In the early spring of 1895 a small
group of baptized believers residing in Madison, desiring a place where
they could assemble and commune together with their God, met in a hall
on Central Avenue known then as the Odd Fellows Hall for the purpose of
organizing a Baptist Mission. Rev. R.D. Cheek, the Baptist State
Organizer of New Jersey acting as the leader of the group. The officers
of the newly organized Baptist Mission were: Clerk, Trim Felton; Treasurer,
George M. Burroughs; Organist, Mrs. Jeanette Milton Jones; Chorister, James
W. Ratler.
After six months of working and worshipping
together as a Baptist Mission, twelve members namely: George M. Burroughs,
Trim Felton, John Milton, Jeremiah Ranson, Benjamin Gordon, Isaac Garrison,
Joseph T. Knight, Richmond Barrow, George Holland, Mrs. Mary Barrow, Mrs.
Maggie Holland and Mrs. Mamie Green volunteered to go and unite with Calvary
Baptist Church, Morristown, New Jersey, to worship as members for one year
according to Baptist Policy before a Baptist Church could be regularly
organized in Madison. Rev. George E. Morris, Pastor of Calvary Baptist
Church guided their worship and instructed them for the specified time.
During this time the Baptist Mission in Madison continued its worship services
under the guidance of Rev. R. L. Harris.
In 1897 the Twelve Charter Members returned
to Madison and the Baptist Mission was organized as the FIRST BAPTIST
CHURCH of Madison with Rev. R.L.. Harris as its first Pastor.
September 1899, a call was extended to Rev. W.S. Smith and one of his first
acts was to have the Church Incorporated and on November 18, 1900 it was
done. As the church continued to grow a larger lot on Cook Avenue was purchased
from Mr. Warren B. Burnet for the sum of $400.00. Ground-breaking took
place on the first Sunday in June, 1901 at a 3:00 p.m. service. The
approximate cost for the erection of Church was $3500.00 with Mr. William
Mills as contractor and builder and the church still stands there today.
On Sunday, February 16, 1902 Rev. W.S. Smith and the members and friends
of First Baptist Church marched from the Hall on Central Avenue into their
new edifice on Cook Avenue. The church had a total of 21 pastors
until a call was made on January 15, 1980 to Rev. Johnnie W. Brewster,
who served as pastor from March 2, 1980 until June 20, 2000 when the Lord
saw fit to call him from labor to reward. First Baptist Church has
licensed four ministers during Rev. Brewster's tenure and ordained one:
Rev. W. Louis McDowell (1982), pastor of Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist
Church in Passaic; Minister Theresa Green (1995); Minister Gordon Drewery
(1999); and Minister Alan Sallie (1999).
American Baptists
This site will take you to the American Baptist Churches-USA web page.
Since this church is dually-aligned with both the American Baptist Churches-USA
and the National Baptist Convention-USA, Inc. this page will give you access
to various programs, conferences and activities available. This site
will also allow you to contact various offices and officers in the American
Baptist Churches.
The Hall of Church History-Baptists
The subtitle under this is "Theology From A Bunch of Dead Guys".
This site gives you a brief history of Baptist roots and links to some
other valuable sites regarding the history of Baptists.
National Baptists
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. is the other "leg" of this church's
structure. This page gives the history of the black baptists in America.
Lott
Carey
Most Baptist churches which have a Foreign Missions Fund contribute
in the name of Lott Carey. This site gives biographical information
on Lott Carey -- who he was and what he was about.
First Black Woman
President, ABC-USA
Dr. Trinette McCray is the first black female
president of the American Baptist Churches-USA. This site gives you
a small idea of who this "dynamic" person is. She was one of the
women in ministry I interviewed for my Independent Study Paper. Because
of the position she holds, people think that she has had an easy road to
where she is, but nothing could be further from the truth. In my
paper she speaks of her struggle to be licensed and ordained by the pastor
in her home church. She is a dynamic preacher and teacher.
A person I feel privileged and honored to know and be friends with.
Baptist
Polity
It is important, as a Baptist, to know why you are one. Many
people will say that they were born and raised Baptist, Mama was Baptist,
Grandma was Baptist and that's why they are Baptist. Rev. Roy Medley,
the Executive Minister of American
Baptist Churches, New Jersey, laughs when asked "What kind of Baptist
are you?" He says "I'm a basement Baptist" because most Baptist Churches
hold their meetings, dinners, and seminars in the fellowship hall which
is usually in the basement. A lecture he puts together is entitled
"Baptist: Why We're All Wet" and this site gives those explanations.
Here you will find what Baptist believe and some history of the Baptist.