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At the top, the Stoutsville
Baptist Church building as it appeared Sunday when rededicated. Part
of the capacity crowd that attended is shown in the Appeal
photo, with Rev. Roy Kinder, district missionary, at left center
shaking hands with a participant, and the pastor, Rev. Walter
Clark, white shirt with back to camera, visiting with several
people. Judge and Mrs. John Fields, at right, are just
arriving.
The lower photo shows the
back (west) side of the reconstructed building, with outside
entrance to the full basement at lower right. There is also
an inside entrance to it.
The Stoutsville Southern
Baptist Missionary Church building, 104 years old, was
rededicated Sunday afternoon in special ceremonies held I the
building, with a capacity crowd in attendance. Among them
were many former, as well as present members. The building,
originally located on a lot in downtown Stoutsville at the edge
of the business section, was built in 1871, according to the
most authentic records available to church historians. It
has been used continuously since then except for a short period
during which it was being moved out of the bottom in which it
stood, to higher ground just north of the village on the west
side of the road that leads into Stoutsville from the north. It
was moved to its present location by a Moberly contractor, and
now stands on an acre of ground bought by the church from the
Levings family. Originally without a basement, it now has
one under the entire building, has furnace heat, and will be
equipped with kitchen and dining furnishings. In its former
location, it had a bell tower, but this was torn away when the
main building was moved, and the bell is being preserved for
possible future use at the church. Added to the old
building in its new location is a vestibule, or entrance room,
with cloakroom on one side, and inside entrance to the basement
on the other. The interior has been paneled and ceiling
lowered and other improvements made. It stands on the west
side of the Stoutsville entrance road, faces east, whereas it
formerly faced south.
Once a fairly large
membership congregation, it now has approximately 40 members,
with about 22 living in the area. There are many others on
the roll, pastor Walter Clark said Sunday, but they are on an
inactive list. As new homes are built and new families move
into the area with the coming of the Cannon Dam & Mark Twain
Lake, present members and the pastor are confident the
membership will increase. The lake will be only a quarter
mile distant on both south and west sides, and U.S. Highway 24
only a few hundred feet away on the north side of the church
building in its new location. Several pastors from
neighboring churches, and the District Missionary, Rev. Roy
Kinder, attended the Sunday rededication program. Morning
services were held and a carry-in dinner served at noon, with
the official rededication program starting at 2:00 p.m. Because
of deaths or people moving to other locations, Joseph Walkup is
at present the only deacon living in the area. He was
ordained October 15, 1972, and is largely responsible for the
leadership that has kept the small congregation active, making
it possible for the building to be moved and reconditioned in
its present location. Money for the project came from the
sum paid to the church by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, which
bought the land where the church formerly stood, and to funds
donated by present and former members, some of who have been
away for fifty years or more.
The rededication event
was presided over by the pastor, Rev. Walter Clark, who lives at
Hannibal. Pianist was Mrs. Clark. The official program
included congregational singing, prayers, special vocal trio
music by sisters from Monroe City – Mrs. Sandra Friedank, Mrs.
Carrie Beaver, Mrs. Janita Wiegle; two songs by Gary Minor with
his mother, Mrs. J. W. Minor as accompanist, recognition of
special guests, recognition of those who materially helped with
the removal work and costs, reading of the church history by
Raymond McCreery, the rededication talk by Rev. J. S. Laws of
Moberly, formerly district missionary, rededication scripture,
and prayer of Rededication.
Source: Photos and
article from the Monroe County Appeal dated November 06,
1975; submitted by Judy Baker Barklage.
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