PROSPECT BAPTIST CHURCH

HISTORY 1848 - Rapture

The Constitution of the Prospect Missionary Baptist Church was drawn up in July 1891.  The records of our church minutes begin at this time.  According to information outside our records, a Primitive Baptist church was located here before the Missionary Baptist, and prior to that, a brush arbor church.   

During the first years of the church, pastors were elected from the congregation to serve one-year terms.  In 1885, George Campbell deeded the land to the church on which it already stood. 

 The first building was made of logs, which was replaced in the early 1900’s with a white frame structure.  Around 1933, Sunday School rooms were added on the sides and rear of the auditorium.

 The moral conduct of members was of top priority during the business meetings of the early years.  There were several cases in which the church voted to withdraw fellowship from an individual because of drunkenness, profanity, disorderly conduct, etc.

 In another incident, “The Church appointed Brother J. S. Campbell and wife to look after Brother _____________ to see why he has not bin to preeching latley”.  At the next meeting, “Brother _____ came to preeching and give his reason fore his not attending preeching”.  (Actual entries in minutes)

 In the early 1920’s, one meeting emphasized the responsibility of church members to be law-abiding citizens.  It spoke out against several moral issues of the time including bootlegging and businesses being open on Sunday.

 The church worked with a small budget (by modern standards) so there was very little financial business transacted during the monthly meetings.  Most business involved things such as general repairs around the church and payment of what was owed on the pastor’s salary.  In 1930, the church rented a piece of ground to work as a community cotton patch to help with the finances of the church.

 In 1930, homecoming day and decoration day were combined into a one-day observance.  It was not until 1966 that homecoming day officially became an annual observance on the second Sunday in June even though it had been held on this day several times before.

While being anchored in its rich heritage of the past, Prospect Baptist Church has continued to thrive and grow with our eye toward the future.