USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 9
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Great Crossing and Tates Creek churches.
wagoner was gone on his way, and Joseph only assaulted his brother with bitter words, to which the latter gave no response, but continued to weep and tremble. That day the brothers went to a log-rolling. Joseph resolved to have some fun at his brother's expense. He soon told the workmen that a Newlight wagoner had converted Isaac last night. The men became hi- larious, and presently three or four of them, of which Joseph was one, seized Isaac, carried him to a charred log, and black- ed his face. Isaac made no resistance, but the tears rolled down his blackened cheeks, and he trembled in all his joints, like Belshazar. The men were struck with awe, and one of them cried out in alarm. Joseph was pierced to the heart and became alarmed about his soul.
ISAAC REDDING was soon converted, and at once began to preach. He was eminently a good man. His zeal for the sal- vation of men never seemed to abate. So watchful was he for the interest of his church, that he seemed to be able to antici- pate any revival of religion, with almost unerring certainty. "He came the nearest to possessing the spirit of prophecy," says John Taylor, "of any man I ever was acquainted with." He was well versed in the scriptures, and was wise in council; but his capacity for communicating was poor, and he probably never was ordained, He came very early to Kentucky, and aided in building up the first churches. He died a member of Old Clear Creek church in Woodford county, about the year 1805.
Joseph Redding, after the frolic of blacking his brother's face, became so alarmed about his soul, that he sent for William Marshall to come and preach at his house. He was soon after. ward converted, and was baptized by Mr. Marshall. This was in the year 1771. He was then twenty-one years old, and had a wife and two children. He at once began to preach with flaming zeal. He and his brother Isaac labored together among their neighbors. The effect was wonderful. The surrounding country was soon ablaze with religious enthusiam. "How marvelous are the works of God's grace," says John Taylor. "A sigh or a groan from a poor illiterate wagoner produces this dispute with the Reddings, which resulted in their conver- sion, and, within six months time under their ministry, the
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
neighborhood is alive with zealous saints."* It was of this time that the self-righteous John Taylor said "under the preaching of the Reddings, the poor rags of my own righteousness took fire and soon burned me to death." Mr. Taylor was soon con- verted, and became a co-laborer with the Reddings. Of Joseph Redding, Mr. Taylor says: "His gifts at that time were small, but his soul was in the work. He had the spirit of preaching, and would be warning or persuading sinners, in his sleep. Per- haps no man exceeded him in zeal, both in making and filling appointments. He considered an appointment to preach too sacred a thing to neglect. I will give an instance or two. With myself, he had a meeting appointed, about fifteen miles from his house, I went to his house the over night for an early start. He lived in the woods, and had neither stable nor pasture. Of course we belled our horses and turned them in the woods. The night proved rainy and the next morning very wet. We searched for our horses till eight or nine o'clock, and failed to find them. We did not hesitate a moment to go on foot, a rough mountainous road, then raining. And a most heavy day of rain it proved. We had to travel in a half run to reach the place, and met not more than twenty people. At another time we had appointments for a week or ten days. I got to his house the over night. The first meeting was twenty miles distant. The weather was hot. We did not hesitate to go on foot. We . set off at sunrise, and got to meeting in time. And a blessed meeting we had; for the Lord seemed to much bless the peo- ple. The next day we traveled on foot, over mountainous ground, thirty-eight miles, before and after meeting, and both of us preached to the people. After this our stages were shorter. The whole tour was about a hundred and fifty miles, about the head waters of the Potomac river. I give these inst- ances of zeal as a sample of Mr. Redding's whole life in the ministry, which, from beginning to end, was upwards of forty years."f
In 1772, only about nine months after he began to preach, Mr. Redding moved to South Carolina, a distance of five or six hundred miles. While there he became associated with a Tun-
*In substance.
tJohn Taylor's Life of Joseph Redding, abridged.
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Great Crossing and Tates Creek churches.
ker preacher of the name of David Martin, a man of consider- able talent. Under Martin's 'influence, he became tinctured with Arminianism. Not being satisfied with the religious society of South Carolina, he returned to Virginia the following Spring. With his Arminian views, he soon encountered his pastor, William Marshall, who was an extreme predestinarian. The dispute became unpleasant, and Mr. Redding moved to Hampshire county, which was then the frontier settlement of Virginia. He was the only preacher in this county. But he strove to spread the gospel all over his vast field. While the revolutionary war was raging, and destroying some of the churches in the older settlements, he built up a number of flourishing new ones on the frontier.
Up to the time of his removal to Hampshire county, he had associated his ministry with that of any preacher he hap- pened to fall in with, and had thought but little about the differ- ences of doctrines. But now, perhaps for the first time, he felj in with the Methodists. Some of them were skillful in dispute. Mr. Redding, who had naturally a strong, discriminating mind, discovered in their teachings and practices, what appeared to him great inconsistency. He then thought of his own incon- sistency in laboring with them, in building up these errors. He now became a close student of the Bible, studying sys- tematic theology from its sacred pages. His progress was rapid, notwithstanding his many disadvantages. He soon became a systematic preacher, and ultimately an able theologian.
In the Fall of 1779, with a company of emigrants, princi- pally members of the churches he had built up, he started to move to Kentucky. The company took a boat at Redstone. They had not proceeded far before they wrecked their boat. One of the company cried out ; "Mr. Redding, what shall we do ?" He replied, "Throw me overboard," by which he meant to inti- mate that he had erred in leaving his field of labor, to go to a new country. The company had to remain till Spring, when they induced Mr. Redding to continue the journey with them. They arrived at Bear Grass, in March or April, 1780, after remaining out during the hardest winter that had ever been known in the climate. The Indians were unusually troublesome at this time. The people at Bear Grass were all shut up in the forts. Mrs. Redding was probably the first preacher's wife that
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
pressed the soil of Kentucky with her feet. But she did not long grace the new country. She buried one of her children at Bear Grass, and set out with the rest of her family to return through the great mountain wilderness, to the home they had left the Fall before. In June the broken family entered the same house they had vacated the preceding Autumn. Mr. Redding could find no opportunity to preach in Kentucky, at this time, on account of the fierceness of the Indian war. For this reason he hurried back to his former field of labor. "Hamp- shire county was probably a hundred miles square, and Mr. Redding the only Baptist preacher in it. There were many Methodists, against whose doctrines he was now a mighty war- rior." He was pastor of four or five churches, and mission- ary for the whole region of destitution around him. He con_ tinued to occupy this field, with his usual zeal and diligence, about four years, when again, in the Spring of 1784, he moved to South Carolina. Having become well established in the doctrines of grace, thanks to the Arminian Methodists, he was cordially received by the South Carolina Baptists, and at once entered upon a course of great usefulness. He was one of the several preachers who supplied the pulpit of the Charleston
church, till Mr. Furman became its pastor. Here his useful- ness continued, till 1789, when once more he set out for the West, He arrived in Kentucky in October of that year, just in time to attend the sitting of Elkhorn Association. "He was appointed to preach on Sunday, with others," says an eye- witness, "and as a new broom sweeps clean, Redding swept all before him. Gano himself was not his equal." Whether Redding became a little puffed up by the extravagant laudations of the people, or whether the manifest preference for his preaching excited some jealousy in the other preachers, it is evident that there was not the most cordial harmony existing between him and his colaborers in the ministry, for a consider- able length of time. Disregarding this, he entered the ample field of labor with the same indefatigable zeal and energy that had characterized his whole ministry, and met with the same success that had followed his labors elsewhere. He was im. mensely popular with the churches. The unfortunate difficulty between him and Elijah Craig has already been referred to. After this was adjusted, Redding became pastor of Great Cros-
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The Johnsons.
sing church, in 1793. Here he preached with abundant suc- cess, until April, 1810, when he resigned and was succeeded by James Suggett, whom he had baptized, and who had married his daughter.
On resigning the care of Great Crossing church he took charge of Dry Run, in the same county. Here he continued to labor the remainder of his carthly life. He took an active part in the formation of Licking Association, of which Dry Run church became a constituent member. He continued to labor incessantly, till a third stroke of paralysis terminated his earthly course. He passed away from earth in 1815, aged about 65 years.
"Joseph Redding," says John Taylor, "was a prodigy among men." He was self-raised, self-educated, and self-reli- ant. Although not unsocial, he seemed not to need the sym- pathy or advice of his race. He planned and executed for him- self, as if he alone was responsible for every care with which he was connected. He formed and advanced his own opinions as if they were incontrovertible. From the hour of his conversion he consecrated his life to one object, and, without regard to the surrounding circumstances, steadily pursued it to the end. His work done, he went to give an account to Him, in whose service he had spent his life with a single heart.
THE JOHNSONS deserve to be remembered in connection with Great Crossing church. COLONEL ROBERT JOHNSON emi- grated to Kentucky at a very early period. For a time he lived at Bryants Station, but in the spring of 1784, he moved on his farm near the Great Crossing. Here he went into the con- stitution of Great Crossing church, of which he remained a member till his death.
He was an active church member, and was prominent in the affairs of the State, both in its legislature and in its wars with the Indians. JAMES JOHNSON was a son of Colonel Rob- ert Johnson, and came with his father to Kentucky in early childhood. He united with the church, September 1, 1800, and was baptized by Joseph Redding. He was clerk of the church about twenty-five years. He served as lieutenant colonel, in the British war of 1812, and was in the battle of the Thames. He was elected to Congress, in 1825, and died while serving in that body, in December, 1826.
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
JOHN T. JOHNSON, another son of Colonel Robert Johnson, joined the same church, in 1825, and served as its clerk two years, when he was carried off with the faction led by Alexan- der Campbell. He was licensed to exercise his gift, in Great Crossing church, but was not ordained. He served a term in Congress, and became a prominent preacher among the Camp- bellites. He died December 17, 1856.
RICHARD M. JOHNSON, another son of Colonel Robert Johnson, was born in Kentucky, in 1781. He was one of the most distinguished citizens, not only of Kentucky, but of the United States, of his generation. He was a colonel in the war of 1812, was a member, at different times, of both houses of Congress, and was Vice-President of the United States during Martin VanBuren's first Presidential term. He died a member of a Baptist church, in 1850.
WILLIAM JOHNSON, another son of Colonel Robert John- son, was born in Orange county, Virginia, in 1778, and came with his parents to Kentucky, in 1781. He served as a major under General Harrison in the last British war. He died at his home in Scott county, in 1814, leaving two sons, GEORGE W. and MADISON C. The former was Governor of Kentucky under the Confederate government, and fell in the battle of Shi- loh. The latter is a distinguished lawyer and banker.
TATES CREEK CHURCH of Regular Baptists was located in Madison county, between Boonesboro' and the present town of Richmond. It was probably gathered by John Tanner, and was constituted in the year 1785 .* It was a small body, at the beginning, and was of so slow a growth that, in 1790, it contained only thirty-nine members, while the Separate Baptist church of the same name, and in the same neighborhood, con- tained a membership of two hundred and ten. It was one of the six churches that formed Elkhorn Association, the same year in which it was constituted. In 1811, it embraced a mem- bership of only forty-seven. But small as its membership was it split in two, and the smaller faction, containing only nine members, was acknowledged by Licking Association, of which it became a member. It is probable that both of these factions were dissolved.
* Some say two years earlier.
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John Tanner.
JOHN TANNER was early a member of Tates Creek church of Regular Baptists, and was probably its founder and first pas- tor. Of the time and place of his birth, we have no certain knowledge. The earliest account we have of him is that, in 1773, he raised up a small church in Rocky Swamp, in Halifax county, North Carolina. He was soon after this pastor of a church of Separate Baptists, in Edgecomb county, of the same State. Here he was engaged in a laudable enterprise, of which a brief account may be interesting to the reader.
As early as 1695, and a number of years before we have any direct historical account of any Baptists in Virginia, there were many individual Baptists, scattered along the eastern coast of North Carolina, supposed to have been driven out of Virginia by the intolerant ecclesiastical laws of that colony. They were General Baptists, and very ignorant of the true nature ot chris- tianity. They had something of the form of godliness, but knew little of its power. By the year 1752, sixteen churches had been gathered, which met annually in "a yearly meeting." About this time, they were visited by John Gano, and, a year afterwards, by Benjamin Miller and Peter Vanhorn,* from Philadelphia Association. These eminent ministers found them in a deplorable condition. They preached among them. Many of them confessed that they knew nothing about experimental religion. They "openly confessed they were baptized before they believed, and some of them said they did it in hope of getting to heaven by it. Some of their ministers confessed that they had endeavored to preach, and administer the ordinance of baptism to others, after they were baptized, before they were converted themselves ; and so zealous were they for bap- tism (as some of them expected salvation by it) that one of their preachers confessed, if he could get any willing to be bap- tized, and it was in the night, that he would baptize them by fire-light, for fear they should get out of the notion of it before the next morning."t Many of these people, however, could give a good account of their conversion before their baptism ; and some of their preachers were pious, evangelical men. Of these, the missionaries formed Regular Baptist churches. Such as had been converted after baptism, were required to be re-
* Benedict, Vol. 2, p. 99.
t Burkitt and Read's His. Kehukee Asso., pp. 49, 47.
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
baptized. Some of them dissented, and were refused member- ship in the new churches. After this renovation, there were three or four churches, and as many preachers, that refused to submit to the reformation, and remained on their old grounds. Their doctrine and practice seem to have been substantially the same that are now held by the Campbellites. In a few years they became extinct.
The new churches, formed by the missionaries, on the doc- trines of the Philadelphia Association, united with four other. churches, one of which, at least, was under the pastoral care of John Tanner, and formed the present Kehukee Association of United Baptists. At the time of this union, 1777, the associa- tion contained ten churches, with an aggregate membership of 1,590 .* Mr. Tanner traveled and preached extensively, not only in the bounds of this association, but also in Virginia. He endured much persecution, and at one time came very near losing his life for his faithfulness in the gospel of Christ. Elder Lemuel Burkitt, who was present when the surgeon dressed Mr. Tanner's wound, relates the circumstance as follows :
"A certain woman by the name of Dawson, in the town of Windsor, N. C., had reason to hope her soul was converted, saw baptism to be a duty, and expressed a great desire to join the church at Cashie, under the care of Elder Dargan. Her husband who was violently opposed to it, and a great persecu- tor, had threatened that, if any man baptized his wife, he would shoot him. Accordingly, the baptism was deferred for some considerable time. At length, Elder Tanner was present at Elder Dargan's meeting, and Mrs. Dawson applied to the church for baptism, expressing her desire to comply with her duty. She related her experience, and was received; and, as Elder Dargan was an infirm man, he generally, when other ministers were present, would apply to them to administer the ordinance in his stead. He therefore requested Elder Tanner to perform the duty of baptism at this time. Whether Elder Tanner was apprised of Dawson's threatening or not, or whether he thought it his duty to obey God rather than man, we are not able to say. But so it was, he baptized Sister Dawson. And, in June following, which was in the year 1777, Elder
* Ib. p. 51.
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John Tanner.
Tanner was expected to preach at Sandy Run meeting house, and Dawson, hearing of the appointment, came up from Wind- sor to Norfleet's ferry, on Roanoke, and lay in wait near the banks of the river. When Elder Tanner, in company with Elder Dargan, ascended the bank from the ferry landing, Dawson, being a few yards from him, shot him with a large horseman's pistol, and seventeen shot went into his thigh, one of which was a large buckshot that went through his thigh. In this wounded condition, Elder Tanner was carried to the house of Mr. Elisha Williams, in Scotland Neck, where he lay some weeks, and his life was despaired of. But, through the good- ness of God, he recovered."*
Besides the rude persecutions Mr. Tanner endured in North Carolina he took his turn in a Virginia jail, with his co-laborers. Mr. Semple says: "In Chesterfield jail seven preachers were confined for preaching, viz : William Webber, Joseph Anthony, Augustine Eastin, John Weatherford, John Tanner, Jeremiah Walker and David Tinsley. Some were whipped by individ- uals, and several were fined." Speaking of the same circum- stances, Burkitt and Read say: "The people were so desirous to hear preaching that they would attend at the prison, and the ministers would preach to them through the grates. In order to prevent their hearing, Colonel Cary had a brick wall erected ten or twelve feet high before the prison, and the top thereof fixt with glass, set in mortar to prevent the people from sitting on the top of the wall to hear the word."}
Previous to the year 1785, Mr. Tanner moved to Ken- tucky, and, in that year, was a member, and we have suppos- ed, the founder and pastor, of Tates Creek church, in Madi- son county. Not long after this he was the preacher of Boone's Creek church (now Athens) in Fayette county. Like William Marshall, Mr. Tanner entered deeply into the investi- gation of God's eternal decrees, and growing morose in his temper, he seemed to arrive at the conclusion that none were converted, unless they were " sound on the decrees," from his standpoint. About the year 1786, or the year following,
* Burkitt and Read's His. Kehukee Asso., pp. 59, 60.
+ His. Va. Bap., p. 207.
# History Kehukee Asso. p. 269
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
there was a general revival among the young churches in Ken- tucky. Indeed, this work began as early as the winter and spring of 1785, and continued some three years. During the same period, there was a glorious work of grace spreading ex- tensively over the land in Virginia and North Carolina. Some- time during this precious season, William Hickman was with Mr. Tanner at Boones Creek. About twenty persons were ap- proved for baptism in one day. Such a work had not been seen before, in Kentucky. It was a time of great rejoicing. The news had just reached Kentucky, that a similar work was in progress among the churches in Virginia and North Car- olina. Mr. Tanner preached, but otherwise, and perhaps in his preaching also, he endeavored to discourage the revival, saying he feared it was "the work of the devil." He refused to examine the candidates for baptism before the church, and when they were received, he refused to baptize them * How- ever, it is probable that he would not have absolutely refused these offices if there had been no other minister present to dis- charge them. How far will even good men be led astray, when they turn away from the simplicity of the gospel, to weary themselves and their hearers with vain attempts to dis- cover, and unfold, the secret mysteries of God's eternal de- crees ?
About the year 1795, Mr. Tanner moved to Woodford county, and settled in the neighborhood of Clear Creek church. By this time, he had come to the conclusion that all the existing churches in Kentucky were too corrupt for a chris- tian to live in. He soon induced his aged father-in-law, Elder James Rucker, to adopt his opinion. Elder John Penny had recently moved from Virginia, and settled on Salt river. He was induced to enter into Mr. Tanner's scheme. They found a few Baptists in Mr. Penny's neighborhood, suited to their purpose, and they constituted "the Reformed Baptist church on Salt River," of ten members, three of whom were ordained preachers. Their plan was to receive members only by ex- perience, and these must be of known good character. None were received by letter from other churches. Their intention was to have a very pure church. As Mr. Penny lived among
*Hickman's Narrative pp. 23, 24.
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John Tanner.
them, he was chosen pastor. The fact soon developed itself that human nature was the same in the "Baptist Reform" church, that it was in Clear Creek church. The members of this "pure body" soon fell into contentions among themselves. Mr. Penny called helps and constituted the present Salt River church, on the old plan. Mr. Rucker returned to Clear Creek and shortly afterwards moved to the lower end of the state. The "Baptist Reform church" was dissolved in two years after it was constituted. Mr. Tanner soon moved to Shelby county,* from whence, after a brief period, he emigrated to Missouri, and settled near New Madrid. From this settle- ment most of the people were frightened away by a series of violent earthquakes which occurred in 1811. Mr. Tanner mov- ed to the neighborhood of Cape Gerrardeau, where he died, in 1812.
*History ten ch's pp. 80, 81.
CHAPTER IX.
REGULAR AND SEPARATE BAPTISTS-TWO ASSOCIATIONS FORMED.
We have now followed the Baptists in their labors in Ken- tucky, during a period of ten years. We may make a brief pause, look over the field, and see what has been done. The first settlement was made at Boonesboro in the summer of 1775. As far as we can learn, all the first families in this settlement were of Baptist persuasion. The Boones, Calloways and Frenches were known to have been Baptists. The first mar- riage ceremony was performed, August 7, 1776, between Sam- uel Henderson and Betsy Calloway, by Squire Boone, (a young- er brother of Daniel) who was a Baptist preacher .* In the spring of 1776, Thomas Tinsley and Wm. Hickman preached at Harrodsburg ; in 1779, John Taylor visited the infant settle- ments ; the following spring, Joseph Redding conducted a col- ony, principally of Baptists, to the present site of Louisville, and, during the two years last named, Baptist ministers began to settle with their families, in the new country. In 1781, three Regular Baptist churches were organized. At the close of the year, 1785, there had been constituted in Kentucky, eighteen churches-eleven of Regular Baptists, and seven of Separate Baptists. There were in the new country, at the same period, at least nineteen Regular Baptist preachers, viz: Squire Boone, Joseph Barnett, James Garrard, John Whitaker, Augustine Eastin, Wm. Taylor, Wm. Marshall, John Tanner, George Stokes Smith, William Edmund Waller, Richard Cave, John Taylor, John Dupuy, Lewis Craig, Elijah Craig, Wm, Hickman, Wm. Wood, John Price and James Rucker. There were also seven Separate Baptist preachers, viz. : Benjamin Lynn, James Skaggs, James Smith, John Bailey, Joseph Bled- soe, Joseph Craig and Robert Elkin.
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