Julien Missionary Baptist Church
In the spring of March 1944, a group of concerned members of the
Julien community in Christian county met for the purpose of establishing
a New Testament Missionary Baptist Church in the community. By the authority
of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Trigg county, the following pastors
and members met on March 8, 1944 to organize the Julien Missionary Baptist
Church: Pastors J. R. Guess, Rosco Noel, and Carl Noel, with members, Ulyess
and Mary Noel, Albert and Mary Ann Roberts, Ralph and Alene Roberts, Blanch
Wallace, Hartley and Dean Taylor, Lacy and Macy Thomas, Aubrey, Daphene
and Doris Thomas, Driscall and Lucille Ladd, Anabell Broadbent, and Dorothy
Griffin. All of these members along with pastor Carl Noel became members
of the Julien Missionary Baptist Church by being granted letters from their
former home churches.
The new Church adopted the articles of faith as given in Pendleton’s
Church Manuel They chose the name Julien Missionary Baptist Church and
proceeded to call Carl Noel as their first pastor. The church voted to
purchase an old store building from the U. S. Government located at the
intersection of highways 272 and 117, which has remained the permanent
location of the Julien Church.
The first sermon was preached Sunday March 12, 1944. The first revival
was held on the second week of July 1944 with Brother J. R. Guess being
the evangelist. During tins revival there was an addition of thirty members,
seventeen by baptism and thirteen by letter. The first deacons were Floyd
Lancaster, Lacy Thomas, Clyde Finley, and Hartley Taylor.
The church building was remodeled in May of 1944. In 1947, they
started their first Radio program on station WHOP, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
In 1948, the church purchased the home of the pastor, Carl Noel, for their
church parsonage.
On October 31, 1951, Brother Carl Noel resigned as pastor after
serving for eight years. The church immediately called Brother Elton Wilson
as their new pastor. In March 1952, the church voted to withdraw support
from the Southern
Baptist Cooperative Program and send all mission support directly
to the missionaries.
In May of 1954, the church again remodeled the church building with
more additions to it by enlarging the auditorium and adding Sunday School
rooms.
Brother Elton Wilson remained the pastor for six years resigning
November 17, 1957. Brother Dempsey Henderson became the pastor in January
1958. In September of 1965, there was another remodeling and addition made
to the building. In June 1960, the Julien Missionary Baptist Church voted
to officially withdraw from the Southern Baptist Convention and become
an Independent Missionary Baptist Church which they had been in nature
and practice since their organization. On June 12,1966, Brother Dempsey
Henderson resigned as pastor to go to Brazil as a missionary out of the
Julien Baptist Church. Brother Dempsey Henderson was pastor for eight and
one-half years.
Brother Wallace York became pastor November 1966 and remained pastor
until September 1975 serving nine years.
Brother Garner R. Smith became pastor March 1976. He has remained
pastor until this present time, January 1986.
The Church still has two charter members, Albert and Mary Ann Roberts,
who still attend faithfully as of this writing.
The Lord has certainly blessed Julien Missionary Baptist Church
down through the forty two years of her existence. She still has a radio
broadcast on WKDZ in Cadiz, Kentucky every Sunday afternoon at 2:00 F.M.
She has ordained and sent out to preach the Gospel ten pastors and missionaries.
The church now has two of her missionaries in Brazil, one in Honduras and
two in the eastern part of Kentucky. She has five ordained pastors pastoring
churches throughout the States from coast to coast, with two preachers
still in the church doing evangelistic work.
The Julien Missionary Baptist Church still believes and practices
the same doctrines taught by our Lord in the first church He established
while here on earth. The Church still holds to the fundamental beliefs
of the Sovereignty of God, that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, plenary
Word of God, that Christ was indeed the incarnate Son of God horned of
a virgin, that Salvation is by grace alone, that Christ has only one kind
of church a local visible body like the one He personally organized while
here on earth, that baptism is by immersion by the authority of the church,
closed communion, the pre-millennial return of Christ for all His saints
to appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ and a final judgment for unbelievers
to be cast into everlasting punishment and all the saints to enjoy the
eternal bliss of God’s presence. Julien Missionary Baptist Church still
holds to these doctrines today as all true New Testament Missionary Baptist
Churches have since the time of Christ.
The Julien Missionary Baptist Church believes in the absolute freedom
of religion for all people. They will do what ever is necessary according
to the Bible to maintain this freedom for all.
Family Histories of Christian County 1797-1986
Reprinted with permission ©1986 Christian
County Genealogical Society
©William Turner ©Jim Killibrew
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints
John W. Manire was first local member baptized in 1898. From this
humble beginning, the seeds of the gospel have taken root and nourished
over the years. Buildings were erected in rural areas of Haley’s Mill and
Larkin. As membership shifted to Hopkinsville, so did the site of meeting
places. The Odd Fellows Lodge and later a renovated house served as meeting
places until 1968 when a new church building was erected on Country Club
Lane.
May 21, 1978, Apostle Howard Hunter ordained Ruben L Fears (Attorney)
as the Stake President of the newly organized Hopkinsville, Kentucky Stake
with instructions to begin the process to build a stake center. In 1980
six acres were purchased in the Great Oaks subdivision. August 1982, the
Church investment group purchased the famed 2755 acre “Boddie Estate” at
auction price of 4.2 million dollars. August 1985 saw completion of the
26000 sq. ft. multipurpose Hopkinsville stake center at cost of 2.2 million
dollars thus becoming the largest single religious property owner in Christian
County.
The building and property are used to assist members by providing
programs and activities. The very active youth program includes a daily
early morning seminary for high school students. The Church is sponsor
for Scout Troop 85 organized in 1968, Pack 249 organized in 1973 and Kentucky’s
first Varsity team 185 organized in Aug. 1984. Active leaders in scouting
program include Jim Dennis, Mike and Trish Richardson, Robert and Peggy
Fears, Heber and Ann Manire, Steve and Darlene Burgi. Earning the Eagle
Badge have been McKay Fears, Tiny Manire, Jed Manire, Ben Fuqua, Frank
Dempsey, Scott Richardson with several more progressing rapidly.
Fulfilling the commission to spread the gospel by fulfilling a fulltime
mission to various pans of the world have included George Manire, Katie
M Whitson, Heber Manire, Robert Fears, Gail Wade, Joe Dunning, Kathy Fritz,
Steve Cavannah, Bill Seaman, Mindy Reynolds, Glen Unklesbay and Lane McLennan.
The Church is noted for leadership in genealogical research worldwide.
Locally, Charlie M Hamner has assisted thousands in their search for their
ancestors. She holds membership in several hereditary organizations including
the Daughters of Cincinnati, Order of the Crown of Charlamagne, Americans
of Royal Descent and the Magna Charta.
In June 1983, Elder Gordon B Hinkley dedicated the Atlanta Temple
with several local members in attendance. John S Manire, James Wade and
Elizabeth Wade have served as fulltime temple ordinance officials. Several
other worthy members have gone to the temple for purpose of organizing
their families and to perform proxoy work for the deceased. Clifton and
Eve Jordan, Norman and Mary Pennington, Roy and Terry Stump, Leonora Hoffman,
Maggie Wells, Clarice Ladd, and several others have gone on bus trips to
the temple.
June 9, 1978, Prophet Spencer W Kimball announced a revelation that
expanded the Priesthood authority so all worthy male members regardless
of race or creed. Within a few months our baptisms included Joe White and
she James Abren families becoming the first black members. With Fort Campbell
being close, we have had several nationalities and languages as part of
our group. Truly we have become a “melting pot” with a common purpose so
become a better people by serving God. From humble poor conditions we have
risen to be a source of influence for good in our community.
Family Histories of Christian County 1797-1986
Reprinted with permission ©1986 Christian
County Genealogical Society
©William Turner ©Jim Killibrew
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints (Haley's Mill)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, “Mormon” in the
Haley’s Mill section of north east Christian Co., was the first home for
the church in this section since it was restored by Joseph Smith the Prophet
of God, in 1830. The ground was donated by Mrs. Katie (Cook) Grace, mother
of Ruby Manire. The building was built by members and friends of the church
being supervised by Elder J. L. Manire, and dedicated 1912. Many had been
converted since the first baptism of John Wesley Manire 1898. Mr. J. L.
Manire taught school here up to 1916, a picture shows 44 in attendance
— ages 5 to 18 years.
An oil well produced on the church lot helped in the promotion of
the Lord’s work. The church served as a cradle for district conferences
for Madisonville, Greenville, Elkton and Hopkinsville before their churches
were built.
It stands as a constant reminder of its purpose; read LUKE 9:58.
The building is now used for recreations and home comings. The ground is
a final resting place for the families of those who worshiped there.
Family Histories of Christian County 1797-1986
Reprinted with permission ©1986 Christian
County Genealogical Society
©William Turner ©Jim Killibrew
Johnson's Chapel
Grissom Chapel Church came into existence soon after the will of
John W. Grissom and wife, dated February 4, 1854, reserving land for the
church. Unfortunately, the span of approximately ninety years brought drastic
changes to this one-time large and thriving congregation. Its membership
had dropped to the extent that services were discontinued and the building
was dismantled in May, 1943.
A new location was chosen on East Cole Creek Road about three miles
from the original site. On March 13, 1943, the official foundation for
a new building was laid when the children of Samuel Winfield and Naomi
(Drake) Johnson made a deed donating land on which to build a church with
the stipulation that it be named Johnson’s Chapel, in honor of their Father
and Mother. Signed by the children and their spouses: H. W. and Lena Johnson;
B. B. and Hazel Johnson; Otho and Mamie (Johnson) Grace; J. B. and Mayme
Johnson.
Construction of Johnson’s Chapel began July 20, 1943. By using salvaged
material from Grissom Chapel, the costof the finished block building, plus
the heater and piano, totaled $3,397.00 It was completed November 11, 1943
and the first service in Johnson’s Chapel Church was held December 12,
1943.
On July 9, 1944, dedication service for Johnson’s Chapel was held
under the supervision of its pastor, the Rev. J. L. Wall. Church officials
serving at that time were: Otho Grace, Sunday School Superintendent; Mrs.
Eva Bass, Mrs. Olaf Wells, Clifton Grace and R. L. Johnson as Stewards;
F. B. Wagoner, Mrs. Evin Hardison and R. L. Johnson, Trustees.
Family Histories of Christian County 1797-1986
Reprinted with permission ©1986 Christian
County Genealogical Society
©William Turner ©Jim Killibrew
Kelly
Baptist Church
Kelly Baptist Church was
organized on October 23, 1841, as the Mt. Zoar Baptist Church. This name
was retained until 1935 when the name was changed to Kelly. The original
constitution was signed in the presence of Peter F. Oglesby and Nicholas
Lacy, and was signed by: Matthew Williams, Elias White, H. H. McCutcheon,
Elizabeth Williams, Nancy White, and Ursula McCutcheon.
The following quotation
from The Rules of Decorum is very interesting “When members do not attend
church conferences for three months it shall I be the duty of the church
to appoint some member or members to invite them to fill the seat or seats
and give the reason or reasons of their absence. FEMALES EXCEPTED.”
Records are incomplete
until the year ot 1923, when the first session of the Christian County
Baptist Association was held. The records show that W. B. Hammack was the
pastor, the membership was 77, and mission gifts were $54.11.
The first building was erected in 1903; and
then it was moved back some 70 or 80 feet when U.S. Highway 41 was built.
In 1934 one large and two smaller Sunday School rooms were added to the
back of the church. This building burned on January 31, 1949, and
was rebuilt on the same site with the first services being held on Christmas
day, 1949. Additional Sunday School rooms were constructed and dedicated
to the service of the Lord on July 24, 1958. In 1961 the church constructed
a pastorium at a cost of $9,043. The land for this project was donated
by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Frey. In 1968 a garage was constructed at the
parsonage at a cost of $2,016. At a special business meeting held
after the Morning Worship Service on April 13, 1969, the church voted to
build the present brick church.
Kelly has had the following pastors:
| W. B. Hammack |
1923-1924 |
|
Milburn Chester |
1948 |
| C. E. Hutchison |
1925 |
|
L. L. Spurlin |
1949-1955 |
| J. T. Lewis |
1926-1929 |
|
Jackie Geurin |
1956-1958 |
| J. J. Thomas |
1930-1932 |
|
Edward R. Bolton |
1959-1960 |
| J. T. Spurlin |
1933-1936 |
|
Clint Adams |
1961-1966, 1967 |
| Audrey Meacham |
1937-1938 |
|
Brodie Ambrose |
1968-1970 |
| J. J. Thomas |
1939-1943 |
|
Dennis L. Pulley |
1971 - |
| Graden Parker |
1944-1947 |
|
|
|
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