First Baptist Church of Beckville

Duane's take

Here's how the marker outside First Baptist Church of Beckville tells it, and I'm gonna give it to you straight. Way back on May 15, 1886, twelve people gathered with enough conviction to start something that would outlast all of them. Twelve charter members, that's it.

A small number, sure, but twelve is enough to build a church on, and build one they did. They called it Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in those early days, and the first pastor to stand before that little fellowship was Elder E. B.

Eakin. Now, a congregation needs a place to meet, and John Loyd and Emma Appling saw to that, donating the land where the members raised their first sanctuary. Donated land, volunteer faith, and a handful of determined souls.

That's your foundation right there. Over the years, as more families put down roots in Beckville, the membership kept growin, and new facilities got constructed to keep pace. By 1930, the congregation had a new name to go with its growing reputation.

First Baptist Church of Beckville. That name has stuck ever since, and so has the mission. Service to the community, leadership when it was needed, and a steady hand holding up the ideals and traditions of those original twelve.

One hundred years after those founders sat down together for the first time, this congregation was still at it, still standing, still serving Beckville. Twelve people showed up in 1886, and a community's been living off that decision ever since.

What the marker says

Organized on May 15, 1886 with 12 charter members, this congregation originally was known as Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. Members soon built a sanctuary on land donated by John Loyd and Emma Appling. The first pastor to serve the fellowship was Elder E. B. Eakin. New and additional facilities have been constructed over the years to accommodate a growing membership. First Baptist Church, as it has been called since 1930, has continually provided service and leadership to the Beckville community as it has upheld the ideals and traditions of its founders. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986