USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 31
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DRAKES CREEK ASSOCIATION.
At its annual meeting, at Union church in Warren county, in 1820, Gasper River Association agreed to divide its territory by a line running from Russellville, along tbe direct road to Bowling Green, and thence to Honakers Ferry, on Green river. The churches south of that line were to form a new association. These churches were thirteen in number, and their names were as follows : Baysfork, Salem, Union, Sulphur Spring, Trammels Fork, Middle Fork, Lick Fork, Mt. Zion, Bethany, Ivy, New Hope, Ebenezer, (afterwards called Bethpier) and New Bethel. The preachers belonging to them were Samuel Greathouse, Lee Allen, William Dorris, Zach. Morris, Hugh Hagan, Anderson Darnall and Chris. Harris. The churches met on the 6th of October, 1820, and formed Drakes Creek Association.
This Fraternity began its mission, with bright prospects. Some of its churches were the oldest in the Green river country; some of its preachers were men of ability and experience, and it had a fine field to cultivate. But it was unfortunate from the
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beginning. Salem, Ivy and New Bethel churches were dismissed to join other associations. Baysfork, one of the oldest and largest churches in the body, was soon rent by faction, and ulti- mately destroyed by a drunken and disorderly pastor. In 1826, two of its ministers, Lee Allen and Anderson Darnall, were excluded for adultery, and, two years later, Samuel Greathouse was cut off for drunkenness and falsehood. Meanwhile the venerable Chris. Harris had gone to his final reward. These and other untoward circumstances reduced the Association from thirteen churches, aggregating 686 members, at the time of its constitution, to thirteen churches with 476 members, twelve years later. But now the Lord was pleased to visit the cold and distressed churches with the first revival they enjoyed, after the constitution of the Association. The meeting of the body at New Salem, in Simpson county, in 1833, was an occasion of great rejoicing. The great cholera epidemic, which had filled the whole land with terror and mourning, during the preceding two years, had passed away ; God's mercies had followed his judgments, and fifteen churches reported 329 baptisms, with an aggregate membership of 969. From this period, the Associa- tion enjoyed a good degree of prosperity, till 1839, when it reported nineteen churches with 1,325 members. This is the largest membership it has ever attained.
During this period of prosperity, the ministry of the fra- ternity was very weak; and, under its guidance, the Association laid a bad foundation for future building. In 1832, it advised "the churches and members thereof to abstain from joining temperance, Bible, tract and missionary societies and the Sunday School Union : Yet," it added, "if a neighborhood chooses to have a Sunday school kept up, unconnected with the Ameri- can Sunday School Union, we think such ought to be tolerated." In 1835, the body advised the churches to have no correspon- dence with the Kentucky Baptist Convention. This advice was given in accordance with the decision of a majority of the churches, to which the subject appears to have been referred the previous year. The advice was not uniformly followed, and in 1838, a resolution to the following purport, was adopted: "That, in future, we will act up to the decision of the majority of the churches, in 1835; and that we will, in future, hold no correspondence with the Baptist State Convention, either
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directly or indirectly." This resolution was not very timely, as the Convention referred to had been dissolved two years before. But this was not the only association that committed the same blunder, during that period of excitement on the sub- ject of missions.
With equal awkwardness and absurdity, the Association had dropped correspondence with the neighboring fraternities. It discontinued fraternal relations with Red River Association, in 1824, because that body had called a convention for the purpose of adjusting some difficulties which existed among its churches. This correspondence was afterwards restored; but fraternal re- lations were withdrawn from Gasper River Association and withheld from that of Bethel. In 1834, correspondence with Green River Association was suspended, because that body corresponded with Bethel and Gasper River associations. This was followed by a withdrawal of the fraternal relations from Barren River Association, in 1839. This isolation from the neighboring fraternities, soon gendered internal strife and ulti- mate division.
In 1839, O. H. Morrow, from Bethel Association, visited Bethel church, which was a member of Drake's Creek Associa- tion, and, on invitation of the pastor, J. L. Hickman, aided in the administration of the Lord's Supper. When the Associa- tion met, in the fall of the same year, charges were preferred against Bethel and Trammels Fork churches, for retaining J. L. Hickman, as pastor and moderator, after he had violated "the express will and wish of this Association, and the churches thereof," by inviting a minister of Bethel Association, with which Drake's Creek Association was not in correspondence, to aid in the administration of the Lord's Supper. The Associa- tion advised that these churches report to the next annual meet- ing of the body, if they have desisted from all fraternal inter- course with those organizations, or members thereof, with which this Association is not in correspondence ; "otherwise," it adds, "they will stand excluded from our communion." Bethel and Trammel's Fork churches rejected this advice, and, together with Rocky Spring church, formed an organization, which claimed to be the legitimate Drake's Creek Association. This claim was acknowledged by a council composed of mes- sengers from some of the churches of Barren River and Liberty
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associations, and by those fraternities themselves, at their suc- ceeding meetings. The little organization assumed the name of Bays Fork Association, under which name its history will be given, in its proper place.
When Drake's Creek Association met, at New Bethel, in Sumner county, Tenn. in 1840, it excluded Rocky Spring and Bethel churches from its fellowship, and recognized the minori- ty at Trammel's Fork, which was equivalent to excluding the ma- jority. This relieved the Association from all the elements of discord, which had hitherto given it so much annoyance.
From this period, the Association began to decline. It had become Anti-nomian in theory, and Anti-missionary, both in theory and practice. Fearing that the designation "Baptist," by which it had hitherto been known, might not express its present creed with sufficient explicitness to satisfy its "Regular Baptist" correspondents, it amended its title, in 1841, so that it read .- "Drake's Creek Baptist Association, united upon the doctrine of Predestination and Election." After wearing this rather clumsy title, more than thirty years, it resumed its original name. Its printed Abstract of Principles is similar to those held by other Baptist associations ; but its ministers and churches are understood to deny the ressurrection of the body. It has continued to decline, till its numbers are insignificant. In 1879, it comprised 13 churches, aggregating 273 members. During 50 of the first 60 years of its existence, there has been baptized for the fellowship of its churches, 1,530 converts. Of these, only 470 have been baptized during the 29 years of which we have statistics, since the split, in 1840.
ROBERT NORVELL was among the early preachers of this Association. He was born in Albemarl county, Va., Feb. 14, 1770. Here he grew to manhood, receiving the mere ele- ments of a common school education. Fighting, swearing and dancing were the amusements of his youth, and, at one time, he was badly cut with a knife. In his 31st year, he was married to Sally, daughter of James Murry, and settled in Buckingham county. In 1805, he was awakened to a sense of his guilt and condemnation, under the preaching of Leonard Ballou. After several months of agonizing remorse, prayer, and repentance, he obtained hope in the Savior of sinners, united with Round Oak church, and was baptized by Mr. Ballou. He soon began to
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exercise in public prayer and exhortation, and was much im- pressed with the duty of preaching the gospel. Feeling incompe- tent to this great work, he left his farm, unsold, and moved to Middle Tennessee, with the hope of wearing off the impression. Here he suppressed his convictions of duty, some four or five years. But, one day, a drunken man said to him : " You began to preach in Virginia ; why did you quit ? If you had kept on you might have shined as a star." He felt this as a withering re- buke. He was also much impressed by a strange dream, and was finally impelled to take up the cross again, and commence exhorting his neighbors to repent. He was ordained to the min- istry, at Testament church, in Smith county, by William Roark, Levi Roark and Hiram Casey. Soon after his ordination he went to Illinois ; but, not being pleased with the country, re- turned to Tennessee, and settled in Sumner county, very near the Kentucky line, in 1820. He was called to the care of Caney Fork, New Hope, New Bethel and Gallatin churches. These he continued to serve, till admonished by the feebleness of ex- treme old age, to resign his charges. He died at about the age of 100 years. He was a moderate preacher ; but a man of ex- cellent Christian character, and was much esteemed by his brethren. Meradith Hodges, Wm. W. Ausbrooks and Josiah Ashford were raised up to the ministry under his pastoral la- bors, and became preachers in Drakes Creek Association. In 1826, he succeeded Christopher Harris as Moderator of Drakes Creek Association, and served in that capacity, at different times, 14 years.
ELI BRYANT was a member of New Salem church, in Simp- son county, and was ordained to the ministry, as early as 1840. As a preacher, he was below mediocrity. But he was a citizen of high respectability, and a Christian of unimpeachable piety. His brethren held him in high esteem, and honored him with the moderatorship of Drakes Creek Association, about 12 years. He was called to his reward, not far from 1866.
WILLIAM W. AUSBROOKS has been the most prominent preacher in this body, for a score of years past. He was licensed to preach, at Caney Fork church, in Sumner county, Tenn., about 1840, and was ordained as early as 1842. The following year, he preached the introductory sermon before Drakes Creek Association. In 1852, he was chosen Moderator of that body,
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and, with the exception of a few years, has filled that position till the present time.
Of a number of other preachers, who have labored in this fraternity, no particulars, worth recording, have been received.
CONCORD ASSOCIATION.
This most prosperous fraternity was constituted at Whites Run, in what is now Carroll county, on the 28th of September, 1821. Silas M. Noel preached an introductory sermon, on the occasion, from Rev. 22-17. Thomas Craig was chosen Modera- tor, and John H. Morris, clerk. The following eight churches, all of which, except Emmaus and Long Ridge, which had been newly constituted, had belonged to Long Run Association, were in the constitution : Drennons Ridge, McCools Bottom (now Ghent), Twins (now New Liberty), Long Ridge, Whites Run, Hunters Bottom, Hopewell and Emmaus. Twins, McCools Bottom, and Whites Run had gone from Long Run to Frank- lin Association, and thence into the constitution of Concord. Drennons Ridge was the oldest church in the fraternity, and Mc- Cools Bottom, the next oldest. Of these, something has been said elsewhere.
Twins was by far the largest and most influential church in the new Association. Speaking of its origin, William Hickman says : "In those days I went down and visited my friends on Eagle Creek, and baptized a number there. Soon after that, a large and respectable church arose there, and Bro. John Scott moved among them, and has long been their pastor." It was constituted of 30 members, by John Price and John Davis, June 23, 1801. John Scott served the church about 25 years, and left it, with 213 members. Cornelius Duval, B. F. Kenney and Hugh Montgomery served the church, in turn, till 1838, when Lewis D. Alexander accepted its pastoral charge. This eminent servant of Christ ministered to it till his death, in 1863-a period of 25 years. During this time, 746 were baptized for its fellowship. Since that period, it has changed pastors frequently, and has not been so prosperous as formerly. It is located in the northern part of Owen county, in the village of New Liberty.
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Wlutes Run is located seven miles north of Ghent, in Car- roll county. It is probable that John Scott, or John Price served it, in its early years. Lewis D. Alexander was its pas- tor, at a later period.
Long Ridge was located one mile north of the present site of Owenton, in Owen county. It was constituted by Isaac Malin, John Scott and Isaac Foster, July 29, 1820. Cornelius Duval was the first pastor named on its records. After him, B. F. Kenney and Andrew Suitor served it. The latter was suc- ceeded in 1838 by Elijah Threlkeld, who served it with great acceptance, the remainder of his life. In 1840, it split on the subject of missions and formed two churches of the same name. The Anti-missionary church still worships at the old location- The Missionary church moved some two miles north to the vil- lage of Harrisburg, a few years past. Hopewell is located in Henry county, and has long been a member of Sulphur Fork Association. Hunters Bottom was located on the Ohio river, near the line which now divides Carroll and Trimble counties. It was long since dissolved.
Emmaus was located in the northern part of Owen county, and, for many years was a prosperous and influential church. It was dissolved in 1853.
The ministers in the constitution of this Association, were John Scott, of Twins church, Isaac Malin and James Bax- ter, of Drennons Ridge, Joshua Morris of McCools Bottom, John Wallace of Hunters Bottom, and William Morgan of Em- maus.
The eight churches of which the association was constitut- ed aggregated 619 members. At its first anniversary, Cane Run and Corn Creek churches were received by letters from Long Run Association. In 1823, Clay Lick, a new church was received, and in 1825, Sharon, Greenups Fork and Providence were ad- mitted to fellowship. The latter was in Trimble county, Green- ups Fork in Owen, and Sharon, which has since been dissolved, was in Carroll. In 1826 the body numbered twelve churches, with 840 members. But Sulphur Fork Association was formed that year, and Corn Creek church was dismissed for its mem- bership.
Up to the year 1829, no business was introduced into the Association, beyond the routine of regulating correspondence,
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receiving and dismissing churches, and making such arrange- ments as were necessary for the regulating of a deliberative body. But this year, its attention was called to the importance of distributing the holy Scriptures among the people, and a reso- lution was adopted, recommending the organization of Bible so- cieties. During this and the following year, the churches were confused and annoyed by the introduction of Campbellism among them, insomuch that they asked the advice of the Asso- sociation on the subject. That body, at its meeting. in 1830, an- swered this petition as follows :
" From a request of the majority of the churches compos- ing this Association, expressed in their letters, and some of them directly requesting the Association to devise a proper course to be pursued by them towards those modern teachers of theology, commonly called Campbellites, we offer the follow- ing: Ist. We believe the churches should not invite them to preach in their meeting houses. 2d. That we should not invite them into our houses to preach, nor in any way bid them God speed, nor their heretical doctrine. We advise you, brethren, to be patricularly on your guard. When they are talking about the Spirit we believe they only mean the written word ; and when they speak of regeneration, they only mean immersion in water." This body sustained a very small loss by the Campbellite schism, and even to the present time, the Campbellites have obtained but a feeble foot-hold on its territory.
In 1831, Ten Mile Association was constituted on the north- eastern border of Concord, reducing the latter to II churches, aggregating only 798 members. This was a small advance in ten years. But during the next ten years, there was a constant growth in the churches, and in 1841, the body numbered 14 churches with 1,433 members. During this period, there was a manifest presence of two parties in the body. The circular let- ters, written by the more intelligent members of the body, urged the duty of supporting the ministry, and in engaging in the work of the Lord. This was made especially prominent in the lengthy and very able circular, written by Cyrus Wingate, in 1833, and in that by the same writer, in 1841. £ On the other hand, there was no mention ot any effort to relieve the over- burdened ministry, or to attempt to extend the Kingdom of Christ, in the business proceedings of the body. This dead lock
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continued till 1840. At this date, the Association made its first effort to supply the people on its territory with preaching, by appointing ten protracted meetings, to be held during the en- suing year, and nominating preachers to conduct them, with- out, however, making any provision for compensating the min- isters, or even advising the churches to do so. The results were not very satisfactory ; the number of baptisms during the en- suing year, was less than an average, and considerable agitation pervaded the churches, in consequence of this "missionary scheme."
In 1838, William C. Buck, General Agent for the General Association of Kentucky Baptists, visited the churches of Con- cord Association, for the purpose of inducing them to support their pastors. Hitherto these churches had publicly thanked their pastors, at the close of their pastoral term, for long con- tinued and faithful services, rendered "without money and without price." Mr. Buck succeeded in persuading the churches at White's Run, McCools Bottom, New Liberty, Emmaus, Long Ridge, Owenton and Greenups Fork to pay their pastors each about $100 a year for monthly services. This gave to each pastor, engaged for all his time $400 a year-a very fair salary for that period. This was an innovation on the former practice of the churches, and met with stern opposition. The preachers who received salaries, were reproached by the opposers, as "hirelings" and "money hunters." Paying pastors was classed with "missionary schemes," and several of the churches were divided into violently opposing parties, on the subject. In 1841, Long Ridge, Cane Run, and perhaps some other churches, split, and formed, each, a Missionary and an Anti-Missionary church. This division was a great blessing to the fraternity; for, al- though it did not entirely free the churches from the Anti-Mis- sionary leaven, some traces of which remain in some of them to the present day, it gave the Missionary party so decided a pre- ponderance that it could act with freedom, and carry its meas- ures, without violent opposition. The loss in numbers, by the Anti-mission schism, was trifling, and was far more than com- pensated by a most gracious revival which pervaded the church- es during the ensuing year, adding to their membership, I, 022 by baptism.
In 1742, the Association adopted its first resolution in
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favor of Georgetown College, and advised young men to seek an education in its halls. The terms of general union, entered into by the Baptists of Kentucky, in 1801, was ordered to be ap- pended to the minutes of this session. From this time collec- tions were occasionally taken up for Indian missions, during the sessions of the body; and, in 1845, an attempt was made to put a missionary within the bounds of the association. A "central committe" was appointed, to which the churches were ad- vised to report their desire concerning the employment of a mis- sionary and what sum each would contribute to his support. This laudable enterprise failed ; or, at least, the committee made no report to the Association, and no further attempt was made in this direction, for several years.
In 1848, correspondence was opened with the General As- sociation, and a treasurer appointed to receive the contribu- tions of the churches, and forward them to the Executive Board of that body. This management, by which it was hoped the destitution in the territory of Concord Association would be supplied, did not meet the anticipations of that body. It, there- fore, resolved, in 1851, to make another attempt to do its own work, without, however, withholding its aid and sympathy from the General Association. The spirit of the body seems to have been much enlarged at this session, as evinced by the adoption of the following resolutions :
"Resolved, That the cause of missions and the Bible, at home and abroad, the cause of education and of religious period- ical literature and reading, demand more of the sympathy, support and prayers of the churches composing this Associa- tion.
"Resolved, That we recommend to our brethern, the West- ern Recorder and the Bible Advocate, as worthy their patron- age.
"Resolved, That, after the first sermon on to-morrow, a contribution be taken up to aid the General Association and Bible cause."
A convention, to be composed of messengers from the churches, was called to meet at New Liberty to devise means of putting a missionary in the home field; and a committee was ap- pointed to lay the matter before the churches. The convention appointed a committee of three, to whom was intrusted the 22
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duty of employing a missionary. The committee secured the services of Archer Smith. The labors of the missionary were much blessed. At the next meeting of the Association, it was greeted with the first missionary report, ever offered for its adoption. The missionary had delivered 290 sermons and exhortations, and received into the churches about 150 persons, of whom 124 were received by baptism. He was continued in the field another year, and, in 1853, reported 372 sermons and exhortations, and 215 baptisms. From that period to the pres- ent, the Association has been practically a missionary body, act- ing, indeed, upon various plans, but constantly endeavoring to advance the cause of the blessed Redeemer.
It has been observed that the growth of this fraternity, during the first eleven years of its existence, was very slow, and that, during the next decade, it enjoyed a moderate progress. The remarkable revival which prevailed among its churches, in 1842, increased its numbers to fifteen churches, aggregating 2,439 members. From that time, till 1860, its growth was moderate. At the beginning of the civil War, it numbered twenty-one churches with 3,939 members, and, after the close of the War, in 1865, it numbered seventeen churches with 3,027 members. Since the War, it has increased very rapidly. In 1880, it comprised thirty-three churches with 4,299 members, and, in 1832, thirty-two churches aggregating 3,969 members, the decrease during the two intervening years, having resulted from the dismission of several churches, to go into the constitu- tion of Owen Association. From its constitution in 1821, to 1882, there were baptized into the fellowship of its churches, 10, 384 converts.
Among the pioneer preachers in the territory of this Asso- ciation, in addition to those who have been mentioned, were John Reese and Benjamin Lambert.
JOHN REESE was among the early settlers on Eagle Creek., and is supposed to have gathered Mountain Island church, on the eastern border of what is now Owen county, as early as 1802. He ministered in this church a few years, and then moved to Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his life.
BENJAMIN LAMBERT succeeded John Reese as pastor of Mountain Island church, as early as 1813-perhaps several years earlier. About the last named date, he established a preaching
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place near Muscle Shoals on Eagle creek. Here he gathered a church, which he constituted, with the aid of John Scott and John Searcy, Oct. 11, 1817. To this congregation, which took the name of Muscle Shoals, and to the church at Mountain Island, he continued to minister till 1820. At that date, he followed his predecessor to Indiana, where he labored in the ministry till the Lord called him home. Mountain Island church was finally absorbed by that of Muscle Shoals, and the later has continued a large and flourishing body, to the present time.
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