The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-16
GROWTH OF MONTGOMERY CHURCHES
 AN INDEX T0PR0GRESS OF MONTGOMERY

Baptist denSmiuat q an f tfonfgpmefy w0rshippcUs tog tsleFg n the a4ethQt dists sapd Preshyte fians ilsF the slitela union church which stood Ton tbesppt on which is located the present Court Street Methodist Chhrch. Montgomery was beginning to grow. The little town was beginning 10 awaken, to arouse herself, to shaxe off her coun- try ways A union church would nofs suffice ~the growing population any longer so with one, accord it was de- termined that the denvminations which had worshipped together these several, years would each erect chuheh. In the consultation which followed this determination the Presbyterians and
 Baptlsts decided to cast their lots apart and the little union church fell to the
 Metho1ists.s4 v
 cry was oRganized November 29 1929. with tour members by Hev. Lee Cnn-
 pers and Rev Field Bradshaw. owing
 to some supposed irregularity in the
 constitution. the church decided tc call
 Presbytery and re-organize which re-
 organization was dhly perfected August
 II, 1882. and from that time the First Baptist C0ureh of Montgomery really dates. e
 The first church erected by the Bap
 lists of Montgomery. was on the lot donated In March, 1892. by; John Gind- rat The church was a small but conn
 fortabie frame structure It was not long, however,. before the building
 proved too small for tne congregation
 and steps were taken 10 build U larger church. On the site of the first little
 church handsome brscK +eatfice at a
 cost of S25,000 ~was erected in 1854.
 In this house the members of the con gregaticn wprshipped until again 1t was found necessary to build a larger church and in 1905, the lot on Perry street between Alabama and Scott streets, was purchased and at this time a white marble church is being erected, which, when completed, will be one Of the hands0mest and best
 equipped in all departments Of church
 work In this country.
 It Is expected that ehe new church | will be completed and ready for occu-
 pancy some time during the next year.
 Of the ministers whR have served the I congregation of the First Baptist | Church during these years 1t may be l said that some of the ablest preachers l In the Southern Baptist church have l been numbered among them
 1 BAPTTsT PREACHEIiS.
 The first pastor of the uhureh was Rev.
 Lee Cornpers. who was followed in suc- cession by Rev .D AVorthington, Rev ,. | H. DeVotie, D. D., Rev. Wllnam Carey l Crane, D. D.; Rev. Thomas Chilton, Rev. Henry Talbird, D. D. Rev. '. T. | riehenor D. D.: Rev. 6 Manly, n. D.. 1 Rev. I. T. Tichenory D. D., Rev. W. D. :: | Gwin, D. D.; Rev. J B. Hawthorn, 1 D. D.; Rev. A. D. gWoodfin, ID. D. i;
 Rev. NJ B., Whartons D, D.; RsV, Will 1 liamyr Harris. D, D.; Rev. George B.
 Eager and Rev. Charles A. Stakely, p, D.. who Is the pastor at the present 1 time
 The church since it's organization has
 sent out from the members of It's, con 1 gregation several preachers of the i gospel who have become able and Hse- | ful ministers. Among them are " l.. 1 Hawly D. P J Murphy. J. A. George, | William Williams. D. D. Rufus Figh, | William Perry, E. F Baber,. J. A. How
 ard, E M Cook. G. w. Townsend and l Charles A. stakely, D. D.
 Dr. Eager who occupied the pulpit previous to Dr. Stakeiy, the present
 pastor, resigned to aeuept professor ship in the Southern Baptist Thsolosi- cal Seminary at Louisville, Ky, in 1900 Dr. Stakely came from a church in sfgFNpA "a, IsCsAtp Aae First Baptisi D G1Aufeh atfo 3S bne of the faostspo putac and best 1oved pastors in Montgomery The corner stone of the ha1ds6nie ! new church was laid June 80, 1905. The
 members of the First Baptist Church I own comfortable parsonage and the
 new church will be, when completed. | the most valuable pieces of church | prDpeFty lf Montgomery. 2 s"H
 l Entering into and contributing largo | ly, to the life of the c1urchs is one of
 the largest Sunday Schools in the city, Woman's Missionary Society, Ladies l Aid Society Ladies Working Circle. l Working Circle Missionary Society. ] Baptist Young Peoples Unien and d
 large Baraca Bible class.