USA > North Carolina > Ashe County > A history of the Ashe County, North Carolina, and New River, Virginia, Baptist associations > Part 8
USA > Virginia > A history of the Ashe County, North Carolina, and New River, Virginia, Baptist associations > Part 8
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The next session, which was the forty-first, began with Galax Church on August 29, 1911. J. F. Fletcher preached the annual sermon and twenty-one churches and two mission stations were found to be represented. D. J. McCarroll was elected modera- tor and J. F. Fletcher clerk and treasurer.
Because of its influence upon the history of the association from that time to the present. I look upon this session of the New River Association as the most important in many years, perhaps the most important in all of its history, for it was at
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HISTORY OF THE ASHE (N. C.) AND
this session that Oak Hill Academy, mention of which was made frequently in my account of the early history of the association, entered upon a new phase of its development. The school, as a denominational school, had been dead for many years. The old brick building, now used as a boys' dormitory, had been in use throughout the years as a public school building. I had the honor to present the report of the committee on education at this session and I quote these paragraphs from it :
"We recommend, First: That this association establish an academy somewhere within its bounds and request the Home Missions Board to incorporate it into its system of mountain schools ;
"Second, that the association appoint a board of nine trustees to receive property and manage said school;
"Third, that we invite the Ashe and Alleghany associa- tions (in North Carolina) to join us in the establishing of this school and that they appoint trustees to represent the work in their respective territories.
"We pledge to this enterprise our money and our chil- dren."
It should be borne in mind that Oak Hill Academy was char- tered by the 1879-1880 General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with a self-perpetuating board of trustees. Rev. W. C. Parks was at that time a member of the General Assembly from Grayson and secured the passage of the bill. The original board of trustees was composed of the following :
W. G. Young, L. N. Perkins, W. C. Parks, R. W. Young, William Halsey. James Eller (of Ashe County, N. C.) ; Wil- liam A. Carson, J. J. L. Sherwood and Greenberry Halsey.
This board of trustees had continued in existence through the years and the matter now laid before the association had been taken up with this board with the result that it had taken the following action :
"On motion, it was ordered by the Board of Trustees of Oak Hill Academy that L. N. Hash, J. F. Fletcher and W. A. Hash, be and are hereby appointed a committee to act for us and in our name and stead, and to contract with
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the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Conven- tion, or with a committee of trustees appointed to represent said board, in regard to the property of Oak Hill Academy.
"(Signed) W. C. Fields, "Chairman of Board of Trustees. "W. M. Senter, Clerk."
The recommendations of the committee on education met with favor and there was an interesting and enthusiastic discussion of the matter in which many joined. There had been a growing feeling that the time was ripe for a revival of Oak Hill Academy and a small group of devoted men and women had been at work quietly for two or three years, laying the ground work for the action which the New River Association took at this session. The association passed the following resolution, proposed by Samuel N. Hurst :
"Resolved, that the New River Association express its willingness to accept the Oak Hill Academy property, near Mouth of Wilson, Va., for the purpose of a Baptist school and that said association appoint trustees for said property. The association also requests the Home Mission Board to incorporate said school into its system of mountain schools."
Having adopted this resolution, the association proceeded to name the following trustees for the school :
W. C. Fields, J. D. Perkins, L. N. Hash, Walter A. Hash, W. M. Senter, J. F. Fletcher, W. J. Phipps, Dr. J. C. McKee and W. I. Harp.
Viewing with favor the recommendation of the committee on education that the New River Association invite its sister associa- tions, the Ashe and the Alleghany Associations in North Caro- lina, to join in the venture, the association adopted a motion made by Dr. A. E. Brown, that J. F. Fletcher and W. A. Hash be named to visit the two associations and invite them to par- ticipate in the building of a great Baptist school at Oak Hill. Dr. Brown, who was field secretary of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, was a visitor at this meet- ing of the association and his advice and counsel were of in- calculable value to the friends of the undertaking. Dr. Brown loves the people of the mountains, believes in them and works for them incessantly and he found peculiar delight in helping with this undertaking.
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It is best to relate here that the two men named lost no time in laying the matter before the two associations named and both associations approved it. The Ashe Association named as its trustee Prof. J. C. Goodman, and the Alleghany Association named Dr. B. E. Reeves.
The forty-second annual session met with Young's Chapel Church on August 27, 1912. This church is situated at Oak Hill, and is the church of the school. Naturally, everybody present was deeply interested in all things pertaining to Oak Hill Academy. It is not recorded in the minutes that there was a great deal of preaching at this session, but there was tremendous interest in all meetings of the association and vast enthusiasm for the Home Mission Board and its educational work.
I think that the outstanding feature of this meeting was the presence there of Hon. J. F. Spainhour of Morganton, N. C., whom I have already referred to as one of the early teachers at Oak Hill Academy. More than 30 years prior to the 1912 meet- ing of the New River Association, Professor Spainhour had come to Oak Hill to have charge of the work and he had labored effectively and well. Before leaving for other fields he had mar- ried one of Grayson County's finest young women, a daughter of Rev. W. C. Parks, and his heart had always been with Oak Hill and the people of Grayson. The news of the resurrection of Oak Hill Academy brought him back to the scenes of his young manhood and no one who was present will ever forget the earnest, eloquent and impassioned address that he delivered on that occasion.
He was speaking in favor of the following resolution, pre- sented by a special committee, composed of himself, J. D. Per- kins and J. C. C. Dunford :
"Resolved, That this association most heartily approve of the work of the Home Mission Board in its efforts to estab- lish at Oak Hill a school worthy of the support of all of the people within our bounds and we especially commend it to all of our Baptist people ;
"Resolved, further, that we urge the people of every church in our association to give the school its heartiest sup- port in patronage and means and urge our pastors to co- operate in all ways possible with the financial agent of the Board of Trustees in their immediate effort to secure means and patronage for its assured success."
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THE NEW RIVER (VA. ) BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONS
HON. J. F. SPAINHOUR
4
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HISTORY OF THE ASHE (N. C.) AND
His eloquence moved his hearers to larger effort and when the assembled delegates had finished making pledges for the work it was found that the amount subscribed for Oak Hill Academy had been increased to $3,600. The resolutions were passed by unanimous and enthusiastic vote and from the impetus received at that meeting, Oak Hill has moved steadily forward. Many things have happened to the school since that time. There have been ups and downs, many disappointments and discouragements, but progress all the time, despite difficulties. I regret that there is not space here to tell more of its growth, and of the men and women who have labored in and for the school since 1912.
At this session, Corinth Church, which had gone away to join the Ashe Association in 1900, came back and was re-admitted to the New River. There had been 105 baptisms in the association during the preceding year and the total membership was 1.202. The reports of the churches showed a falling off in pastors' sala- ries but an increase in gifts to the boards of more than $1,000. Twenty-three churches reported Sunday schools with 1,327 students.
I find included in the minutes a list of the ordained ministers of the association at this time, these being :
J. R. Brown, J. L. Bishop, W. F. Brannock, N. M. Blevins, J. W. Farmer, J. F. Fletcher, A. J. Hart, R. E. Ingram, R. K. Johnson, A. S. Murray, J. S. Murray, J. M. Neaves. G. M. Pennington, E. W. Reedy, M. Sturgill, A. J. Stamper, J. A. Schuyler, J. M. Walls and T. R. Warren. Of these nineteen ordained preachers, only four were serving as pastors of churches in the association. There were three non-resident pastors and nine licentiates, as follows :
W. C. B. Green, R. M. Perry, W. O. Russell, F. H. Watson, W. H. Johnson, E. W. Ross, J. S. LaRue, S. S. Holcomb and Calvin Blevins.
At the end of the minutes of this session I find that I inserted this rather personal note :
"Having been called to a field in Davidson County (Den- ton and Stoner's Grove Churches), I take this method of saying goodbye and God bless you to all of my friends in the mountains, among whom I have lived all of my life and among whom I have labored as a preacher for 37 years."
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THE NEW RIVER (VA.) BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONS
In this story I have been taking no note of my own comings and goings, further than to record my activities in the associa- tion as shown in the minutes, and as it is not possible, nor is it desirable, to get away from the personal factor in a story like this, I wish to set it down here that the New River Association has always been close to my heart and has been hard to stay away from. I began my ministry in it and served in it up to 1886, when the Ashe and Alleghany Association was formed and the North Carolina churches withdrew from the New River. Then in 1890 I was called to a field composed of Young's Chapel. Baptist Union, and Liberty Hill churches in the New River Association, and I labored there, living at Oak Hill, serving these and other churches until 1900, when I moved back to the Ashe Association.
The year 1908 found me back in the New River Association, serving the same field of churches, and living at the Liberty Hill Church, after having served fields in Ashe and Alleghany coun- ties in North Carolina. If I were called upon to state the strongest reason for my return to the association at this time, I would be compelled to say that it was my interest in Oak Hill Academy. I had always cherished the dream that some day a great Baptist school would be set up at Oak Hill and I hoped and prayed that I might have a humble part in it. With some of my dreams already come true and the future bright, I was free to accept a call elsewhere and in 1912 I moved to Davidson County, North Carolina, which was in the territory of the old Yadkin Association, mother association of the New River, the Ashe and the Alleghany, and many other associations, with whose beginnings we opened this story. Here I served for four years, but the year 1917 found me back in the New River Association, where I served until 1919 and then returned to North Carolina. During the next five years I served, for the larger part of the time, as pastor of Southside Baptist Church in High Point, N. C., a church that had grown out of a mission station that I had estab- lished while serving in the adjoining county of Davidson.
I came back to the New River Association in 1924 to become pastor of Young's Chapel Church and as this is written I am again in close touch with the friends of my young manhood and with the great school that I love.
So while I thought in 1912 that I was saying goodbye forever to the New River Association, with its tender ties and blessed
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HISTORY OF THE ASHE (N. C.) AND
memories, it was not to be so. I was to return not once but twice and I can ask nothing better of Him whose direction I try to follow, than that I be allowed to finish my work here among my people.
This personal digression having been attended to, let us re- sume our story of the New River Association, with the forty- third annual session, which was held at Independence Church, beginning September 11, 1913. This session was marked by deep interest in the work at Oak Hill. Rev. J. C. Cox, who had taken charge of the school the preceding year, preached a power- ful sermon on education, using as his text Judges 7:21. Follow- ing his sermon a substantial contribution was made for the work of the school. There was also deep interest in the subject of Sunday schools. L. C. Ross presented a splendid report on the subject and made a strong plea for increased interest in the work, stressing the need of trained teachers and the necessity of re- modeling old churches and building new so to take care of Sun- day school needs.
On September 14, 1914, the association met in its forty- fourth annual session with Troutdale Church. Rev. Walter A. Hash and L. C. Ross, who had served as moderator and clerk, respectively, in the 1913 session, were re-elected and Rev. F. L. Cox preached the introductory sermon. This session was marked by no outstanding event but all of the reports showed that good work had been done during the year. The total membership was 1,625 and 148 had been received by baptism. Twenty-two churches in the association reported Sunday schools with 154 teachers and 1,555 pupils. All of the churches reporting had paid pastors' salaries amounting to $1,466.56 and contributions to the boards showed an increase of $93.26 over the previous year.
The forty-fifth annual session was held with Corinth Church, beginning on September 2, 1915, with the introductory sermon by Rev. J. C. Cox. The officers of the preceding year were re- elected. Twenty-one churches were represented by delegates and there was one lady delegate, Miss Ethel Anderson of Fries, Va., the first in the history of the association. One new church, Glenwood, was received at this session and the statistical reports showed a total membership of 1,673. There had been 127 bap- tisms during the year and a substantial gain in contributions to all causes was noted.
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THE NEW RIVER ( VA. ) BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONS
This session was marked by special interest in the cause of prohibition. Dr. G. W. Perryman, field worker of the Virginia Anti-Saloon League, had attended the 1914 session and had spoken on the subject. The association, after discussion, adopted the following resolution :
"Resolved, That we as an association request that the nominees of both parties for representatives from Grayson County in the General Assembly, announce in the county press their position in reference to state-wide prohibition."
The association met in its forty-sixth annual session with Bap- tist Union Church, beginning on August 24, 1916. The intro- ductory sermon was preached by Rev. C. E. Anderson. Twenty- two churches were represented. The officers of the previous year were re-elected.
This session showed continued interest in matter of prohibi- tion and the following resolution was adopted :
"Resolved, That we, the members of the New River As- sociation, pledge our hearty co-operation to the officials of our county and state to help enforce the law to put down traffic and use of all intoxicating drinks and to eradicate the same from our commonwealth."
There was much interest in the subject of education and Oak Hill Academy came in for a large part of the discussions. The report of the committee on education commended Oak Hill to the association, stating that Oak Hill was no longer an experi- ment but a real institution that had come to stay and to grow. and urged all Baptists everywhere to give it their earnest sup- port. At this time the physical property of the school was valued at $25,000. The report stated that "the success and growth of the Baptist cause in this section of the country will depend in a large measure upon Oak Hill Academy," showing that the asso- ciation was really aroused about the school and interested in its growth.
The forty-seventh annual session of the association began with Fries Baptist Church on August 23, 1917. Twenty-one of the twenty-six associations were represented. Rev. T. R. Warren preached the annual sermon and the association organized by electing J. F. Fletcher, moderator ; L. D. Vaughan, vice-modera- tor, and L. C. Ross, clerk and treasurer.
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HISTORY OF THE ASHE (N. C.) AND
There was much interest at this session in giving and many of the delegates present pledged themselves to tithe and to try to induce their brethren to tithe. Oak Hill again came in for much discussion and individuals attending the association pledged more than $100 to it. A slight increase in contributions to the boards was noted and the twenty-one churches reporting had had seventy- seven baptisms. There were twenty-two ordained ministers in the association, of whom only nine were serving pastorates in the association, and a total of $1.451.26 had been paid pastors.
The association adjourned to meet with Young's Chapel Church on Thursday before the fourth Sunday in August, 1918. This, the forty-eighth annual session, was held but no minutes were printed, essential matters being carried over and included in the minutes of the next year. J. F. Fletcher was elected mod- erator and L. C. Ross clerk and treasurer. It was reported at this session that Blue Ridge Church was dormant and that Snow Hill, which had not sent delegates to the association for two or three years, had rallied and was represented. There were 113 baptisms reported and the total membership was 1,648. Pastors' salaries for the year reached $1,790.37 and the value of all church property was reported as $22,465.00. Sixteen churches reported Sunday schools with 1,222 pupils and 110 officers and teachers.
The forty-ninth session met with Troutdale Church on August 29, 1919. Rev. F. L. Cox preached the introductory sermon and twenty-one churches were represented by delegates. W. A. Hash was elected moderator and L. C. Ross clerk and treasurer. A notable visitor at this session was Dr. A. E. Brown of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. The association pledged $200 to Oak Hill Academy and the Southern Baptist $75,000,000 campaign was officially launched, with V. L. Young, T. E. Brannock and F. A. McCarroll named as the appor- tionment committee for the New River Association. Many churches were reported as pastorless at this session and contribu- tions had fallen off in every department of the denomination's work.
The fiftieth annual session was held with Pleasant Grove Church, beginning on September 2, 1920. Rev. C. A. Chock- lett preached the introductory sermon and letters were handed in from twenty churches. W. A. Hash was re-elected moderator and C. E. Kanode was elected clerk and treasurer. It was an-
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THE NEW RIVER (VA.) BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONS
nounced that the New River Association had been asked to raise $13,000.00 for the $75,000,000 campaign and that fine progress had already been made toward raising the allotment. Various churches in the association had already paid in $2,400.
The executive committee reported that an effort had been made during the year to group the churches of the association so as to provide fields that would support pastors and provide a pastor for every church. Real progress along this line had been made.
The next session of the association, the fifty-first, was held with Fellowship Church, beginning September 2, 1921. Rev. C. A. Chocklett again preached the annual sermon. Twenty churches were represented, and the organization was completed with the election of W. F. Brannock as moderator and L. C. Ross clerk and treasurer. One new church, Lamsburg, organized March 13, 1921, was received and Blue Ridge Chapel, after hav- ing failed for several years to send delegates, came back.
It was reported that there had been considerable interest in the association during the year in the Sunday school work. At twelve of the churches Sunday school institutes had been held by Kenneth E. Burke, with large attendance. Eighteen churches reported thriving Sunday schools.
There had been 144 baptisms during the year and the total membership was 1,862. The churches had contributed to all causes $10,949.65.
The association met with Friendship Church in its fifty-second annual session on Thursday before the first Sunday in September. 1922. Rev. J. R. Shumake preached the annual sermon. Twenty- two churches were represented. The officers for this session were Walter A. Hash, moderator, and L. P. Stamper. clerk and treasurer.
Reports submitted showed that there had been continued inter- est in Sunday school work, eleven churches reporting Sunday school institutes which had attracted large attendance. Four churches reported the organization of Baptist Young People's Unions.
It was reported at this session that Oak Hill Academy had been taken over by the State Mission Board of Virginia, and there was great rejoicing over it, because it marked the begin- ning of a new era of usefulness for the school.
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Twenty-one churches report that their church property aggre- gates $29,924.00 in value. During the year they had paid $1,- 926.23 in pastors' salaries and $1,189.78 for the $75,000,000 campaign. The total given for all causes during the year was $7,631.54. There had been 223 baptisms and the total mem- bership was 1,968. Twenty churches reported Sunday schools with 1,662 teachers and pupils.
The fifty-third annual session of the association met with Snow Hill Church on August 30, 1923, and the introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Walter A. Hash. Reports were received from twenty-two churches and the association organized for busi- ness by electing Walter A. Hash moderator and W. H. Johnson clerk and treasurer.
A call was made for a report on the spiritual condition of the churches, with a most gratifying response. The association went on record in favor of memoralizing the Virginia General As- sembly in favor of a bill creating a board of censors for moving pictures, opposing prize fighting and favoring a stricter observ- ance of the Sunday laws.
The association met for its fifty-fourth annual session with Young's Chapel Church on August 22, 1924. Rev. J. H. Hall preached the annual sermon and the officers of the previous year were re-elected. Twenty-one churches were found to be repre- sented.
An interesting visitor at this session was Rev. A. R. Galli- more, a native of Davidson County, North Carolina, and grad- uate of Wake Forest College, who had been the first principal of Oak Hill Academy under the control of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and was, at this time, a missionary in China. He made a fine talk about mission work in general and about the outlook in China.
The association took an advanced position with regard to the Baptist $75,000,000 campaign and after R. D. Garland, secre- tary of the State Mission Board, had spoken on the subject, went on record as favoring the raising of $2,500 for the cause with- in the association and appointed Rev. A. C. McGee to organize the necessary campaign for raising this amount.
It is interesting to note here that the Baptists of the New River Association were learning to give along all lines and to pay their pastors adequate salaries. At the 1923 session, the statistical tables showed that twenty-two churches reported pas-
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THE NEW RIVER (VA. ) BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONS
tors' salaries aggregating $2,669.80. At this session, sixteen churches reported on this matter and the sixteen paid pastors $4,745.00. This is in marked contrast with the year 1874 when sixteen churches reported paying their pastors a total of $182.21. There had been 119 baptisms during the year and the total mem- bership of the association was 1,840.
The fifty-fifth session of the association met with Galax Church on August 25, 1925, and Rev. J. R. Shumate preached the introductory sermon. Twenty-one of the twenty-seven churches in the association were represented. The officers of the previous year were re-elected.
Reports of various phases of the work submitted at this session were of very high order and were ably discussed. It was re- ported that the churches had contributed toward all home causes a total of $7,269.35 and to the 1925 program and other benev- olences, $1,937.90. There had been a net gain in membership of fifty-nine.
Five new pastors were reported, these being A. A. Blevins of Chilhowie, Va .; J. F. Fletcher of Kindrick, Va .; W. A. Hawley of Fries, Va .; Kissell Sturgill of Lodi, Va.
The fifty-sixth annual session was held with Fellowship Church, near Comer's Rock, beginning on August 20, 1926, with the introductory sermon by Rev. W. A. Hawley. Twenty-five of the twenty-seven churches were represented and the association organ- ized by re-electing the officers of the preceding year.
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