California First Baptist Church (1833

First Baptist Church (1833 - Present)

(Established as Mount Gilead Baptist Church)

Mt. Gilead Baptist Church was organized on August 16th, 1833. The leaders of the organization of the church were J. B. Longan and David Allee, the latter being the first moderator. William Suggs, Hall Medlin, Jarret Medlin, and Archibald Robinson were charter members and the first messengers sent to Concord Baptist Association. At the meeting of the Association, they asked to be received as messengers and this request was granted. They sat as the first messengers to Concord Association on September 20, 1833. The first contribution to the association was $2.00! At this session, the churches agreed to meet on the Friday before the first Saturday of November as a day of fasting and prayer for a revival of religion.

The first building for this new church was a log structure located about one mile south of the Moniteau County Courthouse (just south of the present Proctor Park in California).

Rev. Snelling Johnson was called to be the first pastor in September, 1833, and continued as such until the dissension, which arose during the early days of the church, over missions. In the church minutes is found a resolution to the effect that giving to missions will not bar anyone from membership in the church. This dissension continued for some time and finally resulted in a permanent division of the church along the line of belief or disbelief in missions.

Among the first pastors of the church was Rev. William Robertson, one of the pioneer preachers of this section of the country. During his pastorate it is found the first record of a stated salary for the pastor, $25.00 for one year!! The church commended themselves very highly for being able to do so much.

In 1846, A. G. Byler, an attorney, donated one acre of ground lying near the south line of the town of Boonsborough (present day California) to the church. On the southeast corner of this lot was erected a church building, a frame structure facing the north. This building continued as a place of worship for the congregation until the beginning of the Civil War. During this time, the congregation consisted mainly of L. L. Wood, father of the late L. F. Wood, and six women, Sarah Wood, wife of L. L. Wood, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Bantrup, Mrs. Sprouce, Mrs. Ross, and Mrs. Eldred.

According to a history written for the 1933 centennial of the church, no one now living recalls having worshipped in this building and only two of the present (1933) members, George Dale and W. Joe Allee, recall ever seeing it.

For some time during which services were held in this building, the late Rev. Nick Allee, who was just entering the ministry, served as both pastor and janitor. At the beginning of the Civil War services were discontinued and the building became dilapidated, the congregation scattered and for some years no work was done.

About 1877 Bro. L. L. Wood and his wife, Sarah, began to gather the remainder of the Baptist circle and hold services again. Soon the need for a place of worship was seen and it appeared there were not enough male members of the congregation to form a building committee, so John L. Allee, who was a deacon at the time in Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, was persuaded to place his membership in this church in order that a building committee of men might be formed. This committee consisted of Rev. Nick Allee, chairman, L. L. Wood, and John L. Allee.

The proposition which was made by Bro. Wood to donate the sum of $500.00 for the purpose of erecting a new building if the church would raise the remainder was accepted. His wife said "You start it and I'll make him finish it." They started it and true to her word she made her husband give the second $500.00 to finish it.

The acre of ground that was given to the church by A. G. Byler was divided into lots and sold for $100.00 per lot. One lot was given to the carpenter, T. N. Biggs, for the erection of the new building. The old building was torn down and the new one erected for the cost of $1,600.00. This, the third building of the organization that started as Mount Gilead Baptist Church, was dedicated April 13, 1879. The church was then incorporated as "The California Baptist Church." Rev. Ferguson, who was then editor of the "Central Baptist" preached the dedicatory sermon for the new building.

Following the reorganization the following pastors served: B. T. Taylor, John Letts, S. M. Victor, I. R. M. Beason, J. W. Williams, F. T. Shore, and S. A. Beauchamp.

Sometimes, the smallest things make the biggest impressions. One example is when the church authorized the bell to be repaired; the cost?? -- 50 cents. In October 1893, the church granted the North Methodist people the privilege of holding meetings in the church building, should it not conflict with the church's regular service. From the history of the church written in 1933, "A four weeks meeting conducted by Rev. Pressgrieves and Rev. Cornett resulted in twenty additions to the church. A vote of thanks was extended these bethren for their services. It's not known if they received anything more than a vote of thanks. At a later date Bro. Cornett preached and a collection for ministerial education was taken and was designated to be used in Bro. Cornett's behalf. --Bro. Joseph Hall, a member of the church, felt called to the ministry and preached his initial sermon here in 1894. --In March 1894 Bro. J. L. Ford was chosen for the pastorate for one-half time, his salary to be $300.00 yearly. --Later as repair work was being done on the church house, a vote was taken releasing Bro. Ford from preaching Sundays as he had worked on the church house all week."

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