Field St. Mission

 

Portion of a publication available from the Historic Committee of Field St Baptist Church.

First Baptist Church recognized the need of religious efforts in this area of town and named a committee to look after a Mission Sunday School meeting in an old residence on West Willingham Street with Dr. A. L. Smith as superinten­dent. Interest grew and in 1902, Reverend Joe Little raised $250.00 to buy a lot at 508 West Willingham Street from S. T. Shaw. The old house was moved off the lot, a new house (22 feet by 36 feet) was built and the Sunday School moved in July 17, 1908. Dr. A. T. Gardner was elected by First Baptist Church to take charge of the Sunday School with nine teachers to work with him. After Dr. Gardner resigned, Dr. Smith served as Sunday School superintendent until September, 1911. Then J. R. Blandford was elected and served until the West Cleburne Mission Sunday School was organized into a church on December 11, 1911, in the midst of a great revival.

The first recorded minutes3 read:

“Cleburne, Texas, December 11, 1911, 8:30 P.M.

“At the mission of the First Baptist Church, situated on the west side of Cleburne, a meeting was in progress. At the close of the preaching service at the call of Brother Charles Pitts, Sr., County Missionary, the following brethren were asked to examine applicants from other churches, of which they were members, with the view of organizing into an independent church:

Bro. Albert Venting, Moderator
R. E. Pitts, Secretary
W. H. Johnson
J. F. Elam
E. M. Brown
R. B. Vickers
J. D. Clayton

“Brother Venting made a call to all who desired to enter such an organization to which the following brethren and sisters responded:

T. L. Black
Cordie Black
J. R. Blandford
Louella Blandford
Cecil Curtis
Dora Curtis
Inez Curtis
Ella Jones
John Jones
A. C. Walker
Josie Walker
W. B. McPherson
M. E. McPherson
David McCoy
D. B. Robinson
Lelia Knight
Elvira Lassister
Fannie Robinson
Earl Robinson
Walter W. Sieble
Mary Hamilton
Zack Baker
Mrs. Jennie Cyrus
Mrs. Earl Bandy
Charles Pitts, Sr.
Claudia Pitts
Faye Pitts

“After which Brother Johnson read the Articles of Doctrine, as set forth in Pendleton’s Manual. The prospective members, by accent, accepted the same. The Church Covenant was then read and sub­scribed to by each member, after which the hand of fellowship was extended to the Presbytery. The new organization then elected Brother Charles Pitts, Sr. as moderator and Brother T. L. Black as Clerk Protem. The doors of the church was open for membership and four joined by experience for baptism as follows:

E. G. Curtis
Davis Gentry
Bertha Gentry
Sadie Warwick

“The first deacons were J. R. Blandford and R. E. Pitts (Rev. Charles Pitts, Sr.’s brother).
Arley Knight, Church Clerk
R. E. Pitts, Treasurer
“Trustees: D. B. Robinson, W. B. McPherson, B. J. Jackson, Sr., Zach Baker and W. J. Hannah
B. J. Jackson, Sr., Sunday School Superintendent
W. B. Sieble, Assistant Sunday School Superintendent
Zach Baker, Secretary and Treasurer of Sunday School
D. B. Robinson, Choirister

“On December 18, 1911, Reverend Charles Pitts, Sr. was chosen pastor and the church paid one-half of the salary to the missionary board and Reverend Pitts continued as pastor and missionary.’’