Church Review Historical Edition/Vol. 4/No. 1

Church Review Historical Edition/Vol. 4/No. 1/pg. 27

Page 27<br><br>separated by a sliding partition, is seventeen feet square. This chapel and the lot, which is sixty feet front by 145 feet deep, is worth $3500 and is entirely free from encumbrance, the committee having provided temporarily for a small unpaid balance, which is almost covered by reliable pledges. The funds for building this chapel were largely secured from a multitude of friends in all parts of the country, and in sums ranging from $1 upwards. Several gave from one to two hundred dollars, and finally the splendid gift of $400 from the aged father of Miss M. Ella Preston of Homer, N. Y., whose name the corner-stone bears, made it possible to begin the work of building and carry it at once to completion. Miss Preston was a devoted Christian and this gift was in accordance with her last wish, that a chapel somewhere in the West be her only monument. The attention of Mr. Preston was called to this field by his pastor, the Rev. D. D. Forward, who was formerly a beloved pastor of the First Church. Thus the Baptists have given yet another chapel to be a center of light and blessing to the growing metropolis of the commonwealth of Utah. <br><br>Church Extension. <br><br> The comprehensive plans of the First Baptist Church for church extension could not have been brought to their present realization but for the co-operation of friends from abroad, many of whom have seen the work for themselves and have been especially glad of an opportunity to help it forward. But for every dollar from abroad for an enlarged and permanent equipment, the church has fortunately been able to secure here a dollar in cash or in donations as good as cash. For timely assistance in her untiring purpose to advance the Redeemer's Kingdom, this church makes grateful acknowledgment and gives the praise to God, from whom all blessings flow. <br><br>EAST SIDE BAPTIST. <br><br> Rev. S. G. Adams reached Salt Lake City August 8, 1890, as city missionary under appointment by the American [PHOTO: EAST SIDE BAPTIST CHURCH.] Baptist Home Mission Society. A careful survey of the city showed 30,000 people on the east side too far to be influenced by the First Church. House to house visiting proved the necessity of a chapel among this people. Baptist families were losing their interest or being drawn into churches of other denominations near them, thus causing the loss of a constant stream of Baptist influence. A month later, September, 1890, Deacon J. J. Corum and S. G. Adams, city missionary, purchased a lot on the corner of Third South and Seventh East as a personal investment, to be used for a Baptist chapel if the purchase price, $2424, could be raised by the people. After holding the lot six months, it was about to be sold when the Ladies' Aid and Ladies' Mission societies of the First Church pledged each $100. Then individual Baptists in the city and elsewhere came to the rescue. The American Baptist Home Mission Society secured the balance by a loan of $1000. The city missionary then spent one year establishing the Burlington Baptist Mission in the southwest part of the city. A Sunday school was organized and a chapel built. Then the missionary moved back with his family to the east side and began the building of the beautiful chapel. There was no organization, not even a Sunday school, as there was no1 building we could secure. So the missionary worked alone. These were dark days financially. Only a small part of the necessary funds were in sight. It was a work of faith. An appeal was made for help, and there is scarcely a State east or south that did not respond. The sums were small, mostly from $1 to $10, but they kept coming. Finally, by the personal appeal of Mr. D. R. Chester, our princely Baptist giver, J. D. Rockafeller, donated $500. This was to us what the millions are to Chicago university. Then there were two Utah givers of $500 each. COST OF PROPERTY. The lot cost $2424, the chapel cost $4213 and the furnishings $1000. Total cost, $7637. <br><br>SUNDAY-SCHOOL. <br><br> When the basement was so we could use it a Sunday-school was organized, and C. H. Wixson was chosen as superintendent. <br><br>CHURCH ORGANIZED. <br><br> The church was organized October 7, 1892, with seventeen members. <br><br>DEDICATION. <br><br> ONE month later, November 13, 1892, the chapel was dedicated. Rev. H. C. Woods, D. D., our be1oved superintendent preached the sermon. Pledges [PHOTO: C. F. BORDEN.] were taken to cover all indebtedness, but the financial depression soon came, and many of these pledges were never paid. This left the church a heavy burden, but now all is paid except a loan of $1000 to the society. About this time S. G. Adams was appointed district missionary for Utah, and also to act as pastor of the new church named the East-Side Baptist, which position he held for three years. <br><br>LADIES' AID. <br><br> An efficient Ladies' Aid society was early organized which has done heroic service first in furnishing the chapel, then in helping to pay the church debt. This work of the ladies deserves special mention. The first year this society raised $180. Mrs. A. T. Moore is now president, and Mrs. Ida V. Petty secretary. <br><br>LADIES' HOME AND FOREIGN MISSION SOCIETY. <br><br> There was also a Ladies' Home and Foreign Mission society organized, which has done much to cultivate a missionary spirit among the ladies of the church. This society reported $30 raised last year. Mrs. S. G. Adams has been the president from the beginning, and Miss Mina B. Morford secretary until her departure to other work. Now Miss L. M. Plympton is secretary. <br><br>C. E. SOCIETY. <br><br> December 25, 1892, a C. E. society was organized, with thirty active and four associate members. Deacon C. F. Borden was chosen president. This society has suffered [PHOTO: MRS. C. J. PETTY.] great losses by removals. The present membership is twenty-two active. Mrs. Ida V. Petty is president, and Mrs. O. S. Bowman, secretary. <br><br>JUNIOR C. E. <br><br> About one year ago (1894) a junior society was organized by Miss Morford. Some of the pastor's best hours have been spent with these juniors in their meetings. Miss Annie Moore is president, Master Wallace Petty secretary, and Miss Emma Thomson treasurer. <br><br>KING'S DAUGHTERS. <br><br> Miss Morford also organized a society of King's Daughters, which for a time was very helpful to the young ladies. But first and chief among all the departments of our church work has been our Sunday-school. The genial face of Brother C. H. Wixson, our first superintendent, will not be forgotten. The following is a list of our superintendents, in their order: C. H. Wixson, D. R. Chester, Howard Bowler, J. M. Whitecar, D. N. Spencer and C. F. Borden. From the first the church was spiritual, and for two years there was a constant revival, and many of the additions came from the Sunday-school. <br><br>HOWARD BOWLER ORDAINED. <br><br> In 1892 Brother Howard Bowler was licensed to preach, and after about a year's work in Idaho the Bellevue Baptist church of Bellevue, Ida., called for his ordination, which took place in the East-Side church, Salt Lake City.