Baptist Church in Warren

The Baptist Church in Warren was organized on November 15, 1764 with the Rev. James Manning of Princeton, New Jersey, as the first pastor.  At this same location the same year brown university, then constituted as Rhode Island College, was established with Rev. James Manning as its first president.  The first house of worship was completed around 1764, too.  It was about forty-four feet square with a four-sided hip roof, surmounted at the top and center with a small belfry, in which was placed a ship bell, the rope of which hung directly down in the center of the middle aisle. 

?In 1778 the British troops burned the first meeting house along with the parsonage, a spacious mansion serving a double purpose as a home and college.  The troops of the crown took the pastor as their hostage.  A second church edifice was erected in 1784 on the spot of the former church.  A steeple was added in 1800.  As years passed a larger meeting house was needed.  In 1844 our present stone edifice was erected by the Benevolent Baptist Society.  The building has fourteen arched windows extending twenty-four feet high.  There are a hundred and forty-six pews arranged in three double rows.  The pews are finished combed oak and capped with black walnut railings.  In these early days pews were sold to the members.  Between 1860 and 1884 the pews were allowed to be rented too.  In 1964 our church pews were appraised at $20,000.