North Road Baptist Church

Dates Back to the Saxby Gale

Baptist History

Wilson's the early settlers in the northern end of Campobello brought the Baptist doctrine to the Island.

Captain Owen, one of the heirs to whom the island was granted after his affiveal, about 1770 established the Anglican church at Welshpool.

The first Baptist church was erected at Wilson's Beach. Residents of North Road would cross the harbour and united with the Baptists at Wilson's Beach until 1863, when the Free Christian Baptist body was organized at North Road, and a church built about 1869. The church was not finished when the Saxby Gale did much damage to the structure. More money had to be raised to finish the building. Rev. Peter Malloch was the first pastor.

A few years ago the name was chnaged to United Baptist.

Pastor, Rev. Mr. Roop; deacons Alex. Calder, L.E. Calder, Otis Anthony; Supt. of Sunday School, Alex. Calder; Clerk of Church, Edgar Mitchell, Jr. The church is siduated about one mile from Welshpool landing. There has never been a cemetery connected with this church. During the early days the burials were in the cemetary on Deer Point. Later when the cemetery was adjoining St. Anne's Church was consecrated, those from all three churches, Anglican Roman Catholic and Baptist were buried in the new cemetery.

That Baptists are now going forward with plans for a cemetery near their property on North Road.

When Rev. Mr. Roop took up his duties here as pastor he realixed the need of a cemetery for the North Road Community, and has been striving for two or more years to have the members of his congregation make and effort to prepare a piece ground on North Road for a burial place.

Seventy four years ago this coming March 31, the North Road Campobello Free Christian Baptist Church was organized, and its first pastor was the Rev. Peter Malloch, a resident of this island. The Courier is indebted to Deacon Alexander Calder for this information and mainly for the brief historical sketch which follows:

The original deacons were Samuel Parker, Nehemiah Mitchell and Ezra Mitchell. Daniel K. Mitchell was the first clerk of the church and remained in office many years until his death. He was succeeded by Alexander Calder, who resigned the position two years ago. Edgar Mitchell, the present clerk, was appointed in Councillor Calder's place. The present deacons are Lewis E. Calder and Alexander Calder, and Otis Anthony, the two Calder brothers having been deacons for forty years. Deacon Alexander Calder has been superintendent of the North Road Baptist Church Sunday School for half a century.

In 1905 when the Free Christian Baptists became affiliated with the United Baptists the North Road Society became a unit of the latter body of Christians known as the Maritime United Baptist Convention.

The First School Used

The North Road Society was organized before the church was built and the school house in the community was used as a place of worship. Members of the organization resided in all sections of the district, locally named the "upper" and "lower" ends. This it is explained, was a factor in the location of the church building at what is now considered to be a remote spot for the main or thickly settled part of the village of North Road. Among the names of its first members are those of Batson, Simpson, Beatty, and Parker families who belonged to the upper end of North Road. The original trustees of the church property were Henry Clements, John Robinson Owen and John C. Allen.

The North Road Baptist Church building was being erected at the time of the Saxby gale and it was completely demolished by the force of the wind. It was rebuilt however, and has been used by the North Road Baptists ever since. Rev. F.E. Roop is the present pastor of the church and that of the United Baptist Church at Wilson's Beach. These are the only Baptist churches on the island of Campobello other places of worship being the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches of Welshpool.

Source: Saint Croix Courier Abt 1935-1939 Time Frame

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