Hallfield Baptist Church History

HALLFIELD:
Hallfield Baptist Church History up to 1912.

If the cynical adage "happy is the Church without a history". be true, Hallfield might present Hallfleld. good claim to that Beatitude, for no events of a startling nature have marked its career. But, although the Church has floated on "waters of quietness," it may be confidently maintained that it has worthily filled a not unimportant place in the throbbing life of the city and borne a faithful testimony to the name of Christ. Hallfield is "a daughter of Sion," and its inception must ever remain associated with the revered name of Rev. J. P. Chown. When in 1862-1863, at a cost of between £7,000 and 8,000, the commodious and beautiful premises were erected, it was hoped that Mr. Chown would become the first pastor, but that was not to be. The first minute in the Church Book, dated August 21st, 1863, reads :-" The following friends, at present members of Sion, having intimated their intention of forming a Church at Hallfield," etc. Then follows a list of seventy-six names.

The same minute contains a resolution to give a call to the pastorate to the Rev. J. Makepeace, and requests Mr. Chown to convey that call. Mr. Makepeace laboured successfully for six years. He was followed successively by Revs. James Mursell, R. P. Macmaster, T. H. Martin, now Dr. Martin (the faculty of Glasgow University having recently conferred this honour), Rev. F. Makepeace, (son of the first minister), T. G. Hunter, and the present pastor, Rev. J. Brown Morgan, whose settlement almost synchronised with the beginning of the twentieth century. The difficulties at Hallfield are considerable. When the premises were erected there it was looked upon as in the far suburbs; to-day it is "a down-town Church" and removals are consequently numerous. There are, however, associated with the Church a large number of young people, and these are its hope for the future. An almost unique feature of the Church life at Hallfield is the May Morning Service, which since the settlement of the present pastor, has, early on the first Sunday morning in May, attracted each year ever increasing crowds of young men and maidens, till the building has become too small for those desiring to attend.