Early History of Methodism in Brinkley, Arkansas
Compiled by Mrs. Elizabeth Almond
Methodism came to Brinkley two years before the town became incorporated on August 31, 1872. The first Methodist sermon ever preached in Brinkley was by the Reverend Thomas H. Howard in April 1870 under a tree beside the log school house that was erected just west of where the current First United Methodist Church now stands. That same year, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by Rev. Howard. In addition to Rev. Howard other charter members included John Lentz, Dr Earle (a prominent local pharmacist) and Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Cox.
The church was first organized in the lower part of a two-story log house on the corner of New York and Eculid Streets. The Masonic Lodge used the upper story for their headquarters and the new Methodist congregation worshiped in the downstairs. The cornerstone of the Lodge now stands in the First United Methodist Church bearing the inscription: “Brinkley Lodge No. 295 A.F. and A.M” as well as the emblem of the Masonic Lodge. Other early ministers came to Brinkley and held services in this building as well as traveling by horseback to other local communities to preach. Many early ministers were also farmers.
The plot of land on which the present church now stands was bought by the membership in 1893. A new brick building was built to accommodate the congregation as it grew as the community attracted more residents and businesses. At this time the church had a membership of 100 and was free of debt. The cornerstone of this building is preserved in the present-day church and bears the inscription: “Methodist Episcopal Church, South, March 15, 1893. Rev Thomas H. Howard, building chairman, R.M. Henderson, secretary, Rev. T.J. Brickell, Dr. T.J. Stout, and Rev. J.W. Pope.”
Reverend Alexander C. Graham, a member of the White River Conference of the Methodist Church, was the first full time pastor. At the time of his assignment to the Brinkley congregation he had been in ministry for nine years and had attended Quitman College, Cleburne County, Arkansas. The first superintendent of the Sunday School was Mr. J.S. Cox.
The original brick building erected in 1893 was destroyed on Monday, March 8, 1909 at 7:10pm by one of the most destructive cyclones in the history of Arkansas. Only 6-8 of the more than 1500 homes in the town at the time remained standing and the only church to survive the destruction was St. John’s Catholic Church. A communion service set, placed in the church in 1898, as well as two large record books dating back to 1871 survived the storm and are now on display in the church. These record books included the dates of birth, baptism, joining the church, marriage, and death of church members and are considered legal documents.
After the destruction of the church building an appeal was made in the Nashville Christion Advocate asking for churches and friends at large to help with the rebuilding. The editorial read, in part: “Most of our readers know that Brinkley, Arkansas, was devastated by a storm on March 8. The buildings of the town were almost all damaged or destroyed. Something like fifty people were killed and over two hundred injured. The church houses, with the exception of the Roman Catholic were all wrecked…Under such circumstances we think it only proper to vary from our standing rule and make an editorial appeal ir readers whose homes and whose houses of worship have not been ravaged by the elements, think of these their less fortunate brethren and deal with them generously in behalf to the Methodist in Brinkley. The purpose to build their church at once…”
During this time the congregation met in a large tent while the new church was under construction. The cornerstone of this new church still stands at the present building and reads “M.E. Church South 1909, Rev Z.T. Bennett, P.E. and Rev. W.P. Talkington, P.C.; Building Committee - R.M. Henderson, chairman; Tim Shults, secretary; Dr. T.J. Stout, T.C. Simmons, G. Hotels Bogle and R.R. Roland, Contractor.”
The “Gethsemane” stained glass window at the rear of the current sanctuary was donated by the Junior Epworth League that worked to raise the $75 needed to pay for the window. While still meeting in the tent the young women of the congregation would ask members to donate food for dinners they then cooked and served while they waited tables and accepted gratuities. They were also given permission to sell chocolate and coffee in the office of Brinkley Mayor R.M. Henderson to raise money.
The town and church continued to grow in the first decades of the 20th century, creating the need for more space. Under the leadership of Reverend George Patchell, an annex to the south of the sanctuary was built with Sunday School classrooms. The total for this two-story structure was $25,000 and it was opened in 1927. The church parsonage was built following World War II and was completed in 1948, although the church had provided housing for its pastors for many years prior.
The current two-story Memorial Education Building which now stands to the north of the present sanctuary was completed in June 1959 and enjoyed a larger kitchen with modern appliances of the time, as well as a fellowship hall to host gatherings and receptions. To keep up with continuing growth in both the town and church a building committee was named in March 1964 and on November 22, 1964 a congregational conference approved the construction of the current sanctuary at an estimated cost of $100,747, although this was later revised. Members of this building committee continue to worship and are still active in the church today.
The new sanctuary was consecrated on Easter Sunday morning, April 10, 1966, with services led by Rev. Clint Burleson, District Superintendent and the pastor at the time, Rev. Pharis Holifiels. In addition to the new facilities the Methodist Youth Fellowship raised funds to purchase 100 new hymnals and a new organ was purchased and dedicated on Sunday, November 6, 1966. The stained glass windows lining the sides of the current sanctuary were placed in the church in early 1974.
List of Pastors
Compiled by Mrs. Elizabeth Almond
Methodism came to Brinkley two years before the town became incorporated on August 31, 1872. The first Methodist sermon ever preached in Brinkley was by the Reverend Thomas H. Howard in April 1870 under a tree beside the log school house that was erected just west of where the current First United Methodist Church now stands. That same year, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by Rev. Howard. In addition to Rev. Howard other charter members included John Lentz, Dr Earle (a prominent local pharmacist) and Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Cox.
The church was first organized in the lower part of a two-story log house on the corner of New York and Eculid Streets. The Masonic Lodge used the upper story for their headquarters and the new Methodist congregation worshiped in the downstairs. The cornerstone of the Lodge now stands in the First United Methodist Church bearing the inscription: “Brinkley Lodge No. 295 A.F. and A.M” as well as the emblem of the Masonic Lodge. Other early ministers came to Brinkley and held services in this building as well as traveling by horseback to other local communities to preach. Many early ministers were also farmers.
The plot of land on which the present church now stands was bought by the membership in 1893. A new brick building was built to accommodate the congregation as it grew as the community attracted more residents and businesses. At this time the church had a membership of 100 and was free of debt. The cornerstone of this building is preserved in the present-day church and bears the inscription: “Methodist Episcopal Church, South, March 15, 1893. Rev Thomas H. Howard, building chairman, R.M. Henderson, secretary, Rev. T.J. Brickell, Dr. T.J. Stout, and Rev. J.W. Pope.”
Reverend Alexander C. Graham, a member of the White River Conference of the Methodist Church, was the first full time pastor. At the time of his assignment to the Brinkley congregation he had been in ministry for nine years and had attended Quitman College, Cleburne County, Arkansas. The first superintendent of the Sunday School was Mr. J.S. Cox.
The original brick building erected in 1893 was destroyed on Monday, March 8, 1909 at 7:10pm by one of the most destructive cyclones in the history of Arkansas. Only 6-8 of the more than 1500 homes in the town at the time remained standing and the only church to survive the destruction was St. John’s Catholic Church. A communion service set, placed in the church in 1898, as well as two large record books dating back to 1871 survived the storm and are now on display in the church. These record books included the dates of birth, baptism, joining the church, marriage, and death of church members and are considered legal documents.
After the destruction of the church building an appeal was made in the Nashville Christion Advocate asking for churches and friends at large to help with the rebuilding. The editorial read, in part: “Most of our readers know that Brinkley, Arkansas, was devastated by a storm on March 8. The buildings of the town were almost all damaged or destroyed. Something like fifty people were killed and over two hundred injured. The church houses, with the exception of the Roman Catholic were all wrecked…Under such circumstances we think it only proper to vary from our standing rule and make an editorial appeal ir readers whose homes and whose houses of worship have not been ravaged by the elements, think of these their less fortunate brethren and deal with them generously in behalf to the Methodist in Brinkley. The purpose to build their church at once…”
During this time the congregation met in a large tent while the new church was under construction. The cornerstone of this new church still stands at the present building and reads “M.E. Church South 1909, Rev Z.T. Bennett, P.E. and Rev. W.P. Talkington, P.C.; Building Committee - R.M. Henderson, chairman; Tim Shults, secretary; Dr. T.J. Stout, T.C. Simmons, G. Hotels Bogle and R.R. Roland, Contractor.”
The “Gethsemane” stained glass window at the rear of the current sanctuary was donated by the Junior Epworth League that worked to raise the $75 needed to pay for the window. While still meeting in the tent the young women of the congregation would ask members to donate food for dinners they then cooked and served while they waited tables and accepted gratuities. They were also given permission to sell chocolate and coffee in the office of Brinkley Mayor R.M. Henderson to raise money.
The town and church continued to grow in the first decades of the 20th century, creating the need for more space. Under the leadership of Reverend George Patchell, an annex to the south of the sanctuary was built with Sunday School classrooms. The total for this two-story structure was $25,000 and it was opened in 1927. The church parsonage was built following World War II and was completed in 1948, although the church had provided housing for its pastors for many years prior.
The current two-story Memorial Education Building which now stands to the north of the present sanctuary was completed in June 1959 and enjoyed a larger kitchen with modern appliances of the time, as well as a fellowship hall to host gatherings and receptions. To keep up with continuing growth in both the town and church a building committee was named in March 1964 and on November 22, 1964 a congregational conference approved the construction of the current sanctuary at an estimated cost of $100,747, although this was later revised. Members of this building committee continue to worship and are still active in the church today.
The new sanctuary was consecrated on Easter Sunday morning, April 10, 1966, with services led by Rev. Clint Burleson, District Superintendent and the pastor at the time, Rev. Pharis Holifiels. In addition to the new facilities the Methodist Youth Fellowship raised funds to purchase 100 new hymnals and a new organ was purchased and dedicated on Sunday, November 6, 1966. The stained glass windows lining the sides of the current sanctuary were placed in the church in early 1974.
List of Pastors
- T.H. Howard, 1871
- A.C. Graham
- C.H. Malone
- J.J. Brooks
- C.H. Ford
- Frank Ritter
- W.W. Hendrix, 1889
- J.B. McDonald
- S.L. Croctom
- J.K. Farris
- W.B. Hayes
- A.C. Griffin
- W.M Wilson, 1897-99
- W.F. Rhea, 1899
- Sid Babcock, 1900-03
- C.W. Lester, 1903-06
- H.B. Cox, 1906-09
- T.O. Rorie, 1909-10
- W.P. Talkington, 1910-12
- W.F. Walker, 1912-14
- Rudolph Keener, 1914
- A.T. Galloway, 1914
- F.A. Jeffett, 1915
- James B. Evans, 1916-18
- L.E. Mann, 1918-22
- Sam B. Wiggins, 1922-23
- Norris Greer, 1923-24
- Don C. Holman, 1924
- Wm. T. Thompson, 1925
- Geo. E. Patchell, 1925-29
- M.N. Johnson, 1929-30
- J.J. Galloway, 1930-35
- C.C. Burton, 1935-36
- F.M. Tollison, 1936-39
- S.O. Patty, 1939-41
- B.L. Wilford, 1941-48
- Jesse L. Johnson, 1948-52
- J. Clarence Wilcox, 1952-59
- Harold Spence, 1959-60
- Harold D. Womack, 1960-62
- Charles W. Lewis, 1962-64
- Pharis Holifield, 1964-68
- Burlis W. Stallcup, 1968-71
- John Chapman, 1971-76
- Gail Anderson, 1976-80
- Gerald Rainwater, 1980-82
- James D. Harrison, 1982-84
1927 Building
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Junior Epworth League Stained Glass
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