This Day in Norwood History-May 18, 1890-Inception and Growth of the Baptist Society in Norwood-Part I

Part I

A meeting of the friends of Baptist sentiments residing in South Dedham was held at the house of Addison Boyden, July 19, 1858 at 8 o’clock p.m, for the purpose of deciding upon the duty of the denomination, relative to the commencement of an interest in South Dedham, to be known as the South Dedham Baptist Society. The following persons were present: Jabez Boyden, Moses White, William A. Mylod, Curtis G. Morse, Joel M. Baker, Job Lawton, Sumner B. Pullen, Zachariah Snell, David Fales, James R. Fisher, William S. Gay, and Addison Boyden.

The meeting was opened with prayer by Addison Boyden, and then organized by the choice of C. G. Morse as chairman and A. Boyden as clerk. The chairman stated that some five or six of the friends of the cause had held meetings for consultation and that he was chosen as a committee to visit the different persons residing in South Dedham and known to favor Baptist principles and ascertain from them their views and their willingness to identify themselves with said enterprise. He found the opinion almost unanimous in favor of the project and also that now was the time to commence the work. The chairman stated that a subscription paper had been presented to the friends of the interest and called upon A. Boydcn to isolate the amount which had been subscribed to said paper. The subscription paper was presented and the amount found to be $635.

At this meeting it was voted to establish meetings in the best place that could be procured, that friends from abroad be invited to visit and advise upon the spiritual wants of South Dedham, that public meetings be commenced on the second Sabbath in August, provided the friends to be invited deemed the enterprise advisable. The meeting then adjourned.

The committee chosen to invite friends from abroad attended to their duty, and July 26 met at the house of Addison Boyden. Four ministers and three deacons, representing Boston and West Roxbury churches were present, besides Jason B. Baker, Nathaniel Noyes, and C. C. Colburn from the West Dedham Baptist church. The committee requested Mr. Boyden to state all facts relative to the interest contemplated. A general statement was made of what had been done and the designs for the future. The committee also interrogated the brethren from West Dedham relative to the strength of their church should the South Dedham members withdraw. After a protracted examination of the matter under advisement, a brief consultation was held by the committee, and it was voted by the brethren invited to recommend to commence a new interest in South Dedham immediately, to continue from three to six months as an experiment, and if sufficient encouragement is afforded then to become a permanent interest.

The Norwood Advertiser

This Day in Norwood History-May 23, 1890-Inception and Growth of the Baptist Society in Norwood-Part II