First Baptist Church of Celeste. Organized by four charter members, the First Baptist Church of Celeste was begun in 1887, the same year the town was platted by the Santa Fe Railroad. The Rev. Jim Price was called as first pastor. A two-story building erected on South Third Street served both the church and the local Masonic Lodge. The building was destroyed by fire in 1907, and a larger structure was completed in 1910 on the same site. A new sanctuary was built on the corner of Third and Cockrell streets in 1970. This church has been part of Celeste history for over a century. #7787