AL-AfricaAmer-L Archives

From: "ladyd" <>
Subject: [AL-AfricaAmer-L] FYI: part 2
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 00:06:04 -0400

Continued from (1)]

The handling of finances was quite interesting during the first
100 years. For many years after all bills were paid whatever was left
was paid the preacher.

As the depression came on there was a definite change in how
money came into the church. The people brought what they had--eggs,
strawberries and beans.

During 1928 a Delco lighting system costing $187.60 was bought
and installed in the church. These lights were later (1941) given to the
Little Brown Church Boat on the Atchafalaya River.

The church minutes were usually kept in the home of the clerk.
In 1946 the clerks home burned losing several years of minutes.

In 1948 it was still the custom for a committee of members to
secure the preacher for revivals. Other business of importance was
moving of the "out-house" from one side of the fence to the other,
incorporating the church, looking into financing a new auditorium,
results of the church census and disconnecting and storing heaters during
the summer. The new cemetery was cleared and ready for occupancy. It
was surveyed by Mr. C. M. Moore for $10.00. The church voted to collect
one dollar per month per member over and above their tithe for the
building fund. Each person was to decide when to begin their donations.

March of 1949 was a time for resignations. Rev. Arceneaux
resigned as pastor, Bro. Gilbert McNabb resigned as choirster and Bro.
Chris Miller resigned as deacon.

The committee (Mrs. Rosalie Miller Garrison, Mrs. W. E. (Lucille)
Jordan, and Bro. L. A. Richardson) to search for an educational director
wrote to Mrs. Mimms, the B.S.U. Director at L.S.U. for helpl. Mrs. Mimms
said in a return letter that "Mr. Hardy Bozant was interested in the work
of training and leading our choir. The committee was instructed by the
church to Mr. Bozant and invite him to come and lead our choir during the
Sunday morning and evening services so his work could be observed. After
Mr. Bozant's visit with the church the educational committee was
instructed by the church to offer him $75.00 per month at present and as
the church grew so would his compensation."

In another action a pulpit committee was elected. (Bros. E. F.
Stevens, Sr., Kermit Cooper, and W. E. Jordan) They were then instructed
to invite for two services (one Sunday morning and evening) the following
brethren: Rev. H. A. Sylvest, Rev. Harold McNabb, Rev. Foster and Rev.
D. L. Knight. Rev. McNabb was elected pastor.

In June Bro. and Mrs. G. L. McNabb donated property for a
parsonage site with Bro. and Mr. George Miller giving enough property to
square up the plot. Bro. and Mrs. L. A. Richardson donated enough timber
for the parsonage and Br. N. R. Allen donated a mule which was sold for
$20.00. Bro J. S. Jackson donated the roofing and felt for parsonage and
garage.

Due to so much business being carried on a Sundays, taking up
Sunday School and worship time, the church voted in August of 1949 that
"no business conferences of meetings to be held on Sunday"--motion
passed.

The church also accepted the donation of a light to be hung over
the back door for the convenience of the giver Bro. Artist Miller.

In August of 1949 the church voted to accept building plan #1 and
to begin construction of 12 classrooms. Members of the building
committee at this time were : Mr. Kermit Cooper, Mr. Dewey E. Rushing,
Mr. O. E. Latimer, Mr. Dallas Bond, and other unnamed persons.

During 1950, Mrs. Rosalie Miller Garrison resigned as church
pianist and Bro. Bozant was granted a leave of absence since he had been
drafted into the armed services. Miss Margaret Smith (Harris) was
elected pianist and Bro. Milton Core, Jr. lead the choir for a short
while.

Finally the parsonage was completed with a loan from Livingston
State Bank. At this time, the Sunday School average attendance was 167
with Training Union average attendance of 107.

In January 1951 Mr. Milburn Calhoun, a student at L.S.U. was
hired to fill Bro. Bozant's place. Later a softball league was begun and
equipped, our communion set was bought and the church was rewired by
Bros. Matthew Sharp and Ezra McMorris. By May, Bro. Calhoun had left to
further his education as a doctor. Reb. McNabb was given a Sunday off to
attend his graduation exercises from Southeastern. The church gave Bro.
McNabb a nice watch and a $30.00 raise in his expense account for
graduation. (Then asked him to pay his own electric bill.) A motion was
made by Mr. Clarence O'Neal "that from now on the pastor be elected every
twelve (12) months just as other church officers are at the end of the
church year".--this motion carried. Bill Santo was called as choir
director to take Mr. Calhoun's place. Rev. McNabb sugmitted his
resignation effective Sept. 30, 1951. A new pulpit committee was elected
as follows: Leon LeBlanc, Orville Mincey, Garland Bond, Emile Stevens,
Sr., W. E. Jordan, Mrs. Lucy Miller, Mrs. Dewey Rushing, and Mr. Emile
Stevens, Sr. The church also voted that they have from 4 to 6 preachers
preach trial sermons. Rev. Loy E. Baird was called as pastor.

A youth led revival was held in Oct. 1951 with the following
youth taking part as various church leaders-Warren Clement, Raymond
Harris, Harlan Clement, Clarence Joe O'Neal, Gloria McMorris, Julia
Cooper, Beth Clement, Jeanette Bond, Janice Harris, Gerald Bond, H. N.
Harris, Idella Mae Clement, Jeanette Hood, Bill Santo, Carolyn Jordan,
Margaret Smith, Betty Jean Harris, Loy Baird, Jr., Dean Felder, Joe
Cooper, Don Miller, Sonny Davis, Walton Stevens, Wayne Spence, George
Harris, Eldon Paul Cemment, Charles Smith and Ray Wax.

In 1951 Bro. Baird was asked by the church to contact the Public
Service Sommission about telephone for this area. In 1952 the church
authorized him to sign a right-of-way for the telephone company across
church property. During this same year, he negotiated the purchase of 5
acres (more or less) of land from Mr. Boliver E. Watts and another piece
of property immediately behind the church was purchased consisting of
1.12 acres.

In 1952 church letter shows the following: 582 members (400
resident), two revival meetings during the year, 35 tithers, and the
pastor's salary was $4,380.00. cooperative program gift for the
year--$1,560.00, home missions $44.00, foreign missions $40.00, total
mission gifts for the year $825.68, misic director's salary (year)
$1,560.00, VBS enrollment 137.

The W.M.U. was very active with several "circles". The minutes
show that they spent a lot of time studying. Also during this period,
the Brotherhood began sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop #83 in 1953.

As late as 1954, it was still the custom for the pastor and music
director to ask permission to miss a Sunday or take part in a revival
held in another church.

During the fifties, we find the church had financial problems.
At most business meetings the treasurer's report gave a minus balance of
$100.00 to $300.00.

On a cool fair night in November, 1954, with 75 members present
at business meeting, Rev. W. E. Bucklew led the church into a building
program for a new sanctuary. This building was begun on Saturday,
December 4, 1954 with 38 men. In the minutes of January 5, 1955 the
following note about the building was found. "Foundations have been dug
and poured, 22,000 feet of lumber has been cut, sawed and stacked. Brick
laying to be started in the near future--by Lamotte (colored). At this
time and date $4,000 worth of materials and labor has been donated."
Some of the other donations were Smith Cabinet Works--roof of entire
building, Mr. Clyde Hood--all sand and gravel, Mr. Boliver Kemp--trees to
be cut into the above lumber, Mr. Leo Cambre--sawed the logs into lumber
at his mill, and the Hammond organ was donated by the J. A. Juban family.
After borrowing only $35,000 to complete the building, the first service
was held Thanksgiving Day Novemeber 24, 1955. Having prayer in the old
building, we marched into the new auditorium for a worship service
singing "Onward Christian Soldiers".

On Friday, July 25, 1958, the church met to accept the
resignation of her pastor, W. E. Bucklew, elected a pulpit commitee, and
called as pastor protem Rev. John Hurt, Caplain of the Baton Rouge
General Hospital.

Due to an usual number of business meetings fhe following
resolution was adopted, "All business, personal or otherwise, be confined
to such time as when the church is in conference and that no business be
brought before the church during any worship service _unless_ first
approved by the board of deacons."

On March 1, 1959, a call was extended to Rev. J. Fulton McGraw
moving him to the field. His salary was $400.00 per month.

The sixties were years of fluctuation. Mr. Arthur Green was
hired and is still employed by the church. Bro. Bozard resigned, Rev.
Milton Wedd served as an interim music director followed by Bro. Joe Mott
and then Bro. Paul Baterman who was succeeded by Bro. Charles Wilkins.

Rev. McGraw resigned, Bro. John Hurt came again as interim
pastor, remaining until Rev. James E. Swinson was called.

Mission endeavors have always been an importnat part of Hebron.
This was indicated by a gift to Head of Island Baptist Mission. (This
work was begun many years before (1852) with Rev. Thomas M. Bond's
assistance.)

During these years the church purchased an additional 3.8 acres
of land and began its media library program.

With the coming of Rev. Joel B. Lucas in 1965, the church began
growing spiritually as well as numerically. Church membership grew from
629 in 1965 to 1,525 in 1986. Under his leadership the church built a
fellowship hall, an office and educational building, sold the church
owned parsonage, added 9 more acres of land adjacent to the church
property and took part in the Livingston Parish Crusade.

An amusing incident found in the church records of 1966 was when
the church voted for Mr. Clifford Harris to pick roses in the
neighborhood, take them to Edrie's Florist and have them made into
bouquets for mothers on Mother's Day.

In the decade of the seventies, the church sponsored a radio
program on WLBI, took part in the Billy Graham Crusade, began a new Boy
Scout troop, and honored Bro. & Mrs. Lucas with a trip to the Holy Land.

Serving along with Bro. Lucas during these years were Rev. James
H. Wright as associate to the pastor and Bro. Wayne Hill as our first
full-time music and education director.

A highlight of these years was the celebration of the
bicentennial of the United States at which time the church bought the
historical marker standing to the front of the church.

During the 80's, the church has had Bro. Donald Dukes and Bro.
Robin Moore serving as director of music and youth and Bro. Tom Long as
educational director. We formed a blood bank, began the mission at Port
Vincent and helped start their library. Our church has a graded choir
program, participates in graded mission groups and is helping meet the
needs of our community.

This history does not include the ordinations of deacons or
licensing and ordinations of preachers. Since the munites do not always
give this information, we did not want to leave out anyone.

In writing the history of Hebron Baptist Church, we chose to
concentrate on the early years giving the latter years with much less
detail. So that you may experience some of the flavor of the past, we
have chosen to include the unusual spellilng found in the early minutes.

With glorious anticipation, we end this historical account and
look forward to the third of May 1987 when we celebrate our
sesquicentennial.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Sharp Broussard, Chairperson
Margaret Smith Harris
Idella Clement Bankston
Laura Moore Davis
Rae Barron King
Pat Carpenter Fossler

[hopefully the only typos found here were intended. crt]

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• [AL-AfricaAmer-L] FYI: part 2 by "ladyd" <>