Are We Losing Our History?

In our Baptist Heritage Conference here at Cozaddale Baptist Temple Bro. Henson made a statement to the effect that we need a study in Ohio Baptist History. There has been much written of our early history but as time has elapsed it seems so has our recording of it.  The other day we visited the site of the First Baptist Church in Ohio, (the Columbia Baptist Church 1790) as we walked around the graveyard where  many of the original members were buried we realized the importance of preserving our history for future generations. We are thankful for and encouraged by men like John Clark, Obadiah Holmes, John Gano, Stephen Gano, Shubal Stearns, Isaac McCoy and many others but we see a need to continue to keep a history of other men and churches who God chooses to use to encourage those whom come after us. We see in Deut. 6:4-12 that God teaches the importance of preserving our history from one generation to the next.   The last several months we have considered that idea and have decided to look at Ohio Baptist History. This will be a work in progress and any help would be greatly appreciated.

            We are going to start with our Church, the Cozaddale Baptist Temple. We will look first at our organization in 1967, then at our 45 years of history then we will begin looking back to see our Biblical heritage. Please feel free to help us as we travel back into Cozaddale and Ohio Baptist History.  We were started out of the Loveland Park Baptist Church in Loveland, Ohio. At that time Bro. Clarence York was their pastor. According to the written record on file in our church office on Dec. 3, 1967 Cozaddale Baptist Temple was organized. Bro. Charles Girvin opened the service at 2:30 p.m. by introducing Bro. Roundtree who lead the choir in singing “Send the Light.”  Bro. Bob Spencer then lead in prayer and asked the Lord to “let this be a soul winning church.” The choir from Loveland Park sang two other specials, “Have Faith in God” and “Speak my Lord.” A trio from Queen City Baptist sang “There’s a Rainbow of Love” and Bro. and Sister Roundtree sang “My Home Sweet Home.”  The meeting was called to order by Pastor York, he read from Genesis 1 and told the mission work that this is “your beginning. You are a commencement, churches in Cozaddale are not awake, they are asleep. Let it never be said that your are asleep.” It was then decided that Bro York would moderate the meeting and that Bro. Donald Poole would be the clerk. Bro. Roundtree opened the business meeting in prayer.

            Bro. York then called for a motion to “organize this group of born again believers for the body known as the Cozaddale Baptist Temple.” Bro. Ron Girvin makes the motion, seconded by Bro. Spencer and the vote was unanimous.

            Bro. York read the constitution under which this body is organizing and called for the constitution to be accepted as the constitution of the Cozaddale Baptist Temple. Bro Ron Girvin made the motion, Bro. Spencer seconds; Bro. Ron Girvin made a motion to call Bro. Charles Girvin as pastor, Bro. Spencer seconds. Pastor is elected by secret ballot, 11 votes were cast, all 11 votes were yes and Bro. Girvin was acknowledged as pastor.

            Bro. York presented Bro. Charles Girvin a license to preach and a minister’s manual. These were presented and received by the authority of the Loveland Park Baptist Church. Bro. Roundtree then lead in a hymn “Amazing Grace,” Bro. Girvin acknowledged Bro. York’s kindness and help in the organization.

            Bro. York preached the charge out of II Chronicles 2:1 “Building a House for the Lord My God.” He then read a verse of dedication from Numbers 7:1

            Bro. Roundtree lead the congregation in an invitational hymn “Only trust Him.”

            Bro. Girvin thanked the congregation for the call and the confidence. Bro. Tye offered the benediction.

            The charter members present that day were Charles Girvin, Rosetta Girvin, Ronald Girvin, Charles D. Girvin, Carol Girvin, Sandra Girvin, Patricia Ann Girvin, Charles Justice, Robert Spencer, Lucille Spencer, Jeffery Spencer and Gail Spencer; the charter was left open for six weeks for additional members to come in as charter members.

            Witnesses to this organizational meeting were Bro. John T, Coleman, Pastor of Queen City Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Bro. Harold Tye, Pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Pastor Donald Poole, Pastor of Socialville Baptist Church in Mason, Bro. James Ball, Queen City Baptist Mission, Bro. William Anders, deacon of Loveland Park Baptist Church, Bro. Joe Curington and Bro. Francis Curington, deacons of Queen City Baptist Mission in Cincinnati. Bro. Charles Girvin, Pastor of Cozaddale Baptist Mission, and Bro. Clarence York, Pastor of Loveland Park Baptist Church.