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(3.)
Sesquicentennial Celebration
Liberty ~ Graham Baptist Church, Butlerville,
Jennings County, Indiana
The trustees were instructed to superintend the
building
of the meeting house in July, 1848. The men helped and had a
major part in the construction. The present church building was
constructed of hand-made brick. Descendants of the Cox family remember
their grandfather, Francis M. Cox, had scars on his hands caused by
working with the brick. He was only a boy of nine, but labored so hard
that he wore huge blisters that resulted in the scars. Thus, the brick
meeting house was built in 1848, truly a labor of love. Years later, on
July 23, 1898, Brothers Ed Hendricks, Wm. E. Fall, and B. J. Johnson were
appointed a building committee after a vote of the members,
"to repair the house. They were to have entire
control concerning the repair of the house."l
They did a major remodeling job at a cost of some $400.00. At this time
the building was built higher, the roof was changed and a belfry added.
The committee made their final report on December 24, 1898. They also
reported buying two new stoves and putting them in the church, and that
the cost of the stoves was $10.00. The Church, after the remodeling in
1898, appeared much the same as it does today. A bell was hung in the
belfry, and it was rung for each service, and on special occasions, and
could be heard for miles. This writer can remember as a child, living 31/2
miles away, and hearing the clear, sweet sound of the bell on Sunday
morning. Nowadays, it is sometimes forgotten to be rung, and in this age
of noise and confusion, the sound may not seem to carry as far. But
perhaps it is just that we do not listen closely enough. The last great
occasion of a special ringing of the bell was on July 4, 1976. President
Ford called for the ringing of Church bells simultaneously throughout the
land in commeration of our Nation's 200 years of freedom. Graham's bell
proudly joined in at the climax of a beautiful day of worship and
fellowship. It was rung again New Years Eve, December 31, 1978, marking
the beginning of her 150th year. It continues to be rung to call the
faithful to service.
In 1840 the Church called Brother Taylor Stott to be the Pastor.
Brother Stott was the first Pastor to be called by Graham Baptist Church
from outside the community. He served until 1845 In his last year of
service, he preached in conjunction with Asheal Neal. The Church Minutes
record,
"Bro. Stott in 1845, having served the Church
five years for which labor he received as a consideration for his
services, a suit of blue jean clothes, made and presented to him by
the sisters who composed the church at it's organization."l
Brother J. M. Cox then served as Pastor until 1867. On the third
Saturday in April 1867, he resigned his position as Pastor, having served
the church twenty-two years, "Not receiving any compensation for his
labors. Brother Cox was a direct ancestor of present members Amney Estell
and, Elizabeth Buck. It would not be possible to say something about each
Pastor that has served Graham over the century and half of her existence.
It is sufficient to
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