Newman Baptist Church

Newman Baptist Church

Quick Facts

• Organized: August 8, 1910
• Building Built: 1911
  • Building Cost: $1,500
• Address: 9935 Hwy 60 W

Early History

This influential little country Church was constituted as the result of a series of revival meetings conducted by Elder W. L. Shearer in the community on August 8, 1910. The following members were dismissed from the Stanley Church for this purpose:

Mrs. Loue Eberheart	Miss Opal Eberheart	Harold Jesse	Mrs. Rosa Ray	Miss Nola Ray
A. L. Waite	J. T. Eberheart	Miss Crystal Ray	Jenettie Waite	Rosetta Young

As soon as the organization was affected the following were received under the watchcare of the Church and as candidates for baptism:

Under Watchcare
Mrs. Attie Jett	Margaret Jett	Nina Jett	Mrs. Ann Jesse
Mrs. Sarah Bennett	Tom Bennett	Sam Young

Candidates for Baptism
Mollie Brown	Hettie Brown	Vessie Waite	Lizzie Waite	B. F. Waite
E. E. Waite	Leslie Barnard	Elnora Henson	Ernest Henson	Ola Eberheart
John Eberheart	Pearl Armstrong	Ella Brown	Eulus Fray

The council of recognition was composed of Elders C. C. Carroll, B. F. Jenkins, N. F. Jones, C. S. Rush, E. O. Cottrell, E. E. Rush, and W. L. Shearer. The Church took the name Newman from the little railroad stop and post office near which the Church is located. The Articles of Faith and Rules of the Decorum of the Third Baptist Church were adopted by this Church.

Pastors

Since her organization as a regular Baptist Church the following pastors and clerks have served in their respective offices:

Pastor	Years
E. B. Gatlin	1910-1911
W. L. Shearer	1912-1913
Frank Farmer	1914-1918
T. C. Craig	1918-1919
W. O. Connell	1919-1926
H. M. Brown	1926-1927
W. L. Franklin	1927-1929
J. D. Hall	1929-1932
H. Guy Moore	1932-1934
I. L. Baughn	1935-1941
J. L. Henderson	1941-1942
Wendell K. Arnote	1942-1943

Clerks

Clerk	Years
A. L. Waite	1910-1925
W. A. Alvey	1925-1931
Mrs. F. B. Waite	1932-1933
Woodrow Alexander	1934
Floyd Waite	1935-1938
Margaret Jett	1938-1943

Church Building

A building committee composed of Brethren A. L. Waite, Tom Barnett, and Leslie Barnard was appointed even before the formal organization of the Church. By the middle of 1911 the Church had received a lot from Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Jett and had received the deed to the same. A contract was soon let and a building was erected at a cost of about $1,500.00 and was entered before the close of the year. The building was finally paid for and dedicated on July 29, 1917, with Rev. Sam P. Martin preaching the sermon.

This little Church has made phenomenal progress as the result of a number of successful revivals. In 1921 and 1923 there were forty-five additions respectively as a result of revivals conducted by W. K. Sisk. There have been many others of lesser importance.

A Mother of Preachers

This Church has been a mother of preachers. Soon after the organization she ordained James S. Ray to the ministry. This was on December 30, 1910, with Elders P. E. Gatlin and E. B. Gatlin serving as the council. E. E. Waite was licensed to preach on September 3, 1921, and was ordained on July 31, 1927. B. F. Waite and William Varble were licensed to preach on August 5, 1922. Bro. Varble was ordained on June 3, 1923, by Elders J. T. Daugherty, F. M. C. Jolley, W. W. Williams, James Benham, and W. O. Connell. Between 800 and 1,000 people were present at this service. The Church ordained two deacons on the same day. B. F. Waite was ordained by Elders W. O. Connell, W. K. Sisk, and William Varble, on August 3, 1924.

A. L. Waite has served the Church as a deacon from her organization. Tom Bennett and E. S. Combest were elected in October, 1912, but there is no record of their ordination. J. L. Barnard, John Dodd, and Ed Brown were ordained in June, 1923. John Cambron and W. A. Alvey were ordained to the deaconship in December, 1925. Frank Bellinger was ordained in September, 1936. The Church gave Miss Nina Jett a letter of recommendation as a missionary worker in August, 1922. She attended the Woman’s Missionary Union Training School in Louisville, Kentucky, and has done an outstanding work among the women and young people of the Association.

In August, 1922, at the close of a revival the Klu Klux Klan staged a rally in the Church which almost brought on calamity. Strong resolutions were brought before the Church at the next meeting condemning such a practice but they were voted down. The atmosphere was warm for a while but things gradually settled back to normal. It was a very trying period in the history of the Church.

The Church has been a member of the Daviess County Association since immediately after her organization. She has never entertained an annual session of this body. For a short time, during the pastorate of Elder W. O. Connell, the Church enjoyed half-time preaching, but has continued one-fourth time preaching during most of her history.

1937 Flood

The devastating flood of 1937 almost destroyed the Church. The repairs cost about $400.00. Of this amount the Church was assisted by the State Mission Board to the amount of $375.00. In the latter part of the year 1940 the Church built some Sunday School rooms on the inside of the building at a cost of about $600.00. Her membership at present is about 185 with prospects of future growth and usefulness. The Newman community has been different because of the existence of this Church in her place of responsibility.

Source: A History of the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association in Kentucky, 1844-1943. Wendell H. Rone, Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, 1944.