Emhouse Baptist Church
Emhouse, Navarro County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized in the rural Kelm community (1.5 mi. W) in 1893, this congregation was chartered as the Tinkle Baptist Church under the direction of the Rev. B. N. Price, a pioneer Baptist missionary of the area. Worship services were first conducted in the community schoolhouse, which was located on land donated by early settler Nathan Tinkle. Later the church built a sanctuary adjacent to the school site. In October 1908 the members voted to move the church to Emhouse, which had been established two years earlier along the Trinity & Brazos River Valley Rail Line. The Kelm church building was relocated at this site and served the congregation for 30 more years. A community tabernacle, built in 1914 and in use until the 1940s, was the scene of early revivals which contributed greatly to the church's growth. The Emhouse Baptist Church has played a significant role in the development of the surrounding area. Since the earliest days of Emhouse, it has been a leader in community service and involvement. In addition, the church has been led by a number of prominent Baptist preachers, including the Rev. Dan Sharpley, who grew up here and later served as a missionary in Brazil.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This congregation began in 1893 in the rural Kelm community as the Tinkle Baptist Church, gathered by pioneer missionary Rev. B. N. Price and worshiping first in a schoolhouse on land given by settler Nathan Tinkle. In 1908 the members voted to move to nearby Emhouse, a town just two years old and built along the Trinity & Brazos Valley rail line, relocating their frame building to serve for three more decades. A community tabernacle raised in 1914 hosted the revivals that fueled the church's growth into a center of local life.
Why it matters
The church's move from an isolated crossroads to a new railroad town traces how North Texas rural communities reorganized themselves around the coming of the railroads.
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Related people
- · B. N. Price
- · Nathan Tinkle
- · Dan Sharpley
Themes & tags
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