The Baptist Historical Society of Queensland (BHSQ) is pleased to announce the publication of new articles telling the story for the first time of three Baptist churches in the pioneering days of the Wide Bay/Burnett region. These churches are Maryborough, Gayndah and Gympie, and their stories date from the 1860s.
In Gayndah, the church, with a remarkable stone building, flourished for several years under the outstanding leadership of Rev R R Wilson before going out of existence for decades. It was resurrected again after World War II, when it had a life of about 40 years before it once again ceased to operate.
In Maryborough, there was an initial flurry of activity in the early 1860s, but then difficulties arose. When it seemed like the church would disappear completely, it was saved by the arrival of Rev W T Godson. Over the next 20 years, he served in the town and paved the way for Baptist success in later days.
He too was the first Baptist minister to preach in Gympie when gold was discovered in that area in 1867. He also conducted the first wedding in the district and later retired to that town. Several attempts were made to establish a church, the first being wiped out by a devastating flood. After more attempts, a permanent ministry was established 30 years after the initial effort. The church has had at least three different locations in the city.
These pioneer efforts at Baptist witness in the Wide Bay/Burnett region have been recorded in full detail by BHSQ, and the papers are now available for reading and downloading on their website at https://www.bhsq.org/bhq/papers/
Comments and responses are welcome – archives@qb.org.au