Church Fire Centennial, Part 6 – “The End is in Sight” David M. Fulk
This is the sixth in a series of blog articles discussing the destructive March 21, 1920, fire and the five-year journey to a new building and brighter future.
Our last installment ended with the church holding the first worship service in the new building in April 1923. The service was held in the south auditorium (the current Assembly, Oak, and old Library Rooms), not the current sanctuary. The church would have to wait 17 months for the entire building to be completed.
That service was followed by an eight-day revival led by Dr. John R. Sampey, Old Testament professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Louisville, Ky. A couple of happy additions came from that revival such as the Griffey family, including Ferrel Griffey and the baptism of his sister, Christine (later to become Christine Pugh). Fields Duncan, longtime organ custodian was also baptized at that time.
The church elected delegates to both Northern and Southern Baptist Conventions. The SBC meeting was held that May in Kansas City and drew a lot of visitors to see the new building, including former pastors Eberhart and Cousins. The meeting created a unique opportunity. A music company provided hymnals for the convention.
Through these months of waiting, the church was busy planning for the project completion. In June, the Deacons submitted a proposed document titled General Principles and Rules Governing the Use of the Liberty Baptist Church Building for other than strictly church and Sunday School Purposes. The opening paragraph read:
“Primarily, and above all else, this Building is a place for the worship of God,
the study of His Word, and the extension of His Kingdom, This must never
be lost sight of…however, the church is interested in, and in sympathy with,
every laudable, unselfish effort for the betterment, true happiness and
welfare of humanity.”
The document included the unfinished Auditorium which would allow for both William Jewell baccalaureates and commencements, as well as the Liberty High School baccalaureate. Hosting baccalaureate services for both lasted more than 75 years.
The other building spaces were available for lectures and addresses by “persons of unobjectionable character and reputation and not in the interest of partisan politics.” The document allowed for meetings of The Fortnightly Club, Boy Scouts, and musical entertainments by the WJC Glee Club and the Little Symphony Orchestra, and other “clean community entertainments.” (I’m sure everyone knew what “clean” meant!)
The Property Committee was charged with carrying out the principles and rules, but if they had any question about an activity, they would have to confer with the pastor and receive the consent of the Board of Deacons.
The church approved 5’ sidewalks on the north, west and south sides of the property at a cost of $402.60 and appointed a special committee to “consider the question of parking space for automobiles.”
In September the church hosted the Clay County Baptist Association and unveiled the Pixlee memorial tablet over the south entrance to the education building.
A reminder that the 1920 fire destroyed nearly everything in the previous building: everything needed in a kitchen to entertain such as a stove, oven, cookware, linens, flatware, dishware, glassware, coffee pots, salt/pepper shakers, brooms, mops, buckets, etc.
Through 1923, an Equipment Committee coordinated the replacement of these items as the church could afford. Sunday School classes took up collections to purchase needed items. This put a strain on the church’s desire to host meetings and groups which required entertaining. What’s a Baptist church without food?
The committee authorized the purchase of specially designed plates and flatware. The dishes were vitrified china with two little green thread lines running around each article broken for a crest and the words “Baptist Church.” The flatware was engraved with the word “Baptist.” These items remained in the church until about 2000 when they were sold and given away. These photos show the dishware: dinner plate, salad plate, fruit bowl, soup bowl, coffee cup, and pitcher. The church retained a set of the dishes. The heavy flatware was silverplate and polished up nicely for these photos.
I took these photos on our dining room table because it’s the same age as the dishware and flatware. My Fulk grandparents bought the table, leaves, chairs, and buffet as a wedding gift to themselves in 1922.
A continuing theme in this journey was the difficulty raising money. At the end of September, the church still needed to raise $25,000 for the buildings in order to pay a $47,636 note due to the bank in November. Some gifts were received at this time including $2,500 for pews, and $500 for pulpit furniture from F.P. Neil in memory of his wife who had been a member. From this gift, the brass pulpit and platform chairs were purchased. All still in use today. Alas, fundraising continued.
In October the church authorized the laying of the east circle driveway and the seeding of the entire church yard.
By the time the note was due to the bank in November, the Finance Committee announced that $25,811 had been subscribed to pay the note to the bank. In only six weeks, the church raised the needed funds. This didn’t just happen. Church leaders were quietly talking to people to make or increase gifts. Never under appreciate this work.
From the church minutes, it appears the first event held in the new auditorium took place Thursday, 22 November 1923 (the day my dad, Howard, was born!). It was the inauguration of Harry Clifford Wayman as the seventh president of William Jewell College. Jewell would not have Gano Chapel for another three years.
At the start of 1924, the church authorized spending $6,000 for the purchase of pews with communion cup and music racks for the main floor and $1,700 for balcony chairs to match the color of the pews. These chairs still provide seating in the balcony.
A month later, the church received a $5,000 payment from the estate of W.T. and Eva Pixlee for auditorium seating. The gift was authorized by their daughter for “seating in the auditorium.” This appears to be in addition to the 1921 commitment by Eva Pixlee for $20,000 in memory of her husband.
That commitment was conditional upon following the original (larger) architectural plan for the building and it was to be the last payment on any building expense so there would be no indebtedness. The Pixlee family’s initial commitment allowed the congregation to move forward with its building plans after repeated delays for lack of funds.
What an excellent reminder of how important estate planning gifts were and continue to be in helping the church fulfill its mission.
On a final note, the minutes record in February 1924, the church increased its fire and tornado insurance coverage by adding $10,000 for fire on the building; $5,000 for fire on building contents; and $30,000 for tornado on the building. These are the destructive forces that took the church’s two previous buildings. These kinds of decisions and planning have allowed us to thrive during the past century.
At this point in the journey from the March 1920 fire, so much has happened with so many challenges. By spring 1924 the completed building is clearly in sight and only a few months remain till the first worship service in the new auditorium.
Would you like to go back and read the first five articles again? Click below to read the articles.
Article 1: 1920 Fire Centenary
Article 2: Immediate Aftermatch
Article 3: 1920 Fire Centennial