[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 20591-20592]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CELEBRATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, BONHAM

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                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 10, 2002

  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to recognize the 
150th anniversary of the First Baptist Church of Bonham, Texas, in the 
hometown of the late great Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn. On 
November 10th, the First Baptist Church will celebrate one hundred and 
fifty years of worship and service in Bonham and the surrounding 
community--an expanse of time that reflects the dedication and vitality 
of the church's pastors, leaders and members over several generations.
  First Baptist Church, Bonham, organized in early November 1852, 
sixteen years after the founding of Bonham and seven years after the 
annexation of Texas into the United States. Rev. J.R. Briscoe, a 
pioneer Baptist preacher, began the church with six charter members. 
They first met in the Masonic Hall but were soon able to move into 
their own building, which was also used as a schoolhouse. On January 
24, 1855, for the sum of $50, they purchased the building, and each 
succeeding building has stood on this same plot of land on the comer of 
Eighth and Center Streets.
  In 1855 a new frame building was constructed. This was used for joint 
Sunday School services of the Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, and 
Presbyterian churches. It was also used for special meetings, weddings, 
and funerals for a wide area around Bonham. By 1915, the church 
building was no longer adequate for further growth, and despite the 
scarcity of supplies and the high prices of the World War I years, the 
congregation was able to construct a new two-story building, including 
a basement, in 1919 and dedicate it in 1921, free of debt. The services 
were led by Rev. George W. Truett, pastor of First Baptist Church, 
Dallas.
  Due to structural problems during the following years, a new building 
was constructed in 1958 and still stands today. Some of the furnishings 
that had been in the earlier buildings are part of the new structure--
including several magnificent stained glass windows and a scene over 
the baptistery taken from a photograph of the Jordan River.
  First Baptist Church, Bonham, was very much in the news in November 
1961 as the place where the funeral service for Speaker Rayburn, 
beloved citizen of Bonham, was held. Countless numbers of dignitaries 
were in attendance, including President John F. Kennedy, Vice President 
Lyndon B. Johnson, former presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. 
Eisenhower. A plaque inscribed with their names adorns the pew where 
they sat.
  First Baptist Church, Bonham, is rich in history. It is a shining 
example of the positive influence that churches make in the lives of 
our

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citizens and the fabric of our communities--and a powerful testament to 
the importance of faith and religious expression in the United States 
of America. We are, indeed, ``one Nation under God.'' In preparation 
for its Sesquicentennial Celebration on November 10, a history of the 
church has been compiled that will honor all those who so diligently 
worked and sacrificed in their service to their church and their 
community. This celebration also will inspire current and future 
generations to carry on the wonderful legacy that was begun one hundred 
and fifty years ago.
  Mr. Speaker, First Baptist Church, Bonham, was built upon the solid 
rock of Christian faith and service--and upon that rock it will 
continue to grow. I congratulate the members of First Baptist Church, 
Bonham, on this important milestone in the history of their church--and 
I wish them ``God speed'' as they continue to meet the needs of those 
in Bonham, the surrounding community, and mission fields around the 
world.

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