The Alabama Church
By Dolph Frantz, Shreveport, Laymen’s President in 1938

Ninety-four years ago a small group of God-loving men and women established the Alabama church, host to the Laymen of the Red River Presbytery at its 29th annual convention Thursday, February 19, 1948. Its first building was on the same location as is the present house of worship. Its wonderful service of God began at a brush-arbor meeting, with the initial inspirational sermon preached by a pioneer minister who had started to some point west from Kentucky, with his wife and two little children, but lost his daughter by death at Old Trenton, and being stranded financially, had turned aside in North Louisiana from his westward trip, in search of a school, near the town of D'Abronne, where he was located in the early part of 1854 by “Uncle” Lauch Smith and J. B. Kendall, leaders in the movement for funding the church.

The inspiration and encouragement growing out of the little meeting in the brush-arbor resulted soon afterward in a gathering of the few scattering Presbyterians in the large territory around about, and the church was organized with deacons and elders elected, and because of the number of members who came to this section from Alabama, it was given the name of that state.

A little later the church building was erected, on land donated by “Uncle” Dougal Calhoun. Different members contributed materials and labor, and with Christian sacrifice and fortitude the Alabama house of worship became a reality. It appears on the initial roll of Red River Presbytery, organized the same year.

Rev. James M. Hall, the preacher, who was ordained by the first Presbytery, himself built the pulpit, and, as related in 1911 by Dr. W. S. Kendall, son of one of the founders, “the Lindsay brothers made the seats, even the long communion table which stretched down the center of the house, with seats on each side for the communicants. The Smiths, Kendalls, Grahams, Owens, Buchanans, McCrummers, Calhouns, McDuffies, Hobdays and others assembled for communion services, not one of these now living.”

“Uncle” Dougal Calhoun, who donated the site, took sick and died before the church was completed, “and is buried just out there, the first one to go to that silent city.”

“Shortly after we built at this place,” Dr. Kendall said in his historical sketch written thirty-seven years ago, “the church, under the able and untiring labor of our pastor, Rev. James M. Hall, grew in number, and I thought and still think wielded a potency for good never excelled by any church around.” Rev. Hall’s pastorate continued until 1860, and he was succeeded by a number of other able, consecrated ministers, whose preaching has contributed greatly to the uninterrupted record of splendid, unselfish service by Alabama church, which has the distinction probably of being the oldest church in northwest Louisiana occupying today the same hallowed site upon which rested its first little house of worship.

“In Red River Presbytery Old Alabama church is one of the original nine churches of the Diamond Jubilee group,” wrote Rev. B. C. Bell, home missionary, in 1930 in his book ‘Presbyterianism,’ prepared for celebration of this Presbytery’s 75th anniversary.

From its beginning with only a handful of consecrated souls, Alabama church has gradually increased in membership and influence with its membership last year numbering 277. Seven ministers have gone out from this church, six of them having been born and reared in this community. In addition it has been a guiding spirit in the establishment of other churches.

The seven ministers produced by Alabama church are: Revs. John W. Davis, D. L. O’Neal, Lannie Parnell, Stanford Parnell, R. D. Littleton, Duncan N. Naylor, (natives of the Alabama community) and W. S. Crowley (native of New York but converted at this church).

The same spirit that prompted its founders to build the original small worshipping place, stirs the hearts and souls of its members today. Improvements built during the past few years include an attractive Sunday School building and the re-fencing and enlargement of the cemetery, resting place of many of God’s chosen people, or, as written by Dr. Kendall, the bodies of many of those who came under the influence of this historical Presbyterian church “are just out there resting from life’s trials, awaiting the resurrection morn, their freed spirits long ago swelled out in glad sweet song, where hearts are truer, love purer and friendships are more satisfactory than earth has ever known --there they are waiting and watching for you and me.” Plans now are under way to erect a new house of worship, with part of the funds already contributed, to take care of the Alabama Church’s increasing activities in the Lord’s service.