Until 1819 "The First Regular Baptist Church of Granville," located on the Welsh Hills, continued to be the only one of the Baptist denomination in the township. There were some members in the south and west parts of the township who found it inconvenient to go so far; they, moreover, used the English language only, while their Welsh brethren inclined to their native tongue. Meanwhile, other Baptists had come into St. Albans, the township adjoining on the west. These being on contiguous territory with the English speaking part of the other congregation, the two circles had begun to meet together for religious services in more convenient places.On Wednesday, the 19th of May, 1819, they met to consider the propriety of a church organization. Elder George Evans, recently from Massachusetts, was with them. As a basis for an organization they adopted their articles of faith and covenant, and appointed another meeting for definitive action.
Sunday, June 6th, they met again, and with them Elders Jacob Drake, of Delaware, and John Mott, of Millar township. A council was organized, in connection with protracted religious services, all three ministers preaching in succession, a church was formed, and the Lord's supper was administered. It was at the house of Jonathan Atwood, Esq., in St. Albans township, and the church was styled, "The Baptist Church of Christ in Granville and St. Albans." The members uniting in covenant were Levi Nichols, James Hair, Abraham Chandler, Sandford Castle, Timothy Spelman, Jr., Thomas Green, David Adams, Salome Squire, Mary Atwood, Philenda Jewett, Sarah Craw, Mary Drake, Rhoda Burnet, Anna Chandler, Jerusha Baker, Sarah Kelley, Betsy Case, Louisa Woods, Polly Phelps. Total 19.
[p. 218]
Sunday,In September of the same year, this church was received into fellowship by the Columbus Association.For three years Elder Evans continued to minister to them occasionally, but declined to settle with them.
For the next three years, from October 22d, 1822, Elder John Hanover preached to them every fourth Sabbath. At first the place of meeting alternated between Granville and St. Albans townships, but afterwards, for the preachers' convenience, they always met in St. Albans. "In the latter part of his pastorate, the church secured a further partial supply. For some months Elder DeBolt preached once a month, so that there was Divine service every second Sabbath."
At this time a two-thirds majority of the church seems to have been living on the Granville side of the line. In 1826, the church desiring to choose another minister, it so happened that the Granville part preferred Elder Azariah Hanks, while the St. Albans part preferred a minister recently from New London, Connecticut, Elder Daniel Wildman, who being a relative of one of the proprietors of the clock factory, was tarrying among them. It was finally arranged that both men should be employed; that Mr. Hanks should preach two-thirds of the time to the Granville people, and Mr. Wildman one-third of the time to the St. Albans people, the two parties still uniting in the rotating assemblies, once in St. Albans and twice in Granville.
This arrangement naturally, or providentially, led to the realization that they were trying to occupy with one church a field that was large enough and diverse enough for two, and it was not long until two distinct organizations were brought about in the regular way; and thus began the Granville Baptist Church.
The first pastor of this church was Elder James Berry, a man of plain but pleasant manners, a sincere Christian and a devoted minister. He took charge of the church April 26th, 1828, preaching to them one-half the time. His earnest
[p. 219]
labors were blessed, a revival followed and the church was trebled in membership. Their place of meeting at this time was the brick academy at the head of Main Street. He soon moved for a house of worship, and the second year of his labors saw the house rising on the northeast corner of Broad and Cherry Streets, which continued the home of the church for twenty years, though not fully completed until 1833. It was some time before the house was finished, there being a temporary floor of planks, temporary seats, and the walls being unplastered, but in due time it was complete, with a large bell and all needed furnishings.From this time the church began to feel the benefits of having the "Literary and Theological Institution" located among them. Prof. Pratt was on the ground, often preaching for them on the vacant Sabbaths. The pious young men attending the college added much to the strength of the church and the interest of their meetings.
January 25th, 1832, "The First Baptist Society" was incorporated, Daniel Shepardson, Alanson Sinnett and Daniel Dusenbury being named in the Act as Trustees.
After four years' service, Elder Berry began to preach to the Welsh Hills Baptist Church and was succeeded in the pastorate of the Granville church by Elder Henry Carr, July 27th, 1833. During a brief interim the church was served for longer or shorter periods by Elders Nathan Wildman, Allen Darrow and Hiram Gear. Mr. Gear came to Ohio in 1832, as a Home Missionary Agent, and made Granville his headquarters. Mr. Carr had been engaged to come but was not ready, and Mr. Gear preached for six months. Mr. Carr was tall and well proportioned in person, and was a very earnest speaker. He was born near Ostrander, Ohio. His ministry was greatly blessed. With the exception of two years, the fourth and fifth after his arrival, Elder Carr continued
[p. 220]
Samuel B. Swain, Dr. Jonathan Going and Revs. _____ Clark and Ezra Going.Mr. Carr was succeeded by Rev. Edmund Turney, of Connecticut, October 29th, 1842. During the five years of his pastorate, unworthy members were cut off by discipline, a revival added some forty members, and, though the total membership was somewhat diminished, "the efficient working capacity of the church" was increased.
About 1845, the galleries of the house were lowered, and a new floor was put in, as the whole understructure was impaired for want of ventilation.
In 1846, Rev. Silas Bailey, D. D., was called to the Presidency of the College, and the year following, upon the resignation of Elder Turney, Dr. Bailey supplied the pulpit for a year, and Professor Pratt followed him for another year, both generously giving their services toward the erection of a new meeting house. The need of a larger and better house for worship had become imperative, and the congregation proceeded to build upon the southwest corner of the public square. [See Annals.]
President Bailey again supplied the pulpit nearly a year in 1851.
Under the labors of Professor Pratt and Dr. Bailey the church was blessed with two powerful revivals, the latter particularly resulting in great increase of strength to the church. Dr. Bailey was a man of large physique, and a trained orator. His preaching was greatly blessed, and several prominent men in middle life were added to the church. All the churches of the place participated in the revival, and a marked and permanent impression for good was made upon the community.
September 14th, 1851, Rev. Jeremiah Hall was called to the pastorate, and served the church acceptably for a year and a half, when, having become connected with the College, he resigned the pastorate.
[p. 221]
Prof. Marsh, of the College, then supplied the pulpit for some months.May 2ist, 1854, Rev. N. S. Burton began to occupy the pulpit, proving himself an excellent and acceptable preacher and pastor. His labors were blessed with a powerful revival that added eighty members to the church. He continued to fill the pulpit until the fall of 1862.
"For three years after the close of his labors, the pulpit was supplied for the most part by Dr. Stone and President Talbot." Both these men were of unusual mental power.
April ist, 1866, Rev. J. D. King took charge of the church, but continued in the office only a little more than a year.
President Talbot again ministered to the church for a time, and he was succeeded by Rev. D. A. Randall, of Columbus, who simply preached to the congregation, not residing among them and performing no pastoral labor.
This brings the history of the church up to 1871. At this time there had been received to the church a total of 1143 members, of whom 663 were by baptism. There had been dismissed to other churches 669, and the membership at the time was 251. In 1858, eighty-four members were received; and as the result of the revival of 1839-40, Elder Carr being pastor, ninety members were added.
The next pastor of the church was Rev. J. C. Fernald. He was a young man of peculiarly sensitive nature and very warmly attached to his friends. He lost his wife to whom he had been married but a short time, and his nervous system suffered much under the severity of the stroke. He continued the pastor of the church only about three years.
In 1873, the present pastor, Rev. W. C. P. Rhoades, succeeded him. Bringing with him the invaluable experience of a city missionary in one of our eastern cities, he has proved a vigilant and untiring pastor. His labors are greatly blessed in enlarging the influence of the church, and the value of his counsels is also seen in the management of the University.
====== [Henry Bushnell, The History of Granville, Licking County, Ohio, 1889, Chapter 34, pp. 217-221. The document is from Google Books. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
More Ohio Baptist History
Baptist History Homepage