First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records
MSS.081
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit
March 11, 2016
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie, Indiana, 47306
765-285-5078
libarchives@bsu.edu
First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Table of Contents
Summary Information ................................................................................................................................. 3
Administrative History...................................................................................................................................4
Historical Note............................................................................................................................................... 5
Scope and Contents....................................................................................................................................... 5
Arrangement...................................................................................................................................................5
Administrative Information .........................................................................................................................6
Controlled Access Headings..........................................................................................................................7
Collection Inventory...................................................................................................................................... 8
Series 1: General church records, 1859-1952......................................................................................... 8
Series 2: Church histories and printed material, 1902-1979.................................................................11
Series 3: Digital records, circa 1870-2014............................................................................................12
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Summary Information
Repository
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Creator
First Baptist Church. (Muncie, Ind.)
Title
First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records
Date [inclusive]
1859-2014
Extent
1.2 Cubic feet 4 boxes; digital records (537 GB; 15,037 files; 2,184
folders)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records, Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University
Libraries
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Administrative History
On September 10, 1859, an Ecclesiastical Council of ministers and delegates met at the court house in
Muncie, Indiana, to consider organizing a regular Baptist church. The church was formally organized
the next day, Sunday, September 11, 1859, with twelve constituent members. For almost three years
thereafter, services were held in the courthouse. The Reverend G. Williams served as the first pastor until
October 1861.
The congregation resolved on January 12, 1861, to build a church building (a frame structure of brick, 48
by 34 feet) on the northeast corner of Jackson and Jefferson streets. The Reverend Silas Bailey, President
of Franklin College, dedicated the new building on June 8, 1862. The church had only part time pastors
or no pastor over extended periods of time during the 1870s. Nevertheless, church members continued to
conduct regular business meetings and to keep records of those meetings. The Reverend Smith Goodin
joined the church during the pastorate of N. B. Rairden. Goodin served as church clerk from 1882 to
1895.He also wrote a history of the church in 1889.
During the 1860s and the 1870s the church struggled with political differences (an outgrowth of the Civil
War) and financial difficulties. The church was supported financially by the American Baptist Home
Mission Society during its early years. As the church grew it became self-supporting and, in 1889, the
church constructed a new building of brick at the southwest corner of Charles and Jefferson streets.
One of the largest periods of growth took place during the pastorate of the Reverend C. M. Carter. Carter
became pastor in 1897, and during his twelve years of service (one of the longest protestant pastorates in
the history of Muncie) over 700 new members joined the church.
The Reverend William A. Waldo succeeded Carter as full time pastor in 1910, and served until 1913.
Mrs. Waldo was active with the women's work of the church and under her direction the two women's
organizations, the Woman's Missionary Society and the Ladies Aid Society, merged into one group, the
Woman's Society.
In March 1921, Dr. William G. Everson became pastor. During his pastorate Nettie Cochran became
the full time church secretary in 1922. She had served as church clerk since 1915 and would resign
her position as secretary November 1, 1931. Miss Cochran kept thorough records of church meetings,
services, and correspondence.
According to the 1979 church history, Dr. Everson "envisioned the erection of a beautiful Baptist temple
of enduring stone," and so during the mid-1920s he began planning for the building's construction. The
new building, which stands at the corner of Adams and Jefferson, was completed in 1929, at the cost
of $338,000. The church history states that "although Dr. Everson had put into operation a program
of giving and pledging which, under normal conditions, would have adequately cared for all financial
obligations connected with the building, neither he nor the congregation could foresee, the dark days of
the depression into which the nation was entering."
Due to the depression, the church's income decreased. The church was unable to make payments on its
mortgage and in 1938 the church property was sold under foreclosure proceedings.
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Dr. J. Marion Smith became pastor in December 1938. Dr. Smith began a fund-raising program in 1939
in order to re-purchase the church property. On September 10, 1939, the title was reassigned to the
church. In 1943 the church decided to raise the money to pay off the debt and in 1944 a mortgage-burning
ceremony was held.
Dr. Louis B. Matthews filled the pulpit as interim pastor after Dr. Smith resigned in 1946. During his
interim, Mrs. John Harris became full time clerk secretary. From 1946 to 1951, Dr. Lewis Emmerson
Maples served as full time pastor. During Maples' pastorate, the church began publishing The Visitor in
January, 1947.
Sources: Commemorative History Centennial Anniversary 1859-1959 (First Baptist Church: Muncie,
Indiana. 1959). First Baptist Church Celebrating 50 Years at Adams and Jefferson (First Baptist Church:
Muncie, Indiana, 1979)
Historical Note
Note that the church's fiscal year has changed at least three times during its history. The records indicate
that the church operated on a calendar year from 1904 to 1916, changed to an October 1 to September 30
fiscal year in 1917, changed again to a May 1 to April 30 fiscal year in 1925, and returned to a calendar
year in 1956.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains organizational records from the First Baptist Church of Muncie, Indiana ranging
from 1859 to 2014. The paper portion of collection primarily consists of photocopies of original volumes
that were retained by the church. The photocopies are organized by volume, as they appear in the original
records, and include correspondence, annual reports, membership records, board meeting minutes and
reports, women's department records, church histories, newsletters, directories, a bulletin, and other
printed material. The digital portion of the collection consists of digital reproductions of original records
including architectural drawings, construction records, newsletters, pastor records, and photographs.
Arrangement
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1: General church records, 1859-1952
Series 2: Church histories and printed material, 1902-1979
Series 2: Digital records, circa 1870-2014
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State
University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to
Archives and Special Collections.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation by Dr. William Eidson in
1986.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 1986/08/18 by B.J.P. Miller. EAD finding aid created 2012/10/04 by
Julie Hausknecht. EAD finding aid modified 2013/10/28 by Rebecca Marangelli and 2016/03/11 by
Brandon Pieczko.
Existence and Location of Copies
Select materials from this collection have been digitized and are available online in the Ball State
University Libraries Digital Media Repository:
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/FrstBptstCh
Existence and Location of Originals
Original records were either photocopied or digitized and then returned to the donor.
Controlled Access Headings
Genre(s)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Church bulletins
Correspondence
Directories
Drawings, architectural (visual works)
Minutes (Administrative Records)
Newsletters
Geographic Name(s)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Delaware County (Ind.)
Muncie (Ind.)
Muncie (Ind.)--Church history--20th century--Sources
Muncie (Ind.)--Photographs--19th century--Sources
Muncie (Ind.)--Photographs--20th century--Sources
Muncie (Ind.)--Photographs--21st century--Sources
Subject(s)
• Buildings--specifications
• Church history
• Stoeckel Archives of Local History
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Series 1: General church records, 1859-1952
Collection Inventory
Series 1: General church records, 1859-1952
Scope and Contents
This series contains correspondence; records of birth, death, marriage, and baptism; board meeting
minutes and reports; membership rolls; construction records; and other records ranging from 1859 to
1952. The general records kept by church secretary Nettie Cochran from 1915 to 1931 form a large
portion of the series and include a thorough record of meetings and worship services. The records for
some years are more thorough and better organized than others; some volumes may contain record types
not found in other volumes. There is a gap in the General Church records from 1890 to circa 1903.
The contents of the first volume (1859-1874) were copied (with a few inconsistencies) into the second
volume (1859-1890). In the second volume the record mentions the procurement of a third volume for
the continued recording of the minutes; however, this volume is not in the collection of original records.
For the years 1859-1890 (Box 1, Folders 2 & 3), pages 133, 161-164, 218, 264-350, and 353-363
apparently were not photocopied from the original volumes.
The five "volumes" in this series contain specific sets of records: Church Officers, Official Board, and
Advisory Board meeting minutes (1901-1912); Women's Department records (1896-1899, 1912-1915,
1917-1921); Board of Trustees records (1938-1950); Deacon Board records, 1934-1947. The first
volume listed above contains the records of a special committee which was set up during the pastorate
of Dr. Carter and dismantled two years after he left. From 1934 to 1947 and from 1938 to 1950,
respectively, complete records were kept by the Deacon and Trustee boards. Annual reports for other
years from these committees and the Women's Department appear throughout the series.
The church held annual meetings and issued annual reports. Annual meeting reports in this collection
range from 1904-1950. The meetings took place during the first month of the fiscal year with the
following exceptions: in 1917 two meetings were held, one in January and one in October, and in 1918
the October 13 meeting was postponed until November 10 due to an "Influenza Ban." The reports are
arranged according to the year of the annual meeting rather than the year on which they reported. As part
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Series 1: General church records, 1859-1952
of the Salamonie Baptist Association, the church also sent annual letters to the Association, summarizing
church events and statistics. Records of these letters appear in this collection.
General church records, 1859-1874
General church records, 1859-1890
General church records, 1859-1890
General church records, 1904-1913
General church records, 1904-1913
General church records, 1913-1916
General church records, 1915-1921
Local history subject files, churches, baptist, undated
General church records, 1921-1924
General church records, 1921-1924
General church records, 1924-1928, 1930-1931
General church records, 1928-1931
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Box
Folder
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
8
2
1
2
2
2
3
2
4
First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Series 1: General church records, 1859-1952
General church records, 1928-1931
General church records, 1931-1935
General church records, 1934-1940
General church records, 1940-1945
General church records, 1940-1946
General church records, 1943-1946
General church records, 1946-1950
General church records, 1945-1952
Membership roll, 1917-1922
Church Officers, Offical Board, and Advisory Board meeting minutes,
2
5
2
6
2
7
2
8
3
1
3
2
3
3
3
4
3
5
3
6
3
7
3
8
4
1
1901-1912
Women's department records, 1896-1899
Women's department records, 1912-1915, 1917-1921
Deacon board records, 1934-1947
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First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Series 2: Church histories and printed material, 1902-1979
Deacon board reports, 1934-1947
Board of Trustees records, 1938-1950
Robert W. Hunt Company church building construction records,
4
2
4
3
4
15
1927-1928
Series 2: Church histories and printed material, 1902-1979
Scope and Contents
This series contains directories, newsletters, a bulletin, and church histories ranging from 1902-1979.
Newsletters include all issues of the First Baptist Herald and Timely Topics held by the church (both
are no longer issued), and issues of the monthly newsletter, The Visitor, from 1947-1950.
Church histories, 1959
Church histories, 1979
Church histories, 1939
Directories, 1902
Directories, 1907
Directories, 1913
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Box
Folder
4
5
4
6
4
4
4
7
4
8
4
9
First Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana records MSS.081
Series 3: Digital records, circa 1870-2014
Women's directory, undated
First Baptist Herald newsletter, 1932, 1936-1937
Timely Topics newsletter, 1947-1949, 1958
The Visitor newsletter, 1947-1950
Bulletin, undated
Series 3: Digital records, circa 1870-2014
MSS.081: First Baptist Church digital records, circa 1870-2014
[http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/FrstBptstCh]
Subseries 3.1: Architectural drawings, 1927-1928, 1988, 2000
Subseries 3.2: Construction records, 1910-1929
Subseries 3.3: Newsletters, 1932-2013
Subseries 3.4: Pastor records, circa 1899-1990
Subseries 3.5: Photographs, circa 1870-2014
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