The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-16
PROGRESS OF THE BAPTISTS
Short Sketch Of the Work of the Past
Century.
ITS EARLY HISTORY RECALLED
The Constituent Meinbers of the Penn
Avenue Church-Former PASTOR and
Their Work-The Present Position
Notwithstanding Statistics.


| Marvellous is the growth of this par
| tlcular denomination since the days of
their pioneer pastor-ReV. William
Bishop-who came to Scranton in 1874
| just one hundred years ago, who
labored with great results; but, in those
| by-gone days, the converts were united
to the Pittston Baptist church. In 1902
| that church which embraced all this
vast territory covered now by Baptist
churches innumerable, was known as
the Pittston and Providence church"
There are many incidents of supreme
| interest. which, no doubt, will be re-
| lated tomorrow as to the early fathers
| of the church in this city, but every one
will readily admit the great inconven-
| ience and hardships they suffered in
the cause of their great Master. The
| first pastor-Mr. Bishop-built his own
residence Of hewn logs, and 1t stood on
| the site of Mr.. Merrifield's residence,
and he was the owner Of farm of 300
| acres, which extended to the Lacka-
wanna river, so that large portion of
| the site of the Electric city was over
| the property of Baptist bishop. This,
| however, proves conclusively that Bap-
| lists were among the first settlers who
commenced and helped to develop the
! great city Of Scranton, and 1t is inter-
esting to observe that the denomination
| has progressed concurrently with the
increase and importance of the city,
First Church Organized.
Passing to the year 1888 Rev. w. X.
Mott commenced his labors in the city
! and organized the first permanent Bap-
tist church which materialized in the
old Chestnut Street church In 1S49. In
| 1850 the First Welsh Baptist church
was organized, although previous to
this Rev. William Richmond held SER
vices there.
This will bring the reader to the Or
ganlzation of the Penn Avenue Bap-
tist church. the first record of which
is found to be a meeting hall at the
| residence of Nathaniel Hallstead, on
May rs, 1859, and after the necessary
| preliminary steps were transacted, a
| further meeting was held on Aug. %
| following, when it was decided by three
present to constitute the First English
| Baptist church of Scranton" The fol-
| lowing were the constituent members,
eighteen of whom came from the Chest
nut street church: Nathaniel Hall
stead, Mrs. +. A. Hallstead, Horace
Ladd, NJ. D., Mrs. Il. c. Ladd, James
| f. Friant, Mrs. A. II. Friant, Charles
] ". NdIlldll, AlIS. IllLdDtlll Ndl man, IL
| r. Cutler, Mrs. c. L. Cutler, Richard
Mrs. Mary Lewis, Silas A. Hallstead,
Hannah Lewis, Reuben A. Henry, Sarah
c. Krigbaum, George w. Archer, Mrs.
Catherine Scull, George w. Lung, Mrs,
Lydia Cook, Mrs. S. A. Lukens.
The Early Services.
Such was the small beginning of the
| present powerful church and it's four
daughter churches. Services were held
| for some time in the Odd Fellows hall,
Rev. Theophilus Jones, of the Welsh
| church, preaching every Sunday night
| for two months until Nov. /, when the
| first pastor, Rev. Isaac Bevan, took
| charge of the congregation of twenty
three persons. Various attempts were
made to secure outside aid for his sup
port, but without avail, and his first
years salary amounted to $500.
| In 1861 the place of worship was
changed to Washington hall. In 1864
| two lots were purchased from the Lack
awanna Coal and Iron company. and
an additional lot was purchased subse-
quently and with the lot purchased
| from Judge Handley, makes S., 100 as
the total sum expended by the church
| in real estate.
In September. 1865 the lecture room
| of the new edifice on Penn avenue was
completed and worship was duly COM
menced there at the end of the sixth
year of the church. The church was
incorporated Jan. 4, 1866, as "The Bap-
tist Church of Scranton" and the char
ter was amended in 1881 and the name
changed to the Penn Avenue Baptist
church. of Scranton"
DR.. Bevan remained pastor during
the first decade until Nov. 2, 1869, and
during his pastorate the membership
increased from % to 252. over $1,000
were raised during this period. Miss
Mary Bevan will speak more fully of
her fathers work at this afternoon
session.
Rev. W. p. Hellings, d. ID.
Rev. w. P. Hellings will deliver his
"Reminiscences this afternoon, and
as the second pastor Of this church
his address will be Of great interest
He entered upon his duties Feb. J.
1870, and with the energy of young man.
hood threw himself into the work. Dur
ing his pastorate Deacon Nathaniel
Hallstead and wife presented to the
church the beautiful parsonage
valued then at $4,000 Three hundred
and eighty-eight members were added
to the church and $47,5l6 were raised
during his seven years ministrations
Further the First German Baptist
church, of Scranton, was organized
during this period, and the Pittston
Avenue Sunday school was commenced
The third pastor was the Rev. A.
M. Hopper, D. D., who was in charge
from Aug. l, 1877, to June 30, 1880, dur
ing which period thirty-two were
added to the church and $S,793 raised
toward church expenses.
The fourth pastor, Rev. David Spen.
Ger, who commenced duties on Sept
1, 1880, is so well remembered that re.
marks are unnecessary.
The Present pastorate.
The fifth pastor is the learned young
divine who now occupies the pulpit of this
important church and whose voice Is
heard in all matters for the welfare oil
the citizens of Scranton. He entered
duties on May /, 1890, and during his
pastorate AGO have swelled the ranks OF
the church, of whom over 300 have beer
baptized. The church has been re-
modelled and repaired at a cost of sew
eral thousand dollars. From the stats
tical report Of 1893 the following shows
tHe membership Vi tne feHn avenue
and daughter churches, S1S; Greer
Ridge, "a; First German, so; Provi
dence, 2S4; or the total of 1926, as com
pared with 2S the total of the constitu
ent members referred to.
Within the Arlington association dis
trict, which is really affected by the cen
tennial services, there are a total o.
4,26S members.
The programme of the services today
will be as follows: 23O p. m prayer
and praise meeting, followed by AN ad
dress of welcome by the pastor; ad
dresses. THE Pastorate of the Rev. DR.
Isaac Bevan, ID. d." by his daughter
Miss Mary Bevan; "reminiscences" b,
Rev. DR.. W. p. Hellings; "The Younl
People and the Sunday School," BY
Hon. Lemuel Amerman; and in tn,
evening at 7.30 Rev. Edward Judson
pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptis
church, New York, will deliver an an
niversary address. Mr. Judson is one o
the ornaments of the Baptist ministry
and is an eminent theologian who's
standing is acknowledged by all reli
gious bodies