It could be said that Frances Hamilton lives in the past. As executive director of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission her daily life revolves around collecting and preserving records of what happened yesterday in the lives of churches, associations and entities of the Alabama Baptist State Convention.
But though her daily work focuses on the past, she takes note of such happenings among Alabama Baptists with a watchful eye toward the future. “I think it’s important because what we are today is because of what has gone before us.”
Knowing one’s history enlightens, Hamilton said, and gives aid in making intelligent decisions for direction. “It’s not just a matter of learning facts about our past, but through those facts we can gain understanding.”
Hamilton is celebrating her 10th anniversary as executive director of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission. As such, she is something of a historical figure herself because Hamilton serves as the only female executive director of an Alabama Baptist entity.
She took on the role as interim executive director in 1993 after teaching history for 10 years at Samford University and was named executive director in 1994.
A history and French major, Hamilton graduated from Judson College, leaning on a trait that has served her well in her position.
Knowing what happened
“I’m curious,” she explained. “I just like to know what happened.” She wrote the history of her church, First Baptist, Trussville, and co-authored with Elizabeth Wells the history of Judson College.
Curiosity is something she apparently instilled in her son, Charles T. Hamilton, an Air Force major who studied history at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well. A widow, Hamilton has two grandsons.
The work of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission encourages curiosity in others, too. The commission fosters interest in Alabama Baptist history by sponsoring writing awards for college undergraduates and high school students.
It also offers research grants of up to $500 to churches working to preserve their history making use of a special historical collection at Samford University.
The commission, funded through Cooperative Program gifts, also works with churches across the state, encouraging them to write their histories.
Offering conferences and workshops, the commission provides direct guidance to church history committees. The office also offers microfilming as a free service to Alabama Baptist churches through the Samford library, including picking up and returning materials if necessary.
Colleague Lonette Berg, who serves as special assistant to Hamilton in the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission office, said Hamilton’s extensive knowledge of Alabama Baptist history makes her an expert. “She is so smart on Alabama Baptist history.”
Instilling a sense of history in young churchmen is an important part of their work, according to Berg. “We try to catch them young.” Age is a factor because of long-term effects of “working for the Kingdom,” Berg said.
“If they are [taught] early how significant Alabama Baptists have been in Alabama and working for the kingdom of God, as they grow up it’s a part of them, and it gives them a foundation on which they can build their spiritual lives.”
Hamilton defined the work of the commission as preserving the story of Alabama Baptist life.
She said she can tell by the questions she is asked, that students of history take interest in specific historic figures of Alabama church life to draw personal inspiration from them. Those who take a hard look at a life may find strategies they can utilize now.
History’s ability to be relevant can yield valuable help in context of contemporary society.
For example, the same time Alabama Baptists were confronted with the question of a lottery, Hamilton discovered through research that Liberty Association had already confronted the issue in the mid 1800s.
“I think the past doesn’t repeat itself, but we have to deal with the same kinds of problems from one time to another,” she said.
She identified missions as a strong thread of history that ties Alabama Baptists together. “I don’t know necessarily that this would surprise anyone, but it seems important to me the unity of spirit and action in regard to missions. Churches part of the Alabama Baptist State Convention have been dedicated to missions at every level … taking the gospel outside and bringing people inside.”
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