USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Shrewsbury > A history of Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia : including the Woodbridgetown and Salemville churches in Pennsylvania and the Shrewsbury church in New Jersey > Part 15
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > Salemville > A history of Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia : including the Woodbridgetown and Salemville churches in Pennsylvania and the Shrewsbury church in New Jersey > Part 15
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THE VILLAGE OF LOST CREEK.
15I
THE LOST CREEK CHURCH
As early as in September, 1815, a question arose about free communion with the First Day Baptists. Two years afterward, the question came to the fore-ground again, but at neither time did the church take action favouring free communion.
Early in the year, 1821, a controversy waged over Calvin- ism, a question which divided the church into two opposing factions. The controversy continued until a business meeting of the church held April 29, following, which was attended by Rev. John Davis and Deacon John Bright, both of the Cohansey (Shiloh), New Jersey, Church. These two brethren were requested by the church to take the question in contro- versy under consideration, and advise the church what course to pursue.
They decided upon new articles of faith, which they sub- mitted to the church on December 2, following. The report was acceptable to all, and on the 30th of the same month, the new articles of faith were adopted and signed by the members of the church.
In October, 1819, William Williams was called, along with Abel Bond, to improve his gifts in the church, at his convenience, in exhorting or preaching. Williams soon dis- pleased some of the church, and in the following April, the church considered the advisability of revoking his licence, but it was finally decided to allow it to stand for the remainder of the year for which it was originally granted. At the end of the year the church refused to renew the licence, but finally rescinded its adverse action.
William Williams continued to preach with more or less regularity, until in March, 1830, when a question arose as to whether he should be ordained, or continue to preach as a licentiate.
After careful consideration of the question, the church declined to ordain him, but instructed the clerk of the church to send him a formal licence to preach. Again in January, 1831, the church decided by a vote of twenty-five to thirteen, not to call Williams to ordination.
Williams now became an issue, and that question together with others soon created a division in the church. A small minority, in face of the strong opposition of the rest of the
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church, vigorously advocated a change in the polity of the church, so that on June 20, 1831, "after mature deliberation, for the sake of harmony and to obviate a difficulty under which we have long laboured, and for other reasons, a large majority submitted to the requisition of the minority, and granted their request."
This concession did not avail, however, and the minority under the leadership of Williams seceded from the church, seized the meeting house, and organised the Second Seventh Day Baptist Church of Lost Creek.
The new church at once ordained Williams, and in September, 1834, applied for admission to the General Con- ference, at the session of the Conference held at DeRuyter, New York.
The General Conference acted upon the application by referring it to a committee, which made the following report :-
"Respecting the request of the 2d S[eventh] D[ay] B[aptist] Church on Lost Creek, we would respectfully suggest, that, agreeably to a resolution of the General Conference, which requires of any church, wishing to become a member of this Conference, [that] they for- ward to the Conference a copy of the articles of faith, upon which said church is constituted, it would not be expedient to grant this request, at this time, as the above condition has not been complied with; but that the brethren who may be appointed to visit the church, in New Salem, visit these brethren also, investigate the circumstances of their organisation, and ordination of brother Williams, and act in behalf of this General Conference, as in their wisdom they may deem expedient; and that a letter be written to them apprising them thereof."
At the next annual session of the General Conference, held with the church at Hopkinton, Rhode Island, in September, 1835, the report of this committee appears in the following record :---
"Eld. Joel Greene of the committee appointed to visit the churches of New Salem and Lost Creek, reported as follows :-
"'The undersigned, one of the committee appointed last session to visit several Seventh Day Baptist churches in Virginia, beg leave to report that we have visited those churches, accompanied and assisted by br. S. Coon, our missionary in that quarter. . .
"'We also visited the 2d Seventh Day Baptist Church on Lost Creek, and after a careful examination of their Articles of Faith, their discipline, &c.,
GRAVEYARD AT LOST CREEK, AT SITE OF "OLD FRAME MEETING HOUSE."
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THE LOST CREEK CHURCH
"'RESOLVED, That we do not recognise the rectitude of the motives which led to their separation from the Ist Seventh Day Baptist Church on Lost Creek.
"'RESOLVED, That the circumstances attending the ordination of Wm. Williams, are, in the opinion of the committee, such as to forbid the validity of said ordination being admitted by the conference.
"'RESOLVED, That in the opinion of the committee it is inexpedient to grant their request for admission to this body.
"JOEL GREENE."
The new church was left in quiet possession of the old meeting house, the old church holding services, first at the home of one of its members, and afterwards at the "school house by Elisabeth VanHorn's."
Under the sagacious leadership of Rev. Joel Greene, who, as we have seen, was on a visit to Virginia at that time, it was decided to build a new meeting house; and on July 23, 1832, the church took formal action to that effect, voting "to build a frame meeting house at the old burying ground on Mr. Bas- sel's premises." This is the building that for many years was known in all that region of country round about as the "Frame Church." Of its erection, Rev. Joel Greene relates as follows :-
"This was done with [such] unanimity, liberality, and celerity, as to do honour to the church and disarm opposition. In a short time, the larger portion of the dissenters retraced their steps, resumed their walk with the church, and the community rejoiced in a rather extensive revival of religion, bringing increased strength to the church, and benefit to the cause of religion generally."
These were days of stormy trial for the church, never- theless. The new church continued its existence with a hand- ful of members, for several years. Finally becoming weary, themselves, of the division and consequent strife, on April 10, 1835, they presented a petition to the old church praying for admission to that church. The petition was rejected, and the new church gradually died away.
On May 24, 1834, a request was presented to the Lost Creek Church asking it to undertake to settle certain matters of difference between individual members of the New Salem Church. This the Lost Creek Church declined to do, on the ground that the New Salem Church had not made due effort to settle the difficulties itself. After the New Salem Church should have made proper effort to settle these difficulties and
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then failed, the Lost Creek Church expressed a willingness to lend its aid.
In the end, the Lost Creek Church became involved in this trouble itself, through receiving William F. Randolph into its membership, under the circumstances set forth in the chapter on the history of the New Salem Church.
On March 3, 1844, Samuel D. Davis and Abel B. Bond were called to improve their "talents within the bounds of this church." On the same day, Abel Bond, 2d., was appointed a committee to correspond with Rev. Thomas B. Brown and ascertain what his travelling expences would be during his travels in Virginia.
On December 9, 1849, Rev. Azor Estee and his wife were received into membership from the church at Petersburgh, New York. He had come upon the field in the capacity of a general missionary among the churches in Virginia, and when some six months afterward the establishment of an academy among these churches came to be seriously considered, under the leadership of William F. Randolph and Rev. Azor Estee, the Lost Creek Church pledged its moral and financial support to the enterprise.1
June 9, 1854, Rev. Samuel D. Davis was appointed pastor of the church. He continued to act in that capacity for several years, a part of the period dividing his time between the Lost Creek and New Salem churches.
On May 11, 1856, the church voted to ask admission into the Eastern Association, and appointed Rev. Samuel D. Davis a delegate to that body. This application precipitated a spirited discussion of the Slavery Question, which is described in the subsequent chapter on Slavery.
On March 13, 1857, Lewis Bond and his wife were received into the membership of the church. They were the two remaining members of the North Fork of Hughes River Church, in which Lewis Bond had been ordained a deacon and licenced to preach. He was received into the Lost Creek Church upon the same footing he occupied as a member of the North Fork of Hughes River Church.
On the same day, Naomi Kildow, formerly a member of
1. Cf. chapter in this book on the West Union Academy.
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THE LOST CREEK CHURCH
the defunct Woodbridgetown Church, and a descendant of Rev. Enoch David, was made a member of the Lost Creek Church.
Also upon this date, action was taken preparatory to securing the services of Rev. David Clawson, as pastor of the church.
On September 10, 1858, a committee was appointed to confer with a like committee from the New Salem Church for the purpose of making the arrangements necessary to secure Rev. David Clawson as the pastor of the two churches jointly. The negotiations were successful, and on March II, 1859, a brief synopsis of the theological views of David Clawson were presented and recorded as follows :-
"Synopsis of views presented by Elder David Clawson to the Brethren of the Lost Creek Church on their extending to him a call to preach to them, as his sentiments, what he understands to be the basis of the views, doctrines, and organisation of said church, as also a brief outline of the doctrines and sentiments he expects to hold forth; [vis.],
"THAT ALL men are under obligation to keep all the command- ments of God, as given at Sinai. See Exodus XX. 1-17; Matthew V. 17, etc.
"THAT ALL men are justly included under sin and its conse- quences, of condemnation, and un-reconciliation of God for their disobedience and enmity to that law.
"THAT THE Gospel is a glorious scheme or plan of God's own devising, originating in his love and the effect of His wisdom, to save man from all the consequences of sin by reconciling them to himself in Christ Jesus, his Son, who died for our sins.
"IT IS TRUE (or sincere) living (or active) faith, and that only, that does secure to any, pardon, justification, and eternal life. And all that thus believe have that pardon, justification, and life. (See John III, 39).
"ALL THAT have faith to feel that sin is exceedingly sin- ful and are ready to confess it with full purpose of heart to forsake it. (1st John I, 9).
"THAT SUCH confession is set forth in all, each, and every ordi- nance of the Gospel, and is, on the part of the believer, a solemn declaration of his faith in, and submission to, our Lord Jesus Christ. The union of believers thus manifesting their faith in and for Christ and his cause, is what composes, or constitutes a Gospel church.
"THAT SUCH union is enjoined by Christ for the benefit of his people, and to present through him his truth to the world."
He came upon the field and entered upon his work with earnestness and zeal, but the two churches he came to serve
156 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
were not to enjoy his labours long, for he was soon called away to the better world, and on March 8, 1860, the church recorded the following resolution :-
"RESOLVED, That while we would desire to bow in submission to the divine will we deeply mourn the removal of our beloved Elder David Clawson from our midst by death, and we heartily recommend the widow of our beloved Elder to the sympathies and charity of both this and the New Salem Church."
Upon the death of Rev. David Clawson, Rev. Samuel D. Davis was again called to the pastorate of the church. He accepted the call and continued as pastor, assisted from time to time by Rev. Jacob Davis and Lewis F. Randolph, until the Ist of January, 1869, when he resigned of his own free will on account of ill health, and relinquished the work for a short time.
The Civil War threw its clouds over the Lost Creek Church in common with the other churches in Virginia, and when after the formation of the State of West Virginia, and the formal adoption of its constitution on June 20, 1863, the local civil authorities saw fit to use the house of worship of the Lost Creek Church as a suitable place in which to conduct an election on December 10, 1863, the church made the following protest :--
"RESOLVED, That we deeply regret that there is a township elec- tion to be held at our Church House on the IIth of this month, believing, as we do, that the house of God should be used only for religious purposes.
"WHEREAS, The foregoing resolution expresses the feelings of all our members, together with the fact that there is a good school house in sight of the Church suitable for the occasion, therefore,
"RESOLVED, That we humbly ask the Commissioners to change the place of holding the election to the school house or some other suitable place, and that Brothers William Batten and William Kennedy be a committee to visit them and present to them a copy of the foregoing resolution."
On the 12th of March. 1864, the committee appointed to visit the Election Commissioners, reported that while they had not succeeded in preventing the holding of the election in the meeting house on the IIth of December preceding, they had obtained a promise to the effect that elections would be held elsewhere in the future.
March 9, 1866, the church took action as follows con-
REV. DAVID CLAWSON.
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THE LOST CREEK CHURCH
cerning a recent visit of Rev. Walter B. Gillette to West Virginia :--
"WHEREAS, We believe the faithful, though short, labours of Elder Gillette were well received and highly appreciated by our people and friends generally, therefore,
"RESOLVED, That we tender to him our sincere thanks for the same, and that the clerk forward to him a copy of the foregoing resolution."
Action was taken from time to time as to ways and means whereby Rev. Samuel D. Davis and Rev. Jacob Davis could be actively employed for more of their time in the work of administering to the needs of the Lost Creek and New Salem churches, not forgetting to visit the isolated members of these churches, many of whom lived at a great distance from the immediate bounds of these churches.
In the summer of 1867, Samuel D. Davis and Jacob Davis made a trip to Shelbyville, Tennessee, to visit Dr. William J. Gordon, a member of the New Salem Church.1 At the busi- ness meeting of the Lost Creek Church, held September 13, 1867, Rev. Samuel D. Davis presented a report of this trip to the Lost Creek Church as follows :-
"Lost Creek, West Virginia, September 13, 1867.
"To the Brethren composing the Seventh Day Baptist Church at Lost Crock;
"DEAR BRETHREN :-
"Having been appointed by you at your last church meeting to go on a short missionary tour to Tennessee; in compliance with your arrangement, I left my home on the 16th day of June, 1867, having previously received at the hands of your committee, Hiram N. Davis, who was appointed to solicit funds for said Mission, $99.00, and pro- ceeded to New Salem. On my way, I called on Randolph Davis, who swelled the mission fund to $100.00.
"On arriving at New Salem, I was joined by Brother Jacob Davis, and at 4 P. M., we left the friends of New Salem for Shelbyville, Ten- nessee, where we arrived on the evening of the ISth, and met with Doctor William J. Gordon, who was in waiting at that point to receive 11S.
"The next day, we went with him to his lovely home in the beautiful hills of Middle Tennessee. In this section we remained nearly two weeks, visiting and preaching to large, increasing, and attentive congregations, when we decided (having asked wisdom from
I. Dr. William J. Gordon, who was a member of the New Salem Church died at Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, August 21, IS75.
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above) that under all the circumstances, our work in that section, for the present, was ended, Doctor Gordon concurring in the decision.
"Owing to the extreme hot weather, and brother Jacob's bad health, we only preached in this section eleven sermons.
"We found Doctor Gordon to be a man of high standing in his neighbourhood, and a firm and an able contender for the faith once delivered to the saints; his wife, an accomplished lady and a Seventh Day Baptist in principle and practise ; the people of his neighbourhood, sociable, affable, and hospitable, and we hope our labours among them were not in vain in the Lord.
"On our return, we called on our brethren in Jackson Centre, Ohio, and preached four sermons for them. They are in a destitute condi- tion, having no minister except Elder S. Babcock, who is superannuated. They seemed much refreshed with our visit.
"I returned to my home on the 9th day of July, having been absent twenty-four days, travelled fifteen hundred and seventy-two miles, preached nine sermons, and made twenty-four visits.
"Travelling expenses, $59.20; incidental expenses, $15.00. We received of friends in Tennesee $7.00, of the brethren and friends in Ohio $14.50, which we divided equally, making [us each] $10.75. Total amount money received, $110.75. Total amount of expenses, $74.20. Money received over expenses, $36.55.
"All of which we respectfully submit.
"S. D. DAVIS."
At the next church meeting after the one at which the foregoing report was presented, Jacob VanHorn, of the church at Welton, Iowa, and Simeon Babcock and Hezekiah M. Stout of the church at Jackson Centre, Ohio, appeared with a request that Rev. Samuel D. Davis should visit their respective churches, and engage for a time in evangelistic work. The church voted to leave the matter to the discretion of Samuel D. Davis.
In the year 1870, the church undertook the erection of a new house of worship, to be built of brick. This was carried through to a successful accomplishment, and the Lost Creek Church was provided with the best house of worship of any of the churches of the South-Eastern Association, and one of the best be found at that time in central West Virginia.
At the end of the year 1874, Rev. Samuel D. Davis finally resigned the pastorate of the church, and was succeeded by Rev. Charles A. Burdick, who for several years had been engaged in missionary work in West Virginia.
Charles A. Burdick was followed, successively, by Lucius
ABEL P. BOND,
BRUMFIELD BOND.
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THE LOST CREEK CHURCH
R. Swinney, John L. Huffman, Lely D. Seager, William L. Burdick, and Mazzina G. Stillman.
In October, 1880, the church purchased a parsonage, and in 1887, for a second time, the church lost its house of worship by fire. The loss was promptly repaired.
With the establishment of Salem College in 1889, the Lost Creek Church began to suffer a decline in its resident mem- bership, several families moving away to Salem in order to give their children the advantages offered by the new school. The church, however, is in a flourishing condition at the present time, and the outlook for its future prosperity and usefulness is bright.
QUIET DELL AND HACKERS CREEK.
From the very beginning of its existence up to within a few years of the date of this writing, the Lost Creek Church has maintained a preaching station at Quiet Dell, situated on Elk Creek, some ten miles from Clarksburg, and about an equal distance from Lost Creek Station.
This was the home of Abel Bond, Sr. His home was the first stopping place of missionaries sent to Virginia from the north and east, as they came on horseback up the West Fork River from the Woodbridgetown Church.
Here were entertained Rev. Amos R. Wells, from Hop- kinton, Rhode Island; Rev. John Davis and Deacon John Bright, of Shiloh, New Jersey; Rev. John Greene, from DeRuyter, New York ; Rev. Alexander Campbell, of DeRuy- ter, New York; and others. Here a home was built in the corner of the yard of Abel Bond for the use of Alexander Campbell and his family upon their second visit to this field.
Here, Abel Bond established a grist and saw mill, run by water power from Elk Creek, and for many years the place was known as Bond's Mills. With the exception of one or two short intervals, the mills remained in the hands of the Bond family until about the year 1880, when they passed into other hands forever, and after a few years became neglected, and went to ruin.
In later years, the most spirited member of the Lost Creek Church at Quiet Dell was Dudley H. Davis. He interested himself greatly in church work, and was the super- intendent for several years of a flourishing Sabbath School at
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Quiet Dell. But physical infirmities overtook him which pre- vented his taking part in public meetings, and the interests at Quiet Dell languished, and have finally almost wholly died out from deaths and removals.
Other important interests of the church have been for a great many years on Hackers Creek, where another one of the Bond families located, some ten or twelve miles away from Lost Creek Station. The interests there are represented at the present time by the family of Mr. Boothe Bond and his brother, Levi D. Bond.
MEETING HOUSES.
The Lost Creek Church has had four houses of worship. On July 20, 1806, the church voted to build a log meeting house twenty-two feet wide by twenty-eight feet in length on the land of Richard Bond. This building served the church for a house of worship for several years, and was then accidentally burnt.
On February 22, 1811, it was decided to replace the burnt house with another log building slightly smaller than the first, the new house to be twenty-six feet long and twenty-two feet wide. The church also decided to change the site, and place the new building on the land of William VanHorn, who agreed to give the church a deed to a lot of one acre.
The second house was used by the church, until the seced- ing body, known as the Second Seventh Day Baptist Church of Lost Creek, was formed, when the new church seized the house of worship, and as a result, the old church was com- pelled for a time to worship in the private houses of its members and in a school house that was near by.
Instead of trying to regain possession of the house of worship, the church wisely decided to build a new meeting house, this time a frame building, at the old burying ground on the farm of Mr. Bassel. The church took action to this effect, on July 23, 1832. This building, when com- pleted, was called the "Frame Church," and was known by that name far and wide so long as it stood.
On the IIth of March, 1870, a committee was appointed to select a site for a new church edifice, submit a plan for the proposed building, and recommend whether it should be a frame or brick building.
(10)
THE LOST CREEK CHURCH.
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THE LOST CREEK CHURCH
On the 8th of the following April, the committee reported that it had selected as a site for the new house of worship, a lot of land containing a trifle more than two acres belonging to Samuel Cookman, and situated on the east side of the turn- pike leading from Clarksburg to Weston, at a cost of $157.57. The committee likewise submitted a plan providing for a building fifty feet in length by thirty-eight feet in width, and recommended that it be built of brick. They submitted mates for both brick and frame work, however. The former at $2,503.60, and the latter at $2,191.40.
The report of the committee, with its recommendations, was adopted. Title was taken the same day to the new site. Moses H. Davis was appointed to solicit funds for the build- ing, and a building committee was appointed. The work was completed as directed, at a total cost of $4.300.00, as reported to the church on December 12, 1872. It was formally dedi- cated on January 14, 1872.
On the preceding day, Sabbath, an affecting farewell ser- vice was held in the Old Frame Meeting House. Rev. Samuel D. Davis preached a sermon, using as his text, Exodus XXXIII, 15. He was followed by Rev. Abram Herbert Lewis, who used the same text.
At the dedication service, on the next day, the order of exercises was as follows :-
Singing.
Presentation of Bible, in behalf of the donor, Rev. Walter B. Gillette. Reading of Scriptures, by Rev. Charles A. Burdick.
Hymn No. 903, from the Christian Psalmody, "The perfect world. by Adam trod."
Prayer, by Rev. Lewis F. Randolph.
Hymn No. 905, from the Christian Psalmody, "Great King of Glory, Come."
Sermon, from II Chronicles II, 4, by Rev. Abram Herbert Lewis.
Collection to apply upon debt of church.
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