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.