USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 61
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and not only improved rapidly in preaching, but also advanced in literary knowledge till he became a good English scholar and made considerable proficiency in some of the dead languages. His conduct was so uniformly exemplary, and his Christian meekness and humility so manifest, that he gained the respect and confidence of the white as well as the colored people of the city, and numbered among his friends and counsellors those eminent ministers of Christ, A. D. Sears, Wm. C. Buck, Thos. S. Malcolm, and John L. Waller.
In April, 1842, the colored members of the Ist Baptist church in Louisville, to the number of 475, were constituted a separate organization, with Henry Adams as its pastor. This faithful overseer continued in its service, after its independent organization, about thirty years. During the first twenty years of this period, he baptized for its fellowship over 1, 300 persons. Meanwhile, the congregation now called Green Street Church, which became a separate body in 1846, grew up under the care of George Wells, first, and R. Sneathen, afterwards, to a mem- bership of 725: and York Street church, constituted Dec. 7, 1857, numbered 46 members. During the progress of the War, these churches did not grow much; but after the return of peace, they again became prosperous, and, at the time of Elder Adams' death, which occurred on the 3d of November, 1872, there were seven colored churches in Louisville, with an aggre- gate membership of more than 3,000.
After the colored people were freed, Elder Adams mani- fested a deep interest for the welfare of his brethren. He aided them in organizing churches, associations, conventions, and such other institutions as he hoped would promote their tem- poral and spiritual prosperity, and was especially solicitous that they should build up schools and educate their children. His heart was much set on seeing a school established in Louisville for the literary and theological training of preachers. He did not live to see this object accomplished ; but his brethren did not forget his counsel, and such a school is now in existence, and quite prosperous.
Of the other churches that existed before the War, and their pastors, no particulars have been ascertained. The colored members of the 17 independent churches, and those connected with the white churches belonging to South District, Long
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Run, Russells Creek, Lynn, Elkhorn, Bethel, Little River, Daviess county, and Goshorn Associations, at the beginning of the War, aggregated 11, 659. Those connected with the remain- ing churches of the State, it is believed, would aggregate a some- what larger number. It is estimated,therefore, that the col- ored Baptists in the State numbered about 25,000. During the succeeding five years, the number was much diminished by a large emigration to the free States, the fall of colored soldiers in the War, and other causes. The number that remained in the State, and retained the character of worthy church members, at the close of the War, could scarcely be estimated, with fairness, at more than 15,000. Most of these had virtually, if not for- mally, separated from the white churches, and were, therefore, without church membership. But many of them were true and earnest Christians; they had among them some pious and worthy preachers, and a few ministers of strong native intellect and fair acquirements. Prominent among the latter were Henry Adams, of Louisville, G. W. Dupee, of Paducah, E. W. Green, of Maysville, and J. F. Thomas, of Bowling Green. These, with others, began to gather their people into churches, and to encourage them to walk in the good way of the Lord. Recently freed from slavery, they were almost destitute of property ; but their religious zeal amounted to a continuous enthusiasm. They met together in their churches, not only on Sabbath days, but in many cases, especially in cities and villages, where nearly all their early churches were formed, almost every night in the week for months together. Multitudes were converted and brought into their churches, and many backsliders were re- claimed. At the time of their associational meetings, in 1870, they were as well organized as could reasonably have been ex- pected of a people almost entirely illiterate and wholly destitute of experience in conducting the affairs of deliberative bodies. They had, at that time, a General Association and at least six District Associations; and, although exact statistics have not been preserved, it may be fairly estimated that they had fully regained, in numbers, what they had lost by the War, and had, therefore, a total membership of 25,000.
GEORGE W. DUPEE deserves especial remembrance in con- nection with the organizing of the colored Baptists of Kentucky, after their liberation from slavery. Although not so well 42
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educated as Henry Adams, he possessed an equally strong in- tellect, was probably a more popular preacher, and was, at the period under consideration, much more vigorous and active. He was born the property of Elder Joseph Taylor, in Gallatin county, Ky., about the year 1826, and was raised in Franklin and Woodford counties. He professed religion and was bap- tized for the fellowship of Buck Run church, in Franklin county, by Peter Kenney, on the third Sunday in August, 1842. Three years later, he began to exercise in public exhortation, was licensed to preach in 1846, and in 1851, was ordained to the care of the colored Baptist church in Georgetown, by J. M. Frost and J. L. Reynolds. He continued to serve this church till the Ist of January, 1856, on which day he was sold at pub- lic auction at the court house door. Elder Wm. Pratt and some others bought him, and allowed him to purchase his freedom. In the spring previous to this transaction, he had accepted a call to Pleasant Green church in Lexington, where he continued to minister, till 1864, giving a portion of his time to the church at Versailles. In 1861, he called together, at Versailles, Elders Armstead Steel, James Monroe, Robert Martin, Stephen Breck- inridge, and John Oliver, and organized the first ministers' and deacons' meeting among the colored Baptists of the State. While living at Georgetown and Lexington, he gathered the colored churches in Covington and Paris.
In 1865, he moved to the west end of the State, and took charge of Washington street church in Paducah, where he has continued to minister to the present time, occasionally devoting a portion of his labors to the church at Owensboro, and to serv- ing some other congregations. In 1871, he reorganized Fair View church at Mayfield, and established that at Jenkins' Chapel, both in Graves county. In 1867, he invited the churches at Elkton, Mayfield, Franklin, Henderson, and Paducah to send messengers to the last named place, where the First District Association of Colored Baptists was constituted, in September of that year. Of this body, now much the largest district asso- ciation in the State, he has been moderator from its constitution to the present time. He was also moderator of the General Association of Colored Baptists from 1871 to 1882. On the 10th of November, 1873, he brought out the first number of the
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Baptist Herald, a monthly journal, which he continued to edit and publish five years and one month.
Elder Dupee has been one of the most active, laborious, and successful preachers that have ever lived in Kentucky. In addi- tion to his labors in organizing churches, associations and other societies, and discharging the duties of a pastor, he has preached extensively among the churches in the State, and, in February, 1883, had baptized 7,000 persons-a greater number, perhaps, than any other minister in the State has baptized.
The first association of churches formed by the colored Baptists in the State, was a Baptist State Convention. It was constituted in 1865, and its object was kindred to that of a simi- lar organization instituted by their white brethren in 1832. But the former, like the latter, failed to give satisfaction, and, at its third anniversary, in 1868, after passing a resolution in favor of forming a general association, it was dissolved.
On the 3d of August, 1869, a meeting of messengers from such churches as desired to enter into the new organization, convened at Lexington. Messengers were present from 55 churches, which aggregated 12,620 members. The venerable Henry Adams, of Louisville, was chosen Moderator, and R. T. W. James, of Paducah, Clerk. A permanent organization was effected, and the body adopted the name of "The Kentucky Gen- eral Association of Colored Baptist Churches." The object of the organization, as set forth in its constitution, is to promote purity of doctrine, union, fellowship, and co-operation in pro- moting Sabbath-schools, and missionary operations. The ad- vancement of education, though not directly expressed in its constitution, has been one of the leading objects of the body. Indeed, the colored Baptists, in all their meetings, whether in their General Association, their conventions, or their district associations, have manifested a commendable zeal for the ed- ucation of their children, and especially for the better education of their ministers.
Their efforts to build up a school for the literary and theo logical training of their preachers, has been untiring. They opened a school for this purpose in the Olivet meeting-house in Louisville, on the 24th of November, 1874, under the superin- tendence of Elder A. Barry. But, after a session of five months, during which 18 students were in attendance, they
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were compelled to abandon the enterprise for the present for want of means to meet expenses. They, therefore, recom- mended their young men to attend the Normal Institute, at Nashville, Tenn., until they could establish a suitable school for their accommodation in their own State ; and several young preachers were sent by the different associations to that institu- tion. Meanwhile, the effort to establish a college in Louisville was continued with unabated zeal, until it was crowned with success. A suitable lot and buildings were purchased by the General Association, which had been incorporated by the Ken- tucky Legislature for that purpose, and the school was opened Nov. 23, 1879, under the charge of Elder E. P. Marrs. In its report to the General Association in 1880, the Executive Board "The Theological Seminary is a very handsome piece says :
of property. It is located in the city of Louisville, on the south side of Kentucky street, between Seventh and Eighth streets. The lot is 217 feet by 375 feet, extending through the whole square to Zane street." This property was purchased at a cost of about $13,000. In the fall of 1880, "Rev. Wm. J. Sim- mons, a well-educated and very energetic colored brother," was elected President of the institution. During the succeeding session, III students were enrolled. The school is now re- garded a permanent institution, and will doubtless prove of great advantage to the colored Baptists of the State.
The Sunday-school interest has been regarded from the first one of primary importance by the colored Baptists. In all their associations this cause has been constantly a principal subject of discussion and earnest commendation; and, besides a State Sunday-school convention, which was organized about 1869, district conventions have been instituted in most, or all, of the associational districts. Missionaries have been instructed to give special attention to organizing and encouraging Sunday- schools, and some have been employed to devote their labors exclusively to this work. These benevolent efforts have been greatly blessed. In 1881, the First District Sunday-school con- vention, which occupies the west end of the State, reported 47 schools with 273 teachers and 3,392 scholars. The General Association reported, the same year, in the churches it repre- resented, 147 schools with 8,761 scholars.
The ministers' meetings, connected with the associations, and
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held at various times and places, all over the State, though too frequently occupied in discussing speculative and impractical questions, have been of incalculable benefit. They have been a species of theological schools, in which the illiterate preachers have been instructed by their more learned and gifted brethren, in the doctrines of the Bible and the principles of good morals. These teachings have been adopted by the churches and associ- ations, to such an extent, that it would be difficult to discrimi- nate, unfavorably to the illiterate colored Baptists, between them and their white brethren, as to soundness in doctrine, purity in moral sentiment, and practical wisdom in propagating the gospel. Some specimens of associational utterances on these subjects are worthy of serious attention. The General Association, at its first meeting, recorded these sentiments : All regular Baptist churches acknowledge the Bible as their guide in faith and dis- cipline. The same law, therefore, that governs one Baptist church, governs all others; hence, the law which disqualifies a person for membership in one church, disqualifies him for mem- bership in any other. Therefore, we deem it wrong, and highly injurious to the cause of Christ, to recognize the reception of any justly excluded person from a regular Baptist church, by any church of the same faith and order. We present this item of vital interest, hoping it may be carried out so as to preserve our christian fellowship inviolate. During the same session, this body "resolved, that this Association will consider the high advantages arising from industry and economy, which are so calculated to promote our future success and happiness," and, "that we will, in our several localities, oppose the use of spirit- uous liquors as a beverage." In 1872, the Ministers and Dea- cons' meeting associated with this body, advised, that none of the ministers nor churches receive Pedobaptist or Campbellite immersion, "nor any other immersion, unless performed by a legal administrator." About 1877, chartering railroad cars and making Sunday excursions for the benefit of benevolent causes, became quite common. At that date, the General Association adopted the following : " Whereas, There is a disposition on the part of a number of our pastors to encourage and engage in Sunday excursions, and since it has been practiced, to a great extent, it is becoming destructive to the interests of good morals and a thorough religious sentiment ; therefore, be it Resolved,
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That it is the sense of this Association, that said Sunday ex- cursions are wicked, and in direct violation of the command of God, when He says, 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'" The First District Association adopted similar resolu- tions, the same year, and also took a position on alien baptism, similar to that expressed by the State Ministers' and Deacons' Meeting.
About this period, there were numerous disensions in the churches. in various parts of the State, which the General As- sociation supposed to have originated from a "lack of knowl- edge of Baptist church government and discipline." That body recommended the churches to procure Hiscox's Baptist Church Directory, and study it ; and, in 1879, advised, that no aspirant for ministerial honors be licensed, unless he possessed "at least a limited knowledge of the fundamental principles of an English education." In 1881, the Association insisted very emphatically, that license to preach should be granted to no one who could not read intelligently and without blundering, any portion of the Bible, and pass an examination in Arithmetic, through frac- tions, spell and parse fairly, and show a knowledge of the out- lines of Geography; and that a candidate should not be or- dained, except for a special work-such as a pastoral charge, the work of a missionary under appointment, &c. It also resolved not to countenance any brother who should "change from one council to another, apparently with the idea of slipping into the ministry without solid acquirements."
FIRST DISTRICT ASSOCIATION of colored Baptists is the oldest, as well as much the largest organization of the kind in the State. It was constituted of the churches at Elkton, Franklin, May. field, Henderson and Paducah, at the last named place, in Sep- tember, 1867. The next year, it received nine new churches, and in 1869, eight more. At the latter date, it numbered 22 church- es with 3,228 members. Its preachers were G. W. Dupee, Lewis Norris, S. Underwood, Wm. Jones, A. Chapman, Wm. Hubbard, Malachi Dunn, Peter Bronough and Wm. Lee.
This Association includes the churches at Franklin, Bowling Green and Cloverport, and occupies all that portion of the State lying west of those towns, except portions of Trigg and some of the adjoining counties, which are occupied by Little River and Cumberland Valley Associations. It has been, from the
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beginning, a prosperous and enterprising body. A Ministers' meeting, and a Sunday-school convention are located on its ter- ritory, and are, in some sense, under its fostering care. By its request, the Baptist Herald, the first religious periodical edi- ted by a colored Baptist in Kentucky, was published at Paducah by G. W. Dupee, the first number being issued in September, 1873. The growth of the Association has been unusually rapid. In 1870, it numbered 45 churches with 4,611 members, and, in 1880, 106 churches with 13,336 members, of which 1,650 had been baptized during the year.
ELKHORN ASSOCIATION was constituted, in 1868, and occu- pied the territory of the white Baptist Association of the same name, but extended considerably beyond the borders of the latter fraternity. It had the advantage of a large membership, to begin with, the churches of Elkhorn Association of white Baptists having contained 4,853 colored members, at che be- ginning of the War. The body under consideration was not as prosperous as might have been expected. It favored the ben- evolent enterprises of the time, however, and accomplished something in the causes of missions, education and Sunday- schools. In 1877, it numbered 30 churches, 21 of which aggre- gated 5, 303 members, the other 9 having failed to report their statistics. In 1880, it consolidated with the Mt. Zion fraternity in forming the Educational Association.
MT. ZION ASSOCIATION was constituted about the same time with the last named. It included in its territory Bracken, Mason and Lewis counties. No particulars of its history have come to hand. It united with Elkhorn in forming the Educational As- sociation, in 1880.
LIBERTY ASSOCIATION was constituted, in 1868, and is located in Barren, Hart, and some of the adjacant counties. Among its preachers are Peter Murrell, J. W. Harlow, N. Gassaway, D. Wilson, Isaac Owen, S. W. Crenshaw, J. F. and Elijah Lewis, J, W. Page, Wm. Rowlett, R. Harston and G. Buford. Of its doings, little has been learned. In 1877, it reported 30 churches with 2,236 members.
SOUTH DISTRICT ASSOCIATION is located in Washington, Boyle, Lincoln and other counties, and was constituted in 1869. Among its ministers are Isaac Slaughter, M. Broadus, S. Shearer, J. C. Harrison, A. G. Graves, W. Fisher, G. R. Gaddie, S.
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Carter, P. Durrett and J. Reid. Little has been learned of its history. It reported 31 churches, with 2,716 members, in 1876.
CENTRAL DISTRICT ASSOCIATION was constituted in 1871, and includes some of the churches in Louisville, together with those of several counties east of that city. It is a large and prosper- ous fraternity, and has exhibited a commendable zeal in promot- ing the causes of missions, Sunday-schools, and education. It has been especially earnest in its endeavors to establish and maintain the Louisville Normal and Theological Institute. When the General Association became discouraged, and had almost abandoned the hope of establishing such an institution, in the near future, this body, in 1877, appointed a special agent to solicit means to build up the school, and, although the agent accomplished but little, the interest was kept up until the enter- prise finally succeeded. A ministers' meeting and a Sunday- school convention are fostered by the churches of this body. This fraternity and at least one other district association, in the State, have one feature that is not according to Baptist usage : viz, the admission of annual and life members on the payment of a specified sum of money. This has been practiced, with at least doubtful propriety, by general associations, Baptist State conventions, and other societies organized purely for the pro- motion of benevolent enterprises. But a district association is an association of churches, and its deliberative body is rightly composed only of a specified number of messengers from each church. Such a body is not merely a missionary society. Despite any number of theories to the contrary, it gives advice, decides questions of doctrine and fellowship, and performs many other acts that affect the peace and union of the churches rep- resented in it. Central District Association admits an annual member on the payment of one dollar. In 1880, the time this principle was engrafted in the constitution, there was less than an average of one messenger from each church. One dollar, therefore, had a more potent representation in the body than one church. This does not accord with the democratic principle of Baptist church government. The practice may not result in seri- ous injury but it is a grave violation of principle, and is liable to produce disastrous effects.
The Association has had a rapid increase, and is now one of the large and influential fraternities in the State. In 1873, it
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reported 15 churches with 3, 140 members; in 1880, 38 churches, 20 of which reported 4,922 members, the remaining 18 churches failing to give their statistics; in 1882, 47 churches were re- ported, 39 of which numbered 7,310 members, the other 8 churches failing to report their numbers.
Among the early ministers of this body were C. Clark, S. Grigsby, A. Taylor, W. Lewis, W. J. Brown, S. Mack, and J. M. Harris.
MT. VERNON ASSOCIATION was a small fraternity located in Trigg and some of the adjoining counties. It was constituted in 1871. There were only two or three preachers connected with its churches, and it did not prosper. After four or five an- nual meetings, it was dissolved, and its churches united with the neighboring fraternities.
LITTLE RIVER AND CUMBERLAND VALLEY ASSOCIATION Was constituted of 15 small churches, at Cadiz, Trigg county, July 19, 1876. These churches aggregated 438 members. Their preachers were S. Buckner, Wm. Waddle, Thomas Ladd, A. Chapman, R. Carr, and S. Jones. The Association, as soon as it was organized, began to make endeavor to correct some evil habits that prevailed among the preachers and other church members. The first report it adopted, after earnestly commend- ing abstinence from intoxicating drinks, continues: "We commend ministers especially to stop all evil practices-visiting saloons, groceries, shops, &c., and sitting with the worldly, using all kinds of language." The report on destitution calls attention to several points at which there was no preaching, and adds : "Whereas a number of preachers are hanging around certain churches, making disturbance with the pastors, we urge them to go into these fields of labor," and, upon failing to do so, that they be published in the Baptist Herald, as being "no longer preachers." The next year it was recommended that churches which had preachers, who would not preach, should recall their credentials. This body has a custom which is not common. In addition to an introductory discourse at the open- ing of its annual meeting, it has a valedictory sermon at its close. The fraternity has been generally peaceful and moder- ately prosperous. In 1880, it numbered 21 churches with 1,295 members, and, in 1882, 24 churches with 1, 370 members.
AID ASSOCIATION was constituted at Little Flock meeting house
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in Louisville, October 24, 1877, of the following five churches : Little Flock, Limerick, First Corinthian, Mission, and Forest. The first four were located in Louisville, the other, at Newburg, in Jefferson county. They aggregated 278 members. Their ministers were C. Oldham, Elisha Clay, Ross Gofney, W. Harris, and John Hix. The constitution admits orderly Bap- tists to seats in the Association upon the payment of 50 cents each, and to membership for life, on the payment of $2.50. The body has had a rapid growth. In 1879, it numbered II churches, with 1, 350 members.
EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION was formed by the consolidation of the Elkhorn and Mt. Zion fraternities. It held its first session in Covington, July 14-21, 1880. It reported at that date 43 churches with 7,301 members, and was the largest dis- trict association in the State, except First District. It has about 25 preachers, a number of whom are men of good ability and fair acquirements.
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