On Oct. 16, 1839, 26 Vicksburgers formed the Vicksburg Baptist Church. They originally held services in the courthouse and then, in 1842, the Vicksburg Daily Whig announced that “the Vicksburg Baptist Church having rented the room near the Market House, formerly occupied by the Episcopal Church; preaching may be expected there on every Sabbath at 11 o’clock, A.M.”

The cornerstone for the new church was laid on April 11, 1844, on the northeast corner of Crawford and Walnut streets with “appropriate Masonic and Religious services and an address delivered by the Pastor of the Church, Rev. N. Wood,” according to the Vicksburg Tri-Weekly Sentinel. The paper later reported that “prayers were made by the Rev. J. H. Gray, of the Presbyterian, and the Rev. W. C. Payne, of the Methodist Church. It was really gratifying to us to see so large and solemn a procession of Masons.” By November 1845, the Baptist building committee was ready to accept sealed proposals for the furnishing and installation of the church roof.

On May 9, 1847, the first “divine service” was held in the new church, although it was not complete. An appeal was made in the Vicksburg Daily Whig by W. Carey Crane, pastor of Vicksburg Baptist Church, to the public: “The Baptist Church and congregation are now making an effort to finish their house of worship, which is occupied in its rough condition. The house, so far, has cost about $5,000, of which amount, less than $4,000 was raised in Vicksburg and fully $3,000 contributed by members of the church, from which it will appear, that up to this time, a very small amount, comparatively, has been contributed by citizens of this place. It will require nearly $3,000 to finish the house completely, furnishing it with belfry and bell, baptistery, and a handsomely painted or stuccoed exterior, and rid of its debt. It  is not, therefore, too much to expect, that the good citizens of this place will display their accustomed liberality, and aid a denomination which is over 25,000 strong in the state, and contributes as large an amount of country trade to Vicksburg as any other body of Christians.”

In order to raise the funds, the ladies of the church held a “Fair” at Fraisse’s Saloon in the hope of raising $1,200.

In February 1848, the Mississippi Legislature approved the incorporation of the Vicksburg Baptist Church. In March 1848, more funds were raised when an admission of $.50 was required to view the “large and splendid painting of the LAST SUPPER of CHRIST and his Disciples, which has drawn such immense crowds of beholders in all the principal eastern cities, will be exhibited by Drs. Lumsden and Westbrook for three days at the Baptist Church. This Painting is the original copy, by Creighoff, an Italian artist, from the celebrated design of Leonardo Da Vinci painted on the walls of a Convent in Milan, Italy. The scene covers a space of nearly 300 feet of canvass.”

On March 21, 1878, a frame outbuilding next to the church, used for storing coal and wood, caught fire and it quickly spread to the roof of the church. The brick walls were the only remaining feature of the building and the congregation did not carry insurance on it. By 5 p.m., members of the church met in the Washington Engine house to begin planning for the rebuilding. They had offers from the Presbyterian congregation to hold services in their church in the meantime. Once again the ladies held bake sales and concerts to raise funds. There were also moonlight excursions on steamers to raise funds.

By May, architect Alfred Zucker had drawn plans for the rebuilding of the church and they were out for bid. In January 1879, the Baptists requested the use of the Jewish Temple to hold their services. The response from the Anshe Chesed congregation was to allow the Baptists to use their building for as long as needed, free of charge. This kind gesture was reported by the Vicksburg Herald: “An illustration of that liberality and religious tolerance for which the nonsectarian longs (sic) was afforded by the action of the Secretary of Congregation of the Temple Anshe Chesed yesterday. Somewhat more than a year ago the congregation of the Baptist Church in this city suffered a heavy loss in the destruction by fire of their house of worship. The congregation was neither a wealthy nor a large one, and the work of rebuilding their Church – though begun almost immediately – has been interrupted by, we are led to believe, the stringency of the times. It is worthy of note though that all denominations have manifested a generous disposition toward the unfortunate congregation and in a short time we expect to see the repairs of this Church completed, and a much handsomer structure occupying the place of the old Church. Meanwhile the congregation, seeking a place to worship pending the completion of their own edifice, appealed to our Israelitish (sic) fellow citizens for permission to use their Temple, and the response is characteristic of that much-abused but ever-generous and open-handed people.”

Enough funds were finally raised and the completed church is pictured above. More about the First Baptist Church story next week.

– Nancy Bell, Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation