First Baptist Church of Montana (Helena, Montana)

The First Baptist Church of Montana, located in Helena, Montana, is an historic church founded in 1880. It is Montana's oldest Baptist Church, located on 8th Avenue. It is associated with the American Baptist Churches USA. The First Baptist Church in Montana had its beginnings on November 7, 1879, when 21 Helena Baptists petitioned the Baptist Home Mission Society of New York City to send a missionary to organize a church. Reverend J.T. Mason arrived for that purpose; and on December 5, 1880, he moderated an organizational meeting of Baptists in the wooden Lewis and Clark Courthouse. Services were first held in a hall on Broadway Avenue and later in the South Methodist Church in the 100 block of North Warren. In 1882 the current building site was purchased for $1,000 and the cornerstone was laid September 19, 1883. The Montana Baptist Association (Montana Baptist Convention) was organized in the uncompleted church building in 1883. In 1884, the $11,000 building was dedicated. Soon afterwards, a $2,500 parsonage was built at the back of the church. Reverend J.T. Mason preached the first sermon in the new church on April 6, 1884. Among the early members was Territorial governor Preston Leslie whose daughter, Emily, served as church organist. The fine Barckhoff tracker organ, still in use today, was given in her memory in 1901 which was hand pumped until 1906. A spiral sta

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