USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 41
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The churches of this fraternity have never been very liberal in their contributions; but through the extreme liberality of her preachers, and the aid of a few liberal private brethren, an excellent work has been done, and few fraternities of the kind, in the State, have accomplished more in the home mission field.
The cause of temperance reform was long an exciting sub- ject among the churches of this fraternity. The joining of a
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temperance society, or even signing a pledge to abstain from the use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, was made a matter of church discipline, and cost some good brethren their church membership. Among these may be named R. R. H. Gillock, who afterwards became a very useful preacher, and is still active- ly engaged in his holy calling. The first notice taken of the subject, was in 1854, when it published an able circular, in which it sets forth the following thoughts :
" Church members talk vehemently and eloquently against joining temperance societies. They tell you that one church is enough for a christian to belong to. If you talk about doing anything in the church, to influence the members to abandon the use of ardent spirits, as a beverage, they will tell you they are as much for temperance as any others, but that they are free men; as if their liberty had been called in question. They af- firm that ardent spirits is a good creature of God, and that tem- perance is a moderate use of a thing, and not the total abstinence from it. We also affirm that prussic aid is a good creature of God, and ought to be used temperately. But who would think of taking a dram of it every morning, or three times every day ? Neither it nor ardent spirits ever benefitted a man in health. Then if we admit that ardent spirits does not benefit a man in health, and that a habit of moderate drinking often leads to drunkenness, why shall we continue the use of it, as a beverage ? It is said that if the Baptists should quit the use of strong drink, it would still go on in the country. But we say that, if every Baptist would abandon the use of intoxicating beverages, it would constitute such an army as no man would oppose. The professed christians in Kentucky, can, by force of example, without any other law, put down drinking, swearing, and all kindred evil habits. But instead of leading popular opinion, we suffer the wicked and abominable of the land, to form public sentiment. We go with them into grog shops, listen to their obscene jests and blasphemous oaths, and, by our laughter, approve their wickedness and vulgarity. If we do not directly lie and swear, we show ourselves pleased when others do so. We join in telling profane and filthy tales, repeating the oaths of others, and thus lie and and swear at second hand, the meanest and most degrading manner of committing sin."
Since the issuing of this circular, the Association has con-
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tinued to express its approbation of, and give it influence to the cause of temperance reform, and that, too, with most excellent effect.
This Association did not call attention to Sabbath-schools, till 1858, although they had been established in some of the church- es, several years earlier. But from that time to the present, and more especially since the close of the Civil War, that branch of religious instruction has received merited attention. And with- out going into further detail, it may be said, that this fraternity has approved and supported the benevolent institutions of the denomination, in the State, with something like an average liberality. Its attitude towards the colored people, just after the close of the War, is worthy of remark. The following extract from its corresponding letter, of 1866, expresses not only its own sentiments, but those of the denomination in the State, and, perhaps, in the whole South :
"We have also a new and perplexing element in our popula- tion. Our black people have been freed. They will remain among us, and if we neglect them a great portion of them must, under the force of circumstances over which they have no con- trol, become beggars, vagabonds and thieves. There should be ample provisions made for their religious instruction. There should be accommodation for them in the meeting houses of their white brethren, or they should be encouraged and assisted to build houses, and to organize separate churches, where the truths of God's word shall be proclaimed. They have immortal souls. They have been our servants. It is no fault of theirs that they have been thrown among us in their present condition, and we should feel no ill will toward them."
The Association has given its views on church polity as oc- casion demanded. In 1858, it adopted the following : "Re- solved, That we think it inconsistent for Baptists to invite min- isters of other denominations into their pulpits &c." In answer to a query from Mt. Gilead church, the Association expressed the opinion that, for one Baptist church to receive a member ex- cluded from another, "is neither good order, nor in accordance with Baptist usage . Whatever, will effect the general union and interest of the Baptists should be avoided."
In 1874, it expressed the opinion, that a church sustains the same relation to an association that an individual member sus-
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tains to a church, and is therefore, subject to similar discipline.
The growth of this fraternity, as before remarked, was for a number of years very slow. Indeed, it retrograded rather than advanced, for a number of years after its constitution : so that, in 1842, it numbered considerably less than at its beginning. But the next year, it enjoyed a precious revival, and from that time to the present, it has been uniformly prosperous. From 1842, to 1850, it increased from II churches with 704 members, to 17 churches with 1,635 members. In 1860, it numbered 30 churches with 2, 500 members; in 1870, 28 churches with 3, 191 members; in 1880, 35 churches with 3,875 members, and, in 1882, 34 churches with 3,510 members. From its constitution, in 1830, to its meeting in 1882, there were baptized into the fellowship of its churches 8,785 professed believers.
OLD CHURCHES. Dripping Spring, originally called Sinks of Beaver Creek, was the oldest church in the body; Concord was next oldest. Some account of them has been given. They both now belong to the Anti-missionaries. Bethlehem, consti- tuted in 1801, has united with Bays Fork Association. Glovers Creek, constituted in 1802, has become Anti-missionary. Mt. Pleasant and Puncheon Camp, both constituted in 1804, are the oldest churches now belonging to the body.
Sketches have been given of a number of the ministers who laid the foundation of the first churches, gathered on the terri- tory of this Association. Several names, deemed worthy of re- membrance will be added here.
JOHN H. BAKER was among the most prominent and useful preachers of Barren River Association, at the time of its cons- titution. He was born of Baptist parents, in Buckingham county, Virginia, Sept., 7, 1781. He was brought up to hard labor, and his education was so much neglected that, at the time of his marriage, he could not read intelligibiy. Through the teachings of a pious mother, he was much impressed on the subject of religion, from the time he was eight years old. In 1793, his parents moved to Scott county, Ky., where he grew up to manhood. In 1794, he was converted to Christ, and was baptized for the fellowship of Forks of Elkhorn church, in Franklin county, by William Hickman. He was at this time, only 13 years old, and not long afterwards, on committing some slight offense against parental authority, his father gave him his
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choice between taking a whipping and leaving home. He chose the latter, and having had some practice in laying brick, he engaged in that occupation. In 1801, he moved to Barren county, and, on the 25th of October, 1804, was married to Sally Buford, a young woman of good education and wealthy parentage, but a deist in faith and training. However, she afterwards professed faith in Christ; united with a Baptist church, and became her husbands tutor. But previous to this happy , event, Mr. Baker had neglected his religious duties, and, at one time, became so overwhelmed with remorse and despair, that he resolved to commit suicide, by starvation. But while going to a sequestered spot, at which he had determined to accomplish his desperate purpose, the grace of God prevented him; and he returned home to tell his deistical wife what great things the Lord had done for him. He was now induced to unite with Mt. Pleasant church, located a few miles from Glasgow, Soon after this he was licensed to preach ; and, in January, 1821, was or- dained to the ministry, by Peter Bainbridge, Zechariah Emer- son, Ralph Petty, and John Warder. With the assistance of his wife, he learned the primary branches of an English educa- tion, and, by diligent application to reading, became not only familiar with the Bible, but obtained also a good knowledge of general literature. For a number of years, he was very active and abundantly successful in the ministry, serving as pastor, at different times, Concord, Mt. Pleasant, Pleasant Hill, Skaggs Creek, Dover and other churches. He also labored much among the destitute, and aided in gathering Fountain Run, Beaver Creek, Cedar Grove and other churches. In 1832, he had an attack of cholera, which left him in a feeble state of health, from which he never recovered, although he lived 43 years afterwards. He continued to preach as his strength would permit, until old age forced nim to desist. He was in the min- istry more than 50 years, during which he received for preach- ing, $41, 37 72-less than $I a year. He had no children of his own, but raised three orphans, and accumulated a good fortune. Of him it was said, perhaps with much propriety: "A better man never lived." He died at his home, in Glasgow, May 6, 1875, in the 94th year of his age. He was buried in a suit of clothes, which he had procured for the purpose, more than 40
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years before. Among his last expressions was : "I stand where Moses stood."
THOMAS SCRIVNER, more than any other man, deserves the title of "father of Barren River Association." He was born in Rowan Co., N. C., Feb. 25, 1775. He grew up to manhood with barely enough education to enable him to read and write. In the spring of 1796, he emigrated to Madison county, Ky. Here he professed conversion, and was baptized by Andrew Tribble, for the fellowship of Tates Creek church. In the fall of 1798, he returned to North Carolina, where he was married to Esther Hamilton, the following May. This union was blessed with three sons, all of whom became valuable church members. In the fall of 1799, Mr. Scrivner, with all his father's family, re- turned to Kentucky, and settled on Viney Fork, seven miles east of Richmond. In May, 1812, he was ordained a deacon in Tates Creek church. In 1816, having lost his land by the ès- tablishment of a prior claim, he moved to Tennessee, and settled near his father-in-law, on Duck river. Here his family was sick during the summer, and in the fall of the same year, he started to move to Missouri Territory. When he got as far on his way as Barren county, Ky., his wife and one of his sons became too sick to travel. While waiting here for their recovery, he became so much pleased with the neighborhood, that he bought a tract of land near Glasgow. Here he settled for life. He and his wife gave their membership to Mt. Pleasant church, located seven miles south of Glasgow.
Mr. Scrivner was a man of public spirit and practical benevo- lence, and was not satisfied without being engaged in something to promote the good of his neighbors. He, with Richard Gar- nett and John Sanders-names worthy of remembrance-estab- lished an evening prayer meeting, which was regularly kept up for a number of years. He also kept up a night school for young men and women, free of charge, during several years. In this humble manner did he labor for the temporal and eternal welfare of his neighbors. Meanwhile he became much impressed with a feeling of duty to preach the gospel. But having a very hum- ble opinion of himself, he regarded such a work impossible to him. However, he commenced reading portions of scripture, and making brief comments on them, in the prayer meetings. His impression continued to deepen. "Often," said he, "have
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I tossed upon my bed during the long hours of the night, unable to sleep for thinking of poor perishing sinners, and yet feeling incompetent to preach the gospel to them."
In 1827, his church licensed him to preach. He at once entered upon the work with great zeal. About this time, an extensive revival pervaded the churches around him, and he labored day and night, preaching in school houses, private dwellings, and under the forest trees. Among the multitudes who were converted, were his three sons.
In June, 1829, he was ordained to the full work of the min- istry, by Andrew Nuckols, Joshua Welbourn, and John H. Baker. He was now 54 years of age, and felt that he had no time to lose. He obtained a pledge from his son James that he would remain with him as long as they both lived-a pledge that was faithfully kept-and thenceforth gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry. On the first Saturday in July, 1829, with the aid of John H. Baker and Levi Roark, he constituted of 12 persons, which were the first fruits of his missionary labors, Fountain Run Church, at Jamestown, in Monroe county. Of this little congregation, he immediately took the pastoral charge, and ministered to it until 1858, when the feebleness of old age induced him to resign, leaving the church with 208 members. On the 29th of December, 1829, with the aid of John H. Baker, and Richard Ragland, he constituted, of 15 members, Mt. Gil- ead church, in Allen county. He was immediately called to its pastoral care, and served it also till extreme old age forced him to resign, leaving it with 147 members, On the 30th of January, 1830, assisted by John H. Baker and Richard Ragland, he constituted Peters Creek church, in Barren county, of 13 members. He was pastor of this church from its constitution till 1858, when it numbered 125 members.
About the time Mr. Scrivner was ordained, a great revival prevailed in Glasgow, and the little Baptist Church which had been gathered there some years before, received large access- ions. Among these was Joseph W. Davis, a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher. Soon after his union with the Baptists, he was ordained to the pastoral care of Glasgow church. Pre- vious to this, Daniel Parker had preached among the churches in the southern part of Green River Association, and had con- verted some of the members to his Two-Seeds doctrine. About
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1829, Alexander Campbell, Jacob Creath, Jr., and others, vis- ited Glasgow, and other portions of Green River Association, and preached Campbellism with their usual vehemence and plausibility. From the preaching of so many conflicting doc- trines, great excitement and confusion arose. Many of the churches were rent into fragments. A majority of the church at Glasgow, under the leadership of Mr. Davis, went off with the Campbellites. It was a time that tried men's souls. Ex- citable and unstable men became reckless and revolutionary ; and even good men grew restless and excitable. But there were three ministers in Green River Association who stood firm and unshaken. These were Jacob Lock, John H. Baker, and Thomas Scrivner. The last named took charge of the fragment that remained of Glasgow church, and ministered to it until the storm passed by, and it could secure a regular pastor.
Six miles south-west from Glasgow was Dover church, which had been constituted of 13 members by Jacob Lock, Zechariah Emerson, and Warren Cash, in 1810, and had been served, in turn, by Lock, Emerson, Walter Warder, and John H. Baker. To the care of this church Mr. Scrivner was called, in 1833. He ministered to it until 1855, and baptized for its fellowship 232 converts. On the 9th of April, 1835, aided by Joshua Welbourn and Seth Bradshaw, he constituted, of 13 members, Indian Creek church, in Monroe county. To this congregation he ministered from its constitution till 1856, when it numbered 194 members.
Mr. Scrivner was now pastor of five churches, four of which he had gathered. When there were not five Sundays in the month, he preached on two week days at Indian Creek. To reach these churches from his home, he had to ride to Dover, four miles ; to Peters Creek, ten miles; to Mt. Gilead, twenty- two miles ; to Fountain Run, twenty miles, and to Indian Creek, twenty miles. No kind of weather prevented his attending his appointments promptly, and it was his invariable rule to hold a
prayer-meeting on Sabbath morning before preaching. But, with the care of five churches upon him, to each of which he preached two days in each month, he by no means confined his labors to them. Between a Sunday and the following Saturday, he would visit several destitute neighborhoods, and, according to previous appointments, preach to the people in school-houses,
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private residences, or in the groves. He spent little time in social conversation, and when he was not talking to some one about the salvation of his soul, he devoted his fragments of time to reading the Bible ; and afterwards prepared his discourses in the saddle. His energy and perseverance never flagged, and it is not wonderful to those who knew him that late in life as he began his ministry, he baptized about 2,000 people, and witnessed the conversion of as many more, who were baptized by others.
From the constitution of Barren River Association, in 1830, he was the leading spirit of the Missionary party until the di- vision, and afterwards of the Association, as long as he was able to attend to business. That Association originated in a division of the old Green River fraternity by a line running from Glasgow to Scottsville. The new fraternity occupied the south- ern division. This gave the Campbellites to the old, and the Parkerites or Anti-missionaries, to the new fraternity. The latter had war in its councils and many of the churches for about ten years after its constitution. Andrew Nuckols, a preacher of considerable ability, and a shrewd, watchful manager, was the leader of the Parkerites. At the first anniversary of Barren River Association, it was alleged that the mother fraternity had departed from her ancient faith, and it was agreed that a com- mittee of ten be chosen by private ballot, and sent to labor with her. This was the ostensible purpose of appointing the committee, but the real purpose of Mr. Nuckols, the mover, was to send ten Anti-missionaries to influence the action of Green River Association, and thus to secure its opposition to missions. The balloting resulted in the selection of five Anti-missionaries and five Missionaries. This defeated Mr. Nuckols' design. The next year, he attempted to secure the passage of a resolu- tion condemning the Kentucky Baptist Convention. In this also he failed. But in 1835, he had a majority in the Associa- tion. Correspondence with Green River Association was dropped, and a committee of five was sent to labor with that body. But Mr. Nuckols' object was again defeated, in selecting the committee, three of whom, including Mr. Scrivner and his son James, were favorable to missions. But, at the same sess- ion, a vote was secured declaring non-fellowship for "the Baptist State Convention and all like institutions of the day." Mr. Scrivner, two of his sons, James and John, and some other
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leading Missionaries of the body, determined to visit the churches of the Association, and explain to them the subject of missions. For this work James W. Scrivner escaped exclusion from Mt. Pleasant church, of which Mr. Nuckols was also a member, by taking a letter and joining another church. But the object of his labors, and those of his coadjutors, was accom- plished. The next year the Association rescinded its action on the subject of missionary institutions. Still, the contest remain- ed doubtful as to its final issue. In 1840, the Association re- solved that contributing to missionary societies should be no bar to fellowship. This aroused the Anti-missionaries, and they put forth their utmost endeavors to secure the rescinding of the resolution, at the next meeting of the body. When a motion to that effect was put to the Association, the vote stood 24 against 24. Thomas Scrivner, the Moderator, promptly gave the casting vote against the motion. This ended the contest in the Association.
Mr. Scrivner was the first preacher who labored as mission- ary under the patronage of Barren River Association. In this position, he not only labored with abundant success among the destitute, but he visited all the churches in the Association, and instructed them on the subject of missions. He continued his labors as pastor and missionary, till he was 83 years of age, when he resigned his last pastoral charge. After this, he con- tinued to preach when his failing strength would permit. In 1863, he labored in a protracted meeting at Cedar Grove church near his residence, by way of prayer and exhortation, with much zeal and great enjoyment. This was about the last of his labors. On the 16th of July, 1864, he departed the scenes of his earthly toils and entered the rest that remains for the people of God.
Mr. Scrivner was a man of medium gifts, and his power in the pulpit was more the result of a peculiarly consecrated life and patient study, than of any native genius. He was a teacher of the gospel. His preaching was a plain, direct statement of gospel truth, without any attempt at embellishment. He was almost devoid of the gift of exhortation, and he made no attempt to move men by artifice. He was always grave and decorous in his deportment, never indulging in jesting, and was seldom seen to smile. His words were few, and his manner, even in private conversation, was peculiary solemn. In
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the pulpit, he inspired his audience with reverental awe. He read his selections from the scriptures, and his hymns, and even delivered his sermons, in the tone of a solemn chant. His powers of endurance seemed exhaustless, and his zeal for the salvation of men, and his energy and industry in attempting to promote it, were alike unceasing. No wonder he succeeded in turning many to righteousness.
JAMES YOUNG was a useful preacher among the old churches of Barren River Association. He was born and raised in Scot- land, where he was well educated, and acquired the trade of a tailor. In his youth, he united with a Baptist church in his native country. In his 19th year, he emigrated to America, and after remaining a short time at Williamsburg, Va., came to Ken- tucky, and settled in Jessamine county, about 1790. Here he was married to Frances, daughter of George Chapman. About 1804, he moved to Barren county. It is not known when he began to preach, or whether he was ever pastor of a church. But he was a good expounder of the scriptures, and a man of excellent christian character. He lived about 16 years in Bar- ren county, and, on account of his superior attainments, was of great advantage to the Baptists of that region, who were very illiterate at that period. On the day before his death, which oc- curred, in 1821, many of his neighbors visited him in his sick
room. It was on Sabbath, and he called them around him, re- minded them of his past warnings and entreaties, expressed great concern for their salvation, and then, calling on them to kneel down, prayed for them. After the prayer was ended, he said, with much apparent admiration : "What are these that fill the room, flying around over my head?" After looking in- tently for some moments, he said : "I cannot tell." The next day, he went to his final reward.
Mr. Young raised one daughter and four sons, of whom Asa was for a number of years, a member of the Kentucky Legisla- ture, from Barren county, and was a very valuable member of Barren River Association; and William was a promising young lawyer, at Glasgow, but died in early life.
BENJAMIN BAILEY was a plain old preacher, who was proba- bly pastor of no church. He was born in Sussex Co., Va., July 30, 1776. About the year 1800, he moved to Barren county, Ky. He professed religion and united with Mt. Pleas-
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ant church, in 1810. He was afterwards ordained to the minis- try, and, although his gifts were very humble, he was useful in preaching the word of the Lord to the poor. Many of the sons and daughters of the backwoods hunters, heard the gospel preached, for the first time, in the cabins of their parents, by "Old Daddy Bailcy." When Barren River Association split on the subject of missions, he adhered to the Anti-missionaries. He died of dropsy, at his home in Allen county, in March, 1848.
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