Part 1

One Hundred Years with the Baptists of Amherst, N. S.

1810 TO 1910

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CENTENARY PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, AMHERST, N. S.

HISTORICAL SKETCH BY REV. D. A. STEELE, D. D. AND MRS. GRACE McLEOD ROGERS.

THIS SHORT HISTORY of the AMHERST BAPTIST CHURCH is dedicated to those who shall continue the work begun by their fathers.

Foreword To History of The Amherst Baptist Church, Amherst, N. S.

The twin ordinances—The only ones left in His church by Her Lord— will shew what a Baptist church stands for, and our method of regarding them will explain our existence.

I.

Baptism is a symbol of grace, not an infallible passport to the kingdom of God. It is the answer of a good conscience toward God; it signifies the cleansing from sin, which can only be accomplished by the blood of Jesus Christ This ordinance is further described as a type of the resurrection from sin to a life of holiness, “that as Christ was raised from the dead, we also might walk in newness of life.” It is therefore an ordinance for the person believing in the Christ. He thus expresses faith in Him. It is not held by us as necessary to salvation; consequently we do not baptize the dying, or those who by reason of sickness or of age, cannot comply with the command.

II.

The Lord’s Supper we also consider as a clear symbol of Christ’s giving Himself up to the death of a cross for us, and the necessity of appropriating Him to ourselves by faith. We do not regard this ordinance as one that places a person in a safe position, regardless of a living faith in Jesus Christ. Eternal life is granted because a man partakes of Him, as He declares: “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life.” It is not the symbol that saves, but the Christ Himself. We do not believe therefore that it is necessary to give the symbol as a sacrament to the dying. We regard the last supper as a memorial of our dying Lord to be observed, as at the institution of the ordinance, by the church when met together. D. A. S.

INTRODUCTION.

One Hundred Years of History! how much it means! what changes have taken place in all departments of life, Political, Commercial, Social, and Religious! How much it includes! How much it reveals!

To treat of these changes many books would have be written. The Committee in charge of this brief History will not attempt it. Readers will have to allow their imaginations to have sway as they read, and many events in the life of the Church and town will be recalled to their memory. For the History of the First Baptist Church has been one that has meant self sacrifice on the part of noble men and women. There have been trying times—times when those at the helm hardly dared look backward at the little accomplished, or forward to its future labors for fear of becoming utterly discouraged at the magnitude of the work revealed.

But the Lord of Hosts was with them, the God of Jacob was their refuge, and through His power they were enabled to press onward; abundantly did they merit, and assuredly have they received, the Master’s words of commendation: “Well done good and faithful servants.”

PREPARATORY WORK.

Anticipating the celebration of this important event in the Church’s history, a large representative Committee from the several organizations was appointed to consider and arrange a fitting programme. The successful carrying out of the plans submitted seemed a great undertaking, but loyally did the Church stand by them, and all the members of the congregation as well entered actively into the preparations. Especially to the pastor. Rev. P. J. Stackhouse, much of the credit of the success is due. Although only identified with the church for a few months previous to the occasion, he threw himself wholly into the work, with thorough sympathy, tact and wisdom, and during all the initiatory stages and throughout the week of actual celebration his was the guiding hand. To Dr. Steele, who for so many years has been identified with the labors of the Church, is due the credit of turning back the pages of its history and bringing before those of today the work and mission of the past hundred years.

The Centennial Celebration was a success; from beginning to end a hearty, happy and devotional spirit dominated the whole proceedings.

CELEBRATION BEGINS.

The Celebration began on Sunday October, 16th. The people met in the Church, many of them the descendants of the Freemans and Blacks, and others who constituted the first church. The Rev. J.H. MacDonald, D.D. a former pastor, in a well delivered discourse, filled with the great ideas of the Master, and of God’s approbation of Him, the beloved Son in whom he was well pleased—opened the services. The lesson was clearly set before us of His obedience and sacrifice, and the deduction was followed all the way through that His followers in a similar way, in this Church, as far as poor mortals can, had devoted themselves to the Lord. It was an inspiring occasion.

CENTENNIAL SERMON BY REV. J. H. McDONALD, D. D.

Rev. Mr. MacDonald said in part: Heaven’s Commendation of a Century of Church Life and Service, was the theme of the Centennial sermon. The text was “There came a voice from Heaven,” Matt 3:17; 17:5; Jo. 12:28. The preacher found Heaven commending the Son of Man for three things, character, truth and sacrifice, and then proceeded to point out that if the Amherst Church during its century of life and service commended itself to Heaven it must have been because character was formed, truth appreciated and proclaimed, and sacrifices made.

“Whatever the Amherst Church may have achieved during the last hundred years, and it has achieved much, it has nothing in which to glory save in Him who is its Head and the character of the men and women it has produced. I think we can safely say today that under its influences there have been developed men and women of godly lives and that it has made its contribution to the Kingdom of God upon earth, which is first, righteousness, and after that “peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” It has directly or indirectly elevated the standard of life. It has shamed and rebuked the bad and made the good better. It has caused society to be permeated with a new leavening influence. It has sent its purifying streams to the ends of the earth. You remember those who lived among you, those who are still here whose lives were a continual inspiration, men who could die, but who would not lie. Like King Arthur’s knights they revered their conscience as their king. In their presence, impurity hid its face, and the unseemly word died unspoken on the tongue. Aye, and women too, some of them lived, speaking after the manner of men, commonplace lives, but every day they walked with God and were transfigured, and when you saw them you thanked God that all the angels were not in Heaven. And all this they were because He dwelt in them and they in Him. If after a century of life and service this Church has the approbation of Heaven it is because there have grown up within its fold men and women of goodness. For those who are still with us in the flesh we render grateful thanks to Him, whose workmanship we are, and

“For all the saints who from their labors rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, Jesus, be forever blest. Allelujah!”

FINANCIAL REPORT.

Rev. Mr. Stackhouse read a report of the financial standing of the church showing a debt of $20,000.00 on all church properties, including organ, parsonage, etc. $10,000.00 of this is provided for by life insurance policies, maturing Dec. 31st. The committee having in charge this celebration thought this a fitting time to provide for the balance of $10,000.00 and deliver the church property from all incumbrances. The plan adopted was to ask for pledges for the amount to be paid half yearly for the next five years.

THE APPEAL.

Dr. McDonald was then introduced in a new role, that of solicitor-general for the church, and so admirably fulfilled this office that at the close of the day the debt of $10,000.00 was annihilated, with a couple of thousands allowed for shrinkage.

BIBLE SCHOOL, ADDRESS BY REV. G. A. LAWSON.

In the afternoon, Rev. George A. Lawson of the First Baptist Church, Moncton, N. B., a son of the late Rev. D. C. Lawson, who at one time was closely identified with this Church, delivered a most interesting address before a mass meeting of the Bible Schools. Mr. Lawson who is an acknowledged expert in Sunday School work took as his theme “Some values of Sunday Schools.”

His address was an able effort and greatly appreciated by the large audience present.

SERMON BY REV. G. B. CUTTEN.

At 7 o’clock Dr. George B. Cutten, Ph.D. President of Acadia, preached to an immense audience on the subject “The Church as an Economic Factor,” dealing with the question from a purely financial standpoint and in a plain practical manner proved that to remove the Church and its influence from a town, village or country was to decrease values; that the church was the best police force, the greatest controlling power of the liquor and kindred evils, and in every way enhanced the values of property. He referred at length to the great work of the Baptist Church in Amherst and congratulated them upon attaining this important era in their existence.

Dr. Cutten is a grandson of the late Elisha Cutten, a former deacon of this church. Both he and Mr. Lawson united with the church under the ministry of Dr. Steele.

LECTURE OF REV. J. H. McDONALD, D. D.

On Monday evening Rev. J. H. McDonald D.D. delivered a finely conceived lecture on “The Poets and the Life Beyond.” Their tributes to immortality were quoted from old Homer down through the long series of the

“Grand old masters Whose distant footsteps echo Through the corridors of time.”

It was a rare occasion, and the feelings of the audience were voiced in a tribute by C. R. Smith, K. C.

The Church is certainly under great obligation to Dr. McDonald for his great assistance. His presence was in itself an inspiration and benediction.

LADIES’ DAY.

Tuesday afternoon was Ladies’ Day, and in unusually large numbers they assembled at the mass meeting of the Women’s Missionary Aid Societies, representatives being present from Leicester, Salem, the Highlands, and the Centre. Mrs. J. Alex. Christie, president of the local society, presided. After devotional exercises, Mrs. J. G. Harding gave an interesting and inspiring Historical Sketch of the Amherst Missionary Society. Mrs. Harding is one of the oldest members of the society, a lady, who has been closely identified with its growth through all its years, and her earnestness in mission work has been a great factor in the growth of the society.

MISSIONARY ADDRESS BY REV. D. E. HATT. B. A.

Rev. D. E. Hatt, B. A., of Dorchester, N. B., recently returned from the West, delivered an address on North West Missions. Rev. Mr. Hatt was long enough in the West to become imbued with the enthusiasm of that great country and in his address imparted much of his enthusiasm to his hearers, who were greatly impressed with the needs of that section of our fair Canada. A generous collection was secured for the North-West Mission.

CHURCH REUNION.

Thursday evening from 5.30 to 7 the Ladies of the Aid Society and the “Don’t worry, Bible Class” served tea to a large number of the congregation. This part of the program like all the rest was very successful.

Then followed at 8 p. m. a service which will linger very long in the memory of all who were present. It was designated most fittingly as Centennial Night.

It was a service that called up many old and sacred memories, that stirred the most sluggish imagination, and made us feel that we had back of us a spiritual ancestry of which we were not ashamed.

CENTENNIAL NIGHT.

The Historical sketch of the Church was prepared and read by Dr. Steele, the Pastor Emeritus. We were fortunate in having as our historian one who has been so closely identified with the church for a period of 43 years and who was able to write from first hand information. The sketch showed the most painstaking and careful research, fine discrimination, and was a concise and comprehensive history of a fruitful work covering a period of one hundred years.

DR. TUPPER AND REV. S. McCULLY.

After the reading of the historical sketch of the church an address was given on the subject: “Glimpses into the Lives of Rev. Samuel McCully and Charles Tupper D. D. by Mrs. Grace McLeod Rogers, M. A. This address clothed in beautiful and chaste language was not only a rich treat from a literary standpoint but gave evidence of such sympathetic insight into the lives of two of the great men of our church that the feeling was unanimous that it must have a place in the report of our Centennial Celebration.

This most inspiring of all the services of Centennial week was brought to a close with the singing of the old hymn “O God the Rock of Ages.”

FRATERNAL SERVICE.

Wednesday evening another large audience was present at the Centennial Fraternal Service. Pastor Stackhouse presided and on the platform with him and participating in the services were the Venerable Dr. Steele, Dr. Chapman and Rev. J. K. Bearisto, Rev. Anderson Rogers of St Stephen’s Church, Rev. E. H. Ramsay of Knox Church Rev. H. Wigle of Trinity Methodist Church, Rev. L. S. Crandal, pastor of the Baptist Church, Oxford, Rev. A. L. Powell, Gaspereaux, and Rev. S. Walter Schurman, Lockport Brief congratulatory addresses were given by all, and the general expression was of thankfulness and congratulation for the great work the Church has accomplished in its one hundred years its present prosperity and its future prospects. Special mention was made of the magnificent result of Sunday’s appeal, when the total indebtedness of the Church was provided for. Letters were read from former pastors. Rev. W. E. Bates and Rev. S. W. Cummings, and from assistant pastors, Rev. G. O. Gates, D. D., Rev. J. Austin Huntley, Rev. A. F. Newcombe, Rev. Johnston L. Miner, Messrs. Fred F. Foshay and George Keirstead and from Rev. G. W. Schurman and Dr. C. Eaton, all expressing their regrets that they were unable to participate in the exercises of the church which had been so much to them in the years gone by.

CLOSING SERVICE.

Tuesday evening the celebration program was fittingly brought to an end by a devotional service, in which all the past and present were transformed into a new consecration for the future. Pastor Stackhouse gave a brief address on "Retrospect and Prospect," and Dr. Steele also spoke briefly. Letters were read from a number of non-resident members; also one from Rev. T. Richard Peede, of Port Chester, N. Y., a former pastor of the church. Short reminiscences of the past were also given by Deacons Layton, Read and S. Freeman, and by Mrs. G. B. Smith, after which the service was brought to a close, the deep feeling of the members being that the Church had been wonderfully blessed in its work in the past and particularly through the celebration, and that the same devotion to service would ensure even greater accomplishments in the future.

THE MUSIC.

One feature of the celebration, which has not been referred to in the above, was the magnificent program of music carried out by Miss Mabel Cole, the leader, and her faithful choir. It was not an easy task to provide new and interesting music for all the various services of the celebration, but Miss Cole was more than equal to it, and the program was exceptional in its variety as well as its perfect rendition. Among those who took part in the solo, duet and quartette numbers were Messrs J. L. Ralston, Dr. Burrell, S. L. Lawson, A. D. Sopp, J. W. Fraser, Geo. Shiers, E. Marney, F. Bishop, F. Thompson, Mrs. A. Betts, Mrs. S. L. Lawson, Miss Lawson and Mrs. C. C. Black, Miss Helen Lawson, Miss Simpson. A mention of the names themselves, without further particularization, is a sufficient guarantee that the special selections were of a very high class.

PRESENT OFFICERS.

The church now enters the first year of its second century, and the officers who are now in charge of its destinies, and who will maintain its best traditions for harmony, service and progress are:— Pastor—Rev. P. J. Stackhouse B. D. Pastor Emeritus—Rev. D. A. Steele D. D. Church Missionary—Miss Alice Logan Assistant Pastor—Rev. J. T. Dimock Clerk—W. S. Porteous Treasurer—G. B. Smith Deacons—J. M. Layton, Wm. Read, Samuel Freeman, J. Avard Black, D. W. Freeman, B. J. Lawson, M. M. Tingley, J. A. Christie, and W. W. Black. Deacons at the out-stations—W. O. Logan, Salem; Alex Clegg, East Amherst; and Amos S. Logan, Amherst Point.

Thus was carried out a programme embracing the essential points, but how much was left out only those know who have had to perform like services. The history of a Church, with its struggles, its plannings, its difficult questions, as well as in its days of victory, cannot be places on paper not uttered in speech.

Historical Sketch Of The Amherst Baptist Church.

BY D. A. STEELE, D. D.

WHO CAN WRITE the history of a church? There are so many incidents that go to make up its life, which have passed out of mind. It is a long story of a hundred years, and comparatively few things have been committed to writing or preserved in memory.

It is necessary to say at the outset that no one is in a position to do more than present the merest outline. The Church kept no records of its proceedings until the close of the year 1842. Steps were then taken to collect as far as possible from those then living an account of the doings of the Church for the thirty-two years preceding, and also a correct list of the members. On February 7th, 1843, the Rev. Charles Tupper, with Deacon Thomas Stokes Black, and Brethren Samuel Freeman 1st, and William Logan met at the house of Thomas S. Black on the rising ground nearly opposite the estate of Hon. Hiram Black, Upper Victoria Street, when the following facts were collected:—

The beginnings of the Baptist cause in Amherst are traced back to Henry Alline, who in his evangelistic tours visited this place in 1781 and 1782. He was a man gifted with the power of persuasion; of an all consuming zeal, with a heart yearning for the salvation of his fellow men. He made many converts here.

The parents of those in advanced years with whom the writer conversed in the first days of his pastorate here, were aroused to repentance during the visits of this remarkable man. Mr. Alline was summoned before a self-constituted court in this town, but as they had no authority, and the people sympathized with the evangelist, nothing could be done. He preached here, at Amherst Point, Fort Lawrence, Fort Cumberland, Sackville, and Bale de Verte, as we learn from his journal. He speaks of “the darkness” which rested upon the people and the ministers. No doubt there was more or less of formalism, and the flaming discourses of such a man would make a deep impression. At any rate, the effects remained in a number of converts here and in adjacent places. He left his converts in Societies, somewhat loosely bound together, but was indifferent in regard to baptism.

A spiritual tone characterized his converts, and the emotional side of their religion was prominent, but there was a clear line drawn between them and the world, and the nominal professors of Christianity.

The teaching of this good man, we learn from the records we are perusing, was followed up by Rev. T. Handley Chipman, who was pastor at Nictaux, “with considerable success—” Sometime after, the Rev. Harris Harding preached with “success.” It is noted that the above were all of the New-Light Order. That was the designation of Alline’s followers. They were supposed to have received new light on the momentous matters of human redemption from Sin. They were taught in preaching and in hymns, of which Mr. Alline had a collection of his own composing, that man was a fallen being, but that God for Christ’s sake, was ready to forgive any repentant sinner here and now, and that the joy of salvation and peace in believing were the authentic evidences of being born again.

I quote the old record: “The Rev. Edward Manning next preached amongst us, who having previously embraced Baptist sentiments, called the attention of the people to the subject of Baptism, as also did the Rev. Joseph Crandall, of Salisbury, N. B.” Mr. Alline made little of this ordinance. The teaching of the last two brethren, led people to investigate this matter, and the result was that, “several persons went forward in that ordinance,” viz. Baptism.

We come to a statement that will surprise many. The date of the organization of this Church has been long fixed as 1810; hence our centennial proceedings have been arranged for this year, 1910. But here is the authorized deliverance of the men who were but thirty-four years from the founding of the Church, at the head of whom, is their pastor Charles Tupper, who were conversant with the people, who formed the Church, and two at least of whom Thos. S. Black and Samuel Freeman were of the original members. We find it distinctly recorded that, “In 1809, a small Baptist Church was organized by the Rev. Joseph Crandall.” Our date therefore must be corrected. We are celebrating the centennial just a year after the real date.

The record proceeds:—“For some time they were without a pastor, but were occasionally visited by ministering brethren.” I find the name of Rev. T. H. Harding as one of these. “In 1819, the Rev. Charles Tupper began to spend a portion of his time with the Church, although he resided twenty miles distant.” This means that he was pastor of the Church at River Philip, and gave this Church a portion of his time.

The record continues:—“In 1821, the Rev. Samuel McCully, who after having preached some time as a New Light had been baptized and ordained, took the pastoral charge. In 1827, he resigned in favor of the Rev. Charles Tupper, who had removed to Amherst. They labored harmoniously each some portion of the time up to October 1832, when Mr. Tupper resigned the pastoral charge, and subsequently removed to Prince Edward Island. Immediately after the Rev. Samuel McCully was invited to assume the office of Pastor, which he did, and continued in that office until he went to labor in Shepody in 1841. In the spring of 1842, Rev. C. Tupper by invitation of the church again accepted the Pastoral charge.”

The record further goes on to state that in 1818, the church consisted of 18 members; and the following list is given of all who had belonged to the church up to that time.

MEMBERS.