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THE CHURCHES OF BAY SAINT LOUIS CATHOLIC
THE PIONEER SETTLERS OF BAY ST. LOUIS WERE ALL CATHOLICS,
AND IT IS NOT UNLIKELY, IWf SSJONARf F.S FROM THE NEIGHBORING FRENCH SETTLEMENTS VISITED THEM OCCASIONALLY, IK LATER YEARS THEY DEPENDED UPON CHANCE VISfTS FROM MOBILE AND NEW ORLEANS. IN T820, THE BAY WAS ATTENDED OCCASIONALLY BY A YOU'ffc MISSIONARY NAMED MICHAEL FORTIER THEN IN THE SECOND YEAR OF HIS PRIESTHOOD.
IN 7842 BISHOP CHAUCHE SENT FATHB* LABBE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE GULF COAST. D3RHNG HIS RESIDENCE ON THE COAST, FATHER LABBE ATTENDED EAY ST. LOUIS AND UN 784?, HE BEGAN THE DIFFICULT TASK OF BUILDING THE FIRST CHURCH Iff THIS CITY. THIS AREA REMAINED UNDER HIS JURISDICTION DURDNG T84J-44. REV. LOUIS STANISLAUS MARY BUTEUX WAS THE FI RST REGULAR PASTOR OF BAY ST. LOUtS. RECORDS SHOW THAT ON MARCH 26, 7848 WAS HELD THE LRt ING OF THE CORNERSTONE FOR THE NEW CHURCH. IT WAS A BRICK STRUCTURE OF GOTHIC STYLE, MEASURING 765 FT.
7	IN. LONG AND 46 FT. WFDE AND WAS THE LARGEST CHURCH IN THE DfOCESE AT THE TIME. THUS CHURCH WAS COMPLETED IN T850 AND KNOWN AS, "OtlR LADY OF THE GULF" , THE NAME ITT BEARS TODAY. IT WAS DESTROYED BY FURE IN 1907. THE PRESENT STRUCTURE TOOK ITS PLACE.
METHODIST
THE METHODIST CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED IN BAY ST. LOUIS IN 7887. SERVICES WERE HELD IN A SMALL BUILDING AT THE CORNER OF MAIN AND SECOND STREETS ON PROPERTY GIVEN FOR THE PURPOSE BY THE LATE JOHN V. TOULME. IN 7892 THE PARSONAGE WAS BUILT AND REV.
W. G. FORSYTH WAS THE FIRST PASTO R TO OCCUPY IT. IN 7895 THE PRESENT CHURCH BUILDING WAS BRECTED IXJRING THE PASTORATE OF REV.
N. B. HARMON. IT WAS COMPLETED AND ALL DEBTS PAID UNDER THE PASTORATE OF THE REV.. J. P. IKAKE. IT WAS DEDI CATED IN 7897 EY El SHOP CHARLES B. GALLOWAY. IN 7936 DURING THE PASTORATE OF