Montana Memories

"A meeting was called at the C.W. Bruce home for the purpose of considering the matter of extending a call to Mr. McInnes to be pastor of the Baptist Church. Rev. Millan presided. A unanimous vote was cast to extend a call to Mr. McInnes for an indefinate period of time,....It was also decided that since a definite salary could not be guaranteed, that all church offerings above running expenses of the church should be paid to the pastor, together with donations of foodstuffs which would be as liberal as possible." [from the minutes of the Baptist Church in Valier, Montana; June 22, 1934]

"The pastor tendered his resignation at a called meeting following the morning service. He has accepted a call to the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Havre, Montana. The resignation is to take effect Dec. 1, 1936." [minutes of the Baptist Church in Valier, Montana; Nov 15, 1936]

The following information was obtained from Lucy Skemp: Mr. and Mrs. McInnes were a very active young couple. They built up the youth group at the Baptist Church, organized a choir, had numerous parties, and an active Sunday evening Baptist Youth Fellowship.
In 1936, I started to college, and worked for my room and board at the McInnes home. Mr McInnes was pastoring the First Baptist Church in Havre, Montana then. It was a good place to work. Mrs. McInnes did the cooking, laundry, etc. My main job was to take care of the girls when the parents were out, which was almost every evening. Mrs. McInnes liked to go everywhere her husband did--calling, etc., plus the couple of weekly meetings at the church. They also cleaned the church one evening weekly.
After I left their home for summer vacation (in 1937), Mr McInnes lost his position in Havre. Everybody liked him and the family, but it became known that he had not been to seminary, but was a graduate of Moody Bible Insitute. He was a good speaker and very knowledgeable as to the Bible, but there was the technicality. Why it came to light at the late date I don't know. I'm sure he had a resume when he was called to the church.
They moved back to Valier and Mr. McInnes worked in the Mercantile Store there.

Beulah Francis (Guiley) McInnes

1906, Jun 3 - born
1925, Aug 23 - married Rev. Hugh Melvin McInnes
1930, Jul 6 - Marian LaNette born
1932, Apr 7 - Virginia Mae born
1938, Jul 27 - Margaret Ann born
1946, Feb 14 - Roberta Jean born
1967, Feb 9 - died suddenly from a heart attack, buried in Ormas, Indiana.

Rev. Hugh Melvin McInnes

1902, Oct 25 - born in Massillion, Ohio.
1925, Aug 23 - married Beulah Francis Guiley.
1930, Jul 6 - Marian LaNette born
1932, Apr 7 - Virginia Mae born
1934, Graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Became pastor of the Baptist Church in Valier, Montana.
1936, called to pastor First Baptist Church in Havre, Montana, left after a few months.
1937-1939, worked in the Rieder Mercantile Store in Valier, Montana.
1938, Jul 27 - Margaret Ann born
1939, spent summer with family in Canton, Ohio. in the fall attended Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.
1940, attended Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana in the fall.
1940, Nov 3 - became joint Pastor of Burr Oak Baptist Church in Albion, Indiana and Wolf Lake Baptist Church in Wolf Lake, Indiana
1942, May 24 - Ordained at Wolf Lake Church
1944, Nov 8 - accepted pastorate at Calvary Bible Church in Dowagiac, Michigan.
1946, Feb 14 - Roberta Jean born
1946, Dec 3 - accepted position with Rural Bible Crusade in Missouri.
1947, Jan 24 - moved to California, Missouri.
1957, Oct - Pastor of Ormas Baptist Church until 1965
1978, Dec 10 - died in Jeffersonville, Indiana and buried in Ormas, Indiana.

Field Worker Added To Staff

the following article appeared in the Rural Bible Crusade of Missouri newsletter, Nov.-Dec.-Jan., 1946-1947, Vol. 2, No. 1.

Rev. Hugh M. McInnes comes to us as a Field Worker, through the efforts of Rev. Floyd Hitchcock, who broadcasts the Faith of Our Fathers Program over Radio Station KWTO in Springfield , Mo. Rev. McInnes will work chiefly in the Springfield area in order to help Rev. Hitchcock with his radio program and preaching services in the rural communities.

He will visit the rural schools in that section to enroll them in the R.B.C. Memory Contest and explain the program and purpose of this Contest.

Rev. Hugh M. McInnes was born in Massillion, Ohio. In 1925 he married Beulah Guiley, the sister of our director.

After spending nine years in the banking business he and Mrs. McInnes felt led by the Lord to train for full time service.

In 1934 after both had graduated from the Moody Bible Institute they left for Montana where they served in Home Missions Churches for about five years. Mr McInnes served pastorates in Indiana and also in Michigan. His interest has chiefly been in Rural areas.

In December of 1946 he accepted the call to become a Field Worker of the Rural Bible Crusade of Missouri. He will begin his work with the Crusade on February 1, 1947.

Correspondence may be addressed to Rev. Hugh M. McInnes, c/o R.B.C. of Mo. Box 306, California, Mo.

Ozark Missionaries

My parents Beulah Frances (Guiley) McInnes and Hugh Melvin McInnes as told by their youngest daughter.

Some of my earliest memories of my parents were from the time I was about two on. I remember our house in Ozark, MO, the outhouse, the fruit cellar, the swing in the tree, the shed out back that was my parents office, the field where we had a cow that ate the nails out of the chicken house in the same field and finally died, the chickens we raised, the garden and flowers in the yard. My father was the director of Rural Bible Crusade in that part of Missouri in those days, that would have been 1947 to around 1952. Our house was a square concrete house that was musty and cold a lot. We had a big concrete front porch that went all the way across the front of the house. It did not have a railing around it. We often had missionaries or pastors visit us for a meal. Once a missionary family with a daughter about my age came to visit. I do remember she pushed me off that porch on my tricycle. It was many years later when I met that missionary man again. I had to apologize for disliking his daughter all that time. With the Rural Bible Crusade my parents would go to country schools during the week. They were allowed to take school time to tell Bible stories, teach Bible verses and sing songs. The kids were encouraged to learn Bible verses. The teachers were allowed to listen to them and check through out the week if the kids knew the verses. If a student learned 500 verses during the school year they could go to camp in the summer free. Of course others could go by paying for the week. I do remember those summers at the camp. It was at one of those camp meetings that I received Christ as my Savior. I could remember a place called Elephant Rocks also. I remember pictures of mom teaching a group of young people a Bible Story while sitting on these rocks. This past summer as we traveled back roads through Missouri we came across a state park called Elephant Rocks. We turned around, went back and walked the mile trail around and over them. Other than the trees being taller they were as I remembered. In talking with my sister we both remembered that they were on the way to the Rural Bible Crusade camp. So they must have been a stopping place on the way to camp way back then.

Another thing I remember about our house at Ozark was dad's blue velvet chair. Now the velvet was rather stiff and sparse. I remember coming home late at night and when dad would turn on the light we would see tracks in the velvet where slugs had crawled across the chair. I guess the dampness in the house attracted them. Although I know my parents were always busy and I guess I would say now that they did not have much money, I did not know that at the time. My life was fun, playing and having the run of the place. I had three big sisters who watched out for me, played with me and helped take care of me. It was my job each morning to go out to the chicken coop to open the little door for the chickens to come out. So I would bravely walk out there, open the fence gate and leave it open. Then I would walk and pull the little door on the coop up so the chickens could come out. Since I knew what happened, they would all come out in a hurry and swarm around my legs, I would run as fast as I could for the open fence gate before the chickens got me. I could do all that with out a lot of fear because I knew my mom was standing at the kitchen window watching me.

We had friends that lived in a nearby town whose father pastored the church there. We would be at their house often for meals and parties. We had grandparents visit and stay awhile with us. I remember a time of friendliness and socializing. When visitors came we would take a day to show them the sights of Old Matt's cabin, The Shepherd of the Hills country, the dam at Bull Shoals (all part of Branson now). I remember when my oldest sister got married and the reception was at our house. Mom put Marian's wedding presents all over the house so people could come in and see them. They were on the tables, couch, bed, etc.

I remember my parents receiving a gift of money and with it they bought a record player. Other than a radio that was our entertainment.

My father would go to small country churches to speak. One I remember was in Tanneyville, MO. They would often have "dinner on the grounds" after the morning service. They would set up sawhorses and lay boards on top for the tables outside in the yard. All the church people would bring food to share. I once ate so much chocolate cake that I couldn't eat chocolate cake for quite awhile. We would visit and stay at a lady's house near there too. Her name was Dilly. She had a small house but made us feel welcome and at home. I would play in her yard and was fascinated with her well. It had a bucket on a long rope and pulley with a crank that you would let the buck down in the well, fill it with water and crank it back up again. Once when I was playing in her yard I was stung by a yellow jacket. Her house had lots of doilies and pillows but we sure felt at home there. The house was made of creek rock as many of the houses were around there. One family we would visit lived across a creek. There was not a bridge to get to their house, you just drove down and through the creek. If the water was high they didn't come to church. I remember dad saying that the man from that house had a saying when he left church, "See you if the creek don't rise."