Rev. Herbert "Smoky" Johnson, his wife Marie and their children in 1936. They pioneered the newly built Bethel Tabernacle church.
Faith Assembly Church, formerly known as Aubrey Assembly of God Church at the corner of North Main Street and Blackjack Road is housed in a beautiful brick-structure church. Inside, the cathedral ceiling, paneled walls, comfortable seats, and plush carpets furnish the setting for meetings which are filled with singing, testimonials, preaching, and worship of God. The church traces its roots back to 1935. This is the way it all began:
The town of Aubrey and nearby communities were struggling through the mid-years of the Great Depression. On Saturday afternoons, large crowds gathered on the streets of Aubrey to see who would win the $25.00 in money and groceries given by Aubrey merchants.
From the nearby city of Tioga, a lanky young preacher by the name of Herbert A. “Smoky” Johnson came to hold street services, preaching the word of God and singing to the accompaniment of an old beat-up guitar. He had a deep, resonant voice, with a gritty sound. Like his voice, Brother Johnson's spirit contained the courage and grit needed to begin one of the most successful Pentecostal churches in the State.
The town of Aubrey and nearby communities were struggling through the mid-years of the Great Depression. On Saturday afternoons, large crowds gathered on the streets of Aubrey to see who would win the $25.00 in money and groceries given by Aubrey merchants.
From the nearby city of Tioga, a lanky young preacher by the name of Herbert A. “Smoky” Johnson came to hold street services, preaching the word of God and singing to the accompaniment of an old beat-up guitar. He had a deep, resonant voice, with a gritty sound. Like his voice, Brother Johnson's spirit contained the courage and grit needed to begin one of the most successful Pentecostal churches in the State.
From revival in a pasture, the church progressed to a frame building.
Brother Johnson held street services for several months. In July, 1936, Reverend Edmonson came from Denton to hold an open-air revival on the old gin lot at the northeast corner of Springhill Road and the railroad. When the meeting closed, the little gathering of people were disappointed that they had no church in which to worship.
One Saturday, as Brother Johnson was holding his street service, J. D. Milton invited him to hold a revival. C. A. Haren had promised them the use of his pasture, and Brother Johnson began to pray earnestly about the matter.
First Mondays of the month were always trade-days at Denton, and county farmers gathered to sell and trade produce and livestock. Brother Johnson held a street service on one such day. Bill Johnson and his son, Monroe, invited the preacher to their home for dinner. By the time he left, they had extracted his promise to return to Aubrey the next day to find a place to hold a revival. This he did, meeting with C. Carter, Charley Allen and his sons Jack and Garnett, and J. D. Milton. They looked at Haren's pasture but decided that it was not suitable.
The Allen boys had obtained permission from L. D. Harmon to use his leased pasture. The early-day committee located L. D. in the field plowing his peanuts. He affirmed his original offer to allow them to use the land, but since he didn't want his fence wire to “slack”, he asked that they not cut the fence. They could park in the road and crawl through the fence. This was an obstacle that they had not foreseen.
As they looked at that fence, they could not envision people crawling through it, over it, or under it to sit on hard benches. As they looked at the seemingly hopeless situation again, they noticed that the fence wire had grown into a thorn tree, with just enough room between the thorn tree and the corner post for a gate!
One Saturday, as Brother Johnson was holding his street service, J. D. Milton invited him to hold a revival. C. A. Haren had promised them the use of his pasture, and Brother Johnson began to pray earnestly about the matter.
First Mondays of the month were always trade-days at Denton, and county farmers gathered to sell and trade produce and livestock. Brother Johnson held a street service on one such day. Bill Johnson and his son, Monroe, invited the preacher to their home for dinner. By the time he left, they had extracted his promise to return to Aubrey the next day to find a place to hold a revival. This he did, meeting with C. Carter, Charley Allen and his sons Jack and Garnett, and J. D. Milton. They looked at Haren's pasture but decided that it was not suitable.
The Allen boys had obtained permission from L. D. Harmon to use his leased pasture. The early-day committee located L. D. in the field plowing his peanuts. He affirmed his original offer to allow them to use the land, but since he didn't want his fence wire to “slack”, he asked that they not cut the fence. They could park in the road and crawl through the fence. This was an obstacle that they had not foreseen.
As they looked at that fence, they could not envision people crawling through it, over it, or under it to sit on hard benches. As they looked at the seemingly hopeless situation again, they noticed that the fence wire had grown into a thorn tree, with just enough room between the thorn tree and the corner post for a gate!
A miracle had happened! With the promise that they would see that it would be closed every night so the stock would not get out, they built a gate, and the revival had begun in their hearts. This ground must have been
hallowed by the sincerity and desire of these early day saints, for it was on this spot that the present day church is built.
Although the groundwork had been laid, much hard labor transpired before the actual revival could begin. They first plowed a ditch around the site and burned the grass. From the County Barn, they borrowed 2 X 12's for a platform and benches. They put up a wagon sheet on the back of the platform for a sounding board. It also served as a windbreaker. They put up poles and hung lanterns on them as a source of light. The Allen boys furnished a barrel of fresh well water every night.
The first meeting was held on a Saturday night, and great crowds of people came. They came in wagons; they came in cars; they came in pickups and in flatbed trucks. Many of them walked. Neighbors would join neighbors until they swelled the dusty, sandy roads leading to the revival. Children hung their feet over the sides of wagons and trucks, and grandmothers were transported in their rocking chairs to enjoy the meeting in comfort. Many people were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, as Brother Johnson preached hope and love and the soon-returning of Christ.
Each night, the crowds grew larger, prompting one of the members to ask, “Brother Johnson, what are you going to do with all these people who are getting saved?”
The idea of building a church had already occurred to Brother Johnson, but he had promised to hold a revival in Slaton, Texas, and it had already been delayed two weeks because of the Aubrey meetings. A church member, Mr. Lillard said that he would give the first $25.00 toward building a church. While they were debating the issue, another man came forward and said, “Brother Johnson, you must build a church on this ground!” The meeting closed with people begging for it to continue. But the people in Slaton were waiting for their revival, and Brother Johnson left, promising to return in two weeks to build a church.
The land that L. D. Harmon had allowed them to use was owned by Dr. Charles Saunders, who was approached by Jim Harmon to lease the one acre for a church. Dr. Saunders agreed to lease it for up to 99 years at $1.00 per year and let the church keep the dollar. If the church should disband, the land would revert to the Saunders’ estate.
hallowed by the sincerity and desire of these early day saints, for it was on this spot that the present day church is built.
Although the groundwork had been laid, much hard labor transpired before the actual revival could begin. They first plowed a ditch around the site and burned the grass. From the County Barn, they borrowed 2 X 12's for a platform and benches. They put up a wagon sheet on the back of the platform for a sounding board. It also served as a windbreaker. They put up poles and hung lanterns on them as a source of light. The Allen boys furnished a barrel of fresh well water every night.
The first meeting was held on a Saturday night, and great crowds of people came. They came in wagons; they came in cars; they came in pickups and in flatbed trucks. Many of them walked. Neighbors would join neighbors until they swelled the dusty, sandy roads leading to the revival. Children hung their feet over the sides of wagons and trucks, and grandmothers were transported in their rocking chairs to enjoy the meeting in comfort. Many people were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, as Brother Johnson preached hope and love and the soon-returning of Christ.
Each night, the crowds grew larger, prompting one of the members to ask, “Brother Johnson, what are you going to do with all these people who are getting saved?”
The idea of building a church had already occurred to Brother Johnson, but he had promised to hold a revival in Slaton, Texas, and it had already been delayed two weeks because of the Aubrey meetings. A church member, Mr. Lillard said that he would give the first $25.00 toward building a church. While they were debating the issue, another man came forward and said, “Brother Johnson, you must build a church on this ground!” The meeting closed with people begging for it to continue. But the people in Slaton were waiting for their revival, and Brother Johnson left, promising to return in two weeks to build a church.
The land that L. D. Harmon had allowed them to use was owned by Dr. Charles Saunders, who was approached by Jim Harmon to lease the one acre for a church. Dr. Saunders agreed to lease it for up to 99 years at $1.00 per year and let the church keep the dollar. If the church should disband, the land would revert to the Saunders’ estate.
First parsonage in the background
When the lawyer who drew up the legal papers asked Brother Johnson the length of the lease, he said, “twenty years,” for he was convinced that Jesus would return long before that. Such was the faith of the man on whom the foundation of the church depended. Not only was the faith of the new pastor strong, but his followers were also determined to match his belief.
In retelling the story of his return from Slaton, Brother Johnson said, “I shall never forget the scene when I arrived from Tioga that morning. Five wagons and 35 men and boys were gathering rocks for the foundation. The fence was moved around the acre. People had donated money and they had bought the lumber. With a lot of volunteer labor, the new church was built.
While the church was being constructed, the congregation held services in the house of “Little Man” Matheson, on the southwest corner of Main Street and Blackjack Road. From there, they could look across the street and watch the church being built. They watched the rafters go up; then the lathes. The crowds were so large that the people could not get around the house, so when the roof was put on the following week, they moved into the shell of the building and regular services were announced.
Although the church was officially titled “The Bethel Tabernacle,” people affectionately called it the “Mule Barn.” It had a front door as wide as a barn door and four half windows on the south side. They had one Coleman lantern for a light and old boxing planks for seats. Soon, they built a platform, and T. Sauls came in one night with a handcrafted pulpit. They built a long altar on the dirt floor, and here they bowed their knees and lifted their hearts to God.
By now, they had enough money to buy more lumber, which they put first under the altar, then made some slat seats and finished the rest of the floor. God was blessing the movement both spiritually and financially, although the times were extremely hard. Soon, they were able to put in a ceiling and seal the walls. Winter was coming on, and somehow, they had to provide heat. John Mohon solved that problem; he made a stove from an old oil drum.
The people loved their church, and they loved their pastor and his family. Sister Marie Johnson was always there, supporting her husband in his work for the church and community. As the church increased, so did the Johnson family until there was Opal, Donald Roy, Edith, Valda, Clara, Rose, Patsy, Kay, and Clyde.
Later, when Brother Johnson preached a revival in East Texas, the members had put in half windows all around the church as a surprise to him. These windows proved to be dual in nature, for most of the time, it was visitors on the outside who were looking in. People on the inside were too busy to look out. They were looking up, singing, shouting, dancing, and worshipping God. Brother Johnson remained with the church for seven years. He was followed by a series of fifteen pastors, each one contributing to the growth and edification of the church. One pastor, Reverend Raymond Hudson, was instrumental in changing the church from a free Pentecostal movement into the structure of the Assemblies of God. The necessary business meeting was held on December 31, 1945, presided over by Brother A. C. Bates, Assistant Superintendent of the District. Brother Bates delivered a message on organization, then opened a Roster Roll for the church.
It has been more than 80 years since the beginning of this church. It has gone through many additions to that original building, finally culminating in the building of the present church. As you walk into the beautiful church building, you can immediately feel the serenity of God's presence. The people are hungry for the true gospel and the Holy Spirit's presence is amazing. Truly God has blessed our church!
In retelling the story of his return from Slaton, Brother Johnson said, “I shall never forget the scene when I arrived from Tioga that morning. Five wagons and 35 men and boys were gathering rocks for the foundation. The fence was moved around the acre. People had donated money and they had bought the lumber. With a lot of volunteer labor, the new church was built.
While the church was being constructed, the congregation held services in the house of “Little Man” Matheson, on the southwest corner of Main Street and Blackjack Road. From there, they could look across the street and watch the church being built. They watched the rafters go up; then the lathes. The crowds were so large that the people could not get around the house, so when the roof was put on the following week, they moved into the shell of the building and regular services were announced.
Although the church was officially titled “The Bethel Tabernacle,” people affectionately called it the “Mule Barn.” It had a front door as wide as a barn door and four half windows on the south side. They had one Coleman lantern for a light and old boxing planks for seats. Soon, they built a platform, and T. Sauls came in one night with a handcrafted pulpit. They built a long altar on the dirt floor, and here they bowed their knees and lifted their hearts to God.
By now, they had enough money to buy more lumber, which they put first under the altar, then made some slat seats and finished the rest of the floor. God was blessing the movement both spiritually and financially, although the times were extremely hard. Soon, they were able to put in a ceiling and seal the walls. Winter was coming on, and somehow, they had to provide heat. John Mohon solved that problem; he made a stove from an old oil drum.
The people loved their church, and they loved their pastor and his family. Sister Marie Johnson was always there, supporting her husband in his work for the church and community. As the church increased, so did the Johnson family until there was Opal, Donald Roy, Edith, Valda, Clara, Rose, Patsy, Kay, and Clyde.
Later, when Brother Johnson preached a revival in East Texas, the members had put in half windows all around the church as a surprise to him. These windows proved to be dual in nature, for most of the time, it was visitors on the outside who were looking in. People on the inside were too busy to look out. They were looking up, singing, shouting, dancing, and worshipping God. Brother Johnson remained with the church for seven years. He was followed by a series of fifteen pastors, each one contributing to the growth and edification of the church. One pastor, Reverend Raymond Hudson, was instrumental in changing the church from a free Pentecostal movement into the structure of the Assemblies of God. The necessary business meeting was held on December 31, 1945, presided over by Brother A. C. Bates, Assistant Superintendent of the District. Brother Bates delivered a message on organization, then opened a Roster Roll for the church.
It has been more than 80 years since the beginning of this church. It has gone through many additions to that original building, finally culminating in the building of the present church. As you walk into the beautiful church building, you can immediately feel the serenity of God's presence. The people are hungry for the true gospel and the Holy Spirit's presence is amazing. Truly God has blessed our church!