Fonds MC307 - Germain Street Baptist Church (Saint John)

Title proper

Germain Street Baptist Church (Saint John)

General material designation

  • Textual record

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  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the fonds.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

CA PANB MC307

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Physical description

3 reels of microfilm

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Name of creator

(Organized in 1810)

Administrative history

Germain Street Baptist Church in Saint John, New Brunswick, can trace its roots to the first decade of the 19th century when Edward Manning preached to the faithful there. On 23 May 1810 the First Baptist Church of Saint John was officially organized by the Reverend Henry Hale. Two years later membership in the church stood at 27. The same year the church was received into the Baptist Association at Upper Granville, Nova Scotia.

In 1813 the Reverend Edmund Reice became the first pastor of First Baptist Church which was physically located in a small building on the south side of Princess Street owned by Cornelius Harbell. The church moved next to a small church building on Germain Street, between Duke and Queen. In 1815 the present site at the corner of Germain and Queen streets was purchased. The wooden building, which seated 500-600, was completed and dedicated in July 1818.

First Baptist Church was enlarged in 1838 due to its growing congregation, and in 1840, under the guidance of the Reverend Samuel Robinson, Second Baptist Church was built on King Street East. This church, however, soon ceased to exist. Over the next several decades a number of Baptist churches were organized in Saint John and vicinity -- Carleton Branch (1841), Musquash (1842), Portland (1842), "The Bethel" (1847), Brussels Street Mission (1849), and Fairville (1881).

In 1859 the Brussels Street Mission, which had been affiliated with First Baptist Church, separated from the parent body; First Baptist was renamed Germain Street Baptist Church. By 1860 membership in the Germain Street church stood at 320. In 1866 the original wooden church was replaced by a brick structure, which was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1877. Rebuilt the same year, the new Germain Street Baptist Church had a seating capacity of approximately 850. In 1923 the church received a Casavant organ, a gift from the "Willing Workers". In 2001 Germain Street Baptist Church continues to serve the faithful.

Source: "The History of Germain Street Baptist Church St. John, N.B. for its First One Hundred Years 1810-1910", 1910

Custodial history

Information about the custody of these records prior to acquisition is incomplete.

Scope and content

This fonds contains the administrative records of Germain Street Baptist Church and of its groups and organizations. It consists of legal records (deeds, mortgages, bonds, wills, releases), membership lists, financial records (account book, 1882-1890; statements), and minutes of trustee meetings and congregational meetings.

Also included are marriage records of the Rev. Theldon S. Poole (1916-1946), records of burials (1916-1917), and Sunday school records (minutes of business meetings, membership rolls, annual reports). There are also copies of printed and published articles on the histories of Germain Street Baptist Church and Brussels Street Baptist Church, a souvenir programme of the 150th anniversary of the Germain Street church, a booklet or essay on a service of witness in Centenary United Church (Saint John), and images of the church organ.

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Germain Street Baptist Church lent the material to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick for microfilming in 1982.

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Microfilm reel nos. F8821, F8822, and F8823.

Restrictions on access

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Finding aids

An inventory is available.

Associated materials

Researchers may wish to view MC305 Edmund Hillyer Duval family fonds. Duval was instrumental in organizing the German Street Baptist Church's mission at Willow Grove for the black residents of Saint John.

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