First Presbyterian Church (Fort Smith, Ark.)

The First Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith was established in 1846. During the period 1925-1944, it was in the Presbytery of Washburn, the Synod of Arkansas. From 1925 through June 1932, Rev. Frank Pearson Anderson was Pastor. He established a youth group and youth choir. In 1928 the group Men of the Church was organized. From September 1932 through 1951 the Rev. J. W. Hickman, a graduate of Austin College, was Pastor. During his tenure, he reinstated midweek services and vespers services and organized Union services with the Methodist Church. In 1933 a city-wide interdenominational home visitation and religious survey was accomplished. Hickman is noted for bringing in guest speakers such as Dr. Henry Sweets and Gypsy Smith, Jr. In 1939 a major remodeling of the Church building was done. From 1925 to 1934 the church membership grew from 597 to 787.

The Women’s Auxiliary began as We Girls in 1868, and subsequently was known as King’s Daughters. This latter group merged with the Ladies Aid and Missionary Society in 1918 to form the Women’s auxiliary which, after 1949, was known as the Women of the Church. The aim of the Women’s Auxiliary was to “promote spiritual, social and financial welfare of the church; and to increase intelligent interest in world-wide missions.” A major activity of the group was the publishing and reprinting of a popular cookbook.