Church in early 20th century Rusk County

Memories of the Ben Gamble Family, by Banna Gamble Houston, 1976 (1888-1987)

She describes her father buying 100 acres of land “about nine miles southwest of Henderson – 1 mile off the New Salem Highway.” p. 6

We attended all the Churches, Methodist, Baptist and others. The preacher would preach so long that we would get so tired and hungry! A pitcher of water was placed on the pulpit so he could take a drink when his throat got dry. Good old songs were sung like “Washed In the Blood of the Lamb”, “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown” and the good old song that we sing today: “Amazing Grace”. There was one church near us named Primitive Baptist but was called “Hard Shell”. We would go to their church sometimes. They practiced “foot washing” twice a year. The preacher tied a towel around his waist and washed and dried the men’s feet. The women had a curtain in front of them so they could not be seen washing their feet.

In my younger days, protracted meetings were held – always in late summer when the crops were laid by. The church house was too warm in late spring and summer – there were no fans except palm fans – and only dim lights, so the men would build brush arbors under the shade of the beautiful pines. The Church benches would be moved out to the arbor and oh, the good times we had!

The preacher preached long and loud and we’d sing “How Firm a Foundation” and other old familiar song. Sometimes a good old saint would get so happy, she would shout “Hallelujah, Glory to God” and then hop and jump over the children sleeping in the aisles and on the pallets, to shake hands with everybody. Usually the invitation song was “Oh, Why Not Tonight”. The converts would all go down to the creek and they were baptized in a hole of water in the creek. They would sing “On Jordon’s (sic) Stormy Banks I Stand”. After services, we would all go home and there would most always be company to go home with us and of course, they always ate first! That was awful because we children were so hungry and had to wait while the visitors ate and laughed and talked – not thinking how hungry we children were! pages 9-10

All the members of our family were members of the Missionary Baptist Church but we attended the Methodist and other churches too. page 21