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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Sherman, Texas Sherman Daily Democrat
Monday, September 2, 1912 pg. 4 BEGINS ELEVENTH YEAR Rev. Forrest Smith, the Patriarch Pastor of First Baptist Church Rev. Forrest Smith yesterday began the eleventh years of his pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Sherman. At the morning hour service yesterday Rev. Smith briefly referred to some of the events and some of the accomplishments of the church during the decade he has served as pastor. In the beginning he spoke of his recent vacation spent at his old home at in Louisburg, North Carolina and at Atlanta, Georgia, at both of which places he held services. He said he held a great meeting at Louisburg and that people came to the meeting from all over that part of the country, some coming as far as one hundred miles. Next, Rev. Smith announced that he could now tell just what time of day it is at any time because he was the owner of a solid gold, full jeweled watch presented him by his congregation upon his return from his vacation and he most appropriately expressed his appreciation of the token of esteem. Rev. Smith said that during the ten years he has been here 1,511 people have been added to the Baptist church here. That number, of course, included the three different Baptist congregations in the city. He also referred to the congregation outside of the First church and of the two new houses of worship erected. He spoke of the improvement in fellowship among Baptists right here in Sherman and in this connection he announced the series of meetings to begin today at the East Sherman Baptist Church, spoke of that church's request for assistance and prayers of the mother church and said he wanted the request remembered and heeded and every possible aid given to the meeting. Of the 1,511 people received into the church, 650 had been by baptism. Regarding finances, Rev. Smith and his church during the past ten years had collected and expended $100,000 an average of $10,000 a year and that this year the amount would greatly exceed that. He said he expected to continue as earnestly as ever his effort in securing money for the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rev. Smith announced that the First Baptist congregation is to have a new church house, that the lot had been bought at the corner of Travis and Cherry streets and that every effort would be made for the early erection of the building. The fact that preacher and congregation had been together for ten years, Rev. Smith said he considered a testimonial to both. After giving a few brief statistics, Rev. Smith talked for a few minutes on scriptural subjects, taking as his text and drawing lessons from the three following most appropriate verses from the epistle of Paul to the Philippians: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I followed after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. "I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." It was a fine sermon preached from the foregoing text and Rev. Smith's illustrations were apt and most appropriate to the special occasion. Three people united with the church to begin with the pastor on his eleventh year of work in Sherman. Sherman Daily Democrat February 22, 1913 Rev. Forrest Smith, pastor of Sherman's First baptist Church, will return to his home pulpit tomorrow after holding a series of revival meetings with the First Baptist church of Arkadelphia, Ark. According to reports, his meetings were well attended and response was excellent. First Baptist Church History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |