“What’s your devil?” This was a common question in Chicago once. People asked each other this. The First Baptist Church played a role in that. Let’s explore its early days.
The First Baptist Church was not always located here. Its story began in 1833. Rev. Allen B. Freeman organized it. There were only nineteen members then. Dr. John T. Temple was one of the first Baptists in Chicago. He helped start the church. He contributed one hundred dollars.
The first church building was simple. It was near Franklin and South Water streets. The Temple Building housed a school upstairs. Religious services were downstairs. Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists all used it. It was the first religious building in Chicago. Only Jesse Walker’s log house was earlier.
Rev. Allen B. Freeman was an active pastor. He started four other churches. He died of typhoid fever in 1834. Exposure and exertion caused it. Rev. Jeremiah Porter preached his funeral.
By 1835, the First Baptist Church had a new pastor. Rev. Isaac T. Hinton took over. He was from England. He was a popular preacher. The church grew under him. They needed a bigger building. Hinton raised money for it. He got only a small amount. Members worked hard to build a new church. The financial crisis of 1837 stopped them. Instead, they used a workshop as a church.
In 1844, they finally built a larger church. It stood at Washington and LaSalle streets. The Chamber of Commerce later stood there. It cost $4,500. It had an Ionic portico. A clock with five dials was in the spire.
Rev. Isaac T. Hinton was a remarkable man. He was cheerful and genial. He preached about prophecy. People loved to hear “Hinton on Prophecy.” He believed the world would end in 1873.
Hon. John Wentworth recalled Hinton’s sermons. One series was about the Devil. Hinton said everyone had a Devil. The Devil was in every store and bank. He was even in the church. People asked each other, “What is your devil?” Hinton’s advice was simple. “Pray on brethren and friends. Pray ever. Fight as well as pray. Pray and fight until the Devil is dead.”
Hinton immersed converts in the river or lake. People said his converts never backslid. He was careful when marrying couples too. He did not want anyone to fall from grace.
Hinton’s salary was too low. He left in 1841 for St. Louis. Other pastors followed. In 1843, some members left. They formed the Second, or Tabernacle, Baptist Church. This was due to disagreements.
Rev. Elisha Tucker became pastor in 1848. People found him attractive and talented. Many joined the church during his time. In 1852, a fire destroyed the church building. It started from a workman’s tobacco pipe. They built a new church quickly. It was dedicated in 1853.
During Rev. Mr. Burroughs’s time, Wabash Avenue Baptist Church was formed. Members of this church mainly started it. First Baptist Church continued to grow and change. It played a significant role in Chicago’s religious history. Its early leaders shaped its identity. Their stories continue to inspire.