The image below, courtesy of Mrs. Marjorie Bishop, shows the Bradley Baptist Church after a snowstorm in 1960. Following that image is a picture taken from approximately the same place and angle on the hot summer afternoon of July 6, 2008.
The sanctuary in the top image was replaced by the one in the bottom image in 1963. Below is a picture taken during that construction, which shows the old sanctuary moved to the rear of the property during that construction. It continued to be used in its new location until the construction of the new sanctuary was completed.
As is apparent, the colonnade between the educational building on the right side of the 1960 image was severed, then reattached to the new sanctuary when it was completed.
Sometimes history is right out in plain view, staring us in the face, and yet we seldom notice. One example is cornerstones. Although it is now partially obscured by a shrub, the cornerstone for the present (1963) sanctuary is shown below:
It reads:
“BRADLEY BAPTIST
CHURCH
——-
ORGANIZED
JULY 30, 1902
THIS SANCTUARY
ERECTED 1963
‘JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF
BEING THE CHIEF CORNER
STONE’ EPH 2:20”
The building on the left side of the current (color) photo was completed in 1966. Below is an image of its cornerstone:
It reads:
“BUT GROW IN THE GRACE AND
KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
II PETER 3:18
J. H. POWELL SR. PASTOR
F. M. COCHRAN SR, CLERK
J. G. ALLEN JR. TREAS.
J. B. WORKS TREAS.
DEACONS
HARVEY HANSFORD CH.
E. L. ADKINS
H. D. AMBROSE
H. C. BARNETT
L. C. THOMAS
E. V. POWELL”
There is an enclosed hallway between the rear (north) end of the 1963 sanctuary and the 1966 building which also has a cornerstone/commemorative marker, shown below:
It reads:
“GO … MAKE DISCIPLES .. BAPTIZE .. TEACH
MATT 28: 19–20
ERECTED A. D. 1966
BUILDING COMMITTEE
*J. G. ALLEN III CHMN. J. W. CRAIN. CO-CHMN.
*BILLY LEE ALLEN H. M. BURKS
*H. C. BARNETT M. M. McCALMAN, SR.
*HARVEY HANSFORD CLYDE JACKSON
*J. B. W0RKS L. C. THOMAS
*BUILDING FINANCE COMMITTEE”
– – – – – – – – – –
Again, thanks to Mrs. Marjorie Bishop for the use of the two black-and-white photos.
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