The Indian Mission

As early as 1822 a mission was located here among the Ottawa tribe of Indians, which bore the name of the "Thomas Station", in honor of one of the early English Baptist missionaries to India. Little, however, was done in the way of missionary work until 1826, when Rev. Mr. McCoy came here and organized a school of twenty-five pupils. Soon after this, Rev. Leonard Slater, a laborious, devoted and patient Christian worker, took charge of the mission. In 1832 a church was formed among the Indians. The church numbered twenty-five or thirty. Among these was the chief of the tribe, Noonday, by name; a man of sound judgment and great force of character, an earnest and most exemplary Christian after his conversion. Judge Davis has left the following interesting memorandum of things as they were at this time.
"The Baptist station consisted of two or three block houses, a school house near what is now Bridge street. At the foot of the rapids were twelve or fifteen Indian board houses, a good sized meeting house. The Indians connected with the mission owned a saw mill at the head of the rapids. The church contained twenty-five members. The head chief of the tribe, Noonday, was an eminent Christian; who delighted in religious exercises, speaking with great force, concluding, often, by saying he was weak and ignorant, knew but little, therefore he should say no more."

The Church Beginning

In 1836 the mission, together with the Indians, was removed to Gull Prairie. The next year after their removal, 1837, the first Baptist church was organized in Grand Rapids, composed of immigrants to the Territory. It was gathered by the efforts of Rev. S. D. Wooster, and contained seven members. Their names should be preserved: Deacon Henry Stone, Thomas Davis, Ezekiel W. Davis, Abram Randall and wife, Zelotis Bemis and a Mr. Streeter - all of whom have passed away. Mr. Wooster remained with the church but a short time, and for the next four or five years they were without a pastor. Several of the members moved away, and the church virtually became extinct.

The Second Effort

In 1842 Rev. T. Z. R. Jones was sent into this part of the State by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society, and the church was resuscitated. Mr. Jones remained only two or three years, making Grand Rapids his headquarters and preaching in the towns and settlements about, when he left, and the church was again without a pastor. And so the church struggled along, few in numbers, weak in resources, "cast down, but not destroyed". They met for worship, sometimes in private houses; for a while in the old court house which stood in the Park; in the school house on Prospect hill, and again in an upper room in the National hotel, which stood where the Morton house now stands. In Judge E. W. Davis they found a natural leader, who did much to keep up their meetings and their courage, and whose Sabbath exhortations supplied the place of preaching.
About this time a lot was purchased on the West side, as a site for a church edifice; and materials were collected for building it. But the church was not able to procure a title to the property, and so the project failed. The church was supplied at different times by Rev. F. L. Batchelder, who organized a church at Indian Creek, now the Alpine and Walker church. This took a number of members from the Grand Rapids church and much weakened it.

A House Purchased

In 1848 the church purchase the old Episcopal house of worship, which stood at the corner of Bronson and North Division streets, where now stands the residence of Mr. Julius Berkey. The building itself is the blacksmith shop which now stands diagonally across this square.

Succession of Pastorates

About the same time that this purchase was made, the church called Rev. C. A. Jennison to be its pastor. He was a young man of promise, devout in spirit and cultured in mind; and a time of brighter and better things seemed now to be opening for the church. But Mr. Jennison's health soon failed him. He was obliged to resign and soon after died.
Rev. Mr. Jennison was followed, in 1849, by Rev. A. J. Bingham, as pastor, one of my own college mates and a very dear and lifelong friend. He was an earnest preacher, a faithful pastor, a man of sweet and Christly spirit and of blessed memory. He remained only two years, and in his turn was followed by Rev. Francis Prescott, a man of most unselfish life and missionary zeal, whose stay with the church as its pastor was about the usual two years, and who did good and telling service for the Master on other fields till called suddenly to his reward.

A Division

In 1856 Rev. L. M. Woodruff beame the pastor. At his suggestion the church was disbanded, for the purpose of a somewhat different organization, and the Tabernacle Church was formed. This led to a division of interests, to separation, and the reorganization of the First Church, and to general dissensions, which unhappily greatly discouraged as they greatly weakened the Baptist cause. After Mr. Woodruff resigned, the Tabernacle Church called Rev. S. F. Holt to become its pastor - a man energetic in character and of much force and ability as a preacher. The First Church was statedly supplied by Rev. Abel Bingham, father of Rev. A. J. Bingham, a man whose fidelity and spirit of sacrifice had been long and well tested in missionary work at the Sault Ste. Marie, and who died among us, honored and full of years, whose children and grandchildren are with us today, and whose remains rest in our cemetery, in hope of the resurrection of the just. A short time before Mr. Holt's resignation, which took place in 1860, the two churches came together and Mr. Holt was pastor of the church as united.

The Second Church

In 1861 the Second Church was formed, and Rev. C. C. Miller, A Stanwood and others supplied the pulpit until May, 1863, when Rev. C. B. Smith, D. D., was called to be its pastor, a man of power, well known to you all, and to our denomination at large.
Rev. Mr. Bingham and Fay continued to supply the First Church until 1862, when Rev. Peter Van Winkle became its pastor. It was during the pastorates of Dr. Smith and Mr. Van Winkle that the churches each built houses of worship. The First Church, a brick structure on the site of our present house of worship; and the Second Church on Division street. Both these pastors were very earnest men and did their work with a will that did much to inspire both the churches in their undertakings. During the pastorate of Mr. Van Winkle the church in Paris was formed, from members of the First Church.
In January, 1867, Dr. Smith resigned and Rev. Nathan A. Reed was called to the pastorate of the church, who entered upon his duties in the following May. He served the church well and ably for two years, during which he endeared himself to the people, and his memory is fresh and fragrant in the hearts of many here today. He still lives as an honored an able pastor and preacher.

The Two Churches Unite

Following Mr. Van Winkle, who is still one of our earnest pastors in the State, the First Church called Rev. Isaac Butterfield in April, 1867. He is a man whom most of you know and love for his genuine worth, his candor as a man and his ability as a preacher. These two Brethren, Butterfield and Reed, worked heartily together and did much in laying the foundations on which the subsequent prosperities of the Baptist caase in this city have risen. Two churches so near together, both weak, were manifestly not meeting, nor did they seem likely to meet the prospective demands which were upon the Baptists of the city, in the new future that was already opening to it; and these brethren had the wisdom to see it.
Accordingly, on the 11th of January, 1869, a meeting was held by members of the two churches, for the purpose of farming an organization which should bring the two then existing churches together as one. Twelve brethren, of whom seven remain with us today and five have gone to their rest, then united and formed this present church, to be known as the Baptist Church of the city of Grand Rapids. The two churches dissolved and their members, to the number of 250, united with the new organization, and so there was again but one Baptist church in the city. It will thus be seen that the present organization is only eleven years old, and was formed of materials which had not been remarkable for harmony, and with a previous history which was not especially hopeful for the future.
I have been somewhat particular in sketching of this outline, both that the leading facts of history may be preserved in their order and that the younger members of the church and those who have become connected with us since these events may know something of the trials through which we have come, to whatever of prosperity we may now be enjoying - among other things, having passed through the distracting experiences of calling and dismissing sixteen pastors or stated supplies in a period of twenty-eight years. Twice the church divided and twice their weakness and their wisdom again brought them together. In September of the same year of the same year, 1869, the church extended a call to the present pastor (Rev. Graves). The call was accepted, and, as I have already said, I began work here on the first Sunday in January, 1870. The church numbered 230 members. The tide of prosperity in the city was then just setting in from the previous prostration of business which the war had occasioned. Prospects were more than fair. They were quite exhilarating. The city was growing rapidly. It was making for itself a name in the east, for enterprise, which few of the smaller cities in the west enjoyed.

The New Church Edifice

Our house of worship on Divisions street was small and too strait for us as soon as the churches had united. Provision had been made at the time of the union for the building of a suitable house. About eh middle of the year 1870 steps were taken in this direction. The first thing to be decided was a site upon which the new house should be built. This was satisfactorily decided. The lot upon which the house of the first church was standing was enlarged by purchasing land in the rear. This spot was already hallowed in the affections of many of the church; and the unanimity with which this selection was made was felt to be most auspicious. Plans for building the house were canvassed. $40,000 was thought to be about the sum that should be expended. The general plans, however, which the society, on the whole preferred, were thought might perhaps involved the sum of $50,000, which did not seem to be extravagant or beyond our ability But when the "plans and specifications" were obtained the architect informed us that the expense of the house would be $60,000. This was felt by several members of the building committee and of the trustees, to be clearly beyond the ability of the society, and to involve a hazard which they were slow to incur. The matter was thoroughly discussed. The plans seemed about perfect; an expense, in procuring them, had already been incurred of $1,550. It was found impossible to change them with any satisfaction. The house, it was said, will last for a generation, and is really no better than the prospective needs of the society require. And in expectation that liberal aid would be given the society by the citizens generally, if its house of worship should be an ornament to the city - these were among the reasons which led us to the final adoption of the plans. The contract was let for the building of the house at $60,000 and the old church building, which then stood upon the site. But this was not done until pledges to the amount of $30,000 had been made.
In the fall of 1871 ground was broken and the foundations put in. In May following the corner-stone was laid, with appropriate ceremonies. Leave of absence was granted about this time, to the pastor, for the period of seven months', and he left in June for a trip abroad, during which time the church was acceptably supplied by the Rev. Butler Morley.

Financial Difficulties Surmounted

In the fall of 1873, as many of you too well know, the hard times came on, business was at a standstill; men were failing, money was scarce and hard to be got. Financial confidence was everywhere at a discount. Before the walls were up and the house enclosed, we reached a point at which the work must have stopped, had it not been for the ladies of the society, who had been earnestly at work raising money to furnish the church when it should be completed. They came generously forward and put $3,500 into the hands of the Building Committee. And some of you, my brethren, know, and many of you do not and never will know, the struggles of those days; the darkness and doubt which hung over them; the burden that threatened to crush the few who stood underneath it. Then the contractor failed, and the whole enterprise, in its unfinished and embarrassed condition, was thrown upon the society. But through dint of great energy and the sacrifices of a few, and the blessing of God, the house was enclosed, the lower part was finished and furnished, and on the 23d of December, 1873, it was dedicated and we began our regular worship in it. On this occasion the sum of $13,000 was pledged. A number of our leading citizens, outside the society, showed, by substantial proofs, their appreciation of what we had done.

Success At Last

For nearly four years our public worship was confined to the lecture room of the church, when, with a heavy debt still upon us, another effort was made, which resulted in finishing the house and furnishing it, and we entered it for worship on the last Sunday in April, 1877. To this last effort and its success the church is much indebted to the zeal of the Rev. Dr. Smith, former, pastor, who still resides in the city. The entire cost to the society had been about $90,000, of which $20,000 remained as a debt at that date. The attempt to raise this on the day of the propose dedication was not successful. Since we entered this audience room our congregations have been large and attentive, increasing in numbers, in intelligence and, I think, in ability; with a heart and a hope that has never forsaken them, and which I take as a pledge that the debt upon us will, in due time, be paid and this incumbrance to our larger prosperity be removed. There is today, and I rejoice to see it and take it as a sign of God's favor toward us and a pledge of our redemption - there is, I say, a spirit and a purpose on the part of the officers and many of the members of the society, such as has not been witnessed for years, to meet and conquer our indebtedness, and this need only to be heartily seconded by us all to carry us out into the open set of prosperity.

Present Pastorate Review

The pastor follows with congratulations of the progress of the society, and then with these statistics: During these ten years, I have preached among you 700 sermons, have attended 179 funerals and celebrated 175 marriages. I have baptized into the fellowship of this church 214; we have received by letter from other churches 271; received on experience, 31 - making a total increase of 516. during the same time there have been dismissed, to join other churches, 120; there have died from our number, 49; and been dropped or excluded, 46 - making a total loss in membership of 215. The net gain, therefore, has been 301 - making our present membership 561. During these years the pastoral visits I have made, which have been largely among the poor, the sick and the strangers, have amounted to something over 2,700. He gives the total membership of the Sunday school at 675 - it was but 350 ten years ago - with an average attendance of 400. The school has four Bible classes, forty-three teachers and nine other officers and has raised, in the ten years, about $5,000. The school pledged $1,860 toward the payment of the debt when the society began to worship in the main audience room in 1877, and has already raise $1,348.56 of that sum. There is a mission Sunday school, besides, with 114 pupils and eleven teachers and officers.
During the ten years past the Society has raised $103,500, of which $60,000 was for the church and furnishing, $40,000 for current expenses, $3,000 for outside benevolence and $500 for poor fund, making an average of over $10,000 a year.
What wonder with such a showing, temporally, that the pastor felt that the Society had cause for congratulation, and for confidence of larger successes in the future.