This church was for many years especially noted for its missionary enterprise. To this church Alabama owes many of her pioneer preachers. The late Rev. Charles Leavens, who was pastor just after the close of the war, sought to send a pioneer, an organizer, into every section of the State. Their present house of worship cost, I am told, about $24,000, and is a two-story brick structure. Since the war their pastors have been: Revs. Charles Leavens, I. Grant, A. Butler, C. C. Richardson, and the present occupant, Rev. Mr. Frazier. This church seems now in full sympathy with its past missionary record, over which no one rejoices more than the writer, since it is from this church that he, under God, received his commission to preach the gospel of the Son of Righteousness.
ST. ANTHONY STREET CHURCH—NOW FRANKLYN STREET.
This church deserves honorable mention. Rev. A. F. Owens led to the purchase of the property on St. Anthony street, and served as pastor for several years—1878 to 1889. Rev. A. N. McEwen, the present pastor, advised the church to sell and purchase at a more desirable point. They are now buying a building on Franklyn street. This church has had an earnest class of workers, who have made great and painful sacrifices for the cause.
UNION CHURCH.
This church is another secession from Stone Street. It, too, has some strong people in it. Rev. A. F. Owens is pastor.
There are other churches around worthy of mention. So much is said only to show the rise and progress of the Baptist cause in this section of Alabama. The great need here is more brotherly love, instead of the bitter prejudice which withers every hope of united effort. Of course, many of the good people are already free from its fearful influence, but far too many are still slaves to it.
Among the founders, or ante-bellum members of the colored Baptist work in Mobile, we find the names of Rev. Charles Leavens and wife, James Somerville, Judge Europe, Thomas Sawyer, Rev. B. J. Burke, and Crawley Johnson.
HUNTSVILLE, MADISON COUNTY.
Here is where our Statehood was born, the Constitution being formed here in 1819. Huntsville is our State’s first capital. Taking Mr. Hosea Holcombe as authority, the first Baptist church organized in Alabama was constituted within a few miles of Huntsville, in 1808. Their constitutional membership was eleven, and Rev. John Nicholson was their first pastor. The first negro Baptist church constituted in this section of the State was the African Baptist Church of Huntsville, organized about the year 1820. I say 1820, for the reason that in 1821 they are recorded as entering into the Flint River Association, with seventy-six members. Rev. William Harris, “a free colored man,” is mentioned as their first pastor. It seems that Brother Harris soon fell under the influence of a white preacher, William Crutcher, and became established in the faith of the Primitive Baptists. Over seventy years have passed away, and still Rev. Bartlett Harris, a grandson of Rev. William Harris, is preaching the “election of grace.” Instead of seventy-six Missionary members, there are now about two thousand Primitives. The Rev. W. H. Gaston is the leading educator among them. He is a man of quiet and humble spirit, and is now trying to establish a school at Huntsville. How we Missionaries need a school in Madison county! Our little Missionary church seems bound hand and foot. At this writing, Rev. Oscar Gray is pastor, and he seems to do as well as circumstances allow.