Читать книгу Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County - William Alexander Taylor - Страница 25

Organized 1825.

In 1823 Elder George Jeffries came to Columbus from Marlboro, Delaware county, Ohio. He was ordained as an evangelist at Marlboro. After locating at Columbus he began preaching at his own house. Following as the result of his ministrations Sarah Garrison and Alpheus Tolle professed conversion and were baptized. Eight other Baptist professors of religion had removed to Columbus. On May 15, 1824. Elder Jeffries and the following Baptists met in conference at Columbus: Elder Jacob Drake, Deacon Leonard Monroe and Brethren Daniel Nettleton and Charles Watters, of Liberty church; Elder James Peters, Deacon Swisher and Brother William D. Hendren, of Bethel church; Deacon John McLeod, of Harlem church, and Elder Pleasant Leman.

The council or conference organized by electing Jacob Drake moderator and William D. Hendren clerk. Elder Jeffries explained the reasons for organizing a church in Columbus, and a resolution was unanimously adopted authorizing it. The following became members of the proposed church on presentation of letters: George Jeffries, from church at Marlboro, Ohio; William Whittimore and wife, Leah, Daughty Fork church, Coshocton county, Ohio; Elijah Tolle, Maysville, Kentucky; Patty Booker (colored), Petersburg, Virginia; Mary Broderick, Washington, Kentucky: George Butcher (colored), Petersburg, Virginia; Rosanna Bolin, Virginia; Sarah Garrison and Alpheus Tolle, converts under Elder Jeffries. After due deliberation the above were admitted to fellowship in the Baptist church with all the formalities required for the important step.

The formal organization of the church took place December 7, 1825, but it was not chartered by the legislature until 1831. Nine additional members had been admitted. The church services were held at the houses of members for some time. The first officers elected were. Deacon, Daniel Huddleson; clerk and treasurer, Elijah Tolle. The name bestowed was the First Baptist church of Columbus.

The church edifice was erected on Front street, just north of Mound, during the year 1831, and was occupied May 6, 1832. It was a plain, one-story brick, and when abandoned as a church in 1837 was used by Dr. Curtis as a medical college and later was turned into a private residence. The capstone was preserved as a relic in the second "First" church, at Third and Rich streets. The present beautiful temple on Broad street is the home of the "First."

For several decades there were dissensions on doctrinal points in the Baptist church; dismissals and withdrawals and division of counsels followed, but despite all these the general body of the church continued to grow and branch churches were evolved from the parent stem, so that before the close of the nineteenth century they comprised: The First Baptist church, the Russell Street Baptist church; the Hildreth Baptist church; the Memorial Baptist church and the Tenth Avenue Baptist church.

The Colored Baptist Churches covering the same period of the past century were: the Second Baptist church; Shiloh Baptist Church, Union Grove Baptist Church and Bethany Baptist church.

The Russell Street Baptist Church was organized January 24, 1881. by members fraternally dismissed from the First church. The first officers of the church were deacons, John J. Evans, William Downey. Thomas Humphries; trustees, Nathan Wright, John S. Roberts, William D. Maddox, William Downey, Thomas Humphries; clerk, A. T. Stevens; treasurer, C. F. Decker. The first pastor of the church was Rev. A. L. Jornan.

The Hildreth Baptist Church edifice was built at Twentieth and Atcheson streets in advance of the regular organization of the church, but with the view of consummating that event. The church was organized, the building was dedicated and the first pastor, Rev. J. S. Cleveland, was ordained on the same day—August 25, 1885.

The Memorial Baptist Church, corner of Sandusky and Shepherd streets, W; S., was the outgrowth of a mission of the First Baptist church, and the meeting to organize the church was held on the fourth anniversary of the organization of the mission, October 18, 1889. Rev. C. C. Haskell presided at the meeting and Z. P. Gilmore officiated as clerk. The congregation came with letters of fraternal dismissal from several of the local churches and some from distant states and localities. Officers: deacons, William J. Dawson, Z. P. Gilmore and Thomas Brown; treasurer, Wellsworth Dawson; trustees, Thomas Brown, Z. P. Gilmore, L. S. Upton and George H. Moores; auditor, Mrs. H. Moores.

The Russell Street Baptist Church was also the outgrowth of the missionary movement entered upon, in the immediate vicinity of the present church edifice in 1890. The church was duly organized in 1891, in regular council of the church, representing the churches of Columbus, Delaware, Central College and Sunbury. The first officers of the church were: trustees, Theophilus Reese, S. B. Nichols, C. M. Jaynes, D. J. Burnett, D. G. Snyder, J. D. Warner and F. W. Sperr; treasurer, F. W. Sperr; clerk, C. M. Jaynes; deacons, J. D. Warner, E. C. Green and D. G. Snyder. Rev. E. F. Roberts was the first pastor.

The Tenth Avenue Church was organized in 1892 on Tenth avenue, a short distance west of High street, of which Rev. E. E. Williams was the first pastor.