In 1812 the Church numbered twenty-seven members. They applied for admission and were received into the Association at Upper Granville, N. S., this year.
For the first three years the Church was not in a position to call a pastor, but was supplied from time to time by visiting ministers.
FIRST PASTOR CALLED.
The first pastor, the Rev. Edmund Reice, was called in 1813. He was a Frenchman who came to Halifax as a midshipman in a French vessel which was taken as a prize by the English. His conversion was remarkable. Intent, like many of his countrymen, on deriding religion, and leading a ball in a house just opposite the place where the revival meetings were held at Yarmouth, like Saul, he was struck down by the power of God and in intense agony of soul he cried aloud for mercy. He was truly converted, became a Baptist, and entered the ministry. After preaching for some time elsewhere, he was called to be a pastor of this Church.. During his pastorate a revival occurred and many were added to the Lord. He remained as a pastor about three years. Later he went to New Orleans to evangelize the French, and afterwards was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Baltimore, where he died.
Places of Meeting.
The Church first worshipped in a small room on the ground floor of a building on the south side of Princess Street, owned and occupied by Mr. Cornelius Harbell. The building was next to the residence of the late Dr. Sheffield. From Princess street the Church moved to and occupied a small church edifice on Germain street, between Duke and Queen. This building had been used, on the formation of the city, as a court house and common council chamber. It was then occupied by the Episcopalians, and afterwards by the Methodists. It soon became too small, and in 1815 the present site, on the corner of Germain and Queen streets, was purchased. The first building was completed and dedicated in July, 1818. The following advertisement appeared in the city papers: “A new Baptist meeting house will be opened for the worship of God on Lord’s Day next, when appropriate sermons will be preached and hymns sung. Collections will be made toward the expense of the building. Services at 11 A. M. and 6 P.M.
(Sgd.) THOMAS GRIFFIN, Pastor.
St. John, July 8th, 1818."