BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH

                    
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BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH

Across the Fence 



By Arvord Abernethy 


Click on picture to see a larger view.


In these days of reruns and the showing of old black and white movies on TV, one might expect it in other area of life. If you had been at Blue Ridge Baptist Church last Monday evening, you would have seen a rerun of the old time camp meetings. 

The Hamilton County Baptist Association met there in good numbers for their monthly Worker’s Conference. Since it was so near the Fourth of July, the program carried the theme of freedom. 

The program began in the typical camp meeting way with a bountiful dinner on the ground. And I mean bountiful. It wasn’t a case of each family in the community bringing a dish. From the spread they had, each family must have brought several dishes. There was evidence that many out that way also had good gardens this year. 

There was one difference from the long years ago. I remember reading in some old minutes of the associational meeting at the Pottsville Church, which was called the Cow House Baptist Church then, and it told how the church provided a “bountiful spread of hay and oats” for the horses of the people who attended. I didn’t see any oats or hay at Blue Ridge, nor did I see any gasoline tanks where I could fill my car. 

The meeting was held out under the tabernacle which I will tell you more about later. The joyful mood which was set at the mealtime carried right over into the worship service. Everyone was ready to sing, so there was great congregational singing led by Cecil Grisham. All along throughout the program there was special music brought by soloists, duets, trios, quartets, choirs or about any number combination you desired. 

Not only did we have a lot of singing, but we had a lot of preaching. Sermons by three pastors were mixed in among the singing. This part may have been a little different from the “good old days”. These three men were given time limits, and from what I have heard it was not always so, long ago. I’ve heard people tell of how they would get to squirming around in their seats after a preacher would keep on after an hour or two. 

The worshipful mood carried right on throughout the service. Near the end, the several pastors present were called to the front and the congregation was given the opportunity to pledge their support to their pastor by coming and shaking his hand. There was a great response. 

I enjoyed the meeting so much, I went back Sunday afternoon for the rededication of the tabernacle which is 70 years old this year. 

Since the days when Moses was leading the Children of Israel out of bondage and God commanded him to build a tabernacle, tabernacles have been used as a place of worship. As in Moses’ day, the tabernacle also represented the presence of God. 

In the days before air conditioning, many churches had tabernacles to hold their summer services in, especially the revival meetings. Very few of them remain over the country today; Blue Ridge is an exception. Brush arbors served many churches as a place of worship; and if you have never set under a brush arbor and felt the cool breeze that always seemed to blow through, or smelled the sweet odor from the leaves, especially willow leaves, you are not ready to live. 

Things were quite different 70 years ago when the Blue Ridge church felt its need for a permanent tabernacle. At that time there were over 15,000 people living in the county and most of them lived in the country. Nearly every farm family consisted of several children, so there was a great need for many churches and schools. Blue Ridge had 126 members at that time and was one of the strong churches in the county. Now there are a little over 8,000 people in the county and most of them live in town. 

Thanks to Jane Perry for her research and giving of the history of the tabernacle. Here is how the church minutes of May 25, 1912 read, “The Blue Ridge Baptist Church met Saturday before the fourth Sunday in May, Preaching by Pastor R. H. Gibson, after which the church set in conference. A committee was appointed to see if they could raise enough money for a tabernacle. The committee consisted of: Brethern Arvil H. Blacksher, Sr., Thomas Edwin Stribling and Nathaniel Young Williams. No other business, conference adjourned. Signed, Randolph Hunter "Randal" Gibson, Moderator A. M. Smith, clerk.” 

The September minutes reveal that the tabernacle had been completed at a cost of $325. At this meeting messengers were elected for the annual associational meeting, they were: J. L. Stuckey, Jessie Andrew Grisham, S. M. Smith, Floyd Palmer Drake, Elmer Richey, Maynord Winningham and A. M. Smith. 

The tabernacle is a large structure that can hold a lot of people. The sides are made in sections that are hinged at the top. These sections can be lifted for ventilation and to act as an awning for shade. With its new “wig” of tan sheet, metal as a roof, it has stood its 70 years better than many of us. 

We often hear people speak of such places as hallowed ground and one should remove their shoes before trading on it. If you took off your shoes at Blue Ridge, you would tread on smooth white gravel. Roy A. Chumney remembers when they needed something to cover the ground under the tabernacle, so a good group of fellows with wagons went down to Cowhouse Creek on his father’s place and got the white gravel for the purpose. 

The tabernacle had to be re-shingled in 1938, and a committee was appointed consisting of Eugene Perry Stribling, Tomas Edward Walton, William Jennings Harris and Samuel Floyd Williams. The church voted to give the old shingles to the school for kindling. 

Several former pastors and members were present for the rededication service and were given the opportunity to speak. Rev Sam Drake was probably the oldest former member present, but Rev. Raymond Collier of Terrell, who will soon be 80 years old, was one of the highlights of the program. He was ordained under that tabernacle in 1922 and has been serving in the ministry ever since. He have us some well spoken words. 

All in all it was a good service to be in, even to the singing of all 25 verses (or however many there are) of “The Old Time Religion”. 

I took Lindsey and Janet Wallace along with me. They are both new teachers here in our schools and I would like for you to meet them. I’ll try to bring them by some time next week.

Shared by Roy Ables

 

ACROSS THE FENCE 


 
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People and Places: Gazetteer of Hamilton County, TX
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Copyright © March, 1998
by Elreeta Crain Weathers, B.A., M.Ed.,  
(also Mrs.,  Mom, and Ph. T.)

A Work In Progress