USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 51
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That the Presbyterians possessed the educational advan- tages over the Baptists that Mr. Marshall claims for them, at the period of which we write, is doubtless exaggerated, accord- ing to the uniform habit of that author, but that they pos- sessed considerable advantages, cannot reasonably be doubted. Whether or not, they used these advantages for the purposes Mr. Marshall attributed to them, may be left for their own de- cision. If they did, "verily they received their reward;" if not, their eulogist did them a great injustice, as followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. But the chief advantage they en- joyed over all other sects, in the early history of the country, was State patronage, in the affairs of the higher education of the period. Transylvania Academy, endowed by the State with 20,000 acres of land and one-sixth of the surveyor's fees, was opened in the house of Rev. David Rice, in February, 1785. In 1788, it was removed to Lexington, and placed un- der the control of the Presbyterians, or rather, it remained under their control. In June, 1794, they were succeeded in its management, and Harry Toulmin, a Unitarian was placed at its head. The Presbyterians then opened what they called Kentucky Academy, which the Legislature endowed with 6,000
His. of Ky., V. i, pp. 444 et. seq. condensed.
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acres of land. In 1798, Transylvania Academy and Kentucky Academy were united under the style of Transylvania Univers- ity, and placed under control of a Board of Directors, a ma- jority of whom should be Presbyterians. The faculty consisted of three professors, all of whom were Presbyterian ministers. A law and medical department were soon afterwards added, and Transylvania University became the educational center of the State, and the only school of high grade in the common- wealth.
Thus enlarged and amply endowed by the State, the Pres- byterians controlled it, till 1818, when through their neglect, Rev. Horace Holly, L. L. D. an Episcopalian was elected president of the Institution, and they lost control of it. But they had now controlled it about thirty years, during all of which time, it had had no rival in the State. The country had become thickly settled, wealth had accumulated, and they were able to build a college of their own; which they did soon afterward. Their new institution was dedicated at Danville, under the title of CEN- TER COLLEGE.
To have under their control the education of all the young men, who had sufficient aspiration to seek a collegiate training, or, whose parents were sufficiently wealthy and liberal minded to seek a higher education for their sons, during the formation of the social and religious fabric of the country, was certainly no small advantage. From a human standpoint, Mr. Marshall seems to have been warranted in making the prediction that the Presbyterians would prosper abundantly, while the Baptists would diminish, and fall into contempt, if not utterly perish.
With an equal number of churches, with the Baptists, and in the same field of operation, with an educated and trained ministry, with at least an assumed social superiority, and with all the higher grade educational interests of the State under their con- trol, the contest for the religious leadership of the people between the two sects, could hardly seem doubtful. To these advantages must be added another of very considerable importance in the contest. The Presbyterians were the pioneers of the Green River country. James McGready was pastor of three congrega- tions on Gasper river, Muddy river, and Red river, in 1796, and before the Baptists had an organization in the whole western end of the State. Here, in Mr. McGready's congregations, the great
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Presbyterian Ministers.
revival of 1800, began, and its operations, so far as human agency was concerned, were conducted by Presbyterian ministers.
With all these apparent advantages, the Presbyterians failed to make any considerable progress from 1786, at which time the number of their churches was equal to that of the Baptist churches, to 1810, a period of twenty-four years. Some of the reasons of this failure are sufficiently apparent to the philosopher as well as the theologian.
1
In the first place, their preachers were unsuited to the field in which they were called to labor. They had long been under training in schools of learning, which too often emaciates the bodily powers, and renders men incapable of enduring the labor and hardship, necessary to success in preaching the gospel in the backwoods. They had formed habits of delicate living, cul- tivated nice precision in speaking, acquainted themselves with books rather than men, and adapted their manners to the culti- vated few, rather than to the illiterate masses. They were every way out of harmony with the rough, sturdy men they would have led in the way of salvation. Their manner of living re- quired more money than the poor frontier people were willing to give them for their ministerial services. This led to crimina- tion and recrimination between them and their congregations, and, in a great measure, destroyed their influence with the peo- ple. The following circumstance will illustrate their troubles, originating in their demanding a fixed salary for their services.
David Rice, pastor of the Presbyterian church at Danville, on one occasion "refused to administer the sacrament," because the congregation had failed to pay his salary. The following pasquinade written by Tom Johnson, of Danville, and after- ward published in a small volume of his poems, entitled "the Kentucky Miscellany," reflects the popular sentiment on that subject, in 1796:
"ON PARSON R-E,
WHO REFUSED TO PERFORM DIVINE SERVICE TILL HIS ARREARS WERE PAID.
Ye fools! I told you once or twice, You'd hear no more of canting R-c. He cannot settle his affairs,
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Nor pay attention unto prayers, Unless you pay up your arrears. O, he would, in pulpit storm, And fill all hell with dire alarm! Vengeance pronounce against each vice, And, more then all, cursed avarice.
Preached money was the root of ill,
Consign'd each rich man unto hell ; But since he finds you will not pay,
Both rich and poor may go that way.
'Tis no more than I expected ---
The meeting house is now neglected : All trades are subject to this chance, No longer pipe, no longer dance."*
These lines do not two strongly express the popular con- tempt for a man who was suppossed to preach for money. It was regarded scarcely less blasphemous than Simon's proposal to purchase the gift of God with money, and no less sacrilegious than Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Ghost. Among the Baptists, especially, who still remembered the collectors of church rates, under Episcopal domination, in Virginia, sala- ried preachers were denominated "hirelings," and denounced with withering scorn from the pulpit. This was the honest sen- timent of ministers who had lain weary months in Virginia pris- ons for preaching the gospel to the poor, without charge, and to gratify the jealousy and malice of a hireling clergy, and it met a ready response in the popular heart. Presbyterian mininters failed to appreciate the necessity of adapting themselves to the condition of the western people, or were wanting in the spirit of self-sacrifice that such adaptation required.
The manner and the matter of their preaching were equally repugnant to the habits of practical thought and energetic ac- tion of the western people. They read their sermons, too fre- quently, in a dull monotonous style, of tame composition, and treating on the impracticable abstractions of the schools. "These were not the men to win upon the affections, and gain the con- fidence of the hardy first settlers of the West." ·
The doctrines of the Presbyterian church did not commend themselves to the western people. From its theory of eterna decrees, they deduced the doctrines of necessity and infant dam-
*Davidson's His. Pres. Ch. p. 69.
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nation. Their form of government bestowed exclusive privil- eges on a class, and the congregations could neither elect nor dismiss a pastor, without the concurrence of a higher power. But, most of all, were their ordinances objectionable. Infant baptism was, to practical western minds. a meaningless rite, for which the plain backwoodsman could find no authority in his English Bible, and it seemed plain to him, that, immersion was the only baptism taught in the sacred Book.
Another popular objection to Presbyterian ministrations, was the stickling of their preachers for what they called order. If a pious female involuntarily gave expression to her warmth of feeling, in shouting, it was reprimanded as an imprudence closely verging on crime. The twitching of the muscles, fall- ing on the meeting-house floor, or the spontaneous exhortation of a " happy " brother or sister, instead of being passed by in silence, as a trifle unworty of notice, was made the text for a grave homily on order. This trammelled the freedom, with which sincere and warm-hearted people delighted to worship God.
It may be simply queried as to whether Mr. Marshall's re- presentation is true, that : While the Baptists seemed to view these things with different sentiments, being either careless of the honors, distinctions, emoluments of office, or waiting for every good thing to come down from Heaven, the Presbyterians seek to qualify themselves for lawyers, doctors, politicians, gov- ernors, and judges, and legislators ; to improve, ornament, and dignify their members-who in their turn reflect the honors and advantages of office on their church-to promote the temporal emolument of their members ; to gain strength in high places, and make unto themselves friends of the mammon of this world ?* Were the Presbyterians neglecting to look for every good things to come down from Heaven? Were they seeking to be- come politicians, judges and governors ? to promote the tem- poral emoluments of their members ? to gain strength in high places, and make friends of the mammon of this world ? If these were the motives that prompted the Christian (?) labors of that highly respectable denomination, in Kentucky, at that per- iod, it is no marvel that a jealous God rent their society into
#Marshalls history of Kentucky, vol. i, p. 446.
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fragments, and scattered it upon the winds, by the same means that he used in trebling the membership of its more humble and unpretending rival sects.
As before seen, there was but a meager fragment of the Presbyterian church in Kentucky left, at the close of the Great Revival of 1800. Years of church litigation ensued, and long continued suspense sickened the hearts of its most courageous men. Finally it cut offall the schismatics it could not reclaim. In 1809, it numbered 35 ministers, and 1, 348 members.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was the third religious denomination that obtained a foot hold on the soil of Ken- tucky. There were doubtless some Methodists among the very early settlers, but we find no organization of that society, till 1783, the same year that the first Presbyterian congregations were gathered, and in the same locality. During that year, Francis Clark, a local preacher, accompanied by John Durham, a class leader, and some others came from Virginia, and settled about six miles from the present site of Danville. Here a class was formed, and Mr. Durham was appointed its leader. About the same period, Thomas Stephenson and his wife, both Methodists, came from Maryland, and settled in Mason county. A church was organized in their house, in 1786.
The Kentucky circuit, belonging to the Virginia confer- ence, was formed in 1786. It comprised the whole state of Kentucky. Two preachers were sent to occupy it. Their names were Benjamin Ogden and James Haw. The next year they reported a membership of 90 to the conference. 1787 was the period of the second religious revival in Kentucky. During this year, the number of Methodists increased from 90 to 480. Ken- tucky circuit was divided into Lexington and Danville circuits, and supplied, in 1788, by James Haw, Francis Poythress, elders, and Thomas Williamson, Peter Massie and Benjamin Snelling were put on the Lexington circuit, and Wilson Lee on that of Danville.
In 1790, Bishop Asbury visited Kentucky, and an annual conference was organized, which embraced six preachers. At the close of the year, 1, 555 members were reported. From this time the Methodist church gradually increased, till 1800, when it embraced five circuits and a membership of 1,742. It had extended its field of operations all over the settled portions
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of the State, and was well organized for work, when the Great Revival began. The manner in which its ministers labored in connection with the Presbyterians, has already been noted. But they also labored in their own churches, and on one occa- sion, at the mouth of Kentucky River, they engaged in a union meeting with the Baptists.
An unrestrained zeal was the prominent feature in their worship, at all times. To repress an impulse to shout, was, in their estimation, to " quench the spirit," and to discourage any extravagance in worship, was to "resist the Holy Ghost." When the Great Revival was in progress, their zeal knew no bounds. Almost at the very beginning of the revival, at one of Mr. McGready's sacramental meetings, "the Methodist, John McGee, overcome by his feelings, broke in upon the usual or- derly customs of the Presbyterians and urged the excited con- gregation to shout."* They gave the fullest encouragement to excitement, and to its most vehement expression. With Wes- ley's Hymns, they mingled rude ditties, containing such expres- sions as : "The Devil hates the Methodists ;
O halle-halleluia ; Because they do keep so much fuss, O glory halleluia."
And " shout ! shout ! we are gaining ground O halle-halleluia. The Devil's kingdom shall come down ; O glory halleluia !"t
Verses like these were varied to suit the occasions, or the astes of the singers. Singing was a very prominent feature in heir worship. Their songs were so selected and arranged that the masses could join in the exercise, and it was performed very heartily. All the "bodily exercises" accompanying the revi- ral were hailed with joy, as powerful manifestations of the divine presence. The best meeting was the one in which there was nost shouting, falling, jerking, barking and laughing. These exercises were courted and encouraged, and became more and nore prevalent among the Methodists to the close of the revi-
*Davidson's History Pres. Ch., p. 140.
+The author remembers to have heard these and other similar ditties ing often as " Methodist songs " in his early childhood.
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val. Their public (and not unfrequently their private) prayers were uttered in the loudest tones the petitioners could com- mand, and with an intonation peculiar to themselves, while loud responses of Amen ! Glory to God ! and Halleluiah ! were heard all over the congregation. Their appreciation of the utility of prayer was expressed in one of their popular melodies; thus :
"The richest man I ever saw was one that begged the most, His soul was filled with glory and with the Holy Ghost, And a-begging I will go-will go-will go! And a-begging I will go."*
No feature in Methodism was more popular with the multi- tudes than its claim to a broad catholicity. Its adherents uni- versally made this claim, both for themselves personally, and for their religious system. The preachers would exhort the peo- ple to "get religion, and then join any branch of the church they pleased." "One church is just as good as another." "We are all aiming to get to the same place." "Join wherever you think you can live happiest," and other similar expressions became proverbs among the Methodists. The private members of the church, with equal freedom, asserted that they "loved Baptists and Presbyterians just as much as they did Methodists." At a time when the revival had filled the hearts of the people with that charity that "believeth all things," this claim to liberality gave them great influence over the people. Their enthusiasm was of so amiable a character that it won the hearts of many who were opposed to its excesses. The Presbyterians suffered much loss of popular favor by contrasting their stern demands for order with the generous freedom which the Methodists allowed to human excitement and inclination.
Meanwhile, the Methodists were, in reality, not less secta- rian than any one of their rival denominations. The full meas- ure of their zeal and energy was exerted in spreading their peculiar tenets. They preached them from their pulpits, min- gled them with their prayers, sung them in their songs, and made them the subject of their private teaching. Every member of their society was eager, and labored zealously to build up his own sect. Their success during the revival was great. There is no means at hand of determining the exact number added
*See foot-note on pp. 563.
S .5 W in in na in Dis of allt lay that organ the S State, round and on
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during that period, but in ISI0, their records show that they numbered, in Kentucky, I conference, 2 districts, 14 circuits, 25 preachers and 7,057 members. They were now, next to the Baptists, the largest denomination in the State.
Two ROMAN CATHOLIC families, those of Dr. Hart and William Coomes, settled in Harrodsburg in 1775, where Dr. Hart began at once to practice medicine, and Mrs. Coomes to teach school. After a few years, these, with other Catholic families, settled near Bardstown. In 1785, a large colony of Catholics from Maryland, settled on Pottengers creek in Nelson county. By 1787, there were about fifty Catholic families in Kentucky. During this year, Mr. Whelan, an Irish priest, came to the new country and ministered to the Catholics about three years. Mr. Baden, who came out in 1793, was their next priest. At this date, the number of Catholic families in the State was estimated at 300. From that time we have no esti- mate of their number till 1846, when there was supposed to be 6,000 familes.
In 1810, there was one Episcopal church in Kentucky. It was organized in Lexington in 1794, and was under the pastoral charge of James Moore, who was its first rector. The Newlights were hardly organized at this period, although they had been severed from the Presbyterians seven years before. Their num- ber can not be ascertained. The Cumberland Presbyterian church was organized during this year, and the number of its members in Kentucky is unknown. There was no religious organization in the State at that period, except those which have been named.
We can approach very near the exact number of Baptists in Kentucky, in 1810. The statistics of Green River, South District and Red River Associations, are taken from the minutes of 1812, and those of Cumberland River from its records of 1811; all the rest from the minutes of 1810. Red River Association lay partly in Tennessee, but we give statistics only of the churches that were located in Kentucky. Union Association had been organized and dissolved during this decade. The population of the State, in 1810, was 406,511. The Baptists had, in the State, 286 churches, and 16,650 members. This makes, in round numbers, one church to every 1,421 of the population, and one Baptist to every 24 of the population.
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The following table shows the name of each association in the State, in 1810, with the date of its constitution, the number of its churches and the number of members :
Date of Con.
Name of Asso.
Churches.
Members.
1785
Elkhorn
20
1, 800
1785
Salem
20
1,198
1793
Tates Creek
19
952
1799
Bracken
17
603
1800
Green River
33
2,499
1802
North District
28
1,461
1802
South District
15
1,153
1803
South Kentucky
20
744
1803
North Bend
12
504
1803
Long Run
37
2,85I
1805
Stocktons Valley
16
416
1804
Russells Creek
12
353
1807
Red River
I3
905
1809
Cumberland River
I3
447
1810
Licking
II
764
Total,
15
286
16,650
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CHAPTER XXXI.
BAPTIST OPERATIONS FROM 1810 TO 1820-FOREIGN MISSIONS- STATISTICS.
The great revival may be said to have subsided, in 1803. A spiritual dearth followed it, and continued seven years. Infidel- ity revived, immorality correspondingly increased, and the churches were greatly tried. But, however painful and, much to be deplored are such seasons of barrenness, they are not without beneficial results. The faithful are tried, and strength- ened by the trial, and the churches are purged of their dross.
In 1810, God was pleased again to visit his people with a precious outpouring of his Spirit. The revival at this time did not spread so rapidly, nor were so many converted as in 1800-3. Still it was a glorious work of divine grace. It began in Long Run Association, where 956 were added to the churches, during the year. It was about three years in spreading over the State. In 1811, 605 were added to the churches in Elkhorn, in 1811-13, 1078 were added to those of North District, and during the same period, 622, to those of Russells Creek. Most of the churches over the State received enlargement during the revival. Fre- quent earthquakes occurred during the year 1811, which gave much alarm to the people, especially in the western part of the State, where " the shakes," as they were called, were most violent. This phenomenon, doubtless, added much to the se- riousness of the people, and probably led many to repentance. The next year, Congress declared war with Great Britain, which confirmed the superstitious in their belief that "the shakes" be- tokened some great calamity.
In May, 1812, the first number of the Kentucky Missionary and Theological Magazine was printed at Frankfort, Ky. It was edited by Stark Dupuy, a young Baptist preacher, well known in later years as the editor of a popular song book titled
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Dupuy's Hymns. The magazine contained thirty-six pages, and was issued quarterly, at fifty cents a year. It was devoted principally to missionary and revival intelligence,and was edited with fair ability. It was the first Baptist periodical known to have been published in the west. At the close of the first vol- ume, in March, 1813, its publication was suspended, in conse- quence of the British war. In August of the same year, Silas M. Noel commenced the publication of the Gospel Herald, at the same place. After the issue of one, or, perhaps two vol- umes, it was discontinued for want of patronage.
About this period, the subject of foreign missions first be- gan to be agitated among the Baptists of Kentucky. The cir- cumstances that brought the subject immediately before them, at this time, may be briefly stated.
In September, 1810, a society composed of members of several different religious denominations, and styled The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, was formed in the State of Massachusetts. . Under the auspices of this board, Adoniram Judson, was sent as a missionary to In- dia. He and his wife with other appointees, set sail, on the 18th of February, 1812, from Salem, Massachusetts, on board the ship Caravan. They arrived at Calcutta on the 18th of June following. Luther Rice and other appointees of the same board, sailed from Philadelphia on the ship Harmony, the day following Mr. Judson's departure from Salem, and arrived at Calcutta six weeks after Mr. Judson's arrival.
During their passage, Mr. Judson thought much of the cir- cumstance, that he was going to Serampore, where all were Baptists, and that he should, in all probability, have occasion to defend infant sprinkling. To be prepared for this exigency, he began to examine the foundation of pedobaptism. At an early period of the examination, he suggested his difficulties to his wife, and after a solemn and prayerful investigation, they both became satisfied that the immersion of a believer in the name of Christ is the only Christian baptism. They were both baptized, in the Baptist chapel, in Calcutta. Mr. Rice, also, entered into an examination of the subject, and in a few weeks after- ward, he was also baptized.
Their situation was now embarrassing. Their connection with the American Board was virtually dissolved, and it was
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doubtful whether the Baptists in America would organize a so- ciety, and direct their attention to Foreign Missions. The brethren at Serampore wrote letters to some of the most distin- guished Baptists in this country, recommending to their atten- tion the favorable opening for their enterprise in this great work. This small missionary band were impressed with the conviction, that it was the duty of Mr. Rice to return to the United States and employ his efforts in awakening the Baptist churches to the importance of the subject. In the meantime, providence directed Mr. and Mrs. Judson to the Burman empire, as the scene of their future labors. Mr. Rice, accordingly, returned and, sustained by many brethren of enlarged benevolence and influence, and particularly by the special providence that threw this opportunity in their way, was highly successful in awak- ening a missionary spirit, and originating a large number of missionary societies in various parts of the country .*
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