Memorial to J. Frank Norris

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A MEMORIAL TO J. FRANK NORRIS

BORN: 1877
PLACE OF BIRTH: Dadesville, Ala.
PARENTS: Warren and Mary Norris
BAYLOR: 1899-1903
MARRIED: Lillian Gaddy (1902)
CHILDREN: J. Frank Jr., George, Lillian, Jim Gaddy
GRADUATED: Southern Baptist Seminary - 1905


J. FRANK NORRIS
* "A MAN AMOUNG MEN"
* CRUSADER
* TRAVELER
* EDITOR
* PASTOR
* PREACHER
* STATESMAN
* JOURNALIST
* EDUCATOR


    The internationally known, colorful, controversial man who made things happen changed the complexion of religious life in America.
    During his pastorate at FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Fort Worth, (1909-1952) the membership grew from 900 in 1911 to over 12,000 as early as 1928, with an average Sunday School attendance of 5,200.

* GOD'S BLESSINGS IN REVIEW *

    Few men carved a place in the religious world as did DR. NORRIS, and the following will give the reader an idea of God's hand upon his life:
      ~ Two years editor of Baptist Standard, official voice of Texas Baptists - 1908-1909.
      ~ Assisted B. H. Carroll in the founding of Southwestern Baptist Theological
              Seminary in Fort Worth.
      ~ Founder of Bible Baptist Seminary of Fort Worth.
      ~ Founder of World Baptist Fellowship, an international organization of independent
              Baptists.
      ~ Pastor: First Baptist Church, Fort Worth - 1909-1952.
      ~ Editor: The Fence Rail - 1917-1921.
      ~ Editor: The Searchlight - 1921-1927.
      ~ Editor: The Fundamentalist - 1927-1952.
      ~ Described by New York newspaper, The World Week, as "the strongest,
              shrewdest, most romantically adventuresome prince of crowd gathers..."
      ~ Conducted revival in First Baptist Church of San Antonio, Texas, in which 600
              people were saved, and which was described by the pastor, I. E. Yates, as
              "a meeting that produced more results than any I've ever seen."
      ~ Conducted revival in First Baptist Church of Houston, Texas, in which a thousand
              souls were saved.
      ~ Described by George Ragland of the First Baptist Church of Lexington, Kentucky,
              as "one of the greatest preachers in America."
      ~ Assisted T. T. Shields and W. B. Riley in the formation of the Baptist Bible Union
              in 1923.
      ~ Circled the globe in world-wide ministry.
      ~ Heard by 40,000 people in open-air revival in Detroit, Michigan.
      ~ Spoke to legislators in Texas, Georgia, and other states.
      ~ Conducted 120 tent meetings in the city of Fort Worth.
      ~ Described by the Evening News, London, England, as "a man who has
              international events at his fingertips."
      ~ Spoke to large crowds in Berlin in 1937.
      ~ Preached to 25,000 people in baseball park in Fort Worth, 1942.
      ~ Conferred with Churchill in 1941.

* NEW FELLOWSHIP AND SCHOOL *

    The INDEPENDENT BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL, and the Bible school that will be born out of it will incorporate the philosophy of J. FRANK NORRIS as we move back to the basics, emphasizing evangelism, soul-winning, and church building.

    This motto will be our motto:

"TEACHING THE WHOLE ENGLISH BIBLE"