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History of Wakefield Baptist Church
The first Baptist church of South Kingstown was formed April 12 1781 with Dr Benjamin Weight a practicing physician as the first pastor. The location of the meeting house changed a number of times before the present location became the official site for the church in November 1829. The hand that guided those who chose this spot (the northwest corner of Elisha Watson's meadow) could not have provided a more acceptable location. In every direction, north, south, east, and west, the surrounding villages have grown about the church building. As the chimes toll in the hundred foot high steeple, Wakefield Baptist Churchproclaims the message, "Here I am I, your oldest place of worship, still calling you to Christian fellowship."
Sunday school has long been a tradition in American churches. Samuel Slater a native of Derbyshire, England is said to have established the first Sunday Schools in Pawtucket, RI. Opposition, in the form of a political system seeing Sunday school as being subversive to the welfare of the state, was met with a stronger faith perseverance. Consequently, Mr. Slater and his model survived. Thus Sunday Schools were introduced into Providence in 1815 and then 15 years later into Southern RI when Daniel McCoon Stedman organized classes on the first Sunday of June 1830, in what was then called the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown. From these early beginnings, in which our Church played so important a part, the Sunday School System has grown to the proportions we see today so that young and old alike glory in the freedom to study and learn Christian heritage.
Baptism in the form of total immersion has been the act Baptist believers use to demonstrate renewal in Christ and loyalty to God the Father. Evangelist Alfred G. Burdick held the most notable baptisms on March 2, 1866 at the Wakefield Pond. The ice had to be cut to provide a place for the immersion and the water constantly agitated to prevent freezing in order to conduct the 23 baptisms. The following week 12 more converts were baptized. Perhaps these 35 people had something to do with the installation of an indoor Baptistery in 1891. Through the years there have been a number of Pastors who have been instrumental in bringing 2,584 persons (as of this writing, July 2001) as members to Wakefield Baptist Church. The longest serving Pastor was William A. Talty who served from January 1915 to April 1944. Rev. Talty was loved and appreciated to those he served, especially the 180 he welcomed into fellowship in the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown. It should also be noted that of the 180, 122 were Baptized by Rev. Talty.
Over the years many changes have taken place at Wakefield Baptist Church. The original church building was replaced by the present building. This new church entrance was changed and the sanctuary turned. The building itself was lowered. Electricity was added; a pipe organ was installed and later replaced by the Moller organ. A parsonage was built in 1896. The Point Judith Church was organized in 1888 having several of its charter members from our church. Later, the Point Judith Church became Point Judith Chapel and a more active part of the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown by being the location for summer early service and other special events. The de-commissioning of the Point Judith Chapel was held on September 17, 1978, with an offering in reverse. Each person received a dollar bill (seed money) as a token of Point Judith's transformed energy. That dollar was to be "invested" and then proceeds returned to Wakefield Baptist Church thus continuing the 90-year ministry of Point Judith Chapel. Space was added to the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown in the form of Fellowship Hall in 19??. The name of this church was officially changed to Wakefield Baptist Church in 1950. Many worshiers have joined in fellowship here and have expressed their opinions, some of these opinions or theories have gone by the wayside. We no longer dismiss members like our forefathers as expressed in the clerk book using terms like lewd and lascivious walk or disfellowship. We do not collect pew rental for the pastor's salary; a custom in the 1800's. We have no need for a wholesale lamp chimney committee -- electric lights made that committee's duties non-existent. However, we do as have those before us believe that, "Jesus Christ, the solid rock, is our Church's foundation AND we continue with strength to serve Him in truth and righteousness. Life everlasting is ours through the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Until he comes, may this Church, dedicated to His glory, endure and "Hold fast to which is good."
Prepared by : Jane E. Hendricks, Church Clerk, July 2001
From: History of the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown 1932, significant dates and interesting facts and clerk book WBC
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