Our Church Turns 220

On December 27, 1803, the counsel, comprised of delegates from the Baptist churches of Boston, Beverly, and Newton, convened in the Faulkner Barn for worship and The First Baptist Church of Malden, MA. came into being. Taking the text 1 Chronicles 29, verse 5, Dr. Stillman of Boston’s First Baptist Church preached the recognition sermon. “And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?”. The 52 members of the newly formed church, including the Pastor, Rev. Henry Pottle were then extended the right hand of Fellowship by the Rev. T. Baldwin of Boston.

In 1803, the world and Malden, in particular, was a different place. There were no movies, HD smart TV, radio, telegraph, telephone, internet, video conferencing technology and social media like Google, Bing, Facebook or Yahoo. The church website, Goto and zoom meetings and e-mail were non-existent yet. No personal electronic handheld devices, Laptop and desktop computers, iPads, and 5G smart phones. No cars, trains, steam or diesel engine driven ships, and airplanes. No NBA games, as James Naismith invented basketball only in 1891. Baseball was played regularly on Saturdays in New York, not until the year 1823. Professional U.S. Football was only played in 1892.

In 1803, the United States had a population of over 5 million and Malden just over a thousand souls. There were 17 States at that time as Ohio was added on March 1, 1803, and became the 17th State. Thomas Jefferson was President (3rd President of the U.S.). During his 3rd year in office in 1803, the U.S. wanted to buy New Orleans, but the French offered the vast tract of land from the Gulf of Mexico to the Northwest (a total of 828,000 square miles) for $15 million dollars a price of less than 3 cents per acre. The Louisiana territory encompassed all or part of 15 present U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The land purchased contained all of present-day Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; parts of Minnesota that were west of the Mississippi River; most of North Dakota; most of South Dakota; northeastern New Mexico; northern Texas; the portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide; Louisiana west of the Mississippi River, including the city of New Orleans.

Many things happened in 1803 some known and some just faded from memory. Adoniram Judson, born in Malden, Massachusetts and the first significant missionary to Burma was only 15 years old and just about entering college the next year. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous American Essayist, Lecturer, and Poet was born in Boston Massachusetts on May 25, 1803. In Technology, Robert Fulton, an American Engineer, and Inventor propelled a boat by Steam Power and was widely credited for developing a commercially successful Steamboat used in August 1807.

Years went by and things changed in 220 years of existence. The U.S. is now composed of 50 States and a country of technological and cultural advancement. Malden is now a city of 67,000 souls and the U. S. 339 million (3rd in the world after China and India).

Baseball, Football, Basketball and Hockey games are now played daily including Sundays. Computers, YouTube videos, Facebook messenger, Video Game Console, Smart Phone devices, fitness equipment and HD TVs are getting the most share of attention every day. Online worship has replaced in person worship in most cities and work has become a priority even on Sundays.

Funny, but our church maintained its membership since it started in 1803 at 52 active members (more or less) to this day. There was a time, though, that our church buildings were replaced due to the swelling of membership to as many as 2,000 worshiping members.

Do you wonder where the world is heading to? Technology today would have blown our forebears’ mind in 1803. But great virtues were they known for. Commitment to the work of Christ in the church, perseverance, and hard work. Rev. Dr. George H. Tooze, Jr., Pastor of the church in May 1979 wrote: “I believe that our roots are strong, that our faith is deep, that our commitment is a strong life-force that will result in continued growth and ministry. To that, we must look forward and for that we must work diligently, knowing that God’s love sustains always those who are His children. With that faith we commit ourselves to the future, believing that the best years of our history are those yet to be written”. With that remarks, Dr. Stillman’s message 220 years ago come to mind, “who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?”.

In November 2022, Michael Huddy, the church moderator, announced that First Baptist Church and Maplewood Baptist church will worship jointly each Sunday morning, in our building, with worship led by Maplewood’s minister, Rev. Gary McClenthen starting the 20th of November which is the 1st Sunday of Advent 2022. This arrangement with Maplewood comes out of a desire for both congregations to think about new ways of “being church” and to discern what God may have in store for ministry in Malden and beyond.

Over 150 years ago, God called some faithful and obedient members of First Baptist Malden to form a new church closer to their Maplewood community.  With the prayerful support and encouragement from its parent church, Maplewood Baptist Church was born out of a desire and call to better serve those who lived in the Maplewood area with the love and hope of Jesus.  In November 2022 both congregations enter into a time of joint worship services with prayer, praise, and hope for renewal.

May God continue to encourage and bless us even as we go through the scourge of Covid-19 Pandemic, socio-economic and political challenges in the days ahead. Even then, our hope is alive in Jesus Christ. We know God is Sovereign and is in control of every event that comes. We pray to God for hope and peace in Jesus Christ, who guides and gives us grace to pursue God’s Kingdom on earth.

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This article written by Jose Lantin, Jr. Revised December 26, 2023.

First Baptist Church of Malden founding in 1803 videos here.
 
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