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First “Damascus
Free Will Baptist Church” in Kemper Co., MS
Pictured on the steps of the church are the founder, Rev. Claiborne
Finch Johnson, and his son, Buyan W. Johnson.
The Damascus Free
Will Baptist Church was organized by the late Rev. Claiborne Finch
Johnson approximately in 1884. He donated land for the
church....which he built...., school and cemetery. The first
services were held in the little school house on the property with
Rev. Johnson as pastor. The church was completed in 1890 and he
continued to pastor until his death March 30, 1916.
For several months after Rev. Johnson's death, Rev. Daniel Hollis,
Rev. T.J. Adair and others from Alabama came to preach monthly.
At the age of 17, young Bro. Martin Luther Hollis from Vernon, Ala.
came and accepted the church as fulltime pastor for several years.
During this time, the church was very active. The church made much
progress in all phases of church work under his leadership. A large
number of new members were added to the roll and the entire
community was very cooperative.
After Rev. Hollis was called to "greener pastures", he continued to
come back every fifth Sunday to preach in order to keep the church
going. He never failed to come back when someone needed him.
When his health began to fail, Rev. Hollis had to slow down and was
pastoring only two churches at the time of his death. The Damascus
Church was one of these. He preached his last sermon in Damascus
Church before his death the following Monday.
On Wednesday, May 20, 1992, the old Damasucs Free Will Baptist
Church building collasped, but not before the new building was
completed, which was in 1978.
Due to the burning of Rev. Johnson's home, the orginal records were
destroyed. This information was taken from church clerk .... Ira
Hilliard Kynerd's .... records.
FORMER OFFICERS OF DAMASCUS FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH:
Deacons:
Bro. Mercer C. Johnson (deceased)
Bro. Johnson Rudolph Kynerd (deceased)
Bro. Claiborne Franklin Johnson (deceased)
Bro. S. Fred Chisolm (deceased)
Bro. E. O. Massey (deceased)
Bro. J. E. Smith (deceased)
Clerk:
Mrs. Mortimer Johnson McKee (deceased 1996)
(I want to thank my sister, Sylvia (Johnson) Kynerd for allowing me
to publish this record of the church compiled from the clerk
recordings. She is now the present clerk.)
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