Iola Missionary Baptist Church

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF
IOLA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
IOLA, TEXAS
BY
VALORIE HOWARD COX
ON DECEMBER 9, 1917, A GROUP OF BRETHEN AND SISTERS MET AT THE SCHOOL BUILDING IN IOLA,
TEXAS FOR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ORGANIZING A MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. THE ARTICLES OF
FAITH WERE READ AND EXPLAINED AFTER WHICH THEY WERE ADOPTED. THE CHURCH COVENANT
WAS READ, COMMENTED ON AND ADOPTED BY THE CHURCH.
AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, THE FOLLOWING WERE CONSIDERED CHARTER MEMBERS:
EMMA SANDERS
MRS. R. E. CLEVELAND
MRS.. DUNN
MRS. ATKINSON
MRS. W. P.. CLEVELAND
MISS LOU ALLEN
JUANITA ATKINSON
MRS. W. A.SANDERS
GRACE ATKINSON
MISS LOLA CLEVELAND
MRS. W.  WALTERS
ROSA LEE WALTERS
NANNIE WALTERS
G. W..GILARAP (DEACON)
MRS. N. . GILSTRAP
R.E. CLEVELAND
MRS.. W. A. BONEY
MR AND MRS. M. McCLAIN
MRS. J. O. `CRITES
MRS. LUCILE WILCOX
A. B. DUNN
MR. AND MRS. J. L. McCLAIN
GUY GILSTRAP
MRS. E. S. NATION
MISS GERTRUDE NATION
MRS. E. E.NATION
MR. AND MRS.H. J. ALLEN
A.A. SANDERS
J.. E. WALTERS
AT ANOTHER MEEETING, THE FOLLOWING WERE RECEIVED AS CHARTER MEMBERS:
L. W. MILLER
MRS. R. V. MILLER
RAY MILLER
BLYTHE MILLER (BY LETTER)
NETTIE MILLER
NORMA SANDERS
MILDRED SANDERS (BY PROFESSION)
EDNA ALLEN
MRS. J. H. SANDERS (BY PROFESSION)
MISS ALLYNE QUICKSAIL (UNDER WATCHCARE)
MISS OPHELIA DARBY
MRS. J. W. MALLETT
MRS. P. L. SOLLOCK
J. E. LANE
NEWTON LANE
LORENA LANE
MISS MARIE HEUSI
MISS ZULA HOLLAND
MRS. BROOKS DARBY
MARY NEELEY
GLADYS CLEVELAND
MRS.J. H. SOLLOCK
MRS. D.M.HOWARD
EMMA HOWARD
WALTER HOWARD
MR.. AND MRS. RAY HOWARD
BEEBEE CLEVELAND
MANSEL MILLER
ANNIE MAE COLSON
MRS. LIEVENIA DARBY
S. T. THOMAS
MRS.. W H. EDINBURG
SAM EDINURG
ALLEN MILLER
AT 7:00 P.M. THAT NIGHT, THE FIRST BUSINESS MEETING WAS HELD AND THE FOLLOWING WERE
APPOINTED TO SERVE ON THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE WAS ALSO INSTRUCTED
TO SEE ABOUT SECURING LOTS AT ONCE.:
G. F. ISBELL
J. H. ALLEN
W.F. ATKINSON
R. E. CLEVELAND
A. A. SANDERS
THE FOLLOWING WOMEN WERE NAMED TO RAISE FUNDS TO PURCHASE SEATS AND SASH.
MISS LOU ALLEN
MRS.W. P. CLEVELAND
MRS. W.. A.BONEY
MRS. J. H.SANDERS
BRO. WATSON WAS APPOINTED AS COMMITTEE OF ONE TO SEND NIGHT LETTER TO STATE BOARD
TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR AID FROM THAT BODY TO SUPPLEMENT THE PASTOR'S SALARY. THE
CHURCH HAS AGREED TO RAISE $200.00 AND ASK THE BOARD FOR $100.00.
LOTS 13-18, BLOCK 28, WERE PURCHASED FROM MISS LOU ALLEN ON DECEMBER 14, 1917 FOR $260.00 CASH.
ON SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 16, 1917, THE CHURCH MET FOR THE PURPOSE OF ORGANIZING A
SUNDAY SCHOOL. BRO. G. T. ISBELL WAS ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT; BRO, W. F. ATKINSON, 1st
ASSISTANT; BRO A.A. SANDERS, 2nd ASSISTANT ON CLASSIFICATION; MRS. W. A. BONEY , 3rd
ASSISTANT ON ABSENTEES; MANSEL MILLER ,SECRETARY; MISS LOU ALLEN TREASURER.
THE FOLLOWING TEACHERS WERE ELECTED: BRO. J. H. ALLEN, BIBLE CLASS; A. B. DUNN, SR. BEREAN;
 MISS HOUSI, JR. PHIDELIS; MRS. HOWARD, JR. GIRLS; MISS QUICKSALL, JR... BOYS
MRS. W. F. ATKINSON, PRIMARY GIRLS; MRS. SELMA HOWARD,, PRIMARY BOYS
SUNDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 16, 1917, THE CHURCH MET TO ORGANIZE LADIES AID. THE FOLLOWING
OFFICERS WERE ELECTED; MRS. ATKINSON, PRESIDENT; MRS. MILLER, VICE PRESIDENT; MRS. BONEY,
SECRETARY; MRS. HOWARD, TREASURER
THE CHURCH CONTINUED IN CONFERENCE SUNDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 16, 1917 AND CALLED BRO. R. E..
WATSON OF NORMANGEE AS PASTOR. THE FOURTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WAS SET FOR PREACHING
DAYS. SALARY TO BE PAID PASTOR WAS $300.00 ANNUALLY. FIRST SERVICE WAS TO BE DECEMBER 24.
AFTER PREACHING ON SATURDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 26, 1918, THE CHURCH MET IN CONFERENCE TO
REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. HE STATED THAT UP TO THIS TIME, $2300.00
HAD BEEN PAID. HE ALSO REPORTED THE COMMITTEE HAD AGREED TO BUILD A BRICK BUILDING
RATHER THAN FRAME. AFTER CONTACTING SEVERAL BUILDERS, THE CONSESUS WAS A BRICK BUILDING
COULD BE BUILT FOR ABOUT 15% MORE, BUT UPKEEP WOULD BE CHEAPER. COMMITTEE AGREED.
SCHOOL TRUSTEES AGREED TO CONTINUE RENTING SPACE FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHURCH SERVICES
FOR $5.00 PER MONTH. THE RENT WOULD BE PAID OUT OF SUNDAY SCHOOL TREASURY
THE APPLICATION FOR AID FROM STATE BOARD TO SUPPLEMENT AMOUNT RAISED AT HOME FOR PASTOR'S
SALARY WAS ADOPTED.
CONFERENCE ADJOURNED
R. E. WATSON,, MODERATOR
A,,, B. DUNN, CHURCH CLERK
THE FIRST BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1918 (A TWO STORY BRICK BUILDING) AT THE COST OF $4000.00
THE FIRST PASTORS HOME WAS BUILT IN 1927 AT A COST OF $1,500.00, IN 1938, THE FIRST BAPTISTRY
WAS BUILT IN THE CHURCH UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE PULPIT AT A COST FO $45.00.  THE FIRST TWO-STORY
BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN AND REPLACED BY THE PRESENT BUILDING IN 1951. A NEW PARSONAGE
WAS BUILT IN 1966-67 ON LOTS ADJOINING THE CHURCH BUILDING  FIRE PARTIALLY DESTROYED THE
CHURCH BUILDING IN 1968 AND UNTIL THE RECONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE, THE SERVICES WERE
HELD AT IOLA SCHOOL. IN 1973, AN ADDITIONAL BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED, WHICH CONSISTS OF A
NEW FOLLOWSHIP HALL, ADDITIONAL KITCHEN FACILITIES, SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOMS, AND BATHROOMS.
FOLLOWING ARE THE PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED AT THIS CHURCH:
R, E, WATSON		1917
W. A. PARKER		1920
C. W. SAWYER		1924
T. J. TOUCHBERRY	1924
J. G. BROCK 		1925
T. A. GRAY 		1927
C. B. RAY 		1934
L. A. JOHNSON 		1936
J. T. DeLOACH 		1937
RAY STEVENS 		1942
O. A. TAYLOR 		1944
J. H. MELTON. 		1947
S. R. McCLUNG 		1948
L. D.MAHANAY 		1950
H. G. BONNER 		1953
CLINTON WATSON 		1956
JOHN IVY 		1957
EARL FORT 		1958
TOM RUTLEDGE 		1961
EARL HUMPHREY 		1965
JAMES DAWSON 		1966
HERB REEVES 		1967
ROLAND CHAPPELL 	1971
BRUCE IRVING 		1979
JIM THIGPEN 		1982
DENNIS ANDERSON 	1984
IRA IRVIN 		1990
RICHARD KEITHLEY 	1992
SCOTT JONES 		1999
DOUG JONES 		2006
TOTAL MEMBERSHIP IS 391
RESIDENT MEMBERSHIP IS 153

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