Farmington Baptist Church
Farmington, Kentucky
By Wendell Rone, Sr.
The Farmington Baptist Church was organized on November 4, 1883, in the village where it is located by Elder John S. Crawford and Deacon J. T. Hargrove on sixteen (16) members who had been lettered off from the Bethany Baptist Church for that purpose. T. A. Cross, a charter member, was elected as the Clerk of the new church. The official name of the church is "THE FARMINGTON UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHRIST" and "FARMINGTON MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH," with the latter name now being used.The following persons went into the organization as charter members:
From the above, one is able to note that Brethren J. W. Usher (34 years) and A. B. Morton (37 years) served a combined total of over seventy-one (71) years out of the church's history of ninety years (1973).G. W. Hargrove Susan Hargrove J. W. Hargrove Bettie Hughes W. A. Cobb W. A. Moore Calvin Hargrove N. J. Moore T. J. Harris S. M. Cobb M. E. Cobb T. A. Cross O. A. Cross R. O. Cross P. R. A. Cross John Reaves
HER PASTORS Asa Cox 1883-1887 W. M. Rudolph 1887-1889 N. J. Beal 1889-1892 T. B. Rouse 1892-1894 J. R. Stewart 1894-1900 J. E. Skinner 1900-1904 N. S. Castleberry 1904-1905 L. V. Henson 1906-1922 Terry Martin 1922-1923 Brooks Hargrove 1923-1925 N. S. Castleberry 1925-1928 J. W. Nelson 1928-1933 B. B. Murphey 1933-1935 T. S. Chadwick 1935 W. C. Skinner 1935-1936 J. H. Thurman 1936-1937 J. J. Gough 1937-1944 Kidell Thomas 1944-1947 W. W. Dickerson 1947-1952 J. J. Gough 1952-1957 Hal Jenkins 1957-1958 Harry C. Yates 1958-200 Ben Stratton 2008-
HER CLERKS
T. A. Cross 1883-1887 N. H. Ryan 1887-1892 J. W. Usher 1892-1926 A. B. Morton 1926-1963 B. W. Taylor 1963-
HER HOUSES OF WORSHIP
Shortly after her organization, probably in 1884, the church erected a wood frame building on the lot where the present edifice now stands. This building continued in use until the year 1910, when it was removed to make way for a new building and was reused as a store building for years.In 1910 Brethren J. W. Usher, W. A. Cobb, G. M. Garner, Herman Evans, D. M. Cook, R. T. Cobb, B. S. Hendley, H. E. Moore, R. S. Malone, S. P. Hargrove, and R. H. Pritchard served as the building committee in erecting the church's second house of worship. In 1942 some Sunday School rooms were added, with Brethren Cecil Cobb, Albert Moore, Ledo Hargrove, Refus Brittain, and Pastor J. J. Gough serving as the building committee.
Continued growth of the church made it necessary to add still more Sunday School rooms in 1952. Brethren B. W. Taylor, Frank Dunnaway, Joe Hargrove, J. B. Sanderson, W. W. Chumbler, and James Farmer supervised this work.
Tragedy struck the congregation in December, 1958, when the building was totally destroyed by fire. But the people responded in faith and determination to erect not only a completely new church building but also a new pastor's home adjacent to it. Pastor Harry Yates, Chairman, and Brethren J. B. Sanderson and James Dowdy served as the church Building Committee; while J. B. Sanderson, Chairman, W. D. Holt, and Harold Darnell served as the Building Committee for the Pastor's Home. This church may justly be proud of both buildings. They are located in the center of the community, one block north of the Murray-Mayfield Highway #121, where the houses of worship have stood for ninety years.
HER ASSOCIATIONAL MEMBERSHIP
From 1884 to 1893 the church held membership in the West Union Association. She united with that body of Baptists on October 15, 1884, when it met with the First Baptist Church at Fulton, Hickman County, Kentucky, being represented by Brother W. A. Moore, one of her charter members. The church never entertained an annual session of that body.On November 22, 1893, the church became a charter member of the Graves County Baptist Association, and has continued her membership to this day. She has entertained the 1898, 1913, 1932, and 1960 sessions of the body. At the 1893 meeting she was represented by Messengers W. K. Moore, T. J. Harris, and J. W. Usher.
S0NS IN THE MINISTRY
In 1920 the church licensed Brooks Hargrove to preach the gospel. He was ordained on September 25, 1921. Wilson Hargrove was licensed to preach in September, 1922. His ordination took place on May 16, 1926. N. S. Harris and Henson Harris were licensed to preach in May, 1922, and June, 1933, respectively.In December, 1965, William M. Taylor was licensed to preach. His ordination took place on May 15, 1966; while Don Farmer was licensed to preach in March, 1969, and his ordination took place on December 28, 1969. Ronnie Hardison was ordained to the ministry by the church on February 25, 1973.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
The church valued its first house of worship at $550.00, while present property is estimated to be worth about $110,000.00.The first Sunday School was organized in the early 1900's.
Up to 1973 the following persons have amassed significant records of service to the Lord and his church at Farmington:
J. W. Usher — 34. years as clerk. A. B. Morton — 37 years as clerk. B. W. Taylor — 10 years as clerk. A. B. Morton — 51 years as deacon. I. L. Cobb — 39 years as deacon. A. B. Morton — 40 years or more as teacher of Young people. Mrs. Laurine (Hargrove) Brittain — 50 years as pianist at the church. B. W. Taylor — 36 years as choir leader. ARTICLES OF FAITH
The church adopted the following Articles of Faith at her organization on November 4, 1883:
1. We believe in One God, Maker and Ruler of Heaven and Earth, revealed as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection.
Ephesians 4:6; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Acts 5:38.2. We believe in the Holy Scriptures as His inspired word, and the only rule of faith and practice.
II Timothy 3:16; Proverbs 30:5-6; Philippians 3:16; I Peter 4:11.3. We believe in the fall of man and his condemnation as a sinner; and in God's Sovereign Grace and Love in redemption and in the choice of His people.
Romans 5:12-18; Galatians 3:10; 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:4; I Thessalonians 1:64. We believe in the plan of Salvation by Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate; Who obeyed the law, suffered and died for the sins of men, and is risen and exalted a priest and king.
Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:8-9; I Peter 3:18; Hebrews 4:14-18.5. We believe in the offer of eternal life to all in the gospel; and the aggravated guilt of all who neglect it.
John 3:16; 10:10; Revelation 22:17; Matthew 11:24; Hebrews 10:29.6. We believe in the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and repentance toward God and faith in Christ.
John 3:3, 8-16; Mark 16:16; Luke 13:3; 18:13; Acts 20:21.7. We believe in the justification of the believer through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:19; Acts 13:38-39; Galatians 4:4; I Corinthians 1:30; I Thessalonians 3:2; II Corinthians 7:1.8. We believe in the divine institution of the gospel ministry, and the visible church of professed believers, with its initiatory and memorial rites of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Mark 3:14; Ephesians 4:11; I Timothy 4:4; Matthew 28:19-20; I Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; Acts 2:41-42; Romans 6:4; Luke 22:19-20.9. We believe that the immersion in water of a penitent believer in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, by a duly qualified administrator, alone constitutes valid gospel baptism. 10. We believe in the observance of the Lord's day for rest and worship and religious institutions.
Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10; Exodus 20:8; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 11:26.11. We believe in the preservation of the saints through sanctification of the Spirit and obedience to the faith.
John 10:27-28; I John 2:19; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:2, 5; Romans 8:11.12. We believe in the present life as man's only day of grace; and the soul's entrance at death into conscious blessedness or woe.
Luke 16:22, 26; 23:43; Revelation 22:11; Mark 12:26-27.13. We believe in the resurrection of all the dead at the glorious coming of the Son of Man and Son of God; and His just judgment of the wicked to everlasting punishment, and the righteous to life eternal.
John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; Matthew 25:31, 46; II Corinthians 5:10.============= [From Wendell H. Rone, Sr., A Short History of the Graves County (KY) Baptist Association, 1973, pp. 147-148 & 152. — Jim Duvall]
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