Source: http://www.abaptist.org/abaha/ar1st.html

Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church [1]
Southeast of Prattsville

This church, organized in 1842, is the oldest member church of the Pine Bluff Baptist Association. Tradition maintains that the new church, named Philadelphia or Brotherly Love, was organized in a log schoolhouse on the west side of Polk Creek about three-quarters of a mile from its present location.[2] The exact names and number of the charter members are not known, but when the church petitioned the Saline Baptist Association for membership in September of 1842, she had approximately 56 members.[3]

The area around the new church was a vast, unbroken wilderness of forests and streams. Yet its fertile, virgin land held promise of a future in cotton if one could but wrest it from the rich soil. It was the lure of this wealth that brought the Keezee-Hicks family from Alabama into this area as early as 1837. James A. Hicks and his wife, Elizabeth Keezee Hicks joined Spring Creek Church in December, 1837; George, Isaac N., Nancy and Milly Keezee joined in June of the next year.[4] They were soon joined by more settlers including James' father, Francis Hicks,[5] and John Hesson.

Hesson, a licensed Baptist preacher, originally from North Carolina,[6] joined Spring Creek Church and later asked for ordination to the ministry. However, because of the church's ``limited acquaintance'' with him, the motion was withdrawn, resulting in Hesson's requesting and receiving a letter of dismissal.[7]

However this setback was only temporary. Hesson found a field of labor preaching in his rapidly growing community, which was now being called Lost Creek.[8] His efforts were soon complemented by the labors of another licensed preacher, John Y. Lindsey, from Kentucky Church north of Benton, who preached in this neighborhood as early as 1842.[9] They were assisted by Aaron Bolt, pastor of Spring Church, who had been given by his church ``liberty to receive and baptize members in destitute neighborhoods.''[10]

Among the early arrivals during this time, who were to be active in the history of Philadelphia Church, were Frances Posey, who arrived from Louisiana in 1841, and William E. Beavers, whose family came from Mississippi in 1842.[11] However, the greatest influx into the area was by a number of Baptist families from Bibb and Tuscaloosa Counties, Ala., who were friends and relatives of earlier Grant Co. settlers. Among these families were the Cobbs, Jollys, Lowes, Mayfields, Pumphreys and McDaniels.[12] By the year 1842, the settlement had developed enough to begin shipping cotton to Pine Bluff.[13]

The man who seems to have been the main mover behind the organization of Philadelphia Church, and its first pastor, was Elder Joab B. Pratt, who had been the pastor of many of the families above named, in Alabama. He and his brother, John, came to this neighborhood in the fall of 1841. Joab had been born in North Carolina in 1798, but at an early age had settled in Bledsoe Co., Tenn. In 1820 he moved to Bibb County, Ala. and became a member of Enon Baptist Church near Mapleville, which had been organized in 1818.[14] He was ordained to the ministry by this church on May 12, 1827, Isaac Little and John E. Summers forming the Presbytery.[15] He pastored widely in Bibb and the neighboring county of Tuscaloosa with much success.[29] No doubt he was one of the moving forces behind the emigration of so many of the Alabama families to Arkansas. The venerable Arkansas Baptist pioneer, Isaac C. Perkins, wrote, late in 1841, ``we feel encouraged by hearing of our beloved brother Pratt and others, coming into different sections of the state.''[17]

The Minutes of the Saline Association for 1843 reflect the prosperous condition of Philadelphia Church. Joab Pratt was the pastor; G. G. Cobb was the clerk. They, together with Berryman McDaniel, represented the Church at the Association. They reported 18 additions by baptism and 16 by letter, while two had died and five had been dismissed by letter, making a total membership of 83.[18]

Sometime during this early period, the place of meeting was moved to the Church's present location, and a meetinghouse constructed. ``The old house was made of logs,'' wrote J. J. Beavers in 1897, ``in the rear of the pulpit three or four logs had been taken out, making a window extending almost the entire length of the building. Just by this window, outside of the Church house, a platform was made and covered, which was used by the Negroes. By this means the preacher could be heard by both the whites and negroes.''[19]

Elder Pratt established a post office for the community in his home on Feb. 20, 1846, and named it Lost Creek. It was a few miles to the east and south of the church. Later William E. Beavers and his son, Henry H. Beavers, served as postmasters. In 1859 the name was changed to Turin, a name the community retained until this century.[20] The Beavers family had become members of the church about 1845.[21] William E. served as County Judge of Saline Co. from 1852 until 1854. Of his six sons, five fought with great valor in the Confederate Army. Henry H. became a Baptist preacher, and B. B. served as Secretary of State for Arkansas from 1874 to l879.[22]

In October, 1847, Philadelphia Church dismissed her members living on the west side of Saline River for the purpose of forming a new church.[23] She sent Eld. Joab Pratt, John Hesson, Eli Saffull and Deacon John Pratt to help in the organization of Brushy Creek Baptist Church near Leola.[24]

In 1847 Elder Pratt was elected Moderator of the Saline Association, and began to devote much of his time to evangelical and missionary endeavors, traveling as far as Hempstead and Union Counties.[25] About 1849 he moved to Union County, where he continued pastoring until his death, which occurred on October 1, 1867.[26]

In September of 1861 Philadelphia Church became an organizational member of the new Pine Bluff Association. She hosted the Association in October of 1862, 1865, and 1868.[27] After the dark days of the Civil War, the church continued to grow. In 1867 she reported 29 additions and in April, 1874, she ordained Joshua Halbert to the ministry.[28]

Early Available Information

The early minutes of the Philadelphia Church are no longer in the possession of the church. In October of 1949, Bro. R. W. Glover prepared a short history of the church. At that time he had access to the records. By combining those records with information from associational records, the following information is available:

Before the group from Alabama arrived under Eld. Pratt's leadership, Eld. John Hesson held services in the area as early as 1840. Eld. Hesson was a member of Spring Creek Church in Benton as early as 1837. Eld. Hesson was holding services at a log schoolhouse on the west side of Polk Creek, 3/4 mile west of the present site of Philadelphia Church.

Soon after the Alabama group arrived in 1842, the Philadelphia Church was organized. Eld. Joab Pratt had led in the organization of six churches in Alabama. Apparently Eld. Hesson and those he had been preaching to joined with the Alabama group in forming the church. The first official statistics listed 56 members when the church petitioned the Saline Association in the fall of 1842. Eld. Joab Pratt was listed as pastor.

Information on the first building and church activities was furnished by J. J. Beavers,[29] who was clerk in 1883-1885:

``I was born within two miles of this church as located then and now. The old house was made of logs. In the rear of the pulpit three or four logs had been taken out, making a window extending almost the entire length of the building.''

``Just by this window, outside of the church house, a platform was made and covered, which was used by the Negroes. By this means the preacher could be heard by both whites and Negroes.''

``The old log house has given place to a neat, substantial frame building, painted within and without. It is located among as good people as live on the earth. There is everliving water close by [Polk Creek] and from my childhood up to the last few years I have seen the redeemed follow Christ in baptism within a few yards of the church.''

Delegates to the 1861 Pine Bluff Association: Eld. R. J. Coleman, W. A. Wilson and L. Collins. The church requested a letter of dismission from the Saline Association for the purpose of joining the Pine Bluff Association. There were 19 additions to the church during this associational year. Eld. R. J. Coleman Pastor and Henry Halbert, Clerk

Bro. LeRoy Polk did research based on the minutes of the Pine Bluff Association.

He wrote: ``Philadelphia Church was first in the Saline Association. Philadelphia Church was host to the Saline Association in 1849 and 1855.''

``Philadelphia Church was not in the organizational meeting of the Pine Bluff Association which met in Pine Bluff, June 7-8, 1861. They came into the Pine Bluff Association from the Saline Association, along with Big Creek, Liberty and Fairview Churches.''

``In the 1861 minute[s] Elder R. J. Coleman was listed as Pastor. He was also listed as pastor of Providence, Red Bluff and Shiloh. The address of the church was listed as Turin in Saline County, six miles northeast of Jenkin's Ferry.''

``Eld. R. J. Coleman was elected moderator of the Pine Bluff Baptist Association in 1861 and also 1862. In the 1862 minute he was still listed as messenger of Philadelphia Church, but pastor of Liberty and Red Bluff.''

The church membership was listed at 102, the largest in the Pine Bluff Association, with Big Creek (Sheridan) next with 74.

The interior of the building was done in 1964 and air-conditioning was installed in 1966. Four classrooms and rest rooms were added in 1969. The building was bricked in 1977, and carpeting was installed in 1978. A building for extra classrooms and a fellowship hall was erected in 1982. A baptistery, and new heating and air-conditioning system were installed in 1985. An addition was made to the Fellowship Building in 1987.
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[1] Compiled by Russell P. Baker, 1974 Minute, Pine Bluff Association.

[2] R. W. Glover. History of Philadelphia Baptist Church, handwritten manuscript.

[3] Minutes, Saline Baptist Association, 1843 and 1936.

[4] Minutes, Spring Creek Church

[5] Marriage Book, Tuscaloosa Co., AL

[6] 1850 U. S. Census: Saline Co., AR

[7] Minutes, Spring Creek Church

[8] R. W. Glover

[9] Goodspeed's Central Arkansas, p. 754; Marriage Book ``A''; Saline Co., AR. Lindsey's license was not dated, but it was filed on Dec. 15, 1841.

[10] Minutes: Spring Creek Church. His work took him as far away as Hot Springs.

[11] Goodspeed's Central Arkansas, p. 757 and 781.

[12] 1830 U. S. Census: Bibb and Tuscaloosa Counties, AL

[13] Goodspeed's Central Arkansas, p. 750

[14] I. M. Allen, Triennial Baptist Register, 1836, p. 208.

[15] Marriage Book ``A'': Saline Co. It was filed in Saline Co. on Dec. 6, 1841.

[16] W. E. Paxton, A History of the Baptists of Louisiana, p. 607.

[17] Baptist Banner and Western Pioneer, Jan. 27, 1842.

[18] Minutes, Saline Association, 1843.

[19] Arkansas Baptist, April 7, 1897.

[20] C. G. ``Crip'' Hall, Historical Report of the Secretary of State, p. 197 and 624.

[21] R. W. Glover

[22] Minutes: Brushy Creek Missionary Baptist Church, Leola, AR

[23] R. W. Glover

[24] Minutes: Brushy Creek Missionary Baptist Church, Leola, AR

[25] Southwestern Baptist Chronicle, Dec. 4, 1847; Aug. 12, 1848; and Dec. 2, 1848.

[26] Bond and Will Book: Union Co., AR, p. 556

[27] Minutes: Pine Bluff Association

[28] Joshua Halbert was born on April 21, 1837. He joined the Baptist Church in 1852; was ordained a deacon in 1870. He was licensed to preach in 1872 and died at his home near Prattsville on Oct. 12, 1914. Minutes: Pine Bluff Association, 1961 and Glover.

[29] J. J. Beavers, ``Philadelphia Baptist Church, 1842-,'' Arkansas Baptist, April 7, 1897