Warwick Central Baptist Church can be traced back to 1744
One of the most pleasant aspects features of a walk through Apponaug
on a weekend is noticing all the activities that are centered around
the village’s three churches on Post Road. It is especially
interesting in the summer time as the June brides, with their entourage,
fill the air with that special happiness that comes from the excitement
of starting new lives and continuing the traditions of the past.
All the churches, Catholic, Episcopal and Baptist, share in this
experience as does the recently created Dorothy Mayor Park as here
couples often stop to have their photographs taken in a pleasant
area. While the park is of recent duration, the churches were landmarks
in Apponaug during the late 19th and early 20th century. Fortunately,
they have been preserved, and Apponaug generates a feeling of the
past that few areas can duplicate. The late Dorothy Mayor's paintings
and research have helped to bring these structures into a proper
historical perspective.
Warwick Central Baptist Church
The Warwick Central Baptist, St. Barnabas" and St. Catherine's,
all trace their origins back to the 19th century. The oldest of
the three is Warwick Central Baptist. This history of the lovely,
tall, one-and-a-half story church building at 3262 Post Road dates
back to 1835. In the previous year, the Warwick Central Baptist
Society, which preceded the actual organization of the Warwick Central
Free Will Baptist Church by a year, was chartered and began the
work of building a meetinghouse in Apponaug. The society, which
consisted of a number of interested individuals who were not necessarily
church members, and the church itself, were separate identities
until 1945. At that time the society dissolved and turned its authority
and power over to the church.
Antecedents go back to 1744
While the church traces its existence as the Warwick Central Free
Will Baptist Church directly back to 1835, it actually had its antecedents
in Apponaug as early as 1744. In that year, Benjamin and Ezrickman
Peirce and their wives, along with John Budlong and a few others,
asked permission of Elder Manasseh Martin of the Old Warwick Six
Principle Baptist Church "to form a church at Fulling Mill."
Permission was granted, and Benjamin Peirce was the first minister
of the new church.
A Simple Structure
It was common at that time to build churches that were simple and
took the shape of a large rectangle. This one was a 28 ft. long
and 26 ft. wide meetinghouse. It was "on an eminence, East
of the Village, most probably close to the location of the Thomas
Wilbur house at 3188 Post Road. This early church went out of existence
before the Revolutionary War and the building fell into decay. In
1785, another Baptist church was organized and the old 1744 building
was repaired. This church dissolved in 1810.
Ten years later, Thomas Wilbur purchased the land and built his
fine home on the site. This home, which stands today, contains some
of the material from the meetinghouse. According to the Rhode Island
Historical Preservation Commission Report of April 1981, Wilbur
was a housewright who constructed the residence for himself. It
is one of the village’s finest early nineteenth century dwellings.
Reverend Benjamin Phelon
The Warwick Central Free Will Baptist Society was organized in 1835
by Reverend Benjamin Phelon and four others. They sought to baptize
"in the manner of Jesus in the Jordan river." The Rev.
Phelon preached in the gable-roofed structure, with its belfry and
tall steeple, at 3262 Post Road from 1835 to 1837. He returned again
to take up his duties from 1849 to 1869. Under Reverend Phelon's
ministry, the church grew steadily as did the village. In 1875,
the membership was recorded at 87 and continued to rise throughout
the remainder of the 19th century. By the first decade of the 20th
century there were over 120 members.
20th century problems overcome
In 1905, a fire caused by lightening severely damaged the
building and nearly destroyed the roof, attic and pews. The church
was quickly rebuilt and much of the original building has been preserved.
Thanks to the efforts of the Rev. Thomas Rowe and church members,
the same company that installed the roof for the City Hall Chambers
was contracted to put a new roof on the church and the members were
able to celebrate their 70th anniversary before the end of the year.
Daniel Lambert
One of the most colorful members of the Warwick Central Church was
Daniel J. Lambert, a longtime deacon of the Church and superintendent
of its Sunday School. "Uncle Dan" Lambert, regarded as
the "dean of New England's poultry fanciers", had a farm
on Cowesett Road and taught "hen-craft" at the University
of Rhode Island. Lambert, along with his intense devotion to the
poultry industry, had a great zeal for religion. He was much sought
after as a fill-in preacher at country churches and often officiated
at funerals. Columnist David Patten, who wrote about Lambert in
1955, says, ""His zeal for religion so consumed him that
when he went about lecturing on poultry he never let his audiences
go without a strong dose of piety. He seldom talked with anyone
for five minutes without working in a bit of religion, making a
plea for temperance. He was strong against liquor."
Throughout its long history, the Warwick Central Baptist Church
has promoted the concept of "love thy neighbor" through
service to the community. During the great Depression of the 1930's,
many church members prepared meals and gave them to the destitute
workers at the Apponaug Mills. Members of the church were also instrumental
in getting the Trudeau Center on Post Road organized. That tradition
of service was continued today under the pastorate of the Reverend
P. Bishop Covell and his Associate Pastor, Rev. P. Liberty. In 1973,
prompted by the interest and enthusiasm of Adeline Verry, a part
time assistant to Rev. Covell, a Geriatric Care Center was started
at the church. At the time there were only three in existence, the
other two being in Philadelphia and Hawaii. Within a short time,
a Senior Citizens Nutrition program, Retired Senior Volunteers,
a senior transportation system, and a nursery school and day care
center were added.
As the needs of the church expanded, new additions and buildings
were added. Today the church continues its active participation
in reaching out and caring under the Reverend Doctor Dan Ivins,
the interim pastor.