New Hope Baptist Church #3
Caddo, Stephens County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Thirty former members of the nearby Macedonia Baptist Church organized the New Hope Baptist Church #3 in 1893 with The Rev. C.J. McDonald serving as its first pastor. The congregation shared facilities with its parent church until 1899 when they built a sanctuary on two acres acquired from J.C. and Laura Bargsley. The sanctuary was destroyed by fire in 1902 and replaced by a new building. Church members met once a month until 1948 when a full-time pastor was called. In 1993 the congregation celebrated its 100th year of service to the rural LaCasa community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1893, thirty members broke away from the nearby Macedonia Baptist Church to organize New Hope Baptist Church #3, with the Rev. C.J. McDonald as their first pastor. They worshiped alongside their parent congregation until 1899, when they built a sanctuary on two donated acres, only to see it burn in 1902 and be rebuilt. For decades the church gathered just once a month before calling a full-time pastor in 1948, and it marked a full century of service to the rural LaCasa community in 1993.
Why it matters
Small rural congregations like this one were the social and spiritual backbone of scattered Texas farming settlements, holding communities together long after their crossroads faded from the map.
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Related people
- · C.J. McDonald
Themes & tags
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