First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Back in 1884, the Baptist General Association of Texas had their eye on Nacogdoches. The town was starting to stir — the Houston, East and West Texas Railroad had come through just the year before, in 1883, and with a railroad comes people, and with people comes everything else.

So the Association sent a man named Luther Rice Scruggs to go down there and start Baptist work. Now, understand — before Scruggs arrived, there was no Southern Baptist church in Nacogdoches. Not one.

He was starting from nothing. He began holding services, and by 1885 he and thirteen charter members had organized a church. Thirteen.

That's a number that would give some folks pause, but not this congregation. The very next year, they built themselves a sanctuary on 411 North Street. A wood-frame building, modest, but it was theirs.

Then 1899 rolls around, and the members weren't satisfied with modest anymore. They brought in a noted local architect — a man named Diedrich Rulfs — and replaced that first wood-frame building with a larger sanctuary, one that included Sunday School rooms and a Fellowship Hall below. That's growth talking.

In 1928, they added a brick educational building, and then in 1942, the previous sanctuary and Fellowship Hall were replaced entirely with a larger brick complex. From the very beginning, these folks were not the type to sit inside and tend only to their own. They cooperated with local Methodists — Methodists, mind you — to close several open saloons in town.

Now that's the kind of ecumenical spirit that gets things done. They also planted churches: Fredonia Hill Baptist Church came out of their work in 1923, Memorial Baptist Church — now known as Iglesia Bautista Memorial — in 1948, and Calvary Baptist Church in 1956. Three congregations that grew up and became their own.

And starting in 1923, the church worked alongside Stephen F. Austin University to establish and support a Baptist bible teacher position and a Baptist Student Union, a ministry that has kept right on going through the years. Historically, members have reached beyond the local community for mission work as well.

And so here stands First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches — born of a railroad town, built by thirteen people and one determined man, and still, to this day, one of the oldest congregations in the area. Some things take root and just don't let go.

What the marker says

In 1884, the Baptist General Association of Texas sent Luther Rice Scruggs to start Baptist work in Nacogdoches, which was beginning to grow following the 1883 construction of the Houston, East and West Texas Railroad through the town. Before this, there was no Southern Baptist church in Nacogdoches. Scruggs began to hold services and by 1885, he and 13 charter members had organized a church. The next year, the congregation built a sanctuary on 411 North Street. Working with noted local architect, Diedrich Rulfs, members in 1899 replaced their first wood-frame building with a larger sanctuary that included Sunday School rooms and a Fellowship Hall below. In 1928, the church added a brick educational building and in 1942, members replaced the previous sanctuary and Fellowship Hall with a larger brick complex. From the beginning, members have been actively involved in the community cooperating with local Methodists to close several open saloons. The church has also stressed local missions, planting three which became established churches: Fredonia Hill Baptist Church in 1923, Memorial Baptist Church (now Iglesia Bautista Memorial) in 1948, and Calvary Baptist Church in 1956. The congregation has actively worked with Stephen F. Austin University since 1923 to establish and support a Baptist bible teacher position and a Baptist Student Union, a ministry that has continued to be important to the church through the years. Historically, members have also been active in mission activities outside of the local community. Today, as one of the oldest area congregations, First Baptist Church continues to serve as a spiritual leader in Nacogdoches. (2010)