USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 45
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But that which gave the Baptists the greatest advantage over other denominations was, that their ministers asked no pay for preaching. As the Baptists have been somewhat misunder- stood on the subject of the support of the ministry, or, at least, have been occasionally misrepresented on that subject, it may not be out of place to correct the misapprehension of those who do not understand their doctrine, on that particular feature of their church polity. First, then, the Baptists believe that every true minister of the gospel is called of God to that office, and, therefore, it is his duty to preach the gospel to the extent of -
his ability, whether he receives any compensation for it or not. They believe it is the duty of the churches to support their min- isters, and their teaching has been uniformly to that effect. That there have been ignorant, covetous or bitterly prejudiced individuals, or even some little ignorant churches, that have taught otherwise, is not doubted. But this does not mitigate the general teaching of the denomination; for the same thing may be said of every other religious society. As early as 1787, the following query and answer were placed on the records of Elkhorn Association :
"QUERY-Whether it isagreeable to Scripture for churches o suffer men to preach, or have the care of them as their min-
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isters, that are trading and entangling themselves with the affairs of this life?
"ANSWER-That it is not agreeable to Scripture, but that it is the duty of the churches to give their ministers a reasonable support, and assist them in these respects."
This was less than two years after the constitution of this, the oldest, and then much the largest association in the State, and which at this period, represented more than half the Baptists in the Mississippi Valley. This has been the general teaching of the Baptists in the West, as well as everywhere else. Even the Anti-missionary Baptists, which arose in Kentucky, about thirty years after this, teach that it is the duty of the churches to support their pastors. The early churches, e. g. Cox's Creek, Clear Creek, Bryants and others, fixed the salaries of their pas- tors, before the close of the last century. But while the preach- ers agreed with their brethren, on this subject, none of them required that it should be so done unto them, at that early pe- riod, and many of them refused to accept any compensation for their ministerial labors, even when it was offered them. Not be-
cause they thought it wrong to receive a compensation, but because they thought it inexpedient. Their great desire was to lead sinners to Christ. If they took money for preaching, it would arouse the prejudice and excite the suspicion of the illit- erate backwoods people, and thereby destroy their influence over them. The preachers preferred to support themselves by their own labor on their little farms, or in some other secular avocation, rather than lose their influence for good over their neighbors. They were not mistaken as to the immediate effects of such a course. They labored on, from year to year, working with their own hands to support their families, and preach- ing much to the people, without expecting or desiring any worldly compensation. The people were convinced of their sincerity, and looked to them as real benefactors. The minis- ters of other religious sects demanded a stated salary of their flocks, or at least, they demanded of them a support. Good old David Rice, of the Presbyterian church, refused to admin- ister the Lord's Supper, to his congregation, at Danville, be- cause they refused or neglected to pay him his salary, alleging that it was not right to admit persons to that holy table who
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were not faithful in their pecuniary engagements .* "Father Whelan," the first Catholic priest that settled in Kentucky, (in 1787) sued his people for his salary, and behaved so rudely in the affair as to be fined 500 pounds for slandering the jury.t These things were well calculated to turn the hearts of the peo- ple away from these men, whom they regarded as mere hire- lings, to the Baptists, who not only demanded no pay for preach- ing, but often refused compensation when it was offered to them.
One other advantage possessed by the Baptists, was the greater popularity of their preaching compared with that of their rival sects, at the period under review. Not that they were more learned than others; for this was not the case. But they min- gled constantly with the masses of the people. They entered fully into their sympathies, and understood the force of their local dialect, and worked side by side with them, in the same occupations. In preaching, they discarded all written prepara- tion. Even the briefest notes were discarded. Their sermons were literally extemporaneous. They drew their illustrations from the daily habits of their hearers, and spoke with that unstudied and impassioned eloquence that evinces deep feeling in the speaker, and is sure to be deeply felt by the hearers. A constantly re- peated prayer, both in the pew and in the pulpit, was that the preaching might come from the heart of the minister, and reach the hearts of the hearers. The prayer was usually answered; for it was offered in faith and strong desire. The preachers were intensely anxious for the salvation of sinners, they wept profusely, and their voices trembled with emotion, as they ex- horted and persuaded their neighbors to seek the salvation of their souls. The people were convinced that these men of God were their friends, and really desired their good.
But it must not be supposed that all the early Baptist min- isters of Kentucky were ignorant or illiterate. This imputation was often repeated, by men every way inferior to those whom they thus stigmatized. But the false assertion gained more credence by being repeated in contempt and derision, by popu- lar writers and speakers among the Baptists themselves, than from the assertions of their religious opponents. While there
*Chris. Review of Oct., 1852, p. 495.
tIb. foot note, pp. 495, 496.
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were but few Baptist preachers among the early settlers that were full graduates of colleges and theological seminaries, there were many, self educated, who were superior in true and gen- erous scholarship, to a majority of the full graduates among the ministers of their opponents. David Barrow was a stronger writer than David Rice; John Gano and David Thomas were, to say the least, the equals of any Presbyterian preacher of their generation in Kentucky. Wm. Vaughan proved himself superior to William L. McCalla in theological discussion, and Silas M. Noel had no superior among the ministry of Kentucky as a polished scholar, a chaste speaker, and an elegant and forcible writer; and few will deny the superiority of John L. Waller as a polemic. But these men had no inclination to boast of their learning. They had an infinitely higher aim. Their nobler ambition was to glorify God in bringing sinners to the cross, and in this they succeeded beyond all competition. Of the Presbyterian preachers of the time, contemporary writers of their own and other denominations, speak candidly and to the same purport. John M. Peck, a Baptist writer of ability and candor, says of the Presbyterians of the Mississippi Valley, in early times :
"Most of their ministers who first came, were below med- iocrity in the pulpit. In the estimation of impartial judges, Baptist preachers were much their superiors in preaching. The Presbyterians read long sermons on dogmas of faith, 'fenced the tables,' preparatory to the Lord's Supper, by a tiresome exposi- tion of the ten commandments after the old Scotch fashion; sung Rouse's version of David's psalms; were rigid in enforcing the observance of the Sabbath, without a due porportion of christian morality on other days of the week, and were suc- cessful only in rendering themselves unpopular. They had the reputation of having been educated at college, and probably, had made some acquisitions in literature, but were deficient in common sense."
"They soon rendered themselves obnoxious by their claims for regular salaries, at a period when the country was destitute of money ; when salt, iron, and other indispensable articles of living were transported on pack-horses over the mountains, and no market was to be had for the sale of surplus produce."* *Chris. Rev. Oct. 1852, pp. 494-495.
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"Father Rice," as he was called, the first Presbyterian min- ister that settled in Kentucky, says of his contemporaries in the ministry : "They were men of some information and held sound principles, but did not appear to possess much of the spirit of the gospel."* "Upon [seeing] this," continues Father Rice, "my spirit sunk pretty low, verging on deep melancholy. I was often made to cry out passionately-Oh for the Tennents, the Blairs, and the Daviesses, to come and preach to us in Ken- tucky." Speaking of John Gano, a Baptist preacher, Father Rice says: "I heard him with great avidity and satisfaction. He appeared to preach the gospel in its native simplicity with honest intention to promote the glory of God and the good of men. He preached in the neighborhood a second and third time, and still in the same spirit. To me he appeared as one of the ancient Puritans risen from the dead."* Robert Bishop, Professor of History in Transylvania University, and himself a Presbyterian, in speaking of the early preachers of his denomi- nation in Kentucky, says: "And yet the very best of these worthies were far, very far, from being what they might have been."±
One more witness will suffice to show the character of the Presbyterian ministry in Kentucky, and its lack of adaptability to the wants of the people at the period under review. Dr. Davidson, author of the History of the Presbyterian church in Kentucky, alluding to the ministers of that church, says : ||
"Had they all been men of marked ability, devoted piety, and unblemished reputation, the salutary influence they might have exerted in moulding the character and institutions of the growing West would have been incalculable. Unhappily, with two or three shining exceptions, the majority were men barely of respectable talents, and a few above mediocrity ; and so far from being patterns of flaming zeal and apostolic devotion, a dull formality seems to have been their general characteristic."
Such is the testimony of the approved authors of the Pres- byterian church, concerning the unfitness of their ministers for the work of the gospel in this dark hour of infidelity.
The Methodists had barely gotten a foothold on the soil of Kentucky, at this period. J. M. Peck estimates the number
*Rice's Memoirs pp. 69.
tIb. 70. #Ib. 316. |Ib. 129.
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ims ute 5 of lins, e."*
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of their preachers, at this time, at about a dozen in the whole Mississippi Valley, and of them, he says, they were deficient in education and unskilled as casuists. David Rice, better known as "Father Rice," says of the first Methodist preachers that came to Kentucky: "Though they were very passionate in their addresses, they seemed to be men of tender, catholic spirits, and advocates for good morals. For some time their coming encouraged and revived me, in some degree, but as soon as they had gained a little footing in the country, they began to preach what they called their principles, that is, those doctrines which distinguish them from other societies. This, so far as I could learn, produced its genuine effects-a party spirit and alienation of affections among the people."*
The Baptists, Presbyterians and Methodists were the only denominations of Christians that had gotten any considerable foot- hold in Kentucky at the close of the last century. The Bap- tists were considerably more numerous than both the other sects together. J. M. Peck, who is remarkable for his accuracy as a historian, gives the number of preachers in the Mississippi Val- ley, in 1799, as follows: "Baptists, ninety-five; Presbyterians, about forty; and the Methodists, about twelve." These were the laborers in the vast field already white unto the harvest. But we may now turn our attention more particularly to the charac- ter of the field to be rept, and trace out some of the causes that led to the deplorable moral and religious condition of the people of the West, and especially of Kentucky, at the beginning of the present century.
#Rice's Memoirs, p. 70.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE CAUSES OF INFIDELITY AT THE CLOSE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
France's jealousy of England induced the French people to aid the American colonists in breaking off the British yoke, and establishing their independence. This established a warm friendship between the United States and France. The friend- ship of so powerful an ally as the latter, was of incalculable ad- vantage to the former, while the war for independence con- tinued. But when the war was over, France was the very worst of companions for grateful and impressible young Amer- ica. The Americans were chiefly of English extraction. They spoke the English language, read English books, adopted Eng- lish morals and religion, and were as much like the English as parent and child.
England, whose morals were far from perfect, was never- theless, the most moral State in Europe. Her men possessed a higher sense of honor and integrity, and her women a purer virtue than those of any other country in the Old World. Her religion, too, defective as it was, conserved a better code of morals than any other State religion in Europe. The American colonists were of the very best of the English people, as to morals and religion. As long, therefore, as a friendly inter- course was kept up with the mother country, the Americans were a highly moral and Christian people. But when a quarrel separated them, and engendered an almost universal feeling of hatred between the Americans and the British oppressors, France espoused the cause of the oppressed in the hour of their greatest need. The affections of the Americans were transferred from England to France, and the latter became the intimate and trusted friend of America, and henceforth, for many years, ex- ercised a powerful influence over her people.
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The morals of the French had never been good, at any period of their history. They were passionate, cunning, intrigu- ing and vascillating. Their code of morals, when compared with that of England, was very corrupt in its best estate. Gam- bling was not only tolerated in their men, but was extensively indulged in by their women. Licentiousness, according to their most gifted writers, ceased to a virtue, even among the most noble of their women, only when it was detected. Their re- ligion, when France was regarded a Christian nation, was little better than their morals. Its claims against heretics were, in- deed, insatiable by anything less than the life blood of the of- fenders; but all its demands against the most foul and loath- some immoralities, could be satisfied by the payment of a few francs, to the avaricious priests.
But even this feeble restraint on the vices of the French people had been, in a large measure removed, at the time of the establishing of friendly relations between them and the Ameri- cans At this time the religion of France was held in utter contempt by most of her cultured and influential people, includ- ing many of her priests. This state of affairs had been brought about by one of her own most gifted sons.
VOLTAIR was born, February 20, 1694. He was thoroughly educated, and developed a most brilliant genius. Disgusted with the corruptions and oppressions of the religion of his coun- try, and naturally enough supposing this to be Christianity, since it was called by that name, he formed the purpose of overthrow- ing the religion of Christ, not only in France, but in the whole of Europe. He was a brilliant and rapid writer, a good judge of human nature, a man of keen foresight and wonderful energy, and pursued his purpose with the full measure of all his great powers. He formed infidel societies of multitudes of men of wealth, learning and influence, and doubtless, exerted a pow- erful influence against religion in the whole of Europe. But France, his own country, he made essentially, an infidel nation. He died May 30, 1778, in his 85th year, being immensely pop- ular in his own country. This was during the American Revo- lution. France, though herself a monarchy, was, even at this time, aiding the Americans in securing their freedom. When the United States had established a republican government, and her people seemed to be living, happy and contented, under it,
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French Infidelity.
France became restless and revolutionary in spirit, and, on the 2Ist of September, 1792, declared herself a Republic. This kindled a general enthusiasm in the United States. To the peo- ple of this country, liberty was the dearest boon of man. France was now not only determined to be free herself, but was equally determined that all Europe should be free from the thralldom of kingscraft and priest craft. To Americans this looked like the dawning of a political millennium. France-profligate, licentious, infidel France -- the glorious French Republic was taken right to the heart of the American Republic. In proportion as France was loved, England was hated. Whatever was good and pure in the morals and religion of England, was spurned because it was English, while the wretched licentiousness and bold, out- spoken infidelity of France were sanctified by the charming euphony of the French Republic.
Certain local causes induced a stronger attachment to France in the West than in the Last. Kentucky was probably more en- thusiastically and blindly attached to the French than was any other part of the United States. The hope and purposes of the Kentuckians to form an alliance with the French Republic and share with it the glory of giving liberty to an enslaved world, in general, and to the Spanish settlers of Louisiana, in particular, were defeated by the recall of the French minister, Genet. But that did not lessen the affection which they felt for France, nor diminish the influence of that Republic over them.
It has been observed that France had become an infidel nation. At the period under consideration, she was avowedly such, and seemed as anxious to free men from the thraldom of religion, as to break from their necks the yoke of political bond- age. For the display of her benevolence in the former work, Kentucky presented a most promising field.
The writings of Voltair were translated into English, and with those of the elegant Volney, were circulated among the more cultivated classes of the western people. Volney's works were read with more interest, on account of his visiting the United States, in 1795, and remaining some three years. But of all the infidel books circulated in the country about this time, the "Age of Reason" was the most widely influential and mis- chievous. It was written by Thomas Paine, an illiterate man, whose style was coarse and vulgar, but who wrote in a direct,
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homely phraseology, which was very pleasing to illiterate peo- ple, who could not understand abstruse reasoning.
"TOM PAINE" was personally popular with the American people. He was born and raised in England. His parents were pious Quakers. He came to America just before the beginning of the Revolutionary War, espoused the cause of the colonies with much zeal, and, early in the year 1776, published a pam- phlet under the title of "Common Sense," in which he advo- cated the propriety of the colonies declaring themselves inde- pendent of the mother country.
When the Revolution began in France, Mr. Paine hastened thither to aid in the cause of universal liberty. He found the French people in every way different from what he had found the Colonists. He found the Americans, in 1775, resisting the encroachments on their rights, and determined to have "liberty. or death." He hastened to publish a pamphlet, exhorting them to do what he saw they had already determined to do. This pleased them, and they honored him as a patriot. When he reached France, near the beginning of her revolution, he found the strongest passion of the French people to be hatred of re- vealed religion. He hastened to write a book against the
Bible. It was titled "The Age of Reason," and was pub-
lished in 1794. The book was of no consequence in France, since the French people had the works of their own eminent men on the same subject. But the Age of Reason was just the book for the backwoods of America, and was just from the source to make it most popular. It was written in the darling French Republic, and by the honored patriot, Paine. It was printed in cheap pamphlet form, and circulated in the Missis- sippi Valley in immense numbers. It could be seen in the cabin of the farmer, on the bench of the tailor, in the shops of the smith and the carpenter, on the table of the lawyer, and at the desk of the physician. It was not put by the side of the Bible,
Bibles and all other re- but it was used instead of the Bible. ligious books were extremely scarce in the west at that period. "In those early times," says John Taylor, "it was not easy to get a pocket Bible in Kentucky." J. M. Peck, speaking of the scarcity of religious books, in those days, says : "The only Bibles in the country were those brought by immigrants. If a young couple, who were Christian professors, had formed
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the domestic relationship in a log cabin in the west, they had no Bible to read until perchance, after many months waiting, some kind friend brought one in his saddle-bags, across the mountains, from the old States. A manuscript volume of hymns is in our possession, compiled by one of the pioneer preachers of Kentucky for his own use as an itinerant, and it bears marks of being well thumbed by the preacher. Nor were tracts then circulated ; and few books of any kind had found their way to this Valley."
At this period, " infidel principles prevailed to an alarming extent in the eastern states." They were fashionable in the gay and literary circles of society ; they were prevalent in Yale Col- lege and other similar institutions, and a very general impres- sion existed, that Christianity was supported by human au- thority, and not by argument. But infidelity prevailed in a cru- der form, and to a much greater extent in the west. Mr. Peck says: " Infidelity became prevalent in high places, and was identified with liberal principles in government. It was the general opinion among intelligent Christians, that toward the close of the century, a majority of the population were either avowedly infidels, or skeptically inclined. There were few men of the professions of law or physic, who would avow their be- lief in the truth of Christianity." It is scarcely necessary to add what is a universal concomitant, that immorality abounded among the people in proportion to the prevalency of infidelity. Drunkenness, licentiousness, and gambling, prevailed to an alarming extent, and were often made subjects of merriment and shameless boasting, rather than occasions for shame and sorrow.
The indifference of professed Christians during those days of darkness was about as discouraging an aspect of the social campact, as the grosser immorality and skepticism of those who had made no pretention to piety in the past. As stated before, the Baptists maintained a strict discipline, and the immoral were promptly expelled from their membership. The Presbyterians do not claim to have done this. They complain of much im- morality among their preachers and their people, during the trying season under review. Professor Bishop says : " A mel- ancholy prospect indeed to a pious mind. Like priest, like people-genuine piety scarcely discernable in either-the spirit
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of the world animating all."* But whether discipline was enforced or not, the spirit of religion seemed almost banished from the land. The most faithful preachers complained of a death-like coldness in themselves as well as their people. " The church was under a decline ; Zion had got into her slumbers," said the famous William Hickman. John Taylor, speaking of the condi- tion of Bullittsburg church, in the spring of 1800, says : "Many feared they would never hear the joyful tidings of the conversion of sinners, or see any more people baptized." "For five years," he tells us, in the same connection, "only one man was bap- tized," and he was excluded two months after his baptism. Mr. Taylor greatly deplores the hardness of his own heart at this per- iod. " Death itself about this time," says he, "would have heen a relief to me, and great gain." Again : "My own heart [was] so barren and hard that I wished myself out of sight, or lying under the seats where the people sat, or trodden under their feet." . The Venerable David Rice is represented by his biographer, at this same period, thus: "He had to lament the want of personal and family religion even among those who were in good standing in the church. A vast portion of the youth grew up quite careless, and some of them became avowed infidels." Again, Mr. Rice, speaking of the Green River county, in 1800, says : "I found that there were but few of reputable characters as Christians. There were a few Pres- byterians, a few Baptists, and a few Methodists, and but few upon the whole." Gideon Blackburn, an eminent Presbyterian minister, writes to a New York magazine, from Blount county, East Tennessee, September 25, 1800: "In the years 1798 and 1799, my labors were attended with the least success. Chris- tians appeared cold and indifferent; fewer impressions were made than formerly, the youth became more dissolute, and levity and dissipation prevailed."
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