Published: July 25, 2008 10:42 pm            

First Baptist Church celebrates its 140th anniversary with special services and events

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — The First Baptist Church, 1600 Salem Road, recently celebrated a milestone — its 140th anniversary. To commemorate the event, the church held a homecoming-type service, with coffee and doughnuts, followed by a worship service and fellowship. The event also included a luncheon and “time of sharing,” according to information from Sharon Belcher.

The origins of the First Baptist Church can be traced back to the early 1860’s, when Deliah Morgan invited children into her dining room for Sunday school. Her brother, Daniel Sturgis, also offered his carpenter shop as a meeting place as the congregation increased. The Rev. I.W. Brooks was the first pastor elected to lead the congregation.

With 14 charter members who considered themselves “Missionary Baptists,” Belcher states, the organization of the church was “a first definitive break from the early ‘Hard Shell’ or ‘Primitive Baptists,’ in the area.” The church’s denominational affiliation then changed from Southern Baptist to Northern Baptist, eventually becoming American Baptist. As membership grew in size, new meeting locations were necessary for First Baptist Church.

A building, dedicated in 1872, was then built from lumber donated by Sturgis —lumber he had planned to use to build a home. The constructed building served as the church with membership increasing from 125 to 300.

But nature would try to interfere with the growth of the church, as the building was destroyed by the Feb. 19, 1888, cyclone. Services for that afternoon were dismissed before the cyclone hit so members could get home to a safe place. At least 30 people were killed during the cyclone, with a majority of Mt. Vernon demolished. Pastor Rev. W. P. Throgmorton, his wife and Miss Maude Carpenter, who were in the parsonage attached to the church, escaped serious injury, but were covered by debris. The devastation to the area was immediate and resulted in Clara Barton setting up a hospital at the Appellate Courthouse.

The church, having one of only two cyclone insurance policies in effect in Mt. Vernon, received $2,000, using the money to begin rebuilding. The youth from the church had helped pay for the insurance by presenting a play, “Cast Your Bread Upon the Water.”

The following month, church trustees purchased a lot at Eighth and Jordan Streets, and a new building was dedicated Oct. 30, 1888. This new location for First Baptist Church, remodeled through the years, served its membership until June 14, 1964, when the first service was held in the present church location at 1600 Salem Road.

The Rev. Eugene Holcomb, who served as pastor at the time, is the oldest living former pastor. He currently resides in California, Belcher states.

First Baptist Churh also committed to an outreach in the community. This mission started in 1904, resulting in the formation of the current Second Baptist Church; Park Avenue Baptist was formed from the mission in 1907. Grace Community also found its roots in the First Baptist Church.

A stained glass window, at the back of the present sanctuary of First Baptist Church, and the Mohler organ, was purchased from the Fox Theater in St. Louis in 1950, and were brought from the Jordan Street church. That property, which was sold to the high school, currently serves as a parking lot.

Harriet Longbons, a member since May 1935, is the current church organist, learning to play in 1932 when then-organist Ann Williams Edwards “set her on the organ bench even though she couldn’t reach the foot pedals.” Betty Danner has been a long standing member since May 1937 —six generations of her family have attended First Baptist Church.

The church has a record of 38 pastors, with the present pastor, Ryan Burge, beginning his pastorate, on Oct. 8, 2006. Pastor Burge is also working towards a doctorate in political science and religion.

        

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