First Baptist Church of Eden

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Baptist Church of Eden, right there in Concho County. Now, before there was a proper church building, before there was a belfry or a wing or even a deed to the land, there was a man named Zachariah Martin Wells. Reverend Wells, out of Menard.

He had already organized Baptist churches across San Saba, Kimble, and Menard counties, so when August of 1886 rolled around, he called an organizational meeting right there in Eden. The building they gathered in had been put up to serve as both a school and an ecumenical church, a community building in the truest sense of the word. The charter members were not a crowd, but they were committed.

His wife Nancy Wells was there. D. L. and Mary Murray, and Mary was a Wells by birth.

William A. and Martha Ballard. And a Mr. and Mrs. Linam.

That was your founding congregation. Not a multitude. A handful of determined people in a shared building, saying, we are doing this.

The Reverend and Mrs. Wells lived in Eden for a short time after that, then moved on to Lampasas County in 1888. But the church they left behind did not follow them out the door.

By 1891 the membership stood at sixteen, and it grew quickly from there. In May of 1905, the church trustees made their move. They bought the land right here on this site from W.

A. and M. J. Ballard.

And here is something worth noting: when it came time to put up a frame building, many local citizens who had no affiliation with the Baptist church at all reached into their pockets and contributed to its erection. A community investing in something larger than any one congregation. By 1906, the membership had reached seventy-five.

They kept building. In 1912, additional wings and a belfry went up. And all the while, the river and the land were doing the work that no building could do.

Ministers were performing baptisms at Brady Creek, south of Eden, and out at a water tank on the Ballard land, as late as 1916. Picture that. Standing in a stock tank or wading into Brady Creek, the Texas sky overhead, doing something ancient.

The church's organizations tell the story of a congregation living in its moment. The Ladies Aid Society, which later became the Women's Missionary Union. The Sunbeams, a children's program.

A young women's association. During World War One, Red Cross service organizations were active right within these walls. And in 1944, they established a Vacation Bible School.

Then came 1947, and the congregation gave generously to finance a new building. In 1950, they organized the Eden First Baptist Mexican Mission. Additions came again in 1981 and in 1989.

And the marker, placed in the year 2000, closes with this: at the dawn of the twenty-first century, the First Baptist Church of Eden continues in the traditions of its founders. That Reverend Wells from Menard, his wife Nancy, the Ballards, the Murrays, the Linams, gathered in a schoolhouse in August of 1886. They built something that outlasted all of them, and it's still going.

That's not a small thing.

What the marker says

The Rev. Zachariah Martin Wells of Menard, who had organized Baptist churches in San Saba, Kimble and Menard counties, led an organizational meeting for the Eden Baptist Church in August 1886 in a community building erected as a school and ecumenical church. Charter members included his wife Nancy Wells, D. L. and Mary (Wells) Murray, William A. and Martha Ballard and Mr. and Mrs. Linam. The Rev. and Mrs. Wells lived in Eden for a short time, but moved to Lampasas County in 1888. The Eden church had a membership of 16 in 1891 and grew quickly thereafter. In May 1905 church trustees bought the land on this site from W. A. and M. J. Ballard. Many local citizens who were unaffiliated with the Baptist church contributed to the erection of a frame building. By 1906 the church had 75 members and it continued to grow. Additional wings and a belfry were added in 1912. Ministers performed baptisms at Brady Creek south of Eden and at a water tank on the Ballard land as late as 1916. Church organizations included the Ladies Aid Society, later called Women's Missionary Union; Sunbeams, a children's program; a young women's association; Red Cross service organizations which were active during World War I; and a Vacation Bible School established in 1944. The congregation gave generously to finance a new building in 1947. The church organized the Eden First Baptist Mexican Mission in 1950. The First Baptist Church thrived through the following decades, and additions were made to the building in 1981 and 1989. At the dawn of the 21st century, First Baptist Church of Eden continues in the traditions of its founders. (2000)