First Baptist Church of Mathis

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Way out in San Patricio County, in the town of Mathis, there's a church with a story that starts, like so many Texas stories, with a real estate deal. Thomas H.

Mathis, the man the community is named for, made an offer that was hard to refuse. Any congregation willing to erect a building of worship could have two lots, free of charge. Now, a Methodist congregation over in nearby Lagarto heard that offer and took Thomas Mathis up on it.

They packed up and moved to the new town. That's the Methodist side of the story. The Baptist side starts the same year, when the Reverend Isaac Willingham sat down with seven charter members and organized the First Baptist Church of Mathis.

Seven people. That's your whole founding congregation, right there. For a while, those Baptists met in the Methodist church building, once a month, neighbors sharing a roof.

Then they moved their meetings to a hall above a local store, which, if you've ever tried to hold a solemn service above the sounds of commerce, you understand the motivation for what came next. In 1906, they finished building their own one-room church. One room.

But the church grew, and it grew steadily, fired along by periodic revival services that kept swelling the membership rolls. Then comes the part of this story that deserves a moment of quiet respect. In 1939, First Baptist Church began a relationship with a Hispanic mission.

Five years on, in 1944, the church purchased that mission outright, and the members voted to pay for a full-time pastor for the Mexican Baptist Mission. They didn't just wave at the work from a distance. They committed to it, financially and in full.

By 1955, members had erected a new mission building. And in 1980, that mission was constituted as Primera Iglesia Bautista, a church standing on its own. What started as seven people in a borrowed pew had now helped bring another congregation into being.

The reach of this church went further still. Gifts to orphanages in San Antonio and Alaska. Donations to children's homes in Round Rock and in South Texas.

Support for the local African American Baptist church. A kindergarten they opened themselves. Service in nursing homes.

And when a hurricane tore through Mexico in 1988, the Woman's Missionary Union was there, aiding the victims. The congregation was also involved in the creation of Zephyr Encampment on Lake Corpus Christi. All of it flowing out of a church organized in 1905, in a town that was barely a town yet, by a preacher and seven people who thought that was enough to start.

Turns out, it was more than enough.

What the marker says

Organized in 1905, the First Baptist Church of Mathis has served this community for more than 100 years. Thomas H. Mathis, for whom the community is named, offered two lots each to any church that would erect a building of worship. A Methodist congregation in nearby Lagarto accepted the offer and moved to the new town of Mathis. The same year, the Rev. Isaac Willingham, together with seven charter members, organized First Baptist Church. Members met in the Methodist church building once a month before later holding meetings in a hall above a local store. In 1906, members completed construction of a one-room church building. The church grew steadily in its early years; membership increased particularly during periodic revival services. In 1939, First Baptist Church began a relationship with a Hispanic mission. In 1944, the First Baptist Church purchased the mission, and members voted to pay for a fulltime pastor for the Mexican Baptist Mission. By 1955, members erected a new mission building, and in 1980, it was constituted as Primera Iglesia Bautista. Members have had a long history of service regionally and nationally. They have given gifts to orphanages in San Antonio and Alaska and to children's homes in Round Rock and in South Texas; made donations to the local African American Baptist church; opened a kindergarten; and helped in nursing homes. The Woman's Missionary Union also aided victims of a 1988 hurricane in Mexico. Additionally, the church was involved in the creation of Zephyr Encampment on Lake Corpus Christi. Today, First Baptist Church continues to act as a spiritual leader in the community of Mathis. (2007)