WE REM EM BER OUR H ERI TAGE FI RST BAPTI ST CHURCH 1 8 80 1 9 76 Florence Winstead Lee PREFACE ock This is the history of the First Baptist Church , R y NC 1 8 8 0 1 9 76 Mount , , from to , in which we reverently recall how God has worked out his purposes through the mem bers of his Body in this church . We stand in awe and amazement as we view his accomplish ments , using our fragi le strength , undeterred by our weakness , sin , and little faith . May the remembering inspire us and our successors to deeper faith , greater spiritual strength and purer lives , so that the years to come wi ll prove more worthy of our Lord of Lords and King of Kings . Florence W . Lee Church Historian DEDI CATI ON This history is lovingly dedicated to all who worship in this place , past , present , and future generations . t , May the reader find in i s pages a warn ing a guide , and a beckon ing hope . r ohn D Cave D . J . MESSAGE from OUR M I NI STER I never weary of great churches . Mankind was never so ” happi ly inspired as when he made a cathedral , wrote Robert Louis Stevenson . During the past century , the saints of Rocky Mount have been engaged in making a great church . The steel , the stones , the stained glass windows have been united at the corner of Church Street and Western Avenue , giving visible evidence that men and women , boys and girls have taken “ - seriously the injunction of being co laborers with God . However , First Baptist is older than the bui ldings we see or the people we have known who worshipped therein . The church is old in the sense that it is a continuation of the life of ' l . t srael , the people of God I is new in the sense that it is founded on the revelation , made through Jesus Christ , of ’ God s final message for mankind . The thousands that have identified with its message and mission haven ’ t given their i n allegiance to a lost cause , but one of the most permanent stituti ons . of history They have entered in league , not with something local or temporal , but with the divine personality that governs the un iverse itself. The church of the living God was here before these facilities were erected by our forefathers . The land was made and held in reserve by the Creator for this edifice of worship . The gospel we would proclaim was conceived from a crucified - resur rected Christ event . Down the labyrinthian ways of history many strong ambassadors have brought its message to us . We are indeed debtors to the many who have made First Baptist Church a real ity here in Rocky Mount . 1 1 8 8 0 96 On June , , years ago , something sign ificant hap pened here . There was a mystical movement in the minds and m n hearts of i e believing individuals . The stirring within their souls could not be silent . There arose a mind to bui ld , a wi ll to work , and a desire to share a redemptive and edifying message . These living stones ” brought together men and matter to form an edifice of divine worship , a place for scriptural study and Christian fellowship . Every generation which has passed through these ten decades have poured life and love into the ’ d al realization of Go s kingdom here in Rocky Mount , as it is i n a rec i a ready realized heaven . We express our love and pp tion for the labors of many lives making possible this church . The past is prologue . We look back in humble faith on ly to calibrate the compass before advancing forward with hope into the uncertainties of tomorrow . Standing on the pinnacle of great past achievements , we look beyond as Moses on Mount Pisgah viewed Canaan . What do we see beyond Jor dan? What is out there in our Canaan for future conquests? I think the names of the streets which border First Baptist I n . , C give us the clue front it is hurch Street , a main ’ thoroughfare through the heart of Rocky Mount . Christ s church must be kept in the very center of community life . The citizens must be conscious that God ’ s message and people are here to stay . We wi ll not be intimidated . We will remain true to our calling , knocking at the gates of hell , releasing people from bondage , sin and death . Being a church in the inner city wi ll be difficult , demanding and dangerous , for its servants must be involved in social , political , economic and moral areas of the community life . ’ However , at these points the individual s existence is also under assault . If we default by not heralding a redemptive message , both community and individual will be lost . For God ’ s sake and other ’ s let us always be His church in the center of Rocky Mount . There is Western Avenue which runs the length of our “ faci lities . The West recalls the frontier , the place of action , “ conquest and colonization . We canno t stay inner city . God cannot be kept within four walls . We must advance the action to every frontier , out past the city limits into the suburbia , and address ourselves to min ister to those who seek serenity and the security and seclusion of their community . Redemption must work on their sou l as well as upon the concrete streets of downtown . Furthermore , First Baptist must advance beyond Nash and Edgecombe Counties to relate to a world in dire need of life ’ s ’ ’ necessities , man s disciplines and God s grace . No church can a live long that has no great anguish on its heart , nor gre t redemptive music upon its lips . We must not be content in serving on ly the needs within , but the needs of those without . s We go West , pursuing the frontier , colonizing the heart of men and commun ity wherever we go . Our address challenges us to en large the circumference of our concern , to keep our church reaching out that the world may know Him . 20 76 In the year , one hundred years hence , should Christ tarry and another lift the pen and record the history of First ? Baptist of the past century , what will the author write Let thes e be the words . We came . We placed and committed our total self to the work in this location . d n We saw . We pursue the visio of what God n wa ted us to do . We conquered . We claimed the city for Christ . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Special Historical Committee gratefully acknowledges its indebtedness to the persons named herein . To write a histo ry covering so many years would be utterly impossible without the faithful labors of those members who have preceded us and of those who are our contemporaries . Our older adults have . S . T . glad ly shared their memories with the committee Mrs . r A , nderson with her keen mind and sharp memo y , has been especial ly helpful in this area . Some have made outstanding contributions in other ways . Mr . Sam Arrington , church clerk and chairman of the Stand e ing Historical Committ e , has carefully looked after and W B . preserved the church records for many years . Mr . Mid dleton , long a church history enthusiast , has worked for years gathering materials relative to our Sunday School and other churches growing out of the mother church . Many of our members have written brief histories which i n were prepared for special occasions . Al l have been of T . M . s . estimable value The e writers have been Mr Arrington , W D M . , . , r T A Avera , Dr George L Parker Mrs Farmer S . T . Mrs . George Batchelor , Mrs . George Gorham , Sr . , Mrs . Extraordi M . (R Anderson , r Turner Coley oyal Ambassador . R nary) , and Mrs uth Bell who wrote a historical dramatiza “ tion cal led The Prophecy of the Pipes . Special gratitude goes to Mr . John R . Woodard , Director of the Baptist Historical Collection at Wake Forest University , - C. , N . Winston Salem , who graciously researched old Biblical Recorders and other materials for biographical data on our early pastors . To the members of the Special Historical Committee , my vi i i peers and co - laborers who accepted the task of researching “ - and publishing this history , I can on ly say a heart felt thank you . It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to pay homage to my committee listed below . Ex officio members : W B . A , , . Mr Sam rrington Resource Mr Middleton , R esource . R . Dr onald W Higdon and Dr John D Cave , pastors J r . Mr . A . H . Phillips , . , Mr Earl Posey , Mr . George J r . Hooks , , and Mr . Don Johnson , Chairmen of the Board of Deacons from 1 9 7 3 through 1 9 7 6 Research members : J r . A M . , , . rs George Hooks Mrs J Delbridge , Sr , A . L . , M . , M . M Mrs Stancil rs SMam Smith rs ack Brown , iss Fann ie Lee Carter , iss Emi ly Wi lliams , . M , . , . r Roger Lamb Mr John Privott Mr Harry Griffin , . A . L Mr Bi ll Nelms , Mr Russell Edmondson , Mr . Stan C1 1 Mrs . John R . Lee , Chairman and Historian CONTENTS PREFACE DEDICATION MESSAGE FROM OUR MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CHAPTER I WE REMEMBER OUR BEGINNING HA R 1 1 WE REMEMBER OUR EARLY C PTE TORS PAS CHAPTER III WE REMEMBER OUR LATER PAS TORS CHAPTER I V WE REMEMBER TO PRAISE GOD CHAPTER V WE REMEMBER OUR LEADERS CHAPTER VI WE REMEMBER TO REACH OUT IN LOVE CHAPTER VI I WE REMEMBER TO COMMUNICATE GOOD WILL AND GOOD NEWS CHAPTER VIII WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO KEEP US VIABLE CHAPTER I X WE REMEMBER TO BUILD CHAPTER X WE REMEMBER TO TEACH AND TRAIN CHAPTER X I WE REMEMBER OUR WOMEN ’ S WOR K CHAPTER X I I WE REMEMBER OUR MEN ’ S WOR K CHAPTER X I I I WE REMEMBER OUR VI Ps CHAPTER X IV AS WE REMEMBER OUR HERITAGE WE ANTICIPATE OUR FUTURE CHAPTER I WE REMEM BER OUR BEG I NNI NG Being confident of this very thing , that he which hath begun a good work in you wi ll perform it unti l the day of Jesus Christ i - King James Version Phi lippians To stand firm for 96 years in a rapid ly changing world evokes gratitude and praise to God for his preserving and sus tain ing grace through all our vicissitudes .