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Category Archives: First Baptist Church, Vancouver
Who IS this Woman?
Who was this attractive woman with such a determined countenance¹? If you were to ask this question at the City of Vancouver Archives — where this photograph has resided, probably, for most of its life — staff there might, quite … Continue reading
The Spider and the Fly: Personality Politics at FBC – 1905
Context It was the spring of 1905. First Baptist Church was still worshipping in the modest wooden building on Hamilton and Dunsmuir, but they had purchased the lot on Burrard and Nelson and were beginning to raise funds to build … Continue reading
First Baptist’s “Living Room” to be Demolished
Update (first posted October, 2018) “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing … Continue reading
Charles Schooley: City Paymaster and Prominent Baptist
Update (Originally posted August 2014): Charles Abraham Schooley (1850-1931) was born in Port Colborne, Ontario. He studied law for a couple of years but ultimately withdrew from that course of study due to illness. He then was one of the … Continue reading
Zion’s Friend and Rebel
John Alexander Dowie’s divine healing movement had a connection with Vancouver’s Baptists, briefly, in the person of Rev. George Armour Fair, the pastor of Jackson Avenue Baptist Church (aka “Zion Baptist”) in 1898. George Fair was born in March, 1866 … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, USA
Tagged bc, Christian Catholic Church, history, International Divine Healing Association, Jackson Avenue Baptist Church, John Alexander Dowie, Rev. George Armour Fair, Royal Theatre, vancouver, Ward Memorial Baptist Church, Wilbur Voliva, Zion Baptist Church
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J. H. Carlisle: A Man of Firsts
Update First Posted July 2015 J. H. Carlisle (1857-1941) accomplished several “firsts”. He was the first Sunday School Superintendent of First Baptist Church (FBC), before it was formally organized; his name was the first listed among the charter members of FBC when the … Continue reading
The First First
A couple of posts ago, I presented an artist’s sketch by Reginald Blunden of the first permanent structure of First Baptist Church. But I didn’t say very much about that structure, how it came to be, where it was located, nor … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, Uncategorized
Tagged bc, cpr, first building, Goad's 1897 Map, history, J. S. Matthews, Lewis & Sills hardware, Malvina Coudron hardware, McPherson & Sons Gents Furnishings, Reginald Blunden, Rev. P. C. Parker, vancouver, Westminster Ave. (Main St), Yick Co.Produce
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The Cowboy Evangelist
Rev. James B. Kennedy, the minister at First Baptist Church, invited self-styled Cowboy Evangelist, George W. Rasure, to preach at the evening service on Sunday, November 18, 1888.¹ He preached at FBC every evening for at least two weeks; perhaps … Continue reading
Posted in churches, Cowboys, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, Uncategorized
Tagged bc, carrall, George W. Rasure, Helena Ehlester, history, Joanna Pierson, Kansas, Kentucky, limestone, Merilda McReynolds, Methodist Episcopal, Port Moody, powell, Rev. James B. Kennedy, Tifflin's Mill, vancouver
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W. J. Cavanagh: Acquitted of Bigamy
Early Years William James Cavanagh (c1862-1915) was a complex man with a complicated life. He was born in Leeds County, ON (near Brockville). He left there for Western Canada by about 1887. He stayed in Manitoba for a number of … Continue reading
Forgotten Maestro: George P. Hicks
A Funny Thing Happened . . . A funny thing happened at a pizza party I held recently for some of my friends (whom I’ve taken to referring to, collectively, as the History Five). Neil brought with him a gift … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, music, Uncategorized
Tagged A. E. Rigg, Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, bc, George Peake Hicks, Gideon Hicks, history, Mayor Gale, Olga McAlpine, Rudiments of Music (1877), vancouver, Vancouver Choral Society, Vancouver Festival Choirk, Vancouver Musical Society, Vancouver School Board
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Sheila Buchanan’s Little Known Career
Sheila Buchanan (1917-2009) was known to the congregation at First Baptist Church as an 18-year veteran missionary to Bolivia; as the Church librarian for a number of years; and as a regular volunteer in the church office. But what wasn’t … Continue reading
Southern View (Pender at Seymour), 1892
This view of Vancouver as it appeared to early Vancouver photographer, Charles S. Bailey just six years after incorporation as a city has appealed to me since I first clapped eyes on it a couple of years ago. Vancouver may … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, street scenes
Tagged bc, congregational church, Cosman & Son, empire building, Father Patrick Fay, Father Patrick Fey, First Baptist Church, history, Holy Rosary Church, Homer Street Methodist Church, Lady Superior Mary Alexander, Mary Casher grocer, Ontario House, pender street, Rev. E. D. McLaren, Rev. James W. Pedley, Rev. K. K. Maitland, Rev. W. C. Weir, Sacred Heart Academy, seymour street, St. Andrew's Presbyterian, vancouver, Walter Middleton grocer
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Church Membership Transfers
Membership transfers (or “letters of dismissal/admission”) were an important aspect of early 20th century protestant churches. This post will explore some of the features of membership transfers, using First Baptist Church, Vancouver as a case study. I will present scans of actual membership … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver
Tagged bc, church clerk, church membership, dismission, history, incorporation, letters, transfer forms, vancouver
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Behind This Wall at Hotel Vancouver…
Update: March 24, 2017 Behind the wall shown above, in the elevator court of the current Hotel Vancouver (1939), lies, in all probability, Ascension, a work of bas-relief sculpture created by Beatrice Lennie (1904-1987) a renowned and very able local sculptor. Doris Munroe, … Continue reading
Bolivia Bound: The Story of Howard & Mary Plummer
Howard’s Early Years Arthur Howard Plummer (1900-1970) had his first taste of a mission career when he was 8 years old. In 1908, he accompanied his parents from their home in England to Wenchow, China, where his father, Dr. William … Continue reading
Posted in biography, churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, USA
Tagged Arthur Howard Plummer, Baptist Young People's Union, bc, BC Faculty of Agriculture, Caroline Lodge, Dr. William Edwin Plummer, Hastings East Baptist Sunday School, history, Lulu Helen Plummer, Mary Evangeline Pattullo Plummer, Neil Whaley, Rev. D. G. McDonald, Rev. Dr. J. Willard Litch, Rev. W. M. Robertson, Rothesay, Strathmore Lodge, Theodore Plummer, vancouver, Wenchow
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First Baptist Church in Disguise?
Update: February 10, 2017 This postcard of mis-identification was presented to me about a year ago as a gift by JMV of Illustrated Vancouver. The image appears to have been made between 1911 (when construction of FBC at Nelson & Burrard was completed) … Continue reading
Rev. Arthur J. Hadley: “Let’s Go!”
My very good friend, Art Hadley, died on Christmas Day, 2016. He had a special connection with Vancouver, although he and his wife, Edna, spent relatively little time in the Greater Vancouver area, recently. In their retirement, they settled in Mississauga … Continue reading
Elva Selman Drowns at 2nd Beach
Elva Selman, a 24-year-old member of First Baptist Church, died in the waters off Second Beach on Friday, August 21, 1908 at around 11am. She was the daughter of Samuel and Clara Selman. Samuel was a realtor in the City … Continue reading
T. T. Shields ‘Second Fiddle’ to A. E. Greenlaw… Who?
This article appeared in the Vancouver Daily World on August 17, 1908. An intriguing aspect of the piece, to me, was that Shields, who was near the beginning of his career as an Ontario Baptist preacher of note (later, pastor at Jarvis Street Baptist … Continue reading
Salvation Army Service at First Baptist Church
The image above and the two below were taken by photographer, Jack Lindsay, of a Salvation Army service held in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, Vancouver. According to City of Vancouver archivists, these were made sometime in the period between … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, Jack Lindsay
Tagged bc, First Baptist Church, history, Salvation Army, vancouver, worship service
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The ‘Heebie Jeebies’
When I first ran across this image in the City of Vancouver Archive online images, I was inclined to be scornful. Until I remembered some of the ads I’ve seen in recent years for so-called ‘body sculpting solutions’ and a wide … Continue reading
Posted in Artray, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, people
Tagged bc, glamour, history, nelson street, retail, slenderizing, vancouver
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Mr. Rockefeller Regrets
This letter was written by John D. Rockefeller’s attorney, Starr J. Murphy (1860-1921), in response to a now-lost letter sent by Dr. L. N. MacKechnie (1864-1926) of First Baptist Church (Vancouver). It seems reasonable to conclude from the context that the … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver
Tagged bc, Cleveland, history, John D. Rockefeller, L. N. MacKechnie, Standard Oil, Starr J. Murphy, USA, vancouver
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Baptist Missionaries in Shaughnessy
In 1953, a member of First Baptist Church, Mrs. Francis Stewart, moved out of her home in Shaughnessy district at 1492 West 33rd Avenue (at Granville) and donated it to the Baptist overseas mission board. The home was used as the Vancouver … Continue reading
Charles S. Price: Healing in Vancouver?
For three weeks in May 1923, Rev. Charles S. Price (1887-1947) held daily (and often twice daily) evangelistic meetings and faith healing services in Vancouver. Price had been in Victoria for several days in April 1923 before coming to … Continue reading
Henry (“Harry”) S. Van Buren
Henry Samuel Van Buren (1885-1977) was a Vancouver business owner from the late ’20s until the late ’40s. He seems to have had two principal businesses: VB Grocery (from 1926 until about 1935) and Western Merchandise Brokers (during the 1940s). Henry Samuel … Continue reading
Val Quan
Late-breaking information on Val Quan (June 13, 2016): See comment from Bonnie, Val’s grand-daughter. She kindly provided some additional details. The information she supplied has been incorporated below. Val Quan (sometimes spelled Quon), his second wife, Pauline, and their family … Continue reading
Posted in biography, churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, people
Tagged bc, history, Pauline Quan, Val Quan, vancouver
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J. Q. A. Henry Declines FBC Vancouver’s Call
This post is a footnote to the history of First Baptist Church, Vancouver. Neither These Sixty Years (1947) by W. A. Carmichael nor Our First Century (1986) by Leslie J. Cummings (the two official histories of the church) makes mention of a call from … Continue reading
Lost? Found: Pendrell Street Grounds
This photo shows a ‘park’ in Vancouver’s West End that seems to have been all but forgotten. It was located on Pendrell Street (D.L. 185, Block 70, Lot 31); an empty lot at the time the image was made. It was two … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, parks, sport
Tagged A. W. Given, bc, empty lot, Gilford Street, history, John Morton, Pendrell Street Grounds, vancouver
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John Morton
CVA 677-509 – [Studio portrait of John] Morton and second wife Ruth Morton 190- John Morton (1834-1912) was one of the first residents – arguably the first resident, although others have laid claim to the distinction – of modern-day Vancouver. … Continue reading
Posted in biography, churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, people
Tagged bc, Bruce A. Woods, Convention Baptists, Donald O. Anderson, Fellowship Baptists, history, John Morton, Mountainview Christian Fellowship, Regular Baptists, Robert K. Burkinshaw, Ruth Morton Memorial Baptist Church, Ruth Mount Morton, vancouver
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Rev. Dr. Elbert Paul, First Baptist Pastor
This is an image of a Senior Minister of First Baptist Church, Elbert Paul (1902-1985). He served the church for nineteen years (1932-51), the longest period to date. He took on the pastorship in a time of significant challenge: it … Continue reading
From Lumber to Racquets
The address of the yards of Coast Lumber & Fuel Co. was at a corner of Bodwell Road* (today’s 33rd Avenue) and Ontario Street. According to a City website, there was a streetcar track along Bodwell Road, so that, I’m … Continue reading
Concert Pianist, Conductor, Theatre Manager…
Maynard Joiner lived a long and fruitful life. He was born on one coast of North America (in Boston) in 1894 and died on another (in Vancouver) in 1990. By the time he was 10, he was considered a child prodigy. His forté was as … Continue reading
Reg Rose
Reg Rose was born in England in 1901 and came to Canada in 1912. After serving in the Royal Canadian Volunteer Reserves, 1916-19, and taking several short-term jobs, he began working for the YMCA, serving in Calgary, Lethbridge and Edmonton as the Secretary of that organization. In … Continue reading
Remembrance Services Past at First Baptist Church
I was browsing through images in the Vancouver Public Library historical photos database this morning; I saw the image above and almost immediately recognized it for what it was (and what had, apparently, been forgotten or mislaid in the institutional … Continue reading
Congregational Church Picnic?
The image below is an early one from the City of Vancouver Archives (CVA). On the glass positive of the image, there are notes; these are difficult to make out, but I’m pretty sure it reads as follows, starting at the … Continue reading
The Grants
This wedding party photo is important, in my opinion, for a couple of reasons. It is one of the first records of an outdoor wedding in the Lower Mainland, to the best of my knowledge. And it is the last photograph … Continue reading
Irwinton Apts
This is a crop of a BC Electric photo of Burrard Street looking to the southwest and made in 1914. The Wesley Methodist Church (William Blackmore, 1902) – an ancestor congregation of St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church which would be built a couple decades … Continue reading
Fairview Baptist Church’s Early Years
Fairview Baptist Church, according to First Baptist Church’s first historian W. M. Carmichael, had its beginnings as a regional Sunday School. The school was an extension of First Baptist, launched at a January 1902 prayer meeting. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Peck were … Continue reading
A Tale of Two Sanctuaries
The image above shows the interior of the sanctuary at First Baptist Church (Burrard & Nelson). However, close inspection reveals differences from today’s sanctuary. In fact, this photo shows the sanctuary before the 1931 fire which all but destroyed that part of … Continue reading
Posted in churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver
Tagged 1931 fire, bc, First Baptist Church, history, vancouver
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First Baptist Footie Champs
This photo makes me smile. It was taken in 1925 by one of my favourite early Vancouver photographers, Stuart Thomson, at the present site of First Baptist Church (Burrard and Nelson Streets). The young men in the image were apparently a … Continue reading
A ‘Tent’ for French
The building under construction in the photo above is what would be the setting of evangelistic meetings from May – July, 1917. The structure was known as the Evangelistic Tabernacle and was located on the site where Victory Square is … Continue reading
The Unsung Legacy of Eliza Chalk (1862-1915)
The following article was written for the 125th anniversary of First Baptist Church in 2012. It was one in a series called “Who Was Who in the Pew”. It is reproduced below with a couple of minor edits, but is … Continue reading
Memorial Chapel at First Baptist Church
The First Baptist Church Memorial Chapel has within it some of the most outstanding stained glass on the church site. The Chapel was dedicated as such in January 1958. (The space occupied by the Chapel has been part of the church structure at … Continue reading
A Few Names to Faces at Lynn Valley Picnic, 1888
The image above was made by an unknown photographer in 1888. It is unclear just what brought this group together, but what seems clear is that they are on a picnic and (according to CVA) the location of the picnic is … Continue reading
Posted in biography, churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, research
Tagged bc, fire brigade, First Baptist Church, history, methodists, Sentells, vancouver
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Happy Dominion (er. . . Canada) Day!
This is a view from 1220 Homer (Yaletown) made by Ernie Reksten on a ‘holiday Monday’, July 3, 1967. The holiday was Dominion Day (known as Canada Day since 1982), and most Canadians should be able to deduce from the year … Continue reading
Posted in books/reading, churches, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, street scenes
Tagged 1967, bc, Canada Day, Dominion Day, downtown, history, vancouver
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1900 – 2nd of 4: Looking South
This is the second in the series of four Vancouver Bird’s Eye Views made by Albert Langlois in the summer of 1900. In this one, his camera is pointing south (I would say “southeast”), looking towards such interesting sites as … Continue reading
Posted in churches, city views, First Baptist Church, Vancouver
Tagged 1900, bc, history, vancouver, view
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Caretaker’s Cottage
This unusual 1914 image was probably not made to show off the recently completed First Baptist Church (1910, Burke, Horwood, and White architects, of Toronto, who also designed Mt Pleasant Baptist Church a year earlier), but instead to show the power poles … Continue reading
