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Gerald Hand

FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE OR OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST MINISTERS BY DAVID MONTGOMERY AND MARK GREEN:

ELDER GERALD HAND


I was instrumental in the constitution of three Primitive Baptist Churches in the Pecos Valley area of New Mexico, serving as pastor of each during their active years. The Primitive Baptist Church of Carlsbad, New Mexico, was founded the fourth Sunday in January 1947. Elders present were J.B. Hardy and Marvin Smith, and deacons from the Churches of Lamesa, Texas, and Perryton, Texas. Members were lettered in from Churches located in Arkansas, California, and Texas.

I was ordained to preach the fourth Sunday of May 1947 by a presbytery consisting of these same two elders and generally the same deacons. The Primitive Baptist Church of Roswell, New Mexico, was established July 3, 1949. Elders present were Jimmie Bass, J.P. Jackson, and myself. Members were lettered in from Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico. The Primitive Baptist Church of Artesia, New Mexico, was established June 8, 1957. Elders present were Ben Howze, George E. Griffin, Dennis Taylor, and myself. Members lettered in from other Churches located in New Mexico.

I joined the Bethlehem Church of Sacramento and San Francisco, California in January 1944, during World War II. I was baptized by Elder Tom Elliot and made my first effort to speak in the Church there.

My wife, Adell (Bryant) Hand, joined Littlevine Church of Berkley, California, in 1945 and was baptized by Elder D.A. Lane. I lettered in to that Church at that time. We eventually lettered in to the Church at Carlsbad, New Mexico, whenthat Church was constituted in 1947, after the war ended. We moved our membership with our three oldest daughters (Marion, Donna, and Carol) who were baptized into the Church at Artesia when it was constituted. Eventually our four remaining children (David, Janet, Larry, and Lori) were baptized and joined the Artesia Church.

I have served as the pastor of the Artesia Church since it was constituted. As of this writing, that Church has not met regularly in recent years. I am presently serving as Pastor-Moderator emeritus. I am currently 86 years old, and I preach when asked to do so while visiting various Churches.

As to my life generally, I was born March 4, 1914, in Cleburn County, Alabama. My parents were Edward Corbin Hand and Exer Anna (Sheppard) Hand. My paternal grandparents were Edward Soloman Hand (a deacon) and Eliza(Babb) Hand, both of the Primitive Baptist faith. My maternal grandparents were Elder Jerry Sheppard and Sally (Usury) Sheppard, both of the Primitive Baptist faith.

At age 14 our family lived one year in Georgia, near Fitzgerald, where we attended Church under the preaching of Elder McDonald and Elder Taylor Sheppard. We lived on a farm adjacent to Mr. Tom Denson, a long-time SacredHarp singer, teacher, and song writer. We attended a Sacred Harp singing convention at Fitzgerald. At age 15 we moved to the western part of Texas. Here we heard Elder Hester and Elder Owens preach at Lamesa, Elder L.J. McCarty preach at Tahoka, and Elder H.G. Richards and others at Brownfield. We attended the West Texas Association at Brownfield in 1933.

In 1938 we moved to Logan County, Arkansas, for which I am very thankful because it was here that I met my future wife, Adell Bryant. She and I were joined in marriage on July 17, 1938, with our first two children born here. Wemoved to Richmond, California, in 1943 to help with the war effort. I worked in the ship yards there. Adell and I moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico at the end of the war in September 1945. We stayed in New Mexico, and I lost my dear wife and long time companion in death on May 29, 1993.

The two most influential people in my life in terms of character and religious convictions were my mother, Exer Hand, and my wife’s mother, Mattie Lou Bryant. Both had a very strong faith in God and were devout to both God and

family.


larry heldman  

Elder James Compton (1905 - 2007)
Elder James Compton was the original founder of the 'Gospel of Grace Tape Supply.' His collection of tapes began as he traveled to Church meetings and Associations recording sermons on Reel to Reel. He has maintained this library of sermons faithfully over the years and are now the foundation of PB Sermons. org. This web site is dedicated to Elder James Compton (1905 - 2007)