[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 120 (Wednesday, September 15, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   TRIBUTE TO CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 15, 1999

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, It is a great pleasure to congratulate 
Central Baptist Church in Hobart, Indiana, as it celebrates its 90th 
anniversary as a parish this Sunday, September 19, 1999. I would also 
like to take this opportunity to congratulate Reverend Webb, senior 
pastor, on this glorious occasion.
  A church of humble beginnings, Central Baptist Church was established 
as First Baptist Church in 1909, and celebrated its first service on 
January 20, 1909, in the home of Mrs. Harriet Cathcart. The parish's 
first pastor, Reverend George Griffin, having caught a vision while 
visiting Mrs. Cathcart, helped in the organization of the church. 
During his six months of service with the church, Reverend Griffin was 
influential in the purchase of three lots for $950, which provided a 
suitable site for the church. After Pastor Griffin left in June 1909, 
the Indiana State Board (Northern Baptist) sent Reverend J.E. Smith to 
serve the congregation. The Women's Missionary Board of Indiana lent 
the church $5,000 to start constructing a building for the new church. 
Many parishioners contributed time, talent, money, and raw materials to 
help construct the First Baptist Church. With the help of the 
parishioners, the first service was held in the new auditorium, which 
was a basement with dirt floors on December 9, 1909. The furnace was a 
coke salamander with no stack which regularly filled the room with 
smoke. In addition to this, the roof leaked when it rained and when the 
Aetna Powder Company blew up, there were no windows left. Conditions 
were bleak, but the ministry had survived its first year. Pastor Smith 
left in June of 1910. Several months passed without a pastor. The 
church, then made up of 50 members, decided to discontinue services 
until the Mission Board could send them a new shepherd.
  On January 1, 1912, Reverend Wilson was sent to help revitalize the 
church. With the help of Reverend Wilson the attendance rose from 13 to 
128 during the first year of his ministry. Because of the large number 
of Baptist families arriving to the area, a new building was started in 
August of 1912 and dedicated in September 23, 1913.
  By 1920, the membership had grown to 350 parishioners under the 
direction of Pastor O.B. Sarber. The church was without a pastor for 
exactly one year when Pastor William Ayer came to Central Baptist 
Church in 1927. During Pastor Ayer's tenure with the church, he started 
a radio ministry and ``The Little Brown Church'' was mounted on a Ford 
and used for street meetings throughout Gary. In 1932, Pastor Ayer left 
a thriving church with more than 700 members.
  Over the years, the church moved from Gary to Portage township due to 
a shift in population and was led by a variety of pastors. In spite of 
its many changes, the loyal parishioners continued to grow and prosper. 
The present facility, including the Sanctuary, was erected in stages. 
The first stage which included the gym, kitchen, and several classrooms 
was completed in May 1974 and phase two was completed in October of the 
same year. Ground was broken in April 1987 and the Hines Sanctuary was 
dedicated on January 9, 1983.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join 
me in congratulating the parish family of Central Baptist Church, under 
the guidance of Reverend David Webb, as they prepare to celebrate their 
90th anniversary. All past and present parishioners and pastors should 
be proud of the numerous contributions they have made out of the love 
and devotion they have displayed for their church throughout the past 
90 years.




                          ____________________