During the early years of the Twentieth Century churches in general were going through troubled times. Attendance was falling, services were being discontinued, and some churches were closing. This was affecting the Baptists and the general mood called for unification. The Calvinist and Free Willers had stayed apart but now they could no longer afford the luxury of unproductive theological controversy. They united first on a national level in 1911 and then on a state and local level. Dr. E. B. Cross, the pastor of the Central Avenue Baptist church, advocated joining with the Washington Street church as early as 1915. It was through the joint effort of Dr. Cross's successor, Rev. A. W. Clifford, and Rev. Kenyon of the Washington Street Free Baptist Church that a "Basis of Union" was reached in 1918.

<< Previous (The Twentieth Century) Next (Dover Baptist Church) >> Table of Contents