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                  Remembering When
                  Baptist Church heritage is a rich 90 years of age
                  by David Mason

                  "Local concern and excitement grew until the climax
                  was reached when all believed that Ojai was doomed.
                  The loss - 60 buildings, including the Baptist and
                  Catholic churches."
                  The Ojai - June 1917

                  A small, prairie-style church building on the
                  southwest corner of North Ventura and Matilija
                  streets was built in 1893 for the Christian Church in
                  the town of Nordhoff, now Ojai.
                  The lot was a gift from the P.K. Miller Family that
                  lived across the street and owned some cottages on
                  the main street (where The Oaks at Ojai is today).
                  The building had a lot of charm, but it wouldn't hold
                  many people, perhaps two dozen. The population of the
                  town was only 300, so the little building was quite
                  sufficient. The building served the Christian Church
                  until the congregation gave it up in 1909.
                  The quaint little building, with its arched   [Image]
                  windows and small bell tower, was then
                  purchased for $700 by the young people in the valley
                  who were meeting as the First Baptist Church of Ojai.
                  The group had started with just a handful of people,
                  but their membership was growing rapidly.
                  The Baptist congregation was very happy in the little
                  building. It suited the group's needs well - it was
                  in the middle of town and it stood as one of the
                  first church buildings in the valley.
                  Everything was going well until 1915 when the small
                  congregation had a disagreement. It was discovered
                  that the minister had been divorced and remarried.
                  This fact did not sit well with some of the members
                  and half of them left the church and joined the
                  Holiness Church.
                  The minister resigned, and a new pastor was hired a
                  few weeks later at a salary of $30 a month.
                  The yearly church picnic was held each Fourth of July
                  at Camp Comfort, a small wooded area on Creek Road
                  that for many years had been used as a rest stop for
                  travelers coming from Ventura.
                  Most of the people walked to the park, for
                  automobiles were scarce in the valley. Finally, a
                  family that had a horse and buggy joined the church,
                  so a hay ride was added to the day's activities. The
                  little church played a major part in the lives of the
                  early settlers.
                  In June 1917, a fire broke out in Matilija Canyon
                  because of carelessness by a camper and when the fire
                  roared out of control and headed for the town of
                  Nordhoff, the flight to safety began.
                  The fire destroyed most of the Ojai Valley.
                  The little church building was burned to the ground
                  as the fire swept the hills and crept its way into
                  town. Before the fire was stopped, it had consumed
                  more than 60 buildings and two churches.
                  Edward D. Libbey, Ojai's greatest benefactor, sent a
                  telegram to the valley saying, "From such devastation
                  and ruin will spring renewed energy and courage. We
                  must unite and begin to rebuild" - and so they did.
                  The fire did not prevent the congregation from having
                  its weekly meetings and they quickly secured the
                  grammar school auditorium for use on Sunday mornings
                  and evening worship services. The thoughts of
                  rebuilding were on everyone's mind, but how they were
                  to raise the money was the important question.
                  Finally, it was decided that the collection received
                  during the morning service would go toward the
                  general fund, and the evening service collection
                  would go to the new building fund.
                  The minister,
                  W. E. Smith, turned his salary back to the church to
                  be added to the building fund. Rev. Smith then
                  obtained an additional job for his living expenses.
                  Many people in the valley helped raise money for the
                  new building; everyone did their part.
                  When enough money was raised, a new church building
                  was built with the construction under the supervision
                  of Frank DeLine.
                  DeLine's father, Isaac Marshall DeLine, had brought
                  his family to the Ojai Valley in August of 1887 and
                  had homesteaded property in Senior Canyon.
                  Upon their arrival, Mrs. DeLine took over the job of
                  school "marm" of the Matilija School, located in the
                  canyon by the same name. She taught there until the
                  great fire of 1917 completely destroyed the school.
                  Mr. DeLine, a contractor by trade, assisted in the
                  building of the first Thacher School buildings in
                  1888. The DeLine family was also a charter member of
                  the First Baptist Church of Ojai.
                  The new church was dedicated in the summer of 1918.
                  It was a day that everyone in town had been looking
                  forward to, and the church was filled to capacity. It
                  was a typical hot summer Sunday morning, and the
                  building was quite fresh and new.
                  The varnish on the pews was exceptionally fresh and
                  new and, when it came time to stand and sing the
                  first hymn, everyone was surprised to find themselves
                  stuck to the new seats, including one lady who lost
                  all the fuzz off the seat of her corduroy skirt.
                  For the remainder of the service, everyone used
                  Sunday school papers to cover the seats.
                  The Baptist Church would continue to be a center of
                  activity. The ministers came and went, but the
                  members' love for each other stayed constant. The
                  congregation played an important part in the daily
                  activities of the Ojai Valley.
                  In 1920, the need for a church parsonage was the
                  topic of conversation and a house on the northwest
                  corner of Montgomery and Aliso streets was secured as
                  the minister's new home.
                  The minister's salary had increased to $1,200 per
                  year and now he was even being furnished a house to
                  live in.
                  The old Presbyterian Church building would no longer
                  hold the heavy bell that had hung in its belfry since
                  1889 - the old building was found to be in unstable
                  condition - so the bell was presented to the Baptist
                  Church to hang in its bell tower.
                  For many years, the bell had called the Presbyterians
                  to Sunday morning church services and also did duty
                  as an emergency warning for the valley, calling the
                  volunteer firemen to their posts.
                  Then, during the Depression years, with everyone
                  doing what they could to help each other, it was
                  found that to keep the Baptist Church operating, each
                  member would have to be assessed $1 per year to go
                  towards the county taxes.
                  The minister's salary was reduced by $10 per month
                  and he was required to pay his own living expenses.
                  Upkeep of the church was taken over by the members of
                  the congregation; the church felt that it could no
                  longer retain the services of a paid janitor.
                  It was a dark time for most people, but the strong
                  faith of the congregation carried it through.
                  In 1940, the minister moved to a larger house on
                  Foothill Road and the parsonage was rented out, the
                  money going to the church. The parsonage was sold in
                  1945 for $4,500 and the house just west of the church
                  building was purchased for the use of future
                  ministers.
                  By January 1942, and America's involvement in World
                  War II, the church building was made ready for any
                  blackouts that might occur, but there was only one
                  night that the service was held during a blackout.
                  The church continued to grow and when the two vacant
                  lots adjoining the church became available in 1942,
                  the church purchased them for $900.
                  In 1949, the church membership voted to commence a
                  building program to erect a Sunday school building on
                  the adjoining vacant lots and the building was
                  completed at a cost of $14,000 and dedicated on June
                  3, 1951.
                  It was a modern-style building made of concrete
                  blocks with a flat roof - a typical 1950s' building,
                  but with ample rooms for Sunday school, a reception
                  hall and a minister's study.
                  Many unique activities were carried out by the
                  congregation and their friends which only helped to
                  increase the membership of the church. One of the
                  events that was covered by three different television
                  stations was a living Christmas nativity. The
                  re-enactment of the nativity took place in front of
                  the newly constructed Sunday school building.
                  The members of the church made up the cast and, for a
                  realistic atmosphere, there were even live animals,
                  including camels. As Mary and Joseph made their way
                  up Ojai Avenue, they stopped at the side door of the
                  Oaks Hotel (now The Oaks at Ojai) and were turned
                  away, sent across the street to the rustic stable
                  that had been constructed.
                  The whole Christmas story became alive for the
                  throngs of people who stood in the closed-off street
                  to view this beautiful event.
                  With the economy in good shape during the 1950s and
                  the exciting programs being offered at the church, it
                  was decided that the time had come for planning a new
                  church building. In May 1958, the congregation voted
                  to purchase 4-1/2 acres of oak-covered land on Grand
                  Avenue for $20,272 for the purpose of building a new
                  church.
                  The new building started in 1964 with the Ventura
                  architectural firm of Fisher and Wilde in charge of
                  handling the details. The estimated cost was
                  $130,000.
                  The new sanctuary was a large, modern building with a
                  soaring peaked ceiling. The walls were mostly of
                  glass that seemed to bring the beautiful surroundings
                  right into the building. It was indeed a serene and
                  reverent place.
                  The new Sunday school classrooms were constructed
                  using volunteer labor. When completed, the historical
                  bell from the Presbyterian Church was hung in a
                  modern open tower separate from the building, but
                  right at the entrance. Now, 110 years later, this
                  marvelous bell continues to call worshipers to the
                  Sunday service.
                  On May 5, 1965, the church voted to accept an offer
                  from the city of Ojai to purchase the old church
                  property. The city wanted the property to use for its
                  City Hall. The old sanctuary building had to be torn
                  down to make room for a parking lot.
                  When the city of Ojai received the Smith-Hobson
                  property to use for a City Hall, the original Baptist
                  Church property was then sold to the World University
                  of America.
                  Now, with the First Baptist Church of Ojai
                  celebrating its 90th anniversary, we can look back
                  over the years and enjoy the memories, love and hope
                  that this church has brought to so many for so long.

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                  This Sunday, May 23, 1999, the First Baptist Church
                  of Ojai is celebrating Founders' Day in honor of its
                  90th anniversary during the regular Sunday morning
                  worship service.

                  © 1999 The Ojai Valley News

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