USA > Missouri > History of the Blue River Baptist Association of Missouri > Part 3
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In 1846, Blue River Association met with New Hope Church on Friday, September 14th. Introductory sermon by Elder Lewis Franklin. Letters and messengers from 22 churches, 3 of which were petitionary for admission into the Association. Clear Creek, Brin Zion, Mount Pleasant and Independence not represented. Total membership, 1,494. Lewis Franklin was chosen Moder- ator, and Wm. C. Ligon, Clerk. Providence, South Fork and Pottowatomie Churches admitted.
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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI.
A committee of seven, viz .: Wm. White, James Wad- dell, Jeremiah Farmer, Milton F. Price, Wm. C. Ligon, Lewis Franklin and John Jackson, were appointed to visit Post Oak Church, for the purpose of reconciling or re- moving a difficulty amongst the brethren of that church, and report to the next meeting of the Association, which difficulty, as appeared from their report, was happily settled.
The following, amongst other resolutions, were adopted with comparative unanimity :
1st. Resolved, That this Association appoint an evan- gelist to preach in the destitute parts in the bounds of the Association, and to hold a meeting of days with each church, and take up collections for the support of said evangelist, and report at the next meeting of the Asso- ciation.
2nd. That Brother Jeremiah Farmer be requested to travel and preach within the bounds of the Association in compliance with the foregoing resolution.
The name of Wm. P. C. Caldwell appears for the first time in the minutes of this year's session as an elder and messenger from High Point Church; while the name of Elder James Renfro is omitted, and appears no more upon the records of the Association.
Wm. Harris and Edward Wood, of Jackson County, and Perry D. Williams, of Benton, are added to the num- ber of licentiates, and the names of John Freeman and Wm. P. Sellars are dropped from the list.
The next meeting of the Association was with Liberty Church, in Johnson County, on the 10th of September, 1847. Introductory sermon by Elder Jeremiah Farmer. Alvin Brooking was chosen Moderator, and E. Roth, Clerk. Twenty-nine churches were present by letter and messengers, four of which were new churches asking ad-
,
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HISTORY OF THE BLUE RIVER
mission into the union, which was granted to Mound Branch, Spring Grove, Dover and First Church of War- rensburg. Pottowatomie not represented. Total mem- bership, 1,526.
The Committee of Arrangements were required to take into consideration the propriety of dividing the As- sociation, and report; which report seems to have been adverse to a division.
Elder Wm. B. Senter, from Liberty; Wm. Thornton and O. J. Maxwell, from Saline; Elder G. D. Brooks. from North Liberty; T. M. Brooks, from Platte River, and J. M. Goodson, from North Grand River, were invited to seats, as were also all visiting elders from this and other Associations.
Voted to continue correspondence with Saline. North Liberty, North Grand River, Liberty, Platte River and Mount Pleasant; but voted to drop correspondence with Concord, which action was rescinded at the next meeting of the Association, and correspondence with Concord resumed. Resolved also that it was inexpedient to divide the Association.
The report of Jeremiah Farmer, as evangelist, re- ceived, in which he says: "I have devoted 6 months in your service, preached 150 sermons, attended 6 protracted meetings, traveled 1,355 miles, and witnessed the conver- sion of about 60 souls; prayed with and instructed many mourners; assisted in the constitution of one church and in the ordination of several deacons, and received by con- tributions $53.622."
The Association, at this session, appointed Jeremiah Farmer and W. P. C. Caldwell as evangelists for the en- suing year, to be governed by the same instructions as last year.
Elders J. T. Ricketts. Wm. C. Ligon, Henry Farmer. .
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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI.
and Jeremiah Farmer appointed to preach on Lord's day.
The names of Peter Brown, Perry D. Williams, and E. Roth are this year added to the list of ordained min- isters, and J. J. Robinson, of Jackson, and J. Q. Bridges, of Johnson, are added to the number of licentiates, while the name of Charles Amet is dropped from the list.
In 1848, the Association met with Post Oak Church, on the 8th of September. Introductory sermon by Elder Henry Farmer, alternate of Elder John Jackson, not present.
Letters and messengers from thirty churches received. Mound Branch, Pottowatomie, and First Church in War- rensburg not represented. Bethel, Blue Ridge, First Baptist Church in Warsaw, and Elk Fork, admitted as new churches into the Association.
Alvin Brooking chosen Moderator, and Edward Roth, Clerk.
James Cole, a messenger from Liberty, Elders G. D. Brooks and E. Evans, from North Liberty, were present and invited to seats. 1
At this session of the Association, Elders Jeremiah Farmer and W. P. C. Caldwell made a very encouraging report of their labors as evangelists during the year, from which report it appears their labors had been abundantly blessed.
The Association appointed J. Farmer, Henry Farmer, William White, and B. W. Sanders, each, to labor at least four months as missionaries within the bounds of the Association. Peter Brown was also appointed as an evangelist to labor in the destitute parts of Bates, St. Clair, and Benton Counties, to be governed by the rules of this Association respecting evangelists.
It appears that at this meeting of the Association, the church of Basin Knob submitted the following query
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solution: "Is it in order to receive brethren from other denominations who have been baptized upon a profession of faith, without re-baptizing them?"
The Association appointed a committee, consisting of Elders Lewis Franklin, Wm. C. Ligon, W. P. C. Cald- well, Jeremiah Farmer, and B. M. Adams, to prepare an answer to the question. The committee reported an answer, which, after much discussion by the Association, was rejected, and the query laid upon the table un- answered.
The Association having now fully entered into the missionary work of sending the Gospel to the destitute, resolved, by a resolution passed at this session, to rescind so much of her action and resolution of 1841 as declares that, " As an Association, we will have nothing to do with benevolent or missionary operations."
Elders George, Casick, Ligon, and Roth preached on Sabbath.
B. W. Sanders was this year added to the number of ordained ministers, and Isaiah T. and Perry D. Williams omitted or stricken from the list. The names also of Moses Bailey and John Hunt, of Lone Jack Church, are inserted in the list of licentiates, and that of Wiley B. Farmer is omitted.
The next meeting of the body was with Big Blue Church, September 7, 1849. Introductory sermon by W. P. C. Caldwell, Alvin Brooking, Moderator, and Elder E. S. Dulin, Clerk. M. F. Price elected Treasurer.
Reports of the evangelists or missionaries presented and ordered to be printed with the minutes; which reports were, in the main, encouraging, although showing, (that of Brother Brown in particular, ) great destitution of church privileges and of the preached Word in some parts of the territory pertaining to this Association.
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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI.
The following resolution amongst others was adopted:
Resolved, That this Association cordially approves of the location of William Jewell College in the town of - Liberty, in the western part of the State, and that we will use all proper efforts to advance its interest. It was also, Resolved, That Blue River Association become auxil- iary to the General Association of Missouri, and appoint messengers to represent her in that body at its next session.
Collections were taken up for the General Association, for our evangelists, and also for the Missouri Baptist Indian Mission. It was also resolved, at this session, that our evangelists be instructed to follow the primitive custom of going two and two together, and that they con- fine their labors to the destitute parts as much as prac- ticable.
Another resolution required and provided that the evangelists should receive not less than $18 per month, provided that amount was freely contributed; and, fur- ther, that if any one of them received contributions ex- ceeding that amount, the excess should be turned over to the Treasurer of the Association.
Elders Caldwell, J. Farmer, and E. S. Dulin appointed to preach on Sabbath.
The name of Elder J. T. Ricketts, one of the original preachers of the Association, fails to appear on the min- utes of this year's session, and is found no more upon the records of our union. But the name of Elder J. J. Robinson this year takes its places in the minutes, and continues to the present time as one of our most faithful and energetic elders. Dr. Johnson Lykins and M. F. Williams were added to the number of ministering elders at this session. The names also of John R. Franklin, of Six Mile, Thomas J. Harris, of New Hope, and D. A.
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Potts, of Six Mile, are added to the list of licentiates, while the names of Wm. Harris, Andrew Brown, and John Hunt are omitted or withdrawn from said list.
The next meeting of the Association was with the Grand River Church, September 7, 1850. Introductory sermon by Elder Lewis Franklin. Alvin Brooking chosen Moderator, and M. F. Price, Clerk. Letters and mes- "sengers from 34 churches, Mount Olivet and Pleasant Valley being new churches received at the present session.
The evangelists, J. Farmer, Wm. White, Peter Brown, J. J. Robinson, W. P. C. Caldwell, submitted their re- ports, which were ordered to be printed with the minutes.
A committee on missionary operations, consisting of Jeremiah Farmer, J. J. Robinson, Josiah Leake, W. P. C. Caldwell, and Lewis Franklin, was appointed and reported as follows, which report was by the Association adopted :
"We have reviewed our past labors in the missionary cause with devout thanks to God for the success with which our efforts have been crowned. But while our present system has done much in stirring us up to a sense of our duty in sending the Gospel to the destitute, it does
not fully provide for their supply. As we meet but once in the year, the importance of the work demands some- thing more efficient than the plan hitherto pursued by us. Your committee would therefore respectfully recom. mend the appointment of an Executive Committee of twenty, five of whom to constitute a quorum, whose duty it shall be to employ a missionary or missionaries, if necessary, to preach entirely to the destitute; to receive reports from the missionaries thus employed, and to make reports to the Association annually, and also to solicit aid for the support of our missionaries, and to hold- meet- ings at least every three months. We likewise recom- mend a Board of Managers, to consist of one from each
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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI.
church, to correspond with the Executive Committee, and to act in concert with them, especially at their annual meetings. We recommend the following named persons for the Executive Committee: 'M. F. Price, James W. Waddell, Wm. Duvall, H. Wallace, H. Belles, A. Brook- ing, J. Mickleborough, G. Neat, G. Holloway, S. G. Allen, H. G. Glenn, John Jackson, Flemming Harris, H. Farmer, E. Roth, J. Leake, Lewis Franklin, J. J. Robin- son, W. P. C. Caldwell, and J. Farmer; and also the fol- lowing as a Board of Managers, to act in concert with said Executive Committee: Jedediah Williams, E. Wood, P. H. Drace, J. W. Green, Luke Williams, F. G. Reavis, James W. Manion, Harris C. Jackson, R. M. Miller, J. C. Martin, Wm. Lankford, Wm. Wright, J. Brady, J. G. Winston, G. Adams, J. Williamson, S. Evans, D. Lykins, J. Hopper, M. Kinkaid, B. Stark, L. S. Evans, J. P. Smith, E. W. Ramsey, A. Ousley, D. W. Johnson, Wm. H. Trolinger, and Joab Powell.'"
It appears that the brethren at this session of the Association did not rest satisfied with merely passing resolutions on the subject of missions.
Thirty-six dollars and ninety cents was sent up by certain churches to aid in sustaining missionaries preach- ing in destitute parts of the Association; $238 was also pledged by individuals to be paid to the Treasurer during the year for the same purpose, and a collection of $40.35 was taken up on Sabbath and divided equally between this and the General Association.
Elders Josiah Leake and D. W. Johnson preached on Sabbath.
The names of Frederic Snyder and E. S. Dulin do not appear amongst the names of ministering elders at this year's session, and the names of Josiah Leake, Wm. C. Bachelor, and D. W. Johnson are added. B. F. Goodwin,
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J. B. Bowers, Fleming Lucas and Luke Williams are added to the list of licentiates.
In 1851, the Association convened with Mound Prairie Church, Lafayette County, on the 13th of September. Introductory sermon by Elder Jeremiah Farmer. The churches of Hogle's Creek, Benton County, Norris Creek, Henry County, Deep Water, Bates County, and Inde- pendence were received as new churches into the Associa- tion. The Association then numbered 38 churches, five of which, viz. : Greenton, Big Creek, Pottowatomie, Mound Branch, and Elk Fork were not represented. Total number of members 2,545. Elected Alvin Brooking, Moderator, and Hugh G. Glenn, Clerk, with M. F. Price, assistant.
The Executive Committee of twenty, through their secretary, J. Farmer, reported that Elders W. White and John Jackson had been employed by them, and under their instruction had labored 235 days, mostly in Henry and Bates Counties. That a church had been constituted in Independence, and aided by them to the amount of $50. A change was made in the Executive Board by reducing the number to seven and making it more central. The Mod- erator appointed the following brethren as the board: Jeremiah Farmer, John Ament, S. G. Allen, and H. G. Glenn from Harrisonville Church, and Henry Farmer, Joseph Christopher, and Wm. Farmer, from Union. An advisory committee of one from each church was selected by the messengers then present from the respective churches, to wit: James W. Waddell, Lewis Franklin, J. M. Burrus, W. P. C. Caldwell, Amos Horn, F. G. Reavis, John Wornall, Jacob Tyler, Sydney Adams, Stephen White. E. S. Payne, Samuel Cunningham, B. B. Barton, J. B. Bow- ers, M. F. Williams, John Jackson, J. C. Vincent, Geo. W. Anderson, J. H. Harris, Daniel Marr, David Lykins, J.
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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI.
Hopper, J. W. Foster, E. Roth, Mumford Pelly, J. M. Kemper, E. W. Ramsey, D. W. Johnson, Wm. Gray, Joab . Powell, Joseph Monroe, Wm. White, Hiram Henderson, and Samuel Ruffner.
A difficulty appearing to exist between Warrensburg and Bethel Churches, a committee, consisting of Brethren. James W. Waddell, David Edwards, Samuel Cunningham, H. C. Jackson, Samuel Ruffner, Wm. Farmer, S. G. Allen, H. G. Glenn, John Brady, James Davenport, John Wornall, Owen Cooper, Jesse Enloe, James C. Martin, and A. Brooking, was appointed to meet in Warrensburg, and hear the parties in controversy, and make a decision in the case, a copy of which decision to be published in the minutes of the Association or the Western Watchman. It. appears, however, that a quorum of said committee never met, and no decision, so far as we know, was ever made.
Two hundred dollars were at this meeting of the As- sociation pledged by individuals to further the mission work of the Association, and $370 sent up by the churches contributed by individuals and raised by public collection at the then present session.
The names of Wm. C. Ligon, Josiah Leake, and Wm. .C. Bachelor do not appear on the minutes of this year. B. F. Goodwin is added as an ordained minister. S. F. Thompson and D. N. Horn are added to and T. J. Harris taken from the list of licentiates.
The next meeting of the Association was with the Mount Pleasant Church, in Benton County, September 30, 1852. Introductory sermon by Wm. White, in the absence of Joab Powell. James W. Waddell chosen Mod- erator, and M. F. Price, Clerk. Friendship Church at Columbus, in Johnson County, was admitted at this ses- sion into the union of churches, though objected to by the delegation from Blackwater. The Executive Board
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HISTORY OF THE BLUE RIVER
made report of four months' missionary labor by Wm. White, mostly in Henry County.
The Committee on Missions recommended an increased effort on the part of the Board to supply the destitute fields, and that if the salary was not sufficient to procure laborers, to consider the wants and efficiency of ministers and regulate the salary accordingly. The Executive Board was changed from Harrisonville and vicinity to Warrensburg and its vicinity, and made to consist of Elders W. P. C. Caldwell and A. Horn, and Brothers John Price, Jas. W. Greer, J. C. Rountree, Z. Emerson, and J. Rogers.
A resolution was passed, recommending to the brethren The Tennessee Baptist, and also an obituary resolution in relation to the decease of Elder D. W. Johnson.
The name of Elder Joab Powell does not appear in the minutes of this year, he having moved to Oregon, while the names of Wm. A. Durfey, D. L. Russell, Wm. G. Gen- try, and J. B. Bowers are added to the list of ordained ministers. J. H. Kemper and D. N. Horn are also added to the number of licentiates.
The next session was with Lone Jack Church, on Sep- tember 30, 1853, and following days. In the absence of Wm. Gray, the introductory sermon was preached by ยท W. P. C. Caldwell. S. G. Allen was chosen Moderator, and T. M. T. Jackson, Clerk. Five new churches were added to the Association at this session, viz .: Mount Pis- gah, Cass County; Mount Pisgah, Henry County, Walnut Grove, Harmony and Red Dirt. The number of churches in the union was then 41, all of which were represented, except Warrensburg and Hogle's Creek.
The Committee on Missionary Operations, by Lewis Franklin its chairman, reported, recommending a different plan of operations, viz. : That each brother, both ministers
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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI.
and laity, pledge so many days' labor in preaching. Those who are not ministers to choose the minister to fill their pledge and the place to bestow the labor. They further recommended that as there was on hand a special fund for supplying the destitution, a missionary or missionaries be employed for that purpose.
The Association voted that the pastors of the several churches present to their respective churches the claims of the plan recommended, and try to enlist a general co- operation in the mission work throughout the Association. The Association also elected Wm. A. Durfey and D. N. Horn as missionaries, they to labor four months each in destitute parts of the Association.
The names of the churches, with their location and number of communicants, were as follows :
Lexington, Lafayette County, 310 members ; Six Mile, Jackson, 39; Blue Spring, Jackson, 112; High Point, Johnson, 59 ; Blackwater, Johnson, 13; Liberty, Johnson, 67 ; Harrisonville, Cass, 225; Union, Cass, 180 ; West- port (Big Blue), Jackson, 60; Post Oak, Johnson, 35 ; New Hope, Cass, 80; Big Creek, Cass, 13; Lone Jack, Jackson, 149; Mound Prairie,, Lafayette, 113; West Fork, Jackson, 131; Mount Zion, St. Clair, 34; Grand River, Cass, 71; Mount Pleasant, Benton, 25; New Salem, Jackson, 57; Providence, Johnson, 28; Spring Grove, Benton, 58; Concord, Johnson, 47; Dover, La- fayette, 57; Bethel, Johnson, 66 ; Blue Ridge, Jackson, 42; Warsaw, Benton, 40; Elk Fork, Pettis, 43; War- rensburg, Johnson, 65 ; Mount Olivet, Henry, 54; Pleas- ant Valley, Jackson, 52; Norris Creek, Henry, 19 ; Deep Water, Bates, 13; Independence, Jackson, 32; Hogle's Creek, Benton, 16; Friendship, Johnson, 10; Pottowa- tomie, Wea Station, 25 ; Mount Pisgah, Cass, 38; Mount Pisgah ( south ), Henry, 11; Walnut Grove, Cass, 13;
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Harmony, Lafayette, 14; Red Dirt, Bates, S. Total, 2,542.
The number of ministering elders this year is in- creased by the addition of J. M. Brown, Westport; G. F. H. Crockett, Lexington; Howard Chism, Independence; D. N. Horn, Warrensburg; George Minton, Tabo; and Edward Wood, Blue Spring. The name of S. G. Allen is added to the list of licentiates, and those of D. A. Potts, John R. Franklin, and Fleming Lucas are omitted.
The Association next convened with Harrisonville Church, September 24, 1854. Introductory sermon by Wm. A. Durfey; S. G. Allen, Moderator, and M. F. Price, Clerk. , Oak Grove Church, Saint's Rest, , and Bethlehem, admitted into the union. Mount Prairie and New Salem not represented.
Appointed Committees of Arrangement, Finance, Correspondence, Indian Missions, Missionary Operations, List of Ministers, Wm. Jewell College, Religious Exer- cises, Sunday School, and Temperance, which several committees made report.
The Committee on Missionary Operations recom- mended an Executive Board of three persons only, which was adopted, and M. F. Price, J. W. Waddell, and J. H. Graham, of Lexington Church, were appointed as said Board.
Report of missionaries of the last year called for. W. A. Durfey -no labor performed; D. N. Horn reported four months' labor with good results.
The following resolution, amongst others, was adopted: Resolved, That, in the opinion of this Association, it is a departure from the doctrine and practice of the United Baptist Church, and incompatible with the order of the . primitive church, for Baptist ministers to baptize persons without carefully examining the evidences of their conver-
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI. 43
sion and regardless of their subsequent connection with the Baptist Church; and that the ministers of Blue River Association be affectionately requested henceforth to desist from the practice alluded to.
This resolution, we believe, was passed in consequence of our missionary, D. N. Horn, having baptized certain persons at their request who were desirous of connecting themselves with a Methodist Church, whose minister refused to baptize them by immersion.
Preaching during the meeting by Elders A. Horn, D. N. Horn, L. Franklin, Wm. Gray, P. Brown, R. S. Thomas, Tyre C. Harris, H. Farmer, J. J. Robinson, Wm. A. Durfey, B. M. Adams, Sterling Hill, W. C. Harding, and W. P. C. Caldwell.
Contribution by the churches, $55.35; contribution paid by individuals, $45; amount pledged by churches, $70, and by individuals, $240.
The list of ordained ministers increased by the ad- dition of A. G. Newgent, Wm. Carrollton, and J. Gott, and diminished by the death of J. B. Bowers, and the removal of G. H. H. Crockett and J. M. . Brown. The names of S. Hill and W. C. Harding were also added to the list of licentiates. Tyre C. Harris had also been added to the number of ministering elders, and before the year expired was taken away by death.
The next meeting was with Six Mile Church, October 13, 1855. Introductory sermon by Elder Jeremiah Farmer. The new churches of Walnut Creek, Mount Nebo, Kansas, and Pleasant Grove admitted into the Association. S. G. Allen elected Moderator, and Wm. A. Durfey, Clerk; Wm. M. Brisco, Treasurer. The usual committees were appointed. .
The Committee on Missions reported that, " We believe the present plan as good as can be adopted, and recom-
-
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HISTORY OF THE BLUE RIVER
mended its continuance." Report adopted, and S. G. Allen, J. Farmer, and H. G. Glenn elected as the Execu- tive Board. The Executive Board of last year reported that they had not been able to find men to devote their whole time to the work, but had employed D. N. Horn, John Jackson, and Henry Farmer part of the time, who had been moderately successful.
At this session, the churches of Mount Pleasant, Elk Fork, Warsaw, Salem, Mount Olivet, Pleasant Grove, Spring Grove, High Point, and Bethlehem were dismissed from this to form the Tebo Association.
Contributions, this year, by churches, $92; by indi- viduals, $26.50; pledged by churches, $75, and by individuals, $90.
The number of ordained preachers was diminished by removals or dismissals this year of Peter Brown, Wm. A. Gray, and B. F. Goodwin. John Jackson, one of the original ministers of the Association of 1834, had also removed to Kansas Territory, and outside our boundaries. The following names were added to the list of ministering elders: C. J. Teas, R. S. Thomas, T. Camell, Sterling Hill, W. C. Harding, and E. S. Dulin. We also find G. W. Johnson, G. W. Campbell, G. S. Kerlerson, N. Chris- man, and . Ellage upon the list of licentiates.
In 1856 the Association met with West Fork Church, on the 4th of October. Introductory sermon by Elder R. S. Thomas. Letters from thirty-two churches, with their messengers present. Big Creek and Walnut Grove not represented. Bone Hill Church admitted into the Association. A letter was also received from High Point Church, stating that she had been rejected by Tebo Asso- . ciation, and asking that a committee be appointed to in- vestigate the alleged irregularities preparatory to her application for re-admission into Blue River Association;
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