134 Year Old Church Celebrates Homecoming

By Loretta Doles
Ebenezer Baptist Church is said to have been organized in 1881. The first meetings were held in a one-room log building, which was also used as a school house. The first church building was built in 1884 on the same site as the present building and is said to have been built under the supervision of George Washington Lambert, who is also credited with naming the church Ebenezer.
According to records in the Hardeman County Register’s Office, three parcels of land were given to the church. (1) August 15, 1845, one acre by Cynthia G. Joyner, (2) November 17, 1885, two and 1/10 acres by W.T. Roberts, (3) November 9, 1910, two and 61/160 acres by J.B. Chandler and wife, H.T. Chandler and wife, Julia Chandler and Mrs. Marthie Chandler.
No records are available from 1881 through 1889. Minutes from Unity Association in 1890 reported 85 members 928 male and 57 female). Rev. W.H. Jordan was Pastor of Ebenezer for almost 25 years, meeting one Sunday a month. He served as a Baptist minister for 54 years. He pastored churches in Chester, Hardeman and McNairy Counties. He traveled by horseback and buggy. He always wore a derby. Bro. Jordan, a native of North Carolina, was the son of a Confederate veteran who was taken prisoner in the Battle of Gettysburg and died in a Federal Prison.
April 1917, the church voted to order a Caffile organ from P.A. Stark Piano Co., Chicago, Illinois at a cost of $57.50.
April 6, 1919, George W. Vaughan, S.L. Gibson and James T. Dillard were ordained as deacons. Church membership had grown to 221. Sunday School was reorganized in 1934 with 142 enrolled, church membership was 250.
The church was completely destroyed by fire in February 1937. Services were held in the home  of James T. Dillard until new building was built in 1938. Louise Miller said “We started meeting two days a month.”
On February 2, 1958, five deacons were ordained, Ambrose Mayfield, Ray Taylor, Luther Alexander, Marvin Gibson and James E. Smith.
In 1980, Sunday School Superintendent Freddie Miller challenged classes to meet an attendance goal of 100. Pastor Bertie Moore agreed to preach from the roof-top of the church on the Sunday the goal was achieved. On November 16, 1980, the attendance reached 107 and Bro. Bertie Moore was lifted to the roof where he delivered the morning message.
In 1981, a new Sanctuary with baptistery was completed. Louise Miller said “We bought new pews and pulpit furniture. The old Sanctuary was converted to an eating area with kitchen and three additional Sunday School rooms. On November 22, 1981, we had  dedication services for the new sanctuary and celebrated our 100th anniversary.”
Ebenezer is very proud of the fact that so many of our young men answered God’s call to minister: James J. Smith, licensed to preach 8-12-55, ordained 2-2-58; Robert L. Gibson, licensed to preach 11-8-60, ordained 10-14-62; William T. (Billy) Jacobs, licensed to preach 12-18-60, ordained 6-25-61; Jerald E. Smith, ordained 6-16-63; Thomas Vandiver licensed to preach 1973.
Other pastors serving Ebenezer: J.T. Upton 1916-17; C.H. Perish 1918-20; J.F. Rogers 1921-23; M.B. Howard 1924; W.R. Fitzgerald 1927-28; J.W. Kloss 1929-30; C.E. Azbill 1931-34; A.L. Bishop 1935; J.W. Bass 1936-37; T.R. Hammons 1938-39; J. Alvin Gilliand 1940-44; Clyde C. Bryan 1935; Malcolm A. Younger 1946; James F. Robers 1947-51; John T. Brown 1952-53; Bertie Moore 1947-57; Raymond Boston 1958; Jerry Spencer 1959-60; Tommy Harrell 1961-62;  Fulton Robertson (Interim) 1963; Rhesa Davis 1964; Floyd Cates 1965-66; Walter Taylor 1967; Ray Stinson 1968; Marvin T. Robertson 1969-73; James E. Parker 1974; Bertie Moore 1975-85; Roger Teal 1986-89; Michael Moore 1990; J.H. Patterson 1991-93; Brad Henson 1994-96; Dennis Callahan 1997-2002; Jack Carver 2003-04; Fred Clifft 2004-08; Randy Pickens 2008-12; James Smith (Interim) 2012; Nathan Bishop 2013-present.
Margie Vales, had the church bulletins printed with this wonderful 134 year history of Ebenezer Baptist Church for the church’s homecoming. The research was done originally by her sister Louise Miller years ago for the Baptist Association. Next year the church will celebrate its 135th year.
May we all “be shepherds of the church of God” and pray constantly for “all the flock of which the Holy Spirit” has given us Amen.