April 1, 1899
Rev. Trotter left the pastorate.
June – October, 1899
Rev. J. E. Coombs acted as interim
pastor.
October 15, 1899
Rev. J. F. Vichert of Rapid City, Manitoba
became the pastor. He was secretary of the mission board, practically
acting as Superintendent of Missions. His ministry was exceedingly
useful in unifying and stabilizing the work of the church and
denomination.
July 9 – 12, 1901
Fifth Annual Convention held at
Emmanuel Church showed membership at Calvary as 306.
July 8 – 11, 1902
The Sixth Annual Convention was
held at First Baptist, Nelson, B. C. and report gave membership
of Calvary, Victoria as 325. The report also included an obituary
for Brother Fielding Spotts, a pioneer Baptist in B. C. a charter
member of First Baptist, Vancouver, Calvary Church, Victoria,
and Saanich Baptist. “A simple trusting consistent child
of God, respected by all who knew him.”
July 2, 1903
The church relinquished the life insurance
policies for their cash surrender value to help in paying the
debt.
July, 1903
Rev. J. F. Vichert was the incoming president
of the Convention.
January – April, 1904
Rev. W. C. King supplied the
pulpit while Rev. Vichert took 3 months leave of absence and
I month of vacation to attend McMaster University.
July 1, 1904 Calvary Baptist Church adopted a new constitution
and by-laws.
July 5 – 9, 1904
The Eighth Annual Convention report
shows membership at 280 and reports that the, “Baptist Young
Peoples’ Union (BYPU) of the Calvary Church has conducted
six concerts at a downtown mission providing programme and refreshments.
In addition they exercise a fostering care over a vigorous Junior’s
Union.” In addition, Brother Vichert was appointed editor
and business manager of the Western Baptist.
July 11 – 14, 1905
Ninth Annual Convention was held
at Calvary Baptist in Victoria. Rev. Vichert was given $50.00
as a “slight token of appreciation” of his work for
the Western Baptist. Membership at Calvary was reported as 259.
September 30, 1905
Rev. Vichert resigned to continue his
education.
November 5, 1905
Rev. F. T. Tapscott from Sault Ste. Marie
began his ministry at Calvary. This proved to be the beginning
of one of the most eventful periods in the Baptist history of
Victoria.
September 11 – 12, 1906 An Ex Parte Council was held
in Emmanuel Church. A report of this meeting was sent to and
published by the Western Baptist.
July 23, 1907
Calvary Baptist Church building was burned
to the ground. “There was nothing saved but a few hymn books
and the piano which was old and of little worth.” The Central
and Calvary congregations continued to meet in rented buildings.
During the following months Calvary suffered a steady loss of
congregation, most joining with Central.
October 18, 1907
Central adopted the Canadian Baptist Hymnal
and the pastor’s appointment was made permanent.
October 31, 1907
Members recommended that Calvary reenter
into fellowship with the B. C. Baptist Convention.
April 5, 1908
Rev. Frederick Letts was called to pastor
Calvary for a period of three months.
October 15, 1908
“It was advertised in the paper the
intention to apply to the Lieutenant Governor in Council for
permission to change the name of the Corporation of Calvary Baptist
Church to that of First Baptist Church.”
December 3, 1908
The Registrar General was authorized to
change the name of the corporation.
1909
Several properties were considered as building sites
and investments.
October 3, 1909
Rev. H. C. Speller was hired for three
months but stayed until February.
November 4, 1909
The site of the Calvary Church on Herald
Street was sold for $1900.00.
April 1, 1910
Rev. Burnett’s work at the church was
considered done by a vote of the church so he resigned.
June, 1910
Rev. J. B. Warnicker began his ministry.
Aug 4, 1910
A lot was leased on the corner of Quadra and
Yates Streets and a “temporary” church was erected.
The trustees were instructed to procure a seal for the First
Baptist Church Corporation and were instructed that in future
all business transactions be over the church seal.
October 2, 1910
The first services were held in the “temporary”
church.
January 24, 1911
A promise was made to cooperate in maintaining
an Associate Pastor, which the executive had promised to secure,
to carry out the work of the Missions.
1911
The church, with the sum of $2000.00 considered many
properties.
November 28, 1911
A property at Fisgard and Vancouver Streets
was finally chosen.
January 18, 1912
At the annual meeting a report on the
work at Burnside was accepted and the workers under Rev. Thorpe
were congratulated on their splendid progress. A building committee
was appointed.
August 22, 1912
Twenty-seven members, including Rev. Thorpe,
the associate pastor, left to form Burnside Church which was
a result of several missions sponsored by First Baptist.
November 16,1912
The first sod for the new building was
turned by Albert J. Clyde.
June 12, 1913
The church rented the new Dominion Theatre
for Sunday services as the “temporary” building had
not sufficient room.
July 3 – 8, 1913
The B. C. Baptist Convention was
held in Victoria. A telephone was deemed a necessity so one was
installed for one month.
July – August 191
To raise money for the new building
the church borrowed on several properties it owned and nineteen
members signed as guarantors. War was declared and many men went
off to war.
1915
Wartime depression fell upon Victoria. The church
was carrying a heavy burden financially on Victoria West Mission,
Douglas Street Church, Fisgard and Vancouver property. A property
on Pandora, bought as a speculation to help pay for the church
building, was lost along with their investments in these properties.
February 6, 1916
The Lord’s Supper following the church
service was not observed owing to the cold and an excessive fall
of snow.
May 25, 1916
Rev. J. Warnicker retired effective June 30,
1916.
May 28, 1916
It was recommended that the church return
to the “temporary” building at Yates and Quadra Streets
on June 30, 1916.
June 7, 1917
After some thoughts of disbanding, the church
with the encouragement of the Baptist Union, decided to once
again try to call a pastor.
November 1, 1917
Rev. P. Clifford Parker became the acting
pastor of the church with 195 members. The executive worked on
home visitations and plans to increase givings.
October 20 – November 17, 1918
The churches in Victoria
were closed and services banned due to the influenza epidemic.
November 11, 1918
the Armistice Agreement was signed bringing
an end to the World War.
March, 1919
In spite of financial problems, the congregation
was still looking for a permanent pastor and a permanent building.
The executive considered the Congregational Church building on
Quadra Street for the first time.
July, 1919
First Baptist released the Douglas Street Church
property to the Baptist Union.
1920
The church considered new property but financing was
difficult. The Baptist Union of Western Canada had granted money
to help pay off the debt but the church still held several properties
upon which so much was owed that there was no equity in them
and interest and taxes continued to accrue.
1920
The Baptist Church Independent (The Tabernacle Church)
finally disbanded in September 1920.and twenty people moved their
membership to First Baptist.
April 21, 1921
Rev. Parker resigned. “The congregation
spoke of when he had come four years earlier they were considering
disbanding, but because of his faithful work the church was now
in better condition than it had been for a number of years.”
October 16, 1921
A call was accepted by Rev. W. P. Freeman
and in November he started his work in Victoria.
Feb 5, 1922
The three Baptist churches, First, Emmanuel,
and Douglas Street, held a rally.
November 17,1922
“The Ladies Aid Society disbanded
for the purpose of organizing a larger society to be known as
the Women’s Union of the First Baptist Church, the aims
and objects of which shall be to promote a more friendly and
Christian relationship amongst the members of the church.”
April 8, 1923
Plans were made to have combined services
with the Congregational Church during July and August.
May, 1924
Once again First Baptist was considering a permanent
home.
October 12, 1924
The decision was made to combine the First
and the Tabernacle Sunday Schools and to close the Tabernacle
building.
August, 1925
Rev. Freeman completed his ministry at First
Baptist Church.
January, 1926
The former Congregational Church building
at Quadra and Mason Streets was rented on a shared basis and
the congregation vacated the “Temporary” Church, which
was to be moved from the rented site by January 31, 1926.
January 13, 1926
About 200 sat down at a supper which preceded
the Annual Meeting in their “new” church. The church
membership was listed as 298. All current bills were paid and
a balance of $290.37 remained. The Sunday school had 24 teachers
and officers and an average attendance of 101. The reports also
showed C.G.I.T., Junior Mission Circle, and Teenage Boys were
all active and growing. Acting Pastor Dr. C. Wellington Camp
gave a short message.
May, 1926,
Rev. James Strachan of Fort Wayne, Indiana became
the pastor. Mr. Strachan was born in Victoria and was converted
and baptized 30 years previously at Calvary Church and thus became
pastor of the people with whom he had worshipped as a boy.
October, 1929
Rev. Strachan accepted a call to the pastorate
of First Baptist Church, Saskatoon.
September, 1930
Rev. G. A. Reynolds accepted the call to
the pastorate of First Baptist.
1934
Because of the depression the church decided to move
to temporary quarters considering that the rent was too high.
The rent was reduced and the church stayed on.
1935
The church agreed to purchase the building for the
sum of $20,000.00. They paid $2000.00 in cash with two mortgages.
($10,000.00 and $8000.00)
September 27, 1936
Dedication Service of First Baptist
Church.
September 27, 1941
Commemorating the 5th anniversary of
the purchasing of the present church home, members and adherents
observed another milestone in their history by rededicating the
church and also celebrated the 11th anniversary of Rev. Reynolds
ministry at the church.
Sept 30, 1941
The burning of the first mortgage took place
following a church banquet. Charter members assisted in the ceremony.
October, 1945
Rev. Reynolds resigned due to ill health
October, 1945
Rev. G. Ralph Easter began his ministry at
First Baptist.
May 5, 1946
For the first time a service was broadcast
over the C.B.C. from First Baptist.
May 19, 1946
Seventieth Anniversary was celebrated.
1946
Sunday School was started at Elk Lake.
June, 1947
Miss Charlotte Hardie was Director of Christian
Education until July 1949.