Dedicated November 18, 1893

The original Jackson Summit Regular Baptist Church was constructed during 1893. In mid-April 1893, Pastor Watrous started digging for the Church foundation and the next afternoon requested a load of stone from Roy Smith. It was delivered posthaste, evidently free of charge.

Materials and labor for the original building totaled $587.73. We know the roof shingles cost $35, and materials were purchased from four major sources: (1) Bly, (2) George & Simon Patterson, (3) Frulic Bros. and (4) Edgecomb. Ornamental paper cost $12.87 and plaster paper $15. Three trips were taken to Elmira and one each to Roseville, Lamb’s Creek, and Knoxville to consult with other or place orders.

We have the most detail about the interior furnishings including: stove, pipe, and wire $8.38; oil and blacking $.32; stove installation $.40; chairs $46; pulpit chair $3; pulpit stand $.85; carpet $8.34; lamps and handles $2.91. About $75 was expended for these first furnishings.

Money was collected to cover these costs for materials, labor and furnishings in a variety of ways. A subscription paper was circulated by Pastor Watrous which netted $75. Organizations solicited for funds included Foster Publishing Co., the Baptist Association, the local Christian Endeavor, Ladies Aide Association, a Dollar Society and a group of friends from Chester County, PA. Several successful festivals and suppers were held as well. The Pastor and his wife, as well as deacons Geo. Hughes, John Gillett, H. Hollands and J. Gifford contributed substantially. These additional contributors and their contributions were duly recorded, often more than once, including at the dedication service itself in November 1893:

Mrs. Lucy Allen

Mr. & Mrs. C. Hughes

C. Belknapp

C. H. Johnson

Rev. W. Bond

D. B. Lain

L. Burrough

Mrs. Logan of Blossburg

Mr. & Mrs. Cleveland

Esther Morgan

Emery Cleveland

L. W. Morrell

Mrs. Coburn

Mrs. Morse

Mrs. George Drake

Philip Petty or Pettie

John Earley

John Sedinger

Rev. Fradenburg

James R. Sheldon

Ivy Friends

Simeon Shepherd

Mr. & Mrs. R. S. Friends

Ivy Sisson

E. B. Gage

Charles Smith

Mrs. Archie Spencer

Charles Updyke

Miss Frankie Spencer

H. Updyke

May Spencer

Mr. & Mrs. Warren Whipple

Dora Spratt

Rev. C. S. Williams

Mrs. Warren Swartwood

Mrs. Yelland

Mrs. Toby

“We would not forget that God is due the praise for the blessings we receive in being wisely led and taught.” ~ Annual Association Report

Many of the pastors, especially in the early years, were hired under a subscription method. They would preach a series of evangelistic sermons in what were called protracted meetings, usually early in the year, and a deacon or other Church member would act as a solicitor to seek pledges to pay his salary to the end of the calendar year. Because the congregations were so small, a given pastor may need to seek employment at more than one Church at a time in order to adequately support both himself and his family. Many of the pastors at Jackson Summit were associated with other Baptist Churches in the area, primarily West Jackson (Alder Run) and to a lesser extent, Job’s Corners. The pecking order for how often and when the pastor preached at a specific church was correlated to the amount of money which that congregation contributed to his support.

Most of the pastors associated with Jackson Summit from 1884 to 1938 were also pastors at West Jackson Baptist Church. In fact, the two Churches came to rely upon one another and often considered candidates jointly or failed to accept candidates because no accommodation could be made in the sister congregation. The last recorded combination of this type was between Jackson Summit and Job’s Corners during the pastorate of L. C. (Porky) Voorhees during 1959.