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 19
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 19
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"CONSTITUTION.
"JULY THE 13TH, 1834.
"We who have heretofore been convinced of the error of our ways and the folly of sin, and the kindness and love of a Saviour to a dying world, and thereby have been made willing to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all of his requirements, do therefore this day covenant together to watch over each other for good and serve each other in love, and take the Word of God for the rule of our faith and practise.
"GEORGE STARKEY,
"DECATUR LOWTHER, "JONATHAN C. LOWTHER, "JOHN C. STARKEY,
"REBECCA LOWTHER,
"MARGARET LOWTHER,
"SARAH STARKEY,
"MARY LOWTHER,
"DORINDA LOWTHER."
This church originally composed, wholly, of the members of two families who were converts to the Sabbath, sprang into existence through the labours of Rev. Alexander Campbell, who had visited Lewis Bond on the North Fork of Hughes River, not far from the present village of Pennsboro. While there, Alexander Campbell held a series of revival meetings, and as a result there were some conversions to the Sabbath. After his departure to Quiet Dell, one of the preaching stations of the Lost Creek Church, a local clergyman by the name of Tichnell, of the Methodist Episcopal church, challenged any one, who would, to discuss the Sabbath question publicly. Contrary to the Reverend Mr. Tichnell's expectation, Alex- ander Campbell returned and accepted the challenge. The debate was attended by a large audience, many of them coming from a distance of several miles. Among the throng were those who embraced the Sabbath and were organised into the South Fork of Hughes River Seventh Day Baptist Church.
For a period of five years, the church no more than held its own. On May 7, 1839, Asa Bee was received into mem- bership, and soon afterward assumed the leadership of the
201
SOUTH FORK CHURCH
church. Others joined the church, some, like Asa Bee, coming from other Seventh Day Baptist churches ; and others, like the original members, were converts to the Sabbath.
For the first thirty-four years of the history of the church, its records, never very full, are extremely meagre. From June 17, 1860, to February 12, 1868, no record whatever appears. For many years the proceedings of the business meetings of the church were kept a profound secret, and members who violated this secrecy were subjected to severe discipline.
Many perplexing questions arose respecting doctrine and church polity. These questions involved articles of diet and manner of dress as well as church control of family govern- ment and discipline. In short here an attempt was made to apply the provisions of the Mosaic law governing the domestic life of the early Hebrews to American Seventh Day Baptists, in the middle of the nineteenth century of the Christian Era, irrespective of the changed conditions of modern civilisation and radically different racial instinct, to say nothing of the profound differences between the Christian and Hebrew religions. The result, as might have been expected, was a grotesque failure.
On February 28, 1842, Asa Bee and Joshua S. Davis were appointed a committee to "make a thorough examination of scriptural evidence and intuitive reasons why we keep our church meetings secreted from the world," and report at the next church meeting.
March 23, 1851, it was voted to submit the following questions to the Virginia Seventh Day Baptist Association, at its next session, to be held at Middle Island at the house of Jepthah F. Randolph :---
"I. What is our duty toward christian professors of other denominations ?
"2. Is it christian duty to hold any office whatever under the political government ?"
On August 15, 1852, the church voted to submit the following questions to the association :-
"I. What is our duty in supporting the ministers of the gospel?
"2. Is it right for professors to marry un-professors?"
March 20, 1853, it was voted that communion service be
202
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN IVEST VIRGINIA
held once in twelve months "on the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month": i. e., on the evening of the Passover.
April 3, 1859, Rev. Asa Bee announced that the church was "not organised according to the will of God," and presented the following questions for consideration :-
"I. Who among us are elders?
"2. What is their office?
"3. The office of Bishop.
"4. Who are elderly women; i. c., female elders, and their office?
"5. Young men and their office.
"6. Young women and their office.
"7. Children and their office."
Taken all in all, although the church for the greater part of its existence, was under the leadership of Asa Bee and his brother Ezekiel, both of whom were men of marked mental ability, as well as men of sincerity of purpose, such questions as the foregoing, taken in connection with such interpretation of Holy Writ as gave rise to such queries, were bounteously fruitful of discord.
In 1870, this spirit of dissension resulted in a split in the South Fork of Hughes River Church, and the organisation of the Ritchie Church. This precipitated a life and death struggle between the two opposing churches. The Ritchie Church received recognition at the hands of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference, as well as at the hands of the South-Eastern Seventh Day Baptist Association, when the latter was organised in 1871.
The mother church steadily lost ground, and when after a decade had passed after the organisation of the Ritchie Church, the Pine Grove Church (as the South Fork of Hughes River Church came to be called) gave one of its members, Alpheus A. Meredith, permission to distribute among its membership, tracts containing the doctrines of the Seventh Day Adventists, its doom was sealed. Two years afterward, on February 22, 1883, ten members were excommunicated for affiliating with the Seventh Day Adventists; and the book of records of the South Fork of Hughes River, or Pine Grove, Church passing into the hands of one of the excommunicated members, was closed forever, although a few more meetings were held before the final absorption of the remaining few
203
SOUTH FORK CHURCH
members into the Ritchie Church, as described in the next chapter.
DISTINCTIVE TENETS OF FAITH AND PRACTISE. 1
This church, in its effort to promote simplicity of life, placed a premium upon lack of personal adornment and beauty, and almost upon discomfort. Dress, particularly that of the women, was made after certain uniform patterns, approved if not prescribed by the old men of the church. The result was attire often so ungainly and grotesque as not only to make the wearers objects of ridicule, but to incite them to rebellion against ecclesiastical authority as well, so that they were often excommunicated from the church for violating the 1 ules of prescribed fashion in dress as laid down by the councils of the church. This one thing, perhaps more than anything else, retarded the growth and prosperity of the church.
Rules for dress in which the dead must be clothed, even to minute directions as to the style of the coffin and the material of which it was to be constructed, were established.
In the event of marriage, the trousscau of the bride and the dress of the groom were described in the code of the church. Both were to be arrayed in white. all except their shoes or boots. The bride should not wear a cap, nor any other article of ornament.
Certain rules relating to courtship were prescribed and insisted upon by the church, with the result that infractions of them were the subject of frequent disciplinary action by the church.
Parental control of children was transferred to the church, and on many an occasion, the church was called upon to con- sider the complaints of parents concerning unruly sons and daughters.
In their effort to follow the mandates of the Mosaic law, the flesh of swine as food, was placed under ban. Mutton and beef tallow took the place of lard in cooking. A few of the more well-to-do used olive oil.
If a father died, his family was committed to the care of the church, and his property to the supervision of its elders.
1. This brief statement of " Distinctive Tenets of Faith and Practise," in based upon personal statements made to the present writer, by former members of this church.
204
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
"Investigating meetings" were frequently held. These lasted continuously from early in the morning until late in the afternoon, the people coming and going constantly ; some for purposes of consultation, others for refreshments, and others for the performance of duties at home. Subjects of all kinds were discussed, from female underwear to doctrines of eternal damnation and endless happiness.
Great stress was laid upon the word "peculiar" in the following and similar passages from the Bible :-
"The Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." Deut. XIV, 2.
"And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people." Deut. XXVI, 18.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." I Peter II, 9.
By "peculiar," they understand that something bizarre, grotesque, or odd was meant.
To the idea of a "peculiar" people, they added the many warnings of the Bible against mingling with the world. The result was that, in their minds, God's chosen peculiar people must in no sense identify themselves with the world, even in that which pertained to food and clothing, and other habits of life common to everybody.
These strange doctrines of the South Fork of Hughes River Church were not only extremely Puritanical,-ultra- Puritanical,-but Puritanism gone grotesquely mad.
MEMBERSHIP IN SUPERIOUR BODIES.
The South Fork of Hughes River Church was one of the constituent members of the South-Western Association at the organisation of that association in 1839; and when the South- Western Association was divided into the Ohio, and Virginia associations, the South Fork of Hughes River Church became a constituent member of the Virginia Association at its organisation in 1851.
When the South-Eastern Association was organised in 1872, the South Fork of Hughes River Church did not apply for membership. The steps which finally led up to a formal application of this church for membership in that association, and the process by which it was merged into the Ritchie Church, are set forth in the next chapter of this book
205
SOUTH FORK CHURCH
under the sub-title, "Consolidation of the South Fork of Hughes River, or Pine Grove, Church with the Ritchie Church."
The South Fork of Hughes River Church became a mem- ber of the General Conference by virtue of its membership in the South-Western Association, in 1839. On account of the doctrinal differences between this church and the other churches of the denomination, however, it gradually drifted away from the General Conference, and for a good many years before its final dissolution, it had really withdrawn from fellowship with, not only the General Conference, but all other Seventh Day Baptist organisations.
PASTORS.
Rev. Peter Davis, who baptized the constituent members of the church and organised them into a church, visited them from time to time as often as his duties with the New Salem Church and the distance of the new church from his home on Greenbrier Run would permit. Other ministers, also, visited the church from time to time. Of these, Asa Bee, and his brother Ezekiel Bee, were doubtless the most frequent visitors.
Asa Bee, who had previously moved into the neighbour- hood, was received into this church, May 7, 1839. On January 24, 1842, he was called to the pastorate of the church. He accepted the call for a period of six months. On the 29th of the following August, he was elected pastor for an indefinite period, and served in that capacity until his death. He was generally known as "The Elder," and is constantly called by that name in the records of the church.
On March 22, 1857, the church granted Asa Bee the privi- lege of inviting Ezekiel Bee, at that time living on Meat House Fork of Middle Island Creek, but who expected to locate, in the near future, within the bounds of the South Fork of Hughes River Church, to labour with the church at such times as might be most expedient.
June 21, 1868, Ezekiel Bee became the pastor of the church.
Marcus E. Martin was called to become the assistant pastor of the church for a term of one year from March 19, 1876, at a salary of fifty-two dollars ($52.00) a year. Previous to this time, the pastor had served without pay.
206
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
On the 16th of June, 1878, Ezekiel Bee requested the church to appoint a committee to look for a pastor. The church complied with the request, and on the 14th of July fol- lowing, Alpheus A. Meredith became pastor and served until October 1, 1880.
LICENCED TO PREACH.
On December 24, 1843, the church voted that Joshua S. Davis be granted licence to preach, and appointed Asa Bee to write the licence and deliver it to the candidate. The licence runs as follows :-
"May II, 1844.
"Know all men to whom these may be presented, That we, the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Christ, on the South Fork of Hughes River, of Ritchie County, and State of Virginia, do authorise our Brother Joshua S. Davis to go forth and preach the Gospel of the Blessed Lord and Saviour, and to perform all the duties required of him in the Gospel.
"Signed in behalf of the church by
"ASA BEE, A Preacher of the Gospel.
"Recorded this fifth day of October, 1845."
In addition to the foregoing, the church granted licence to preach as follows :-
June 21, 1868. Job Meredith was appointed to exhort and labour publicly in this church.
December 20, 1874. Marcus E. Martin was licenced to preach for six months.
May 16, 1875. Alpheus A. Meredith was licenced to preach till the next Quarterly Meeting.
June 20, 1875. John Ehret was licenced to exhort.
April 7, 1878. Alpheus A. Meredith and Marcus E. Martin were ordained to preach.
July 14, 1878. Zebulon Bee was licenced to preach for a term of six months.
December 21, 1879. Zebulon Bee's licence was renewed for one year.
DEACONS.
The records of the church contain the following entries concerning deacons :-
"November 25, 1844. Jesse M. Lowther appointed deacon.
"December 21, 1851. Jesse M. Lowther released from serving as deacon, at his own request.
"March 21, 1858. After considering whether the church had need of a deacon, it was decided affirmatively, but the selection of some one to fill that office was deferred.
207
SOUTH FORK CHURCH
"June 21, 1868. Jonathan C. Lowther appointed deacon.
"September 19, 1869. Jonathan C. Lowther was released from serving as deacon, and Hezekiah D. Sutton appointed in his stead.
"October 31, 1881. John Ehret appointed assistant deacon for six months.
"December 18, 188r. Jonathan C. Lowther, who had again been appointed deacon, was released from further service at his own request."
MODERATORS.
The moderator was known by various terms ; as "modera- tor," "foreman," and "president."
With the exception of a single meeting, Asa Bee served as moderator from May 7, 1839, to January 25, 1841, when Joshua S. Davis was elected permanent moderator. How long Joshua S. Davis served in this capacity is not known, but he was succeeded, presumably, by Asa Bee, for the latter was relieved from that office at his own request, on February 12, 1860, and Jonathan C. Lowther appointed in his stead. From this time forward, we find the following alternating with each other in serving as "moderator for the day" :- Rev. Ezekiel Bee, Job Meredith, Alpheus A. Meredith, and Marcus E. Martin.
Davis N. Meredith was appointed permanent moderator on November 15, 1874, and on the 3d of January following, John Ehret was appointed assistant moderator.
Ezekiel Bee appears as moderator for the last time, on March 17, 1878. On June 22, 1879, Davis N. Meredith was released from further services as moderator, and on the 20th of the following month, John Ehret was appointed as his successor, and presumably served until the final disintegration of the church.
CHURCH CLERKS.
Although the church was organised in June, 1834, no records of the business meetings of the church were kept until May 7, 1839, when Joshua S. Davis was appointed clerk for the day. He was re-appointed from meeting to meeting, alter- nating from time to time, with Jonathan C. Lowther and Asa Bee, until November 30, 1840, when Jonathan C. Lowther was appointed standing clerk of the church.
The record concerning the organisation of the church was written by Asa Bee, from loose papers in possession of
20S SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
various members of the church, and approved by the church at a business meeting held August 29, 1842.
Jonathan C. Lowther served as clerk of the church until May 29, 1843, when he vacated the office. His brother Jesse M. Lowther succeeded him by appointment under date of July 6, 1844, and served until his death, November 15, 1855.
The next clerk under permanent appointment, of whom there is a record, was Josiah Bee, appointed June 22, 1873.
On April 7, 1878, Jonathan C. Lowther again became permanent clerk of the church, and apparently served until the date of the last record in the book, February 22, 1883.
Asa Bee, Jr., was appointed assistant clerk March 20, 1853. How long he served does not appear.
During the various interims between the terms of office of the different permanent clerks, several members of the church acted as clerk temporarily. Among these were Otho P. Zinn, Jonathan C. Lowther, Zebulon Bee, William Jett, and Davis N. Meredith.
MEETING HOUSES.
For many years after its organisation, the church held its meetings for worship and business alike in private houses, the homes of its members.
On March 23, 1851, the church adopted the following resolution :-
"RESOLVED, That we put up a frame [meeting house], thirty feet long and twenty feet wide, one story, thirteen feet high, with a partition of three leaves at or near the middle of the house, to be raised and let down at pleasure; with two doors, one in the end designed for a school room, the other door in the other end of the house by the side of the pulpit, it [the pulpit] also being in the other end. Four twelve-light windows in the school room, [the panes of glass to be] 8"xIo", one in each end of the house, and one on each side of the door in the end. Three windows in the other room, one in each side with twelve lights [each pane of glass to be] 8"x10", and one over the pulpit with nine lights, 8"xIo" each, in size.
The building was completed in less than two years, as will . be observed from the following action of the church, under date of December 19, 1852 :-
"Being compelled to hold our meetings in private houses heretofore for the want of a more suitable place, but now blessed of God with a house prepared for that purpose,
(13)
THE PINE GROVE CHURCH.
200
SOUTH FORK CHURCH
"RESOLVED, Therefore, That we meet at the frame school house in the Pine Grove to hold all our public meetings hereafter."
The lot on which this building was erected was purchased of Asa Bee, but the church did not receive a deed for it until May 21, 1871, when trustees were appointed by the church to receive the deed for the church lot and graveyard.
The church used this building, which served the double purpose, for a long while, of meeting house and school house, until 1875. On October 17 of that year, the church voted to build anew, and on the 28th of the next November, the dimen- sions were fixed as follows :-
"House to be twenty-six feet wide, by thirty-six feet long, thirteen feet in height to the square, and to have two aisles and two doors. The ceiling overhead to be left to the building committee as to whether it shall be arched or not."
The church committed this work to a building committee with power, and gave it two years in which to complete the work. The work appears to have been completed about as planned, with the exception of the seating, which was not finished until November, 1880.
The meeting house and graveyard of the Pine Grove Church passed into the possession of the Ritchie Church after the consolidation of the two churches.
SCHOOL.
As previously set forth, the first meeting house erected by the church was designed for use as a school house, as well as a house of worship. This of course antedated the public free school system, which was not inaugurated here until after the events of the Civil War had separated West Virginia from the Old Dominion.
The school was under the strict management of the church, and at times, at least, members of the church were commanded by that body to prepare themselves for teaching at some specified future time.
MEMBERS.
A list of members of the South Fork of Hughes River, or Pine Grove, Church, compiled from the records of the church, with the date of admission, or the date when the name first appears, is as follows :-
210 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
BEE, ALBERT, son of John D.,
June 20,
1875,
BEE, ALLEN, appears as a member,
April 7, 1878,
BEE, ALMIRA, dau. of Asa,
February 25, I850,
BEE, ANGELINA, dau. of Ezekiel,
1857,
BEE, ARTHUR G., son of Ezekiel,
BEE, ARTHUR G., JR.,
1881 or
1882,
BEE, ASA,
May 7,
IS39,
BEE, ASA, JR.,
March 2,
1850,
BEE, A. Z.,
1881 or
1882,
BEE, B. WILSON, son of Ezekiel,
November 15,
1874,
BEE, CHARLES W.
December 22, 1872,
BEE, CORDELIA,
1857,
BEE, C. R., appears as a member, BEE, ELMA,
1881 or 1882,
BEE, ELISABETH, wife of Zebulon,
January 19, 1856,
BEE, ELISABETH, dau. of Ezekiel,
1857,
BEE, ELISABETH ANN,
January 14, 1876,
BEE, ELISABETH,
January 14,
1876,
BEE, EUDOLPHEUS, son of Ezekiel,
January -, I875,
BEE, EZEKIEL,
February 12,
1868,
BEE, EZEKIEL, JR.,
1881 or
1882,
BEE, HANNAH, wife of Asa,
May 7,
1839,
BEE, HANNAH, wife of Jeremiah,
July 12, 1857,
BEE, INGABY, wife of John D.,
1857,
BEE, IRA., son of John D.,
Nov. or Dec.,
1872,
BEE, JERUSHA,
1881 or 1882,
BEE, JOSIAH, son of Ezekiel, appears as member,
June 22, 1873,
BEE, JOSIAH, JR.,
1881 or
1882,
BEE, JOHN NELSON,
18SI or
1882,
BEE, KOSANNAH,
November -,
1872,
BEE, LEAR V.,
November -,
1872,
BEE, LOAMI, son of Asa,
March 2,
1850,
BEE, MARY,
January 14,
1876,
BEE, OLIVE E., dau. of Zebulon,
April 26,
IS6S,
BEE, OZINA M., dau. of Zebulon,
January -,
IS75,
BEE, PERDILLA, wife of J. Nelson Bee,
January 14, 1876,
BEE, PRISCILLA, dau. of B. Wilson Bee,
March 23,
1850,
BEE, PRISCILLA, dau. of Asa,
1881 or 1882,
BEE, SALLY,
November -,
1872
BEE, SEDILLA, dau. of Ezekiel,
April 26,
1868,
BEE, STEPHEN,
1881 or ISS2,
BEE, ZEBULON, son of Asa,
January 19,
1856,
BOND, EMELINE wife of Richard E.,
July
1869,
BEE, MARY A.,
April 26,
1868,
BEE, LUHAMA, dau. of John D.,
1857,
BEE, JOEL, son of John D.,
1857,
June 19, 1881,
IS57,
BEE, AZOR ESTEE, son of John D.,
1857,
21I
BOND, LUTHER H., son of Richard E., BOND, MARTHA, dau. of Richard E.,
July -, 1869,
1857,
BOND, RICHARD E.,
April 26, 1868,
COLLINS, CYNTHIA, appears as a member, COLLINS, SYLVESTER, 1881 or 1882,
DAVIS, ARZANDER,
June 21, 1868,
DAVIS, DANIEL W.,
January 21, 1876,
DAVIS, DORINDA, 2d wife of Ziba,
April 13, 1850,
DAVIS, DORINDA, dau. of Joshua S.,
1857,
DAVIS, FRANCIS M.,
January 21,
1876,
DAVIS, HANNAH, wife of Joshua S.,
July 6.
1813,
DAVIS, ISAIAH B., son of Stephen,
June 21,
1868,
DAVIS, JOHNSON, son of Ziba,
DAVIS, JOSHUA S.,
July 6, 1843,
DAVIS, LEANDER,
June 21,
1868,
DAVIS, LEMUEL, son of Joshua J.,
February 25, 1847,
DAVIS, PHILOTHETA, dau. of Ziba,
February 25, 1850,
DAVIS, PHINEAS R., son of Lemuel,
April 26, IS68,
DAVIS, RHODA, wife of Lemuel,
February 25, 1847,
DAVIS, SABRINA, dau. of Ziba,
March 23, 1850,
DAVIS, TALITHA, dau. of Ziba,
I857
DAVIS, ZIBA,
April 13,
1850,
EHRET, ELISABETH,
March 21,
1875,
EHRET, HANNAH M.,
EHRET, JOHN,
April 26,
1868,
EHRET, WILLIAM F.,
1857,
GOODWIN, E. A.,
January,
1875
GOODWIN, HENRY H.,
Nov. or Dec., 1872,
HALBERT, PRINE,
1881 or 1882,
HOFF, ERI,
March 18, 1881,
HOFF, MALINDA,
1881 or 1882,
JETT, WILLIAM, name appears,
March 21, 1875,
JONES, JOSHUA E.,
March 21, 1875,
KELLEY, AI G., son of Ezekiel,
June 21, 1868,
KELLEY, CATHARINE L.,
June 21, 1868,
KELLEY, ESTELLA, wife of Ezekiel,
July 12, 1857,
KELLEY, EZEKIEL,
1857,
KELLEY, RUANNA,
1857,
LOWTHER, CATHARINE R.,
April 26,
1868,
LOWTHER, CELINA,
1857,
LOWTHER, DECATUR, son of Elias,
Constituent member,
LOWTHER, DORINDA, dau. of Elias,
Constituent member,
LOWTHER, ELIAS, name appears as a member,
May 7, 1839,
LOWTHER, EMZA M., wife of Jonathan C.,
February 21, 1850,
LOWTHER, JESSE M., son of Elias,
July 6, 1843,
LOWTHER, JONATHAN C., son of Eilas,
Constituent member,
LOWTHER, LUCINDA, wife of Jesse M.,
August 31, 1844,
SOUTH FORK CHURCH
February 22, 1883,
February 25, 1850,
212 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
LOWTHER, MANDANE, dau. of Jesse M.,
1857,
LOWTHER, MARGARET,
Constituent member,
LOWTHER, MARY,
Constituent member,
LOWTHER, REBECCA, dau. of Jonathan C.,
Constituent member,
LOWTHER, SIMILDE J., dau. of Jesse M.,
1857,
LOWTHER, SOPHRONIA, dau. of Jonathan C.,
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