The next entry in the church record is as follows:

"April 1, 1882 - How little we thought when the above was written what was before us. Just as we thought we had overcome the obstacles that lay in the way of our progress a terrible calamity befell us."

"On the morning of Tuesday, May 2, 1882, a fire broke out in a small brush factory near the church. The fire soon spread to the church itself, and in a painfully short time our church was a mass of smoldering ruins. In the afternoon a heavy wind blew the northern gable over. The bricks fell upon the audience room floor crushing it like an eggshell. A number of persons were standing in the vestry, and five of them were buried beneath the ruins. Four of these were taken out alive. The fifth, Judge John R. Varney, was not missed until late at night. A midnight search was made and he was found crushed and dead under the bricks and broken timbers."

"During the progress of the fire we received many words of sympathy, and nearly every church in the city was placed at our disposal for the purpose of holding our regular services. At an informal meeting of the Society held on Wednesday evening in the chapel of the First Parish, it was decided that we should accept the offer of the Belknap Church which was without a pastor and was not holding regular services. The first service in this church was held Sunday, May 7th. A large audience was present. A special meeting of the Society was held Tuesday evening May 16th. It was largely attended, and it was unanimously voted that we rebuild our church."

"The four people who were taken out of the ruins were Mrs. Stuart Clifford who suffered a broken leg, Mrs. Jed Whitney with a broken leg and arm, Mr. Job Burleigh, and a lad by the name of Dominique. In a letter dated September 1, 1882, written to Brother and Sister Whitney by an E. W. Ricker, he states: "Sister Whitney ought to be well initiated, having not only joined the church but been buried beneath it. I am glad that she is getting along so well and hope she will get entirely well without being any lame."

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