USA > Missouri > History of the Blue River Baptist Association of Missouri > Part 6
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numbered fifty-one, and grew from three hundred and eighty-four communicants to five thousand, when it was thought advisable to divide it into two on account of its large and unwieldy size.
PART SECOND.
BY MARTIN RICE, LONE JACK, MISSOURI.
Having several years since, at the request and in compliance with a resolution of Blue River Baptist Asso- ciation, written as well as I could the history of that Association from its organization, in 1834, up to that date, 1874.
And now, being requested by a similar resolution, passed at its last session, in 1886, to write a continuation of that history up to the present date, I enter upon the task with some degree of reluctance and with much diffidence.
The first part of this history was written in compliance with a resolution of the Association, in 1874; was pre- sented to and approved by the Association at its next session, and was published as a serial in Dr. Ford's Christian Repository, running from January to Novem- ber, 1876.
It has now been fifty-two years since the organization of this Association, which took place at Little Sniabar meeting-house, in Lafayette County, three miles west of Lexington, Mo., on the 11th of October, 1834.
The organization at that time numbered ten churches, with 384 communicants. Of these ten churches, Big Sniabar, the oldest of the number, located near the pres- ent Wellington, still exists as an anti-mission .church, belonging to Mount Zion Association of old school Bap-
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tists. Little Sniabar, (now the first church in Lexing- ton, ) also High Point and Blackwater, both in Johnson County, now belong to the Lafayette and Johnson Asso- ciation. The other six churches were located in the county of Jackson, and of these Round Grove, west of Independence, ceased to exist about the year 1836.
Pleasant Grove, at Independence, and Pleasant Garden near Lone Jack, withdrew from the Association in 1841 and 1842, and afterward united with the Mount Zion As- sociation; Six Mile, Salem and Little Blue still remain in Blue River-the last named now known as the Blue Spring Church.
Of the thirty-five messengers who met at Little Snia- bar to organize this Association, none remain; all gone; not one living. I knew many of them personally- plain, pious Christian men of the olden time. Of the 384 com- municants of these ten churches, not one is numbered with the three or four thousand that compose Blue River Association now; all gone; removed to other lands, removed by the hand of death, or connected with other organizations, and only a few feeble and gray headed ones, like the writer, are left in the country, who remember the circumstances of the formation and early history of this, the second largest Association of Missouri Baptists.
All the preaching brethren in the Association at its organization have passed away. Their voices are all hushed, and it has been many years since any one of them was heard to proclaim the gospel within the bounds of the Association, in the formation and upbuilding of which they acted so prominent a part. And now, after the lapse of more than half a century, in looking back over those departed years, and calling to mind those departed brethren and friends, it is with mingled feelings of grati- tude, gratification and sadness. Of gratitude, because
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the Great Giver of all good has so abundantly blessed the labors of their hands and the labors of their successors, and that I have been spared to witness the fruition of their hopes. Of gratification, because the seed which these pioneer Christians planted at that early day in this western wilderness has ripened into such an abundant harvest. And of sadness, because so few, so very few, who were here then as witnesses of their faith and their labors, are here now to rejoice with me at the consumma- tion of their hopes and at the astonishing growth of the Association thus planted in weakness. Starting with 384 members, it now numbers between three and four thou- sand, having during those years dismissed from its body churches to form three other large associations, viz. : Tebo, Butler, and Lafayette and Johnson; and in addition, seven other churches having withdrawn from it and gone into the anti-mission ranks.
Truly has the Lord abundantly blessed the churches by his abounding grace, and I am reminded by this satis- factory growth of the old hymn with which Rev. Henry Avery opened the services before preaching the introduc- tory sermon at the meeting of the Association at Pleasant Garden in 1838:
"We are a garden, walled around, Chosen and made peculiar ground; A little spot enclosed by grace Out of the world's wild wilderness.
" Like trees of myrrh and spice we stand, Planted by God the Father's hand; And all His streams in Zion flow To make the young plantation grow."
1874.
It was at this session of the Association, held at Lone Jack, in 1874, that the Hon. Noah M. Givan, the Clerk,
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introduced a resolution that Jeremiah Farmer, the Mod- erator, who was at that time the oldest minister and one amongst the oldest members of the Association, should be requested to write the history of the Association, and present it at the next meeting of the body, which motion was so amended, on motion of the Moderator, as to asso- ciate me with him in the work, and passed. That history, as was said at the commencement of this sketch, was written and afterwards published in the Christian Re- pository for 1876. Written wholly by myself, as Brother Farmer could not conveniently assist, and for want of that assistance I feel that it is more defective and less valu- able than it otherwise would have been.
And now that I have undertaken to write a continua- tion of that history, it is with sadness that I realize that I must write again without his assistance. Since then he has been called home, and has gone to join those other laborers of the by-gone past, who organized the Associa- tion of which he was so long an honored, active and useful member.
As appears from the minutes of the session of 1875, the Association, after division, consisted of the following named churches, viz .: Antioch, Blue Ridge, Besonia, Blue Springs, Independence, Lee's Summit, Lone Jack, Mill Creek, Napoleon, New Liberty, New Salem, Oak Grove, Six Mile, Union or Greenwood, West Fork, West- port and Kansas City, all of Jackson County; also, Belton, Centreview, Grand River, Harrisonville, Index, New Hope, Pleasant Ridge, Pleasant Hill, Strasburg, Freeman, East Lynn and South Fork, all in Cass County; thirty churches, with a membership of 3, 044.
The ministering brethren being : Joseph E. Cham- bliss, A. Lykins, A. H. Deane, E. H. Foster, D. S. Miller G. W. Burgess, Thos. L. Powell, A. C. Rafferty, J. G.
..
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Maver, J. J. Robinson, David Taylor, Jeremiah Farmer, Wm. H. Farmer, F. W. Leonard, S. E. Deracken, W. I. Brown, J. B. Jackson, George H. Noel, J. W. Swift, E. M. Bailey, J. Blevans, L. Shackleford, J. W. Williams, James Roan, Samuel Sheppard, - Wieman, and Chapel, ordained ; also, J. H. Kemper, R. H. Jones, Na- than Johnson, Wm. Spainhower, John M. Farmer, John Hay and J. E. Petty, licentiates.
At this session the introductory sermon was by J. K. Lacy, who had been appointed at the last session for that service.
Jeremiah Farmer was chosen as Moderator, Hugh Glenn, Clerk; and John B. Wornall, Treasurer, with T. M. James, assistant.
This session is memorable on account of the open com- munion question, which came before the body for solution. South Fork Church had become divided upon that question. The pastor, J. K. Lacy, and a part of the membership having advocated, and perhaps practiced what is called open communion with members of other denominations, and having withdrawn, or been excluded from the fellow- ship of the other party, the result was that each party claimed to be the church at South Fork; and each sent up letter and messengers to the Association. Westport Church, in like manner, being divided on this question, her pastor, A. Machette, and a minority of the member- ship favorable to open communion, withdrew and organ- ized a new and separate church, and at this session ap- plied for membership in the Association as the Second Church of Westport.
On the first day of the meeting, when the letters from South Fork were presented and considered, the matter was referred to a committee of seven, consisting of Rev. Joseph E. Chambliss, J. A. Jaudon, Martin Rice, Wm. H.
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Farmer, E. H. Foster, J. O. F. Bowler, and J. H. Kem- per, and when the letter from the Second Church of West- port was presented, it was referred to the same committee, who, on the second day of the meeting reported as follows: " Your committee on the letters from South Fork Church would report: That having examined the letters from the respective bodies claiming to be the church at South Fork, we are satisfied that the body represented by Breth- ren Lacy, Blevans, Smith and Scott have adopted reso- lutions at variance with Baptist faith and usage, and are therefore not in fellowship with our denomination. We therefore recommend to the Association that Brethren Lyons, Britt, Williamson, and Davidson be recognized as delegates from the regular Baptist Church at South Fork, and that such of those brethren as may be present be re- ceived to seats in that body, as representatives of said church. We recommend further, that while in obligation to truth we must be decided in maintaining it, we regret exceedingly the course of the dear brethren whose posi- tion makes our full fellowship with them inexpedient, and . we earnestly beg them to reconsider their action, and if possible return to that fellowship of faith and practice which was so dear to us all.
" Your committee, having as instructed, also examined the letter from the Second Baptist Church at Westport, in the light of explanations made yesterday in your body by Brother Machette, are satisfied that the church occu- pies a position on the communion question at variance with the teachings of the Bible, and with the faith and. practice of Baptist churches; and we therefore believe that it would be inexpedient for the Association to extend her fellowship to said church. We also recommend that while we cannot in fealty to the truth, as we understand it, admit to our fellowship those differing with us on so
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important a subject, we do feel a deep interest in them as brethren with whom in former years we have labored so harmoniously; and earnestly desire that the spirit of wisdom may lead them, and that they may feel assured of our love and of our anxiety that they may be brought back into our full fellowship as they are in our Christian sympathy."
A division of the question being called for, that part of the report relating to South Fork was unanimously adopted. And after a feeling argument from Brother Machette, the delegates from the Second Church of West- port withdrew their application for admission, and since that time we believe the greater part have been brought back into fellowship with the Association. Elder Mach- ette being at the present time an able and useful minister in a sister Association; lately, if not now, pastor of the Baptist Church at Boonville. Brother Lacy, we believe, still holds his open communion sentiments, living in our bounds but not identified with us, though held and re- spected as a worthy man and a Christian, at present a member of the Missouri Legislature.
The visiting brethren at this session were, A. W. Cham- bliss, from Hannibal Church; H. M. Richardson, M. H. Murphey and J. C. Rice, North Liberty Association ; J. W. Sage and Stephen Flood, Butler Association; O. Tompkins, from Tebo Association; William Ferguson, Secretary Ministerial Education; S. S. Ford, Centennial Com- mittee; James Roan, Kansas City ; A. F. Fleet and J. E. Welch, of Lafayette and Johnson Association. The last named venerable minister of the Gospel being then eighty- seven years old, one of the first to proclaim the Baptist faith in Missouri. He who, in company with J. M. Peck, came as missionaries to Missouri in 1817, organized the first Baptist Church in St. Louis, and labored in that
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county and the adjacent ones till 1820 ; and who, at dif- ferent times afterward, lived and labored in different parts of the State, and who, one year after he met with us at Lee's Summit, was called to his reward, and died in the city of Burlington, New Jersey, where, sixty years before, he was married, and from which city he came with his companion to preach in the then far-off wilds of Mis- souri.
The next meeting of the Association was with Pleasant Ridge Church, southeast of Harrisonville, on the 21st of September, 1876, at which meeting thirty-one churches were represented, with an aggregate membership of 2,875, and a contribution of $68.85.
Joseph E. Chambliss, of Kansas City, had been ap- pointed to preach the introductory sermon, but not having arrived, the Association proceeded to business. Jeremiah Farmer was elected Moderator, Hugh Glenn, Clerk; and Martin Rice, Treasurer.
At this meeting Calvary Church, in Kansas City, and Sni Mills Church, in Jackson County, were added to the list of churches, the former with eighty-seven members, and the latter with fifteen.
Messengers from corresponding Associations were, Wm. Gould, from Miami, Kansas ; O. Tompkins and David Horn, from Tebo; Israel Tompkins and J. W. Sage, from Butler ; R. B. Johnson, from Lafayette and Johnson.
The usual committees were appointed, as follows : On Arrangements, A. C. Rafferty, John Angle and G. M. Holloway ; Sunday Schools, Nelson Scholl, John Angle and J. A. Jaudon; Foreign Missions, A. H. Deane, F. W. Leonard and J. W. Halcomb ; Education, J. E. Chambliss, T. M. Powell and E. M. Bailey; Nominations, Martin Rice, W. A. Hancock and J. R. Wood; Finance, A. L. Snow, W. P. Davison and J. A. Clements ; Baptist Lit-
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erature, J. W. Williams, W. H. Farmer and J. D. Byn- earson ; List of Ministers, J. Hommontree, W. H. Farmer and J. Hightower; Resolutions, A. C. Rafferty, A. H. Deane and Benj. Brown.
Amongst the reports made, we notice from the Centen- nial Committee, appointed at the last session, as follows : "Your committee appointed to act in the Association, in connection with the State Centennial Committee, report that with considerable labor and trouble, the committee visited and held Centennial meetings with thirteen churches, and collected in cash, notes and pledges, about sixteen hundred dollars.
Elder Rafferty, of the Sunday School Board, also re- ported but one convention held, and but little done this year.
The Sunday School Committee reported, urging the importance of Sunday Schools as instruments in God's hands in bringing men's minds from darkness to light ; and that each church should endeavor to support a school the whole year.
The Committee on Literature recommended the Cen- tral Baptist, the Christian Repository, Baptist Flag, and Church Historian ; also Kind Words, and Young Reaper, for Sunday Schools.
The Committee on Education also made an able report, recommending the endowment of William Jewell College, the support of Lexington Female College, and the Baptist Theological Seminary.
The Committee on Nominations recommended for Ex- ecutive Board of Missions, A. C. Rafferty, J. R. Wood, G. M. Holloway, J. G. Maver, J. B. Jackson, and J. O. F. Bowler. For President of Executive Board of Sabbath Schools, A. C. Rafferty; Secretary, T. L. Powell; and for Treasurer, J. D. Rynearson. · To preach the next in-
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troductory sermon, A. H. Deane, and as alternate, J. W. Williams ; which reports were severally adopted. During the session, Dr. S. S. Ford, editor of the Christian Reposi- tory arrived, and was invited to a seat in the body. The Doctor had lately returned from a visit to Europe, and at the request of the Association, preached on Saturday, and also on Sunday, giving us many particulars of what he had learned across the great waters.
Of the ministers living and laboring amongst us at the last session, it appears that Elders Lykins, Burgess, De- Racken, Brown, Williams, Chapel, Swift, and Roan had moved to other fields of labor ; and in their places we find, Bonham, R. H. Jones, J. W. Lee, and J. Morris. We also find the following-named licentiates, whose names occur for the first time in our minutes : S. W. Peace, Thomas J. Roffe, Wm. A. Wilson, S. West, and E. P. Davidson.
The next meeting of the Association was held with Blue Springs Church, on Thursday before the fourth Sun- day in September, 1877.
The introductory sermon was preached by A. H. Deane. Jeremiah Farmer was again elected Moderator, J. Shef- field, Clerk, and Martin Rice Treasurer.
Amongst the visiting ministers present were, D. B. Ray, editor of the Baptist Flag ; Dr. Hardewick, of Kan- sas, and others. This was the fortieth annual meeting of the Association, convening this year with one of the original ten churches of 1834, known then as "Little Blue." Seven years after its organization the Associa- tion met with this church at its old log meeting-house on the head waters of the Sniabar; and at that session of the Association the seeds of discord sprang up and ripened into a division of the Association into mission and anti- mission parties.
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This church, too, was rent in twain by the same ques- tion, a majority ( thirty-nine) going with the anti-mission party. But the minority ( fifteen ) were recognized by the Association as the Little Blue Church, though the majority held, and still hold the house, and the name also ; and without a house of worship in which to assemble, this small minority met for worship in private houses, in school houses, and in the groves, under the pastoral care of Joab Powell, Henry Farmer and others, increasing in numbers, and after a time built a house of worship at Blue Springs, and in 1851 took the name of Blue Springs Church. Sev- enteen years later, in 1858, the Association again met with this church, when the small minority of fifteen had increased to one hundred and ten, and now, in 1877, when € convening for the third time with this church, it had a larger membership than any other church in the body ; but nearly all of the original fifteen were gone.
The name of S. M. Brown, late field editor of the Cen- tral Baptist, and at present Corresponding Secretary of the Missouri General Association, appears for the first time at this meeting of the Association, being at that time pastor of the Pleasant Hill Church.
The forty-fifth annual session was held with New Hope Church, Cass County, at West Union postoffice, commenc- ing the 25th of August, 1878. Thirty-three churches were represented, with a membership of 2,709, Blue Springs having the largest number, 218, and Antioch the smallest, seventeen. Jeremiah Farmer elected Moderator, Nelson Scholl, Clerk, and Martin Rice, Treasurer.
The church of Wadesburg, in Cass County, presented a letter of dismission. from Tebo Association, and was re- ceived into this.
Messengers from other Associations and visiting brethren were present, and invited to seats, as follows :
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M. L. Laws, Secretary, and General Sunday School Agent; J. W. Sage, Butler Association; Isaac A. Story, from Kentucky ; W. J. Brown, Nevada Association.
Committees appointed as follows : Denominational Literature, J. J. Robinson, Ed. West, J. R. Wood. Dis- trict and General Association, Bouler, Powell and Raf- ferty ; Foreign Missions, A. H. Deane, E. M. Bailey, T. M. James ; Sunday School Work, W. A. Wilson, H. C. Brooking, W. B. O'Bannon ; Education, J. J. Robinson, A. J. Emmerson, E. H. Foster; Nominations, Alvin Adams, J. R. Collins, Peter France; Finance, J. R. Wood, Daniel Belcher and A. Clements ; List of Ministers, Benj. Brown, W. Payne and B. F. Harding; Order of Business, E. H. Foster, A. C. Rafferty, Moderator and Clerk. From all of which able reports were made, discussed and adopted.
The one on Denominational Literature, recommending the Central Baptist, the Battle Flag, The Baptist Herald, The Christian Repository, The Jewell, The Baptist Quar- terly, and the works of the Baptist Publication Society.
The committee on the List of Ministers reported as belonging to the Association, the following ordained ministers:
E. M. Bailey West Union ( postoffice), Cass Co.
S. M. Brown. Pleasant Hill, Cass County.
Joseph E. Chambliss. Kansas City, Jackson County.
A. H. Deane. Harrisonville, Cass County Jeremiah Farmer Pleasant Hill, Cass County.
E. H. Foster. Leavenworth, Kansas.
Isaac W. Hayhurst. John Hendrickson Strasburg, Cass County.
Kansas City, Jackson County.
J. B. Jackson Lone Jack, Jackson County.
J. W. Lee. Kansas City, Jackson County.
F. W. Leonard. Buckner, Jackson County.
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D. S. Miller. New Santa Fe, Jackson County.
George H. Noel. Lone Jack, Jackson County.
Thomas L. Powell Lee's Summit, Jackson County.
A. C. Rafferty Greenwood, Jackson County.
J. J. Robinson. Raytown, Jackson County.
L. Shackleford. Peculiar, Cass County.
David Taylor Pleasant Hill, Cass County.
Samuel Sheppard.
Lee's Summit, Jackson County.
Also the following named licentiates:
Robert Davison . Freeman, Cass County.
F. M. Davison. . Freeman, Cass County.
W. S. Peace. Blue Mills, Jackson County.
Joshua Roberts . Blue Mills, Jackson County.
Thomas J. Roffe. Lee's Summit, Jackson County.
Lysander West Index, Cass County.
W. A. Wilson. . Greenwood, Jackson County. J. B. Hargis. Lee's Summit, Jackson County.
Preaching at this session was by A. J. Emmerson, in lieu of introductory. Also by E. H. Foster, T. L. Powell, W. J. Brown, Isaac N. Story, M. L. Laws, A. C. Rafferty and Wm. A. Wilson.
At this session the Executive Board was made to con- sist of J. E. Chambliss, J. B. Wornall, James R. Wood, Daniel Belcher and A. C. Rafferty.
Board of Sunday Schools, A. C. Rafferty, Presi- dent; S. M. Brown, Secretary; and A. H. Deane, Treas- urer.
The next meeting of the Association was with the old Union Church at Greenwood, October 2d to 4th, 1879. Elder J. J. Robinson preaching the introductory sermon, a very able and comprehensive one indeed, which, by a. resolution of the Association, he was requested to publish, but which, so far as we know, he never did
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Jeremiah Farmer was again chosen Moderator; F. M. Furgason, Clerk, and Nelson Scholl, Treasurer.
Several visiting brethren from a distance were present with us. Wm. J. Brown, from Nevada Association; L. B. Ely, from Missouri Valley Association; Wm. Russell, Mound City, Kansas; W. M. Barker, Illinois; M. Laws, Sunday School Agent; Dr. S. H. Ford, Christian Reposi- tory; Isaac N. Newman, Lafayette and Johnson Associa- tion.
The usual committees were appointed; the usual re- ports made, and the usual routine of business generally gone through with. One other church, Pleasant Grove, was admitted into the union at this session, with a mem- bership of eighteen.
Amongst other proceedings, on motion of Peter France, a committee consisting of Brothers Brown, Robinson and Wornall was appointed to inquire into the condition of South Fork Church, as to its regularity or irregularity, which committee reported and after discussion, Elders Chambliss and Farmer were added to the committee, with instructions to report at the next annual meeting; which committee at the session of the next year reported that they had visited South Fork Church and found it true to its trust, upon which the Association by a rising vote unanimously adopted a resolution expressing sympathy . with that church in its afflictions.
It appears that the trouble was the old question of open or free communion. After the action of the Associa- tion in 1875, the two parties were induced to unite and to work together as one body; and Elders Lacy and Blevans again appear as ministers belonging to South Fork Church. But it seems the union was more in name than in reality, and that the old differences still existed; and we believe, before the last report was made in 1880, that
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party recognized in 1875 as the church had withdrawn fellowship from the free communion party; and in conse- quence were reported as being true to Baptist principles.
A resolution was adopted at this session that in future, in addition to the introductory sermon, two other sermons should be preached at each stated meeting by ministers previously assigned to that duty, one on the subject of Missions and one on Doctrine; and the following were ap- pointed to preach at the next annual meeting:
Rafferty to preach the introductory.
Emmerson to preach on Missions.
Deane to preach on Doctrine.
At the session previous to this, A. C. Rafferty, Jere. Farmer, Daniel Belcher and J. O. F. Bowler had been ap- pointed a committee to revise the Constitution and Rules of Decorum of the Constitution, which committee at this session reported, and their report was by the required majority adopted; and the Constitution was made to read as follows:
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