USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 22
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Red River Association.
He was very eccentric, and was generaly supposed to be crazy ; but he matained an unimpeachable moral character, and devoted his energies, with great activity, principally to the good of others, and was held in high esteem by his neighbors. As soon as the people began to settle around him, he began to preach to them with much zeal, going from house to house, warning and entreat- sinners, with many tears. He baptized no one, and gathered no church, but he sowed the seeds of gospel truth in a virgin soil, and watered them with his own tears, and the "great Day " will reveal whatever of good he accomplised. He became very cor- pulent in his old age, but still continued to preach; and when he became too helpless to stand, he would sit in a chair and exhort the people. He died of dropsy of the heart, March 9, 1835. . Among his last words were these: "If this is death, it is not so bad as I expected."
JOHN BENBROOK was one of the early preachers of Red River Association. He was a native of North Carolina, and was raised up on Pedee river, where he was baptized by Daniel Gould, and commenced preaching, at an early age. After his marriage to Lucy Caton, he moved to Kentucky, and settled in the south part of what is now Simpson county, about 1806. Here, at first, he united with Drakes Creek church, but after- wards, raised up Lake Spring Church, of which he became the pastor, and to which he ministered, as long as he preached in Kentucky.
Mr. Benbrook had but a meager education, but he possessed a strong native intellect, was very familiar with the Bible, and was an excellent speaker. At one time he held a lengthy de- bate with Daniel Parker, on the Two-Seeds doctrine, of which Mr. Parker was the formulator, if not the author. In this debate, Mr. Benbrook combated the dogma with such clearness and force, that it tended greatly to check the progress of that miserable speculation, in Red River Association. He was much admired as a speaker, and was very popular in his church. But unfortunately he got to distilling whisky as a means of support- ing his family, and soon got to indulging in the too free use of it. The church at Lake Spring attempt to exercise discipline | over him, but his popularity was such, that a majority of the church sustained him. He informed the minority, that he could have them excluded, for inveighing against their pastor, but he
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
preferred they should take letters and join a neighboring church, called New Salem, which they did, to the number of about twelve. But the habit of drinking to excess grew on him, till he fell into public disgrace. In 1826, he moved to Columbia, Tennessee. Here he reformed his life, was restored to the fel- lowship of his brethren, and was called to the care of Columbia church, where he ministered till his death, which occurred about 1832.
CUMBERLAND RIVER ASSOCIATION.
This fraternity is now located principally in Pulaski county, but in its early history some of its churches were located in Lincoln, and its territory extended thence southward to the Tennessee line. Previous to its constitution, Tates Creek Association had exten- ded its territory so far south as to include part of Wayne county. At a meeting of the last named fraternity, at White Oak Pond, in Madison county, in 1809, the following six churches "from the south part of this Association, were dismissed when joined in another Association, according to the terms of general union :" Double Springs, in Lincoln county; White Oak, Sinking Creck, (now Somerset), Forks of Cumberland, and Union, in Pulaski; and Big Sinking, in Wayne. These, together with Beaver Creek and Otter Creek churches, both in Wayne, met, by their messengers, at Sinking Creek, the first Saturday in October, 1809, and there constituted Cumberland River Association. The aggregate membership of these churches is not given, and the records of the following year are lost. But the minutes of 1811, report 13 churches, with 447 members. The five churches which had been added since the constitution, were Little Spring, Flat Lick, Fishing Creek, Pleasant Point, and New Hope. The preachers of the Association, at this date, as far as known, were Richard Barrier, Isham Burnett, John Smith, Stephen Collier, Wesley Short, Thomas Hansford, Thomas Hill, Thomas Wol- verton, Moses Foley, Malachi Cooper, Peleg Baker, Joseph M. James, and Richard Collier.
Soon after the constitution of this Association, a very precious revival commenced among its churches, and continued some
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Cumberland River Association.
three or four years. A number of new churches were gathered, and the old ones were greatly increased. In 1812, 368 baptisms were reported, and so rapid was the growth of the young Asso- ciation, that, in 1814, it numbered 19 churches, aggregating 1, 106 members. Cumberland River church, which, together with Hurricane church, in Lincoln county, was received into the Association, in 1812, was the largest in the body. It was loca- ted on the north side of the stream whose name it bore, some three miles below Barboursville, in Knox county. It was a prosper- ous church, under the ministry of Moses Foley sr., and his son Elijah. It reported the reception of 107 by experience and baptism, in 1812, and had extended arms around it, in every direction. In 1815, this prosperous organization, with its nu- merous arms, took a letter of dismission from the Association, for the purpose of entering into a new fraternity, which, when formed, took the name of South Union Association. About the same time, a considerable number of Baptists in this region of the State, went over to the Newlights. It will be remembered that, in 1812, John and Philip Mulkey, two of the most influen- tial preachers in Stockton's Valley Association, which bordered on the one under consideration, united with that enthusiastic sect, and led away much people after them. In 1815, the sub- ject of Emancipation was agitated in the Association, as the following extracts from its minutes of that year, will show: "Query : Is it right to uphold hereditary and perpetual slavery ? Ans. We conceive that all nations, by nature, have a right to equal freedom. But as we are involved, in our Nation, with hereditary slavery, we think it would be best to wait for the dis- pensations of Providence, and pray to God for the happy year of their deliverance to commence." At the same time, the ques- tion of opening a correspondence with the Baptist Board of For- eign Missions was introduced in, the body, and, after a year's consideration, was "voted out of the Association, " as a question, too difficult for decision.
By these dismissions, schisims and agitations, the hitherto prosperous fraternity lost nearly half of its aggregate member- ship: So that, in 1818, it numbered 18 churches, with only 623 members. But its mourning was soon turned to joy. About 1820, a most powerful revival commenced among the churches, and prevailed some two or three years. During this refreshing
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from the Lord, the aggregate membership of the Association was considerably more than doubled. In 1823, the body had in- creased to 22 churches, with 1,494 members. Two more churches were added within the next two years.
In 1825, it was deemed expedient to form a new Association of the churches in the southern part of the territory of the old one, and, accordingly, the following churches were dismissed for that purpose : Big Sinking, Bethel, Otter Creek, Liberty (form- erly Cedar Sinking), Pleasant Point, Stephen's, Monticello, New Hope, and White Oak. This left the old Association 14 churches with 903 members; while it gave the new one, which took the name of South Concord, 10 churches, with 492 members.
From this time till 1837, the Cumberland River Association moved on with little change in numbers. The records of the period of the Campbellite schism, are lost; but it is believed that this fraternity sustained no great loss by that movement. In 1836, the body comprised about the same numbers that it had reported ten years before. In 1837, the great and long con- tinued revival, which prevailed in such a remarkable manner in Kentucky, at that period, reached this Association, and prevailed as in most other parts of the State, for more than a decade. Within twelve years, the body again doubled its membership. But even during this season of prosperity, there was a serious hindrance to the joy it would have otherwise afforded. The hearts of God's people were much enlarged by his wonderful displays of heavenly grace in the conversion of such multitudes of sinners, and in so richly bestowing the Holy Spirit upon them- selves. They were eager to join with their brethren in sending the blessed gospel to the distitute, at home and in foreign lands. The Association had been nominally a missionary body, during its whole history, and had occasionally appointed missionaries to labor in its own bounds, and requested the churches to compensate them for their labors. But there was now a growing anti-missionary element in the body, that thwarted every effort to promote systematic benevolence. Party spirit was gendered among the churches, and the anti-mission faction finally became so intolerant as to demand of the Association, that it should drop correspondence with all its neighboring fraternities, which tolerated missionary societies. This question of correspondence was submitted to the Association, in 1861. The Anti-mission-
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Cumberland River Association.
ary party being defeated by a vote of the body, the venerable Richard Collier, long the Moderator of the body, arose and said : " We are a divided people." The two parties effected separate organizations, the Missionary party, in the house, and the other party, at the stand. Each claimed to be the original Cumber- land River Association. The Antimission party numbered, at its- organization, II churches, with 683 members. The majority was acknowledged by the neighboring associations. It has en- joyed several revival seasons, and has about regained what it lost by the Anti-mission schism. It is still favorable to missions, at least in theory; but the country in which it is located is generally mountainous, and much of the land is sterile: so that little is done for the spread of the gospel, abroad. It has done something in the way of supporting missionaries within its own bounds, and has probably enjoyed an average degree of success, in bringing sinners to Christ. In 1881, it reported 17 churches, with 1,422 members. During 47 of the first 72 years of its existence, there have been baptized into the fellowship of its churches, according to its official reports, 5,080 converts.
This old fraternity has generally had a fair supply of minis- ters; and a few of them have been men of good preaching abili- ty ; but a large majority of them have possessed only very mod- erate gifts and small acquirements. Of its most prominent pioneer preachers, some account has been given elsewhere.
WILLIAM STOGDILL, a son of Benjamin Stogdill, an early immigrant from Virginia, was born in Pulaski county, Ky., about 1810. He was raised by a widowed mother, having lost his father in infancy. Although brought up to hard labor, he acquired sufficient education to enable him to teach a common school. He was converted under the preaching of Richard Col- lier and Robert McAlister, being baptized by the latter, in 1837. He united with New Hope church, in his native county, of which he remained a member until his death. In 1838, he was ordained to the deaconship ; but, discovering in him a warm zeal for the salvation of sinners, and an aptness in speaking, the church licensed him to preach. He was ordained to the minis- try, in 1843, and immediately took charge of the church of which he was a member. He was also called to serve other churches in Cumberland River Association. God greatly blessed his ministry in turning sinners to salvation. But the period of the
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
good man's labors was brief. He contracted disease of the lungs which speedily terminated his earthly career. Only four days before his death, not anticipating that his end was so near, he said : "I know I have but a short time to live, but what time I do live, I intend to spend in preaching Jesus to sinners." On the first Saturday in September, 1855, with feeble voice, he preached the introductory sermon before Cumberland River Association. On Monday following, he took an active part in the business of that body. As he returned home, on Tuesday, he said to his wife: "This is the last Association we shall ever return from together." On Wednesday, he taught school. That night his sufferings were very great, and, on Thursday morning, September 6th, he was released from earthly cares and pains, and doubtless received a good man's reward.
MALACHI COOPER was one of the pioneer preachers of Pulaski county. He gathered old Fishing Creek church, about 1803, as is supposed, and ministered to it `many years. He was Moderator of Cumberland River Association, as early as 1811, and represented his church in that body, as late as 1822. It is regretted that little else is known of him. A numerous poster- ity survives him, and among them several useful ministers.
JAMES WARRINER was a native of Virginia, and was born October 18, 1773. He first united with the church in Bucking- ham county, about 1802, and began to declare the glad tidings of salvation almost immediately. In 1804, he was ordained to the ministry, and became pastor of Zions Hill church, in Pittsyl- vania county. Besides discharging the duties of the pastoral office, he traveled and preached extensively, in the State of his nativity, about twelve years. In 1816, he moved to Kentucky, and settled at Creelsboro, in what is now Russell county. Herc he aided in laying the foundation of the carly churches in that region. He was pastor of several churches around him, and continued to labor in the ministry, to a good old age. He was called to his reward, February, 14, 1862, having been a labori- ous servant of Christ, nearly 60 years.
W. F. RICHARDSON held a conspicuous position in Cumber- land River Association, during a period of nearly thirty years. He was born in Pulaski county, Ky., in 1818. He united with Rock Lick church, in 1837, and was there ordained to the min- istry, in 1845. He was pastor of several churches, at different
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Licking Association.
periods. From 1854 to 1860, he served the Association as Clerk, and was subsequently Moderator of the body, two or three years. He was a good, earnest preacher, a man of excel- lent practical judgment, and did much to encourage missions and Sunday-schools, within the bounds of his Association. He was called to give an account of his stewardship, about 1875.
WILLIAM GRAVES of Flat Lick church, if not the oldest, is one of the oldest of the living ministers of Cumberland River Association. He is believed to be a native of Pulaski county, and is now not far from four-score years of age. His preaching gifts are not of a high order ; but he is of a warm, zealous temperament, and of a tender pathetic address, and has been a very successful laborer in the missionary field. He was em- ployed by the General Association, some years, and did good service as a mountain missionary.
JOHN O. SUTHERLAND was among the ablest and most useful preachers in the upper Cumberland valley, in his genera- tion. He was born in Russell Co., Ky., Oct. 1812. At about the age of 21 years, he obtained hope in Christ, and united with the Baptists. Some three years later, he was put into the min- istry, after which he devoted himself to his holy calling with much zeal, about 47 years. His field of labor embraced Lincoln, Pulaski, Russell, Wayne, Knox, and other counties. Flat Lick, Mt. Salem, Somerset and other prominent churches in his field enjoyed his pastoral labors. For some years, he was missionary of the General Association, and did a valuable work in the counties named above. While performing this labor, he came in contact with the opposers of Baptist principles, and was engaged in several public debates, in which he evinced good ability. But his chief work was in leading sinners to Christ, and, in this, he enjoyed a good degree of success. He was a clear, sound gospel preacher, and an eloquent speaker. After faithful- ly serving his generation, he died of consumption, at his home near Somerset, Aug., 19, 1883.
LICKING ASSOCIATION.
So much has been said in the general history and in that of
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
Elkhorn Association, concerning the origin of this fraternity, that it is unnecessary to repeat the details here. It originated purely in a personal difficulty, which occurred in Town Fork church, between Jacob Creath, Sr., and Thomas Lewis, concern- ing the exchange of a couple of slaves. Other churches being called on to aid in adjusting the difficulty, became involved in the strife. It continued to spread its baleful influences among the churches, and new issues were dragged into it, until it finally got into Elkhorn Association. The decisions of this body only aggravated the trouble ; and, in 1809, several of the churches re- fused to represent themselves in the Association. During the ensuing ycar, a number of ministers sent a circular letter to the disaffected churches, aggravating the discontent, and inviting them to send messengers to Bryants, in Fayette county, on the second Saturday in August, 1810, the same day on which Elkhorn Association had appointed to meet at Clear Creek, in Woodford county. The faction at Bryants organized under the style of Elkhorn Association ; but, before the meeting closed, changed the name to Licking Association. The churches rep- resented in the meeting were Tates Creek, Bryants, Dry Run, East Hickman, Brush Fork, Raven Creek, Stony Point, Flat Lick, Elk Lick, Mill Creek and Rock Bridge. These II churches aggregated 764 members. The ministers who entered into the organization were Ambrose Dudley, John Price, Joseph Redding, John Barnett, Lewis Corban, Richard Thomas, John
Conner, and Bartlett Bennett. A committee was sent from Elk- horn Association, while both bodies were yet in session, to en- deavor to effect a reconciliation ; but the effort proved abortive.
The new fraternity held its first anniversary at Stony Point, in Bourbon county, in 1811. Ambrose Dudley was re-elected Moderator, which position he filled continuously till his death, in 1825. John Price was re-elected Clerk. The following addi- tional churches were enrolled : Boones Creek, 2d Town Fork. Mt. Carmel, Little Huston and Forks of Silas. The Associa- tion now numbered 16 churches, with 802 members.
From this period, till 1820, Licking Association, apart from its irreconcilable quarrel with Elkhorn, did not differ, in doctrine or polity, from the surrounding fraternities. Nor did it complain, even of Elkhorn, as respected its doctrine. It kept up a regular correspondence with the neighboring associations, and appeared
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Licking Association.
to be in entire harmony with the Baptists in the State. The sub- ject of foreign missions was brought before it, first, in 1814, and was disposed of as follows: "Letter from Rev. Luther Rice respecting missionary business, called for and read. Agreed to send Brother Rice a friendly letter, and remit to him the money for the pamphlets that he sent us ; but that we do not join in the missionary business in its present form." The next year, it was agreed, "that this association present to Elder Rice their thanks, and, through him, to their respected brothers of the Board of Foreign Missions, for their attention to us, and that we will cheerfully send them a copy of our minutes annually, and hope that God in his providence will open a door for the entrance of the gospel among the heathen of our own country, when we trust we shall be willing to attend to the business as may then appear best to us."
In 1818, the Association agreed to correspond with Long Run, Franklin, North Bend, Union, and Elkhorn Associations. It was now hoped confidently that Licking Association would be fully gained to the general union of the denomination. But this ardent hope was soon chilled again ; for, the very next year, the offer of correspondence on the terms of general union by Tates Creek Association, was rejected. The offer of correspond- ence by South District Association was also rejected, on suspic- ion of unsoundnees of faith, on the part of that fraternity. Several of the churches had requested that the correspondence with Elkhorn should be dropped. This request, however, was rejected, for the present.
In 1820, Licking Association gave the first positive indica- tions of a departure from the faith and order of the Baptist de- nomination, in Kentucky. Its first act of that year, is recorded in the following words: "From Elkhorn Association a letter was received by their messengers, E. Waller, J. Sims and E. Mason ; the same being read, on motion, agreed that it be laid on the table, and the correspondence dropped, seeing that the original difficulties remain untouched by that Association, and that new ones have arisen respecting doctrines." This Associa- tion had now been in existence ten years. Its churches mingled witn those of Elkhorn, occupying the same territory, and, in - several cases, the same houses. This was the first complaint it had made "respecting the doctrines" of its rival, and even
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
now, no obnoxious doctrine was specified. The reader of the records must remain in ignorance of the heresies complained of, or find them out from some other source, if indeed, that is possible.
The same year, a circular letter from the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions was laid on the table, which was equivalent to withdrawing correspondence from that organization. John Tay- lor's phamphlet, titled Thoughts on Missions, a bitter denunci- ation against benevolent institutions, was brought to the notice of the Association. Whereupon the body "agree to receive it, and recommend to our brethren the perusal of it." And, to crown the fanaticism of that memorable session, the following transaction was recorded on its minutes: "Remarks contained in the letter from Dry Run taken up; and, on motion, agreed that we, as an Association, adopt the name of Particular Bap- tists, for the sole purpose of expressing, by our name, our hold- ing the doctrines of particular atonement, personal election &c." The name, Particular Baptists, was, at that time, applied to no other Baptist organization on the American continent. Nor is it known to the author that any religious body has since adopted it, except such churches as have done so with a view to gaining admission into this particular fraternity. Two years later, the Association declared that it was not in the general union.
Through the mediation of Long Run and Franklin Asso- ciations, a conference was held at Town Fork, in May, 1826, by messengers from Long Run, Franklin, Elkhorn and Licking Associations, for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation, and a renewal of correspondence between the two last named fraterni- ties. The purpose was so far accomplished, that the correspond- ence between Licking and Elkhorn, which had been suspended six years, was renewed the following autumn. For about nine years from this period, the correspondence between Licking and the neighboring Associations continued without interruption, and the former enjoyed a moderate degree of prosperity. But in reading its records, we are reminded of the ancient Pagan proverb : "Whom the gods intend to destroy, they first make mad." This apparently doomed Association appears to have become vain and arrogant in a proportion greater than that of its prosperity.
In 1830, while the surrounding fraternities were being rent
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Licking Association.
by the Cambellite schism, Licking Association seems to take pleasure in contrasting its harmony and serenity with the turbu- lence and distress of its sisters. In its circular letter of that year, it says: "It is a matter of pleasing astonishment that schisms and divisions, prevailing so extensively in the Baptist ranks, have been kept from us, and that we are permitted to en- joy uninterrupted harmony." At this period, Andrew Fuller was a popular expositor, with the Baptists of Kentucky, and his system of theology, especially with reference to the extent of the atonement, was preferred to that of John Gill, which had been more generally received, at an earlier period. To this "departure," Licking Association attributed the present trouble, among her neighboring associations, and very freely expressed her opinion, as to the comparative merits of the respective sys- tems of doctrine, advocated by Andrew Fuller and John Glass. Identifying Mr. Glass' system (which had been popularized by Robert Sandeman, and hence was called Sandemanianism), with Campbellism, she expressed herself thus: "We have as much fellowship for John Glass' system as for Mr. Fuller's."
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