In 1794, three Baptist families and one lady became determined to leave England for America in search of religious freedom. They formed themselves into a Baptist church and called one of their men, John Healy, to be their pastor. After spending about six months in New York, the group traveled to Baltimore where an Episcopal minister permitted them to use a room rent free for their meeting. This kindness shocked them in light of the persecution they received from the Church of England back home.
While in the midst of great growth, Baltimore became the epicenter of several attacks of Yellow Fever. During one of these seasons, Pastor Healy became very sick, and the congregation feared they would lose him. The people became so disheartened that the membership scattered and the church dwindled to nearly nothing. But the Lord blessed and Healy survived. Under the circumstances it was decided that the church would begin again, and it was reconstituted. The people practiced door-to-door visitation, enthusiastically evangelizing their community, and God blessed their efforts.
But again, under another onslaught of the plague nearly half the church was taken including, every one of the men of the church. But Christ was not finished with His people in Baltimore, and with the help of other churches, the congregation once again began to grow. The help which was offered included the arrival of a young man named Daniel Dodge to assist Brother Healy. Dodge imbibed the evangelistic fervor of the people, eventually becoming the Pastor of the church after the passing of steadfast John Healy. On this day in 1814, Brother Dodge represented the Second Baptist Church of Baltimore at the establishment of the Baptist General Convention for Foreign Missions.
– Source: “This Day in Baptist History, II” Thompson and Cummins