DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells, over in Palo Pinto County. Now, some churches just appear — somebody builds a building, hangs a sign, and that's that. But this one came out of a revival.
A flame, you might say, before there was even a proper place to tend it. The year was 1882, and a man by the name of William Evander Penn — known across the state as the Texas Evangelist — came riding into Palo Pinto County to conduct worship services. When the dust settled, fifty-four charter members had gathered around a common conviction, and the Mineral Wells Church was established.
Now, one of the early pastors instrumental in getting all of this organized was the Reverend George Webb Slaughter. And here is where the story deepens, because Slaughter was no ordinary circuit preacher. Before he was ever ordained — that ordination came in 1848 — he had served as a courier for General Sam Houston during the Texas Revolution.
Think about that. A man who once carried urgent dispatches for Sam Houston later helped lay the spiritual foundation for a congregation that would still be standing well into the next century. The congregation started humbly, as most good things do — holding their first services in a local schoolhouse.
By 1883, they had moved into a former Presbyterian church building. Then in 1900, the members constructed a brand new church building of their own. That building served them through the turn of the century, until 1920, when they built another sanctuary on that same site.
And they weren't done. In 1967, the congregation built its third house of worship there. Three sanctuaries, same ground, one unbroken community.
And the pulpit of this church attracted some names that Texans and revival-goers would have recognized on sight. Billy Sunday came through. So did Mordecai Ham.
Hyman Appleman. Rodney Smith — known to the world as Gypsy Smith. And two Texans of considerable renown: J.
Frank Norris and George W. Truett. That is a lineup that would fill any tent or sanctuary you could build.
But here is what might be the most telling thing about this congregation. It wasn't content to grow inward. Over the decades, the First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells reached outward, establishing mission churches across the area.
East Side Baptist Church — now known as Calvary Baptist Church — grew from their efforts in 1909. Lawn Terrace Baptist Church came in 1947. Bautista Mexicana, now called Templo Bautista, in 1959.
And beyond the county lines, the congregation co-sponsored a Cambodian mission at nearby Fort Wolters. That is a long string of open hands, stretching from a schoolhouse in 1882 all the way to a Cambodian mission and beyond. A church that started with fifty-four people and a traveling evangelist turned out to have a very long reach indeed.
What the marker says
First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells, organized in 1882, grew out of an early revival. William Evander Penn, known as the “Texas Evangelist,” conducted worship services in Palo Pinto County in 1882, and with 54 charter members he established the Mineral Wells Church. It would go on to host additional noted evangelists such as Billy Sunday, Mordecai Ham, Hyman Appleman, Rodney “Gypsy” Smith, and Texans J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett. The Rev. George Webb Slaughter, an early pastor of the church, was also instrumental in its organization. Ordained as a pastor in 1848, Slaughter had earlier served as a courier for Gen. Sam Houston during the Texas Revolution. The congregation first held services in a local schoolhouse before moving into a former Presbyterian church building in 1883. In 1900, members constructed a new church building, which served until 1920, when they built another sanctuary on the same site. In 1967, the congregation built its third house of worship here. Over the years, the First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells has been particularly active in missions and in community outreach. Members have established several mission churches, including East Side Baptist Church (now Calvary Baptist Church) in 1909, Lawn Terrace Baptist Church in 1947 and Bautista Mexicana (now Templo Bautista) in 1959. The congregation also co-sponsored a Cambodian mission at nearby Fort Wolters. Today, as a community and mission-minded institution, the First Baptist Church continues to be a vital part of Mineral Wells. (2006)