USA > North Carolina > Edgecombe County > History of Edgecombe County, North Carolina > Part 36
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A few years after the union of the Generals and Particulars into the Regular Baptist Society, and the establishment of the association on its original plan, a new order of Baptists, called "New Lights" or "Separates," made their appearance in the county. This division first arose in New England. Some pious ministers and individuals were converted in a revival held by George Whit- field and left the Presbyterian Church on account of its formality. The Presbyterians were, they claimed, too extravagant in their apparel, and would admit no one to the ministry except men of classical education. They complained also that many of the min- isters appeared to be unconverted. They also rejected certain doctrines of the Presbyterian Church. Since they claimed to have
1 The Free Will Baptist was a distinct denomination, and derived its name from the free will of man to accept or reject salvation. At this time this sect had no per- manent organization in the county. A few members came from Virginia to Edge- combe about 1792.
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a new conception of the true church, they were given the name New Lights by their former friends. Many of these people were baptized in 'New England, and the faith was brought first to Edgecombe County by Shurbal Stearns. Stearns had been con- verted, and immediately feeling the call to preach came to Berk- ley, Virginia. Here he met his brother-in-law, Daniel Marshall, and labored there for some time with him in the ministry. Not having met with warm fellowship and success, and hearing of the great spiritual disturbance in North Carolina, Stearns set out for this colony. Elders Stearns and Marshall tarried for some time in Edgecombe County before establishing themselves firmly at Sandy Creek, in the Piedmont section. Many people in the Regular Churches were converted to this belief. As this branch of the church progressed among the people, "many became alarmed and stood in doubt, saying, 'What means this?'" The churches were gathering crowds and many were connecting themselves with this new movement.
The Separates soon formed a distinct organization, causing much division among the churches. The Regulars, conscious of their strength, became anxious to receive fellowship and commune with the Separates as brothers in the common cause. Prior to this time and as late as 1775-although many Regular Baptists be- lieved in the Calvanistic doctrine they had been accustomed to receive members without an experience of grace and to baptize those who were willing before conversion. For this reason the Separates refused to commune with the New Light churches. The church at Sandy Run set up a ban of communion against their churches and members. Word of this was received by way of Sussex, Virginia, and the churches in the vicinity of Edgecombe also did the same. Petition was made by the Regulars for a con- ference to be held in Norfolk, Virginia, upon the matter, and the Regular Baptists sent Elder Jonathan Thomas to effect a union if possible. The Separates likewise sent delegates to meet the representatives of the Regulars and to cooperate with them to that end.
When Elder Thomas arrived he was told why the Separates would not commune with the Regulars. They claimed that the Regulars were not strict enough in demanding experiences of grace when persons made application to them for baptism. They
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also claimed that some of the Regulars did not believe that faith in Christ was essential to qualify a person as a candidate for baptism.
By this conference nothing was accomplished; in fact, the matter was made worse. On the first Sunday in October, 1775, all the churches, both Separates and Regulars, met at the Falls of Tar River at John Moore's Meeting House, and were informed of the procedure that the other churches had adopted. A great dis- sension arose among the Regular churches respecting the pro- priety of such proceedings.
The Separates maintained that faith in Christ was essential to qualify a person for baptism, hence those who were baptized be- fore they believed were not baptized agreeable to Scripture; con- sequently, those whose baptism was not valid remained unbaptised members. The Separates remained steadfast in their noncom- munion with such churches that had members who had been bap- tized without conversion. On the other hand, the Regulars claimed priority in the association, while the party which favored the Separates insisted on being the true genuine church, as they had never departed from the original plan on which the churches were first founded. After much desultory conversation the churches divided, and those churches which had begun the reformation held a conference in the meeting house, while the other party convened in the woods the first day, and the second day removed to a private house. It was with clear consciences that the Separate Baptists placed a ban of communion with the Regulars. Many of the Regulars had been recruited by those who were careless in baptizing. The Separates, therefore, thought that they ought to withdraw from the body of men who were, to them, acting contrary to the Scriptures.
The principal churches in the county in opposition to the Regular Baptists at the time when the division took place, were the churches at Toisnot, the Edgecombe Church, near Tarboro, under John Tanner, and Fishing Creek Church. The Church at Falls of Tar River was divided-Colonel Horn, who was a member of that church, was prominent at the time of the conten- tion, and had a very warm debate with Thomas Daniel, a member
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of the Regular party. Colonel Horn insisted on the propriety of the Separate procedure, and justified their putting a ban of com- munion against the Regulars.
Very little work was accomplished at this session of the Bap- tists, and the association ended to meet a year later at Sussex, Virginia. Scores of delegates from the churches in Edgecombe attended this session, the agitation being intense. In the conven- tion most all the churches, especially the one under Elder John Tanner, had been Separates.
This religious rancor continued without abatement until May, 1782. It was during this time that the mother church of the divi- sion (Falls Church) was received back in full fellowship with the Regular faith. This opened the way for the other churches, and a year later the church which had been under the care of John Tanner, at that time under the care of Joshua Barnes, was received. In 1789 the church at Toisnot, under the care of Reuben Hayes, came back. The returning of these churches gave the de- ciding sentiment and after mature consideration of the division it was deemed expedient for the two bodies to be again united. The names Regular and Separate were buried in oblivion, and the church was known by the name of the United Baptists. For some cause-not easy to explain-the new name was lost sight of at once, and the old one-Regular-prevailed until another division took place in 1829.
Thus the Baptist churches had a long continuous conflict, severe in form and painful in effect, before reaching a state of tranquility and quietness. It was the most numerous, powerful, and wealthiest denomination of Christians in the county. For these reasons strife was all the more intense, since the Baptists made many enemies, especially among other sects. When internal conflicts ceased, new problems from without arose. Religious prejudice and social problems confronted their progress.
The Baptists had many reproaches cast upon them because of their lack of intellectual tone. It was reported by Mr. Wood- mason, a taxgatherer for the Church of England, that a Presby- terian would sooner marry ten of his children to members of the English Church than one to a Baptist. This social difference caused & deep rivalry between the Presbyterians and Baptists for many years.
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Various charges were also made against these prosperous people by the ministers and agents of England. Reverend Mr. Taylor, of the Church of England, called them in 1772 a body of "Dis- senters." He says also in a letter to the Secretary of Great Britain the same year that many called them in reproach "Ana- baptists," some "New Lights." He spoke of having talked with some of their preachers, and said they were "surprisingly ignorant and pretended to illumination and assurances." He called them 80 "obstinate and wilfully ignorant themselves, and that they taught their fellows to be so, too, and that they would hearken to no reason whatever, but followed their own absurd notions." The Baptists grew, notwithstanding opposition. The democratic church government appealed to the popular mind. Mr. Wood- mason in his account of North Carolina, in 1766,1 tells of the sect or party abounding in great numbers in Edgecombe County, "like monsters in Africa, sending out emissaries, a party called New Lights or the Gifted Brethren, pretending to inspiration."
The staunch controversy between the dissenters and the Estab- lished Church brought good results to the Baptists. Force of circumstances brought them into action, causing them to investi- gate for themselves. They became more independent and reliable, and began to build houses of worship; while the ministers became active in public affairs.
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In addition to discrimination in law and taxes,2 which was directed by the Colonial Government, there was a more personal and individual persecution more commonly prompted by envy or hatred for the "hard doctrine," as it was sometimes called. One peculiar example of this stands out prominently in Baptist his- tory. The party involved was a pastor in Edgecombe County, Elder John Tanner. A certain woman of Windsor in Bertie County, whose name was Dawson, became converted and thought it her duty to be baptized. She desired to join the church under the care of Elder Dargan. Her husband was greatly opposed to it, and threatened that if any man baptized his wife he would shoot him; accordingly baptism was deferred for some consider- able time. At length Elder Tanner visited Elder Dargan's meet-
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1 Colonial Records, Vol. VIII.
" Dissenting preachers had to pay taxes, while English clergymen were exempt. The dissenters were also forbidden to marry people.
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ing and Mrs. Dawson applied to the church for baptism, express- ing again her desire to fulfill her duty. She related her experi- ence and was received, and since Elder Dargan was an infirm man, he requested, as was his usual custom, the visiting minister to administer the ordinance in his stead. Whether Elder Tanner was apprised of Dawson's threat is not known. At any rate he baptized Mrs. Dawson. In June following, in 1777, Elder Tanner was expected to preach at Sandy Run Meeting House, and Daw- son, hearing of the appointment, came up from Windsor to Nor- fleet's Ferry on Roanoke River and lay in wait near the bank of the river. When Elder Tanner, who was in company with Elder Dargan, came up the bank from the ferry landing, Dawson shot him with a large horseman's pistol, wounding him. In this con- dition Elder Tanner was carried to'the house of Elisha Williams, near Scotland Neck, where he lay for some weeks. Dawson was frightened, and, fearing Tanner would die, sent a doctor to attend him regularly. After Tanner recovered he never attempted to sue for any damage for the injury, but regarded the matter as a persecution for Christ's sake.
For three years after 1779 no session of the Baptists had been held in the county, but in six months after Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown and the land was free from the British yoke, in May, 1782, the churches convened in association. Rules of decorum and a system of church government was adopted. It was the first gathering of the churches to express themselves as a unified body with an organized purpose. Many expressed themselves unfavor- ably as to the education of ministers as essential to the qualifica- tion of a gospel preacher. "It is," said the moderator of the asso- ciation for 1783, "a good thing in its place and forms no objection to the character and qualification of a minister. But God calls a man to the knowledge of Christ in the pardon of sin without human learning or with it. God is not dependent on human education. If he needs an educated man, he calls him." Many historians claim this an unfortunate or weak issue with the Bap- tists, and that it caused the uneducated ministry to retard the progress of the Baptist churches in the early nineteenth century, and finally led the Kehukee Association to take a stand against the Sunday School and Missionary Society in 1829. This is a question of no small consequence and has been debated much.
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Immediately after the Revolution the Baptist churches through- out North Carolina extended their influence. Most numerous among these were the Baptists who were then exceptionally strong in Edgecombe County. Men from Edgecombe began to migrate, diffusing the gospel in other sections. A good illustration of this was in 1789. In this year Elias Fort and wife, Sarah, with his sons, William, Josiah, and Sugg Fort, emigrated from Edgecombe County, seeking home in the then unsettled far West.}
The emigrant company, when they reached Knoxville, employed General Andrew Jackson to guard and protect them from the Indians across the Cumberland Mountains and as far as Nashville. Elias Fort and his family passed Nashville and finally settled on the waters of Red River, near the mouth of Sulphur Fork Creek, where the village of Port Royal now stands. They entered large tracts of land which descended from father to son to the present time. A lasting friendship sprang up between the Fort family and Andrew Jackson, and later in 1796 William Fort and General Jackson met as members of the "First Constitutional Convention of Tennessee." The friendship was so endeared that William Fort made his will, naming General Andrew Jackson as his executor.
Elias Fort was one of the chartered members of the Kehukee Baptist Association. He, with William Horn and Elisha Battle, were delegates from the church at Tar River.
Prior to the close of the Revolutionary War only four churches were organized in the county; Kehukee Church in 1742, Falls Tar River in 1757, Toisnot in 1756, and Fishing Creek 1777. Falls Church stands unimpaired today on the north side of Tar River, a short distance from the falls. This church is one of the oldest and one of those to first form the Kehukee Association. It was organized by Elders C. Daniel and John Moore, and mem- bers that came with William Sojuorner from Virginia in 1742. Whether the church was constituted as the free-will or regular Baptist order, is not known. Elder John Moore was pastor for many years, while it was in the Regular faith. He was the pastor when Nash County was formed from Edgecombe, taking this worthy church and its traditions from the mother county. In
1 Josiah and William carried their families with them. Sugg Fort married in Tennessee and was for a number of years, until his death, a Baptist preacher.
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November, 1777, the church at Fishing Creek was organized. Meady Bozeman, an ardent friend and active minister of the Baptist Society, gave a parcel of land for the erection of the church.
These churches thrived under the leadership of strong and pious men like John Moore, Daniel Ross, Emanuel Skinner, Elias Fort at Tar River Church, John Thomas, Aaron Tyson, William Bond, Ephraim Daniel, and John Stamper at Toisnot, and William Burgess, Benjamin Durkins, and Thomas Joyner at Kehukee. Many additions were reported added to the church at every asso- ciation, and a mutual fellowship was prevailed among all.
In 1777, the year Fishing Creek Church was organized, the celebrated articles on marriage were submitted to the church by Elders John Moore, John Stampers, John Thomas, and Nathan Mayo, a layman at Tar River. These were the first articles that were drawn up under the religious institution.
If a person intended to marry, the fact was properly published for several Sundays in public congregations in the county by the minister who was to perform the ceremony. The notice was pub- lished by a clerk of a Regular Baptist Church, where one or both parties resided. When the persons came for marriage, the min- ister asked if they were free and clear from all other preengage- ments. They were then instructed in the great purpose of the institution of marriage, and were also informed as to their duty to God and to each other.
The real ceremony began when the above preliminaries were over. The man was asked if, in the presence of God and the congregation, he would take the woman to be his wedded wife, "to live together after God's ordinance in the Holy State of mar- riage, to love, honor and cherish in sickness and in health, in pros- perity and adversity, and forsaking all others, keep only unto her so long as both should live." The man answered, "I will." The same questions were asked the woman, who likewise answered in the affirmative. The minister, then joining the hands of the parties together, continued: "These whom God hath joined to- gether let no man put asunder." The couple were then pronounced man and wife "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
This is, as far as the record shows, the only form of ritual used in marriage ceremonies. It is similar in many respects to the mode
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used by the Primitive Baptists today. The churches enjoyed har- monious fellowship for the next ten years. The beginning of the nineteenth century, however, brought new problems. The greatest rvival recorded swept over the county, lasting for over a decade. Churches sprang up in almost every locality, giving a lasting impetus to religious fervor. Conetoe church, formerly a branch of the church at Flat Swamp, was founded in 1803 about eight miles southeast of Tarboro. After remaining as a branch for some- time it petitioned for the privilege to be constituted, which was done on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in July, 1903, by Elders Joseph Riggs, Jonathan Cherry and Joshua Barnes. At that time the church gave Thomas Ross, one of her mem- bers, a call to take the pastoral care, which for some reason he did not then accept; but on the Saturday before the fourth Sunday in September following he was ordained by Elders, Cherry, and Luke Ward, and received pastoral care of the church, in which he officiated until his removal to Tennessee. After Elder Ross's removal the church was without a permanent pastor, but was served by the neighboring ministers until 1820. Elder Dupree then served until 1845. In the course of time Elder John H. Daniel, one of her members, acted as pastor for several years. His mind becoming feeble long before he died, Elder William A. Ross accepted the pastoral care in February, 1856, and Elder David House took charge in September, 1873, and serv- ing for many years.
The church has always been small. . In 1810 it had only forty- five members, and today it has only about twenty. It has, however, been a church of deep piety, and has given more men to the min- istry, according to number, than any other church in the county. Elder Daniel, a member, was baptised in December, 1829, ordained deacon in July, 1831, licensed to exercise his gifts in October, 1833. A query was submitted to the conference by this church in March, 1854, and answered, which may be worth noticing.
"Is it right or not right for a gospel minister to attend and preach funeral services over the dead? Answer: We believe it an institution of man, and therefore not right." The church had for many years a good leader and a simple hearted exhorter in the person of William Thigpen, who died June 2, 1885. He was an active member of the society, progressive in his age, but never
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aspired to the ministry. He was baptised in September, 1828, chosen deacon in February, 1829, and served as clerk nearly all the period of his membership.
Elder John Page was another early follower of the church at Conetoe. He embraced religion under the preaching of Elder Jonathan Thomas, and became a member of a branch of his church. He was ordained pastor of the church at Flat Swamp, which was derived from Toisnot and became a constituted body. Elder Page died October, 1796, leaving a record of a faithful and true member.
In the same year (1803) Cross Roads Church, one of the strongest churches in the county, was formed. Part of the mem- bers of the church were formerly members of the churches at Flat Swamp and Conetoe. Elder Joseph Biggs and Jonathan Cherry, acting together the Saturday before the second Sunday in July, organized the scattered members. On the same day Elder Cherry was called to take the pastoral care of the church. He continued in charge until his death in 1818. After Elder Cherry's death, Elder William Hyman was called to the church, and continued in charge until his death on October 31, 1861. The church then was served for a number of years by Elder John H. Daniel, of Conetoe, then by Elder Daniel House, of Flat Swamp.
In November, 1870, R. H. Harris, a deacon of this church, was licensed to exercise his gifts. In April, 1875, he was set apart for ordination, and on the second Sunday in May, 1875, he was or- dained to the administration of the gospel ordinances by Elders John Stamper and David House. He was then chosen pastor and served the church in that capacity until his death in May, 1889. It was this church under the leadership of Elder William Hyman, who was pastor for thirty years, that conducted such a heated contest against the missionary spirit. Elder Hyman was a man remarkable for integrity and candor, and in a plain simple style he showed in a well-written article the difference be- tween the Old and New Baptists.
Cross Roads Church has been the gathering place for several associations since its foundation. Perhaps the largest ever held in the county was held in 1873. The number of persons present on this occasion was supposed to be, at the least calculation, 10,000, and some good judges estimated it at 13,000.
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HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Swift Creek and Prospect Churches were erected in 1804 and applied for recognition in order that the members might worship as an organized body.
In 1805 the Baptist Meeting House at Lawrence's was organ- ized. This church was formerly a branch of the church at Kehukee. Until 1805 Kehukee and Lawrence Meeting Houses were both represented together in the association. In 1804 a com- mittee to inquire into its standing was appointed, and it was found to have been constituted a church for many years. The church at this time was under the pastoral care of Elder Joshua Lawrence, an eminent young member noted for his gifts and zeal. He was ordained by Elders Burkitt and Read at Fishing Creek, now Lawrence Meeting House, which he had accepted, becoming the successor of Elder Gilbert. This church is named after Elder Lawrence. It first had ninety members, but by dismission to new churches, deaths, removals, and dismissals, the church had been greatly reduced in number. Elder Lawrence, following the spirit of the great revival, succeeded in baptizing as many as twenty- two at one time, and in two years over one hundred were added to the church, The church for a long time was called New or Cotton Meeting House, but later it became Lawrence, the name it bears to the present time.
In 1849 Elder Blount Cooper became pastor, the church enjoy- ing several periods of spiritual awakening under his ministry. After his death in 1852 Elder John Stamper was called and served until May, 1872. In October, 1873, Elder William F. Bell was called and he served until May, 1877. Elder James S. Woodard, of Wilson, N. C., accepted the post. After his retirement in 1882 Elder R. H. Harris served a short time till his death in 1889. This early church furnished many men for the ministry. One of her members, William T. Slater, after having been licensed several years to exercise his gifts, was ordained to the ministry in 1885. Still another member, William Henris, for several years has been licensed to exercise his gifts in the ministry.
Richard Harrison, for a long time a member of this church, showed his tender affection before he died by willing to it $500, the interest on which was to be paid to the pastor yearly. The
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church is still thriving, having approximately seventy members, and being served by various ministers traveling through the county.
Toward the end of the first decade of the nineteenth century Williams Meeting House was also organized. It started with thirty-five members and was originally called Prospect Chapel, but in 1811 it was thought best to remove it to another location, and it was moved to John Williams' farm, he giving the land for its location. This church was constituted on Thursday before the fourth Sunday in August, 1804, by Elders Mark Bennett and Philemon Bennett, with members who were dismissed from Fish- ing Creek. The church called Elder Philemon Bennett to serve as pastor, which he accepted until the year 1820. Under his min- istry the church experienced growth, and in 1811 a revival took place in the church, resulting in about 110 baptisms. There were two members of the church who have exercised their ministerial gifts in public, John George and James Elleanor, but the church offered little encouragement, although the former particularly was very remarkable for a pious and exemplary life.
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