Bridgeton pioneer., 1911-05-11
OF
BAPTIST CHURCH
Baptist Church at Dividing
Creek.
MAY MEETING DAY
Century and half Anniversary Will
Be Held on Sunday
Next.

Ane on6 nunured and lftleth ami
versary of the Baptist Church will be
observed Saturday and Sunday, Nav
18th and 14th. This day is known as
May Meeting Day. Preparations are
being made to make it an interesting
occasion as former pastors are ex-
pected also Port Norris and Newport
, Baptist Churches, with their pastors
and the NJ. E. Church of this place.
A short history of this old church may
be interesting to many.
1t is rather surprising to learn that
many Of the Oldest Baptist Churches
of New Jersey were originally COM
posed entirely or partly of persons who
had come to this country as members
| of Baptist churches. This was
notably true OF the Cape May Church,
which came to exist through the efforts
of two English Baptists, Taylor and
Hill who settled there in 1915. This
and the Cohansey, which is called
| Roadstown Baptist Church were the
parents of the First Baptist Church, of
Dividing Creek. In 1749 several
families from Cohansey settled in
Dividing Creek. For several years
the only religious privileges were thosa
afforded by the visits of the pastors
of Baptist churches located elsewhere.
But in 1860, Rev. Samuel Heaton
moved to Dividing Creek and on May
3otb, 1871, the Dividing Creek Baptist
Church was organized. Very in
| teresting is the account in the we'll
preserved records of the building of
the first parsonage in 1861, the money
being counted in pounds, shillings and
pence. This h1use was sold in 1918.
Later one was erected on the Main
street and in 1896. the present
parsonage was erected on Union street
The first meeting house WAS built in
l7ol, on a lot donated by Seth Lore /;
it was in this building that the church
was organized, on May 10th, 1861. 1t
was destroyed by fire in 1770, and re-
built the next year.
This building was used fifty years
when another fire occurred and the
church was burned to the ground. In
1921, the church was once more rebuilt
and dedicated in 1923. In 1860, exten
sive alterations were made in the
church. I'm 1903 under the leadership
of pastor Anderson the church pur
chased the Town Hotel, which was
removed and our present house of
worship was erected on its site. The
church, has maintained a vigorous
missionary spirit. In the earliest day
the church field of labor included Mill
vile, Tuckahoe. West Creek and Port
Elizabeth. Members were dismissed
from the Dividing Creek church to
form these churches. March 1856
fifty -one of our members took their
letters from the Dividing Creek Church
to form the Newport Church. About
the same time a great need was felt
for admission at Port Norris under the
direction of this church building
was erected and organized in 1856
For about twenty years the pastor of
this church preached in the mission at
stated intervals.
The Dividing Creek Baptist Church
originally belonged to the Philadelphia
Association when that included
practically all the Baptist Churches
in the East. Later it belonged TO the
Camden Association.
We have completed century and
half of history. An excellent spirit is
abroad among the people who are
busily engaged in efforts to advance
the Masters kingdom, under the
leadership of Pastor Thompson. We
look forward to an era of increasing
usefulness and 1aroar accomni1 1shmor%s