USA > Indiana > History of Coffee Creek Baptist Association, (Southern Indiana): an account of present churches, and biographical sketches of its ministers > Part 10
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ELDER GEORGE KING.
George King is a native of Nelson County, Kentucky, from whence he immigrated to Indi- ana, locating in Jackson County. In the early spring of 1848, he was converted under the . preaching of Elder Thomas Hill, Sr., but a short time before his death; was baptized by Elder Daniel Ball, and received into membership in the New Hope Baptist Church, Brownstown Association. He was Clerk of that Association in 1864, and a member of that body twenty years.
He was married near Uniontown, Jackson County, where he resided several years, engaged
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in mercantile business. In 1868, he removed to Scott County, and placed his membership in Pleasant Ridge Church, where he was ordained in 1872 and became pastor. He continued his pastorate there, and also preached at several other places in the vicinity, until 1875, when he removed to Bartholomew County, Sand Creek Association, where he now resides. His Post- office is Columbus, Ind.
ELDER G. W. THOMPSON.
George W. Thompson was born in Ripley, Brown County, O., February 23, 1847. In 1861 he united with the Methodist Church at that place, and was licensed to preach by that order in 1866. He remained a local preacher of the denomination until 1869, when he united with the Baptist Church at Aberdeen, same county, then in charge of Elder G. Mason. The same year he was called to the pastorate of Aberdeen Church, where, in 1870, he was ordained to the gospel ministry. His other ministerial labors in Ohio were chiefly at Winchester, Brushy Fork, Camp Creek, Lick Fork, Newtown and Duck Creek, though he held meetings at many other points.
In 1876, he purchased land at Lancaster, Jef- 18
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ferson County, Ind., to which he moved his family in the summer of the same year. Unit- ing with Lancaster Church, he became its pastor, serving in that capacity about three years. He has also held pastorates in Coffee Creek Asso- ciation at Lick Branch, Bethany, White River, Scaffold Lick, Zion, First Marion, Hopewell and New Prospect; and with some churches in Madison Association, usually having the care of four churches at the same time, and one year of five. In several of these churches extensive re- vivals were enjoyed under his ministrations, particularly at Lick Branch and Lancaster in 1877, at Scaffold Lick and Bethany in 1878, at Lick Branch again in 1879, and at Hopewell in 1881.
Brother Thompson was married in Missouri in 1870 to Miss Julia A. Skaggs, and has two or three children. He has recently removed to Kentucky, and is actively engaged in ministerial work. His Post-office is Campbellsburg, Henry County.
ELDER ALLEN HILL.
Allen Hill, son of Elder Thomas Hill, Jr., was born in Jennings County, Ind., January Io, 1831, where he resided until 1863. In the fall
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of that year he moved to Coles County, Ill., and in February, 1865, was converted and united with the Little Flock Baptist Church.
Soon his brethren recognized his talent for public speaking, and urged him to go forward in the church, with a view of ultimately entering the ministry ; but while he felt it his duty to do so, yet a natural diffidence and a realization of unworthiness, restrained him for some time. The influences of the Spirit and the persuasions of his brethren, however, prevailed, and in April, 1869, he was licensed to preach the gospel.
Having thus become identified with the min- isterial calling, he no longer faltered, but pressed forward in the work, and on the 22d of January, 1870, was publicly set apart, by ordination, as a minister of the Baptist Church of Jesus Christ.
Elder Hill entered heartily into pastoral du- ties, in Illinois, for a period of eight years, sup- plying numerous churches. In the spring of 1878, through the earnest solicitations of numer- ous friends, he was induced to return to the old homestead in Indiana, where he resided about three years, when he moved to North Vernon, same county, where he now resides.
Since coming to Indiana he has devoted all
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his time to the ministry, holding pastorates at Coffee Creek, Freedom, Zion, Tea Creek, First Marion and Lick Branch, in Coffee Creek Asso- ciation ; Vernon, Madison Association ; North Vernon, in Sand Creek Association, and prob- ably others. He has also held special meetings at other points, with good success; one, at least (Commiskey), resulting in the constitution of a church, of which he is now pastor.
He was four years Moderator of Coffee Creek Association, only being released from that posi- tion by removing without its bounds. He is now engaged for one-half his time as missionary of the Ind. Bap. State Convention; is an active Christian worker, and occupies a prominent po- sition in the denomination.
Brother Hill held the position of Captain in the Twenty-seventh Reg. Ind. Vol. Inf. during the rebellion. His first wife died some years previous to that time. His present wife is a daughter of Deacon Samuel Malcomb, of Coffee Creek.
ELDER MARION NOELL.
Marion Noell was born August 1, 1849, in Gallatin County, Ky., but while yet an infant was taken by his parents to Boone County.
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Here, on a profession of faith, he was baptized by Rev. Lafayette Johnson, September 25, 1865, and received into the New Bethel Baptist Church, located at Verona, where he retained member- ship about ten years.
Brother Noell was licensed by the New Bethel Church, in July, 1869, and occasionally preached at the church, and in school-houses in the vicin- ity. His brethren encouraged him to persevere in the work, and advised him to pursue a course of studies with that purpose, but this he was unable to do; his father being a poor man, with a large family, was, consequently, unable to as- sist him.
At the age of twenty-one he left home to work for himself, and by close attention to business and rigid economy, accumulated enough money to enter Georgetown College, in Scott County, then under the presidency of Rev. Basil Manly, D. D. Here he remained about two years; in addition to other studies, taking a partial course in Theology. . After leaving college he engaged in school-teaching in Boone County, and preach- ing on Sabbaths.
In April, 1875, he located at Westport, Old- ham .County, and engaged in evangelical work in several churches. He placed his membership in the Westport Church, and was there ordained
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the 29th of August, 1875. The Elders in the council were A. E. Shirley-the pastor-Thomas Reynolds, Lafayette Johnson and Wm. T. Gor- don.
He came to Indiana in January following his ordination, and united with New Bethel Church, where he now holds membership. His pastoral labors in this State have been confined to New Bethel, Hebron, White River and Elizabeth churches, in Coffee Creek Association, and Utica Church, in Bethel Association-in all of which his services have been efficient and sat- isfactory.
Brother Noell married Miss Alice Belle Ar- buckle, June I, 1876, and resides in Jefferson County, not far from New Bethel Church. His post-office address is Lexington, Scott County, Ind.
ELDER J. N. SPILLMAN.
James N. Spillman is a native of Carroll Coun- ty, Ky., where he was born June 2, 1848, and in which he resided until the spring of 1881. In August, 1865, he made a public profession of faith in Christ; was baptized and received into fellowship of the Locust Creek Baptist Church, retaining membership as long as he resided in the State.
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At the regular church-meeting in August, 1871, Brother Spillman was granted license to preach, which he did to a considerable extent. The 15th of March, 1879, a council, called for the purpose of assisting in the examination of Brother Spillman, convened with the Locust Creek Church, and he was "ordained to preach the gospel wherever God, in his providence, may cast his lot, and administer all the ordinances of the Baptist Church of Christ;" since which time he has made the preaching of the word his constant occupation.
Soon after his ordination he commenced hold- ing meetings on this side of the river, which resulted in many conversions; and subsequently he was engaged as pastor by two or three churches in Coffee Creek Association.
In March, 1881, he removed his family to Indiana, purchasing property at Lancaster, where he located. He placed his membership in Lan- caster Church, where he had been pastor about two years. His other pastorates in this State have been at Elizabeth, White River, Bethany, Freedom, Zion and First Marion; and, as far as known to the writer, have been quite successful and very satisfactory to the churches.
Brother Spillman married in Kentucky, April 27, 1871. His post-office address is Lancaster, Jefferson County.
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ELDER N. L. PETTY.
Norwin L. Petty was born in Marion County, Mo., in 1845. At the age of fifteen he professed faith in the Redeemer, and was baptized and ad- mitted to fellowship in a Baptist Church near his. home, called Bethel, in which he retained mem- bership until dismissed by letter to move to Kentucky. Arriving in that State, he placed his letter in the New Providence Church, Trim- ble County.
In 1876 the church gave him license to preach, which he frequently did in Kentucky, and also held some special meetings across the river, in Indiana; one of which, held in connection with . Elder W. T. Carpenter, resulted in the constitu- tion of New Prospect Church.
In the early spring of 1880, New Providence Church called Brother Petty to its pastorate, and also called a "council of ordination," and he was set apart to the work of the ministry the 20th of May, of the same year.
In the fall of 1880 he removed to Indiana, locating near New Bethel Church, with which he united, and of which he became pastor in the spring of 1881. He is also pastor of one or two other churches, besides preaching regularly at some out-stations, so that his time is mainly devoted to the ministry of the word.
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Brother Petty married Miss Lizzie Ferguson, of Jefferson County, Ind., in September, 1879. His post-office address is Lexington, Scott County, Ind.
ELDER U. M. McGUIRE.
Ulysses M. McGuire, the youngest minister in the Association, was born April 7, 1856, in Jennings County, Ind., and in which he has al- ways resided. When quite a young man, the death of his father made it incumbent on him, being the oldest child, to assist his mother in maintaining and educating her young family, which duty he cheerfully performed.
Being desirous of obtaining an education, he improved every opportunity for study, and, as soon as capable of teaching a common school, engaged in that occupation; teaching through the fall and winter, and working a farm and pursuing his studies each spring and summer, for a period of eight years, when he was en- abled to take a partial course in Hanover Col- lege.
At the age of eleven years he was converted and united with the M. E. Church, in which he remained until the spring of 1881. For some years prior to that time, his mind had been ex-
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ercised in regard to preaching the gospel, and he had been licensed to exhort; but when he decided to devote his life to the work, he was forced to leave the church of his first love, as he had ever firmly held that immersion is the only mode of baptism, and that none but believers should receive the ordinance; consequently, he could not be a minister in his own denomination.
The first Saturday in March, 1881, he united with the Baptist Church at Coffee Creek-near which he had always resided; and at the same meeting he was licensed to preach and called to the pastorate. The fifth day of September, of the same year, he was set apart to the work of the ministry, by ordination, at Coffee Creek Church- Elders Allen Hill and J. N. Spillman being the ministers present on the occasion. He is now pastor at Coffee Creek, Lancaster, Uniontown and Dupont, and Clerk of Coffee Creek Association.
Brother McGuire married Miss Elba Graham, a young lady every way worthy of him, in the spring of 1880.
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CONCLUSION.
IN reviewing the field passed over in collecting material for this work, thoughts are suggested to which I wish to call the attention of my breth- ren, particularly pastors, clerks of churches and of Associations, or others occupying positions enabling them to learn the work and progress of the denomination.
A little care taken in recording. the various items that come to hand, would be of vast im- portance to the future historian. In my research- es, months have been consumed in correspond- ence, looking up items that might have been arranged and transcribed in as many minutes, perhaps, had the material been at hand; and, in some cases, after repeated inquiries and tedi- ous delays, further investigation was necessarily abandoned.
Particularly has this been the case in searching for the histories of many of the early preachers. No record can be found, and I have been com- pelled to trust to my personal recollections of the men, or to the memories of a few early set- tlers. The Sunday-school work is another. case
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in point. I am enabled to state that every church in the Association keeps up a Sabbath- school during a part of the year, but can give nothing definite as to results. So, also, in regard to contributions for the various branches of Christian enterprise. I can only say that each church does something; but when, and how, and to what extent, it is impossible to state, as such statistics are not reported.
If pastors would keep a diary of work per- formed; if Sunday-school officers would report progress made; if clerks would record, in tan- gible form, all the business transactions of their respective churches; the task of compiling a full history of an Association, or of the great Baptist family of the State even, could be readily accomplished.
In the prosecution of my work, reference has often been made to the great amount of labor performed, and the glorious results attained by pioneer preachers. It may be thought that these have been overestimated; that many of the fathers have been credited with more than their dues; that there has been a disposition to unduly magnify their deeds, and count successes where they have not been achieved. But it can be truly said this has not been done. Credit has been given only where fully merited. A per-
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* sonal acquaintance with a majority of those named, enables me to testify to their worth. Uneducated and illiterate many of them were, but they walked close with God. The burden of souls was in their hearts and on their minds, and they went to the Father in that simplicity, and confidence, and humble dependence that only the soul fully renewed by grace is capable of doing; simply trusting-ever trusting-amid all their trials, and privations, and hardships, and discouragements. God blessed them abun- dantly, and crowned their labors with rich re- wards; and to-day we are reaping the harvest grown from seed of their planting. As a de- nomination, we have great cause of gratitude to those 'earnest workers for the healthful state of the Church transmitted to our care, and great cause of thankfulness to God for blessings past and present.
The pioneer preacher of the West, though uneducated, was an intellectual as well as spirit- ual force, and held leadership among the people. The preacher of the future must continue to main- tain this prominence, and to do so, he must keep fully abreast of all the advance thought of the age ; he must secure confidence, and awaken sympathy and enthusiasm. The requisites of success for to-day are culture, training, skill. Progress is
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everywhere shown. The professions of teaching, of medicine, of law-and even all branches of business-are dependent upon an educated peo- ple; and the minister, to be successful, must in no way be inferior to any of these. Seventy-five years ago, or even fifty, an educated ministry for the West was an impossibility; now it is not only possible, but is an imperative necessity. Christianity and culture must go hand in hand ; and it is the indispensable duty of Baptists to see to it that the opportunities for thorough Christian culture are placed within the reach of the coming ministry.
Brethren, our denomination has been greatly blessed in past years. It is comparatively but a short time since the first church in the State was constituted .* There are members of our Association now living who were born prior to
*The constitution of the first church in Indiana deserves a place in the State Archives. It reads as follows :
"November 22, 1798. - The Constitution. - We, the Church of Christ on Owen's Creek, in the County of Knox, and Territory northwest of the Ohio River, in the Illinois grant, were constituted as a church on the principles of the Baptist Confession of Faith adopted in Philadelphia in the year of our Lord 1765, being constituted by Elder Isaac Edwards. We have hereunto set our hands the day and date above written.
"JOHN FISLAR, SOPHIA FISLAR,
JOHN PETTET. CATHARINE PETTET."
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that period. What a change has been wrought within a single lifetime! The little band of four disciples (two men with their wives), located in a then almost unknown wilderness, has increased to 40,000-ten thousand fold-and our hearts should overflow with love and gratitude for these undeserved blessings. "The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad," and in sincerity of heart we can say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory."
But, as Christians and recipients of manifold favors, it behooves us to look at the opposite side of the picture. While so greatly blessed, what are we doing to advance the cause of Christ ? Have we done what we could in the years that are past, and are we planning for effective work in the future? Are we earnestly endeavoring to plant the gospel standard in every land, and publish the good news of life and salvation to every creature? What account of our stewardship can we render? Have our five pounds gained other five or are we content to bury the single talent and present it to the Master when he comes for the reckoning ? If assured that the Lord would not tarry, but quickly appear, are we prepared to say, Even so, come, Lord Jesus?
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Brethren, our privileges are great, our oppor- tunities are great, our field of labor is great, the means at our disposal are great, and oh! let us ever remember that our responsibilities are also great !
And that we may labor diligently-redeem- ing the time-emulating the sterling virtues of our pioneer fathers, and striving to push forward the good work they began, until our whole land is consecrated to Christ, may God, in infinite mercy, grant.
THE END.
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