Our Church History
First Came the Seaman's Gospel Mission
The first building was near the Delaware River at Greenwich Point, at Coal Pier early in 1901, in a plain, frame wooden building 24'x40', not much larger than a double garage. In 1905 it was enlarged: new entrance, reading room, prayer room with steam heat. The mission served seamen who docked at the Pa. Railroad Coaling station and continued until the end of WW1. Records show that approximately 20,000 seaman visited the mission in the first five years from all over the world, Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia. The first service for seamen and local residents was on Sunday, April 21, 1901. Miss Flora M. Clymer, was the founder and director. In 1904, three local women asked to be baptized, and where baptized by Rev. Henry Haslam, pastor of Gethsemane Baptist. By 1915, over 60 people had been baptized.
Then Came the Organization of the Church
Gethsemane Baptist assisted in establishing the new church, Greenwich Light Baptist, and 62 drew their membership from the home church and became founding members. In October 1915, the church was recognized by the Philadelphia Baptist Association. Miss Clymer became pastor.
Near the Close of WW1, the Local Government Commandeered the Land
The new church had to buy land and to leave the piers. Local authorities tore down the old building, piece by piece, and rebuilt it at Oregon and Hancock Street (now Front St.). WW1 ended in November, 1918, with the Treaty of Versailles, and the first service at the new location was December 12, 1918. Can you envision soldiers and sailors returning to their homes in Philly, some of whom came to the rebuilt church?
Records Show that Anniversaries Were Celebrated Most of the Years
By 1926, the church had grown and was thriving with over a hundred members. At the annual banquet in 1951, they gave testimony, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." This program stated: "We have sent one boy into the Gospel ministry, George W. King, now serving as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Fargo, ND, and we rejoice in the service he is rendering there."
Conclusion:
From the beginning, the seaman's mission from 1901 to 1916 and the church from 1916 to the present has faithfully supported foreign and home missionaries. A copy of the church covenant, re-sighted aloud before communion services. During those early years, most Baptist churches were strongly biblical, conservative, and fundamental. In the 1930s with the surge of theological doubt and Darwinism; then came modernism, also called liberalism, when some Baptist groups turned away from fundamentals such as Christ's virgin birth, the resurrection, the inspiration of scripture, and the pre-millennial second coming of Christ. Liberals turned away from individual salvation based on John 3:16 to social justice, integration, fair housing, and welfare to the poor.
Our church has remained a fundamental Baptist church, holding to biblical teachings for 110 years. The writer of the Book of Hebrews (Paul, most likely) warned his readers "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines" (Hebrews 13:9a). Titus, one of Paul's most faithful and trusted companions wrote about false: "Rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to ... myths or to the commandments of men who reject the truth" (Titus 1:13-14).
How can your church continue to be faithful in following the Bible? By rejecting Darwinism, modernism, liberalism, the prosperity gospel, Pentecostalism, covenant theology, the new age, and the emerging church. "But as for you," Titus wrote, "speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).
We do and still hold to these truths till this day!
The first building was near the Delaware River at Greenwich Point, at Coal Pier early in 1901, in a plain, frame wooden building 24'x40', not much larger than a double garage. In 1905 it was enlarged: new entrance, reading room, prayer room with steam heat. The mission served seamen who docked at the Pa. Railroad Coaling station and continued until the end of WW1. Records show that approximately 20,000 seaman visited the mission in the first five years from all over the world, Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia. The first service for seamen and local residents was on Sunday, April 21, 1901. Miss Flora M. Clymer, was the founder and director. In 1904, three local women asked to be baptized, and where baptized by Rev. Henry Haslam, pastor of Gethsemane Baptist. By 1915, over 60 people had been baptized.
Then Came the Organization of the Church
Gethsemane Baptist assisted in establishing the new church, Greenwich Light Baptist, and 62 drew their membership from the home church and became founding members. In October 1915, the church was recognized by the Philadelphia Baptist Association. Miss Clymer became pastor.
Near the Close of WW1, the Local Government Commandeered the Land
The new church had to buy land and to leave the piers. Local authorities tore down the old building, piece by piece, and rebuilt it at Oregon and Hancock Street (now Front St.). WW1 ended in November, 1918, with the Treaty of Versailles, and the first service at the new location was December 12, 1918. Can you envision soldiers and sailors returning to their homes in Philly, some of whom came to the rebuilt church?
Records Show that Anniversaries Were Celebrated Most of the Years
By 1926, the church had grown and was thriving with over a hundred members. At the annual banquet in 1951, they gave testimony, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." This program stated: "We have sent one boy into the Gospel ministry, George W. King, now serving as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Fargo, ND, and we rejoice in the service he is rendering there."
Conclusion:
From the beginning, the seaman's mission from 1901 to 1916 and the church from 1916 to the present has faithfully supported foreign and home missionaries. A copy of the church covenant, re-sighted aloud before communion services. During those early years, most Baptist churches were strongly biblical, conservative, and fundamental. In the 1930s with the surge of theological doubt and Darwinism; then came modernism, also called liberalism, when some Baptist groups turned away from fundamentals such as Christ's virgin birth, the resurrection, the inspiration of scripture, and the pre-millennial second coming of Christ. Liberals turned away from individual salvation based on John 3:16 to social justice, integration, fair housing, and welfare to the poor.
Our church has remained a fundamental Baptist church, holding to biblical teachings for 110 years. The writer of the Book of Hebrews (Paul, most likely) warned his readers "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines" (Hebrews 13:9a). Titus, one of Paul's most faithful and trusted companions wrote about false: "Rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to ... myths or to the commandments of men who reject the truth" (Titus 1:13-14).
How can your church continue to be faithful in following the Bible? By rejecting Darwinism, modernism, liberalism, the prosperity gospel, Pentecostalism, covenant theology, the new age, and the emerging church. "But as for you," Titus wrote, "speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).
We do and still hold to these truths till this day!