Meanwhile George Fife Angas wrote to Regent's Park College seeking candidates for a Baptist ministry in Adelaide.
[5] They negotiated purchase of a block of land on Flinders Street and asked architect Robert Thomas, son of the newspaper proprietor to prepare plans.
[3] On his first Sunday in Adelaide, he preached at the Ebenezer Independent Chapel in Rundle Street[3] and soon began taking regular services at White's Rooms.
[4] From 1862–1871, members of the church were "dismissed" by Mead to form new congregations in locations including Queenstown, Moonta, Gawler, Norwood, Hilton, and Georgetown.
[7] An Association library was established at Flinders Street Baptist in 1868, consisting largely of donations from Mead's own collection, and he was the inaugural editor of the denominational periodical, Truth and Progress the same year.
[7] Mead's strong advocacy for believer's baptism by immersion and open membership, his emphasis on freedom and individual responsibility, and his disdain for creedal statements were influential on the Association, of which he was appointed President in 1867, 1872 and 1879, and then General Secretary for eight years.
[9] After his wife's death from typhoid in June 1874, Mead sought treatment overseas and spent fifteen months on leave while his sister in law looked after his five children in Adelaide.
[16] Mead and his daughter, physician Gertrude, returned to Australia in 1901, settling in Perth where he joined his son-in-law, Alfred Wilson as co-pastor of the Baptist Church in Museum Street.
[17] He became a member of the Baptist Union of Western Australia Council, serving as President in 1902, and again became active in Christian Endeavour and Bible teaching, as well as advocacy on social issues.
[17] Mead met Anne "Annie" Staple (1839– 15 June 1874) in Somerset and she later travelled to Adelaide to marry him at Gumeracha on 25 May 1864;[3] she died of typhoid fever aged 35.