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Hymn History: Just Over in the Glory Land Author: James Warren Acuff “He was a well-known singer and song writer among the Churches of Christ in Texas. He wrote several popular Gospel songs, often led the singing for protracted meetings, and helped compile hymnals for the Firm Foundation Company of Austin, Texas.” (NetHymnal) The Origin of the Hymn Read more...
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Hymn History: Jesus Loves the Little Children Author: Clarence Herbert Woolston “A pastor, gospel songwriter, and sleight-of-hand magician, Clarence Herbert Woolston (1856-1927) claimed that he had ‘addressed many more than 1,000,000 children’.” (C. Michael Hawn) The Origin of the Hymn “Jesus Loves the Little Children” Among the simplest and most cherished hymns of childhood, “Jesus Loves the Little Read more...
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Hymn History: I’d Rather Have Jesus Author: George Beverly Shea “He was a gentle spiritual giant, whose sweet spirit and tender timber of a voice prepared audiences for Graham’s message around the world for more than six decades.” (A. Larry Ross) The Origin of the Hymn “I’d Rather Have Jesus” Few hymns express Christian devotion as simply and Read more...
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Hymn History: Room at the Cross for You Author: Ira Forest Stanphill ‘The basic reason I have written songs is that I love God and Christ has loved me. Most of my songs are the outgrowth of real experiences with Christ. I think they appeal to people because I have had trials, heartaches, and sorrow in my own life, Read more...
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Hymn History: Sheltered in the Arms of God Author: Dottie Rambo “Hardly any modern hymnal fails to include one or more of her songs … Having written over 2,500 published songs, Dottie ranks with the beloved Fanny Crosby among the women who have had the greatest impact in the field of gospel music.” (Kentucky Music Hall of Fame) Read more...
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Hymn History: How Long Has It Been? Author: Thomas Mosie Lister “Mosie Lister was a study in contrasts. He wrote more happy songs than almost any other writer. He gave our feet songs to dance to when we were ‘feelin’ mighty fine.’ He seemed to feel the happy rhythms of life itself, and how he loved rhythms—intricate, syncopated, grin-making Read more...
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Hymn History: I Belong to the King Author: Ida Lillard Reed “Reed is said to have written 2,000 hymns in her lifetime. … In 1939, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers recognized her ‘substantial contribution to American music’ by awarding her a small weekly “bonus.” (Hymnary) The Origin of the Hymn “I Belong to the King” Read more...
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Hymn History: Precious Lord, Take My Hand Author: Thomas Andrew Dorsey “As the Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit … I learned that when we are in our deepest grief when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest and when we are most open to His restoring power.” (Thomas Read more...
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Hymn History: Through It All Author: Andraé Crouch The Origin of the Hymn Andraé Crouch’s Hymn “Through It All” Andraé Crouch’s enduring hymn, “Through It All,” stands as a cornerstone of modern gospel music, a profound and personal declaration of faith that has resonated across denominations, cultures, and generations. Written and copyrighted in 1971, this song is less a Read more...
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Hopewell Baptist Church is one of the oldest Baptist congregations in New Jersey, with roots reaching back into the early eighteenth century. Its history reflects the growth of Baptist life in the Middle Colonies and its connection to the broader movement for religious liberty in early America. The church was founded in 1715 in the rural community of Hopewell, during Read more...
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The story of John Gano and First Baptist Church in the City of New York offers a vivid glimpse into the growth of Baptist life in colonial and early American history. Together, they represent both the spread of evangelical religion in the northern colonies and the role of faith during the founding era of the United States. John Gano was Read more...
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The Welsh Tract Baptist Church, on Welsh Tract Road, originated in 1701, when sixteen people formed the original congregation in Wales. In 1703, they settled on a thousand acre tract of land, granted by William Penn and since known as the Welsh Tract. As the first Baptist church in Delaware and situated a couple of miles south of Newark, they Read more...
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Pennepack Baptist Church, founded by Elias Keach, in 1688, is the oldest surviving Baptist church in the Middle Colonies. In 1805, at the peak of the Second Great Awakening, during the ministry of Samuel Jones, the congregation erected its present (third) building, constructed from fieldstone collected from the surrounding meadows. Straight-backed box pews occupy the main floor. An elegant, high Read more...
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Berryville Baptist Church—formerly known as Buckmarsh Baptist Church—represents one of the enduring threads of Baptist history in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Its story reflects both continuity and change, tracing a path from early frontier religion to an established community presence in the town of Berryville. The church’s origins date back to around 1773, when Buckmarsh Baptist Church was organized Read more...
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On Washington Avenue, stands the Thomas Jefferson Religious Freedom Monument, made from stones sent from churches across the country. It commemorates Jefferson’s Virginia Religious Freedom Statute, promising that “no man shall… suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief.” The Statute became the basis for the religion clause of the First Amendment. copyrighted and used by permission from David Beale, Baptist History Read more...
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James Madison (1751–1836) occupies a central place in American history as the “Father of the Constitution” and a principal architect of the Bill of Rights. His careful political thought, commitment to republican government, and skill in compromise helped shape the structure and liberties of the United States. Working alongside figures such as Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, Madison played a Read more...
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The connection between Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom represents one of the most important milestones in the development of religious liberty in the United States. Adopted in 1786 by the Virginia General Assembly, the statute disestablished the Church of England in Virginia and established the principle that no person could be compelled to support or attend Read more...
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The First Baptist Church of Charleston is widely recognized as the oldest Baptist church in the American South, with a history that reaches back to the late seventeenth century. Its story is closely tied to the struggle for religious liberty, the spread of Baptist convictions, and the shaping of early church life in the southern colonies. The church traces its Read more...
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The Screven Family Cemetery in Georgetown is one of the oldest and most historically significant burial grounds in the American South. Though modest in size and appearance, it preserves the memory of a family deeply connected to the early religious and civic development of the region, particularly in the rise of Baptist life in the southern colonies. The cemetery dates Read more...
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In the 700 block of Church Street, the remains of Edmund Botsford (1745-1819), early pastor of Antipedo Baptist (later First Baptist) Church, lie buried in the Old Baptist Cemtery. A marker was placed at Botsford’s grave in 2004. Copyrighted and used by permission from David Beale, Baptist History in England and America: Personalities, Positions, and Practices The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Read more...