Historic Independence Baptist Church -- Texas -- White Poster
by Stephen Stookey
Title
Historic Independence Baptist Church -- Texas -- White Poster
Artist
Stephen Stookey
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Organized in 1839, Independence Baptist Church was the leading missionary Baptist church in Texas prior to the Civil War. Independence was a major center of the early Texas cotton industry and the original home of Baylor University. The Male College of Old Baylor would later move to Waco. The Female College moved to Belton, TX, and was later renamed the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. Sam Houston became member of the church in the 1850s and was baptized by pastor Rufus C. Burleson (later president of Baylor University). Hearing that his sins were now washed away, Sam Houston quipped: "[I] pity the fish downstream." The current stone structure was built in 1872 following a fire that gutted the previous sanctuary. The congregation still holds special services on the historic church building. The Texas Baptist Historical Museum, adjacent to the sanctuary, incorporates the old sanctuary into its collection.
Image captured with a Canon 5D Mark III & Canon 24-105 f/4L lens.
Uploaded
April 17th, 2014
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