After meeting in the basement of the new building for 8 months, the congregation occupied the whole facility in January 1842. Much of the cost was raised by "selling" pews and collecting annual taxes on those pews. Those who could not "buy" pews could rent them. Free pews were available in the balcony.

The previous property was sold and the building was dismantled and rebuilt on the original plan in King William County, where it still stands as Sharon Baptist Church. (See article on 11th Street location.)

Attendance increased and the activities of the membership blossomed. Of 559 members in 1841, 219 were blacks. They sat apart from whites and had their own deacons. In 1842 an African Baptist church had been organized. After several disagreements between the black and white members, many of the black members indicated a desire for a church of their own, and such was approved in April 1845.

So was formed the Second African Church. This congregation is now called Second Baptist Church and is located on Idlewood Avenue. Until the end of the war, the church at Sixth and Main continued to supervise the black congregation in keeping with the legal requirements of the time.

Though the church continued to grow, finances were a constant problem, and monthly membership contributions were begun. In 1850, R.B.C. Howell was called as pastor and a year later he was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, which position he held for a number of years.

After the call of another pastor, Lyman Seeley, the Young Men's Society was formed in 1859, with Dr. Albert H. Robins as the first president. This group had a significant effect on the congregation and even beyond the church.

During the Civil War the church assisted the Confederacy in many ways, from preparing bedding and bandages, to donating the steeple bell and selling the pew cushions, to furnishing some members to defend the city. Dr. Seeley resigned in 1864 during the height of the war. With the end of the war, finances in the area were limited at best and the members did what they could to assist the needy and the disabled soldiers.

At the war's end, Second Baptist became the first congregation in the City to employ offering envelopes. Gradually, membership and finances revived. Henry K. Ellyson, a member of Second Church was the first Secretary of the State Mission Board and a 20-year member of the Foreign Mission Board, in addition to being Sunday school superintendent for almost 50 years.

Second began a day school for educating children of indigent members and others who were connected with the Sunday school and congregation. After a brief period of operation, the City of Richmond began free schools and the church's school closed.

Second Church was known for having an outstanding choir and a new and excellent organ was installed in 1872.

The church was called on to assist Richmond College by raising funds and the pastor, Dr. Bitting took a three-month leave of absence to that cause. Several laymen contributed much effort, also, and Second contributed a great deal to that cause.

Several women's groups were formed at Second in the latter part of the 19th century, and Second Baptist women contributed greatly to the Woman's Missionary Union.

In 1895, Rev. W. W. Landrum, in a conversation with R. H. Pitt, publisher of the Religious Herald, suggested a world-wide group of Baptists be formed for communication among the disparate groups of Baptists. Pitt published articles calling for such a group and a few years later the Baptist World Alliance was born. See two Articles by Fred Anderson from the Religious Herald in February 2004 telling the story.

In September 1896, a terrific windstorm hit the City, demolished the church steeple, and did much damage to the front of the building. This resulted in much renovation of the church, including replacing the pews.

In 1898, the church purchased a house and lot at the southeast corner of Franklin and Adams streets to provide a new location for a sanctuary. In January 1900, funds were pledged to begin a campaign for a new building. Work began in 1904 and was finished in 1905.

On October 15, 1905, the Sunday school conducted its last service in the old building.

The story continues at Franklin and Adams

(This was taken from the recently published The History of Second Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia, 1820-1995 by John S. Moore. Copies are available through the church office.)