[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H7164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  MEMORIALIZING THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, BLACKSBURG, 
                             SOUTH CAROLINA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Norman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, July 25, 2018, in our Nation's 
Capitol to formally memorialize the history of the First Baptist Church 
located in Blacksburg, South Carolina.
  First Baptist Church of Blacksburg was originally called the Berea 
Baptist Church, organized over 146 years ago, on December 4, 1876. The 
original structure was located near the corner of Highway 29 and 
Mountain Street, near the old Berea cemetery. This building was used as 
a church, schoolhouse, and community meeting hall. The first people to 
be baptized in the original building were Mrs. Sally Little and Mattie 
Bridges.
  The first mention of building a new church facility was the years 
1906 through 1909, under the pastorate of the Reverend B.L. Hoke. A 
committee was formed to search for land to build the new church.
  During the pastorate of Reverend C.W. Payseur, property located on 
the corner of Cherokee and Rutherford Streets was purchased from Mr. 
D.D. Gaston for $500; and in the spring of 1912, construction began on 
the new building. The records indicate that W.A. Blalock and A.M. 
Bridges broke the first dirt, and D.A. Gold placed the first brick, 
with Miss Emma Cornwell placing the first mortar for the bricks.
  The first service in the new church facility was held over 105 years 
ago in June 1913, and the name of the church was officially changed 
from the Berea Baptist Church to the First Baptist Church of 
Blacksburg. The first person to be baptized in the new building was Mr. 
Ben Ramseur.
  In 1922, over 96 years ago, a house and 6 acres of land owned by Mr. 
Tracy Hardin was donated for the purposes of building a church 
parsonage, and in June of 1929, the church began construction on the 
first Sunday school rooms at a cost of $2,300.
  The property behind the existing educational building as it sits 
today was purchased during the years between 1941 and 1950, and a new 
building fund was started. The church broke ground on the new building 
at a cost of $87,500; and on Sunday, June 24, 1956, which was over 62 
years ago, the church celebrated homecoming, with ``Dinner on the 
Grounds'' in the new social hall downstairs.
  On June 11, 1961, all debt was paid off and a note burning service 
was held to celebrate this accomplishment.
  On July 5, 1962, the church voted to begin construction on the 
present sanctuary to replace the old one which, at the time, had been 
destroyed. The committee overseeing the construction was comprised of 
10 members representing each of the resident families.
  The new sanctuary was completed in 1963 at a total cost of $74,735, 
and the debt was paid off on May 2, 1979.
  The building of the new parsonage located at 108 Lenzer Circle began 
in the 1970s and was completed in February of 1972. The debt was paid 
off, and the official burning service was held on February 23, 1975, to 
celebrate this accomplishment of paying off the debt.
  In October of 1976, the church voted to sell the old parsonage and 
purchase the entire land located inside Lenzer Circle for a future 
recreational facility.
  On December 1, 1993, the church purchased the property and buildings 
immediately next to the existing church sanctuary at a cost of $35,000, 
with the debt paid in full on January 16, 1998.
  The next major renovation and building came in 1995, where the church 
reaffirmed the idea of seeking to build a recreational facility beside 
the existing church sanctuary; and in June of 1996, the old grocery 
store known as the Sara Wilkins property was demolished to make way for 
the new construction.
  In 1997, renovations and repairs were made to the existing 
educational building and exterior of the sanctuary, along with a new 
Allen organ for the sanctuary.
  The construction of the new Family Life Center began in August of 
1999, for a total cost of $520,000, with the church only borrowing 
$60,000. The building was completed and the dedication held in May of 
2000, and the remaining debt was paid off in 2001.
  In July of 2001, the church purchased the old library building 
located behind the existing sanctuary and education building where the 
church offices exist today.
  The last renovations to the present sanctuary were renovated in 2014.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to memorialize the 142-year 
history of the First Baptist Church of Blacksburg, which was organized 
on December 4, 1876, as we worship today in 2018, with the core mission 
being, then and now, service to Jesus Christ and the faithful teachings 
of the Christian Gospel.

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