1949

Come February of the new year the building fund was again running low.  Brother Geiger said he would pay into the treasure all unpaid pledges so the building bills could be paid and the people making the pledges could pay him on the scheduled they had planned.  Additional pledges were made church members and Rev. Junior for “days of labor” at $1.50 an hour.  Others pledged their own time for the building.  

Work continued on the building and sight of its completed could be seen so in May they voted to turn the old wooden building over to the young people to use as the see fit as soon as the new building was finished.   In June they were making final decisions on the, #1 knotty pine for ceiling, front and back, the type of steps at the entrance, and most importantly, a 24-gauge galvanized iron tank for the Baptistry.   

After school let out in June, Rev. Junior went on vacation taking his family to Michigan and Wisconsin which his and his wife’s family were from.   Barbara and Morris corresponded by mail while she was away.  At the end of July Morris writes, “Honey I went down and looked over the church today. They almost have it finished.”  Barbara writes about visiting the grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.  Also Fred’s oldest son, Dick, from a previous marriage was there and spent considerable time with Fred and his family.   Dick got along so well with his father’s family that he deiced to return to Florida with them. The Juniors, and Dick, returned to Flemington at the end of August in time for the kids to return to school. Rev. Fred retuned to regular sermons.   

On September 11th, 1949 the new building was dedicated, and Rev. Junior preached the first sermon at the pulpit.   In October the church, please with Rev. Junior’s pastorship, granted him six weeks off each year and a salary of $40.00 a month.  Rev. Junior said that he would see to it that the pulpit was filled at his expense while he was away.  

Baptism is an integral part of the Baptist faith, after all it is in its name.  Baptist, unlike other Christian faiths, believe in the total immersion of a believer in water which presented a problem for the Flemington church for the nearest place this could be done was a nearby lake.  This was not ideal in the winter, or for that matter anytime, so there was backlog of persons needing baptism.   Rev. Junior and the congregation were excited one Sunday in October when the first baptisms would be performed using the Baptistry in the new church building.  After preaching the sermon, Rev. Junior called the persons for baptism to come to the front of the church to be recognized, there was over a dozen including Rev. Junior’s daughter Barbara and his son Dick.   The group then procced to the room behind the pulpit and along with Rev. Junior, changed out of their Sunday clothes and put on white robes.  The Baptistry was on a raised platform with a waist high window which overlooked the choir, pulpit and congregation in their pews.  

Rev. Junior stepped into the Baptistry looked at the congregation in earnest and said a prayer followed by many amens from the congregation and called for the first person.  Barbara described the experience:

Daddy (Rev. Junior) told us all what to do before it started.  When our name was called, we would go up a couple of stairs steps and step into the water.  It was so cold I thought I would freeze.  Daddy would say, “In the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I baptize you” and then he placed his hand behind your neck, told you to hold your nose for water wouldn’t get in it, and then he quickly leaned you backwards dunking you under the water.  It only took a second.  I came up with my hair all wet and quickly got out and couldn’t wait to get dry.  

First Baptism in the new Flemington Baptist Church Building
Group is standing in the Choir seating area behind the pulpit.  Window above them is the Baptistry.
 Notice the knotty pine mentioned in the building notes.
Left to right, Top Row: Rev. Fred Junior, Lindia Gieger, Sidney Stevenson, Dick Junior,Shirley Novinger, Barbara Junior, Dixie Junior, Christine Yawn, Mildred Wyche, Sue Junior, Carl Novington, Agnes Hannah, Mr. Novinger First Row: Paul Dixon, Buddy Stevenson, Wayne Yawn, Patica Wyche
Photo hangs inside of church fellowship hall

By November, the congregation had all met Rev. Junior’s son Dick for he had been coming to church with his father and their family.  Learning that their pastor was divorced and had a son from that marriage did not sit well with some of the more conservative members of the church.   Oh, and almost as bad, the Reverend was a Catholic at that time.   Gossip spread with some wanting the Reverend to be fired or asking him to resign.  Upon hearing this, Fred sent a letter to the church committed resigning.  After much discussion at the next committee meeting it was decided the deacons would go visit Brother Junior and “get the whole business of his resignation cleared up” and then they would make a statement to the church. Rev. Junior was called back and conducted services though the end of the year when he resigned.

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