100th Aniversary of West Bainbridge Baptist Church, 1944

Anniversary of West Bainbridge Baptist Church, 1844 - 1944

Bainbridge News & Republican, March 30, 1944

 

A Brief History

 

March 19, 1844, about 43 residents in Bainbridge and vicinity convened at the Little Red School House at West Bainbridge to be organized into a church known as the Second Baptist Church. 

 

The council organized by choosing Brother L. Peck, moderator, and Brother A. Guy, clerk, a prayer by Elder A. Parker.  Delegates from the churches comprising the council called for and were present as follows:  Second Baptist Church, Guilford, Brothers Elam Yale, Stephen, Joel and Uriah Yale; Baptist Church, Coventry, Elder A. Parker.  Brothers Elijah Hinman and Oliver Parker; Baptist Church, South Bainbridge, Elder L. Peck, Brothers Mory Caswell, Eli Seeley and B. P. Cady.  Brother L. Peck gave the hand of fellowship; Elder A. Guy gave the charge and Elder A. Parker preached from Isaiah 41:14-18.  The first meeting thereafter was held March 30, the same year in the school house as a covenant meeting.  Brother U. Post was appointed moderator and Brother Ruben C. Fosbury was first clerk.  At this meeting Brothers Stephen and Fosbury were appointed a committee to confer with the church at South Bainbridge relative to obtaining Elder Peck part time for the coming year.  Therefore Elder Peck was the first pastor, with 43 members.  Polly Holcum was the first member taken in by letter.

 

July 6, 1844, a meeting was called and measures were taken to build a church, 30x50 feet, without steeple, which was accomplished.  Sept. 14, 1844, covenant meeting as usual.  Our petition to the Chenango Baptist Association was received and granted.  At one of the association meetings, held in the church Sept. 8, 1892, the following churches were represented:  Afton, Bainbridge, Second Bainbridge, Coventry, Earlville, Greene, Norwich, South New Berlin, Oxford, Plymouth, Smyrna, Triangle, East Pharsalia, Masonville and Sidney.  Feb. 7, 1872, a special meeting was pursuant to call the trustees to take measure for building horse sheds.  They voted to lease more ground of Tom Nichols for same.  Committee who acted with the trustees on this were:  Henry Loomis, Philander Loomis and Henry Nichols.  Sheds were later built and repaired when necessary until they were no longer needed. 

 

Jan. 14, 1893, a covenant meeting held with good attendance, Committee to see about building onto the church for prayer meeting room and belfry.  This was done later in the year and a bell erected, presented by Mr. and Mrs. Norman T. Loomis.  They also presented the stepping stone which says Baptist on it, as they were quite necessary in horse and buggy days.  Mr. and Mrs. Loomis also left property as did Mrs. Sheldon Hopkins, a sum of $500.00 to the church.

 

The church grew and a revised membership in August, 1881 to 1894 of 70.  The pastors' names down through the ages were as follows:  Revs. J. Hendrick, Virgil, Seymour, Vanhorne, Balcum, M.L. Bennett, B.A. Russell, L.B. Yale, M.N. Everts, A.H. Hamlin, D.B. Collins, E.M. Blanchard, G.W. Abrams, E.T. Jacobs, D.C. Haynes, D. Reese and the Rev. N. Ripley closed in 1890.  Revs. Morey, F.M. Spooner and W.W. DesAntels, 1893.  Sept. 22, Rev. E.F. Benjamin was engaged and moved with his family into our midst with church service at 11 o'clock and evening service.  He received the sum of $300.00 a year and donations.  At the next meeting Rev. Benjamin and wife united with the church.  Dec. 14, 1895, Rev. James Watrous received a call, salary $3.50 a Sunday and donations.  In 1898 Rev. Carter was called, a salary of $4.00 a Sunday and driven to and from the station when the weather was such that he couldn't walk.  Sept. 30, 1899, Rev. Hill, of Afton, supplied until Rev. C.D. Reed was called, salary $2.00 a Sunday and donations.  After five years of successful work, there was a balance on hand, with all expenses paid, of $24.00.  Then Rev. H.T. Hill was called and was with us until Aug. 25, 1912, after five years of acceptable service.  Students then supplied, the principal one being Rev. C.W. Halsey, who became the settled pastor at Bainbridge and here, June 1913.  Sept. 12, 1915 Rev. Halsey, much to our regret closed his labors with us.  His influence with the young people was great, several of whom he baptized into the church.  Oct. 1, 1915, Rev. Almeron H. Merrell was called as pastor.

 

The Rev. Robert Stratton, of Oxford, supplied Oct. 6 and 13, 1918.  No more services were held until spring of 1919, when Rev. C.B. Allnatt was called and closed his labors as pastor Dec. 12, 1922, after three and one-half years of faithful service.  He was instrumental in having the church painted in the summer of 1922, giving liberally of his time and money for the purpose.  No services the following winter.  Giles Cummings, a student, conducted services through the spring, then Carl Bartle, of Oxford, from June 24, 1923, until Sept. 16.  The Rev. Roswell Whitman began his services with the church the last Sunday in September 1923.

 

The Church and Sunday School grew in number and faith, working in perfect harmony.  Rev. Whitman received $5.00 a Sunday.  Owing to ill health, Rev. Whitman discontinued his labors with us in the late fall of 1929, passing on to his reward in March 1930.  A student then supplied for a time, hired by Rev Whitman.

 

In 1931, Rev. Lester Huxtable, of Afton, filled the pulpit.  Then Rev. William Adams, of Afton was called.  A student, Ralph Randall, came through the summer months.  He since has been ordained and has a charge in Delhi.  After this, students came off and on until early spring when the church was closed.  During this time a new roof of shingles was put on this same building and paid for. Then on May 19, 1940, G. Louis Jones, of Bible Baptist Seminary, of Johnson City, came to us. During his pastorate he was ordained in the church.

 

We have accomplished much, the church being newly painted and papered, electric lights installed, new song books, etc.  Under his leadership we have taken in 35 new members.  The work is still progressing with a building fund started for parsonage.  Rev. Jones is still on the field.  During this time the church withdrew from the Northern Baptist Association because of its modernistic doctrine and joined the Association of Regular Baptist churches of Binghamton and vicinity.  We have good attendance at church and Sunday school, evening services and prayer meetings, also young people's meeting with children taking part in an amazing way.  And with the help of God we expect to continue on in His blessed work until we are all called to that heavenly home not made with  hands, eternal in the heavens.

 

Mrs. Ellis Ingersoll, Clerk.