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First Baptist Church
of Albemarle, NC |
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Rev. W.J. Bradley of South Carolina was called and became the leader of the church, serving from June 1, 1937 to October 15, 1949. One of the first major events of Mr. Bradley's pastorate was the dedication of the church on October 24, 1937. He was beloved for his piety and sympathetic ministry to the sheep of his flock. During World War II his words of kindness eased many an aching heart. Rev. Bradley recommended that a committee be appointed to keep in touch with the boys from the church who were in the military. A grocery boy from West Albemarle was delivering groceries to the church. He unloaded his groceries in the little kitchen area and searched for someone for reimbursement. Scouting about looking for someone, he stumbled upon an area where the ladies and Rev. Bradley were having a program. Embarrassed, he quickly retreated and opened the door to the filled baptistry by mistake. Rev. Bradley put him at ease by teasing him that, if he were not a Baptist, he was one now. During his pastorate, a committee of Lewis Gaskin, chairman, Henry L. Harris, R.R. Ingram and W.H. Burbage and F.L. Priester recommended that the church accept the following procedure for election of deacons: That the church initiate or begin a system of rotating deacons; that the present board be divided into four groups; that the term of one group end with the associational year of 1949; one end with the year of 1950; one end with the year of 1951; and the other end with the year 1952; that the church elect six deacons each year to replace the rotating group; that no deacon be reelected until he is off the board one year. Prior to this time, deacons were elected for life. The names of the first six deacons elected under the new system were A.A. Furr, Prevo Harwood, H. Wells Rogers, Henry L. Harris, John B. Morris, Jr. and Shearon Harris. A.P. Harris, prominent businessman and layman of the church, was honored by a special service as Sunday School superintendent and also deacon of the First Baptist Church over a period of more than 40 years. Under Rev. Bradley's leadership, the church made plans for the educational building but because of the inability to acquire land at a price acceptable they were not carried out. Rev. Bradley left in 1949 to go to a pastorate in Woodruff, S.C. He died in Orangeburg, S.C. Claude Melton was ordained during Rev. Bradley's pastorate. Rev. J. Boyce Brooks of Roxboro accepted the call to become pastor of our church April 1, 1950, and he led in a tremendous period of growth and expansion, resigning July 28, 1957 to accept the pastorate of College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro. The church purchased the Whitworth property and the Crotts property, constructed a modern educational plant, enlarged the sanctuary, purchased a pipe organ, employed a secretary to the pastor, Mrs. Frances Collins, a full time minister of music, Evans Gremillion, and an educational director, Marshall Hargrave. For the first time, the Sunday School was fully graded and organized. B.Y.P.U. was very active. The financial program of the church almost tripled as members cooperated in the task of the paying for the expansion program and the improved program of Christian advancement in which the church played an active part. All the while the church paid off its debt rapidly and expanded its support of the denomination's mission program of world outreach. However, these years were not without problems. There were those who felt that missions were more important than the air conditioning of the church. However, these problems were resolved with neither suffering. The first deaconess, Mrs. Agatha Wilhelm, was elected. During her active term, she had the privilege of the Laying On of Hands for her son, Dwight Wilhelm, who was ordained for the ministry. Harold Truett Smith was also ordained for the ministry during Rev. Brooks' tenure. There was a motion by Mr. A.P. Harris in July 1943 that the church pay fifteen dollars toward the expense of a Bible teacher for the public schools. This motion was carried. A scholarship fund was set up during his pastorate. The Brookses were very popular with the youth.
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