“Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruits of her hands; And her own works praise her in the gates.”  {Proverbs 31: 30-31}

      The Northern Neck Baptist Women's Missionary and Educational Commission is grateful for the many blessings that we have received down through the years.  As we reflect on the history of this organization, we can plainly see God's goodness to us both individually and collectively. From 1912 until the present time we have received one success after another. For each one we say “To God be the glory for the great things He has done.”
      Our past gives us much of which we can be proud of. Our present efforts are meeting with acceptance  that causes us to feel that God's approval is upon them.    We face the future with a high degree of optimism for we do not believe that God has brought us this far to leave us.
        The Northern Neck Baptist Women's Missionary and Educational Commission was organized as a result of the foresightedness of the Northern Neck Baptist Association. The organizational meeting of the Commission was held on Saturday, September 21, 1912 at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Downings, Virginia, Reverend H.V. Washington, Pastor.
     The following churches were represented by delegates: Potomac, Mt. Zion, Mulberry, Little Zion (now Zion – W), First Baptist, Zion (Lottsburg), Queen Esther, Calvary, Ebenezer, Beulah, Mt. Olive, Macedonia, Jerusalem, Sharon, and Lively Hope. The organization began with fifteen churches and now it has expanded to a total of thirty one churches.
       The first business session was held on September 25, 1913 at the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in White Stone, Virginia and the following officers were elected:
                       Mrs. Pauline M. Edwards, President -  Weems, Virginia
                       Mrs. J. F. Gandy, 1st Vice President – Downings, Virginia
                       Mrs. Lillian Wildy, 2nd Vice President – Burgess Store, Virginia
                       Mrs. Betty E. Gray, Secretary – Remo, Virginia
                       Mrs. Mary A. Williams, Assistant Secretary – Lancaster, Virginia
                       Mrs. Kate Brittain, Corresponding Secretary – Ivondale, Virginia
                       Mrs. P. J. Tomlin, Treasurer – Mollusk, Virginia
         The pioneers of this Commission,whom we  have listed below, are due much recognition for  first initiating the idea of such an organization and for its continued success down through the years.