Martha Bird McDonald

Martha was raised in Malakoff with her siblings. She attended high school there and graduated valedictorian of her class. Her father worked in the mining industry there and later became the town’s blacksmith; as a Malakoff business owner. After she graduated from high school, she attended Bible school at Southwestern Bible College for a short time on scholarship from her Valedictorian honors and then went on to be one of the first pioneer women pastors of her time. She pastored several churches in our area including Mabank, Payne Springs, Eustace, Mankin, and Kemp. Martha remains in the archives of the historical facts of Mabank’s renowned members of the city’s clergy. Reverend Martha Baird was known for great-awakening revivals during times between her pastorates. She loved to preach and was a great orator. District Superintendent E.R. Anderson reported, “Sister Baird uses great diction and vocabulary, and is among the best in the area.” She was known to spend many hours of study as a very capable minister of the Gospel, and she was known for memorization of the Holy scriptures. Many of her teachers and professors in the secular world told her not to waste her life on this dream of being a “lady preacher“; they suggested much higher possibilities for her talents but since childhood she knew she was chosen to carry the Gospel. One awesome story of her childhood was about preaching to the kids in the mining camp and having converts even at that young age, which fueled her dream of being a preacher. Martha’s sister told of how the whole family congregated to help with chores to make sure Martha had adequate time for studies. Even they knew there was a great call on her life. Martha told her coworkers in the ministry that she would never marry or have a family life with children; she felt God had called her to set her apart and to carry the Gospel but God had another plan. Martha preached many street services in the surrounding area and many newspaper clippings report the mighty revivals that followed. She preached and sang with her church youth group every Sunday at Athens, on KBUD, a radio station used by many pastors to spread the Gospel. While it was a secular station, the announcer always told Martha how he looked forward to every Sunday’s message and songs. Many told of conversions from just this radio ministry alone. Martha had an ability to memorize poems and recite them at a whim. Long stanzas of life teaching poems were used to bring home the points she would bring out in her message. She didn’t drive at the time so she had to walk and ride buses to her next meetings; many times carrying her guitar, accordion and Bible with her. She would tell about how tired she would be to start a revival after walking long distances with both cases in hand and it being too muddy and wet to set then down. Martha told of weeks at a time fasting, and praying during difficult revivals where there seemed to be no success, to then turn out to go on another week and see many saved and delivered. Intercessory prayer is something that was constant in Martha’s life. This woman knew how to pray!!. And she was not quite about it!!

Mabank Assembly of God holds it’s highest attendance and achievements in ministry when Rev. Martha pastored there. She was a single lady at that time but had the support of her church organization’s District leaders and presbytery to pastor these great churches. Martha was still in good standing with the Assemblies of God as an ordained minister for some 70 plus years at the time of her passing. Martha is one of the great pillars of the church and renowned influences of the ministry in her era.

Martha married JT McDonald, from Payne Springs at 32 years of age. She married at Mabank First Assembly of God and moved to Pleasant Grove shortly after. Martha and JT had four children; John Thomas, Rebecca Annette, Martha Elaine, Naomi Gayle. They raised their children in Mabank, at Prairieville, and then moved back in town as their last residence. Martha and JT raised their oldest daughter’s 3 older children; Billy, Mandy, and Jennifer. Martha lived with her daughter in Arizona right after rehab in Garland following a broken bone from a fall at her house in Mabank and came for 6-7 months at a time throughout her recovery. She has gone back and forth living with her granddaughter in Forney and then with her daughter near Cedar Creek Lake. Her final residence being in Mabank. Martha’s old railroad section house in Mabank was recently remodeled to accommodate her stay there since she wanted to be back in that home before going to be with the Lord. She has enjoyed living in her home for the final 2 ½ years of her life; with her oldest daughter living with her as care-giver. Martha had in-home Hospice for the last 4 months. She died in her home with family around her; all praying, singing and sharing tears about her departure. She left peacefully and the family content with her being in the arms of Jesus.