Carmel Baptist Church, in eastern Texas near the town of Lindale, is one of the oldest Baptist churches in the young state. Founded in 1853, the church began in a vacant house on Duck Creek with six charter members. During the remainder of the decade the church grew in numbers as more people moved into the area. Membership consisted of whites and black slaves.
Following emancipation, many black members left the church and formed their own autonomous congregation, the Duck Creek Missionary Baptist Church. Last month the membership of the Carmel congregation stood at 91, all but 26 being white members.
Today in the nearby Carroll Community another post-war church is formed, a white congregation initially consisting of Baptists granted letters of dismission from other Baptist congregations in the area. Presumably, the newly-formed Dover Baptist Church is located closer to the homes of many of its founding members.
Source: “100th Anniversary Association, Smith Baptist Association” (link)
