First Baptist Church (Toronto)

First Baptist Church is a Baptist in Toronto, Ontario, affiliated with Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. It is both the first Baptist congregation in Toronto and the oldest black institution in the city.[1][2][3] Formed by fugitive enslaved persons, the church played a large role in the abolitionist movement, including hosting lectures against slavery and offering aid to fugitives.[1]

First Baptist Church
43.6546°N 79.3963°W / 43.6546; -79.3963
LocationToronto, Ontario
DenominationBaptist
AssociationsCanadian Baptist Ministries
Websitehttps://www.fbctoronto.ca/
History
Founded1826
Administration
DivisionCanadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec

In its long history, the church's location has changed multiple times. Today it holds service at 101 Huron Street.[2]

History
Queen and Victoria location (1841 to 1905).

The church was formed by 12 fugitive enslaved persons in 1826, under the leadership of Elder Washington Christian.[2] Reverend Christian was a former enslaved individual who established multiple Baptist churches in Canada.[1]

It had not been possible to attend existing white churches because the fugitives were required to have a letter from their old church and to pay their old slave masters for the money lost due to their escape.[2]

At first, services were held outside or in the homes of members of the church.[4] Reverend Christian rented a masonic temple in 1827. Although some white congregants attended the black church's services, a church for white members was established in 1829.[5]

There were reportedly 66 members of the First Baptist Church in 1837.[6] In the same year, a visitor noted that half the congregation was white, half was black.[7]

In 1841, the congregation moved to its first permanent location after being gifted land by the family of Squires McCutcheon to build a church at Queen Street and Victoria Street.[8] Soon after, white members left for a different Baptist church.[7] In 1843, Elder Washington Christian went to Jamaica for two years, returning with enough raised funds to pay off the new church's mortgage.[8] The location was known as "First Coloured Calvinistic Baptist Church" or "Queen Street Coloured Baptist Church."[7]

In 1905, it relocated to University Avenue and Edward Street, at which point it was known as "University Avenue Baptist Church".[7]

Church at the corner of intersection
University Avenue and Edward location (1905 to 1955). Shown here shortly before demolition.

The name "First Baptist Church" began being used in the 1940s.[7]

The church relocated to its current address at Huron Street and D'Arcy Street in 1955. The previous property was sold to Shell Oil Company and the building was demolished.[7]

In 2000, baptized membership was approximately 140 and about the same number attended Sunday church services.[7]

Locations
Year Location
1826 No building (service was outside or in congregants' homes).[4]
1827 Rented St. George's Masonic Lodge.[5]
1834 Rented building on March Street (now Lombard Street).[7]
1841 Church building at Queen Street and Victoria Street.[4]
1905 Church building at University Avenue and Edward Street.[4]
1955 Church building at Huron Street and D'Arcy Street (its current location).[4]

References
  1. Shadd, Adrienne; Cooper, Afua; Smardz Frost, Karolyn (2002). The Underground Railroad: Next Stop, Toronto!. Toronto: Natural Heritage Books. pp. 27–30. ISBN 1-896219-86-1.
  2. "FBC Toronto – Who Are We". FBC Toronto. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  3. Gooden, Amoaba (November 9, 2007). "Community Organizing by African Caribbean People in Toronto, Ontario". Journal of Black Studies. 38 (3): 415. doi:10.1177/0021934707309134. S2CID 143211436.
  4. Torontoist (2017-02-02). "Now and Then: First Baptist Church". Torontoist. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  5. "Timeline · Freedom City · TPL Virtual Exhibits". omeka.tplcs.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  6. "Biography – Christian, Washington – Volume VII (1836-1850) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". www.biographi.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  7. Scott, Jamie S. (2012-03-15). The Religions of Canadians. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-1-4426-0518-3.
  8. Hill, Daniel G. (1981). The Freedom-Seekers: Black in Early Canada. Agincourt: The Book Society of Canada Limited.
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