The meetinghouse of the Second Baptist Church
Society of Meredith was built in 1834 "upon a rock."
Its name was changed in 1860 to Meredith Village Baptist
Church, and it is now called the First Baptist Church
of Meredith. The brick structure bears Federal-style features,
including arched side windows, semi-elliptical louvered
fans in the pedimented gable front, as well as in the
base of the tower. Brick was used only on the front face
of the tower; the remaining faces are covered with clapboards.
The onion dome atop the tower, added later, lends a distinctive
air to the building. For many years the Baptist Church
bell served as a community signal. It was tolled when
town residents died, "giving as many strokes as the
person was years old." There were numerous Baptist
societies formed in early Meredith, some of them called
Freewill Baptists or Anti-Pedo Baptists due to their belief
that Christian Baptism should be an individual's "free
will" choice and not performed on infants. One of
the old Freewill Baptist Churches, located in Meredith
Center, maintains a thriving congregation today.
Baptist Church can be found by taking Route 3 to the lights in
Meredith. Turn left and go up the hill onto Lower Main
Street. High Street is located on the right, across from
the Post Office.
