The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-22
FIRST BAPTIST ANNIVERSARY.
Preliminary Service at the Church
Last Evening

preliminary Service at the Church
Last Evening.
The first meeting celebrating the three
quarters of a century of life Of the First
Baptist Church brought out a large audi
ence last evening. On the pulpit platform
were Rev. d. j. Ellison, the present pastor.
and Rev. Mr.. Hobbs and through the au-
dience were many ministers of other de-
nominations The preliminary service in
cluded hymns by the choir of fifty voices,
under the direction of Mr. Arthur p. Pres
ton, Scripture reading and anthems. Mr..
Ellison made a few Introductory remarks
announcing the event for which the people
We're gathered The first paper of the
evening was one containing statistics, by
G. S. Dearborn, who gave in review all of
the information which showed the progress
OF the church in it's membership the en-
rollment, the prices paid for property, min
isters' salaries, general expenditures and
other matter, all of much church historical
value. Mrs. Henry Coburn followed with a
review of the history of the church from
the beginning to 1862. This included the list
of the first members and the several men
who officiated as pastors through that pc
riod.
The First Baptist Church was one of the
three earliest churches of the community,
the Methodists and Presbyterans each
having formed organizations about the
same time. The members of the First Bap-
fist Church asked the Legislature to give
them site for their church, but they were
refused. The second lot owned by the con-
gregation, AT the southeast corner of Mary
land and Meridian streets, was bought for
500. The first Sunday school was held in
1882. Believing that church work and edu-
cation should go hand in hand, the congre-
cation built a schoolroom on the rear of
their lot. A bell for the church was bought
0Ef
hangs in the belfry of the Garden Baptist
Church. Particular commentator was
given by the xtader to the work of Rev.
Mr.. Chandler, Rev. Mr.. Cressey, Rev. S. NJ.
Dyer and Rev. j. b. Simmonds. The bap-
tistry was used for the first time in 1860,
the river and canal having always been
time. The South Baptist Church was built
on lot that was given by Rev. Mr.. Sim
mondS during his paStorate. Mr. Sim
monds resigned in 1860 and the First Bap-
lists were without a shepherd
The third paper was by Mr. II. G. Martin,
who gave a resume of the pastorate OF Rev.
Henry Day. Mr.. Martin gave a word pic
ture of the city as it appeared when Mr..
Day stepped from the cars at the old sta
ton. With the single exception of Christ
Church, none of the churches occupy the
sites which they did at that time, and the
Palmer and Oriental hotels were then rivals
OF the new Bates. Dr. Days first years
were during the war, and many troops
were in the city and there was great need
of work The First Baptist Church bore its
full share in everything. and the women of
the church contributed their services both
for spiritual and material good. DIR. Day
preached his first sermon the first Sunday
in January, 1862. when the church member
ship was four hundred The present church
was built during his administration. Mr..
Martin paid high tribute TO the character
and work of Dr. Day. DR.. Day favored
missionary work and called on MS people
for financial aid. The church paid its full
share of the 100000 raised by the city
during the war, and during the fourteen
years of DR. Days pastora te gave over
$21 O00 TO missionary work, besides paying
the running expenses of the church. The
church supported three Sunday schools,
with more than one thousand scholars. The
church saw its greatest progress during
DIR. Days time.
The fourth paper was contributed by M.
A. Potter, who reviewed the "Contempo-
rary Period" including the pastorates of
DR.. Randolph, IL. c. Mabie. Reuben Jeffery.