In preparation for the upcoming 170th anniversary of First Baptist Church in Milton, church leaders recently opened a time capsule installed in the cornerstone of a former church sanctuary on June 13, 1954.
Pastor David Spencer, who has served the congregation since 1996, said he first learned of the existence of the time capsule while reading a church history written by the late Joe Bamberg, pastor emeritus. Bamberg wrote of a small copper box containing church records placed behind the cornerstone marker of the sanctuary. The box was set in its resting place by Millie Mason, the oldest member of the church in 1954 and joined First Baptist in 1897. She and her husband, Charles, sold three lots of land to the church in 1914, part of its present location on Caroline Street.
Earlier this month, Maintenance Director Philip Warr located the box – now with a green patina – when he gingerly removed the cornerstone marker from the 1954 sanctuary now bearing Pastor Bamberg’s name. The box contained a membership roll from 1954, a program from the dedication ceremony, 1953 minutes from meetings of Santa Rosa Baptist Association, and a June 9, 1954 edition of the Press Gazette.
The June 13 Sunday bulletin contained orders of worship for three worship services on that day. Doak S. Campbell, president of Florida State University in Tallahassee, preached during the 11 a.m. service, and the church choir sang an antiphonal anthem, “The Temple of the Lord.” C.M. Grice, adult Sunday School superintendent, presented the history of the church.
After dinner on the grounds, H.D. Wilson preached on the significance of the cornerstone. Bamberg described Wilson as a retired minister who was “a Christian leader in Baptist work for almost a half-century.” During the afternoon service, the church honored the church building committee and the workmen who had constructed the building. The building committee included Avis Lewis, L.D. Wolfe, R.N. Smith, W.A. Whitmire, Mel Haggler, F.M. Fisher, J. F. McGraw and Cecil Allen. Two of the seven deacons serving in 1954 are still members of the church – Gerald Barnes and Clyde Gracie.
Bambergpreached in the evening worship service.
The 1954 Dedication Day bulletin also contained a reminder of Vacation Bible School commencement on June 18 in which 228 children participated. A note in the bulletin acknowledged the absence of air conditioning at the dedication. It said “the cooling tower could not be secured. Shipment is promised from Tampa tomorrow.” Pastor Spencer said the cooling towers served the building until the system was replaced around 2000.
In 1954, the building offered seating for 425 on the main floor and balcony, but it was remodeled in 2007 to provide educational space, a parlor named for Betty Bamberg, and a smaller chapel that is a popular site for weddings, receptions and meetings. It is now called the Bamberg Chapel.
First Baptist built a new sanctuary in 2003 that seats 1,280.
The front page of the June 9, 1954, “Press Gazette” featured the upcoming building dedication at First Baptist and a story about the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners purchasing a lot on South Willing Street for a new jail. The issue contained reports of high school graduations, advertisements for local businesses and a listing of current movies (“Easy to Love” with Esther Williams, and “Taza, Son of Cochise” with Rock Hudson).
All the contents of the 61-year-old copper box will be displayed in First Baptist’s lower gallery before the celebration of the church’s 170th anniversary. According to Pastor Spencer, church leaders thought for many years the church was established in 1847, but he and Bamberg found references to the church in 1845 Bethlehem Baptist Association, now Santa Rosa Baptist Association, records.
First Baptist will celebrate its 170th anniversary on October 4. On that day, an updated church history will be unveiled. The anniversary will be an occasion to honor God’s faithfulness, Spencer said.
“God is faithful and He calls faithful people to serve Him through the years. This is a testimony to the greatness of God in building a New Testament church,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: First Baptist Church opens 1954 time capsule