Myrtle Springs Baptist Church, BMA

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Myrtle Springs Baptist Church. Now settle in, because this one goes back a good ways. It was the fall of 1861, and a man named William Setzler put pen to paper and deeded a piece of land for church purposes.

Right there, in Wood County, Texas, the Myrtle Springs Missionary Baptist Church of Christ, as it was originally called, came into being, organized and led by a Reverend Coker. They didn't have a proper building yet, so the congregation gathered in a nearby log schoolhouse. Not fancy, but it was a start, and these folks were not the kind to stay put for long.

They built themselves a wooden church building, and that was just the beginning. Now here's the part that gets me. When it came time to finance later buildings, this congregation didn't just pass a collection plate and call it done.

They gave what they had. Cattle. Eggs.

You heard that right. People brought cattle and eggs to help raise up a house of worship, and somehow, some way, it got done. That right there tells you something about the character of a community.

Baptisms in those early days happened the old-fashioned way, out in the open air. Members were baptized in ponds, or in Myrtle Springs itself, right behind the church. It wasn't until 1964 that a proper baptistery was added, and that baptistery went into a sanctuary that had been built back in 1949.

Affiliated with the Baptist Missionary Association, the BMA, the church kept on growing, kept on adding new facilities, kept its focus sharp on educational and missionary programs, and today it serves members from throughout Wood County. From a deeded plot of land and a log schoolhouse in 1861, to cattle and eggs, to a growing congregation spread across a whole county. That's a long road, and every step of it was earned.

What the marker says

In the fall of 1861, William Setzler deeded land for church purposes, and the Myrtle Springs Missionary Baptist Church of Christ, as it was originally called, was organized and led by a Rev. Coker. Initially meeting in a nearby log schoolhouse, the congregation soon built a wooden church building. Later buildings were financed by gifts including cattle and eggs. In 1964, a baptistery was added to the 1949 sanctuary. Church members were previously baptized in ponds or in Myrtle Springs behind the church. Affiliated with the Baptist missionary Association (BMA), the church has continued to grow and add new facilities. With a focus on educational and missionary programs, it serves members from throughout Wood County. (2004)