FERGUSON MEMORIAL
BAPTIST TABERNACLE
AUDITORIUM
Growing up in the fifties we all have memories of the tabernacle which faced
Murrell Street. Sunday night services and revivial meetings which were held in
this building. There was a recreation facility located behind the stage. We
could bowl, play ping pong, basketball or just watch the hit parade in the
lounge. Not only that, did you know the class of 1955 held baccalaureate
services there?
The Tabernacle was constructed in 1927 of steel arch type construction. The land
was owned by Doc. Kelly. On May 27, 1938 Mrs. Nancy Mullins Ferguson gave a
generous gift to the First Baptist Church to pay for the cost of the tabernacle.
In appreciation, the church dedicated the tabernacle as the: Ferguson Memorial
Baptist Tabernacle Auditorium.
In 1929 the First Baptist Church asked the Webster Parish Association to assist
in "planning the use of the Tabernacle". The association was also asked to help
in planning annual parish-wide revival.
Portions of the above information was taken from the History of the First
Baptist Church by Major dePingre
Taken from the History of the First Baptist Church by Major DePingre
My appreciation also goes to the First Baptist Church Staff and Graydon Kitchens for directing me to the right place to buy Major DePingre's second book on the First Baptist Church -- and sending me the history and pictures from his previous book which had already sold out by 1995. I will be forever thankful for the book and the memories.
Seeing that picture of Lyndon Johnson in the
Ferguson Memorial Baptist Tabernacle Auditorium stories listing reminded me:
I (Elizabeth Roberts Martin, Class of 1962) was a reporter at the Alexandria
Daily Town Talk when it was announced that the Johnsons would attend the service
at First Baptist Church in honor of George Washington Baines, the first pastor
at the church and the great-grandfather of LBJ. It was the 150th anniversary of
the founding of the church.
I suggested that I go to Minden to cover the event and I could stay with Mama
and Daddy and see Lyda and her family. I could go home for the weekend and be
paid for it, in other words. The editor agreed I’d go as photographer and Helen
Derr, The Town Talk’s religion writer, would write the story.
As the time for the Johnsons’ appearance neared, Helen went into the sanctuary
and saved me a seat. I had been warned that no cameras would be allowed in the
church so I hung around outside, took pictures, unloaded the camera and headed
inside. Conrad Atkins and Eugene Allen were ushers that day and guarded the
door.
One of them told me how to enter the sanctuary without going through the
church’s front door.
Helen Derr loves to tell this part of the story: The congregation was getting
restless because the service had not started on time. As the knob slowly turned
and the door opened, all eyes were trained on it. Expecting to see the Johnsons,
they saw me, sunglasses atop my head, instead. With head held high, probably to
keep my glasses from falling, I sauntered to my pew.
Within minutes the Johnsons appeared and the service proceeded as planned.
Just as the service was ending, I walked out the same door I’d entered, loaded
my camera, and waited for the Johnsons to leave the church.
The picture which sparked this memory, I’m almost positive, is a flipped image.
The picture I took, from the same angle, shows Conrad Atkins holding the door on
the right side and Eugene Allen (not pictured) the left.
--
Elizabeth R. Martin
Virtual Editor & Proofreader
Norman, OK
