Delaware County, Indiana - Chapter 4: First Baptist Church, 1881

ie ps Baptists were among the pioneers who were instrumental in propagating the Gospel, according to their construction of it, in Delaware County, the period of their advent being about the year 1835.

Their first meetings here were held in the old court house, and in the old | Methodist Church, which then stood on the northwest corner of Wash- | ington and Main streets, out in the Commons, all by itself. Those who | took an active interest in these meetings were Edward Keasby, Hannah Keasby and Mrs. Martin Galliher. At that day, meetings of any kind were few, and ghose not very well attended by church members, the congregations being made up of citizens generally, without reference to the preacher or the denomination he represented; including these, however, théreyyere frequently fair audiences in point of numbers. These meetings were. conducted chiefly by traveling preachers, prominent among whom wos Eabert Tisdale, an elderly and regularly ordained minister of this branch of the church, and, by the way, quite popular with his people and among others. Cotemporaneous with him were mond, of Pendleton, Madison Co., Ind.; and Rev. George C. Chandler, all regularly ordained ministers according to the usages of the church, and personally popular. From 1844 to about 1847, Rev. Samuel Hervey administered to the spiritual wants of the little flock at this point. During all this time, an organization had not been effected, Mr. Hervey having an engagement to visit here about twice each month, dividing his time between this place and his home at Economy, in Wayne County, Ind. He was the first minister who came here with any degree of regularity, and was, perhaps, the founder of the church at this point; to say the least, his continued efforts in behalf of this people were instrumental in forming the nucleus of the present church organization. His sermons are well remembered by many of our older citizens, and retrospected with much interest and satisfaction. Mr. Chandler and Mr. Richmond, before referred to, with Rev. Father preached here occasionally, between the years 1836 and 1857. The labors of these gentlemen were entirely acceptable to the people here, who always gave them a cordial greeting whenever they came. No effort appears to have been made toward organization, until 1859, when a few of the people adhering to the doctrines of that denomination associated themselves together and formed the Baptist Church of Mun_ cie, Ind., as follows :

'f The Keclesiastical Council convened at the call of a number of brethren and sisters in Muncie and vicinity, September 10, 1859 [the place of meeting is not given] to consider the propriety of re-organizing a Regular Baptist Church in this place. Delegates were present from the following churches: First Church, Indianapolis, Revs. G,

" After devotional exercises, conducted by Brother Samuel Hervey, the council organized by appointing Brother Williams, Moderator, and Brother Hervey, Clerk. The articles of faith and the covenant, set forth in the 'Church Members' Hand-book,' were presented and adopted by the church. The church being duly satisfied of the standing of the brethren and sisters - after due consideration - resolved to re-organize them as the Regular Baptist Church of Muncie, and after adopting arrangements for their organization services to-morrow - adjourned.

"Sunday, September 11, 104 o'clock, A.M. According to previous arrangement, Brother G. Williams preached the first sermon under the new organization. His text was from I Timothy, iii, 15; after which Brother Hervey offered the recognition prayer, and Brother Johnson gave the hand of fellowship, when Brother Stuart delivered a short and appropriate charge to the church. Thus was the present Baptist Church of Muncie, organized.

"The following are the original or first members of this organization - twelve in all, four of whom were males and eight females: Abraham Helvie, Ann Helvie, Martin Galliher, Rhoda Galliher, James. 8. Whitman, Elizabeth A. Whitman, Thomas Wireman, Ann G. Keasby, Harriet McClellan, Mrs. W. Lewis, Hester Newell and Martha Patterson."'

"Letters were presented-by John Martin and Sister S. A. Worth, and they were received into the church. The following resolution was then adopted: ' Resolved, That the church request admission into the Salamonie River Association.' Whereupon, Brothers Galliher, Helvie and Martin were appointed delegates to represent the church and request such admission. A resolution was also adopted to hold regular church meetings on Saturday, before the second Lord's Day in each month."

On the 17th of October, 1859, Nancy Alban was received by experience, and George Alban, also; the latter was baptized by Elder Williams. This was the first baptism to which reference is made in the record. November 13, of the same year, Hugh Hughes and Jane Helvie were received by experience, and on the 11th of December following, they were baptized. Polly A. Martin was received by experience on the 24th of December, and on the 7th of January succeeding, she was baptized. On the 22d of the same month, Isaac W. Ellis was received by letter.

At a meeting on the 12th of January, 1861, a resolution was ected indicating a purpose to erect a meeting-house, of brick, to be of the dimensions of 34x48 feet. Afterward, at the meeting which was held on the 9th of February, in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, when Hugh Hughes, Martin Galliher and I. W. Ellis were elected Trustees of the church.

On the 9th of November, 1861, Rev. M. D. Gass was employed to preach ior one month, and on the 7th of June, 1862 , he was further employed, engaging to preach each alternate. Sabbath for one' year. Mr. Williams being the first preacher employed by this church, Mr. Gage was the second, since the period of organization. Having, in the meantime, erected their church edifice in accordance with plans contemplated at a meeting held on the 8th of November, 1862, the Trustees reported that they were yet indebted for expenses incurred in the construction of the house the sum of $392.05, which was the balance unpaid of the total cost,shown to be $2,131.80. The church, however, was dedicated in June, 1861, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. Silas Bailey, at that time President of Franklin College. At that time, Rev. M. D. Gage was the Pastor in charge, resigning November 8, 1862, which took effect December 138, following. He was suc cessively succeeded by Rey. I. Bloomer, from November, 1863, to April 7, 1865; by Bev. J. C. Skinner, from January, 1866, who remained till February, 1868; by.Rev. James M. Bennett, from April, 1869, to June, 1871; by Rev. E. A. Edwards, from April to October, 1872; b Rey. A. Johnson, from January, 1873, to March, 1875, and by Rey. J, L. Irwin, who continued in that relation from June 5, 1875, until September 30, 1876, when he resigned, good feeling prevailing between ton, who came in August, 1878, and continued until January 31, 1880, when he resigned also. Since that time, so far as we are informed, no regular Pastor has been in charge.

The church building is located at the northeast corner of Jackson and Jefferson streets. It is a plain brick building with three windows on either side, a vestibule in front, and has a belfry on top, is comfortable and commodious and is located in a central part of the city.

Early among the churches founded in this vicinity was the Missionary Baptist Church. The society held numerous' meetings west of here near the river. These meetings were usually held in farmhouses, as dictated by convenience or choice. The principal and prime mover in the ,organization was Rev. Abraham Buckles, one of the Delaware County pioneers, and father of J udge Joseph S. Buckles. This society held meetings here as early as 1833 and 1834, and about the same time built a small frame meeting-house nearly a mile to the northeast of Muncie, not far from the northeast corner of the Hackley Reservation. These meetings have been continued up to the present time. Frequently the pulpit of the old frame church was filled by one of their own preachers, and occasionally by John Buckles, a relative of Abraham. See

In 1836, a meeting was held in the old frame building, now occupied as a boarding-house, located on the alley between Main and Jackson streets, on the east side of High street. The building had then just been erected by Dr. S. P. Anthony and was not quite finished. The boys and men climbed up on the joists, filling every conceivable place. The room was crowded with people from town and the surrounding country. Rey. Mr. Buckles and others officiated. Mrs. Keasby, who furnished this information, says it was the largest meeting that had been here. Then everybody went, church members and all.