CHRONOLOGY OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH

THEN DEPARTED BARNABAS TO TARSUS FOR TO SEEK SAUL. AND WHEN HE HAD FOUND HIM, HE BROUGHT HIM UNTO ANTIOCH. AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT A WHOLE YEAR THEY ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES WITH THE CHURCH AND TAUGHT MUCH PEOPLE. AND THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST IN ANTIOCH. ACTS XI:25-26

In the early days of Christianity (AD 41) Antioch, the capitol of Syria; was the location of a great missionary church, which was called the Church of Antioch. Growth was in great numbers of the Gentile Christians in Antioch. They were the first to be called Christians. Paul was brought by Banabas from Tarsus, and they labored at Antioch.

It was customary in the early days that church names were selected from the Bible. From that source Antioch got its name May 29 th, 1841. Wild Horse Creek Road was a small little dirt road which ran through the hills and woods. The church was organized by Brother Noah Flood and Brother John H. Thompson. Brother Flood was what is known as a church planter and went around establishing new congregations. (Noah Flood had a long and dramatic career in Baptist circles. It is not known how he came into contact with this particular group of believers but he obviously served them well. He started or took part in starting many congregations especially in Callaway County. He participated in state convention work and took a missionary position during a time when an anti-missionary zeal was active. He also had his troubles as a Southern sympathizer during the Civil War and was at one time marked for death before a firing squad. He passed from this life August 11, 1873 and in 1884 he was still being remembered in this manner: “Among all the heroic characters that adorn our Baptist history in Missouri, no grander man has ever found a grave in our soil than Noah Flood.” Missouri Baptist Biography, vol. 1, pages 155-161) Brother Thompson became the first Pastor. The initial number of charter members numbered fourteen. During August of the same year fifteen Negro men and women were received into the church. The Negro people were in slavery at that time. They worked on large tracts of land owned by members near this area. Antioch was officially received into the St. Louis Baptist Association in 1842 at the Salem Baptist Church. At that time there were 37 members.

The community that came together to form this church migrated from Spotsylvania, Virginia. Names like Bacon, Orr, Coleman and Tyler were prominent. Pastor Thompson married into the Coleman family. Captain William Tyler’s home still exists in the neighborhood. The little town of Orrville was named for the family of the same name. Babler Park contains the foundation of one of the Tyler households. It also contains cemeteries where numerous of the early members are buried.

Fascinating to study is the first covenant and bylaws. Voting in the Baptist assembly was limited to “free born males.” This excluded all born under slavery and all the ladies of the congregation. The post civil experience saw black members wishing to take their rightful place in the congregation with the white males demanding to maintain the original. This led first to a separate membership list requested by the black members and eventually the constituting of a separate church, Mt. Pleasant Baptist approximately one mile west of Antioch. The church building there has been gone for long years, but the foundation remains at the side of Wild Horse Creek Road along with a cemetery. This land is privately owned and a fear exists that a day may come when development ignores the cemetery and historical significance.

Early meetings were held in members homes, Orville School, Johnson School and Wild Horse School. The ability to obtain a visiting Pastor often determined the frequency of meetings. When available a Pastor would be entertained in a family home for the weekend with meetings being conducted Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning. Members missing meetings would have to present valid reasons for their previous non-attendance. Sometimes these took place no more frequently than monthly.

1860 was the year the church determined to have a more permanent home. John Orr and his wife granted a quit claim deed to the congregation for the present site and a building was erected. Dedication took place on Christmas Day 1860. Along with the church a cemetery was started that today is a frequent source for genealogists. Mr. Orr became one of the early inhabitants of the cemetery property he had donated. The quaint cemetery proclaiming a day when churches thought it part of their duty to provide same exists today with monies in a fund that pays enough to do necessary maintenance.

Dr. J. M. Peck frequently visited. Interchange existed between Salem Baptist, Brush Creek Baptist and Chesterfield Baptist which at the time was located one quarter mile west of what is now Chesterfield Airport Road on Wild Horse Creek Road. The latter disbanded in 1920 and the land was given to Antioch from which it was later sold.

Baptisms according to Baptist practice involved dunking the entire candidate into the water. This was accomplished using the Missouri River, Orrville Creek and Wild Horse Creek.

Joshua Peck was Pastor twice, the first from 1862-1871 and the second from 1891-1897.

Following the development of the building is a little fractured. It appears that the first building was on a stone foundation. In approximately 1921 the building was either razed and then a basement was put in before a neat stucco building was built upon it or the older building was shored up while a basement was placed beneath and then stucco applied to the exterior of the building. A couple additions followed that at one time added an office and a choir room and later the building was squared up adding side rooms. Older members have many fond memories which include Sunday School classes even in the basement of the parsonage that was built in 1927. The early 1950’s saw good growth which demanded an addition to the building. A 40’X90’ two story educational building was completed between 1954 and 1957.

The list of pastors would include: John H. Thompson, Joshua Hickman, Joshua Peck, E. E. Ewing, George Martin, Charles T. Daniel, J. B. English, W. Stevens, S. T. Hudson, O. D. Bittick, W. H. Curtis, W. H. Barnes, J. F. Smith, W. M. Wallace, T. M. Walton, W. E. Rose, R. Dale Tribble, R. R. Perkins, William Schulze, W. E. Detmers, H. B. Springer, Robert McKay, Eugene Wheeler, C. B. Lewis, C. T. Griffith, B. M. Sherrod, Paul Harvey, C. J. Ketchum, Earl Hansen, E. Hovis, Arthur E. Johnson, Robert Todd, Tom Klammert, Kelly Holt, Frank Simmons, Mark Camp and Ralph Green. This list perhaps is not complete and is not necessarily in chronological order.

Arthur E. Johnson was the Pastor in 1966 and presided over the 125 th anniversary with very many past members and friends gathering for a wonderful day of renewed acquaintances. In 1991 the church had the privilege of having a Pastor from the 1950’s C. J. Ketchum celebrate the day. Many came from distances to see him. Many who were youngsters at the time quizzed him as to whether he remembered them. That day came to a conclusion late in the afternoon when a thunderstorm drove that last of them to their cars from the last day event of just spending time under the old oak tree The 2001, event which celebrated 160 years saw Clifford Frazier, a descendant of a former slave member of Antioch, help recall what this area once was and how it has changed. He was able to describe both the positive and the negative changes that have taken place in our community. Antioch appreciates the warmth we always receive from the Union Baptist Church where Cliff has for years been a principal member.

The church maintains early purposes of worship, discipleship, fellowship, evangelism and ministry. The Baptist tradition of congregation style government is practiced. Baptism is limited to those old enough to comprehend the gospel message, understand the concept of sin and its ramifications and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are practiced as the two ordinances recognized commonly by Baptists as being biblical. The Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is seen as “memorial” in nature according to the clear teaching of instruction given by the Lord, Himself.

While a cooperating supporter of the Southern Baptist Convention, we proudly point to the fact that we predate that entity by four years. We also provide support for the Missouri Baptist Convention and the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association. We maintain a Baptist independence of our congregation seeing it as the primary organ that God works through in the world.

With a cemetery and an old style church building the church is an anachronism in an ever changing community. The message of the gospel is always contemporary while methods and styles may come and go. The congregation maintains a desire to reach this community with the same message preached in 1841. A strong adherence to “thus saith the scriptures” remains the guide for the teaching and practice seen then and now.