In 1905, the Congregational Church of West Randolph and the First Christian Church of West Randolph merged. The First Christian Church was organized in 1817, but the roots of the Congregational Church go back even earlier to 1786 in Randolph Center when the First Congregational Church was organized there. When the railroad was built in the valley, however, it soon became clear that the major population growth was happening in West Randolph rather than Randolph Center on the ridge, so in 1831 fourteen members went down into the valley to begin a new congregational church. From the beginning, the church in West Randolph (now called Randolph) prospered, meeting in the upper floor of what is now the home of the Elgin Ladd home on Park Street. One hot summer day during worship in that house, Rev. Samuel Sparhawk used the text “Thus says the Lord of Hosts, go up to the mountain and build a house for the Lord.” Then as the congregation left the house, they were met at the gate and not allowed to pass until they agreed to “go up to the mountain and build God’s house”!

Church construction began in 1843, and was completed in 1845. The construction was all done on a pay-as-you-go-basis, with building stopping twice to raise more funds. The dignified meeting house that now is Bethany Church cost $2,600 to build in the 1840’s. Twenty years later the steeple was added and the whole building was raised up to create a fellowship hall under the worship space. Meanwhile, the Christian Society that had begun in West Randolph in 1817 was worshipping in various village homes and in the Brick Church across the street (in what is now Chandler Music Hall property).

In the 1860’s the upper part of the BrickChurch was taken down and the bricks used to build a basement under a new church constructed of wood and dedicated in 1865. For the next 3 decades the two churches across the street from each other shared close ties, with little to divide them in doctrine or form of religious observance.