While looking through a newspaper archive for something completely unrelated, I saw this picture published in the Philadelphia Inquirer on November 18, 1905, to celebrate the Marlton Baptist Church's 100 year anniversary.
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| Marlton Baptist Church and Reverend George Sowell, Philadelphia Inquirer November 18, 1905 |
Does the church look familiar? It should, as it still stands today on Main Street.
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| Calvary Chapel, June 5, 2018 - I believe that is Pastor Bill Luebkemann at the front of the line, who was there to greet us and take us on a tour of the old building. |
History of Baptists in Evesham
The story of how the building got there begins in 1803, when Baptist preaching began in Evesham at a school house on Eve's Causeway. A church was established nearby in September 1805, known as the Evesham Baptist Church at Eve's Causeway. (Pastor Bill Luebkemann, current Pastor of Calvary Chapel, believes it was near the current location of Givnish Funeral Home.)
In 1803, Joseph Evans and Letitia, his wife, and Rebecca Troth were baptized, they being the first in that region, and two years after, the covenants were adopted and a church organized with 45 members, many of whom had been dismissed from the church at Mount Holly. Still occupying the schoolhouse, it was called the “Evesham Baptist Church,” but generally known as “Eve’s Causeway Meeting- house,” or the “Old Causeway Baptist Meeting.” A building was erected and dedicated in 1805. The building stood near the Old Causeway, and half a mile from what is now the town of Marlton, then only a few houses on the public road leading from Philadelphia through “the pines” toward the sea- shore.Mr. Alexander McGowan, pastor of a nearby church in Pemberton, was called to be pastor and ministered there for almost nine years, until his death on June 8, 1814. (Date of death also listed as 1815.)
A Sunday school was started at the church in 1834 and the church moved to Marlton in 1839, erecting the building that still stands today on Main Street. (I have also seen the date of 'establishment' as November 16, 1804).
In 1845, the name was changed to Marlton Baptist Church, the same year that the Evesham Post Office was renamed the Marlton Post Office. The parsonage (a house for clergy) was built in 1860, and a Sunday School was established in Evesboro the same year. Four churches were 'brought out' from Marlton Baptist Church - Haddonfield, Medford, Tansboro and Berlin. (Members left the Marlton Church to form additional churches, to help spread the religion).In due time the membership residing in and about Marlton, and those already connected with that near by called the “Causeway meeting-house” concluded to establish a church at Marlton, after their own faith and order. The attendant difficulties were at last overcome and upon the organization Charles Kain and Sarah, his wife, were granted their letters (June 15th, 1839,) to join the new enterprise. With many regrets were these useful members allowed to depart, only to enter a new field where their example and consistency might well be followed.
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| Marlton in 1859, showing location of Marlton Baptist Church |
A subscription of $2,000 was collected to add a clock tower in 1881. Ground was broken for an education building on April 5 1959 and completed in 1960.
The church changed its name to the Hope Christian Church in 1992 when it became non-denominational.
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel was established in 1997. While I had driven by the church numerous times, I didn't really notice the church until June of 2018, when I was fortunate enough to take a tour of it with the Burlington County Historical Society.
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| The 12 squares on the ceiling are said to represent the 12 Apostles |
Pastor Bill Luebkemann gave the informal tour, and speaks affectionately of the church and its history. He describes in great detail the original kerosene chandeliers (which have been converted to electricity) and the stain of the wood, the organ, the construction of the clock tower and why it is no longer in service.
The clock was made in Boston and took 3 days to travel to Marlton. It worked through the 1990s, but the gears became old and brittle and no longer functions. In addition, the tower is no longer straight but is somewhat tilted. The church brought out an engineering company to examine the tower - the angle of the tower has stabilized and is not getting worse. Our tour included the basement, where you can see some of the original foundation of the church.
The church also owns the cemetery near Jaggard Elementary, with stones dating back to 1780.
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| Commemorative Plate celebrating 150 years, 1955 |
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| Back of Commemorative Plate, 1955 |
If you get the opportunity to tour the church, it is certainly worth the time. Thank you to Pastor Bill for answering my questions about the church and its history. If you have any additional information or corrections, please email me at MarltonNeil@yahoo.com.
Sources:
- Courier Post 11/12/1955, 4/6/1959,11/16/1963,
- Philadelphia Inquirer 11/18/1905, 6/14/1998
- https://www.boxs-edge.top/marlton-baptist-church-commemorative-plate-dated-1955-evesham-new-jersey-nj-p-15829.html
- A History of Baptists in New Jersey, by Thomas Griffiths, 1904
- "A history of the First Baptist Church of Haddonfield, New Jersey" https://archive.org/stream/historyoffirstba00hill/historyoffirstba00hill_djvu.txt
- A Historical Sketch of the Baptist Church Established in Haddonfield, NJ https://archive.org/stream/historicalsketch00clem_0/historicalsketch00clem_0_djvu.txt
- A Pastor's 25th and a Church's 150th Anniversary by O P Eaches
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