There were two Presbyterian churches in Stephenville in the early days. On June 14, 1860 the congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterians in Stephenville adopted the following resolution:

“We, the undersigned being members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and being destitute of the privileges of the Church and being desirous of advancing the cause of the Redeemer’s Kingdom and to enjoy the stated means of grace of the Church and having adopted the Confession of Faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and being willing to support the Gospel, The Rev. J. W. Smith and the Rev. Josiah Phillips, agree to organize as the Cumberland Presbyterian Church to be known by the name of “New Prospect.“

The church was organized by the Cumberland Little River Presbytery with the Rev. Phillips as Pastor. The Civil War seems to have slowed the work of the church for a period of time. The first church records after the war were dated July 11, 1871 and showed a good increase in membership. It seems that they had no regular place of worship until April 18, 1892, when they purchased the east half of Block 108 in Stephenville. A sanctuary was built shortly thereafter and, for a time, was shared with a second group of Presbyterians until a second church building was built in 1899. When the two churches united in 1906, the Cumberland Presbyterian sanctuary was sold to the Washington Street Baptists in November, 1912.

The second group of Presbyterians organized when Rev. W.H. Niles, of the Presbyterian Church, USA, arrived in Stephenville. The community was still a frontier settlement of shed business houses around a frame courthouse. He preached whenever and wherever he could gather enough ears around him. Frequently he held services in the county courthouse. By 1875, however, he had convinced his flock of the need for a church home. His followers, although few in number, managed to raise $80 for the purchase from J.M. Stephen of an entire city block, and before many years, McDuffie Reil, W.J. Wilson and Lee Young, as trustees, took possession of the property.

In 1889, a second Presbyterian church was incorporated, and the first regular pastor, Rev. John William Everds, arrived. A legend concerning the church is that this minister, aware his members were serious about building, took a leave of absence soon after his arrival to return to his home in Michigan. There he raised enough funds to begin construction of the Stephenville church.

Legend also says that while he was visiting among his old German acquaintances, he persuaded them to give more than seed money for the building: He returned to his forty-member congregation in Texas with a sparkling silver sacrament set. There may be more than legend to the story; for copies of the Erath Appeal newspaper for August-September 1899 show that the minister was out of the city, his pulpit remaining vacant.

Rev. Everds had been back in town briefly when he announced plans for ceremonies to lay the cornerstone. Public invitations went to “the city of Stephenville… with her pastors and congregations.” At 3 PM Sunday, December 10, 1899, the Rev. Everds gave the invocation, directed the placing of the cornerstone and delivered an address entitled “The Chief Cornerstone.” He invited pastors from other congregations to say a few words. The choir sang “O Come, Let Us Sing” and “Praise Ye the Lord” with the entire congregation joining in to sing “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”

When the building neared completion, a local editor wrote: “That it will be one of the most beautiful edifices in the city is not doubted.” The Erath Appeal spoke of this church with more pride because it was designed by W. J. Wilson, who superintended the work. The new church (now the Chapel on the Bosque) was built entirely from his plan and according to his ideas and therefore whatever beauty it possesses is entirely attributable to him. In preparing a release for the press, the Rev. Everds wrote: “We are glad to announce to the people of Stephenville that our house of worship is ready and that regular services will be held there each Sabbath without interruption.”

Opening services were held at 11 AM Sunday, May 10, 1900 with a sermon on “The Grandeur of the House of the Lord,” based on Isaiah 66: 1-2, which reads: “Thus saith the Lord, Heaven is my throne and the earth my footstool: where is the house that ye built unto me, and where is the place of my rest?”

Early in the 1900’s, local newspapers began carrying an advertisement offering the north half of the block of church property for sale – the money to be raised and applied to the church building debt. Interested persons were invited to inquire of W.J. Wilson or McDuffie Reil. Mr. Bruce Cage bought the property in February of 1901. His wife, Pearl Cage, began making plans for a house that for years would serve as the social center for the community. Presbyterian members began clearing the western half of their property to accommodate a “modern residential space,” erected by Wilson, Smith and Pemberton.

The Rev. Mr. Everds, a jovial German, soon was called to another field of labor, and in tribute the Erath Appeal wrote: “The Rev. John William Everds deserves the greatest praise for the work he has done for the First Presbyterian Church and for the city of Stephenville. Since he has been pastor here, a beautiful church has been erected and now stands free of all debt – an honor to the town and community.”

After occupying their new building in 1900, the next big event in the life of Stephenville Presbyterian (USA) church was the vote in 1906 on reunion with the Cumberland Church and the Presbyterian Church U.S. (Southern) church. The Presbyterian Church U.S. (Southern) remained outside the union. (Reunion was not established between all major branches of our church until 1983.) Shortly after 1906 reunion, the Cumberland Church building was sold to the Washington Street Baptists, where it has been remodeled and is still in use. The bell was removed from the Cumberland Church bell tower and taken to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) building where it remained until the building was sold to the First Baptist Church. At that juncture, it was once again moved, this time to our Harbin Street sanctuary.

The cornerstone face in the narthex of our present church was cut from the cornerstone of the old building. A packet of memorabilia was placed behind the stone in front of the bell tower of our new building. Mr. O. V. (Bill) King was the contractor, who did a great deal of the preliminary design work and superintended the construction of our new building.

After the departure of Mr. Everds from Stephenville, there was a steady progression of ministers who served our church. Their names and dates are on the following pages titled Roll of Pastors and Associated Pastors.

Dr. Garland Shell was the pastor of the church in 1963 and membership stood at about one hundred. There was talk of the need for a new and more modern building and vicarage. Support for this idea grew. By 1965, Dr. Shell had decided to retire. After his departure, our Pulpit Committee found and recommended the Rev. Martin Hager. Mr. Hager, after recognizing the call being sent his way, gratefully accepted.

Mr. Hager was installed as our pastor on Sunday September 5, 1965. In the meantime the "sell-the-old-building-and-build-a-new-one" idea was still brewing. The Baptists had made a good offer for our old property and a congregational meeting was called in the late summer of 1965 to consider the idea and to request Presbytery’s permission to sell; if approved by our congregation. Land was purchased from the city on North Harbin Drive for our new church.

Construction of the new church began in the spring of 1966 and was completed by the fall. A dedication service was held at 4:30 PM on Sunday October 30, 1966. The rest of the history of the church is still being written.