USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Concise history of the Baldwin Place Baptist Church, also calendar of the present members, 1854 > Part 3
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" In the course of the autumn, Mr. Knowles, by invi- tation, supplied the pulpit for a few weeks, and the im- pression was so favorable that he was unanimously requested to accept the pastoral office. This invitation
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH.
was to him the occasion of trial. He had doubts with respect to his adaptedness to such a service, and espe- cially to the duties of so responsible a position ; and besides, he had formed other plans for useful efficiency, which his friends regarded as peculiarly suited to his talent and temperament. But after a careful scrutiny of all the considerations, he felt that the indications of Providence were too strongly marked to allow him to decline ; and on the twenty-eighth of December, 1825, only four months after the vacancy was created, he was solemnly ordained to the responsible office of pastor. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Irah Chase, pro- fessor in the Newton Theological Institution, from Matt. xvi. 26. 1822089
" Mr. Knowles had some traits of character that fitted him, perhaps better than any other man on the continent, to be the successor of the incomparable Baldwin. His natural temper was peculiarly amiable, his feelings were uniformly kind and tender ; he was ever gentle, mild and forbearing ; he loved peace, and for its maintenance would sacrifice almost anything but truth and conscience. In equanimity amidst disturbing influences, I never saw him surpassed. He was ever cool and deliberate in forming his opinions, and therefore he seldom had occa- sion to alter them. No man was firmer than he in the maintenance of the right and true ; while in matters that involved no important principle, no man was more flexible and conciliatory. On him rested the mantle of his departed predecessor ; and, taking up the work of the pastor just where that man of God had left it, he went forward, with a prudence, and a judiciousness, and an efficiency, that commanded general admiration. It ought to be added that he was faithfully sustained by a cordon
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HISTORY OF THE
of brethren and friends, in whom he could confide, and from whose judicious counsel and energetic cooperation, he derived incalculable advantage.
"In the spring of 1827, and again in 1831, Mr. Knowles had the pleasure of seeing the work of God revived, and of welcoming to the church a considerable number of promising converts, a large proportion of whom have thus far honored their profession, and proved themselves both the pillars and the ornaments of the cause. His labors were exceedingly severe. Like his predecessor, he was called to perform much extra service in the various departments of evangelical enterprise, and this, superadded to his preparations for the pulpit, and numerous other parochial engagements, ultimately became a burden which his physical constitution was ill able to endure. Finding himself sinking under the pressure, he at length yielded to the advice of medical counsellors, and, September 20, 1832, retired from the pastoral office, and accepted an appointment as professor in the Newton Theological Institution. In that quiet retreat, his ner -- vous system gradually recovered from its exhaustion, and his friends were delighted to anticipate for him a length- ened carcer of useful activity. But, how dark and un- searchable are the ways of God ! On the ninth of May, 1838, he was called away in a manner the most myste- rious and impressive, beloved and deplored by a whole denomination. He died of the confluent smallpox, in its most malignant form, contracted, as it was supposed, in New York, while attending the ninth triennial session of the Baptist General Convention."
The seventh pastor was the Rev. Baron (now Dr.) Stow. At the time of Mr. Knowles's resignation, Mr.
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH.
Stow was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Ports- mouth, N. H. At the urgent solicitation of this church, together with the promise that the church would aid in relieving the Portsmouth Church from a pecuniary bur- den, about which Mr. Stow was very anxious, he accepted an invitation to become its pastor, and was installed November 15, 1832, two months after the resignation of the former pastor. Mr. Knowles preached on the occa- sion from 1 Peter i. 24, 25.
The first eleven years of Mr. Stow's ministry in this church were years of uncommon prosperity, such as falls to the lot of but few of Christ's ministers. During that time he had the pleasure of adding to the church about nine hundred members. Several revivals of religion were enjoyed during this period, the most remarkable of which were those of 1838 and 1841-2 ; during the former, one hundred and thirty-one were added to the church, and during the latter, two hundred and twenty-one,-the largest number ever added in one year. The Rev. Jacob Knapp had labored for some months, with this and other Baptist churches in the city during that Associational. year.
In 1842 a very extensive and important alteration was made in the meeting-house. The audience room being then where the vestry room now is, the vestry being in a small and inconvenient building where the house of Rev. Phineas Stowe now stands, and the church feeling the need of suitable committee-rooms, as well as of a larger vestry, it was resolved to raise the roof of the house and elevate the walls, so as to place the audience-room where it now is, and to convert the former one into vestrics, committee-rooms, etc. To pay for this, as also to liqui- date a debt of about four thousand dollars, some of the
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HISTORY OF THE
society's property was sold ; the church voted two thou- sand dollars from its funds, and yet the cost of the alteration so much exceeded first estimates as still to leave a debt upon the society of some seven thousand dollars, the payment of which having only been provided for during the year past.
From this time, as appears from the minutes of the Association, the church declined in numbers from year to ycar, until the pastor became so discouraged as to predict that in five years Baldwin Place Church would be among the things that were, and not among the things that are. The drafts upon the church for the constitution of other churches, the mania for suburban residences, the tide of emigration to the South End, together with the impaired health of the pastor, all tended to produce this diminu- tion, and probably, to give to the pastor's mind this discouraging view. Dr. Stow resigned July 1, 1848. His resignation, together with the removal of several of the members with him to the Rowe Street Church, pro- duced a feeling of great discouragement in the minds of many of the members, yet still, upon the whole, hope was predominant, and there was, by the help of God, a determination to live.
The Rev. Levi Tucker, then pastor of the Washington Street Baptist Church, Buffalo, at the invitation of the committee of supply, came and preached to the church two Sabbaths. His preaching being very acceptable, the church and society gave him a call to become their pastor, which he. accepted, and entered upon his labors December 31, 1848. In a very short time things began to wear a cheerful aspect. The house was well filled with attentive hearers; sinners began to inquire what they must do to be saved; the baptismal waters were
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frequently disturbed ; and the aggregate number of the church, from year to year, increased. But God, whose ways are past finding out, did not design that this con- nection should be long continued. After about eighteen months arduous toil, Mr. Tucker's health began to decline. Relaxation was found necessary, but this did not restore him ; disease had fastened upon him, in the midst of which he was called to suffer most keenly from afflic- tion in his family. During one of his journeys for his health, the sad news reached him of the sudden death of his beloved companion. He came home to bury her ; but what a scene was here! There lay the inanimate remains of his companion in labor; his right hand in pastoral duties ; - there were his five motherless children, one an infant of a few days ; around him were a weeping and anxious church ; and within him were the seeds of mortal discase. It was too much. After some intermit- tent labor of a few months he resigned his charge of the church September 1, 1852, and in the August following, after returning from a foreign tour, his spirit took its flight to God who gave it, and his body was brought to Boston and placed in the church until solemn funeral services were performed, then conveyed to Woodlawn Cemetery, and deposited by the side of his wife, in a lot owned by the church ; there to sleep until the resurrec- tion morn. How sad to think of that lovely family, but a short time since among us, but now broken up, scat- tered, severed,-some with the dead, and some in distant lands ! But such are some of the deep things of God, and we would bow and say, "Thy will, O God, be_ done."
The present pastor commenced his labors with the church, November 1, 1853.
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HISTORY OF THE
Probably the present feelings and condition of the church cannot be better told than by quotations from the last letter sent to the Association. Referring to the past few years it says :-
"Changes in the pastoral relation ; interruptions, through illness, to pastoral labor; vacancies in the pas- toral office; together with the large drafts made upon the church by the removal of members; have severely tried its strength. But to the praise of God's infinite goodness be it spoken, that though, at times, it may have been cast down, it is not yet destroyed; though often perplexed, yet it was never in despair ; though, at times, thought by others to be dying, yet still it lives ; and as a proof that it possesses a large amount of vitality, we would, with feelings of humble gratitude to Jehovah, name a few things which its Divine Head has enabled it to accomplish during the past Associational year.
" Feeling the importance of knowing its real, rather than its numerical strength, early in the year, the church . appointed a large committee of inquiry, charging them with the work of finding, if possible, the present resi- dence, and spiritual state of every individual on the church list, about which such information was needed. This they were to do, first, by writing to members at a distance, requesting them to give the church an account of their spiritual condition ; so that, if there should be 10 impediment in the way, the church might grant them letters of dismission to churches most contiguous to them ; second, by visiting all such as could be reached, who were delinquent in their attendance upon the means of grace, and report back to the church what reasons they assigned for such neglect.
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH.
" This committee took up their work promptly, and pursued it steadily until they had done all that seemed to them possible for the present. Their labor has resulted in leading the church to diminish its numbers by dismissing forty-two of its members to the fellowship of other churches, and excluding eight from its com- munion ; nor have the effects of this work terminated. The church expects still further, and perhaps, very greatly, to decrease its numerical strength, before it can make up a catalogue of known, reliable, active, living members.
" The devotional meetings of this church have been well sustained ; the public assemblies have been greatly increased ; the Sabbath School and Bible Classes have lost none of their interest. God has blessed the preach- ing of the word to the conversion of some souls. He has given to our female city missionary, Mrs. Miller, some precious fruit to reward her arduous toil, and he has not suffered the teachers of the Sabbath School to labor in vain. Some seventy-five dollars have been expended on our church library, and more than a hun- dred and fifty dollars for the Sabbath School.
"In January last, a new method of contributing to be- nevolent objects, was adopted, which, though requiring no time for soliciting or collecting subscriptions, is likely, before the year closes, to produce about three thousand dollars.
" A debt of about $6,500 upon the meeting-house, which had for many years been a burden to the society, has been all provided for, so that the church rejoices with the society in its liberation from that load, as also in the present pleasant condition of its finances.
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HISTORY OF THE
" A large lot owned by the church in Woodlawn Cem- ctery, has just been enclosed by a substantial and beau- tiful fence, at a cost of nearly five hundred dollars.
" In thus reviewing the past, and noting these signs of life, this church feels, to-day, impelled to raise an Ebenezer and say, 'Hitherto the Lord hath helped us ;' to ' bless his name, whose mercy endureth forever,' and, favored with the presence of such a goodly number of brethren, as the representatives of sister churches, like Paul at Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, it thanks God and takes courage ; and though diminished by large dismissions, and an unusual number of deaths-among the latter, our beloved brother Dea. Thomas Shaw, and several aged saints ripe for glory-yet, the many tokens of Christ's love, induce the conviction that Baldwin Place Church, though still in the inhospitable clime of the North, will live many, many years, and share very largely of the goodness of God in the land of the living."
In reviewing the whole, we find the following sum- mary. There were added to the church :-
By Mr. Bownd, in 22 years, - -
-
- 194
" Mr. Davis, 2 " -
-
1
-
6
" Dr. Skillman, " 14 -
- - - 32
" Mr. Gair, 2 -
20
" Dr. Baldwin, " 35 -
- - 826 -
" Mr. Knowles, 7 -
-
-
- 303
" Dr. Stow, 15% -
-
-
- 951
" Dr. Tucker, " 33 "
-
-
-
- 187
" present Pastor, " 1
- 1 1 - 28
- -
2,547
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH.
At the time of Mr. Bownd's death, the number
of members was, -
- 100
At Mr. Davis's death, about
50
Dr. Skillman left
-
- 66
Mr. Gair
89
Dr. Baldwin - 445
Mr. Knowles " - 479
Dr. Stow -
679
Dr. Tucker
720
Nearly two thousand members have been dismissed from this church. Some by death, some by exclusion. The greater part by letter to the fellowship of other churches. The following members were dismissed to unite with other Baptist members in the constitution of the following churches :-
Iu 1807-To Charles Street, 1
- 20
" 1827-To Federal Street, - 1 - 24
" 1831-To Hingham, -
- -
51
" 1839-To Harvard Street,
-
16
To Tremont Street,
- 19
" 1840-To Bowdoin Square, -
-
79.
Since then, others to the East Boston Church; to the two churches in Somerville; and to the Bunker Hill Church, Charles- town, etc.
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HISTORY OF THE
The Benevolence of the Church.
The manner in which it is conducted is as follows :- About the first Sabbath in January, cards are distribu- ted in all the pews in sufficient number to allow cach adult to take two, having on the front, as follows :-
CARD OF BENEVOLENCE OF THE BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
If God in his providence permit, I will give to his cause the sums stated below, in the order, and at the times named on the back of this Card.
THE SUBSCRIPTION OF
Mr.
To the Sabbath School cause, - - - $ cts.
American Baptist Missionary Union, -
City Missions, -
-
- -
Poor, - -
-
-
- - - -
American Baptist Home Missionary Society, - American and Foreign Bible Society, - -
Massachusetts Baptist Convention, -
-
Boston Baptist Bethel, - - - -
Northern Baptist Education Society, -
American Baptist Publication Society, - -
66 Poor, - - - -
-
-
Fund for general purposes, - -
-
-
N. B. Please to fill up this Card, and return it in a fortnight, when the boxes will be passed for the purpose of collecting the Cards.
RETAIN A COPY FOR YOUR OWN USE.
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH.
And on the reverse, as follows :-
THE SUBSCRIPTIONS ON THE FACE OF THIS CARD WILL BE COLLECTED IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
For Sabbath Schools, 2d Sabbath in January.
" American Baptist Missionary Union, 2d
" City Missions, - -
" Poor, - -
- 2d
" March.
1st " April.
" Am. Baptist Home Miss'ry Society, 2d " May.
" American and Foreign Bible Society, 2d " June.
" Massachusetts Baptist Convention, 2d 66 " July.
" Boston Baptist Bethel, - 2d
" Northern Baptist Education Society, 2d
" American Baptist Publication Soc., 2d
" Poor, - - -
3d
" November.
" Fund for general purposes, -
2d
" December.
"Give and it shall be given unto you." " It is more blessed to give than to re- ceive." "For God loveth a cheerful giver."
The request is made that each person set down on each card what he will give during the year, and to what objects. Two Sabbaths from this time the collection- boxes are passed to receive from each person one of these cards. These are taken and copied in alphabetical order into a book ruled for that purpose ; then, on the Sab- bath designated on the card for that purpose, each sub- scription is collected, each subscriber enclosing the amount of his subscription in a wrapper, writing his name upon it, and depositing it in the collection-box which is passed for that purpose. On the morning of the day of cach collection the pastor usually preaches upon the subject, giving such information as should be furnished, stating the necessities of each society, etc.
1
" February.
" August.
" September.
" October.
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HISTORY OF THE
An opportunity is always given, at each collection, for persons to increase their subscriptions, if they choose, and for those to give who have not subscribed, or for strangers to put in their loose change. This mode is found to possess many advantages. Among others, we may name-
1. A great saving of time and labor in soliciting and collecting subscriptions.
2. It affords the pastor peculiar facilities for cultivat- ing in his people the grace of Benevolence, by his being expected to appeal to it so many times a year.
3. The saving of all the time and expense of general agencies.
4. The periodical regularity of the church's donations to the varied objects of benevolence.
5. A larger amount of money than can be obtained in any other way.
6. The case with which it accommodates itself to the operations of any benevolent society in the church.
Benevolent Societies.
LADIES' AM. BAP. HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
Mrs. B. W. DUNKLEE, President.
Meets once a quarter-the second Wednesday in March, June, September and December, at 3 P. M .- in the large vestry of the church. The members take tea together in the small vestry, and gentlemen are invited in the evening.
The objects of this Society are two-fold :-
1. To make up articles of clothing for needy Home Missionaries and their wives.
2. To give an opportunity of introducing comparative strangers to the members of the Society, in order to make them feel at home.
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCHI.
Every one who contributes to Home Missions is regarded as a member of this Society.
LADIES' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.
Mrs. BETSEY CASWELL, President.
Meets once a month, from October to April, on the fourth Wed- nesday, at 3 P. M. The meetings are held at the friends' houses. Tea is provided, and gentlemen are invited in the evening. This Society is connected with the Northern Baptist Education Society. Its object is to make garments for, and furnish aid to, indigent young men studying for the ministry. One dollar or more con- tributed, makes a member.
SABBATH SCHOOL RELIEF SOCIETY.
Miss MARY E. EATON, President.
This Society meets the first Monday in the month, at 63 P. M., from October till May. Gentlemen invited at 8 P. M. The object of this Society is to make garments for poor children, to dress them in a manner suitable for their attendance in the Sabbath School. The subscription for membership is twenty-five cents for ladies, and fifty for gentlemen.
CITY MISSIONS.
Mrs. JANE W. MILLER is employed by the Church as its Mis- sionary to the afflicted poor and destitute. Her labors are very arduous and diversified, but have been attended with blessed re- sults. Rev. L. E. Caswell is partly sustained by this Church in his numerous and toilsome labors of love among the poor.
Meetings.
The first Sabbath evening of the month is appointed for prayer for Missions.
The third, a concert for the Sabbath School. The other Sabbath evenings for prayer and conference.
The young men hold a prayer meeting in the small vestry every Sabbath evening at 6 o'clock.
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HISTORY OF THE
'The Tuesday evening before the last Sabbath in the month is appointed for a regular business church meeting ; and the Tuesday evening after the first Sabbath in the month is appointed for a church prayer meeting. The other Tuesday evenings, and every Friday evening, are appointed for prayer and conference meetings.
The Female Prayer Meeting is on Saturday afternoon, at 3 o'clock, in the committee-room.
Sabbath School and Bible Classes.
A Young Men's Bible Class meets every Sabbath morning, at 9 o'clock, in the large committee-room, Dea. N. O. HART, Teacher. This is a very large class, very spirited and benevolent.
A Class of young ladies meets at the same time, taught by the pastor. This class has become large and very attentive.
Four other Bible Classes meet at noon, at the time of the Sab- bath School.
There is a large and interesting Infant department, under the direction of Mrs. JANE W. MILLER.
The Sabbath School is large and spirited.
Mr. SAMUEL II. LORING, Superintendent. Miss SARAHI P. LORING, Assistant.
The School has two large libraries, of about 1,200 volumes. The Church Library contains about 400 volumes.
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BALDWIN PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH.
The following are the Articles of Faith, the same as were adopted by the Church in its first organization :-
A Summary Declaration of Faith and Practice.
Having been enabled, through Divine Grace, to give up ourselves unto the Lord, and likewise to one another, by the will of God, we ac- count it a duty incumbent upon us to make a Declaration of our Faith and Practice, to the honor of Christ and glory of his name ; knowing, that as with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, so with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, (Rom. x. 10,) which Declaration is as follows :-
ARTICLE I. We believe, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, and the only rule of Faith and Practice.
2 Tim. ill. 15, 16, 17. 2 Peter 1. 21. John v. 39. Acts xvii. 11. 2 Peter i. 19, 20.
ART. II. We believe, that there is but One only living and true God; and that he has made himself known to his people under the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the same in essence, and equal in every divine perfection.
Deut. v. 4. 1 Cor. viii. 6. 1 Tim. il. 5. Jer. x. 10. Ps. xlv. 6, 7. 19. ix. 6. John 1. 1-4; v. 23; and x. 30. Matt. xxviii. 19. 1 Joli v. 7.
ART. III. We believe, that man was created in a holy and happy state, but being in honor did not abide, but by disobedience to the law of his Creator, he not only exposed himself to personal misery, but involved his whole posterity in the temporal and eter- nal consequences of sin ; and, as an effect of his apostacy, the whole human race possess a depraved and degenerate nature, by which they are wholly disinclined to every thing morally good, and prone to choose and delight in evil.
Gen. 1. 27. Ecc. vil. 29. Gen. iii. 6, 7; and il. 17. Rom. v. 12-19. 1 Cor xv. 21, 22. Ps. il. 5. Ezek. xvi. 3-6. Isa. 1. 6. Rom. iii. 10. Tit. i. 15, 16. Gen. 1 27, 28. Rom. v. 18, 19. P's. xv. 3. 7 THE NEWBERRY 1 LIBRARY
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50
ARTICLES OF FAITH.
ART. IV. We believe, that the only way of salvation from this state of guilt and condemnation, is through the righteousness and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, as the good Shepherd, laid down his life for his Sheep, and who is now exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins, so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Prov. viii. 30, 31. Is. liii. 4, 5-8. John x. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15. Acts iv. 11, 12; and v. 31. Rom. v. 6, 8-12; and vi. 23; and iii. 21-26. John iii. 16.
ART. V. We believe, that all who have ever been, or who will be hereafter brought to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, were from the beginning chosen in him to salvation, through sanc- tification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, and that in conse- quence of the everlasting love of God to them through the great Atonement, the Holy Spirit is sent down to effect the work of re- generation in their hearts, without whose influence none would ever repent or believe.
2 Thess. il. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Eph. i. 4-11. Jer. xxx1. 3 John xv. 16; and xvii. 6. 2 Thn. i. 9. Tit. lil. 3-7.
ART. VI. We believe, that nothing can finally separate true believers from the love of God, but that they will be kept by his mighty power through faith unto eternal salvation.
Dent. xxiii. 3. Cant. viii. 6, 7. John vi. 37; and xiii. 1; and x. 28, 29, 30. 1 Peter i. 5. IIcb. vi. 17, 18. John xvii. 2, 3.
ART. VII. We believe, that all real believers are justified only by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, without the con- sideration of any works of righteousness, done by them, and that the full and free pardon of their sins and transgressions, is only through the merits of Christ, according to the riches of his grace.
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