In the spring of 1838, a lot was purchased and the cornerstone was laid for a church building. When completed two years later, it was the largest and handsomest church edifice in Mississippi. It had a seating capacity of 600.
The Women’s Missionary Society was organized the same year that our church was chartered. The Society visited the sick, aided the needy, and began the work of the Sunday School. In 1839 our Women’s Missionary Society was instrumental in forming the Southern Baptist Home Mission Society. After much discussion it was decided to form the Society and locate it in Columbus. Places of greatest need were discussed which included Memphis, Vicksburg, Mobile, New Orleans, and Texas.
It was voted to send the first missionary to Texas, if sufficient money could be raised. The Columbus Ladies Society agreed to assume half of the support for the missionary to Texas. This took place six years before the Southern Baptist Convention was organized!
During the War Between the States, the church building was used for another purpose other than a place of worship. After the battle of Shiloh, when thousands of wounded soldiers were brought to Columbus, our church was converted into a hospital. Hundreds of soldiers were cared for here and the elegant carpets that covered the church were taken up and cut into squares to use as blankets. It was said that "many a brave soul winged its flight into the eternal realm above the walls of the dear old historic church" during these days.
First Baptist Columbus is the only church in the state of Mississippi to host a meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. It met here in 1881. In fact, the church is thirteen years older than the Convention itself. Four of the twenty-nine pastors have served as head of the Home Mission Board, now known as the North American Mission Board. |
