Second Baptist Church History

Celebrating 132 Years of Ministry

It is not easy for those who have come into our church in recent years to visualize a picture of Toledo as it appeared to the pioneer missionaries of the denomination. 

They were willing to undergo the privations and the struggles of establishing a church, and deemed it a privilege that God had called them to this service. 

At the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, the struggle for existence was the main question for those left, after so many men had volunteered or had been drafted into service. Sin and sorrow abounded and the uplifting influence of education and religion seemed very meager. 

On the west side of the river, the First Baptist Church had been established and the sympathy of its first Pastor, Rev. E. P. Platt, was directed to the needs of the East Side. Through his efforts a Baptist Sunday School was organized in 1863, with Henry L. Phelps as Superintendent. The Sunday School met in an upper room known as Brown's Hall at the corner of Front and Oak Streets. 

The upriver people of Oregon Village, in order to have a place where funeral and religious services might be held, organized a stock company and built a brick chapel on Yondota Street near Fassett Road. No provisions having been made for denomination work, this Union Church, as it was called, was used by the Presbyterians and Universalists for Sunday School purposes and occasional religious services. 

Early in the summer of 1863, Rev. Samuel Gaines Dawson was invited by Pastor Platt of the First Church, to visit the field on the East Side of the river; and through the efforts and support of Rev. Platt, the Home Mission Society, and the Ohio State Convention, an organization was planned in December of 1863. On January 10, 1864, Rev. Dawson and ten others of that faithful pioneer group met in the Union Church and organized the East Toledo Regular Baptist Church. 

Those eleven charter members were: Samuel G. Dawson, Mrs. Anna M. Dawson, Henry L. Phelps, Mrs. Henry L. Phelps, Amos W. Crane, Mrs. Mary A. Crane, Mrs. N. Jennison, Miss M. L. Jennison, George W. Wales, Mrs. Caroline Wales, and Mrs. Mary A. Wales. 

Regular services were held in Brown's Hall in the morning. In the afternoon there was preaching in Union Chapel up the river. 

A Building Committee consisting of Rev. Dawson, Henry L. Phelps, A. W. Maddocks, and James Raymer, was appointed. The result was a new church building at the corner of Fourth and Steadman Streets, dedicated February 11, 1866. A substantial brick structure, seating about 300 people, it was the first church building erected in the downtown section of East Toledo. 

From the little band of eleven the church had grown to a membership of more than fifty, and was soon able to support its pastor without the aid of the Ohio Baptist Convention. 

In 1874, the church organized a Mission known as Dawson Chapel, in honor of Rev. Dawson, located at Oak and Hathaway Streets. Both churches were served by one pastor for a period of 11 years. It was later named Memorial Baptist Church. 

Also in 1874, the church bell was presented to the church by Mrs. Orrin Phelps, and was rung for the first time on June 14, 1874. This bell is still in use today, having served Second Baptist for 122 years. 

During the pastorate of Rev. William Barker--probably a little less than 40 years after the first church was built--the need for a more modern building and a more central location was considered. It was then that the site at Main and Greenwood was selected and purchased. 

On January 6, 1907, Rev. James W. Roberts preached his first sermon as pastor of this church. On January 31, a Ways and Means Committee was appointed to formulate plans for raising funds for a new church. On March 26, 1907, ground was broken for the new building. On May 19th the cornerstone was laid, and on December 8, 1907, the last regular services were held in the old church. On December 15, at 9:45 a.m. the congregation assembled in the old church, and after a short service formed a procession and proceeded to the new church at Main and Greenwood for dedicatory services.

On April 12, 1915, a new organ was purchased, still in use today, though modified, electrified, and with a keyboard purchased from Ashland Ave. Baptist Church. One of the most beautiful, this organ has faithfully accompanied the singing of hymns and special numbers these past 81 years. 

October 1, 1924, Rev. Harlan M. Frost became our pastor, and about this time, the parsonage at 18 Garfield Place was purchased. An enthusiastic leader, Rev. Frost helped build church programs suitable to the needs of the times, including times of prosperity as well as the depression years. In December, 1934, he resigned to accept the position of Executive Secretary of the Toledo Council of Churches; and subsequently he moved to Buffalo, New York. 

Rev. Wesley Dissette of Dearborn, Michigan succeeded Rev. Frost as pastor in April, 1935; and left in October 1936, to accept a call to a church in Oregon. 

Subsequently, a call was extended to Rev. John H. Ansberg whose ministry with us began March 3, 1937. A new parsonage, adjoining the church, was built in 1940. A marked increase in attendance at both morning and evening services, and at Wednesday evening prayer meetings was noted during these years. 

Also, it was Rev. Ansberg who guided us through the World War II years when the church saw most of its young men, and some women, leave to serve their country in the armed forces. And, he was there to welcome them as they returned to their church and families. Rev. Ansberg retired in December 1949. 

On September 1, 1950, Rev. Glenn L. McKinney began his ministry to our church. Under his leadership, a more efficient bookkeeping system was installed, an annual Every-Member-Enlistment program was instituted, and many new members were added. 

A project completed in July 1960, provided new classrooms and church office, utilizing waste space inside the church school area. One of the more dramatic changes was building a wall on the left side of the sanctuary where, formerly, a curtain separated the sanctuary from the overflow area and balcony. 

Rev. McKinney and Myrtle McKinney were associated with our church for 15 years, retiring in 1965. At that time they moved to Findlay, Ohio, but returned to Toledo in 1972 to become active members of our church. October 8, 1972, Rev. McKinney was recognized as Pastor Emeritus of Second Baptist Church. His wife, Myrtle, died in May 1978. Subsequently, in 1981, Rev. Glenn McKinney and Gertrude Burger were married. The McKinneys remained active for many years, and were beloved members of this congregation until the time of their deaths. 

Rev. J. Thomas Raisner began his ministry at Second Baptist November 1, 1966. Almost every child who came to Second Baptist over the next 17 years attended an Ohio Baptist Camp at least once--most attended many times. Partial or full "camperships" were available to those who needed them. Tom's wife Thekla shared her musical talents with us as organist, director of several choirs, Sunday School pianist, and as soloist. 

During 1971, 1972, and 1973, our building was almost completely remodeled and redecorated, starting with a new roof. The sanctuary was remodeled, painted and carpeted; and equipped with a new sound system. The downstairs was paneled, drop ceilings and new lighting installed, and new carpet and draperies were added. In 1978, the kitchen was remodeled. 

Accepting a call to a church in Watertown, New York, Rev. Raisner resigned in 1983; and following him was Rev. Roger L. Barnes, who began his ministry in September, 1984. Roger and his wife Jann were active with the youth in our church. They were with us only three years when Roger retired from the ministry in 1987. Members of the church were happy to learn that Rev. Barnes later returned to the ministry, and is currently pastor of a church in Indiana. 

In 1985, the Church purchased the property at the corner of Greenwood and Euclid, adjacent building, and the old structure was torn down to provide for a future church parking lot. 

That dream became a reality in 1989, when construction of a lot to accommodate 36 cars was completed in September; and, following Sunday worship, members gathered in the lot for a service of dedication led by Interim Pastor Hubert Cagwin. 

During the same year, Rev. Merry L. Rader accepted a call to become our pastor. In the years that followed, a number of "Party In the Parking Lot" events were sponsored during summer months, to include not only the church family, but adults and children of the neighborhood surrounding the church. Church members also participated in other types of outreach programs, such as tutoring children after school. 

A long-standing pattern of declining membership, common to many area churches, prompted us to begin a closer fellowship with Riverside Baptist Church in the early 1990s. Riverside – an American Baptist Church not far from us – and Second Baptist ultimately appointed committees from each church to explore the feasibility of merging. 

By April 1995, the committee presented a tentative plan for merger to both church bodies; and Second and Riverside members voted to move forward with plans. 

The proposal called for the ultimate sale of Second and Riverside Churches, with a new church site to be determined later. However, within a few months, Maumee Trinity Baptist Church approached Second and Riverside about a three-church merger. Members of each church voted to accept this plan, which included relocation of both Second and Riverside to the Maumee church site. 

Now, the sale of Second Baptist Church to the Salvation Army is expected to be finalized soon; and formal merger of Second, Riverside, and Maumee Trinity Baptist Churches is to take place May 1, 1996. 

April 28, 1996 will be Pastor Merry Rader's last Sunday with us; and an appreciation and farewell reception for her will follow the church service on that date. 

Thereafter, members of Second Baptist will become part of The Cass Road Baptist Church, 1400 Cass Road, Maumee, Ohio. 

As we make this transition, we gain inspiration from those faithful pioneers who established our church, and from those whose dedication has sustained Second Baptist as a place of worship and ministry these past 132 years. 

We pray the Holy Spirit will guide us so that in new ways, and with renewed dedication, we may continue to spread the Good News.