USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 60
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The doctrinal differences, the division of sentiment on the subject of missions and ministerial education, and the opposi- tion to the support of the ministry, which pervaded every asso- ciation, and almost every church in the State, have already been alluded to; but the results of these evils will constitute a large part of the history of the Baptists of Kentucky, during the de- cade of which we now write, as well as that which follows it. The doctrinal differences and the opposition to a "hireling min- istry" were brought to Kentucky by the first Baptists that set- tled on its soil, and were fostered and strengthened by mistaken, cr designing men, from that time to the period of which we write, and had now become most destructive evils. But oppo- sition to missions was of a recent origin, It has been shown that the early Baptists of Kentucky, as well as those of the mother State, were most active and zealous home missionaries, and they became liberal and enthusiastic supporters of foreign missions, as soon as an opportunity was afforded them. Pre- vious to the year 1815, "not the first syllable was uttered against the expediency or scripturalty of missionary operations. The records of all the important associations in the State, attest the truth of this declaration. Indeed, the mother and model association of all those in the West, the Philadelphia Associa- ion, that sanctioned and advocated what is termed the Phila-
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delphia Baptist Confession of Faith, was then a domestic and foreign missionary body, and is such still. Opposition to the spread of the gospel being "unknown; all were unitedly engaged in whatever tended to advance the glory of the name and the greatness of the kingdom of the Redeemer. Whatever else might occasion schisms and controversies, none manifested a recreant spirit in coming up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Upon this subject, our denomination presented an undivided front."*
"The Anti-missionary spirit owes its origin to the notorious Daniel Parker. He was the first person, called a Baptist, that lent a hand to the Infidel and Papist in opposing the proclama- tion of the gospel to every creature, and the translation and cir- culation of the Scriptures in all languages and among all peo- ple."t John Taylor, it will be remembered, seconded Mr. Parker in opposing missions, and they won over to their views several ministers of less influence. But by far the most potent opposer of missions, was Alexander Campbell. With learning, popularity and a fertile pen, he exerted his whole force against missions, during a period of more than eight years, while he re- mained among the Baptists. The immediate effects of his writ- ings, in dividing the associations in North Carolina, and "well nigh stopping" the contributions to missions in Kentucky, have already been noticed. "The leaven continued to spread in the Kentucky churches, till the contributing to the spread of the gospel, or the circulating of the Bible, was made a breach of Christian fellowship to such an extent that the friends of be- nevolent societies regarded themselves fortunate if they could effect a compromise in the churches and associations on the terms, "That giving, or not giving, shall be no bar to fellow- ship." This sentence is still to be found in many old church books, and associational records. But many churches were not so highly favored : for not a few pious brethren, including some valuable preachers, were excluded from their churches for contributing to, or advocating the claims of, missions. This state of affairs prevailed extensively among the Baptists of Ken- tucky, from 1830, to 1840. The opposition to missions and "paying preachers" was so strong, that very few preachers had
*Min. Gen. Asso. 1837, p. 8. t Ib., p. 11.
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the courage to attempt to resist the popular current. It was during this period that the pious and eloquent William Warder is reported to have said, in a Sunday sermon, or rather prefa- tory to his sermon, preached during a stormy session of one of our large associations: "Brethren, this cause [of missions] de- mands the sacrifice of a preacher. It might as well be I as any other. To-day I lay myself on the altar." He then proceeded to preach a most powerful sermon on missions, the influence of which lives in Bethel Association till this day.
The greatest need of the Kentucky Baptists, at this period, was more and better preaching. This could not be obtained with- out affording a temporal support to the ministry. There were, in Kentucky, in 1835, according to the official statistics, pub- lished in the minutes of the associations, abont 598 churches, aggregating 39,809 members. The number of ministers was es- timated, by Elder Wm. C. Buck, at 200, which appears to be too small. There were probably at least 250, of whom, how- ever, a large proportion were illy qualified to fill the pastoral office, or preach the gospel very effectively, even if they had been liberated to give their whole time to the work of the min- istry. But when they were forced to labor six days in the week to support their families, their efforts to preach could not be ac- ceptable even to the ignorant and illiterate. The Baptist ministry in Kentucky was probably weaker in comparison with the intelli- gence of the people, than at any previous or subsequent per- iod. The pioneer preachers had all passed away or become su- perannuated, Vardeman and Clack had moved to Missouri, Hodgen and Thurman were dead, both the Warders died in 1836, and were followed by Noel in 1839. John S. Wilson had also gone to his reward in 1835, and a number of less dis- tinguished, but eminently useful ministers, had been called away by cholera, and otherwise, between 1831 and 1835. Very few ministers of any considerable prominence, remained to fight the great Battle of the Baptist denomination, in 1835-40, with the enemies that environed it.
The great disparity between the number of effective preach- ers and the number of churches, would have rendered it impos- sible to supply the latter, adequately with the ministry of the- word, if the former had been able to give all their time to their holy calling, to say nothing of the wide fields "white unto the
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harvest," in which no churches had been gathered. But the preachers, without a half dozen exceptions, were forced to provide for their temporal necessities by means of some secular employment. William C. Buck, who probably understood the condition of the Baptists in Kentucky better than any other man in the State, says of their condition, in 1835 :
"The preachers had to engage in some secular employ- ments for support, and preach when they could ; so that there was not one settled pastor in Kentucky, nor one minister sup- ported, and not one pastoral laborer, except in the Louis- ville church. A very few churches had preaching twice a month. Once a month was thought to be the rule of perfection, and be- yond this, few aspired, while a large portion were entirely des- titute. Yet, if you would attend one of those monthly Sabbath meetings, you would see from one to half a dozen ordained and licensed preachers assembled to avail themselves of the stated preacher's popularity, in calling out an assembly, in order to show their talent in preaching while all the country for miles around was left in entire destitution. Not more than a third of the ministry were employed, taking one Sabbath with another, the year round."*
This state of affairs had a bad effect on the preachers them- selves, in many respects. They had no time to study. Often did the preacher plow with the only horse he possessed, five days in the week, and Saturday morning till 10 o'clock, then ride the jaded animal to meeting, enter the pulpit, physically, and mentally wearied and worried, and attempt to preach to the people assembled, without having spent one hour in preparing for the solemn duty. The author remembers distinctly to have heard a preacher, who was "pastor of four churches," say that he was a poor man, had a large family, and was compelled to work so hard that he did not have an opportunity to read a chapter in his Bible once in two months. The sermons delivered under such circumstances could only be made up of such things as could most readily be called to mind, on the occasion, and too often consisted in an oft repeated tirade against Arminianism, missionary and Bibie societies, Sunday schools and educated preachers, and that, too, spoken in a tone and manner, indi-
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cating contempt and derision, rather than spiritual unction.
The preacher engaged in a secular calling, at first, from ne- cessity, is liable, at last, to continue in it from choice, to be- come worldly minded and covetous, or ambitious to excel his neighbor in money making, and finally to prcach only when it is convenient. He is also liable to have contentions in his busi- ness transactions, bring suspicions on his moral integrity, and thereby impair his religious and ministerial influence. With the loss of an acute sense of duty to preach the gospel, he loses his zeal for the salvation of souls and the glory of God. The task of preaching becomes irksome, his ministrations become dull and wearisome to his audience, and he loses his popularity. This further depresses his spirit, arouses his jealousy against his more popular brethren in the ministry, and probably sours his tem- per permanently.
Another evil effect of a preacher's being forced to follow a secular calling for his support is, that, in excusing himself for giving only a small portion of his time to the ministry, for want of opportunity to preach oftner, he gradually acquires the feel. ing, and finally the settled conviction that a small proportion of his time is all that he owes to his sacred calling. Theodrick Boulware, a preacher of more than ordinary ability, who la- bored some years in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, and, in 1826, moved to Missouri, says with manifest satisfaction : “I now determined to devote not less than three months in each year to the ministry, which I have regularly done, and frequent- ly four months, for twenty-six years-" This was, no doubt, more than many of his brother ministers had done. But it was a delusion, to be satisfied with it; for, after all, it was only dis- charging from one-fourth to one-third of his duty, if God had called him to the ministry. But his case well illustrates the danger to which a secularized ministry is exposed, at this point.
With a ministry so diminutive in numbers, so hampered by worldly. engagements, having such meager qualifications for their high calling at best, and those qualifications so much depre- ciated by secular employment, and their ministerial labors res- tricted to one fourth of their time, the hopelessness of supply- ing more than one-eighth of the demand for the bread of life, was casy to be seen and felt, Yet there were many obstacles
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in the way of applying the only apparent remedy-the engaging of the ministers in the work all their time.
The greatest obstacle was in the ministers themselves. They had been educated in the popular prejudice against a sal- aried ministry, and many of them were conscientously opposed to receiving a stipulated sum for preaching. It appeared to them like being hired to serve God, and was, therefore, little less than blasphemy. If they could have been convinced to the contrary, they had so often declaimed against "hireling preachers," that it would have been difficult for them to preach in favor of paying preachers. Then, weak and ignorant men, who had been ordained to the ministry, and were desirous to become pastors, either for their own agrandizement, or from a mistaken estimate of their own abilities to fill the position, would have taken advantage of the apparently selfish change of views of their more popular rivals for pastoral dignities, to bring them into disrepute, that they might occupy the pulpits thus made vacant. The following circumstance, which is vouched for as an actual occurence, will illustrate this difficulty.
Elder H. had been pastor of a certain church several years, and was beginning to lose his popularity. The church seemed to be directing her mind to Elder P., as a suitable successor of their present pastor. He discovered this, and soon fell upon a plan to avert the threatened loss of his place. He sought an early interview with his more popular rival, told him that the church was not giving anything to supply his necessities, and ended by inviting P. to come and preach to his people on the subject of their duty to supply the temporal necessities of their pastor. Sympathizing with his brother, P. went and preached according to the request. As soon as he was gone, H. said to his people : "I have been telling you that these popular preachers were only preaching for money, and now you see for yourselves that it is true. The very first sermon this man preached to you was about money."
The deep rooted prejudice of the whole mass of the people against "hired preachers," had a strong tendency to close the lips of such ministers as were convinced of the importance of supporting the ministry. A preacher who should demand a sup- port from his flock, would not only lose his place, but raise suspicions against the purity of his motives, and thereby des-
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troy his influence over the masses of the people, both in and out of the churches. Nothing but a revolution of the popular sen- timent on this subject would accomplish the important end, and there were few, indeed, who had the courage to lead off in an attempt to accomplish a work so difficult, and dangerous to character and influence. It was known, too, that a large major- ity of the preachers would side with the populace, or prudently take a neutral position, till they should see how the contest would be decided.
Still another feature of the times greatly lessened the amount of effective ministerial labor that might have been per- formed. The character of much of the preaching was deficient in all the elements of success. This was not so much on account of the want of ability on the part of the preachers, as it was owing to the subject matter of their discourses. The doctrinal differences, already alluded to, kept the preachers in a perpet- ual warfare among themselves. Instead of preaching Christ to dying sinners, and warning every man to repent, the preachers of either party exhausted their strength in attempting to estab- lish their own peculiar views, and endeavoring to refute the supposed errors of the opposite party. The reader will proba- bly remember the anecdote of David Thurman, who, having become discouraged in one of his pastorates, was lamenting his want of success in a church meeting, when the aged widow of John LaRue, pointing her finger at him and looking him stead- ily in the face, said : "I'll tell you what is the matter Brother Thurman, stop preaching John Calvin and James Arminius, and preach Jesus Christ." Taking her advice, he immediately read the text, "I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified," and preached a melting sermon. A great revival immediately ensued. Happy would it have been for the Baptists had every church had such a sister as Mrs. LaRue, and such a pastor as David Thurman. But the popular taste had become so perverted that the people, generally, who attended Baptist preaching, were satisfied with nothing but this guerrilla warfare. This wrangling and confusion continued sev- eral years longer, when the anti-missionary faction sloughed off, and peace was restored to the denomination.
While the Baptists were paralyzed by their recent contest with Campbellism, the prostration of their college, the strangu-
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lation of their missions, and the comparative failure of their Con- vention, discouraged by the paucity and feebleness of their min- istry, and their efforts to recuperate were neutralized by internal factions, the Methodists, who were now about equal to the Baptists [less the anti-mission faction] in numbers, were harmo- nious and full of zeal, and had all their ministerial force effec- tively employed. The Presbyterians were having a quarrel between the old and new school parties, while the Cumberland Presbyterians were in the zenith of their strength, and were prosecuting their labors with an able and harmonious ministry. The Campbellites and Newlights had united in one body, and were laboring with a zeal and enthusiasm that scarcely knew any bounds, with the confident expectation of bringing the whole christian world under their latitudinarian banner, and ushering in the Millennium in an incredibly short time. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may the Baptists say; if it had not been the Lord who was on our side: then had they swallowed us up quickly.
This was truly a dark hour to the Baptists of Kentucky. The watchman who stood on the wall of Sion, at the beginning of the year 1837, saw no dawn of the coming morning. He trode his beat, beneath the starless sky, walking by faith and not by sight, chilled by the bitter cold, and sighing oft, because the light delayed so long ; yet hoping still ; for He had promis- ed, who can ne'er deceive. Tears trickled down his furrowed cheeks, seen but by Him to whom "the darkness and the light are both alike," as he murmured, low, with choking sobs: "He that cometh shall not tarry long." And as he turned to face the chambers of the Morn, he cheer'd his aching heart with words, repeated o'er and o'er :- "Sorrow continues for the night; but joy, in the morning, comes." .He waited, watched, and often prayed ; but, waiting, watching, praying, never ceased to answer back, to all who called : "The morning cometh-quick repair the breach. The lab'rers call to work-let not the idler stand. The fields are broad and white, the lab'rers few. Pray ye the Lord to send them forth. And lo the harvest yield shall be, in quantity, as copious rain, and all the lab'rers shall rejoice with songs."
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CHAPTER XXXV.
THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED-A GREAT REVIVAL FOLLOWS.
THE failure of the Kentucky Baptist Convention was regard- ed a triumph for the enemies of missions, and tended to dis- courage the friends of evangelical effort. But God had preserved for himself, in this hour of deep darkness, a few men of wisdom, courage and consecration to His service. These felt, as deeply as ever, the necessity of uniting and arousing to activity, the discordant and discouraged churches. The plan advocated by M. Noel, in 1813-the organization of "a general meeting of correspondence"-still appeared to them the most plausible means of accomplishing the desired end. A call was made on the churches and district associations to send messengers to meet in Louisville, for the purpose of organizing such meeting, Agreeably to this call, "a number of delegates and brethren, from various associations and churches, met in the Baptist meeting house, in the city of Louisville, on Friday Oct. 20, 1837, for the purpose of organizing a General Association of Baptists in Kentucky.
"A sermon introductory to the proceedings of the meeeting was preached by Elder William Vaughan, from Acts xx. 24. "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God,"
"The meeting was called to order by Elder W. C. Buck, when, on motion, Elder George Waller was appointed chair- man, and brethren John L. Waller, and J. M. Pendleton, secre- aries, pro tempore."
The names of messengers from churches and associations vere then enrolled as follows ;
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Bloomfield. WILLIAM VAUGHAN, William M. Foster and George Duncan.
Frankfort. G. C. SEDWICK.
Washington, Mason Co. GILBERT MASON.
Shelbyville. R. GIDDINGS, L, W. Dupuy, R. W. Coots, John Hansbrough, William Owen and George Robertson.
Russell Creek Association. D. MILLER; R. Ball and Mason W. Sherrill.
Columbia. DANIEL S. COLGAN.
Elizabethtown. JOHN L. BURROWS, S. L. Helm and J. Eliot.
Brandenburg. Minter A. Shanks.
West Union Association. J. P. EDWARDS.
Mount Moriah, Nelson Co. H. Hamilton.
Little Union, Spencer Co. E. Wigginton and W. Lloyd.
Friendship, Green Co. F. F. SEIG, J. Durrett and J. Bar- bee.
Forks of Otter Creek, Hardin Co. J. NALL, and T. Thomas, Youngers Creek, Hardin Co. W. Quinn.
Louisville. W. C. BUCK, B. F. FARNSWORTH, H, C. THOMPSON, C. Vanbuskirk, C. Quirey, Wm. Colgan, F. Garr, John B. Whitman, James E. Tyler, H. W. Nash, T. R. Parent and J. L. Waller.
Bowling Green. JAMES M. PENDLETON and W. H. THO- MAS.
Sharon, Gallatin Co. JOHN SCOTT and Ben Jackman.
McCools Bottom. [Now Ghent.] F. Fisher.
Pleas ant Grove, Jefferson Co. Silas Yager and J. W. Yager. Mt. Olivet, Green Co. Z. WORLEY.
The following persons were present without having been appointed and were admitted to membership: GEORGE WALLER, JOEL HULSEY, Gad Davis, John T. Stout, John Ford, W. S. Robertson, J. Tichenor and J. C. Woodson.
Whites Run Church, Gallatin county, and Franklin Church, Simpson county, appointed messengers, but they were not present.
The following constitution was adopted :
Ist. This body shall be called the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky.
2nd. This Association shall be composed of representa-
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tives from such Baptist churches and Associations in this State, as are in regular standing.
3rd. Every such church and association, contributing annu- ally to the funds of this Association, shall be entitled to a repre- sentation.
4th. This Association shall, in a special manner, aim to promote, by every legitimate means, the prosperity of the cause of God in this State.
5th. It is distinctly understood that this Association shall have no ecclesiastical authority.
6th. At each meeting of this Association there shall be elected by ballot, a Moderator, Recording Secretary, Corres- ponding Secretary, Treasurer, and eleven Managers, who shall constitute a Board of Directors for the management of all the business of this Association during the recess of its annual meetings, and annually report to the same their proceedings.
7th. The Moderator, Secretaries and Treasurer, shall per- form the duties usually performed by such officers in similar as- sociations.
8th. All associations contributing to this, and co-operating in its designs, shall be considered auxiliary to it.
9th. A General Agent may be appointed by the Associa- tion or Board of Managers, whose duty it shall be to survey all the destitution, the means of supply. &c., and report regularly to the Board, so as to enable them to meet the wants of the des- titute. He shall also raise funds, and in every practical way promote the designs of the Association, for which he shall re- ceive a reasonable support.
Ioth. Any visiting brethren in good standing, as such shall be entitled to sit in counsel in the annual sessions of this Association, but shall not have the right to vote.
IIth. The annual meetings of this Association shall be on Saturday before the third Lord's Day in October.
12th. This constitution, may be amended, or altered (the 5th article excepted) at any annual meeting, by a concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
Under this constitution, the General Association of Bap- ists in Kentucky, was now fully organized by the election of George Waller, Moderator, James E. Tyler, Recording Secre- ary, John L. Waller, Corresponding Secretary, and Charles
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Quiry, Treasurer. A committee to nominate a Board of Mana- gers, at least ten of whom should be located in or near Louis- ville, presented the following names, which were confirmed by the Association : B. F. Farnsworth, Wm. Colgan, C. Vanbus- kirk, T. R. Parent, W. C. Buck, E. A, Bennett, John B. Whitman, J. C. Davie, W. Vaughan, G. C. Sedwick and James M. Pendleton.
The Association was composed of fifty-seven members, twenty of whom were ordained preachers, one a licensed preacher, and the remaining thirty-six, private church members. The visiting brethren present were Elder Alfred Bennett, agent of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions; Elder Noah Flood, of Missouri, Silas Webb, M. D., of Alabama, Elder T. G. Keene, of Philadelphia [now Dr. Keene of Hopkinsville, Ky., ] and Elder R. B. C. Howell, of Nashville, Tennessee.
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