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 25
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 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
The association met for its Fourth Annual Session with the church on the South Fork of Hughes River in Ritchie County, Virginia, September 21, 1854, at II o'clock A. M. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. H. W. Bab- cock of the Western Association. Samuel D. Davis was appointed moderator, and Jepthah F. Randolph and Asa Bee, Jr., clerks. Reports were presented from the following churches :- Lost Creek, South Fork of Hughes River, Middle Island, and New Salem. The thirty-five cents which was reported in the treasury the preceding year, was reported still in the treasury. The report of the committee on the state
I. The following is a copy of the invitation sent to the Western Association requesting that delegates be sent to this session of the Virginia Association :--
" The churches of The Seventh Day Baptist Virginia Association to the churches of the Western Association of the same faith and order:
"DEAR BRETHREN :-
" We request a delegation from your association to meet with us at our next annual anniversary, which is to be held on the Meat House Fork Creek, Doddridge County, Virginia, on the Sixth Day of the week before the first Sabbath in Septem- ber, 1853.
" We very much need your help and prayers. Come over and help us. The fields are already white for harvesting and the labourers are few.
"Yours in Christian love.
" Written by order of the Association. "JEPTHAH F. RANDOLPH,
" Cor. Sec." " Feb. 9, 1853." " Directed to Rev. T. E. Babcock,
" Independence,
" Allegany County, N. Y."
280
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
of religion indicated that religion was at a low ebb and presaged the announcement contained in the "Sabbath Recorder" January 24, 1856, as follows :-
"THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION.
In compliance with the resolution of the Virginia Association, Brother William F. Randolph forwards to us the following :-
"'On the 23d of September, 1855, the last day of the annual session of the late Seventh Day Baptist Virginia Association held at Lost Creek, the representatives of the churches comprised in that body, after much deliberation upon the apparent deleterious effects of inharmonious views and movements evinced at past meetings of this body and seeing little or no prospect under existing circumstances of the cause being any better advanced in the future by continuing the present order of things, it was, therefore,
"'RESOLVED, That we mutually dissolve the compact which the several churches of this body entered into when forming the asso- ciation.' "
The minutes of this association for the last two years of its life are not to be found. They were probably destroyed when the organisation was dissolved, owing to their very unpleasant character.
The meetings of the last session of the association became so stormy, that it was generally agreed that they should not be held in a house of worship. The body accordingly met for its last meeting in the barn of William Kennedy, one of the deacons of the Lost Creek Church.
TYYY
XXI.
THE SOUTH EASTERN ASSOCIATION.
Y
A
EST the annual session of the Eastern Association held in Shiloh, New Jersey, in May, 1856, Rev. Samuel D. Davis appeared as a delegate from the New Salem and Lost Creek churches of Virginia, bear- ing a petition from those churches for admission to the Eastern Asso- ciation.
This request was granted after a spirited discussion of the relation of these churches to slavery, only one dissenting vote being cast, that of Alfred B. Burdick. At its next annual session, the Eastern Association addressed a communication to the Lost Creek Church upon the subject of slavery ; whereupon that church severed its relations with the association. The Lost Creek Church remained with- out connection with any association until the organisation of the South-Eastern Association in 1872.
The New Salem Church, while not formally severing its connection with the Eastern Association, maintained an attitude of silence after the withdrawal of the Lost Creek Church from that association, making no report after 1858 until 1867, when it resumed its annual reports. The revived relation con- tinued until after the organisation of the South-Eastern Asso- ciation, when it amicably severed its relations with the Eastern Association and became a potent factor in the new organ- isation.
None of the other Virginia (now West Virginia) churches formed an associational connection from the time of the dissolution of the old Virginia Association until the organ-
282
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
isation of the South-Eastern Association, which all the churches in West Virginia joined, except the old South Fork of Hughes River Church, then known as the Pine Grove Church.
On May 19, 1871, at a regular business meeting of the New Salem Church, it took the following action ; vis.,
"RESOLVED, That this church invite our sister churches in West Virginia to appoint delegates to meet with delegates of this church at our house of worship in New Salem on the First Day [of the week] after the third Sabbath in August, 1871, at 8 o'clock A. M. to consider the propriety of organising an association of said churches, and, if thought advisable, to draft a constitution for such an organisa- tion to be submitted to the churches for their approval or rejection."
This council met, as contemplated, at New Salem, August 20, 1871, and adopted the following constitution which was afterward approved by the churches :-
"CONSTITUTION.
"Article I. This association shall be called THE SOUTH-WESTERN SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION, and shall be composed of such Seventh Day Baptist churches of West Virginia as may adopt this constitution, and such other churches in harmony with the objects of this association as may hereafter be received by vote of the asso- ciation.
"Article 2. The objects of this association shall be to promote the piety, order, and increase of the churches belonging to it, the Sabbath cause, and the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ generally in the world.
"Article 3. There shall be an annual meeting of delegates appointed by the several churches united in this association, to transact its business affairs, and to carry into operation all its objects.
"Article 4. In the business meetings of this association, the churches composing it shall be represented as follows; vis., One del- egate for each church as a church, and one additional delegate for every ten members of the church.
"Article 5. The officers of this association shall be a moderator, who shall preside at all its business meetings; a recording secretary, who shall keep a faithful record of the proceedings of the association, preserve all valuable papers of the association, and deliver all such records and papers to his successor in office; an assistant recording secretary; a corresponding secretary, who shall conduct the corre- spondence; and a treasurer, who shall keep all the funds of the asso- ciation, pay out the same on proper orders, keep an exact account of all receipts and disbursements, and transmit to his successor in office all funds in his possession. The corresponding secretary shall make an annual report of all the correspondence conducted by him; and the
283
THE SOUTH-EASTERN ASSOCIATION
treasurer shall make a careful annual report of all funds received and paid out, and of the present state of the treasury.
"Article 6. It shall be the duty of each church composing this body to correspond with it by letter annually, stating, so far as it may think proper, its condition; and especially report the number of addi- tions, deaths, dismissions, and rejections during the year; its present whole number of members, and the names of the officers of the church. Also to state the condition of its Sabbath Schools, the number of scholars and teachers, and the name of the superintendent of each.
"Article 7. The association may, if it see proper, at any annual meeting, appoint an executive committee of three or more members, one of whom shall be the moderator, for the more efficient prosecution of any of the objects of the association. Such committee, if appointed, shall make a report of its proceedings at the next annual meeting.
"Article 8. This constitution may be revised or amended at any annual meeting of this association by a two-thirds vote of. the members."
The council appointed September, 1872, as the date for effecting a complete organisation, but the following preamble and resolution were adopted by the Lost Creek Church, September 8, 1871 :-
"Whereas, We think that the interests of the contemplated asso- ciation of our churches demand a completed organisation earlier than September, 1872, and also that it is desirable [that] it should commun- icate with the other S[eventh] D[ay] Baptist associations at their next meetings, therefore,
"RESOLVED, That this church respectfully request our sister churches to appoint, if in their judgment they deem best, the number of delegates provided for by the constitution, to meet with the Lost Creek Church on the Fifth Day [of the week] before the second Sabbath in December, 1871, to organise under the constitution referred to the churches for adoption, and that they be requested to make known their action in the matter to the clerk of the Lost Creek Church."
The invitation of the Lost Creek Church was accepted, but the date of the meeting was afterward changed to the Second Day of the week, January 15, 1872, on the day follow- ing the dedication of the new brick house of worship of the Lost Creek Church.
The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Abram Her- bert Lewis, who had come to Lost Creek to attend the dedica- tion of the new church. Rev. Charles A. Burdick was elected moderator for the session ; Moses H. Davis, clerk ; and Frank- lin F. Randolph, assistant clerk.
The constitution previously adopted by the council which
284
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
had met at New Salem in August preceding, was read, and adopted, except that the name of the new organisation was changed from the SOUTH-WESTERN SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION, to the SOUTH-EASTERN SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION.
The corresponding secretary, Moses H. Davis, was instructed to inform the other associations that the new organ- isation had been consummated, and request that they send dele- gates to the first annual session of the South-Eastern Associa- tion, to be held with the Middle Island Church, at New Milton, beginning on the Fifth Day of the week before the fifth Sab- bath in the following June.
A petition was received from a group of members of the Lost Creek Church living in "Sabbatarian Valley," some ten or twelve miles away from Lost Creek, that they be organised into a church. The association, accordingly, appointed dele- gates to form a council to consider this request. The council met a few days afterward, and organised the West Fork (now Roanoke) Church.
The association instructed its corresponding secretary to open correspondence with the church at Jackson Centre, Ohio, inviting it to become a member of the association ; and with the German Seventh Day Baptists at New Enterprise, Pennsyl- vania, with a similar purpose, if it should be found that they were in doctrinal harmony with the association.1
At the First Annual Session, the West Fork Church applied for admission, and the application was granted.
Although an invitation had been extended by vote of the body at the time of organisation, to the church at Jackson Centre, Ohio, to join this association; it was not until two years afterward when, at the annual session held with the church at Lost Creek, beginning on May 28, 1874, that Hez- ekiah M. Stout appeared from the Jackson Centre Church and presented a letter to the association, in which the invita- tion previously extended to the church at Jackson Centre to join the association, was accepted.
I. The minutes of this first meeting of the South-Eastern Association may be found in the Sabbath Recorder, under date of January 25, IS72.
285
THE SOUTH-EASTERN ASSOCIATION
At the annual session in 1872, the corresponding secretary reported that he had opened correspondence with Jacob Long of Salemville, Pennsylvania, representing the German Sev- enth Day Baptists of Pennsylvania, in which it appeared that, because of their want of organised church regulations, they were unable to enter officially into correspondence, but expressed a willingness to do so as individuals. Accordingly Jepthah F. Randolph was requested by the association to open an unofficial correspondence with these Sabbath-keepers; and, at the next annual session, he presented correspondence which had passed between himself and David C. Long of New Enterprise, Pennsylvania. It does not appear, however, that the German Sabbath observers of Pennsylvania were ready to accept the Seventh Day Baptist articles of faith and church polity, until several years afterward.
At the first session, the introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Samuel D. Davis. Rev. Charles A. Burdick presided as moderator. The recording secretaries were Preston F. Randolph and Franklin F. Randolph. The corresponding secretary was Moses H. Davis. Rev. George E. Tomlinson appeared as delegate from the Eastern and Central associa- tions, and Rev. Darius K. Davis was present as delegate from the Western and North-Western associations. These dele- gates were warmly welcomed, and formally invited to partici- pate in the deliberations of the body.
Rev. Lewis F. Randolph had been appointed a delegate to represent the South-Eastern Association at the other associa- tions whose sessions had already been held, but he was pre- vented from doing so on account of illness in his family.
It may be noted in this connection that Rev. George E. Tomlinson made a profound and lasting impression not only upon our own people, but upon those of other denominations as well, so that on the occasion of his untimely death, four years afterward, expressions of grief and sympathy were called forth from a number of the prominent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, a neighbour of the Middle Island Church, at New Milton.
The question of Sabbath reform received marked atten- tion at this meeting, and provision was made for the Sabbath question to be presented in the non-Sabbath-keeping neigh-
286
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
bourhood of Hunters Fork, a few miles distant, at some con- venient time during the sessions of the association.
The report of the committee on the state of religion was a conservative but hopeful one. The subject of education received special attention. The total membership of the churches of the association for that year, including the West Fork Church, numbered four hundred and thirty-three (433).
The Second Annual Session of the association convened with the church at New Salem on the Fifth Day of the week, May 29, 1873, at 10 o'clock A. M. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. James Bailey. All of the churches were represented both by letter and by delegates. Rev. Charles A. Burdick again presided over the association as its moderator. The recording secretaries were Preston F. Randolph and Franklin F. Randolph. The corresponding secretary was Moses H. Davis. Rev. James Bailey appeared as delegate from the North-Western Association and Rev. Asa B. Prentice from the Central Association. The report of the executive committee showed that a Sabbath School institute had been conducted at Salem on the Sixth Day, and First Day of the week, respectively, September 20, and 22, 1872, by Rev. Lewis A. Platts, corresponding secretary of the Sabbath School Board of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference, assisted by Deacon Isaac D. Titsworth of New Market, New Jersey. The report of the committee on Sabbath Schools speaks strongly in favour of Sabbath School work. The report of the committee on education again exhibits a marked degree of interest in that question. The question of Sabbath reform was given prominence on account of the recent labours within the bounds of the association, of Rev. James Bailey, the lecturing agent of the American Sabbath Tract Society.
Rev. Jacob Davis was appointed delegate to visit the other associations. The report of the committee on obituaries records the death of Rev. Peter Davis on March 4, 1873. He was one of the original company of Sabbath-keepers, who emigrated to New Salem, from Shrewsbury, New Jersey.
The association convened, for its Third Annual Session, with the church at Lost Creek, May 28, 1874, at 10 o'clock A. M. The introductory sermon was preached by Albert Shock, a licentiate member of the Middle Island Church. Rev.
MOSES HOFFMAN DAVIS,
287
THE SOUTH-EASTERN ASSOCIATION
Samuel D. Davis was moderator, Rev. Charles A. Burdick and Dudley H. Davis were the recording secretaries, and Jepthah F. Randolph was corresponding secretary. Letters were presented from the following churches :- New Salem, Lost Creek, Middle Island. Ritchie, and West Fork. No letter was presented from Greenbrier, although it, in common with other churches, was represented by delegates. Hezekiah M. Stout appeared as a representative of the church at Jackson Centre, Ohio, and presented a letter accepting the invitation previously extended to that church by the association, to become a member of this body. He was cordially welcomed and the church at Jackson Centre formally made a member of the association.
The executive committee reported that a Sabbath School institute had been held at Lost Creek the preceding August, with Rev. Lewis A. Platts, the secretary of the Sabbath School Board of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference, as its conductor.
The report of the special committee of two, appointed at the session the year before, to consider the question of a denominational school, excited considerable interest, inasmuch as the committee presented a dual report, or more properly speaking, two reports, one from each of the two members of the committee. These reports were in turn referred to another special committee, with instructions to report at this session. This committee, after careful consideration of the subject, rendered a report, which, while recognising the importance of schools for higher education, considered the conditions within the association such as not to warrant any specific action by that body looking toward establishing such a school. At this session of the association, Rev. George B. Utter appeared as a delegate from the Eastern Association, Rev. Amos W. Coon from the Central, Rev. Nathan V. Huil from the Western, and Rev. James C. Rogers from the North-Western. Rev. Charles A. Burdick was appointed a delegate to attend the sessions of the sister associations for that year.
The Fourth Annual Session of the association was held with the church at Jackson Centre, Ohio, beginning on the Fifth Day of the week, May 27, 1875, at 10 o'clock A. M. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Simeon H. Bab-
288
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
cock. Moses H. Davis presided as moderator, Simeon H. Babcock and Franklin F. Randolph were the recording secre- taries, and Jepthah F. Randolph acted as corresponding secre- tary. Letters were presented from the following churches :- New Salem, Lost Creek, Greenbrier, Middle Island, Ritchie, and Jackson Centre. The West Fork Church was not repre- sented either by letter or by delegate.
Rev. Abram H. Lewis appeared as a delegate from the Eastern Association, Rev. Julius M. Todd from the Central, Rev. John L. Huffman from the Western, and Rev. Samuel R. Wheeler from the North-Western. The report of the com- mittee on the state of religion deplored the want of pastoral and missionary labour, but stated that harmony prevailed throughout the churches. Rev. Samuel D. Davis was sent as a delegate to the other associations.
The Fifth Annual Session of the association was held with the church at Greenbrier, West Virginia, beginning on the Fifth Day of the week May 25, 1876, at 10 o'clock A. M.
The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Jacob Davis. In the absence of the officers who had been elected the year before for this session, Rev. Charles A. Burdick was elected moderator, Moses H. Davis and Franklin F. Randolph, recording secretaries, and Preston F. Randolph, corresponding secretary.
Letters were presented from all the churches, and all except the Jackson Centre Church, were represented by del- egates.
Rev. Lewis A. Platts appeared as a delegate from the Eastern Association, Rev. Stephen Burdick from the Central, and Rev. Thomas R. Williams from the Western.
The reports of the various committees, while recognising certain failures and weaknesses, nevertheless, all, either tacitly or avowedly, disclaimed any cause for discouragement.
Rev. James B. Davis was sent as a delegate to the other associations.
The Sixth Annual Session of the association was held with the Middle Island Church, at New Milton, West Virginia, beginning May 24, 1877, at 10 o'clock A. M.
The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Samuel D. Davis. Rev. James B. Davis was moderator, Franklin F. (18)
REV. GIDEON HENRY FITZ RANDOLPH. LATE MISSIONARY TO SHANGHAI. CHINA. (A native of New Salem ).
289
THE SOUTH-EASTERN ASSOCIATION
Randolph and Moses H. Davis, recording secretaries, and Asa F. Randolph, corresponding secretary.
Reports were presented from the Lost Creek, West Fork, Greenbrier, Middle Island, New Salem, and Ritchie churches. No report was presented from the Jackson Centre Church.
Rev. James R. Irish appeared as a delegate from the Eastern Association, Rev. J. Bennett Clarke from the Central, Rev. Lucius R. Swinney from the Western, and Rev. Oscar U. Whitford from the North-Western.
The report of the committee on resolutions approved the action of the Missionary Society, in seeking to re-inforce the China Mission ; spoke appreciatively of the missionary work of Rev. Lewis F. Randolph within the bounds of the association ; and pledged the support of the association to the American Sabbath Tract Society, in the various lines of its work.
Representatives who were present from the Pine Grove Church (the old South Fork of Hughes River Church, in Ritchie County, West Virginia,-not a member of the associa- tion) were invited to an honorary seat in the body.
The committee on obituary notices reported the death of Deacon William Kennedy of the Lost Creek Church, who, as a child, came to Lost Creek from within the bounds of the Woodbridgetown Church, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
Rev. Lewis F. Randolph was sent as a delegate to the other associations.
The Seventh Annual Session of the association was held with the church at Lost Creek, beginning on the Fifth Day of the week May 23, 1878, at 10 o'clock A. M.
The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Lewis F. Randolph, who presided as moderator. The recording secre- taries were Preston F. Randolph and Luther A. Bond. Jacob Davis was corresponding secretary.
Reports were presented from all the churches. Rev. David H. Davis appeared as a delegate from the Eastern Association, Rev. Darius K. Davis from the Central, Rev. Uri M. Babcock from the Western, and Rev. Henry B. Lewis from the North-Western.
The executive committee reported that a Sabbath School institute had been held with the Greenbrier Church under the
290
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
leadership of Rev. Lucius R. Swinney, Milton S. Davis, and Moses H. Davis.
The committee on Sabbath Schools reported an active, appreciative interest in the Sabbath Schools of the association, but deplored the fact that not all of them continued their sessions throughout the year.
The committee on education re-iterated the oft-repeated recognition of the need of higher education and expressed the hope that opportunities for such education might materialise at New Salem.
On account of financial embarrassment, no delegate was sent to the other associations that year.
The Eighth Annual Session of the association was held with the church at New Salem, West Virginia, beginning May 29, 1879, at 10 o'clock A. M. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. Lucius R. Swinney, who presided over the association as its moderator. The recording secretaries were Charles N. Maxson and Festus P. Ford. Franklin F. Randolph acted as corresponding secretary. The following churches were represented by letter and delegates :- Lost Creek, New Salem, Middle Island, Greenbrier, Ritchie, and West Fork. Rev. Arthur E. Main appeared as a delegate from the Eastern Association, Rev. Joshua Clarke from the Central, Rev. Oliver D. Sherman from the Western, and Rev. Elston M. Dunn from the North-Western. The executive committee reported that they had carried out the recommenda- tion of the association of the preceeding year in regard to Sabbath School work, and that institutes had been held at Lost Creek, Quiet Dell, and Middle Island. The basis of the work of these institutes was the Chautauqua Normal Course, Number One.
The committee on Sabbath Schools reported a growing interest in almost every Sabbath School of the association and noted that the Pine Grove and Ritchie Sabbath Schools had united during the year. The committee commended highly the work of the institutes and believed that much good had been accomplished by them. The committee on the state of religion reported an aggregate of thirty-four additions to the member- ship of the various churches.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.