Category: Uncategorized

On February 19, 1812, Ann and Adoniram Judson sailed for India as missionaries commissioned by the Congregational Church (see post on February 6).  Upon arriving in India, they asked the British Baptist William Ward to baptize them by immersion.  Because of the political situation between England and the United States, Americans were unwelcome in India, so the Judsons traveled to Burma where evangelized to the Burmese.  They began translating the Bible into the local language, wrote tracts and made friends.  The picture here shows the house Judson’s lived in, drawn by Howard Malcom.  ABHS has many books about the Judson’s, Judson’s original letters to the mission society in America, and several artifacts used by Judson in his ministry.

On February 16, in 1747, Isaac Backus formed a church with 16 people in Titicut, MA.  He was going against legal requirements.  Backus spoke out for separation of church and state, and was one of the original trustees for Brown University, the first Baptist school of higher learning.  In 1751, Backus became the pastor of Middleborough Baptist church in Massachusetts.   The accompanying photo shown Backus listed as the pastor of Middleborough in the 1790-1795 Baptist Register.  ABHS has a collection of Backus’ personal papers and many books by and about him. 

On February 15, 1679, Boston Baptists met for the first time in a meeting house secretly built as a ‘Brewery’.  ABHS has original church records from four churches in Boston: Bowdoin Square BC, 1840-1876; Central Square BC and Society, 1843-1915;  First BC, 1771-1960; and Trenton Street BC, 1908-1929.  Association Records from Boston date to the mid 1800s.

REGISTER NOW for “The Legacy of Walter Rauschenbusch,” a conference taking place April 9-11, 2018, on Mercer University’s Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta. Detailed information and a downloadable registration form are available here.

The American Baptist Historical Society holds the most extensive collection of Rauschenbusch family papers in the world. ABHS is one of the conference sponsors, and will host a reception and display on the first night of the conference.

Conference speakers include Gary Dorrien, Christopher Evans, Andrea Strubind, Roger Prentice, Adam Bond, Wendy Deichmann, and Dominik Gautier.

Registration closes March 25

In 1884, on February 11, nine believers were baptized, the beginnings of the Baptist witness in Estonia. The first Estonian Baptist church was started in Haapsalu in 1884. From that time  Baptist churches have been  planted across the country. The period of Soviet dominion 1940 – 1990 seriously hampered the growth of Baptist churches since religious activities were allowed only in church buildings and leaders were regularly interrogated by the communist state.  Currently the Union of Evangelical Christian and Baptist Churches of Estonia numbers almost 6200 members worshipping in 84 local congregations.

In 1813, On February 27, The Maine Literary and Theological Institution was founded in Waterville, Maine.  Later the name was changed to Colby College.  It is considered a pioneer in higher education because:

in 1833 Students organized the first collegiate anti-slavery society.
in 1871  Colby, previously an all-male New England college,  admitted women.
in 1975  They participated in the first intercollegiate women’s varsity ice hockey game.
in 1983 Colby became the first college to issue e-mail accounts to all students.

ABHS has files on Colby College from 1875 to 1960.

February 6, 1812, marks the day five young men were ordained for missionary service at the Tabernacle Church in Salem, MA.  Adoniram Judson, Samuel Newell, Samuel Nott, Gordon Hall and Luther Rice were Congregationalists.  Adoniram had married Ann Hasseltine the previous day, and they sailed for India on Feburary 19.  After intensive Bible study during the long voyage, the Judson’s decided to become Baptists. Denied admission to India, they went to Burma where they both ministered until their deaths, Ann in 1826, Adoniram in 1850.  ABHS has Ann and Adoniram’s correspondence, and documentation of their work on Burma.

February 5, 1631.  After 56 days aboard the ship Lyon, Roger Williams arrived from London in the midst of winter.  He is mentioned often in these posts because his fight for religious liberty caused much uproar in the colonies that were determined to keep their worship practices and theological understandings unchallenged.  Williams  was expelled from Massachusetts eventually traveled to Rhode Island and established a colony which was a haven for those “distressed of conscience.”

Mercer University’s Center for Theology and Public Life and McAfee School of Theology, in partnership with the Acadia Centre for Baptist and Anabaptist Studies (ACBAS) and the American Baptist Historical Society(ABHS), announce the program details for an international scholarly conference in recognition of the centenary of Professor Walter Rauschenbusch’s death.

“The Legacy of Walter Rauschenbusch” will take place April 9-11, 2018, on the University’s Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta. This same campus hosts the American Baptist Historical Society, a premier religious historical society, which houses the most extensive collection of Rauschenbusch family papers, and will host a reception and display on the first night of the conference.

The conference will begin with dinner on Monday, April 9, and end at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, April 11.

Confirmed speakers include: Bill Brackney (Acadia University), Heath Carter (Valparaiso University), Wendy Deichmann (United Theological Seminary), Ralf Dziewas (Theological Seminary, Elstal), Gary Dorrien (Union Seminary, NY), Christopher Evans (Boston University), Dominik Gauthier (University of Oldenburg), David Gushee (Mercer University), Roger Prentice (Acadia University, Andrea Strubind (University of Oldenburg), and Darryl Trimiew (past president, Society of Christian Ethics).

See detailed information about the schedule and register on the Mercer web site. (edit)

 

ABHS has Black History month resources including a bulletin insert entitled “Liberty To Vote,” that can be downloaded from our ‘For Churches’ page.  In addition a recent issue of the American Baptist Quarterly (Vol. 2, summer, 2013) has articles related to black history.  Individual issues of the ABQ can be purchased by calling ABHS at 678-547-6680.

Recently we found a volume written by George W. Williams (1849-1891) who was born in Pennsylvania (a free state), and was a soldier before entering Howard University in 1869. As the first black student at Newton Theological Institute he graduated in 1874, and was ordained and installed as the pastor of Twelfth Baptist Church in Boston. After moving to Ohio, he was elected to the House of Representative of the Ohio General Assembly for a term.

His enduring legacy is as an antislavery activist and writer, having authored the first history of African Americans in the United States.  ABHS has a first edition of this book entitled History of the Negro Race in America 1619-1880 which  includes a chapter on ‘Colored Baptists of America.’  This two volume   book can be found on-line at https://archive.org/details/historyofnegrora00willrich.

February 1, 1877.  The Woman’s Baptist Home Mission Society was organized with headquarters in Chicago.  This group also founded the Baptist Missionary Training School and send women missionaries to both foreign and home missions.  ABHS has the minutes and publications from the WBHMS which merged with other home mission societies to form the current American Baptist Home Mission Societies.

January 30, 1864. James Hickey began the First Church of Monterey, the first Baptist church in Mexico. ABHS has foreign missionary correspondence for several missionaries who served in Mexico like George Pixley and Albert Benjamin Howell.  In the beginning Mexico was considered part of the Home Mission effort, and the WAHMS sent many women missionaries.

January 30, 1864. James Hickey began the First Church of Monterey, the first Baptist church in Mexico. ABHS has foreign missionary correspondence for several missionaries who served in Mexico like George Pixley and Albert Benjamin Howell.  In the beginning Mexico was considered part of the Home Mission effort, and the WAHMS sent many women missionaries.

January 25, 1783: William Colgate, founder of American Bible Union, was born in England. He is noted for being a philanthropist and founder of the Colgate Company (1806). ABHS has his papers dating from 1820 to 1850. Samuel Colgate, William’s son, started a library that became the heart  of the ABHS book collection.

January 24, 1811:  Sansom Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia was founded with William Staughton as pastor.  ABHS has some of Sansom Street’s original church records and Staughton’s sermon notes (1807-1823) and correspondence (16 letters).  We also have the original drawings of the dome of the church.

January 24, 1811:  Sansom Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia was founded with William Staughton (left) as pastor.  ABHS has some of Sansom Street’s original church records and Staughton’s sermon notes (1807-1823) and correspondence (16 letters).  We also have the original drawings of the dome of the church.

On January 22, 1862, Lulu (Louise) C. Fleming was born. She is the first female medical missionary appointed by Baptists. She served in the Congo from 1886-1899.  ABHS has her correspondence while she was in the Congo and a bio file which includes photographs. One of the ABHS membership circles is named for her.

On January 22, 1862, Lulu (Louise) C. Fleming was born. She is the first female medical missionary was appointed by Baptists. She served in the Congo from 1886-1899.  ABHS has her correspondence while she was in the Congo and a bio file which includes photographs. One of the ABHS membership circles is named for her.

January 21.  The Eglise Baptiste de la Nouvelle Naissance in Spring Valley,  New York celebrates their 25^th anniversary under the leadership of Rev. Philippe W. Antoine.

On January 21, 1525, Anabaptists (Baptists) organized for the first time under the leadership of Conrad Grebel near Zurich, Switzerland. ABHS has a biography of Grebel, and many books and articles about the Anabaptists in Europe.