After the retirement of Rev. Mr. Miles, the Rev. Samuel Bancroft supplied the pulpit for a time with much acceptance, and several converts were added during his short term of service.
REV. J. G. NAILOR.
Rev. J. G. Nailor, of England, visited the city in September. 1831, and was invited to occupy the pulpit. Being a man of more than ordinary talents, his preaching was highly approved of by the Church and he was called to the pastorate. He declined the call, but agreed to remain for a few months as acting pastor, when he left for the United States. In this year a good Sunday School was conducted. This is the first time the Sunday School is mentioned in any of the accounts.
REV. THOMAS CURTIS
Rev. Thomas Curtis came here from England and became the tenth pastor—serving from 1832 to 1835. He was a man of great intellectual power, and his sermons were exceedingly rich in evangelical truth. He was a profound student of the Bible, and had distinguished himself by his Biblical attainments in his own country, and his ministrations were highly appreciated. In 1845 he was pastor of the Baptist Church at Charlestown, South Carolina, and highly esteemed for his mental attainments and consistent religious character.
REV. J. D. CASEWELL’S FIRST PASTORATE
The Church being again without a pastor, instructed their clerk, Mr. James Holman, who was going to England on business, to apply to Rev. Mr. Lester, an eminent Baptist minister of Liverpool, for advice in regard to a suitable young man as future pastor. He responded to the wishes of the Church and selected J. D. Casewell. He accepted the proposal to come to St. John, and before leaving England was ordained. He was inducted into the pastorate in June, 1835. His eminent pulpit talents, combined with a kind and generous heart, gave great promise of future success. He continued to serve the Church two years when his health gave out and he left for his native land.
Rev. Samuel Bancroft then supplied the Church for the second time, as he had previously done in 1830. He was a man of sterling piety, and sincere devotion to the cause of Christ, and several converts were added to the church during his ministry. He died at an advanced age in 1876, and rests from his labors.
