First Christian Church


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The earlier First Christian Church Building

First Christian Church - Ladonia, Texas
The old building which burned around 1912

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View -Rolls of Honor

View -1915 Church Bulletin

Christmas Program Article - year un-noted

The Two Corner Stones First Christian Church 1905 Cornerstone Elders- C.E. Byrns, J.D. Fraley, T.A. Walker, S. J. McFarland Deacons- H.P. Erwin, J.F. McFarland, R.T. Bartley,C.T. Jackson, C.H. Woods,  J.F. Roan Hardin Bros Blds A.D. 1905

J. William Stephens Pastor Elders- J.D. Fraley, C. H. Woods, T.A Walker, E.M. Thornton. Deacons - R.T. Bartley, J.F.Roan, H.P. Erwin, H.D. Bartley, B.L. Cain, Roy Crossley ,C.M. Bartley, R. B. Hulsey, J.R. McFarland, A.M. Howse & H.C. Cooper. Burned Mar 4,1917 , rebuilt 1917

Histories
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From the Ladonia News March 29, 1935

First Christian Church

About 1887, the members of the Christian Church who lived at that time in Ladonia were without a church or pastor and were meeting by invitation in the private homes of the members. These meetings were not regular, but when the occasion arose, a visiting minister would preach and the Lord's Supper would be observed.

A number of revivals were held at different times under the leadership of Rev. John Denton, Rev. Tom Burkett, Rev. Lawrence Scott, and others at  which times the Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches kindly tendered their church buildings for revival purposes.

In 1890 a small frame building was erected on Mill St. which enabled the congregation to meet in more regular services. In 1902 following a revival held here by Rev. John Marshall and which netted 125 additions to the church, the building was enlarged and improved. A pastor was then called for full time and much forward progress for the church resulted. The building was destroyed by fire in 1903.

Shortly after the loss of the Mill St. building, a lot was purchased on West Main St. and a new brick building was erected at a cost of $16,000. Two years after the completion of this building a revival was held under the leadership of H.H. Hamlin which resulted in the addition of 110 members. During the year of 1917 the building on West Main St. was also destroyed by fire (see photo below). In it's place the present building was erected at a cost of $18,000.

Rev. John Denton was the first pastor to serve this splendid congregation and Rev. E.B. Chancellor was the last one to serve . Over a period of 45 years, 17 pastors, all educated upright men, were in charge of the work. One name is outstanding as it is generally regarded as reflecting the spirit of the whole  brotherhood, Dr. E. M. Waites, President of Texas Christian University.

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 The First Christian Church
   by Joan Thomas

 
According to various records and memories, the diary of Mrs T. A. Walker, and personal interviews the First Christian Church was organized around 1865. The first church building was at the corner of Mill St. as it intersects Nail St., where the church parsonage now stands. The building was a small white frame structure, and served the church until 1906 when it was replaced by a brick building. This building with the stained glass windows, domed structure was truly beautiful. On the morning of March 4, 1917 during church, T. A. Walker discovered the furnace, located in the church, was on fire. Mr. Cain asked the congregation to leave the building at once; within minutes after leaving the building, the church floor collapsed. The structure which now serves the First Christian Church was built in 1917 to replace the burned building. All that was saved from the 1905 structure was the cornerstone, and this was placed along with the cornerstone of 1917 in the northeast corner of the present building. Records show that on November 27, 1927, there were 96 in Sunday School and around 300 in church. In the early part of 1905, Brother E. M. Waites [ later to become President of T.C.U.] and his wife Sarah came from Kentucky to minister to the First Christian Church of Ladonia. Studies show they were truly great workers for the church. Mrs Waites introduced a newsletter entitled " The Tidings", and organized the Women's Missionary Society. The secretary's books containing all exact dates was destroyed in the fire and many records are necessarily incomplete. The first president of the Women's Missionary Society was Mrs R. M. Rowland and the first secretary/treasurer was Mrs S. J. McFarland. Only three charter members were on the roll. They are: Mrs J. A. McFarland, Mrs R. T. Bartley, and Mrs T. A. Walker. Some of the earliest members of the First Christian Church were: Mr & Mrs R. T. Bartley, H. G. Bartley, A. B. Cain, Mack Erwin [father of John Henry Erwin] J. D. Fraley, Herbert Gilbert, R. B. Hulsey, Zella Hulsey, Emily Hulsey, R. C. Haden, E. C. Lawhon, J. F. McFarland, J. A. McFarland, J. F. Roan, Beulah Walker, T. A. Walker, C. H. Woods, and W. M. Williams. Vista Lawhon, Secretary Book
For many years Mrs Lucille Cain served as organist. Some of the teachers have been: Lucy Parsons, Hazelle Scott, Mary Shive, Mary Clements, and Mrs J. D. Fraley. 

Light on pulpit in memory of H. P. Erwin