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FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE OR OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST MINISTERS BY DAVID MONTGOMERY AND MARK GREEN:
ELDER DURWOOD B. STOKES, JR.
I was born November 6, 1926, in Ayden, North Carolina. The only sonof Durwood B. Stokes, Sr. and Lucy Mae Wilson Stokes, I was named Durwood B. Stokes, Jr.
June 1946, I married Jo Ella Sawyer, my childhood sweetheart. Godhas blessed us with a son, John McRae Stokes.
I attended my first Primitive Baptist service in January 1956, at the South West Primitive Baptist Church in Onslow County. It was at this church that I was blessed to hear and understand the doctrine of Sovereign Grace.
After that experience, I was eager to attend. We attended meetings somewhere every Sunday, often a hundred miles from home. In June 1956, we attended Hancock's Church, the church Jo was raised in. I went before the church, begging for a home. I was baptized that day by the pastor, Elder A. P. Mewborn.
In March 1957, Elder Mewborn announced that the church had seen a gift in one of its members. I was called before the church and asked to speak what was on my mind. I was sure I would be struck dead before I could get to the front. I had to be helped to the front by my wife's father, Deacon Joe M. Sawyer. God blessed me with a few words from the book of Genesis.
I was ordained to the full work of the ministry in November 1957 by Elders A.P. Mewborn, A.B. Ayers and George Trevathan. The following week I received a call from the deacon of Tarboro Church. He informed me that the church had gone into conference and unanimously agreed to call me as pastor. I served the Tarboro Church for 29 years. My home church, New Bay, was without a pastor and they called me to return home to serve them in 1986.
In June 1958, I was called to serve the Falls of Tar River Church in Rocky Mount. Creech's Church, Johnston County, N.C. issued me a call to serve in June, 1960. Aycock's Church, Wayne County, N.C., called me as pastor in September 1960. I served Aycock's Church until 1999, when my home church added an additional monthly meeting and again I was called me home.
Rock Springs Church in Pennsylvania called me to serve the church in 1986. We were asked to reconstitute the church at Black Rock in Butler, Maryland, in 1988. The Black Rock Church requested that I serve as their pastor. After the ordination of Brother Barney Brammer, they called him as co-pastor.
Currently I serve Falls of Tar River, Rocky Mount on second Sundays. Visiting elders are with this church on fourth Sundays. I serve New Bay Church, Jacksonville, N.C. every first and third Sundays and Creech's Church near Kenly, N.C. every fourth Sunday.
I have for several years served Bethlehem Baptist Church in Duplin County, N.C. on the first, third and fourth Sunday nights of each month.
Over the years, I have been blessed to travel and preach in nine states and Canada. I have traveled over a million miles and have walked into the water with several hundred people who desired membership in our churches. It has been a privilege to travel and preach of God's love and mercy to sinners like myself. |
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