Page 31 - MOST RECENT

The lot for the present location of the church on
Nelson Street was purchased in 1930. The trustees at
that time were M. C. Johnson, Samuel Brooks, and John
H. Chambers-. The church building debt was paid off
August 29, 1947.
There is no record as to what year the church ac-
quired its present name of Providence Baptist Church.
Ernest E. Smith is secretary at the present time.
A third Negro church, the Primitive Baptist, with a
considerably smaller but very dedicated membership
was organized in the early 1900's. In 1909, the present
church building was actually constructed by three of the
church leaders, Bud Fulton, Lindsay Wilson and Jim
Matthews. While the membership of this church has
Home of Mr. and Mrs. Tom C. McCuiston. Built around 1908 on
steadily d dined through the years, it remains alive North Main Street. House has been torn down. Many descendants live in
and around Kernersville.
today through the religious tenacity of a few of its
members.
A small group of courageous and dedicated Chris-
tians, seven women and three men, met on Saturday
meeting which was the beginning of Baptist work in the
afternoon, August 30, 1884, to organize the First Baptist
town. Following the meeting, the Rev. D. C. Culbreth
Church of Kernersville. The Rev. E. F. Baldwin held the
began to hold regular services here. The charter mem-
bers were John Hepler and wife, H. P. Moore and wife,
Charles Lipscomb, Mrs. Rebecca Carter, Mrs. B. A.
Brown, Mrs. Virginia Stockton, Mrs. Lucy Kirk and Mrs.
Lacy Ann Lemar. The ;Kernersville Church united with
the Pilot Mountain Association in 1902.
In 1885 or 1886, during the pastorate of Dr. J. N.
Stallings, this small church erected a beautiful one story
brick building on the corner of Cherry and Mountain
Streets. By 1893 the membership had grown to 57. On
August 28, 1893 a tornado struck the town of Kerners-
ville and completely destroyed the Baptist Church. In
less than four months a new church was completed on
the same site, this one of wood construction.
Several of the older members of the congregation
can remember when, shortly after the turn of the cen-
tury, each month in Kernersville, the Methodists had
meetings the first Sunday; the Baptists, second Sunday;
Methodist Protestants, third Sunday; and Moravians,

First Baptist Church, Oakhurst Street, August 30, 1884

This ~ouse on North Main Street was the home of Dr. and Mrs.
J. T. Justice, Sr., and family. The house was built in 1877 by J, C.
Roberts,. but has been known for many years as "The Dr. Justice House."
Ground breaking for First Education Building of First Baptist Church 1950. U.p u~hl the death of James T. Justice, Jr., January 1971, he and his
Carr Hastings, Hugh Justice, Dr. 0 . L. Joyner, Rev. Clyde Glosson, wife hved here. Mrs. Justice resides in the house now.
H . C. Porter, Charles F. Snow

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