HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972 Thirty Years History: First Baptist Church Book (Pg. 17)B. S. U. COUNCIL, TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE, 1937.1938
Top row — M. A. Shields, C. E. Hogue, J. C. Brown, D. W. Hicks, J.
J. Doyle, R. B. Gibson, R. G. Cameron.
Middle row — R B. Hayhurst, Myrtle Robertson, Prof. W. M. Simp-
son, Rev. R. L. Brown, T. A. Kett, Mrs. R. L. Brown, L. L. Truitt.
Bottom row — W. C. Wedemeyer, J. R. Thompson, D. B. Thrift, Ben
Christian, J. M. Behrman, W. T. Guy, E. E. Hendrix.
The members of the Council have definite responsibilities in con-
nection with our great student program. In addition to the above mem-
bers, there will be several members of the Freshman class added.
Germany, Heidelberg and Zurich.
It might be interesting to know that the Browns paid their expenses of
all trips and paid the supply to take care of the church program while
they were away. It will also be of interest to know that Mrs. Brown and
Dr. Frank Leavell were the only ones in this party that attended the
first meeting in Prague in 1931.
The following picture will reveal why the student work made such
progress during the decade 1930-1940. We have outstanding leaders
among young people and students.
The published record for February 1938 states'
No. students in college 4,340
No. Baptists and Baptist preference students 1,172
No. enrolled in Sunday School 448
No. enrolled in BYPU 181
The church bulletin for March 20 gave the following facts: "The
attendance at the various church services has been the best in the
Iustory of the church. All records have been broken in the number
Joining the church. One hundred eigltryane have been added to the
church since September 19. Twenty-two have joined by Baptism with
16 of the 22 adults."
In a published report of the pastor on January 6, 1939, the following
facts were stated: "our church has just closed the best year in its history.
Our records show that we received 245 members into the fellowship of
our church during the year 1939. Our opportunities are greater than we
have ever had. Our budding and equipment are taxed to the limit. We must
have more and better equipment ifwe are to cope with our opportunities -
As the church approached the opening of college in the fall of 1939,
the BSU secretary and pastor, R. L. Brown, informed the Baptist
students that they could expect our temporary auditorium to be
entirely too small to accomodate the crowd and, if this happened, for the
upperclass men to move into the BSU rooms surrounding the rear at the
building. Almost every conceivable place was filled for the warship
service. When the service was over the seniors told the "Fish" to come
back the following Sunday, that there would be room for them.
During the noon hour Rev. Brown phoned an architect, Prof. J.
Marshall Miller, who was a member of the church and a member of the
college faculty, to come by and get Mr. W. H. Robertson, a builder, to
check to see if the auditorium could be enlarged. They went up into the
attic of the building and found that by putting in 44"x6"'s to support the
roof that nearly all the partitions could be removed and all the building
turned into the auditorium. Early that evening these facts were presented
to the BSU Council, then to the deacons and trustees. All these combined
presented the plan to the church in conferenceat the close of the evening
service. Everybody voted to go ahead with the plans.
During the week all partitions and the Baptistry were removed and the
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