Free Will Baptist Church, Beaver River
Title
Free Will Baptist Church, Beaver River
Church Name
Free Will Baptist Church, Beaver River
Church Association
N/A
Province
Nova Scotia
County
Yarmouth County
Address
Highway 1, Beaver River, Nova Scotia
Status
Demolished
Date
Built circa 1852
Historical Information
The Free Will Baptist Church in Beaver River was built circa 1852. This church is no longer standing; the old church cellar was filled in, the footprint of the building outlined with stones and a sign identify the former site of the church. A flagpole and sign have also been erected to
identify the cemetery and keep it in the public’s awareness.
A sign now marks the former site of a Free Will Baptist meetinghouse that was built about 1852. The meetinghouse almost certainly served two Beaver River congregations, those of the Free Christian Baptists and of the Free Will Baptists.
The Beaver River Free Baptist church flourished during the last third of the nineteenth century. In 1864 the Free Christian Baptist church had reported 163 members with 120 scholars attending Sunday school. In 1874 the Free Baptist church reported 237 members, and the number had risen to 312 by 1880. By 1905 the membership had fallen to 132, in part because the members from Cedar Lake had left the Beaver River congregation to organize a Free Baptist church at Cedar
Lake.
In 1905, the United Baptist Convention of the Maritime Provinces was formed by a union of Free Baptist and Calvinistic Baptist churches. Consequently, the Beaver River Free Baptist Church joined the Bay View Baptist Church of Port Maitland and Beaver River, the result being named the Bay View United Baptist Church. In 1906 the old, now vacant, Free Baptist meetinghouse in Beaver River was torn down and the salvaged materials sold to John Hall.
Information and images from Canada Historic Places
identify the cemetery and keep it in the public’s awareness.
A sign now marks the former site of a Free Will Baptist meetinghouse that was built about 1852. The meetinghouse almost certainly served two Beaver River congregations, those of the Free Christian Baptists and of the Free Will Baptists.
The Beaver River Free Baptist church flourished during the last third of the nineteenth century. In 1864 the Free Christian Baptist church had reported 163 members with 120 scholars attending Sunday school. In 1874 the Free Baptist church reported 237 members, and the number had risen to 312 by 1880. By 1905 the membership had fallen to 132, in part because the members from Cedar Lake had left the Beaver River congregation to organize a Free Baptist church at Cedar
Lake.
In 1905, the United Baptist Convention of the Maritime Provinces was formed by a union of Free Baptist and Calvinistic Baptist churches. Consequently, the Beaver River Free Baptist Church joined the Bay View Baptist Church of Port Maitland and Beaver River, the result being named the Bay View United Baptist Church. In 1906 the old, now vacant, Free Baptist meetinghouse in Beaver River was torn down and the salvaged materials sold to John Hall.
Information and images from Canada Historic Places
Files
Collection
Citation
“Free Will Baptist Church, Beaver River,” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed April 18, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/200.