After the Rev. W. Gray had left Ebenezer, he was followed, two years later, by the Rev. F. Overend, who was appointed in 1884. In 1887 a unique re-union of past and present Ebenezer scholars took place, when nearly 2000 persons partook of tea. In 1890 the church established two mission rooms. One was at Rockliffe, which was carried on for some time and then discontunued, The other was under the infant school in Newgate, near the bottom of Pickup Street.

In 1895 the church was honoured in having one of its deacons, Mr. George Shepherd, elected as Moderator of the Lancashiew and Cheshire Association of Baptist Churches, and in 1900 Mr. Overend was elected to the same office.

In 1910 the church celebrated its bi-centenary, and at that time there were nearly 300 members and 460 Sunday School scholars.

Mr. Overend retired in 1921, after having served the church as its pastor for 37 years. Mr Overend had given the church devoted and faithful service and had won the respect of not only those who were connected with the church, but many of the citizens in the town where he was a familiar figure.

1922 saw the appointment of the Rev. F. Peach as the next pastor. Mr. Peach, who came straight from college, was not a sensational preacher but was steady, quiet and sincere in all he said and did, and made a particular impression on the young people of the church. One innovation during his pastorate was the election of four lady deacons in 1926. Mr. Peach resigned the pastorate in 1930 to take up a similar post with a church in Birmingham.

The next pastor oof the church was the Rev. H. Brindley, who came from a church a Bradford, and commenced his duties as Ebenezer early in 1933. On the 2nd September in the following year the evening service at Ebenezer was broadcast by the B.B.C. in the North Regional programme, and this was the first time that a service had been broadcast from a church in Rossendale. A large congregation assembled and Mr. Brindley gave and arresting address.

Towards the end of the 1930's extensive repairs and renovations had to be carried out to the chapel. Attendances were dwinderling and many of the young people were being called up for military service and the church's bank account was overdrawn. The matter was discussed with Mr. Brindley, who generously offered to accept a recution in salary. Towards teh end of 1941, however, the church, most reluctantly, decided it had no other option but to terminate Mr. Brindley's appointment as pastor on account of the financial situation. Happily, a few months later, Mr. Brindley obtained an appointment as pastor of the church as Long Eaton in the Midlands.

Mr Brindley had taken a very active part in the work of all the auxiliaries of the church and had laboured unceasingly in difficult circumstances.

Going back to Irwell Terrace. After the departure of the Rev. G. Mitchell in March, 1855, he was followed by the Rev. E. F. Quant, who remained there untill 1861, and for about four years the church was without a minister.

The next minister to take over the church was the Rev. J. G. Hall, who began at the beginning of 1865 and stayed there until July, 1872, when he left to enter a new sphere at Astley Bridge. Six months later the Rev. A. Bowden came for a brief eighteen months. Then, for a period of about three years the church was without a minister.

However, in 1877 the Rev. S. S. Hughes, of the Manchester College, came, and stayed. His ministry lasted for fourteen years, furing which time the church enjoyed a period of real stability. During his ministry over 130 people were baptisted and a new organ was placed in the chapel. Large improvements were made both to the chapel and school premises. He closed his ministry in September, 1891.

The Rev. B. T. Field settled in March, 1892. During his stay teh demolition of the old chapel commenced, and on June 25th, 1895, the memoral stones of the new premises were laid. Twelve months later the opening services were held. The cost had been nearly £3,500. The Rev. C. Spurgeon, son of the well known Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, preached the sermon to a crowded congregation. In 1897, after five years at Irwell Terrace, Mr. Field left to take up work at West Street, Crewe.

The church was then without a minister for about two years untill a call was given to the Rev. A. Fordham Giddings, of Hertfordshire, who wsa a student of Manchester College. He came in 1899, but stayed for only three years efore going to Aintree Baptist Church.

After nealry four years the Rev. H. R. Sumner, of Spurgeon's College, came in 1906. During his stay the church experienced a period of anxiety. Among the active supporters of the church there occurred an unusual number of deaths, added to which they were faced with a debt of over £300 on the new building. Mr. Sumner had stayed for over six years then left for a church in Birmingham in January, 1912.

On Mr. Sumner's leaving, Mr. Overend, of Ebenezer, very kindly offerec to perisde at all communion services and also take the deacon's meetings, in fact he practically took on an oversight of the church. This helpful gesture continued untill May, 1914, when the Rev. H. Harrison came to be the pastor.

By the end of the first World War the strength of the Zion church was fairly impressive, with 263 church members, 440 Sunday School scolars and 43 officers and teachers. The debt on the sunday school was £6,915. Mr. Kentfield stayed during the difficult years of the war until 1917. He had a splended minestry and was particularly good with the children. He was succedded by the Rev. J. Richards, who had to face the disheartening post war years of 1918-1925.

Early in the 1930s there was concern that the Baptist churches in the center of the town should be working more closely together for the betterment of our witness. Meetings were held between the deacons of the four churches, Ebenezer, Irwell Terrace, Zion and Mount Olivet, to discuss the problem. The outcome of these discussions was the arranging of united prayer meetings, Sunday services and communion services.

One important thing that arose out of these joint meetings was the conviction that one day there would have to be one united Baptist church in Bacup. A quote from the August Monthly Messenger of 1945 describes how the first step towards amalgamation cam about, and a beginning of the end of Zion Baptist Church by name.

Before definite thoughts of church union had materialised the Rev. W. J. McBride was the pastor for two years, from 1928 to 1930. He left to devote his work to religious publishing, and after two years he was followed by the Rev. A. Windsor, who came in 1932 until 1936. It so happened that he was the last full time minister of Zion.

During the years of the second World War, and indeed for a period of 14 years, the church was without a minister, but it was well served by students from Manchester College who took over ministerial duties during thier summer vacations.

A shock awaited the worshipers who came to the service on the morning of the 8th July, 1945. With grave concern they viewed the broken coping stones which had fallen off the gable end at the front of the building. Services were held in the Sunday School, and it was very pleasing to recieve much sympathy and offeres of help from all the other churches in the town. Unfortunately, it was just two weeks before the anniversary services, but Ebenezer readily offered the use of their church. This offer was gladly accepted, and later on Irwell Terrace invited Zion to take communion with them in thier church. For over two years Sunday worship was conducted in the school with occasional joint services and meetings with Ebenezer and Irwell Terrace.

During this period of two years, attempts were made to make Zion chapel usable, but, after much discussion and conflicting reports, it was finally decided to demolish the building. Work on this commenced towards the end of 1947. It was decided to build a new gable end which would elave the organ lost to form an extra room for the Sunday School along with the rooms underneath. The wisdom of this action can now be appreciated, for its is in this area that the church extension had been made possbile, giving the church the choir stalls and the pulpit.

On December the 10th, 1947, a special church meeting was held to consider an invitation from Irwell terrace asking zion to join with them in more regular Sunday services. The outcome was that six months later, in June, 1948, a unanimous decision was made that two churches should unite and become one. Sunday services were to be held in Irwell Terrace Chapel, Sunday School and weekday activities in Zion school building. So, from June 2nd, 1948, Union Baptist Church came into being.