Church Fire Centennial, Part 7 – “Our Hearts Were Lifted Up” by David M. Fulk
This is the seventh 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.
Through the summer of 1924, an uncontrollable anticipation was mounting as the new sanctuary drew closer to completion.
For a little more than a year the congregation had been using the A.G. Pixlee Education Building for Sunday School, worship, and other activities.
Final decisions were being made. In July the church approved a $1,200 expense for battleship gray linoleum in the sanctuary. Given this color choice, I’ve always assumed/hoped there were very few color options back then!!
The pews and balcony seats were arriving thanks to a $5,000 gift from the W.T. and Eva Pixlee Estate. The pews were made by the American Seating Co. of Chicago. They were “Birch, 5 ply back, brown mahogany rubbed finish with communion cup and book racks.”
Other furnishings were being delivered at this time for the pastor’s study and the Sunday School secretary’s office.
The pulpit furniture was also ordered in July: a bronze lectern ($266) from the DeLong Furniture Co. of Philadelphia; and a communion table ($150) from the Theo. Kundtz Co. of Cleveland. These pieces are still in use around the buildings.
And then the day came. After 4-1/2 years…that’s 54 months or 227 weeks or 1,638 days…the church returned to worship in their sanctuary, something they hadn’t done since 14 March 1920.
The order of worship that day wasn’t particularly notable, except they sang the hymn Prof. R.P. Rider wrote for the first worship service in the building in 1923 and Pastor Mangum’s sermon title was “My House.”
The church minutes note, “Our hearts were lifted up in thanksgiving to God who has helped us reach this good hour.” It’s hard for us to imagine it today as familiar as we are with the sanctuary, but consider the congregation that day sitting in awe knowing the rebuilding of their church was complete, taking in the large room that could hold 1,200 people, admiring the detail of finishings around the room and the stained glass windows bringing in light, and imagining what the future might bring with this new, enlarged building to do missions and ministry. The mix of amazement, pride, relief, and anticipation is almost too much to take in.
Several notes in “The Calendar” (the name of the worship guide then) offered specific guidelines for the new auditorium: worshippers were asked to “cease talking” when services began; the balcony would not be used until the main floor was full; and people were told to fill the middle of the pews first to avoid being “the end-seat hog.” This would keep people from ruining their shoes and their tempers when people climbed over them.
And from 7 September 1924, they moved on. A few days after that first service they ordered 100 additional hymn books for a total of $65. Unfortunately, we have no idea what hymnal was used. Then later in September, the church hosted a public reception for William Jewell students and faculty in the Social Room.
Plans were also beginning to form for the formal dedication of the new building. Dr. George Truett, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, was invited to deliver the dedicatory sermon. The dedication would not happen until January 1925.
The church realized there would be abundant opportunities for their building to be of service in the community. Plans were in place to host baccalaureates for William Jewell and Liberty High School, concerts, lectures, and other community events.
They could also serve their Baptist partners. They hoped the Missouri Baptist General Association (MBGA) would host its 1925 meeting at the church. That didn’t happen most likely due to limited local amenities in hosting a meeting of 1,000 people in Liberty. The church became a welcome location for annual meetings of the association, statewide trainings, and special services.
First and foremost, the congregation envisioned this new and enlarged building as a calling to grow. They expanded their commitment to missions, ministry, education, and training. They built a larger building to be filled and they did it.
As the membership rolls grew, so did the church’s reputation maintaining close ties to William Jewell, while members and pastors provided leadership in all areas of Baptist life, as well as in Liberty’s civic and business community.
Much of what our church is today is the result of how that congregation responded after a roof fire started one Sunday morning in 1920. In the century that’s followed, we’ve inherited their legacy of determination, grit, vision, and growth. As it’s always been, it’s in our hands.
Would you like to go back and read the first six articles again? Click below to read the articles.
Article 1: 1920 Fire Centenary
Article 2: Immediate Aftermath
Article 3: 1920 Fire Centennial
Article 4: A Phoenix Out of the Ashes