Friendship Baptist Church

Part 3

Some humorous incidents of the Civil War & Reconstruction period have become well-known tales. Stronger than fiction, they are usually based on facts. One of these folklore tales had its origin in Hugh Toomey’s family. One day Toomey’s wife observed his walking across the barnyard with a bundle of fodder under each arm and asked him where he was going, as he seemed to be headed away from the stock feeding places. He answered that he had been studying fowls of the air, and was going to learn to fly. She said, “You can’t do that.” but, he told her he could learn to fly and was going to fly at once. His wife was a meek, obedient woman used to letting him have his way about things and merely said to him, “If nothing else will do you, please fly around close so the children can see you.” The pioneer dreamer of aviation climbed up on the wellhouse roof, and with his wife and children for spectators proceeded to flap his bundles of fodder-like wings, and rose from the roof only to stove his ankles up knocking a hole in the ground. He was laid up with a broken ankle a long time. Rev. Hugh Toomey later became a noted Baptist preacher in Missouri.

Another bit of folklore involves the story of the fiddler (name unknown) who was turned out of the church for playing the fiddle for a square dance. He reported to the church that was his only source of livelihood, thus he was readmitted. Later he found by some of the members to be tapping his foot to the music which was taken by the members to be a sure sign that he was enjoying playing for the dance; for that reason the church again withdrew fellowship from him.

During the last years of this second building (late 1800’s-early 1900’s) it was also used as a school until the county could construct its own building nearby, northeast of the church building. The only box supper ever held in the church was to raise funds to buy a bell to put in the schoolhouse to use for school and also for church purposes. The bell was also used when a grave was to be dug, to call workmen to help. The only remnants of the school is the bell which is located in the belfry of the present church building.

20th Century Period

Plans were first made to construct the present church building in 1908, and the dedication service was held in 1909. Several changes have been made in the original structure, Sunday School rooms being added in the 1950’s and restrooms in the early 1970’s, but in its beginning the present building was rectangular in shape and consisted only of the auditorium. There were two doors at the front of the building. It is said that the ladies customarily used one door and the men used the other. There were four tall windows on each side of the church. Later two more windows were added to the back of the church  because the pastors complained that it was too hot on the stage in the summer and that more air circulation was needed. The church was originally roofed with wood shingles which were cut at the building site, but later the roof was changed to tin. The only source of heat in the early years of the building was a large heater in which wood or coal was burned. The heater sat near the center front of the auditorium.

The present belfry is a fairly recent structure, but just prior to the celebration of the church’s 100th year in 1926, the original belfry was added to the church and the bell from the old Friendship School was moved to the church. Also, as a part of the 100th year celebration, a sign which read FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH 1826 was added. Two ladies of the church, Mrs. Myrtle Nichols and Mrs. Muncie Coe, raised a fund and presented the church with a birthday present-an organ and a set of church chairs. Also a $25 donation was received.

The celebration of the church’s 100th year was held on the second day in June in 1926. About 1500 people were in attendance at that celebration. G.L. Gilliland, then president of the Polk County Singing Convention, led the singing throughout the day. The oldest living pastor, W.H. Rymer, who was also Register of Deeds in Polk County, delivered the anniversary sermon.

The highlight of the celebration was a detailed history of the church which was delivered in the afternoon service by J.D. Clemmer, then Superintendent of Polk County Schools. It is through copies of this speech that much of what we know about the early history of Friendship Church has been preserved.

It was also sometime during the afternoon service that a group of members of Ku Klux Klan came marching out of the woods, in hoods and capes. They marched up one aisle, out the other door, and back into the woods.

(To be continued)