Free Will Baptist Church (New Durham, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Free Will Baptist Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ridge Rd., New Durham, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1819 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000310 |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1980 |
The Free Will Baptist Church is a very old and important church building located on Ridge Road in New Durham, New Hampshire. It was built in 1819 and is known as the "mother church" for a special group called the Free Will Baptist movement. This means it's considered the original or most important church for their beliefs.
Even though the church building was finished after the founder, Benjamin Randall, passed away, New Durham was where he became well-known. It was also where the Free Will Baptist teachings and rules were first organized way back in 1780. Because of its history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
About the Church Building
The Free Will Baptist Church is a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards. The church has some simple but nice decorations from the Greek Revival and Italianate styles. These include flat, column-like shapes on the corners and a main door with decorative elements above it.
A tall, two-part tower was added to the church in 1869. This tower has details like a box-shaped trim and decorative brackets, which match the style of the main building. Inside the church, you can see a special ceiling made of pressed metal, which was added in the late 1800s.
The Free Will Baptist Story
This church, built in 1819, is very special because it's seen as the "mother church" of the Free Will Baptist movement. This movement started in this area thanks to a man named Benjamin Randall (1749-1808). Randall was from New Castle, New Hampshire, and he traveled around sharing his religious ideas.
He had some different ideas from other Baptists at the time. For example, he disagreed with certain Calvinist teachings. Because of his different views, he was separated from the more traditional Baptist groups. However, many people in eastern New Hampshire and southern Maine liked his ideas and started to follow him.
The very first meetings to organize the Free Will Baptists happened in New Durham in 1780. Even though this specific church building was constructed eleven years after Benjamin Randall died, it stands in the place where his important work began.
See also
