USA > Missouri > History of the Blue River Baptist Association of Missouri > Part 8
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" Elder Caleb Blood had filled many prominent pulpits,
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and hal occupied many important official positions in our denominational work. Our colleges and learned men, as well as our young ministers - not only in Missouri and Indiana, but from Maine to California - found in Brother Blood not only a friend but a wise counselor."
At this session Rev. J. O. B. Lowry preached at 11 A. M. on Friday, from John 17:28; and Rev. C. N. Wester at night, John 6:8: "To whom shall we go?" And on Saturday at 11 A. M., Rev. Rafferty, on the Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration.
The Missionary Board was nominated, as follows: J. B. Wornall, T. M. James, A. C. Rafferty, C. N. Wester and Fred Perkins. Sunday School Board, Campbell, Wester and Lowry.
The Treasurer reported $400 paid out; and a balance on hand of $69.81.
The names of I. N. Anderson, P. M. Best, J. G. Bur- gess, J. O. B. Lowry, R. K. Maiden and J. E. Roberts appear as ministers for the first time in the bounds of our Association.
1883.
The forty-sixth annual session of the Association was held with Pleasant Hill Church, on Tuesday, the 25th of September, 1883, and at 10 o'clock was called to order by the former Moderator. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. E. H. Foster, of Leavenworth, Kansas, who for several years previous had served first one and then another of the churches in Blue River as pastor. The letters from the churches showed a membership of 3,166; reporting in the churches eighteen Sabbath Schools, with 127 teachers, and 1,558 scholars; and a total amount of collections, $857.37. .
Visiting brethren reported themselves as follows:
D. M. McReynolds, of Tennessee; Rev. B. Hardwicke,
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Home Mission; S. M. Brown, Butler and General Asso- ciation; I. M. Wise, Arkansas; Harvey Hatcher, Central Baptist; M. B. Spring, Greenwood; L. B. Ely, William Jewell College; R. S. Duncan, agent Sunday School Cor- vention.
The usual committees were appointed, and, during the sessions, submitted their reports, which we would like to exhibit, but have not room in this condensed sketch.
Steps were taken to incorporate the Association as a legal body, so as to enable it to buy, hold and convey real estate.
Much of the business of the session was in relation to missions and mission work, and mission churches in Kan- sas City.
One new church, that at Peculiar, in Cass County, was admitted, with a membership of thirty-one.
At this session the subject of Foreign Missions and its discussion was of more than usual interest. The com- mittee reported that, outside of the United States and England, there were 2,037 Baptist churches, 1,185 or- dained ministers, and 210,842 communicants scattered over Europe, Asia and Africa; and that in this foreign field there were 8,500 baptisms the last year; that of these foreign missionaries, N. W. Halcomb, at Tung Chow, China; P. A. Eubank and wife in Africa; and Mrs. Bagby, at Bahia, in Brazil, were from Missouri; and fur- ther, that Miss Emma Young, of Greenfield, Missouri, had lately been appointed to go, and was making prepara- tions to go as missionary to Canton, in China. Concluding with a recommendation urging our churches to make earnest and faithful efforts to enlist our sisters in this en- terprise, and in making collections for the support of this object.
After the reading of the report, and after remarks by
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Rafferty, Duncan, Ely and Wornall, Miss Emma Young, a graduate of Southwest College, then making prepara- tions to embark for that far Eastern field of Christian labor, was introduced, and read a most interesting and impressive essay, entitled: "Woman's Work in Missions," at the conclusion of which there were but few eyes in the large audience not wet with tears, and the congregation were evidently deeply moved with a responsive missionary spirit.
After other remarks by Brethren Maupin, ( of South- west College,) Robinson, Jackson and Smith, a collection was taken up for Sister Young, amounting to five hundred dollars, the Association meanwhile giving the young sister the warm hand of fellowship, congratulation and God-speed, amid tears of joy and heart throbs of love; a joyful occasion long to be remembered by all who were present.
Sister Young, in a short time after, bade adieu to her father and mother, her home and her native land, and upon the other side of the globe, is yet engaged in mission. work amongst the Chinese; and it is to be hoped her labors have not been and will not be in vain, and that those who contributed so freely then and since then for her support in that far off-land will have no cause hereafter to regret the sacrifice made.
By a special resolution of the Association, the eloquent and feeling essay read by Miss Young was published with the minutes of the Association, and has been read with feeling interest by thousands who were not so fortunate as to hear the young sister read it herself upon the floor of the Pleasant Hill Church.
The Committee on Obituaries again had occasion to make a report of death's doings during the last year.
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REPORT.
It becomes the painful duty of your committe to report that during the past year (as in all previous years ) the great reaper, Death, has been reaping in the fields of Blue River, and gathering sheaves into the Master's garner above. Nine and forty years have come and gone since the organization of Blue River Association, and, of the 384 members composing it then, all are gone, and an- other like period will perhaps remove all who compose it now. In looking over the reports of your last meeting, we find the name of David Taylor as an ordained minis- ter of the gospel in our denomination. He is one of those whom Death has called away.
At the time of his death he was the oldest minister of the gospel within the bounds of the Association, both in years and the length of minis- terial service, he having been a Baptist preacher for nearly or quite sixty years. He is gone, but many of the fruits of his labors remain behind him; and though dead, his memory lives.
By referring to the letters from the churches at this session, we are informed that in addition to Elder Taylor, thirty-four other brothers and sisters have ceased from their labors on earth, and entered into their reward in heaven. . Of these, Six Mile Church and Harrisonville have lost four each. Calvary, Grand River and Independ- ence have lost three. Blue Spring, East Lynne and Lone Jack have each lost two; and Blue Ridge, First Church, Kansas City, Freeman, Index, Lee's Summit, New Hope, New Liberty, Oak Grove, Scandinavian, Union and West fork have each lost one. But though they are lost to the churches, and their further labors are lost to the world, we trust there is the gain of an immortal crown and a life everlasting.
M. RICE. JOHN KING.
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Of ordained ministers laboring in the bounds of the Association this year, and not before mentioned as such, there were J. T. Griffin, J. A. Smith, Wm. Sirk, Charles White and Nathan Johnson.
The Home Mission Board was made to consist of J. B. Wornall, T. M. James, E H. Foster, A. C. Rafferty and Fred Perkins. Sunday School Board: P. M. Best, F. M. Furgason and W. T. Campbell.
In addition to introductory sermon at this session, J. O. B. Lowry preached on Tuesday night; A. C. Raf- ferty, Wednesday, at 1] A. M .; Rev. Hardwicke at night; and T. L. Powell, Tuesday night.
The report of the Treasurer showed a receipt of $1,165. 64, and a disbursement of $1, 053. 63.
1884.
The forty-seventh annual meeting of the Association was with Calvary Church, in Kansas City, commencing on Tuesday, September 30, 1884. This was the first time the Association ever convened in the great and growing metropolis of the West. Time was in the history of the Association when no Baptist lived here, and very few per- sons resided on any part of the territory on which the city now stands. Great as the growth of the Association has been, the growth of the city has been still greater. When the Association was organized in 1834, a few Bap- tists were living in the vicinity of Westport, who, if con- nected with any Baptist church, belonged to the Round Grove Church, which ceased to exist in 1836. In 1840, Big Blue Church, now known as Westport, was organized and has been a component part of the Association ever since; and in 1855 the First Church of Kansas City was admitted into the Association, with fourteen members, Deacon Robert Holmes, lately departed, and T. M. James,
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now a prominent and useful member of the Association, being of that small number.
The introductory sermon this year was preached by R. K. Maiden, the pastor of Pleasant Hill Church. Text: Thess. 1:5. "The power of the gospel, not human,
but divine. " A very able and forcible discourse, by a minister younger in years than was ever before called upon to deliver the opening sermon of the Association.
Letters and messengers from thirty-two churches pres- ent-three churches not reporting. Whole number in the Association, 3,354; net increase during the year, 116.
Twenty-four Sabbath Schools reported, with 163 teachers and 1,818 scholars. Total contributions, $791.96.
The old officers of the Association were again elected: Wornall, Furgason and Scholl; and the following named visiting brethren accepted seats in the body: Rev. W. Pope Yeaman, Secretary General Association; Rev. W. H. Williams, editor Central Baptist; Rev. T. M. Meyers, for Mission Board Southern Baptist Conference; Rev. G. L. Black, Ministerial Education; Rev. James Roan, North Liberty Association; Rev. S M. Brown, Butler Associa- tion; Rev. L. Goins, Southwest Baptist; Rev. R. P. Evans, Wyandotte, Kansas; Rev. A. L. Lindholmn, Swedish cause in Wright County; Deacon L. B. Ely, financial agent William Jewell; Prof. J. F. Lanneau, Lexington College.
At this session the following new churches petitioned for admission, and were added to the list of churches, viz. :
Grain Valley, with a membership of. 9
Olive Street Church, with a membership of. 50
Pleasant Valley, Cass County, with a membership of. 39
West Line, Cass County, with a membership of. 35
The church at Willow Springs did not report, and be- fore the next session had dissolved.
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Committees appointed by the Moderator, as follows: Order of Business, Rafferty, James and Deane; Educa- tion, Roberts, Campbell, Maiden and Black; Literature, Peak, Brooking and Best; List of Ministers, Angle, Wood and Chiles; Finance, Rogers, Williams and Harrelson; Obituaries, Robinson, Shuttleworth and Powell; Foreign Missions, Deane, Shouse and Longfellow ; American Missions, Best, Barton and West; Digest of Letters, Mason and Brown; Resolutions, Foster, Smith and Noel; Nominations, Bowler, Parsons and Wood. All of whom in due time submitted reports which were in the main ap- proved and adopted.
The contributions for various objects were free and liberal.
State work or for General Association $124 35
W. T. Campbell's salary. 200 00
Olive Street Church building. 608 91
Foreign missions in general. 52 28
Mexican mission. -10 75
Swedish cause in Wright County
37 00
Amongst the many resolutions offered and adopted were these:
In view of the wonderful influence of the press, and the great amount and variety of the works published by our division of the Baptist Church; therefore,
Resolved, That we earnestly recommend to the churches of the Association to obtain, read and circulate our denom- inational literature in their respective communities.
Resolved, That we recognize the work of the Home Mission Society in the evangelization of the foreign popu- lation of our country -the Germans, French, Swedes, Danes, Norwegians, Welsh and Chinese, and in its effort to plant and support the Baptist cause in the new States and Territories of the great West and among the Indians 4
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and Mexicans-as of vast importance to the cause of Christ in America.
The Committee on Obituaries again made a report as follows:
"Life is ever full of duties and stern realities. The time for the Christian's good words and works is short, for there is but a. step between us and death. The absence of once familiar faces and voices in our councils tells from year to year that some faithful worker has ceased from labor on earth. This and the reward beyond the shades of death, admonish us to work while it is day. The victory of the pious Christian over death thus ob- tained is the only real victory ever given us. That vic- tory is as unending as eternity. Oh ! let it not be crowned with a starless crown, but bedecked with those stars that shine forever.
" Of those whose name were on our church rolls one year ago, twenty-eight have been transplanted to the bet- ter land to find, as we trust, their names written in the Lamb's book of life. It affords us great Christian conso- lation thus to refer to Sister Crooks, wife of Elder Crooks; to Deacon Isaac Moore, of Wadesburg ; to Deacon James Hammontree, of Pleasant Ridge; to J. R. Collins, of New Hope; to Sister Susie Duke, and Brother Mark Thompson, of First Church, Kansas City; to Sister Kate Skinner, of Calvary ; to Sister Elizabeth Wood, aged 87, of Blue Spring; to Sister W. Belcher, of Pleasant Hill; Sister S. Adams, of New Salem ; and to Deacon B. F. Brown, of West Fork. These, like many others of the great cloud of witnesses, all rich in good works, have received the good degree. Their labors of love yet speak to us: ' Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you, too, shall reap the eternal reward in the joy of the Lord.'
"J. J. ROBINSON, Chairman."
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At this session missionary sermon by A. C. Rafferty. Doctrinal by J. E. Roberts.
Rev. Joseph Banvard, pastor at Independence, the only additional ordained minister in our bounds. Of licentiates there were Eugene Gerard, of Harrisonville ; A. Kittle, Blue Mills; Jasper Lacy, Hickman's Mills; Albert Jones, Missouri City; M. T. Johnson, Liberty ; Thos. Phillips, Sni Mills; J. D. Thomasson, Blue Springs.
The following named sisters in the Association, who had been appointed as missionary agents at the last ses- sion, were continued as such at this, and we believe the most of them are yet acting as such in their respective churches; and some of them we know to be zealously en- gaged in raising funds for mission purposes :
Belton Church, (agent) Mary E. Conley ; Besonia, Susan Irvin; Blue Ridge, (since dead ) Hannah Clements; Buckner, Mary F. Beckett; Blue Springs, Bettie A. Jones; Calvary, Leannah Wheeler; East Lynne, Laura Hutchin- son; First Church, Kansas City, Bettie Beddow; Freeman, Harriet Stone; Grand River, Miss Nellie Davidson; Har- risonville, Mrs. M. A. Deane; Independence, Lida Camp -. bell; Index, Mrs. E. N. Ross; Lee's Summit, Miss Belle Davenport; Lone Jack, Miss Sarah Powell; New Hope, Miss L. A. Morsman, Annie Bailey; New Liberty, Rebecca Ligon; New Salem, Maggie Leonard; Oak Grove, Carrie Fulkerson ; Peculiar, Mrs. Goodman ; Pleasant Grove, Mrs. Robt. Todd; Pleasant Hill, Miss Anna Jacobs; Pleas- ant Ridge, Lydia Adkins; Pleasant View, Mary Colwell; Six Mile, Miss J. F. Chiles; Sni Mills, N. Hutchins; South Fork, Miss Lelia L. Britt; Strasburg, Addie Outon ; Union, Mrs. Alice Hooker; Wadesburg, Mrs. Jno. Knight; Westport, Mary Kearn; Willow Spring, Mrs. Rachel Noel. And here let me say that though the last-named church has ceased to exist, and its members have gone into other
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neighboring churches, this aged Sister Noel has not ceased her labors in her Heavenly Master's service; and though seventy-four years of age, she is often seen in his earthly sanctuary at Lone Jack-the youngest sister of the old fashioned, old pioneer preacher, Joab Powell, who preached, we believe, the first sermon ever preached in that vicinity and the first ever preached in Cass County. She being now, as it were, one of the last links connecting the past with the present and with the future; and when it shall please God to call her hence, she will be missed here.
1885.
This year the. Association convened again with the Lone Jack Church on the 29th of September, it being the fourth time of meeting with the church in that small historic town -perhaps we might say the fifth time, as the fourth session of the Association, the one held in 1838, was with the old Pleasant Garden Church in that immedi- ate vicinity, out of which the Lone Jack Church came in 1842, when the old mother church refused any longer to associate with Blue River Association on account of its missionary tendency.
In 1853, in 1866 and in 1874, this church had received and welcomed the Association into its old house of wor_ ship, built in 1848, northeast of the village. The Asso- ciation at this session found the old house converted into a tobacco factory, and the church occupying its new and commodious house in the centre of the town, and a very short distance from where once stood the lone tree from which the town took its name; and in the centre, too, of that field of strife where; in 1862, Missourians met each other in deadly conflict, some of the same men harmo- niously met together as brethren in the Association; and one of them, E. F. Rogers, who was severely wounded
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upon that field in 1862, was elected Treasurer of the As- sociation, and holds that position yet.
The former Moderator, J. W. Wornall, was re-elected. Brother Furgason being absent, W. T. Campbell was elected Clerk and F. P. Davidson, Assistant.
The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. A. H. Deane, from Hebrews 9:11, subject: "The Atonement"_ a subject upon which there has been much difference of opinion even amongst Baptists, some taking the ground that Christ upon the cross made an atonement for the sins of the whole world, others believing it was for the elect only ; others still contending that the atonement there made was general for all mankind, but specially applied. The brother in this sermon presented the doctrine or the thought that there was no atonement made on Calvary, but that Christ upon the cross preached redemption for the whole world and has since entered into heaven, as Aaron did into the most holy place, where he has made and is yet making atonement for the sins of each individ- ual, as that individual repents of his sins and believes in Jesus.
The reports from thirty-two churches this year, with four not reporting, showed a membership of 3,586, a net increase of 217. The most of the churches (but not all ) reporting Sabbath Schools.
The number of schools being 28; teachers, 196; and scholars, 2,125 ; contributions, $657.40.
Brethren visiting the Association were invited to seats, viz .: W. Pope Yeaman, S. M. Brown, R. S. Duncan, G. L. Black, G. W. Hyde, C. N. Clark, of Baptist Flag, C. N. Wester, C. T. Daniels, George Boulcher, L. B. Ely, and Prof. Lanneau.
Emanuel Church, of Kansas City, by her messenger, A. J. Redenbaugh, presented a letter asking admission into
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the Association, and was received and added to the number.
On the second day the following committees were an- nounced : Religious Exercises, pastor and delegates of Lone Jack Church; Order of Business, A. C. Rafferty, E. F. Rogers, and J. O. Anderson ; Finance, James Shouse and N. M. Longfellow ; Obituaries, Martin Rice, T. L. Powell and B. F. Harding; Foreign Missions, R. S. Dun- can, N. M. Longfellow and R. K. Maiden ; Digest of Let- ters, J. B. Mason and F. P. Davidson ; Resolutions. A. M. Cockerell, A. H. Deane; Nominations. A. H. Deane, J. H. Vanhoy and A. G. Redenbaugh ; Education, G. L. Black. F. P. Davidson and T. M. James; Literature, J. D. Thomasson, P. M. Best, N. M. Longfellow ; American Missions, G. W. Hyde, J. W. Stanley and E. H. Jones ; State Missions, W. P. Yeaman, J. Banvard and A. C. Sandval; List of Ministers, N. Scholl and J. R. Wood.
By all of which committees reports were made, and in compliance with report on religious exercises, Joseph Ban- vard preached at the church at night, Tuesday ; J. D. Thomasson, at Bethel, (Methodist church, ) and T. L. Powell, at Basin Knob Church. On Wednesday, 11 A. M., W. P. Yeaman ; on Wednesday night, ladies' missionary meeting; on Thursday, A. C. Rafferty,. doctrinal, at 11 A. M. ; on Thursday, W. T. Campbell, at night.
Amongst the many reports of committees we can only mention a few. The one on Foreign Missions would em- phasize this one thing: that the missionary work is a unit; that the field is the world; and that Baptists may properly be termed the pioneers in that field, and that their progress in it has been such that in the past cen- tury their churches have belted the globe, and that now the sun shines upon a Baptist church every hour in the twenty-four.
The report also refers to the women's movement as
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an encouraging feature in the work of missions, and re- fers touchingly to the death of Sister Mattie Halcomb, wife of N. W. Halcomb, of Tung Chow, in China, who was reared amongst us, and went forth only a few years ago to preach Christ to the perishing.
Referring also to the faithful work of Miss Emma Young, now at Canton, China, who, two years ago, stood in our midst and so thrilled us with her eloquent address, concluding by calling for liberal and systematic collec- tions in all the churches.
From the report on List of Ministers, we learn that C. D. Daniels, of Lee's Summit; D. S. McEwan, of Kan- sas City ; J. T. Nevelle, of Belton; C. A. Sandval, of Kansas City, and S. B. Whiting, of Kansas City, were laboring in the field, in addition to those reported the previous year. Also, licentiates, P. Stafford, of Belton, and Wm. Craddock and Daniel Mason, of Blue Mills.
Some names formerly on the roll of ordained ministers are this year omitted. Amongst the number is that of George H. Noel, who, for some years, has not availed himself of the privileges of a minister, and at his own re- quest his name was left off the list, as he said, not wish- ing to bear the name and wear the badge of a laborer when not engaged in the work.
In comparing the list of ordained ministers this year with the one in 1853, when the Association first met with the Lone Jack Church, we are struck with the change which those thirty-two years have made. J. J. Robin- son is the only name that occurs in both those lists. And when we look over the names of messengers, eighty-one in number, who met with us at Lone Jack in 1853, only J. J. Robinson and J. R. Wood were with us in 1885. Of the seven licentiate preachers in 1853, J. H. Kemper, (since dead,) Moses Bailey, and Luke Williams are yet in the
.
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bounds of our Association, the two last having been dropped from the list of licentiates, both exemplary mem- bers of their respective churches, Lone Jack and Union, holding fast their integrity as Baptists, and maintaining in their old age the principles imbibed in their youth.
The report on Denominational Literature was as fol- lows: "Knowledge is essential to happiness and success in every department of business life. No one can afford to be ignorant in secular business, much less the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We would therefore recommend the Bible as the book of all books, and urge upon our peo- ple to study it carefully, so as to grow wise unto salva- tion, and useful in life. We would also recommend the literature of the American Publishing Society, The Cen- tral Baptist, The American Baptist Flag, and the history of Missouri Baptists, recently published by Rev. R. S. Duncan, of Montgomery City, Mo.
J. D. THOMASSON. J. C. PARSONS. P. M. BEST."
The report on Obituaries read as follows : "Your com- mittee appointed to write an obituary notice of those of our brothers and sisters belonging to this Association, who have fallen by the hand of Death during the last year, approaches the subject with a degree of solemnity. Es- pecially is it so with the chairman of your committee, who writes this report. Being now one of the oldest members of this Association, and having passed his three score and ten years, he may expect in the course of na- ture soon to follow where the brethren and sisters of whom he writes have gone; and it may be that at your next annual session some brother will be called upon to write of him as he now writes of them.
"By reference to the letters that have been sent up
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from the various churches, we learn that, since our last an- nual meeting, twenty-eight of the brothers and sisters who were then members with us have been called away by death, and are, as we trust, among those who have been redeemed from the earth, and are now associated with Christ, their elder Brother, in that land where there is no more death, and no more severing of kindred ties. Of those who have been taken from us during the past year, four of the twenty-eight were from our sister church, Blue Springs ; three from each of the Lee's Summit, Pleas- ant Ridge, Lone Jack, and Westport churches ; two each from Olive Street, and Strasburg; while the churches of Belton, Blue Ridge, Calvary, Grand River, Independence, Index, and New Liberty have lost one each. Each one of these brothers and sisters has left a void in some family and neighborhood circle ; and the churches of which they formed a part have suffered a loss in their departure, but they have gained a fairer, brighter home.
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