1903-1914 Early Years of the 20th Century Rev. Charles H. Moss, Pastor (1903-1919)
Fifth House of Worship located in Main and Salem Streets, Malden, MA.
In 1903, the Rev. Charles H. Moss was called as Pastor of the church. Under his leadership, the congregation grew rapidly. Nearly 200 members had been added to the church rolls.
Rev. Frederick Cleveland was called as the first Assistant Pastor and created a Junior Church and broadened the ministry to the youth.
The choir membership had grown to 40 voices.
By 1914, the pressing need of quarters to house the expanding church school could no longer be ignored. To that end, the old parsonage on Main Street, built in 1868 was demolished and on its site the Parish House was constructed.
To enable Rev. Dr. Moss to perform the traditional laying of the cornerstone, he had been made an honorary member of Bricklayer’s Union #5.
The Parish House Built In 1914 Rev. Charles Moss, Pastor (1903-1919)
Parish House located at Main Street, Malden, MA.
As the world plunged into an armed conflict, known as the First World War, 1914 marks the birth of our Parish House. True to the vision of church at that time, the edifice still houses various functions and offices that run the day to day life of our church.
The second level which was renovated in 2004 is currently occupied by Triangle, Inc. This organization, established in 1971 by business leaders and their families, is committed to empower people with disabilities and their families to enjoy rich, fulfilling lives. Their vision and work is most laudable and fits to our church’s mission for community service.
Currently, our Pastor, the secretary, and the bookkeeper hold offices on this building. Another church, Casa de Fe Y Alabanza, finds a home on the third level for their worship services, Sunday school, and other functions. The lowest level is the Corey Room, a fireproof depository which keeps the church’s valuable papers and artifacts that show much historical evidence in our 216 years of church life.
History. Under Rev. Charles Moss’s able leadership as senior pastor of the church, the congregation was growing rapidly. That same period, the church welcomed her first assistant Pastor, Rev. Frederick Cleveland, who created the Junior Church for the youth group.
Parish House, 1914
In 1914, the need for more rooms for the expanding church school was necessary that prompted the church to put up a building on a separate location adjacent to the church main structure. On the very spot where the old parsonage (built in 1868) stood, the Parish House was built.
On the 3rd day of October, 1914, the Parish House was dedicated. The service was directed by the young people and the women’s classes as hostesses. The new building contained classrooms, on four floors, for all ages besides a large meeting hall in which the Morse Brotherhood convened each Sunday morning.
Once, during the fire in the morning of February 17, 1915 which engulfed the interior of the main church building, the Parish house faithfully provided shelter and warmth to the congregation during the church’s worship services.
———————————
Source: One Hundred and Seventy Five Years of The First Baptist Church of Malden (1803-1978), 1st Edition by Dorothy L. Foxon, May 1979.
One Hundred and Ninety Five Years of The First Baptist Church of Malden (1803-1998), Addendum to 175th Church History by Rev. Martha A. Dominy
The Parish House, Revised May 22, 2020 by Jose Lantin, Jr
< Previous Next >
