picture drawing of the church like it was. At the top it has
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Searcy,Arkansas.
At the bottom it has
A Service of Celebration
April 4, 1999.

The persent staff is:

Neil Bennett
Pastor

Ross Pyeatt
Minister of
Education
&
Administration

Clay Vire
Minister
of
Music

Jason Miller
Minister
to
Students

Carol Pyeatt
Preschool
Coordinator

OPENING OF CONERSTONE AT FIRST
BAPTIST CHURCH,SEARCY.AR
BY:MRS.JOE KNOX

In the history of Searcy a more solemn or sacred service has never been held than the opening of the Conerstone of the First Baptist Church Tuesday evening at 5:30 November 7,1944.
Friends and members of the church gathered at the church to witness the opening and view the contents which has been placed therein by loving hands 42 years ago.
The service was opened with the singing of that dear old hymn, "How Firm a Foundation," followed by a prayer and thanksgiving for all those, who in the years of long ago had any part in the building and of the contents in the stone. This prayer was led by B.C. Huddleston, chairman of the Board of Deacons.
The box was reverently lifted from its resting place in the marble stone and placed
on a table where everyone could see the contents.
The Rev. W.R. Vestal, pastor of the church, used for his message the 4th chapter of Joshua. The beautiful thoughts and instructive message stirred the hearts of each individual present. From the record of the first conerstone in scripture to the present day
was an inspiration to both the young and old present. It has always been a historical custom to erect conerstones as a memorial to the Lord Jesus Christ, the true corner stone, and as a direction to generations to come of the principles, beliefs, and the faith and hopes of those gone on before.
L.A. Thompson, chairman of the board of Trustees, gave the findings of the examining of the deeds. The following men, whose names were on the board of Deacons at the time will be familiar to the Searcy residents: B.C. Black, JJ. Crow, D.H. Pilkington, J.B. Deener, J.P. Wood, J.G. Hall, W.T. Holloway, Henry Patterson, J.A. Ford, clerk; R.R. Lewis, treasurer. Time and the elements had caused great damage to the contents of the box
and many of the documents could not be read, yet nothing can take away the high ideas or
the true principles for which they stand. As the articles were lifted out and the Rev. W.R. Vestal told whom they represented, it thrilled the hearts of the audience as they thought of those who labored and sacrificed in the long ago that we might reap today the fruits of their labor. Out of that small tin box came a direct message down the halls of time, a message of challenge to this present generation to take the torch from their hands and catch a new vision for those who are to come after us, thus forging the link that joins generation to generation in that tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. Each article was a sacred tribute to the memory of those who placed it there. First in the contents of the box was a letter written by Elder Ben M. Bogard, who was pastor of the church at that time, giving a list of the church officers and board of deacons. Also a partial list of Sunday School teachers. Part of this was
faded past reading. The teachers were: Mr. J.A. Ford, Mrs. W.M. Watkins, Mrs. J.P. Roberts, Miss Zula Holloway, and Miss Emma Jo McCauley. Beneath this letter was one written by the pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the Rev. T.Z. Nesbitt, a message of good will and greetings. There was a copy of the Arkansas Baptist, two copies
of documents written by Pastor Bogard, "The discussion of Church Gov't and LogicalConsistency of Baptist Position," also a copy of a debate between Throgmorton and Bogard on the Mission Board interst.
A bible from Prof. Kimbrough, two copies of the Daily Citizen, dated June 25 and 29.(1901); two nickels, dates 1898-1891; four indian head pennies-(2) 1901-1895-1892;
short sketch of Pastor Bogard's life; a visiting card form Shem Petty; and a copy of the minutes of Caroline Association, which met at Bebee, 1899. Mr. Fletcher of Lonoke was moderator and served as such 20 years. The associaltion included White, Lonoke, Prairie,
Woodruff, and Pulaski counties. An article from W.C.T.U. which was known as the White Ribbion Ladies at the time.
There were two church bulletins; an envelope with 25 cents in it from Mr. Jim Singleton and Edd Childs, who were in the transfer business; also a piece of poetry by Rosa Jones placed in the box by her father.
There was a historical document, a warrent issued to Mr. J.A. Ford for $1.00 and placed in the box by Mr. Lewis with a list of all the county officers at that time and the church which they were members. It also stated that back to 1872 there was a Baptist Church in Searcy, Judsonia, and Bald Knob.
One of the most interesting things taken from the box was a square and compass which was given to the local Masonic Lodge by Mr. Martin Gentry and was used last at his funeral. The chaplin neglected to place it in the tomb and it was placed in the stone according to a statement that was written and wrapped around it, because it would not been seen for many years to come.
The service will ever be a warm memory to the Baptist people. Not once in many
years does this rich opportunity come to people. The Rev. W.R. Vestal forcefully brought out last night. it is the web of the years, the link of generations. The closing song "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name," was sung with a distinctive new meaning after this service.
Oscar Ingold, Pastor of the First Christen Church, whom we have learned to know, love and appreciate, led the closing prayer. Mrs. J.E. Short,(Nee Miss Ester Howell)whose father Mr. John Howell built the box for the contents was present last night. Mr. Lee Ford, of Newport, son of J.A. Ford who was the church clerk, also was here.
To many of us the going of the old church cannot help but bring a pain to our hearts, even though we know it is giving way to a new one for it was in this old chuch we have had some of the happiest and saddest moments of our lives.

webmaster@artomcat.com

Please report any broken links to me the webmaster at once by email. (See above or just use the pager) Thanks

[ View My Guestbook ] [ Sign My Guestbook ]

You are visitor number since:

Links to my other Pages:

Please fill out my feedback form. Click here for my Feedback form.