History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY;347

The dedication of the basement story on December 17, I911, was an
auspicious event. Bishop William F. McDowell of Chicago, one of the
most brilliant men of the denomination was the principal speaker. The
dedication program lasted the entire week and included among other
interesting features, a banquet, a lecture by Bishop McDowell, a session
of the Detroit Preachers' meeting at the church, a popular concert by the
choir and a reunion of the church membership.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
In the summer of 1822 there was a meeting appointed one mile southeast of Pontiac for the purpose of forming what few Baptists there were
into a church to be recognized as such at some future time. The meeting was held in Deacon Gibbs' house, which was a frame building with
one room. The outside was covered with wide, rough oak boards. There
was a loose floor and no fireplace, the cooking being done by the side of
a log in the door yard.
In this house the first Baptist church in Michigan was organized.
Mr. Douglas opened the meeting, read over the articles of faith and
covenant and recorded the following names: Deacon Gibbs and wife;
Orison Allen and wife; Mrs. William Phillip; Mrs. Samuel Castle; Dr.
Ziba Swan and wife; Joseph Lee and wife: David Douglas and wife;
Mrs. Enoch Hotchkiss; Mrs. Abner Davis; Judah Church and Amos
Niles.
Rev. Elon Galusha of Whitesboro, New York, made a trip to the
west in 1822 and visited at Pontiac. He preached at Deacon Gibbs' and
recognized the members of the faith gathered there as a church. The
meetings were held at Deacon Gibbs' for a year, when they came to the
schoolhouse and finally to the court house in Pontiac, the covenant meetings being held at Deacon Allen's. In 1824 Rev. Elnathan Comstock
became the first pastor of the church and for some time was supported
by the New York Baptist Missionary Society. At that time there were
not more than eight or ten families in Pontiac, with two hotels and one
store. North of what is now Huron street there was nothing but bushes,
save that the land of the Davis block was occupied by woods aside from
the improvements made by a bush scythe.
Elder Comstock's health failing he resigned in September, 1831.
Rev. Aristarches Willy became pastor October 2, I83I, and resigned November I, I833. In January, 1832, a committee was appointed to consider the building of a place of worship, to draw plans and circulate a
subscription list. Although the amount pledged reached $4,000, nothing
resulted and the Baptists of Pontiac were compelled to continue worship at the expense of the county in the courthouse.
Rev. Willy, was suceeded by Rev. Stephen Goodman, who served for
two years. Rev. John Booth was the next pastor and served for one
year. The next pastor, Rev. Gideon Simmons, began his labors October
14, I837. A revival in the winter of 1837-8 brought the membership of
the church from 63 to 123, and that winter the society determined to
build.
For the lot on which the church was built, it is indebted to the Pon