RED OAK MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY

     The following is a history of the Red Oak Missionary Baptist Church as gathered from available records and verbal information.  At the time of each event, it did not seem important and many events were not recorded, although now they would be of much value to us.  This history is not completely accurate, but is compiled to the best of our ability. 
     Red Oak's life has been dotted with the salvation of souls, laboring of saved people, rejoicing of hearts, weeping of eyes, and passing of lives.  Its life is like a person's- it has grown from an infant into full church-hood.  Its building has grown, membership has increased, salaries have increased, and brothers and sisters have grown in grace.  Red Oak community has been built up around the church and the church is the heart of this community- all roads lead to it.
     She stands as a living monument in Red Oak Community, Hot Springs, Arkansas.  She is a symbol of willful hard labor for the Christian and a light set on a hill to the sinner.  It cannot be hid.  Red Oak Church is just a small simple country church, but each member loves her simply because she is a part of each member's life; and together they are working for the Lord.
     The exact date of her origin is not known.  The minutes of the early meeting are not available and the first mentions herewith were not necessarily first happenings.  From available information, its organization was in 1911 at the old Red Oak School in the vicinity of what is now known as Rachel Carson Terrace.  By faith, a small group of people laid the foundation of Red Oak.  The known charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Ila Trammell, Mr. and Mrs. Garland Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Farr and Mr. L. Brannum.  Mary Jones (Bro. Earnest Jones mother) was one of the first in attendance, but was not united until September l9l5.
     W. T. Hardage (Uncle Billy to most members), now deceased, with the assistance of Sam Allen, organized the church.  "Uncle Billy" was called as the first pastor and he traveled many miles on a mule each Sunday to conduct services.  Mrs. Ila Trammell was elected as first church clerk.  Two of the charter members were ordained as deacons, Garland Walker and L. Brannum.
     In 1912 the church was moved to a little building that stood in the vicinity of what was known as Woodrow Otwell's home.  In 1914 it was moved to its present site into a little square building.  Electric lights were installed sometime during the year 1937.  The building of the new church house, the present building, was mentioned on October 4, 194l.  A motion passed at that time to begin building in July, 1942.   By June of 1942 there was $264.20 in the Treasury.  Work began tearing the little old square building down in November of 1942 and services where held in the Red Oak School while the building was being erected.  The new building was dedicated the first Sunday in June, 1943.  J. D. Bray preached the dedication sermon.  Actual cash cost of the building was $668.19.  In October, 1948, the discussion of adding Sunday School rooms began.  Because of lack of funds, the matter was dropped.  It wasn't too long until it was mentioned again and work began in May of 1949.  These rooms were of the north side of the building.  A building fund was created and an offering was taken each Sunday.  In April of 1953 discussion began on adding Sunday School rooms to the south side of the building.  Work began in September of 1953.  1954 rooms were completed and used.  Also, the Ladies' Auxiliary had been very generous and provided material to complete the finish, that is now in the main Auditorium.  Folding doors leading to the Sunday School rooms were installed.
       The first messengers were sent to the Association in September of 1913.  Gulf Davis, Garland Walker, Jack Farr and A. C. Files were sent to Donaldson, Arkansas.  In November of 1919, Red Oak was represented by letter at the State Association and in December of the same year she was represented in person at the General Association and W. C. Bailey was the messenger.  It is assumed that she joined the association in 1913.
       In 1918, the church called W. C. Bailey, now deceased, to be their pastor.  The first revival meeting mentioned in the minutes was on July 4, 1920, although it is believed that many meetings had been held prior to that, but not recorded.  W. C. Bailey was still pastor and W. T. Hardage and L. Brannum were selected to help in the meeting.
       Along the edge of the minute record there was a notation of interest as follows:  "We had a good rain on July 4, 1920".  The rain must have been answer to many prayers to cause the clerk to record it.  On September 4, 1920, F. F. Runser was elected as Church Clerk.
       The first Sunday in May, 1925, May 3, to be exact at 3:00 PM, two deacons were ordained F. F. Runser and A. B. Moore.  F. F. Runser joined Red Oak Church on September 30, 1916 and was baptized on October 1, 1916.  A. B. Moore joined Red Oak on September 6, 1919 by letter; P. C. McCorkel and J. B. Nobles were chosen to assist W. C. Bailey in the ordination services.  The counsel was composed of P. C. McCorkel, W. N. Henson, W. C. Bailey, L. Brannum and L. Epperly.  The ordination sermon was delivered by P. C. McCorkel.
       Red Oak Church elected C. J. Hall as first Superintendent of the Sunday School on June 6, 1925.  On August 21, 1926 the church gave him authority to appoint Sunday School teachers; and the following were appointed:  F. F. Runser, A. B. Moore, Sister Epperly, Sister Hall and Clara Beason.  The first secretary of the Sunday School was elected on the same day and she was Elsie Moore.  Lucy Brannum was the first pianist elected.
       On October 2, 1927 the church called O. F. Boreland as their pastor.
       On November 16, 1930 J. B. Nobles was elected as pastor of Red Oak Church.
       The first record of a collection being taken during services was on September 3, 1932.  On November 19, 1932, the church recommended W. C. Bailey as a missionary.  The first Fifth Sunday meeting was mentioned on November 19, 1932.
       On September 30, 1934, the church met to ordain Claude Walker to the full work of the ministry.  The presbytery consisted of Oma Hardin, K. Shinn, J. B. Nobles, F. F. Runser, Jim Parker and L. Spurlin.  Elder K. Shinn preached the sermon.
       Raymond Bailey was ordained as a minister on July 14, 1935.  The presbytery was composed of A. T. Nash, K. Shinn, W. T. Shuffield, O. T. Hardin, Ed Adkins, C. J. Hall, F. F. Runser, A. B. Moore and Claude Walker.
       In the fall of 1935, Oma Hardin was elected to serve as pastor of Red Oak.
       J. S. McHenry was liberated to preach the gospel on July 1, 1938.  On October 6, 1940, a presbytery was called to order for the purpose of ordaining him.  It consisted of O. N. Wehunt, C. D. Arnold, O. T. Hardin, K. K. Shinn, W. B. Howard, Creed Hignight, J. S. Douthit, Sam Allen, J. H. Caldwell, W. N. Thompson, Oscar Kinsey, Sanford Thomas, Jester Jones, O. Spurlin, J. A. Grant, J. F. Witherspoon, F. F. Runser and A. B. Moore.
       On September 17, 1939, O. N. Wehunt was called to pastor Red Oak.
       The first Ladies' Auxiliary was organized on October 4, 194l.  Sister Rynders was the first president.
       Red Oak asked Oma Hardin and Creed Hignight to be part-time pastors in 1942.
       In 1943, Red Oak called Joe McHenry and Creed Hignight as pastors.
       The first District Meeting that was mentioned in the minutes held at Red Oak was on August 9, 1944.  Membership in September of that year was 93.
       As pastors for the years 1946 and 1947, Red Oak chose Oma Hardin and Robert Tucker.
       For the association years 1947 and 1948, Daniel Spurlin was the pastor.
       In 1948 Henry Jackson came from Little Rock to pastor Red Oak.  In May of 1949 the church began to publish a weekly bullentin.  Up until this time, each winter our heating system was a wood stove.  With that system, the room did not even heat and a kerosene circulator was tried.  This did not provide good even heat or even good heat, so the church voted to install a butane system and individual stoves in each room.  This was completed in 1949.
       On April 6, 1950, the Church voted to go on record against the proposed changes in the Articles of Agreement of the American Baptist Association.
       In 195l Clarence Hardin was called as pastor of Red Oak.
       In January of 1953, a radio program was begun over station KBLO in Hot Springs, but was discontinued in May of the same year.  Since the building had grown in size, the attic fan was not sufficient to cool the building and a new fan was installed.
       The first mention of pastor's salary was on September 4, 1920, when the church voted to pay their pastor $100 for his year's labor.  In 1943 a total of $93.52 was paid for the year.  By February of 1944 Red Oak  was paying their pastor $5 each Sunday.  By July 1949 we were paying $20 a week and in December 1951, Red Oak paid $25 a week.
       The first janitor or caretaker was paid a total of 67 cents weekly.  By February of 1944, Red Oak paid their janitor one dollar each Sunday and this has gradually grown also.
       As the years passed by, the people endeavored to carry on the Lord's work.  There were times when they were down in the valley and times when they were on the mountaintop.  At times, only two or three people gather on Sunday morning, built a fire in the little old wood stove and hovered around it to keep warm.  The few would study their Sunday School lesson, dismiss and go home.  They were faithful, though, and through their efforts, Red Oak has carried on.

THE PASTORS AND THEIR TENURE AT RED OAK CHURCH
October 1953 ~ September 1956-Bro. Carmie Miller
September 1956 ~ October l963-Bro. Henry L. Jackson
January 1964 ~ August 1966-Bro. Ben Powers
November 1966 ~ September 1967-Bro. Larry Earhart
December 1967 ~ May 1970-Bro. Herbert Watts
May 1970 ~ July 1972-Bro. Justin Burge
September 1972 ~ January 1976-Bro. Herbert Watts
April 1976 ~ July 1977-Bro. J. W. Richey
August 1977 ~ August 1979-Bro. Gary Moore
November 1979 ~ August 1984-Bro. Clyde Edds
October 1984 ~ June 1987-Bro. C.D. "Pete" Horne

       The former Deacons of Red Oak are Frank Sears (D), Garland Walker, F. F. Runser (D), A. B. Moore (D), W. D. Gibson (D) L. Brannum, Raymond Bailey, Dale Parnell, Roy Warford, Morris Bailey, Freeman Sears, George Whitley (D) and Frank Nelson (D), Bro. Earnest Jones ~ ordained February 1952, Bro. Leo Sears ~ ordained January 1957, Bro. Tom Fox ~ letter May 1978, Bro. Eugene Parker ~ ordained January 1957 and Bro. John Hayden ~ letter November l980.

       Red Oak's first baptistery was completed and used for the first time April 27, 1975.  After Sunday night services Sue and Jerry Uptigrove were baptized by Bro. Watts.
       First mention of building a parsonage was July 6, 1950.  The fund began July 9, 1950 and by February 1952, $295.68 had been raised.  By 1959 through suppers, rummage sales, bake sales and donations there was $2,534.34 for parsonage.  Open house was held October 18, 1959.
       Red Oak Church voted March 2, 1986 to change business meeting from the first Wednesday after the first Sunday of each month to the second Wednesday to give Treasurer more time.
       First mention of a Fellowship Hall was March 6, l968.  Motion carried to begin April l, a bake sale was held at Harvey Parker's dairy barn March 6, 1968 by the Ladies Auxiliary to raise money for the building.  Then on April 26, 1969, the church purchased the Red Oak Schoolhouse, some of the material was sold and money applied to the Building Fund, and some was used in the Fellowship Hall.  The Ladies Auxiliary and other members of the church cleaned bricks from the schoolhouse and sold to apply on the fellowship hall.  So with much hard work from faithful members the first fellowship supper was held Saturday, April 18, 1970.
       The two big trees in front of the parsonage were blown down during a storm in April, 1986.  We were thankful no one was hurt and not much damage to the Church and the Parsonage was done.
       The new auditorium was started November 23, 1998.  The first baptismal service in the new building took place on June 20, 1999.  The first church services in the new building were held on November 21, which was Thanksgiving week.  A bell tower was added to the building in December, 2004.  In April, 2005 the church opened its library.  The church now sponsors six missionaries.
       Such is the story of a few faithful, humble Baptist who loved the Lord, their homes and their community enough to have Red Oak Landmark Missionary Baptist Church prominent in their lives.