Way back in 1867, shortly after the close of the Civil War, New Hope Baptist Church was organized. A band of men and women from Bethel Church, located in another community of Yell County, met together for the purpose.  The exact date was September 7th, 1867.

The name of those people may mean little to us now—it has been so long ago.  Yet descendents of some of these pioneers are among the leading citizens of our county.

The Adams, Grace, Huckaby, Cole, Thomas, Cowger, Eidson, Jackson, Gateley, Dacus, Veazey, Brinson, and Banks families, and many others played leading parts in the early development of our County and its resources.

So the Church of New Hope was founded long before most of us were born.

It is interesting to note the difference of disciple of the early Church and our modern Church.  To use a familiar expression, the members “had to walk the line.”  If they did not do so, they found themselves on the outside.  They had a rule then that forced attendance.  If more than two Church Conferences were missed the guilty parties were called upon to give the reason why.  Sounds odd, doesn’t it, to those of us in this present day.

And many were punished for taking part in worldly pleasures that pass unnoticed in this modern time.

The charter members of the New Hope Church had no building of their own to worship in at the beginning.  They used an old log house nearby for about three years.  This building was known as the “Old Chapel” or “Dobson Springs.”  It was later used as a school house for many years. Many of the leading citizens of the county received their early education in this old cabin.

However, New Hope afterwards constructed a building of their own and worshipped there for about thirty-six years.  They then constructed a two-story building in conjunction with the Odd Fellows Fraternal Order, each sharing equally in the cost.   This building had a very tragic ending after about fifteen years’ use.  On a Sabbath morning in March 1920, the church building burned  A couple of youth met early that morning and attempted to start a fire in the heating stove.   By mistake, they poured the contents of a gasoline can on the fire, causing an explosion.  One of the youths, a boy named Ray Massey, was badly burned, and after several weeks of intense suffering, he died.

Again, the Church was without a place to worship, but they later constructed a modern frame building, and they still are using that today.

Space does not permit a complete list of Pastors who have served during the church’s 78 years of history, but we can say that New Hope has had some of the strongest preachers in the state, including L. R. Barnes, J. R. G. W. N. Adams, J. A. Meyers, Dr. (?) B. Searcy, W. E. Kimbourgh, G. (?) Faulkner, Chas. F. Wilkins, F. G. Dodson, who is now a Chaplain in the U. S. Army, Loyd Pryor and many others.

He present Pastor is Rev. Homer Bridges (?), a graduate of Ouachita College of Arkadelphia.  He is also Pastor of the Dardanelle First Baptist Church.

So New Hope Baptist Church, with all its trials and difficulties, has been a power for good in the community and the surrounding country.

For several years now New Hope has been closely associated with the First Baptist Church of Dardanelle both being served by the same Pastor.

It may not be to the credit of the country Church in years gone by, but the membership paid their pastor very little salary, so they couldn’t be charged with preaching for the money.  They learned, however not to depend upon their charges for a living, but supported themselves by hard labor.  Civilization and Christianity owe much to those “old timers,” with their strict religious convictions and earnest Christian living.  All honor to them!

Before I close I want to list the Charter members of the New Hope Baptist Church, and tell where they came from:

• Elder J. R. G. W. N. Adams and wife Sarah Adams, and daughter, S. A. E. Adams,  J. G. Grace, Alfred Huckaby and wife,  Nancy T. Huckaby, all with letters  of dismission from  Bethel Church, Yell  County, Arkansas.
• Ann Moore, Baptist Church, Franklin N. C.
• S. W. Jackson,  Deacon, and wife, Rush Creek, Tex.
• Levisa C. Harrington, Clear Creek Tex.
• Alex M. Jones, Knob Church, Tex.
• John Eidson, Center Ridge Church, Miss.
• Susan J  Bennet, Rehoboth, Tex.
• J. P. Pendergrass and wife, Jane Pendergrass,  Martha Moulden, Sarah Brinson, Levina Grace,  J. A. Grace,  T. E, Huckaby, all from Bethel Church.
• Helen Mills,  A. G. Hudson, Melon Hudson, and wife, Robert Veazey, S. A. Veasey and wife, former members of Dardanelle First Baptist.
• By baptism, Hiram Brinson, James Gateley and Martha Jones.
• L. R. Barnes, elected Pastor.
• Robert Veazey, elected Clerk.

The foregoing history of new Hope Baptist Church which is located  … [the article fragment ends here ... the final paragraph has been lost.]  New Hope Church and Cemetery are located side by side in Yell County Arkansas west of Dardanelle.

One other note. The article states that Dobson Springs also served as a schoolhouse.  It was indeed a one-room schoolhouse and my Daddy, Harold D. Eidson and his sister, Kitty Eidson Miles, were teachers there in the early 1920s after graduating high school.   Frank Grace, long-time Committee Member for New Hope Cemetery,  told me stories of being taught by Daddy at the Dobson Springs school.  One story Frank told happened when he was a first grader.  It seems a thunderstorm blew in with heavy lightning and thunder.  Frank was so frightened that he bolted out the front door  on foot for the safety and comfort of home and Momma.  Daddy went after him on horseback to retrieve him and bring him safely back to school to finish the day.

Finally, here is a link to a poem I wrote about this special place.  New Hope's Gentle Slope

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Harold D. Eidson, Jr
May 6, 2015
eidson@southwestern.edu