Meanwhile at Ebinezer after the breakaway to form Irwell Terrace, the next thirty or so years were fairly tranquil. The pastors of the church were the Revs. G. A. Grant, John Edwards and Simpson Todd. During Mr. Grant's pastorate a new school was built. Mr. Todd was a fervid evangelist who made a great impression and a considerable number joined the church during his somewhat brief pastorate.

In 1848, following Mr. Todd, came the Rev. Jonas Smith, and his pastorate was marked by much good and solid work. In 1849 an additional schoolroom was provided. In 1851 the church opened a meeting room and sunday school at Millgate. Here are Millgate the work so progressed that in 1858 a chapel was built at a cost of £1,100 and in later years this was superseded by a larger and finer chapel which a beautiful school, and the Millgate church has been a seperate church for many years.

In 1861 a Sunday School was started at Deerplay and the work prospered. In 1862 a chapel was built and in 1867 Doals became a seperate church.

In 1864 the roof of theEnemezer chapel was found to be insecure, and for 20 months the church worshipped at the Co-operative Hall. The old chapel was converted into a school and was used as a school and chapel untill the building of a new chapel in 1868-1870. This new chapel cost £6,000, all of of which was raised whithin two months of the opening services.

The close of Mr. Smith's minestry was clouded by chuch troubles respecting doctrinal views. In 1874 Mr. Smith ceased to be the pastor. He and a number of members withdrew from the church and ultimately formed the Mount Olivet Baptist Church.

In 1878 the Rev. W. Gay became pastor of the Ebenezer Church, and after labouring with great earnestness for four years he resigned in 1882.

The middle of the 19th century was almost bewlidering in the appearence of new Baptist churches in Bacup. Some were the result of differing views on doctrine, some were built to serve a need in a particular area like Waterbarn, Millgate and Doals, but it is still astonishing to find that between 1846 and 1874 - a mere 28 years - no less than severn Baptist churches were built. It is worthy of consideration to mention them. 1846 Waterbarn, 1851 Millgate, 1852 South Street, 1854 Zion, 1862 Acre MIll and 1874 Mount Olivet.

Just as Irwell Terrace owes its existence to serveral members separating from Ebenezer in 1821, so in 1854 the cause of Zion commenced by the secession of several of the deacons and members from Irwell Terrace church. Worship commenced in the Mechanics' Hall, the Rev. John Howe being the first minister, although he was already the minister of Waterbarn.

At a church meeting held in September, 1857, a letter was read from waterbarn expressing their desire to become a seperate church. This request was agreed to, and from that date it became a seperate church with a membership of 124.

Plans for a church and sunday school at Zion were discussed, a site in Market Street was bought. Work commenced, and on Good Friday, the 2nd of April, 1858, the building was opened. The cost being around £4,000. A collectiontaken during the opening services amount to £508. The pastor was the Rev. Richard Stanion, who styaed only one year from 1858.

In 1861 the Rev. H. Hall started his minietry. This also happened to be the same year as the American Civil War. The effect on the cotton trade was devastating. Most of the Lancashire cotton towns were brought to the edge of starvation, and disease and death were commonplace. At the end of Mr. Hall's minestry, which was also the end of teh Civil War, there was total adject poverty. Not surprisingly Mr. Hall had to resign his minestry through ill health.

In 1868 the Rev. David Davies was invited to the pastorate. By 1870 the Sunday School had prospered so well that the building was too small to accommodate all its scholards, so it was decided to build a branch school-chapel at Acre Mill. This building was opened in October, 1871. For a long period officers and teachers of Zion regularly went to Acre Mill to help with the developing of the new church. By 1889 Acre Mill had become strong enought to as to become a sepeate church, and this request was granted. Mr. Davies ended his minestry at Zion in 1873.

Mr. Davies was followed in 1875 by the Rev. C. W. Gregory, who stayed for four years. He was followed the same year by two mem who joined at the pastorate, the Rev. J. Horne and the Rev. C. Chapman. Apparently they joined their labours by included Acre Mill, but after about two years they both left.

The Rev. E. A. Tydeman, who stayed for eight years, came in 1882. Already tere was a strong feeling that the Sunday School, which was the ground floor under the chapel, was inadequate, so it was decided that a plan should be drawn up for the building of a new Sunday School.

After the departure of Mr. Tydeman in 1890, Bacup became what today would be called a depressed area. Trade was Bad. Unemplyment was high. The health of the townspeople was deplorable and the church suffered very bady. In 1892 the Rev. S. J. Baker was called as pastor. It is recorded that he performed excellent solid work, not spectacular, but the church had benefited from his ministry when he left in 1895.

The Rev. A Fawcett came in 1896. At that time there were two payer meetings each week, on Wednesday and Saturady evenings. Mr. Fawcett persuaded the church to have only one, the Wednesday one. The Saturday prayer meeting he changed into a Senior Christian Endeavour, and a few months later he started a Junior Christian Endeavour probaby on the Monday evening. Unfortunately Mr. Fawcett had very poor health, and to the distress of the church he died on Christmas Eve, 1898.

Two years had passed when, in 1900, the Rev. E. Milnes came to the church. The desire for a new school hav never weakened, and in 1905 a Grand Bazaar was held in the Mechanics' Hall witht he aim of purchasing the adjoining properties to the church. After a very successful eight years, Mr Milnes left in 1908, by which time all the properties on the proposed site had been purchased at a cost of £3,600.

In 1909 the Rev. D. N. Kentfield came.

It has often been repeated how doctrinal differences were responsible for quarrelling and dissension, so we return to the year 1874. The Rev. Jonas Smith, of Ebenezer, tendered his resignation and, along with several of his followers, commenced to worship as a separate body of people in rented rooms.

In the autumn of the year 1874 planse were put into operation to acquire a building, but at firdt thye gathered in the Co-operative Hall, where Mr Smith led the worship and preached the gospel. Soon afterwards, in january, 1875, the "Gospel Mission", as it was to be known, began its history.

The first congregation consisted largely of Mr. Smith's old flock. His first step towards the formation of a church was taken by his writing for the dismissal of 34 members from his former church, including all fiver of his own family and twenty-eight others. After some argument as the the propriety of such a course the action was proceeded with. From time to time others followed untill by July, 1876, the communicants numbered 56.

Another "plank" in the platform of the mission was the will to give in the support of the gospel. At each entrance door a box was hung to recieve what anyone was disposed to give, ove which was a card with the notice "For the support of the gospel in this hall".

The Gospel Mission continued without officials, Mr. Smith taking the whole responsibility.

Towards the end of January, less than a month from its beginning, it was thought desirable to form an afternnoon Sunday School, and this commenced with 20 scholards in one class and of all ages. Six months later a morning school was started, and instead of one class it increased to two. Shortly afterwards the Sunday School bosted six classes with from 12 to 20 scholars in each. Mr. John Law was the superintendent.

On December 3rd, 1875, the first baptism took place in the South Street General Baptist's Church, which was kindly lent for the occasion.

Mr. Smith's health began to fail him and he removed to Ewood Bridge, but by February, 1877, his speech failed him completely. He then took a prolonged holiday, but sadly his death took place on September 26th, 1880.

The next pastor was the Rev. Thomas Vasey, who commenced his ministry in January, 1881, and continued as pastor untill November, 1886. From that time onwards until the closure of the church in 1962, the weekly services have been taken by local prachers except for the special services like the Sunday School Anniversaries, etc. when notable men of the Baptist faith occupied the pulpit.

In 1882 there was such a wealth of vocal talent in the congregation that it was decided to form a church choir. Several years later it was decided to find better accomodation, and in 1894 purchase was made of the iron building being used as a grammer school in Waterfoot. This was subsequently erected for use as a chapel off Lane Head Lane, where the present St. John Ambulance Hall now stands. The building, being of corrugated iron structure, did not stand there long before it became nicknamed "The Old Tin Chapel". The opening services of the new "Mount Olivet" were held at the beginning of August, 1894.