First Baptist Church, Corning

History of the Church (undated)

The First Baptist Church in Corning, Arkansas was organized April 30, 1887 by Rev. A. S. Hall, appointed by the Missionary Board of Gainesville Baptist Association.  The Charter Members, ten in number, were -- S. Bishop, Bro. Swainhart, F. M. Kirkpatrick, W. P. Lawson, Mary E. Bishop, Sister Swainhart, Eliza Kirkpatrick, Susan Kelly, J. I. Howell, Mrs. Mary Thomas.

Services were held in the Methodist Church and the Courthouse for more than three years, and then in 1891 a Church House was erected on the lot of the present building.  The first building was a one room house with pulpit and choir platform at the east end of the building, and the audience was seated from the west facing east.  This house was completed and dedicated November 8th, 1891.

In the summer of 1904 work was begun on remodeling and enlarging the Church building.  The pulpit was changed to the opposite end of the Church, stained glass Gothic windows were installed, and an annex 10 x 16 was added on the north side, separated from the auditorium by folding doors.  This building was dedicated December first, 1905.

This building then served the Baptists until the spring of 1939 when it was torn down and a new brick building, very similar to the one now in use, was constructed under the supervision of Arthur McAninch as architect and Aaron Ahrent as construction supervisor.  This Church House was dedicated June first, 1941, The Building Committee was -- J. W. Black, G. A. Jimerson, Martin Fowler, Charles R. Black, M. G. Hoffman.

We were all happy and our Church grew and prospered for about six years when on December 31st, 1947, the building was struck by lightning causing fire on the inside and the building and contents were completely destroyed.  While the building was burning some of us pledged money for a new building.  We made arrangements to use the Library Room in the School Building for Church Services.  Then immediately went to work on plans for a new building.

L. C. Tedford was Pastor, and we formed a Building Committee composed of G. A. Jimerson, H. E. Bridgeforth, Mack Blackwood, Chas. R. Black and Dan Harold.

The Building Committee again engaged Arthur McAninch as Architect and Aaron Ahrent as construction superintendent.  With minor changes we decided to build the auditorium same as the former building, but added an additional sixteen feet on the west side giving us room for the ladies' parlor and the nursery down stairs, and several class rooms on the second and third floors.

Then taking the nucleus of $20,000.00 we collected as insurance we received pledges for the balance of the estimated cost of the new building and went to work and on Christmas night, 1948, we held our Christmas Church services in the basement of our new building.  We continued holding our Church services in the basement until our entire Church was finished and completely furnished.  Most all of us who had pledged, found we would have to "dig deeper" to pay our indebtedness, and in the process, a loan from The Corning Bank was arranged, giving a mortgage on our parsonage as security.  Some of these notes were arranged in series of three yearly payments.

The last note was paid a few weeks ago.  The mortgage satisfied on the Courthouse records and the notes and mortgage delivered to our Treasurer.  Therefore, we come to this glad hour, thanking God that all of our church property is absolutely free of debt.

Sketch of the first building of First Baptist Church, Corning, AR.  (FBC).  Built at a cost of $1,000 with all labor donated.  Built in 1887.

First Baptist Church, Second Church House
 In 1904, the old church building was remodeled and repaired inside and out at the cost of about $1800.  New, stained glass, gothic windows were installed.  The large center window was dedicated to the memory of Sylvanus Bishop who passed away December 7, 1904.  This building was called the second church building and was dedicated December 1, 1905, when Reverend Sydney W. Broomfield was pastor.  (Written by Sallie Taylor)

"The First Baptist congregation was the first to become dissatisfied with their primitive place of worship and their church presented this appearance after the completion of the remodeling of 1906."  (Clay County Courier)

This was the third church building on this site and was built in 1939.  It was located at site of present church on  the southwest corner of Third and Olive Streets.

Built in 1939.  First wedding in the new church was a double ceremony.  Dan W. Harold married Earlene Fitzgerald and Harvey Marsh married Ludena Fitzgerald, sister of Earlene.  “First Baptist Church, Corning, ARK, First wedding in the church, Earlene-Dan, Ludena-Harvey, 1939”.

Third church building built 1939.  “Easter Sunday 1940, First Baptist Church”.

First Baptist Church bulletin, Corning, AR.  Opening services 1939.  (Daniel E. Moore).

First Baptist Church program, Corning, AR.  Dedication program, 1941.  (First Baptist Church archives).

The church built in 1939 was struck by lightning and burned December 31, 1947.  

“Basement after fire”.

Immediately after the third church burned, a movement was started to build a fourth church.  This structure was built at a cost of $65,000.  New windows were used, with one as a memorial to Sylvanus Bishop.  This church was finished December 22, 1958.  Formal opening was march 13, 1940.  L. C. Tedford was pastor. 

Interior of fourth church built in 1948.

First Baptist Church 1952 Dedication program, Corning, AR.  (First Baptist Church archives).

Memorial Windows.  (FBC).

Submitted by  Danny Moore