St. John Church History
The history of St.
John Missionary Baptist Church could not have been realized without the earlier
labors of a diligent and dedicated band of Christian pioneers. As far as records of the church reveal, the
St. John Missionary Baptist Church was organized in the spring of 1876. The church was organized as Free Will Baptist
Church, but after an expiration of time, the membership voted to invite into
conference Rev. E. M. Griggs, then a state missionary employed by the Baptist
Home Mission Board (white) of New York, to establish churches for our people in
the Southwest. This conference
instigated by Mother Eliza Stanford, resulted in the organization of a regular
Missionary Baptist Church. During the
early days, when the church was located on Peak alley, Rev. Wesley A. Drake
served as interim pastor.
The congregation was
led from Peak alley by Rev. C. L. McPherson to Allen Street at Cochran, where
in 1907 an ideal place of worship was erected and named St. John Missionary
Baptist Church. Rev. McPherson was a
great preacher and leader, being numbered with the pulpit giants of his
day. In 1886, under his leadership the
Sunday School, Baptist Young People’s Union, the Board of Deacons, Trustee
Board, and Deaconess Board A were organized.
Also, St. John had the distinction of having the first Black Usher Board
in the city of Dallas. As first lady,
Mrs. McPherson organized the Missionary Society. Rev. McPherson had a successful ministry at
St. John before his death. There is no
documentation to verify the date of his death but it is known that he was
eulogized by Dr. L. K. Williams, who at that time was minister of the Macedonia
Baptist Church (Good Street) of this city.
Dr. C. C. Harper
accepted the call to pastor St. John in 1914. Under his pastorate, Deaconess Board B, and
the Mission Chorus were established. On
Sunday, September 28, 1919, the cornerstone for the St. John Institute was
laid. According to Mrs. JoAnna Early Williams and Mr. Jack Harris the institute
housed the Almshouse. This has been a
much talked about feature under the head of “Old Folks’ Home.” On the first floor, there were places for
desolate elderly men and women who came under regulations, where they were
cared for and received the charity ministrations from those thus inclined. The Women and Girls Industrial Relief
Quarters were also housed on the first floor.
The second floor housed the chapel which was used for regular worship,
lectures and meetings. The third floor
was the dormitory that offered room and board for working girls and women. This description of the institute can be
verified by information in the St. John Archives.
Rev. R. T. Andrews
assumed the pastorate of St. John in 1929.
The church built a parsonage at 2709 Thomas Avenue facing Boll
Street. He led the church into
prominence as a missionary organization, identifying it with every phase of
denominational work. A Junior Church was
established with Rev. K. B. Polk serving as pastor to the children. Rev. Andrews was a great preacher, a business
genius, a man of wide influence, and a dynamic leader. The church and its membership gained national
recognition and status which they maintained through his business acumen and
his ability to manage the finances of the church in a sound manner. Rev. Andrews left the church with creditable
standing in the business world.
In 1937, the church
called Dr. E. C. Estell, Sr. of Dayton, Ohio as its pastor. He organized and developed a Youth Movement
which encompassed the program activities throughout the entire church. The church adopted the theme: “Christianity is a business and not a
sideline”. In 1940, the church began
an extensive renovation and redecoration of the institute building where it
worshipped. During the construction
period, the congregation worshipped at Booker T. Washington High School
(presently known as the Arts Magnet).
Under the direction of Dr. Estell, the church voted to sell the property
at Allen and Cochran in order to finance the renovations of the institute. On December 7, 1941 (Pearl Harbor Day), St.
John congregation entered their remodeled brick edifice. It was designed with a beautiful stained
glass window over the entrance and a magnificent bell tower reaching toward the
sky over the north portico. A Nursery
School and kindergarten was operated by the Missionary Society to aid mothers
now engaged in work due to the war.
Through the
foresight and courtesy of Dr. Estell, St. John has been host to various
national meetings, including the 52nd Annual Session of the National
Baptist Sunday School and B.T.U. Congress.
It was held in the newly erected Dallas Memorial Auditorium in June,
1957. Dr. Estell was President of the
B.M.&E. Convention and Moderator of the Northwestern Baptist Association of
Texas. His many accomplishments
included: Vice-Chairman of the Trustee Board of Bishop College, Marshall,
Texas; Member of the Trustee Board of American Theological Seminary, Nashville,
Tennessee; Member of Board of Directors of the National Baptist Convention,
Inc.; and President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. The political arena was another avenue of
endeavor for this dynamic minister.
During the turbulent 60’s, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Dr.
Estell to a distinguished nation-wide committee to assist communities in
preventing and resolving racial disputes and tensions.
Dr. Estell shared
not only his religious convictions, but also his poetic ability with his
congregation. A perfect example was the
poem he composed for the 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary
Celebration, held April 1 – May 3rd, 1951.
In eighteen hundred sixty six,
St. John had its birth;
It was organized by the kind of
people,
I call the salt of the earth.
At first, it was a tender plant
Expressing THE FAITH, yes, FREE
WILL,
But it rapidly grew into a
Baptist oak,
And will thus remain until…
She has weathered many terrible
storms;
But she stood, now and then a
nod.
Her roots were buried wide and
deep,
With an upward reach toward
God.
St. John has been led by
stalwarts,
Suffering never a pulpit fake.
At the beginning of her
triumphant march,
She was led by a Reverend
Drake.
McPherson came with power,
Harper, the Prince of
Preachers;
Andrews, the business genius,
And a multitude of teachers.
St. John has stood in Dallas
for seven-five long years;
And both her ministry and
members
Have suffered blood, sweat and
tears.
To the hosts of youth in St.
John,
And to her members everywhere,
A bugle-call to expansive
service
Comes floating on air.
What of the time you now enjoy,
How best can you serve today?
Can you not be inspired by the
Holy Saints
Who have already passed this
way?
Ernest
Coble Estell
The church
flourished with many auxiliaries under his leadership. The effectiveness of the Youth Movement and
the Boy Scouts was highlighted when Dr. Herbert Chambers earned the rank of
Eagle Scout, a first for African-Americans in Dallas. The Men’s Forward Movement and Deaconess
Board C were also organized under his direction. In 1963 the St. John Baptist Church Highland Village
Charitable Foundation was established.
During the work of
Rev. Buford Tyler, interim pastor, an accelerated program of teaching and
training was continued with the Assistance of Rev. Robert D. Reed.
On the first Sunday
of April, 1966, Rev. Robert H. Wilson took the reign of the historic legacy of
St. John. The church voted to purchase
our present church site in 1970. The
Bethlehem Foundation a non-profit social services organization was organized in
1972. The edifice of the sanctuary was
enhanced with the purchase and dedication of the David B. Garner-Willie Davis
Pipe Organ. This addition, made possible
by the research of Mrs. Viola Dixon Cole, enabled St. John to become the first
African-American church to own a pipe organ in the city of Dallas.
It is only fitting
that a historic church would call a great preacher. In August, 1982, Dr. Manuel L. Scott,
preached his first sermon as pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church. According to Ebony Magazine, September, 1984,
Dr. Scott is one of America’s 15 Greatest Black Preachers. As a well-known author, Dr. Scott has
published two books, From A Black
Brother (1971) and The Gospel For
the Ghetto (1973). He has been
lecturer at seminaries, universities, and National Baptist Congress of Christian
Education. He has also been guest
preacher at more than 40 state conventions, colleges, universities, Southern
Baptist Convention, and a participant with the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association, Intl. Dr. Scott currently
holds the position of Executive Director of the Board of Evangelism for the
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
In 1984, “The Bringing Church” was adopted as the theme of evangelism at
St. John. The church established the
staff concept under Dr. Scott’s direction.
Formed from this reorganization was the Administrative Assistant
position, held by Deacon Ennis Franklin.
Deacon Franklin was instrumental in carrying out the duties of the
church while the pulpit was vacant. The
Advisory Council, Board of Evangelism, and the Hospitality Committee were also
a part of this reorganization.
The accomplishments
of Dr. Scott have been many; among them were the initiation of Race Relations
Sunday between African-American and Anglo-American Churches. Thus far, the church has exchanged congregations
and choirs with Park-Cities Baptist Church, Cliff Temple Baptist Church, and Prestonwood Baptist Church.
The St. John
Missionary Baptist Church has accepted the challenge of providing leadership on
the local and national level for 114 years.
This leadership is evidenced by a continuing commitment to support
evangelism, active participation of members in the operation of the church, as
well as the support of citizens throughout the Dallas Metroplex
community. Community outreach ministries
include the Jail Ministry, Estell Village Housing Community, Bethlehem
Foundation and the St. John Credit Union.
The history of the
church was compiled by Robert Estell, Charlotte Estell Govan,
Beverly K. Jackson and Yvonne Lister Moss.