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BX
6480
MILLE
A History of UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
OTTO A. ROTHERT
1800
Class
Book
Copyright N.ยบ.
COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.
1
A History of
UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
By OTTO A. ROTHERT 11
PRESS OF JOHN P. MORTON & COMPANY INCORPORATED LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 1914
BX6480 Mal6
Copyright 1914 By OTTO A. ROTHERT
LC Control Number
tmp96
031708
$0.30 1
JUL 30 1914 CIA376827
DEDICATED To My Friend JAMES WALLACE OATES Who is a loyal member of Unity Baptist Church, as were his father J. Wallace Oates, his grandfather Bayless Earle Oates, his great grand- father William Oates, and his great great grandfather Jesse Oates
"How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."
PSALM 133, VERSE 1
A HISTORY
OF
UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
T HE Unity Baptist Church building stands in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, eight miles west of Greenville on the Greenville and Princeton Road and near the Greenville and Upper Madisonville Road. It is in the Pond River country, about two miles east of the picturesque and historic Harpe's Hill, in a section that was among the first settled in the county.
Unity Church was established in 1812 and is the fourth oldest Baptist church in Muhlenberg. The oldest is Hazel Creek, established in 1797, of which a short history was written in 1898 by Professor William J. Johnson and Reverend Frank M. Welborn. Hazel Creek is the only church in the county of which a history has heretofore been pubished. The second oldest is Nelson Creek, established in 1803; the third is Bethel, estab- lished in 1811. Unity, in a way, may be regarded as the fifth, and not the fourth, oldest Baptist church in the county, for Cave Spring Church was organized in 1806, and having disbanded for a number of years, was re- organized in 1833, when a new place of worship was erected near Pond River, several miles west of the old site.
The statement that Unity was established in 1812 is based on an old tradition and, although not verified by any documentary proof, the data is, in all probability,
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correct. The records of the church from 1814 to the present are preserved. The first book in which the re- cords from 1812 to 1814 may have been kept has been lost. It is upon facts contained in the records in the four preserved books that the greater part of this history of Unity is based.
The first of these four books is a roughly bound leather volume and includes the minutes extending from 1814 to 1841, all of which were written with a goose quill. Many of the lines can not be deciphered, for the book has been exposed to both rain and sun. The other three volumes, although evidently not subjected to great ex- posure, show that they have often been carried to and from the church. Notwithstanding the general condi- tion of these four books, and although practically every entry is more or less vague, and the book containing the minutes of the first two years is lost, it is probable that few, if any, old churches in the county can offer as com- plete a set of documents from which to compile their history.
Nearly all of the few old church records that are still in existence have drifted into the hands of persons through an ancestor or friend, who was a church official, and have survived by chance; and if they continue to survive it will probably be for the same reason. Many of the minutes of meetings written during the past quarter century, including some of those that are being written now, are even more vague and give less of the history of the church of their day and time than do those that were recorded in the early years; and, whether preserved by chance or otherwise, will, in all likelihood, be of very little value from the standpoint of local history.
When Unity was established, Muhlenberg, as a county,
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was only fourteen years old. Its population was, at that time, about 4,000 or about one-seventh of what it is to-day. It was still a new country. Farms were few, and in most cases the nearest neighbor was several miles away. Except for the few clearings that had been made, the hills and valleys were covered with one continuous virgin forest. Deer, bear, turkeys and other game were plentiful; wolves were numerous and panthers were likely to be encountered at any time. The public roads were new-cut roads and wellnigh impassable at some seasons of the year. Getting from one farm to another or going to store, mill, courthouse, or church, or going on a visit was almost invariably done horseback or afoot over a trail through the woods. With few exceptions, log houses were the only ones built in those days. The courthouse at Greenville, which was erected in 1799 and occupied until 1836, was a log structure.
Among the early and prominent first-comers in this section was Major Jesse Oates, who settled in the county about 1795 and seventeen years later became one of the charter members of Unity. He was a Revolutionary soldier and lived on his large farm three miles east of Unity. Another charter member and Revolutionary soldier was Sikes Garris, the father of Mrs. Clara Garris Stanley who lived until 1864 and who, in 1799, when a child of about ten years, saw the headless body of Big Harpe, a noted outlaw, lying near Harpe's Hill. Another Revolutionary soldier and member was Bayless Earle, who long lived near what is now Earlington. Pioneers Barnett Eades, Jesse Murphy, and Peter Goad, whose farms were about seven miles from Unity, were among the prominent first-comers connected with the church. These pioneers came to Muhlenberg County
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from North Carolina, as did most of the other first- comers who settled in this vicinity.
One of the influential pioneers living near the church, but not a member of it, was John S. Eaves, who often lent a helping hand to Unity, as did his grandson, George W. Eaves, Jr., many years later. It was in the John S. Eaves residence-a spacious, old-time log house which stood on the little ridge about a mile west of the church and in one of the most beautiful valleys in the county- that a post-office by the name of Unity was maintained from 1844 to 1852, when it was moved to Clark's Ferry, where, under the name of Pond River Mills, it was con- tinued until 1863.
The pioneers referred to, and a number of others equally prominent, whose farms were near the church when it was first organized, helped to open up that sec- tion of the Pond River country of which Unity has been the center for more than a century.
THE CHURCH BUILDINGS
Unity Church is now occupying its fifth building. Tradition has it that about the year 1812 a log house, known as Unity, was built on a site one-fourth of a mile south of the present church and that it, like Old Liberty and many of the other churches built in the early days, served for many years as a union church house, and that about the year 1841 the old log house was torn down and a frame house built near where the old log house had stood. The log house, it is said, was a small one with a puncheon floor. It was equipped with a block pulpit and a number of puncheon benches.
The second house, as already stated, was a frame structure, erected in 1841. It was used as a union
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church house until about 1860, and for about fifteen years thereafter was occupied solely by the Baptists.
The third was a log house built by the members of Unity in 1875, near "The Widow Earle Spring," which was about a quarter of a mile from the first building.
UNITY CHURCH Erected in 1898 on site of fourth building
This house was used both as a church and a school until 1883, then as a school only until 1889, when it was torn down and the frame building now known as Unity School House was erected on part of its old foundation.
The fourth house was erected in 1883. It was a frame house built on the site of the present church and was destroyed by fire in 1897.
The fifth house was built in 1898 and has since been
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occupied by the church. In 1913 the house and grounds were valued at $1,200. In valuation of property, Unity stands eleventh among the thirty-nine churches compris- ing the Association; in number of members it ranks twentieth. Compared to congregations that are about its size, Unity's building is better than most of the others.
THE CEMETERY
Unity cemetery dates back to 1888. Previous to that time the members of the church were buried in their own family graveyards or in one belonging to a friend or neighbor. Up to about 1870 public cemeteries were rare in Muhlenberg and frequently inaccessible.
Mrs. Mary H. Coleman, wife of Beverly F. Coleman, shortly before her death, which occurred September 14, 1888, requested that she be buried near Unity Church. Her request was fulfilled, and soon after her burial, a plot of ground, which included Mrs. Coleman's grave, was given to the church by Mrs. Amanda C. Earle, wife of Richard B. Earle, and what is now Unity cemetery was started. There are at present ninety-eight graves in this well-kept country graveyard.
Among the marked graves are those of "J. Wallace Oates, Born October 23, 1851, Died July 17, 1901." "Sarah J., wife of J. Wallace Oates, Born March 14, 1855, Died September 18, 1904," "Amanda C. Earle, Born March 1, 1821, Died November 15, 1897," Samuel B. Oates and wife, Martin Mercer and wife, William M. Tyson and wife, George W. Oates and William D. Oates.
In the spring of 1912 William A. Armstrong, a suc- cessful surveyor and farmer, who is now in his eightieth year, and who for more than a half century has been a student of mathematics and the classics, had a double
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grave made in Unity cemetery for himself and his wife, A. Princess Armstrong. It is six feet deep, lined with concrete and has a concrete wall between the two sepul- chers, both of which are covered with a heavy slab that
ARMSTRONG
The Armstrong Grave in Unity Cemetery
rests on the walls which extend a few inches above the ground. While this grave was being built he ordered two cedar caskets and a steel vault or box for each. These he stored in Greenville and arranged to have them used for their intended purpose. Mrs. Armstrong died in October, 1912. After the steel vault containing her remains had been lowered into the grave, her sepulcher was filled with sand brought there for that purpose and the concrete slab was replaced on the grave. At the head of this
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double grave is a granite monument. On the one side, near the base, appears the name "Armstrong," above which is carved "W. A. Armstrong, July 5, 1834 A. P. Armstrong, June 8, 1841-October 23, 1912." On the other side is the inscription, "Retired, confiding in God."
OBITUARIES
In five instances resolutions on the death of a member are recorded in Unity's books; all of them were drawn in comparatively recent times. Many of its members were worthy of such a distinction and doubtless would have been thus honored had it been the custom of the church to take such action.
The first obituary appears in the minutes of March, 1888, and was entered in honor of Wyatt Oates, who was born July 13, 1819, and died January 28, 1888. He was a member of Unity for forty-six years and had, at various times, served the church as clerk and did much toward promoting the welfare of the congregation. He was buried at Yeargin's Chapel. The second was re- corded one year later and is in memory of Mrs. Mary Oates, wife of Wyatt Oates. She was born March 18, 1823, and died November 21, 1888. She was for many years one of the most active workers for the church. She was known to every person in the community as "Aunt Polly." The resolutions refer to her as "a faithful Christian and a friend to all." She was buried at Yeargin's Chapel by the side of her husband, who died before Unity cemetery had been started.
From the three other resolutions these statements are quoted :
"J. Wallace Oates was born October 23, 1851, and
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
died July 17, 1901 After the funeral services, conducted by Rev. L. J. Stirsman, his body was turned over to the Masonic order, of which he was a member, and with Masonic honors, was laid to rest in Unity cemetery. He served the church for about 25 years as clerk and was ordained deacon about 10 years before his death. He was chairman of the building committee for Unity when it built the meeting house we now occupy and also on the one that built the church house in 1883. The church has lost a faithful and important member."
"Jennie Mercer, daughter of D. F. and Ollie Mercer, was born March 24, 1891, and died March 14, 1902. She was a young and faithful member of the church and highly esteemed by the whole community."
"L. Bert Oates was born June 10, 1843, and departed this life March 15, 1902. At the age of 18, when the war broke out, he volunteered his services in defense of the Union. He professed faith in Christ in 1874 and joined the Methodist church. Later he began a close study of the New Testament and de- cided that in order to comply with the scriptures he should be baptized by immersion. So on the Saturday be- fore the second Sunday in June, 1880, he united with Unity Baptist Church, and on the following day sub. mitted to the ordinance of baptism. He stood faithful to the church and to his post of duty the re- mainder of his life. He was ordained a deacon and was on the committee that erected the church house in 1883, and the one now occupied by Unity. He was elected church clerk about one year before he died. In his death his family, the church and the community suffer a great loss. He was laid to rest in Unity cemetery."
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTORS
An attempt is here made to give the names of all the pastors of the church, the preachers ordained at Unity, and the church clerks. The names and dates are com- piled from various entries that touch on these subjects. However, since a number of the pages of the record books are badly faded and some of the entries are very vague, it is possible that a few names are missing and that all the dates are not absolutely correct.
Most of Unity's preachers lived in Muhlenberg, Hopkins, and Christian counties. Some of them were farmers or school-teachers; comparatively few devoted all their time to religious work. The first pastor of whom we have any record was Reverend Leroy Jackson, who was chosen in November, 1814, and served until 1820. Reverend John Bourland served from 1820 to 1844, but in the meantime many of the services were con- ducted by Reverends Lewis Goad, Benjamin Rhoads, Peter Goad, Esias Earle, Richard Jones, Thomas Terry, William Eades and Kinchen G. Hay. In March, 1844, the Reverend Mr. Hay was elected pastor and served about one year, when he was succeeded by Reverend Joseph Board. Reverend Pryor S. Loving served from June, 1846, until July, 1852, during which time Rev- erends James Bennett and William Bennett conducted a number of the meetings. He was followed by Rev- erend William W. Whayne, who served until June, 1854.
Reverend James Bennett served from June, 1854, to November, 1874, during which period Reverends William H. Woodburn, William Bennett and Thomas Rust fre- quently conducted services. Reverend Thomas W. Pritchett served from November, 1874, to November, 1876, when he was succeeded by Reverend Charles
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
Carnes, who, with Reverends J. W. Eades and T. W. Isbell, conducted the services until March, 1878, when Reverend William McLean was chosen pastor. The Reverend Mr. McLean served until January, 1882, and was followed by Reverend W. W. Williams, who re- mained about one year, during which time Reverend I. N. Strather preached a few sermons. On May 5, 1883, Reverend Leander J. Stirsman was elected and served until February, 1892. Reverend W. H. Woodson con- ducted a few meetings during this period. In 1892 and 1893 the services were conducted by Reverends C. E. Peraman, Benjamin F. Hyde, E. J. Ragon and Richard Carroll Allen. Reverend William P. Henry served from July, 1894, to December, 1898, when Reverend Leander J. Stirsman began his second term which continued until June, 1902, when Mr. W. D. Cox was elected pastor.
In January, 1903, Reverend Richard Carroll Allen was chosen, and served one year. In January, 1904, the Reverend Mr. Allen was succeeded by Reverend Robert W. Danks, who served until December, 1905. In January, 1906, Reverend Leander J. Stirsman, who, since 1882 had been actively identified with the church, and who, since that year, had, for twelve years, acted as its pastor, was again chosen and continued as its pastor for three years more or until December, 1908, when he was succeeded by Reverend P. E. Herndon. Reverend Mr. Herndon remained until July, 1911, when he was followed by Reverend John R. Kennerly, the present pastor.
The Reverend Mr. Kennerly was born February 27, 1848, near Lewisburg, Logan County, where he now lives. He preached his first sermon in 1871 in his native county, was educated at Bethel College, and was ordained
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by Mt. Pleasant Church, Logan County, in 1877, since which time he has been actively engaged in church work. He began his first term at Unity in July, 1911, and is now serving his third year. He has always come well prepared to conduct its regular services, which for many years have taken place on "the Saturday before the second Sunday in the month and the Sunday following." The great good that the Reverend Mr. Kennerly has done and is now doing in the congregation and the com- munity will ever stand as a credit to him and to Unity Church.
CHURCH CLERKS
The clerks of Unity were probably selected from among such members of the church as were regarded its best scribes. Some were good penmen and some were not. It is more than likely that none of them expected that the books in which they made their entries would some day be used as documents bearing on the history of the church. Up to 1835 no one was appointed clerk for a definite period, and only a few of those who served previous to that time signed their names to any of the records they had written. From 1814 to 1835 William Oates, it seems, wrote most of the minutes. Others who served one or more times during that period were : Jesse Murphy, Major Jesse Oates, Benjamin Clark, Duren Allcock, Benjamin Rhoads, John Moore, Bennett Stewart and Esias W. Earle.
From October, 1835, to June, 1838, Nathan Hibbs signed all the minutes, except a few written by Stephen Harris and one dated August, 1837, which was written by "Isaac Bard, clerk pro tem." In 1839 Jesse Oates, Jr., was appointed clerk and held the office until
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November, 1841, after which the following served : Beverly Coleman, 1841-1845; Wyatt Oates, 1845-1846 ; James Arnett, 1846-1847; Stephen Harris, 1847-1851; Archibald C. Coleman, 1851-1853; Beverly H. Coleman, 1853-1861; Bennett Mercer, 1861; James Arnett, 1861- 1868; Wyatt Oates, 1868-1886 (H. H. Whitson or J. Wallace Oates occasionally acted as clerk pro tem) ; J. Wallace Oates, 1886-1901; L. Bert Oates, 1901-1902 (J. Frank Doss, 1889-1901, occasionally as clerk pro tem) ; Lucian F. Oates, 1902-1914. In January, 1914, J. Frank Robinson was appointed clerk.
PREACHERS ORDAINED
The records show that eleven ministers were ordained at Unity: Lewis Goad and Duren Allcock in 1816; Benjamin Clark and Benjamin Rhoads in 1817, Esias W. Earle in 1826, Kinchen G. Hay in 1839, Stephen Harris in 1848, William Bennett in 1849, James Bennett in 1854, E. J. Ragon in 1894, and James V. McLearin in 1901.
CHURCHES ORIGINATING FROM UNITY
Unity "extended an arm" unto three neighborhoods and in each formed a branch organization in order that members living in those localities might meet more con- veniently and better promote religion among themselves and their neighbors who considered Unity church house too far from their homes. These branches were, in time, established as independent churches: Oak Grove in 1846, East Union in 1852, and Pleasant Hill in 1873. About the year 1867, when the negroes of the congrega- tion were separated from the whites, Unity's colored members organized the church now known as Mount Zion.
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
ASSOCIATIONS
From "A History of Kentucky Baptists," published in 1885 by J. H. Spencer, I gather these facts: Unity became a member of Little River Association when, in August, 1813, that Association was formed from Red River Association. In 1820, when Little River As- sociation was divided and Highland Association was organized, Unity became a member of the new organiza- tion. In 1835, after a few years of strife, a number of churches, including Bethel in Muhlenberg and Little Bethel in Union County, withdrew from Highland As- sociation and, in 1836, organized Little Bethel Associa- tion. In September, 1837, at the first anniversary meet- ing of Little Bethel Association, which was held at Bethel in Muhlenberg, Unity was taken into the new As- sociation.
Thus, during the course of its first twenty-five years, Unity was connected with three different associations. After entering Little Bethel Association in 1837 the church did not change associations until 1906, when the Muhlenberg County Baptist Association was formed and Unity became one of its original members. Unity's reasons for making these changes are given among the comments on the entries that bear on the subject of associations.
In 1839 and in 1886 Unity entertained Little Bethel Association, and is now preparing to entertain the Muhlenberg County Baptist Association on August 26 and 27, 1914.
FIRST BOOK RECORDS
The first of the four of Unity's record books now in existence begins about two years after the church was
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organized. The minutes of the first three meeings run as follows :
"Unity Church, Muhlenberg county, Kentucky, November 26th day, 1814. The church after a consider- able travel [same word as travail and formerly so used] for a pastorial supply made choice of Leroy Jackson to go in and out before them, hoping and trusting to the Lord that he will prove a blessing to the people."
"The church met the fourth Saturday in December, 1814, and after divine service the church proceeded to business. 1. Enquired for fellowship. 2. Opened a door for the reception of members."
"The church met the Saturday before the 4th Lord's day in January, 1815. After praise and prayer they proceeded to business. 1. Enquired for fellowship. 2. Brother William Harris laid in a complaint against Brother Ely Smith. The church proceeded to appoint Brothers Jesse Murphy and Duren Allcock to cite him to next meeting. 3. Opened a door for the reception of members."
The following is quoted from the fifth record :
"The church met the Saturday before the fourth Lord's day in March, 1815. The church ap- pointed Brethren Wm. Stanley, Lewis Goad and Wm. Oates to go and request of Brother Campbell to give up the church book and all papers that belong to the church. [This is the only reference made to the lost book.] Received a petition from Long Creek Church asking us to join in a union meeting, which was granted, and proceeded to appoint Brethren Jesse Murphy, Duren Allcock, Lewis Goad to attend the same and assist them.
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The church agreed to commune at the September term." [Long Creek Church here referred to is in all probability what is now known as Cave Spring Church, which, in early days, was sometimes called "Cana."]
The eleventh record is dated September, 1815, and is the first that is sufficiently well preserved to justify an attempt at reproduction in the form of a facsimile. It will also serve as a fair sample of hundreds of records that appear in the four books. Except for some changes made in spelling and capitals, it is here quoted as written :
"The church met at Unity the Saturday before the fourth Lord's [day] in September, 1815, for conference. After divine service proceeded to business.
"1. Chose Brother Carpenter moderator.
"2. Enquired for fellowship, the church found in order.
"3. The church called for the references.
"4. Took up the case of Brother Burnom. After ex- amination of the Brethren appointed to labor with Brother Burnom our once Brother Frederick Burnom is declared to be none of us.
"5. Opened a door for the reception [of] members. Received Brother Nicholas Thomas by experience.
"6. The church proceeded to appoint Duren Allcock, Wm. Stanley, Peter Goad, Jesse Murphy and Stanley Johnson to attend the union meeting at Barren Spring.
"7. The church proceeded to appoint Brother Clerk to invite Brother Hugh Smith to a seat.
"8. The church agree to give Brother Lewis Goad a letter of recommendation as he is about to travel to a distant part, Brother Clerk to write the same.
"9. Proceeded to appoint Brother Clerk to invite Sister Polly Stanley to a seat."
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The Church mut if unity the saturday before the forth fords in september 1815 Business : I Chose Bri Carpenter Moderator er 2. Enquired for fellow ships the Church found in der 3. The Church, bald for the referencias I Took up the Case of Bi: Mormon Aften Examination of the More Appointed to Labour with Br. Burmon, Our once Brother Jederich Burnna in Declare to be ageone of us I Opened at Door for the Reciation members received Br: Medus Thomas by Experience. 6. The Church Proceed to Appoint Euren Allcon Ufor Stanly Peter Gond Jegog Hiwiny thanks Stolenword to Attend the Union meeting at Barren spring of
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