FRONTISPIECE

The house in which the First Baptist Church on the Pacific coast was organized; together with their Articles of Faith, and Covenant; and also the list of Constituent members.

Most kindly presented to the Author by Rev. C. A. Woodddy, D. D.

 

Description of Frontispiece

The building at the left at the bottom of the picture was the residence of David T. Lenox in which was organized the first Baptist church on the Pacific Coast. The house was a log cabin, one story, with a stick chimney, log partitions and other things to match. For years it was Baptist headquarters. For a few months, my membership was with this church. We were scattered from one mile to 10 or 15 miles apart. I was six miles and I shared brother Lenox's hospitality when I attended the meetings. I knew most of the members. In the spring of 1852 the church dismissed 11 members to organize the West Tualatin church (Forest Grove). I went also. This was the first Baptist church in Oregon with its constituent members from another Baptist church in Oregon, and I am the only one of them now living. The building at the right is the meeting-house, the third church house in Oregon. One at Oregon City, built in 1848; now a shop or woodhouse. The other at Corvallis, built in 1852; crushed by snow in 1862. Surrounding the West Union house was a dense forest. Next above the buildings are the Articles of Faith, copied from the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, which was then our standard if we had a copy. Otherwise we quoted from memory. Of course there were sometimes variations. At the top at the left is the Covenant. On the right is the list of members. Under "Males" the first four, and under "Females" the first three were the constituent members. The other members came in afterward. The detailed history of these times is found in Volume I of "The Baptist Annals of Oregon."