First Baptist Church, Hebron

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. You know, some congregations are born with their name already pinned to them like a deed to the land. This one wasn't.

It took a few tries: a few names, a few towns, a few decades; to figure out exactly who it was. And that, friends, is a story worth telling on a stretch of Denton County road. It started in 1883, organized out at the Willow Springs School, and in those early years folks called it Big Valley Baptist Church.

Not the flashiest name you ever heard, but it fit the country. Then in 1886 they added a Sunday School: the Willow Springs Union Sabbath School; which tells you the community was growin', putting down roots, thinkin' about the next generation. The first pastor was E.

C. Bramblett. He gave way to the Rev.

John Turner. Turner served his year, then stepped aside for the Rev. R.

G. M. Eiland, now there's a name that commands a full breath when you say it out loud.

During Eiland's pastorate, toward the latter part of the nineteenth century, something significant happened. The congregation and the Sunday School joined with a nearby fellowship, and out of that union came a new identity: the Cemetery Hill Church and Union Sabbath School. Cemetery Hill.

Now, a name like that will either keep people away or pull them in close. Apparently it did just fine. Then came the early nineteen hundreds, and with them the Rev.

D. B. Allen at the helm.

Under Allen's pastorate, the congregation made a move; relocated to a new town called Hebron; and with the new address came a new name: Hebron Baptist Church. They were puttin' stakes in fresh ground. And in 1920, they completed their first sanctuary.

Think about that for a moment. From a schoolhouse in 1883 to a proper house of worship by 1920; that's nearly forty years of meeting wherever they could, holding it together across name changes and relocations and the turn of an entire century. Over the years the fellowship stayed active in missionary work, and from its own membership it produced several ministers; people who heard something in that congregation and went out to carry it further.

Today the church is known as First Baptist Church, Hebron, and the marker says it plainly: it has contributed much to the heritage of this area and provided significant service and leadership to the residents of this part of Denton County. Started as the Big Valley Baptist Church in a schoolhouse. Ended up as a cornerstone of Denton County.

Some things just take time to grow into their name.

What the marker says

Organized in 1883 at the Willow Springs School, this congregation was known as Big Valley Baptist Church during the early years of its existence. A Sunday School, Willow Springs Union Sabbath School, was begun in 1886. E. C. Bramblett served as the first pastor. He was replaced by the Rev. John Turner, who was succeeded after one year by the Rev. R. G. M. Eiland. During Eiland's pastorate, toward the latter part of the nineteenth century, the congregation and Sunday School united with a nearby fellowship to become the Cemetery Hill Church and Union Sabbath School. In the early 1900s, during the pastorate of the Rev. D. B. Allen, the congregation relocated to the new town of Hebron and adopted the name Hebron Baptist Church. Their first sanctuary was completed in 1920. Over the years the fellowship has been active in missionary work and has produced several ministers from its membership. Now known as First Baptist Church, Hebron, the historic congregation has contributed much to the heritage of the area and has provided significant service and leadership to the residents of this part of Denton County. (1984)