Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-12-14
Brief History of Buena Vista
baptist Church

BUENA VISTA, Dec. II, 1904.
o Now that the Rev. w. L. Way
has rounded out his term of gel
vice among us by dedicating tn
Buena Vista Baptist church jus
on the eve of his departure,
seems that we have reached
point where We may well pause fo
O moment and look backward owe
G our past history.
The Buena Vista Baptist churcl
was organized June 8, 1891, by
: little band of seventeen earnes
charter meT bers, and the frs
, meetings were held in the orer,
house while n modest little churcl
was being built. The first clerl
was MIR. L. L. Dickinson, whose
service extended from the time
Of organization to 1898. He was
succeeded by Mr.. S. w. Tardy,
who in turn was succeeded in 1896
by Mr.. Geo. W. Leckie, who has
served almost continuously from
that time to the present. The
first treasurer was Mr.. d. H.
Rucker, ST., VIII, was then and
still is the popular clerk of the
City Court, but on account of other
duties he wac compelled to resign.
His successor was MIR. 5. 5. Green,
whose service lasted year or two.
He was succeeded by Mr.. Il. II.
Dickinson, the incumbent, who
he's always been liberal coz
tributoy to the financial support
Of the church.
The Sunday school being under
the supervision of the church, it
has ever been the aim of these in
terested to have an active church
worker as superintendent, and the
school was organized with Mr..
Mandlebaum at the head. The
present efficient superintendent is
Mr.. C. W. Showalter, who was
elected in 1902, and under whose
wise management the school has
nearly doubled its numbers.
The only record obtainable
shows that the first board Of dea-
cons was composed of Messrs. S.
5. Green, Il. Il. Dickinson and 2.
?. Padgett. These gentleman,
with the exception of Mr.. Green,
and Msssrs. Geo. W. Leckie, G.. 4.
Cunningham, G. w. Showalter, r.
n. Sale and Robert Campbell, con-
'titute the present board.
The property was originally in
he hands of Mess!s. r. r. Witt,
los. F. Shaner, B. II. Gorrell, Il.
:. Carter and j. b. Taylor az
rustees, The records show that
he Corporation Court IF Buena
'ista, because Of tho removal Of
he foregoing from the city, en-
cred an order whereby the follow
ng were appointed as crustees:
Iessrs. w. +. Dickinson, r. o.
loot, d. H. trucker, ST., and j. L.
Vrenn, who still hold the prop
rty of the church.
An intensely interesting story
ould be written, even from the
matches of records We obtain in
ne church books. In one place
g find an entry bearing date not y
ing after the boom broke, stat
x that the church had found it
ecessary to decrease the pastors
'lary and other church expenses.
nd about year afterwards, as :
he PAM; clutched harder at the .
eager earnings Of the members, "
e find an entry to the effect that .
le pastors services had been re 6
lined, but the congregation was ="
1t to be held bound for the II
mount, lowing to the stringency ..
the times, lift should be found D
apostolic to raise the amount of Ct
S salary, etc." Still later on 10 IL
und a copy of Il resolution of I"
lanks TO Mrs. r. h. Witt for u
service. And so on ST
rough the joys and sorrows, in III
and shadows, we find the p
ines Of those faithful ones ever III
ing alluded to. al
The church acquired, not long u
ter its organization, two lots, &C
ID in the year 1892 the original nj
,ptist church at Buena Vista IL
is built at cost approximating o'
300. The pastor was the Rev. IN
II. ID ,meht, VINO was succeeded a
the Rev. w. K. Hurt, who was 81
turn succeeded by the Rev. IN
)ward S. Irvine. The Rev. p. al
Anthony succeeded him jan 10
ny /, 1896, st
We regret that space does not tn
rmit us to give an account of the
,rk of these estimable men, but
: shall be able to speak only
lefty of our Last pastor, Rev.
ills l.. Wayts, who succeeded
r. Anthony on December 6, 1900, of
d who has just left us TO engage co
the work of State evangelist. Ia
iring this period of four years tn
e church edifice was added to in It's
ch manner as to make it prac- In,
ally new building, at cost rel
$4,000. 1t was this building 60
: and in which were held the dis
dicatory services on the fourth vic
nday in November. This se:- tn,
'e, largely attended and con- tai
cted by Mr. Wayts, was fitting fol
nj 4 20 Il