The First Baptist Church of Fossil, Oregon, was organized by Elder C. P. Bailey on October 4th, 1885. In 1985 they celebrated one hundered years of existance, and they held a special gathering in September, while the weather was still mild.
Charles P. Bailey was born in Missouri in 1850 and came with his parents to Oregon in 1852, where they settled in Douglas County. :He was saved in 1873 and baptized by Elder J. C. Richardson into Oakland Baptist Church.
In 1875, after moving to Coos County, C. P. Bailey was licensed to preach the Word by the Bethel Baptist Church, and he was ordained by the same church in 1876. Before he surrendered to preach he fought the call for about two years, making all sorts of excuses. He was poor, in debt. and had but little knowledge of the Bible. There were no professors of religion near him but his wife and the church. That section of the country was filled with infidels and a great number of backsliders, now worse than infidel scoffers. But God's Spirit followed him, and he had no rest until he entered God's service, and by faith in god's promises he persevered.
Brother Bailey preached at Sumner to one man and his wife, the only Christians, for over a year, but at last he saw a good church and a sunday school there. Many interesting incidents occurred in his work as a pioneer preacher.
One time a rough bully threatened to break up his meeting. Brother Bailey heard of it but never wavered. In the midst of his sermon the half drunk bully strode in marched up to the front as if he intended to walk right over the preacher, but there was not a tremor in Brother Bailey's voice as he went on with his sermon. When within a step or two, the rowdy saw the preacher's eye and remembering his previous reputation as a boxer, hesitated, muttered something then walked out.
Once Brother Bailey was invited to spend the night with a man who was a rough infidel, but his wife was a Christian. Like Brother Bailey this man was a noted hunter, which accounted for the friendly feeling between them. He also had a dog that had helped him out of a good many tight places, especially once when a bear had him in its clutches and he had given up hope. The savage attack of his dog had diverted the bear's attention and so had saved him. Brother Bailey knew this and also the attachment of the hunter for hid faithful dog., and he used this for an argument for the old man's conversion. At the close of a long conversation Brother Bailey said, "Now you will admit that it is a mighty mean man that won't care for his dog and even fight for him if necessary?" "Certainly Parson, you're right," was the reply. "well now, the Lord Jesus has done more for you than your dog has, and you are slighting Him, and scorning Him and treating Him shamefully!" "Hold on there, Parson, you'er worse than the bear! Come on now, it's time for bed. Wife, get the Bible, and let the Parson pray if he wants to. Guess it won't hurt us much." Brother Bailey prayed most earnestly for the man's immediate conversion, then went to bed and fell asleep firmly believing his prayer would be answered. Toward morning he was awakened by a noise, and entering the family room he found the man rejoicing and his wife shouting. The man had not retired at all but had been sitting reading his Bible and praying for mercy until he had found deliverance. They were one happy family that morning, and the man became an active member in the church.
After laboring all week in a logging camp Brother Bailey would yet preach every Sunday. One appointment was nine miles away over a mountain that could only be crossed on foot. For more than a year he walked the nine miles and back to be at work on Monday morning. To prepare his sermons each night he would write out several passages of scripture on some topic, take them to his work, fasten them to the tree he was working on, commit them to memory and study their teachings and applications, praying for light from the Holy Spirit and he had remarkable success.
Brother Bailey was outspoken in his views, and was a decided Landmarker. He continued to preach over Coquille and Coos counties until 1885 when left to take up work of missionary for the Middle Oregon Baptist Association where he organized two churches and baptized some 40 converts within a few months time. He continued to work on that field until 1888, when he accepted pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Dayton, Washington. While pastoring at Dayton Brother Bailey was the editor of The Baptist Sentinel, a strong Landmark paper. Elder J. T. Moore followed him there both as pastor and as editor.
In speaking of his own work Brother Bailey said, "I believe that the same spirit that said, "Philip, Arise and go toward the south into the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert,' leads the true minister today. I always see His guidance in my work. Last July the Spirit said, 'Go to Mayville.' There were those who tried to dissuade me from going, but I went. I found the people very busy, but I told them I had come to hold a meeting and would preach every evening for one week at least. Some thought it was useless to do so, but I believed the Lord had a people there so I pulled off my coat and went to work (the weather was so hot I could not keep my coat on), and praise the Lord 27 were added to the church in less than three weeks. I shall never forget the hot days nor the blessed meetings held at Mayville in harvest time. (Elder A. F. Simmons, Elder A. S. Simmons and Elder J. L. Sampels came from that church.---Editor) I know the Holy Spirit can work in summer as well as in winter. Another time the Spirit said, 'Go to Silver Lake.' I did so, and although the people were very busy haying and gathering stock we had a glorious meeting. In two weeks 17 were baptized with many more under conviction. I had to close on the account of my own sickness."
In 1908 C. P. Bailey followed J. T. Moore as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Prineville, Oregon. After years of work as pastor and evangelist in eastern Oregon and Washington he passed in 1918.
(References: "Baptist Annals of Oregon" by C. H. Mattoon and "Baptists In Oregon" by Albert W. Wardin Jr.)
In addition to those mentioned above Elder Fred Brown was another preacher that started from Mayville church. Mayville is only a few miles over a hill from Fossil, Oregon.
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