Florence Church of Christ
Florence, Williamson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In the 19th century, the religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening influenced the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. This reform effort led to the creation of a fellowship of independent congregations, including one at Florence. Established in approximately 1853, the Florence Church of Christ met in members' homes before the construction of a church building. On March 25, 1873, Amanda and Robert Bryson Caskey deeded one acre of land to the Florence Church of Christ where they built a frame church. The building has been renovated several times since its founding, including the addition of a rock church house and baptistery, and moving the tower bell to another location on the grounds. While there was not a local preacher in the early days of the church, lay members would often preach during church services. While most of the congregation was White, 1891 church rolls show six African American members despite the high frequency of segregated churches in the U.S. at the time. Because of divisions over music and church organization, an informal split occurred between church conservatives and progressives in the late 19th century. Because the Florence Church of Christ was more conservative, a 1925 deed limited usage of church facilities to activities that conformed to strict practices of the Bible's New Testament, including a capella singing during worship services. Through its long religious and social history, the Florence Church of Christ has existed as a pillar in the Florence community. Members continue to worship God and serve their neighbors and the wider world. (2018)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Florence Church of Christ grew out of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement, the frontier reform current spun off from the Second Great Awakening's fervor for a simpler, unified Christianity. Founded around 1853 and given land by the Caskey family in 1873, it met first in homes and later in a frame building expanded over the decades. Its 1891 rolls list six African American members—striking in a segregated era—and by the 1920s the congregation had aligned firmly with conservative practice, including a cappella worship.
Why it matters
The church is a window into how nineteenth-century revivalism reshaped American faith on the frontier, and into the quiet complexities of race within a rural Southern congregation.
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Related people
- · Amanda Caskey
- · Robert Bryson Caskey
Related events
- · Second Great Awakening
- · Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement
Themes & tags
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