What a living thing it is! When Bro. Payne in 1909
made a motion to talk to the brethren at San Angelo
- when the church thanked Miss Ollie Green time and
again for her faithfulness - when the good brother
made a motion to call a pastor and to pay him what
they could and more when the church was able - when
Bro. Bloodworth preached time after time throughout
the years when the church had no pastor - when they
decided to remodel after the storm - when they
decided to build a pastor's home - when they had no
money and decided to build a new church building ON
FAITH because it was needed - - - All this was
history in the making! Even this morning when our
men, women and children poured into the Sunday
School rooms will go down in our church history.
As I sat in our church study, pouring over the old
minutes, I wondered whether some day maybe, many
years from now, some of these babies that were here
today would sit in a big new study reading the
minutes of December 2, 1945 - and say: "I see where
a Mrs. Chumley gave the church history." And one of
them will reply: "Yes, I remember that old woman -
she always wore such tacky hats. But you know, I can
remember she was always faithful." I pray that will
be remembered!
(Note: The remainder of the speech was not
written out in full but taken from notes written
by Mrs. Chumley):
A council composed of R. M. Cumbie, C. Smith, J.
A. Hicks, Ben Sullivan and Warren Graham.
On July 26, 1904, the following people of the
Baptist Faith met in the Methodist Church for the
purpose of organizing a church: Mr. and Mrs. J. N.
Cox, Mr. and Mrs. Berry Cole, Mr. and Mrs. W. C.
Merchant, Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Evans, J. A. Green,
Misses Willie and Ollie Green, C. C. Merchant and
Mrs. John Patterson. They decided to name the church
The Robert Lee Baptist Church.
That night the door of the church was opened and
Marie Merchant was received as a candidate for
baptism. A vote of thanks was given to Don Green (no
relation to Miss Ollie) for the gift of a lot on
which to build a church and messengers were elected
to the Association.
In August the church in conference decided not to
have Sunday School at this time.
They were from July until January getting a pastor
on the field. The Rev. W. A. Knight was called for
one-quarter time.
There was no preaching in February but in March they
added seven (7) new members by letter. In April 1905
they started a building campaign. They bought record
books and translated the minutes to same. Also voted
to send a letter to the State Board thanking them
for their aid on pastor's salary. The first ordained
deacon, Bro. J. F. Stephens, was recognized on May
6, 1905.
The building campaign was successful and the new
church was being used by June 15 - their first
church wedding took place then with Miss Fannie
McCutchen and Edgar Lockhart being the happy couple.
Miss Ollie Green played the wedding music on the
organ. In July, one (1) year old, the church had its
first protracted meeting. There was one addition by
baptism and 8 by letter making 31 members at the end
of the first year.
In September Bro. R. M. Cumbie (who was one of the
first Baptist preachers in this part of the country
and helped organize the old First Church from which
this church was a branch) preached for the church.
The November minutes show that the lamp and organ
were paid for. At this time the Sunday School
Superintendent apologized for UNCHRISTIAN behavior
and offered his resignation. The church refused and
forgave him freely - but later on the same thing
happening again, his resignation was accepted but
was forgiven the fault. That same November one of
the brethren was reprimanded for being intoxicated.
He apologized in December and was forgiven in
January. One wonders if they thought it just as well
to wait until after Christmas to forgive him.
In March 1906 conference voted to have the Lord's
Supper quarterly beginning in April. Their second
protracted meeting was helt in July with Bro. B. A.
Copass doing the preaching. Added to the church were
six (6) new members by baptism and seven (7) by
letter. The August report showed $675.00 had been
paid out that year and the membership has grown to
44.
In October 1906 Bro. Rosser of Bronte filled Bro.
Knight's appointment (Bro. Knight being sick). The
Miles Church presented a lamp for which the church
sent thanks and Bro. Warren Graham was thanked for
`his outstanding work in collecting money to pay on
the church debt'. We note in passing that in
December 1906, C. C. Merchant was Sunday School
Superintendent, W. A. Salmon was Assistant
Superintendent and Miss Ollie Green was Secretary
and Organist.
In January 1907 they refused to let their Sunday
School Superintendent resign and held a protracted
meeting, Bro. Pledger of San Angelo helping. At the
end of the meeting Miss Ollie Green was given a vote
of thanks for her untiring faithfulness. A committee
was appointed to finish the papering and other work
on the church. Two (2) dozen song books, at a cost
of $2.85, were bought. (We wonder that they had to
use before this.) The Treasurer's report shows: Bro.
Knight - $20.00, Bro. Pledger - $20.00, Ministerial
Aid - $3.00, Christian Education - $10.00, and
Association Missions - $2.50. So you see, despite
being in debt on their building, they were trying to
give to others besides themselves. A desk which we
are still using was bought, it costing $16.35 laid
down in the house. A sexton was elected, being paid
$.50 per month. A good brother apologized for being
intoxicated and was forgiven.
In May 1907 the first Ordination service of
Deacons. Ordained were J. A. Sturman, G. W. Payne
and W. C. Merchant. Bro. Rosser preached the sermon
with examination of brethern by the Pastor and
prayer by Bro. Joe McCutchen of Bronte. This was a
great service.
The church had another meeting which went on for
nearly three (3) weeks and $43.00 was made up to
help the Bronte church. In June of this year the
Pastor reminded the church that the building must be
finished and clear of debt before the dedication,
which was set for the fifth Sunday in June, could be
held. They evidently got busy for the dedication was
held. Pastor Knight called upon the building
committee for a report. D. T. Evans, Chairman,
reported that there were no debts and that the
church building cost about $1,500.00.
Bro. Warren Graham, on behalf of the Church,
tendered the keys of the house to the pastor - Bro.
Payne made a motion to proceed to dedicate the
building to the Lord - motion carried. Thanks were
extended to the citizens of Robert Lee and other
localities for their financial aid - Bro. Rosser of
Bronte preached the sermon.
In July Brother Knight resigned to be effective
September 1, 1907, having pastored the church since
January 1906. In July the conference was attended by
a "goodly number of brothers and sisters, although
they had no preaching". Bro. A. T. Moore was called
as Pastor that fall and regular Tuesday night prayer
meeting was changed to Wednesday night.
About May 1908 a pulpit was given by Uncle Jack
Green and a couple of other brethren and the table
hitherto used was to be sold for $3.00. This pulpit
it still used.
In 1908 a Bible School was held that summer and
$15.00 was given to the Anti-Saloon League. Mention
was made of a thriving Sunbeam Band sponsored by
Mrs. Moore and Ladies Aid. Bro. Moore resigned that
October and Bro. Rosser came as pastor.
In the summer of 1912, Bro. Rosser and Sid Williams
held a meeting under a brush arbor. There were 21
additions to the church with many others joining by
letter from other churches.
TIME PASSES - the little church has its joys, its
troubles. The WMS was organized. The Cumbies joined
in 1915 and Miss Ollie Green was Sunday School
Secretary in 1923. In 1925 Bro. Lambe resigned his
Bible class. Bro. Jordan was elected to take his
place. Bro. and Mrs. Fikes joined us, he being
recognized as a Deacon. In June a great revival was
held, Bro. Draper being the Pastor - 16 additions to
the church. In May of that year by unanimous consent
all entertainment of visitors were left to the
Ladies Aid. In 1925 they elected a woman Sunday
School Superintendent - Mrs. W. M. Simpson. In June
1926, a great revival. In 1927 a conference was
called to determine the damage done by storm on
April 12. In conference this same year the Mexican
Mission work was discussed but was left to the WMS,
they having seemed to have been graduated from the
Ladies Aid.
In July 1928 a pastor's home was to be built at
once and it was. The church was repaired and W. J.
Cumbie, B. M. Gramling and S. D. Hoots, were
ordained as Deacons.
In 1929 a Unified Budget was adopted.
In 1931 Bro. N. W. Pitts was called 1/2 time each
by Robert Lee and Bronte. The Sunday School report
of last quarter of 1931: Enrollment at beginning of
quarter - 168, New pupils - 15, Losses - 9, Average
attendance - 91, Additions to the Church - 2, Total
Offering - $124.58.
In 1932 the last quarter's report in the "red" by
$6.51.
Sometime along the way Sunday School rooms were
added.
In February 1935 the pastor, J. D. Coleman, was
paid $20.00 per month.
In January 1937 a building committee with Delbert
Harmon as Chairman. Mrs. W. M. Simpson was
Treasurer... Mrs. Lamont Scott and W. F. Fikes and
Roy Brey, reported they had decided to build. In
February Rev. J. I. Wallace was called as Pastor.
The church worked all summer getting pledges. Bro.
Wallace resigned and Bro. Fred DeLashaw called that
fall. In October the Building Committee reported
they were ready to build and after many trials and
many conferences and much prayer the Home Coming was
held in April 1938.
Since that time the Church has been pastored by
Rev. Taylor Henley, Bro. Hunt. Bro. Harmes and our
present pastor, Bro. Fred Blake. Also one more
deacon should be recognized - Bro. Dean.
(Note: Written by Sadye (McCabe) Chumley who died
in The Robert Lee Care Center, Robert Lee, Texas, on
August 4, 1999 at 104 years of age.)
