USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 73
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* This sketch is from the pen of Rev. Mr. Potts.
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
Among the more prominent members who constituted the original one hundred may be mentioned J. D. Allen and wife, G. W. Norton and wife, W. F. Norton and wife, W. H. Smith and wife, S. C. Long and wife, John S. Long and wife, W. O. Hall and wife, A. S. Woodruff and wife, A. D. Miles and wife, C. C. Hull and wife, Warren Mitchell and wife, Andrew Cowan, R. H. Netherland and wife, H. C. Hamilton and wife, H. G. S. Whipple and wife, G. A. Hull and wife .*
The societies attached to this church have been peculiarly energetic and useful. The Mar- ried Ladies' Society, after the destruction of the building, undertook single-handed the refitting of the pastor's study. The Young Ladies' So- ciety, among other benefactions, has established an infirmary in the Baptists' Orphan Home, on First and St. Catharine, where they added a beautiful little hospital, with eight small beds and four swinging cradles, and all desirable appur- tenances.
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
This is the only denominational school of large prominence in or near the city. It is an institu- tion for the preparation of the ministry in studies purely theological. It gives no literary or scien- tific instruction, except so far as is incidentally done in connection with the science of theology. It has been founded by the Baptists of the Southern States, not, however, unaided by their Northern brethren, from some of whom very liberal contributions have been received. Its Board of Trustees is taken from each of the Southern States which have contributed funds to its endowment or support in the proportion of such contribution-$5,000 entitles to one Trus- tee, $10,000 to two, and each additional $10,000 to another, with the proviso that however large its contributions no State shall be entitled to more than eleven Trustees.
This provision is contained in a series of fun- damental articles which were laid down by the convention which established the seminary, which articles are perpetual, there being no body that exists nor that can exist which has the power to change them. These articles set forth the doc- trinal views universally held among Baptists, and
each professor is required to teach in accord- ance with and not contrary to them.
Several theological schools and departments of colleges were in existence among the Baptists of the South in 1845; when they were separated from their Northern brethren. The instruction given in these was limited and their endow- ments were very meagre, and it was deemed best if possible to combine them all into one, and to endow that liberally.
But this was found impossible, though faithfully attempted. Finally, another effort was made, which, though it failed in combining the existing schools, culminated in a new institution, in which the theological department of the Furman University, one of them already existing, was merged. A committee was appointed in June, 1854, at the General Association of Virginia Bap- tists, to agitate the question at the session of the Southern Baptist Convention in Montgomery, Alabama, in May, 1855. The result was the call and assembling of an educational convention at Augusta, Georgia, in April, 1856. At this meet- ing it was decided to hold another meeting at Louisville, Kentucky, in connection with the Southern Baptist convention to assemble in May, 1857. Bids for a location and endowment were invited. At Louisville the bid of the Baptists of South Carolina was accepted, which proposed to give $100,000 for the location of the seminary at Greenville, South Carolina, on the condition that $100,000 should be also contributed by the other States. Subscriptions of the amounts proposed were secured, but as they were in pri- vate notes they became valueless in consequence of the disasters of the war. After the termination of the war the seminary was maintained with great sacrifices and struggles by merely annual contributions for several years. It became evident that only in this precarious way could it be maintained at Greenville, South Carolina, and it was doubtful if that could be done much longer. Therefore, during the session of the Board at St. Louis in May, 1871, it was decided to reopen the question of location, as certain arrangements made with the South Carolina Baptists not long before authorized it to do. Various offers were made, but after mature delib- eration that from the Baptists of Kentucky for a location at or near Louisville was accepted. This was a pledge of a subscription of three hun-
*We have this sketch by the kindness of Mr. Joseph M. Gleason, clerk of the church.
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
dred thousand dollars, on condition that the Board would not permanently cease efforts for further endowment, until five hundred thousand had been subscribed. This offer was accepted in August, 1872, and from that time to the present the work of endowment has been earnestly pressed. Over two hundred thousand dollars of invested funds have been secured. About eighty thousand dollars worth of real estate has been obtained. Private subscriptions, not yet realized from, have also been given, amounting to about one hundred and 1 sixty thousand dollars. Among the contributions has been one of fifty thousand dollars' for the endowment of a pro- fessorship by Hon. Joseph E. Brown, formerly Governor of Georgia and now United States Senator from that State. This professorship has been attached to the School of Systematic The- ology and has been designated by the board as the Joseph Emerson Brown professorship.
The faculty of this institution now consists of Rev. James P. Boyce, D. D., LL. D., chairman, Rev. John A. Broaddus, D. D., LL. D., Rev. Basil Manly, D. D., LL. D., and Rev. W. H. Whitsitt, D. D. Rev. George W. Riggan, A. M., is also assistant instructor in Hebrew, Greek, and Homiletics. Besides these the Seminary has had two other professors since its origin-Rev. William Williams, D. D., LL. D., who died in 1877, while still connected with the institution, and Rev. Crawford H. Toy, D. D., LL. D., who resigned his position in May, 1879.
The number of students for the past ten years or more has been larger than in any other Bap- tist Theological Seminary in the world. During the whole period of its existence about one thousand Baptist ministers have availed them- selves of its instructions. There have also been many of several other denominations who have attended, and have received the same privileges as the Baptist students. The tuition is free to all. Indeed there are no charges in connection either with its instruction or graduation.
The seminary has as yet no buildings, either for halls of instruction or its library, which con- sists of about 12,000 volumes, or for the board- ing of its students. The erection of them has been wisely delayed until the necessary means are collected in cash. Meantime it occupies for lec- ture and library rooms very commodious quar- ters in the third story of the Public Library
Building on Fourth street, between Green and Walnut, and has leased for a boarding hall for Its students the Waverley Hotel on Walnut street, between Sixth and Seventh, which furnishes abun- dant and comfortable quarters.
The seminary was removed to Louisville and opened for instruction in that city the first time on the ist of September, 1877.
Professor Basil Manly, Jr., A. M., D. D., LL. D., is a native of South Carolina, born in the Edgefield District, December 19, 1823, of Irish descent. His grandfather was an officer in the Revolutionary war. The family is remarkable for longevity, nearly all his ancestors reaching ninety years. He received a thorough educa- tion, and graduated from the University of Ala- bama in 1843 ; attended the Theological Semi- naries at Newton, Massachusetts, and Princeton, New Jersey ; was licensed to preach in Tusca- loosa, Alabama, in 1844, and ordained there four years later ; preached to several country churches in that State, and in 1850 became pastor of the First Baptist church, in Richmond, Virginia, but retired from ill health in 1854 and superintended the construction of a fine building for the Rich- mond Female Institute, of which he afterwards took charge. When the Southern Baptist The- ological Seminary was established at Greenville, South Carolina, he became one of the first pro- fessors, and has maintained connection with it ever since, save during an interval beginning in 1871, when he was called to the presidency of Georgetown College, Kentucky. He prepared the Baptist Psalmody for the Southern Baptist churches in 1849, and has done much other de- nominational and general public work.
Rev. Joseph W. Warder, D. D., was born October 13, 1825, in Logan county, Kentucky. His father was a successful minister, and his mother a woman of great piety. Governor Charles S. Morehead was a maternal uncle, and his father dying while he was in his boyhood, the Governor attended to the education of his nephew, and also met himself the necessary ex- penses. In 1845 he graduated at Georgetown College, as valedictorian. While in college, he was converted, joined the Baptist Church, and was licensed to preach. For a year after his graduation, he taught in the preparatory depart- ment of the same college, and was elected
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professor of mathematics, but refused the place to attend Newton Theological Seminary in Boston. After spending some time at Prince- ton, New Jersey, he graduated at Newton in 1849, and was soon ordained to the ministry. At first he was pastor of the Frankfort Baptist church, but succeeding this served as pastor in several different places, and in 1875 accepted a position with the church on Fourth and Walnut streets, Louisville. He was married in 1851, to . Miss Elizabeth S. Tureman, of Maysville, Ken- tucky. They have seven children living. Dr. Warder's life has been a laborious one, but at the same time an exemplary one, and his popu- larity and evident success are no more than his work deserves.
Rev. John Lightfoot Waller, LL. D., was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, November 23, 1809, and died in Louisville, October 10, 1854. His education was obtained mainly at home. At the age of nineteen, and for seven years, from 1828 to 1835, he taught school in Jessamine county. He then became editor of the Baptist Banner, at Shelbyville; and when the Baptist, of Nashville, Tennessee, and the Western Pioneer, of Alton, Illinois, were merged in it, and the name changed to Baptist Banner and Western Pioneer, he continued the editor, in conjunction with the Rev. Drs. Howell and Peck. He was ordained to the ministry in 1840; resigned his editorship in 1841, to accept the general agency of the Kentucky Baptist General Association; succeeded his father in 1843, as pastor of the Glen's Creek church, for nine years. In 1845 he commenced the publication of the Western Baptist Review, monthly, which he continued until his death- changing the title in 1849 to the Christian Re- pository, and in 1850 resuming his editorial charge of the Banner and Pioneer. He was in- strumental in organizing the Bible Revision As- sociation, with headquarters at Louisville-in which the Baptists of the Southern and South- western States united. In 1852 the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Madison University. In 1849-his only opportunity for political or State position or office, as the State Constitution prohibited ministers of the Gospel from a seat in the Legislature, etc .- he was a candidate in Woodford county, for the convention to revise or reform the State Consti- tution, and elected by two hundred and nineteen
majority over Thomas F. Marshall, the popular orator, who espoused the gradual emancipation side. Dr. Waller was famous and popular as a controversialist. In 1842-43, he held public de- bates on baptism with Rev. Nathan L. Rice, D. D., one at Georgetown and the other at Nicholas- ville; with Rev. John T. Hendrick, D. D., at Flemingsburg, and at Maysville with Rev. Robert C. Grundy, D. D. He subsequently debated on Universalism at Warsaw, Kentucky, with Rev. E. M. Pingree, of Cincinnati; this debate had a fine influence on the community. He also pub- lished several controversial works-one on "Communion," and another on "Campbellisni," and left the manuscript of a history of the Bap- tist Church in Kentucky, but it has never been published .*
Rev. Jonathan Cox Waller was of English de- scent, coming from a celebrated old family that traced their ancestry back to Sir Richard Waller, who was knighted for his bravery on the field of Agincourt. In the connection was the states- man and poet, Edmund Waller. Members of the family who settled in Virginia as early as the seventeenth century, took prominent parts in public affairs, holding offices of honor and trust, and aiding materially in the securing of civil and religious liberty. The father of the subject of our sketch, George Waller, and the grandfather, William Edmund Waller, were both pioneer Bap- tist ministers in Kentucky, emigrating to this State from Virginia in 1781. The father settled in Shelby county, Kentucky, on Buck Creek, and was ordained pastor of the Baptist church there, of which his father was pastor before him. He remained there more than fifty years, but did not confine his labors to this one organization alone. At times he had other churches un- der his care, and often he preached as an evangelist. It is estimated by those who followed his ministry, that he baptized more persons while actively engaged than any other person in the State. His son was born at the old family resi- dence, on Buck Creek, March 24, 1812. When seventeen years old, he with his brother, J. W. Waller, settled in Jefferson county about ten miles below Louisville. In 1834 he was married to Susannah T. Bell, and in the same year joined the church to which his friends belonged, and
* Historical Sketch of the Baptist Church, in Collins's His- tory of Kentucky.
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
over which his father was at the time pastor. From that date he became a diligent student of theology, and believing zealously the doctrines of Calvinism, he entered the field of controversy and engaged in many discussions on topics well known to theologians of the time. In 1846 he assisted in editing the Baptist Banner, and two years later he sold his from on the river, and moved to Louisville. During the war he wrote and published a work on the Second Coming of Christ and his Millennial Reign on the Earth, which passed through four editions in a few months. In 1864, he, with Rev. George W. Robertson, began the book business on Fourth street, near Main. The Western Recorder was published in connection with the bookstore, and he became its editor. He finally sold his interest and his paper, removed to the southwestern part of the State, and there engaged in mining, where he remained seven years. He now resides in Louisville, and has recently completed a work on Doctrinal Theology. He has three children.
Rev. J. Lansing Burrows, D. D., was born in New York, in 1814. His father, Captain Sam- uel Burrows, in the War of 1812 was com- mander of the American ship "Privateer," commanded the first steamboat which ran from Pittsburg to New Orleans after the war's close, and died of yellow fever at Mobile in 1822, His mother's name was Lansing, and she be- longed to an old Dutch Knickerbocker family. Becoming a ward of his grandfather's when a child, he was educated by him with the greatest care. He prepared for college under the Rev. Dr. Nott, and became a student at Andover, Massachusetts. In 1835 he became an ordained minister of the Baptist church at Poughkeepsie, and subsequently served as assistant pastor in New York City. Coming to Kentucky in 1836, he taught first at Shelbyville, and then conducted a female school at Elizabethtown for some time. Following this work he resumed his preaching in important locations, Philadelphia and Rich- mond being among the number. While in the latter city he was superintendent of the Baptist Memorial enterprise, which had for its object the endowment of the college at Richmond and the building of a monument to the memory of the early Virginia Baptists. In 1874 he returned to Louisville, and was duly installed pastor of the Broadway Baptist church. His writings on
church matters are quite numerous, and several of his sermons have been put into permanent form. He has great power as a preacher, is social and attractive in his manners and appear- ances, and is devoted to his calling.
William Pratt, D. D., was born in Madison county, New York, January 13, 1817. He is the son of Dr. Daniel Pratt, an eminent physician of Massachusetts and a surgeon in the United States army in the War of 1812, and brother of Hon. Daniel D. Pratt, an Indiana lawyer and ex- United States Senator. His mother, Sallie Hill, of Maine, was a descendant of John Rogers, the martyr, and a woman celebrated for her great piety. Dr. Pratt acquired his elementary educa- tion in the common school, and completed his preparatory studies at the Oneida Conference Seminary, at Cazenovia, New York. In Madi- son University, at Hamilton, New York, he took a four years' collegiate and two years' theological course, graduating in 1839. The day following that of his graduation, he was married to Miss Julia A. Peck, daughter of Elder John Peck, of Madison county, New York, and at once started for his new field at Crawfordsville, Indiana. For several years he taught and preached, but his health failing, in 1845 he removed to Lexington, Kentucky. There he remained seventeen years. At this date he was Corresponding Secretary of the Board of the General Association for Ken- tucky, and upon his resignation he devoted him- self to his official duties and preached to several country churches. He was then for two years with the Bank street church in New Albany, In- diana, and afterwards with the Broadway, and also the Walnut street Baptist church in Louis- ville. In 1871, after having been engaged in the wholesale book business for a time, he dis- posed of his stock and removed to Shelbyville, Kentucky, where he still remains. In 1858 Madison University conferred upon the degree of D. D. Dr. Pratt was twice married, the second time to Miss Mary E. Dillard, daughter of Rev. R. T. Dillard, D. D., of Fayette county, of Kentucky. They have five children, William D. Pratt, editor of the Logansport, Indiana, Journal, being one of the sons. Dr. Pratt is an excellent business man, an able and scholarly speaker, attractive in personnel, and thoroughly loyal. During the rebellion he was an uncon- ditional Union man, and is now a Republican.
48
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
PRESBYTERIANISM.
The beginnings of the Presbyterian church in Louisville,-an organization now, in both its branches, one of the most influential and power- ful in the city,-were made nearly seventy years ago. The First church of this order here was founded in early 1817, when the town had but four thousand inhabitants, and but sixteen Presby- terians could be mustered in all the place for or- ganization. It was the only Presbyterian church in the city for fourteen years. The following is the earliest entry in the church record:
In January, Anno Domini 1816, a number of citizens of Louisville, Kentucky, anxious to enjoy the regular adminis- tration of Gospel ordinances, met and formed themselves into a Presbyterian society organization, and appointed the fol- lowing gentlemen : Cuthbert Bullitt, Archibald Allen, John Gwathmey, Paul Skidmore, Joshua Headington, and Alex- ander Pope, Esq., trustees or commissioners, to prosecute a call for the Rev. Daniel C. Banks, a missionary for Kentucky from Connecticut, to become their pastor, and also to initiate a subscription for the purpose of raising money to build a church and to complete the same.
The history of the church has been continued by Patrick Joyes, Esq., clerk of the society, in a paper read at the rededication of the old church edifice at Green and Centre streets, in October, 1881, after a thorough refitting, at a cost of $3,200, The sketch was subsequently published, and from it we condense the following :
The Rev. James Vance, of the Louisville Presbytery, was appointed to moderate the call and arrange the business before Presbytery. The call was made out on April 23, 1816, for one sermon per Sabbath, at $900 per year. Mr. Banks accepted the call, and arrived in Louisville on the 15th of August, 1816. bringing with him his certificate of dis- missal and recommendation from the Eastern Association of Fairfield, Connecticut. On the fifth Sabbath in January, 1817, a confession and covenant was adopted and formally agreed to by the following persons, thus organizing the First Presbyterian church of Louisville: Rosanna McFarland, Daniel C. Banks, Jane Cary, Susannah Fetter, Charles B. King, Lydia Biers, Thomas Hill, Jr., Mary Ann Silliman, Stephen Biers, - Denwood, Martha A. Binks, - Birnes, Caroline King, Lucy R. Tunstall, Mary Ann Co-by, Mary Ann Mc.Nutt, and Mirtha Pope. Of these, the original members of this church, Mary Ann MeNutt, the last survivor, died on the 2d of January, 1879, a communicant in the church she helped to found. Two elders were elected in May, 1818, but neither of them was ordained until August, 1819, when, after another election, four elders, Daniel Wurts, Paul Reinhard, Charles B. King, and Elias Ayres, were formally "set apart" as elders; and Jacob Reinhard, in Sep- tember, 1819. was the first commissioner appointed by the session to represent the church at the fall Presbytery.
It was the custom for miny years in the early history of the church to record the names of those who were present at communion, as well as those of the absentees. The record as to a communion January, 1820, shows that twenty-eight
were present and twelve absent, thus giving a membership of forty. By this time the church building was probably com- pleted, as the deed conveying 100x 105 feet on the west side of Fourth street, beginning one hundred and five feet south of Market, was made by Thomas Prather in January, 1819.
We find that it was long customary for strangers who de- sired to commune with the congregation, to obtain permis- sion beforehand from the session. Some difficulty having occurred as to the question, it was declared by the Synod of Kentucky in October, 1820, on appeal from the Presbytery, that the Rev. Daniel C. Banks was not the pastor of the church, and the Rev. James K. Burch was invited to act as stated supply, and was subsequently called to the pastorate of the church, which latter proposition he declined.
On the 20th of August, 1821, the Rev. Daniel Smith was called as pastor, and, having accepted the call, was regularly installed pastor on the 4th of March, 1822, the first regular pastor of the church. But his labors, though blessed, were short, as the year 1822 was one noted for the prevalence of a malignant fever, which carried off numbers of the little con- gregation and of the communicants of the church. The pastor's health was broken down, and he died in February, 1823, less than one year after his installation. After Mr. Smith began his labors in Louisville the church dispensed with the original "confession and covenant" in December, 1821, it having been determined that the " confession of faith" of the Presbyterian church was "complete in itself and suf- ficient.
The Rev. Gideon Blackburn, D. D., having been called to the pastorate in 1823, and having accepted, was installed January 4, 1824. The church numbered by its report to the Presbytery in October. 1824, eighty-two communicants, of whom thirty-six had been received after Dr. Blackburn's call. His pastoral relation was dissolved in October, 1827, he having accepted the Presidency of Danville College. During his four years' stay here the number of communicants increased from fifty-one to one hundred and thirty-three.
The church was without a regular pastor for many years after Dr. Blackburn left, though during that interim the pul- pit was filled by different ministers as temporary supplies, and in August, 1828, the church was visited by the Revs. Gallagher, Ross, and Garrison, and during their stay and labors was blessed with a gracious outpouring, and thirty-six were added on profession. The Rev. Mr. Gallagher was elected as pastor in 1828 and declined, and then a call was extended to Rev. W. F. Curry, who was acting as a tempo- raty supply, and he declined. The Rev. Nathan C. Hall was then elected and declined, and in June, 1829, the Rev. Eli N. Sawtell was elected, and after having taken charge of the church some difficulties arose which resulted in his resig- nation, or rather declination, in February, 1830. A few weeks thereafter letters of dismissal were given to several members for the purpose of organizing the Second Presby- ierian church in Louisville, and in May of the same year a number of letters were given to members for organizing a church in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
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