Jones County Texas Archives - History of St. John's Methodist Church - Stamford, Texas - 1940 *********************************************************** Submitted by: Dorman Holub Date: 19 January 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/jones/jonestoc.htm *********************************************************** Methodist HistoryInteresting highlight in the history of StamfordÕs St. JohnÕs Methodist church wererecently recounted to WomanÕs Missionary Society members by Mrs. J.H. Rutherfordwhose parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Moore, were charter members of St. JohnÕsMethodist. Mrs. Rutherford is at Mount Sequoin now with other officials of NorthwestTexas WomanÕs Missionary Conference.Noteworthy to newcomers to Stamford is the fact that Stamford High School is locatedon the old campus of historic old ŌStamford college.Ķ Lands donated to the City ofStamford and St. JohnÕs Church by the Northwest Texas Conference were in turn givento the public schools for erection of its secondary building, after the MethodistCollege was dissolved here.The first frame church building that housed St. JohnÕs church members is stillstanding, having been purchased by colored people of Stamford for use as a church intheir section of town, and is located one block north of west Oliver street.The editor of StamfordÕs first paper, S. Gay, a former preacher, organized the townÕsfirst Methodist Church in 1920. Meetings were held in Sledge Hall, owned by the laterDr. J.R. Sledge, as all public gatherings, convened there on the south side of thesquare. The Rev. I.E. Hightower was first minister, coming after conference.Charter members of St. JohnÕs were: Charley Brewington, Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Moore, Mrs.Bean, Mrs. Spinnell, Mrs. A.S. Riddle, Mr. and Mrs. L.C. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. J.W.Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. H.S. Abbott.St. JohnÕs church was built on the 200 block of North Swenson Street, with theparsonage next door, about the location of Lawhon Motor Company today. A tabernaclewas built east of the church and used until 1912. Stamford Methodist College openedhere in 1907 and the influx of new Methodist young people and families startedmovement for large church quarters. The present day site of St. JohnÕs Church waschosen for convention location to the college campus and population center of town.Cornerstone of the church was laid in 1910 and the congregation moved in 1912. TheRev. C.B. Meador was pastor at that time.Epochal events connected with the present day church structure include: installationof $5,000 heating plant in 1920, during ministry of Rev. A.W. Waddill, completion andimprovement of church building under pastorate of the Rev. J.H. Hamblen, dedicationof the church in 1922 by Bishop Dickey; installation of $8,000 pipe organ in 1923;converting back of church into Sunday School quarters in 1938 under ministry of theRev. E.A. Reed. St. JohnÕs church is built on an improved plan of Trinity Church,Dallas, at an approximate cost of $100,000 and is the most imposing building viewedon approach of the town. to view spiritual epochs in the life of St. JohnÕs wouldrequire listing of accomplishments of many faithful pastors besides those alreadynames and others who have served the congregation through the years. Some who may bementioned are: Charley Brewington, first Sunday School superintendent; Mrs. A.Duggan, first womanÕs missionary president; the Rev. J.H. Hamblen, who served WardMemorial Church in west side Stamford, the Methodist church building later sold tothe negroes; the Rev. R.A. Clemmens under whose ministry a senior Epworth League wasorganized with the late Ray Rector as president; The Rev. HamblenÕs second ministryhere, during which church was completed homecoming attended by 2,000 people was held,dedication service given and great revivals conducted.Twenty-two pastors have served St. JohnÕs in its 40 years of service with each makingdefinite contributions to spiritual life of the town and section. More recent pastorshave been: Rev. D.B. Doak; Rev. R.A. Stewart; Rev. C.L. Cartwright, Rev. W.G.Fletcher, Rev. C.R. Hooten, Rev. W.G. Bailey, Rev. E.A. Reed, Rev. T.S. Barcus, andtoday, Rev. W. Carl Clement.WomenÕs work in the church has been outstanding throughout the years also. When theRev. W.B. McKeown succeeded, Rev. Hamblen as pastor of Ward Memorial church in thewestside, Mrs. McKeown secured a small residence and established a mission. St.JohnÕs Missionary Society members conducted sewing classes there. Used clothingdonated by them were remodeled and sold for a minimum price. Mrs. McKeown was termedthe ŌUndonated Deaconess of the Northwest Texas ConferenceĶ for her work inStamfordÕs Wesley House.The Northwest Texas WomenÕs Missionary conference has been entertained there threetimes in 1907, 1922, and in 1937. Stamford church women have served in numerousoffices important to work of the conference. The Northwest Texas Conference met herein 1916.Missionaries doing wonderful work in foreign fields have left for portals of St.JohnÕs Mittie Shelton, for whom one missionary circle is named here, went to Scarittfor her training for foreign work from Stamford in1910, a pupil of the Philatheaclass taught by Mrs. C.M. Woodward. Her work has been in China. At present, illhealth has necessitate her return home.Mildred Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Smith, and Caperton Pace, were marriedin St. JohnÕs in October, 1920, and left immediately afterward for India where theyhave been for 20 years, Vera Smith Lowrie and her husband, S.H. Lowrie, spent fiveyears in China, teaching at Soochow University.How the spirit of St. JohnÕs Church remains strong with those once associated with itis exemplified by the fact that members who once attended it is students of the oldMethodist College here return annually for the old college reunion through the actualeducational institution burned more than a score of years ago and was dissolved bythe Northwest Texas conference.The Stamford LeaderFriday, July 19, 1940