USA > Tennessee > History of middle Tennessee Baptists : with special reference to Salem, New Salem, Enon and Wiseman associations > Part 25
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It would be unjust to close this sketch without a brief reference to Deacon Wm. C. Johnson. He has been one of the most generous and public spirited Baptist deacons to be found in the upper Cumberland Valley. His support to Bellwood Academy and other public enterprises will cause his name to live in the hearts of generations yet to come.
CORINTH.
This church is now extinct. But as reference is frequently made to it in this volume we give this note. This church was located at Bratton's Branch, or Brat- ton's X Roads, two miles north of Lafayette, Macon County, Tennessee. They were organized July, 1880,
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with some fifteen or twenty members, by Elders Solo- mon Smith, V. A. Sanders and L. A. Minick, with Deacons A. J. Claiborn, Gus Fuqua and others. They did well for a few years with the following pastors : Elders V. A. Sanders, W. M. S. Wilks, J. F. Lam- bert, W. H. Smith, John Knight and R. P. Dillard. Evils finally crept in, mainly this modern holiness craze, until, in 1893, they met and dissolved, the mem- bers mainly returning to Long Creek and Lafayette, their mother churches.
LIBERTY HILL.
This church is located on the waters of Proctor's Creek, three miles west of Celina, Clay County, Ten- nessee. There was an old church in this section be- fore the Civil War, but this had gone down with only three or four members remaining. Elder W. H. Smith, missionary for Enon Association, visited them and soon gathered a number of members, which were supplemented by a number from Oak Grove Church. These were organized into a church in 1885, by El- ders W. H. Smith, T. W. Matthews and M. B. Ram- sey. They built a good house of worship and pros- pered rapidly for a while, when internal dissensions burst them asunder and they are now doing but little for the Master. This is an important field and it is to be hoped will soon be worked.
CORNWELL'S CHAPEL.
This church is located on Defeated Creek, near where it empties into Cumberland River, Smith Coun- ty, Tennessee. They were constituted on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in June, 1879, with twelve members. Nine of these constituent members were
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from Peyton's Creek Church and three from Defeated Creek Church. They were organized by the following presbytery, viz .: Elders E. B. Haynie, T. A. Hudson and T. W. Matthews, with the deacons from Defeated Creek and Mt. Hope churches.
PASTORS: The following brethren have served this church as pastor : Elder T. A. Hudson, Elder J. W. Bailey, Elder M. B. Ramsey, Elder T. W. Matthews, Elder W. J. Watson, Elder R. B. Davis and Elder G. W. Ramsey.
CLERKS : Elijah W. Cornwell and V. D. West. These are all the names we have been able to secure.
DEACONS: John M. Nesbit, 1879; Isaac Smith, 1879. These are all the names which have reached tis.
The establishment of this church is largely due to the influence of that noble layman, Elijah W. Corn- well. With very little assistance he built a good house of worship and the church justly called it "Cornwell's Chapel."
They united with Enon Association in 1879, when in session with Siloam Church. They had, at that time, twenty-five members. They now number 132. The church is in a very prosperous condition. They continue to represent in Enon Association.
MEADORVILLE.
This church is situated in the village of Meador . ville, on the East Fork of Goose Creek, Macon County, Tennessee. By reference to the history of Hillsdale Church, it will be seen that this section was occupied by the East Fork Goose Creek Church, for about a half century. When they moved to Hillsdale it was soon thought best to reoccupy this section with a
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church, so, in December, 1869, they sent out a colony which was constituted into the present Meadorville Church.
PASTORS : I have very little data, but the following is perhaps approximately true. The church was gath- ered through the ministry of Elder L. A. Minick. Since then they have had the following pastors: El- der Giles C. Harris, Elder M. B. Ramsey, Elder W. H. Smith, Elder R. P. Dillard, Elder J. J. Dyer and Elder J. H. Swann.
As to clerks and deacons we know nothing.
This church has had a hard struggle for existence, but they are now pushing forward nobly. They have just completed an excellent house of worship and God has blessed them with a large ingathering. They united with Enon Association in 1870, with twenty-six members. They now number sixty-five members. They represent in Wiseman Association, being one of the constituent members.
HARTSVILLE.
The records of this church are lost and this renders it difficult to secure anything like a full sketch of her history. The church is located in the town of Harts- ville, one mile from Hart's Ferry, or landing, on the waters of Little Goose Creek. Hartsville is the county seat of Trousdale County, Tennessee, and is a town of some 800 population. The exact date and circumstan- ces of the organization of this church have not been ascertained. They united with Enon Association in 1869, while in session at Second Creek Church. They were at this time a newly organized church, numbering twenty-four members. This was before the constitu-
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tion of Trousdale County, Hartsville at that time be- ing in Sumner County.
Among those who have served this church as pastor we note the following: Elder S. C. Talley, Elder J. M. Phillips, Elder J. T. Oakley, Elder W. M. Kuyken- dall, Elder J. H. Anderson, Elder J. H. Grime, Elder V. K. Witt, Elder A. Malone, Elder W. M. S. Wilks, Elder N. R. Sanborn, Elder R. B. Mahony, Elder R. Brett, Elder T. T. Thompson, Elder G. W. Sherman,
Among the deacons we note S. T. Harris, F. G. Harris, J. A. Jones, A. S. Reaves, C. D. High, and others.
The present clerk is P. G. Terry.
The church for some years languished, but they have arisen and put on their strength. They now number 123, have an elegant house of worship, have recently built a preacher's home and are alive to every good work. They are being supplied with preaching at present by Elder E. E. Folk, of Nashville, Editor of the Baptist and Reflector. They represent now in Wiseman Association.
MT. HOPE.
Very little is known of this church. It is located on the north side of Cumberland River a few miles above Carthage, in Smith County, Tennessee. They united with Enon Association in 1872, as a newly constituted church. They numbered at that time thirty-one members. They have represented annually in Enon Association from that date to the present. They now number fifty-five. Elder G. W. Ramsey is their pastor.
CHAPTER X.
SKETCHES OF DECEASED MINISTERS.
ELDER DANIEL SMITH.
The subject of this sketch was a native of North Carolina. He was born in Chatham County, that State, August 6, 1792. He was descended from pious Presbyterian parents. They were possessed of but lit- tle of this world's goods, and young Smith was brought up to know the hardships of poverty con- nected with pioneer life. He was taught a strict ad- herence to the faith of his parents and was sprinkled in infancy. In 1811 he turned his face westward and found a home among the vine-clad hills, in one of the fertile valleys of Smith County, Tennessee. About three years later, he joined the army under Andrew Jackson, and was in the famous battle of New Or- leans, January 8, 1815. At the close of this war, he returned to his home in Smith County and resumed the occupation of farming.
In 1820, he gave his heart to God, and now came the struggle of his life. Here were the long and con- tinued teachings of his parents in Presbyterianism on the one hand, and what he understood to be the teach- ings of God's word on the other. But God enabled him to break away from his early training, and he soon presented himself for membership with Peyton's Creek Baptist Church, and was immersed, most proba- bly, by Elder John Wiseman. It was not long until
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the church discovered that he was the Lord's anointed to bear his message to the perishing of earth. So in the fall of 1824 he was ordained by this church to the full work of the gospel ministry, the presbytery con- sisting of Elders John Wiseman and Miles West. Thus began a very remarkable ministerial career. His education was very limited, but his superior mental
ELDER DANIEL SMITH.
endowments, natural gifts, and close application made amends for his lack in letters. His active ministry extended for a radius of a hundred miles, perhaps, in- cluding a number of counties in Tennessee and south- ern Kentucky. He was, for many years, one of the leading lights in Salem Association, and often preached the annual sermon, and acted as moderator of that body. He also was frequently selected to fill the stand on Sunday. In 1850 he acted as modera-
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tor in the formation of Enon Association, and, with one or two exceptions, filled the chair in this body as long as he lived.
As a preacher, he ranked among the very best. An announcement that he would preach always created a stir among the people and it is said they would walk eight and ten miles to hear him preach. He was low of stature, but strong of build. I was told by a brother deacon, who had tested him for hours, that you might read any verse in the Bible and he would quote the next in succession from memory. With such a wonderful knowledge of God's word as this there can be no wonder at his power in the pulpit.
Among other things, he possessed a large amount of natural wit which he sometimes brought into play with good effect. Among the anecdotes told of him, I note the following: He was very low of stature and not beautiful to behold. On a first visit to a church where they had an old-fashioned box pulpit of rather extra height, he entered the pulpit where he could only get his head above the book-board and an- nounced as his text, "It is I, be not afraid." The congregation saw him peeping over the pulpit and caught the ridiculous side and broke down with laugh- ter.
On another occasion, he was to preach at a school- house where there were no arrangements to have fire. The day being very cold the people had built a large fire in the yard. When he arrived and entered the house they all followed him. He knew the fire in the yard would be a great temptation ; so he remarked : "Brethren, I have on good warm socks and I think I can stand it for one-half hour, but if any of you have holes in your socks or stockings it will be all
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right for you to go to the fire." Suffice it to say none of them went.
He constituted many churches and carried the gospel for the first time into many destitute sections. He was well versed in church history and was a staunch defender of the perpetuity of Baptist churches.
His family is a family of preachers. In his im- mediate family he had a son, Elder D. W. Smith; a grandson, Elder W. H. Smith; and a great-grandson, Elder Don Q. Smith, who were and are able ministers of the word. They are worthy sons of a noble sire.
Some months before his death he was stricken with paralysis in his left side, but recovering sufficiently he returned to the work. In 1857 he visited Barren River Association at Mt. Gilead Church in Allen County, Kentucky, and preached his last sermon while there, from the text: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above," etc. He went from there to an appointment in Simpson County, Kentucky, where he arrived feeling well, ate a hearty supper and re- tired to rest in the home of a friend. Without a moment's warning the death angel touched his heart and his spirit was with God. Blessed servant of God, well done. He was a strong Calvinist in doctrine, and is, no doubt, now magnifying God's grace on the other shore.
ELDER L. A. SMITHWICK.
This noble man of God was born in Washington County, North Carolina, January 23, 1820. He was the son of Thomas and Fanny (Simpson) Smithwick. He was of English-Irish extraction. While he was yet an infant, his father moved to Tennessee and set- tled in Smith (now Trousdale) County, on Goose 13
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Creek about one mile from the town of Hartsville. He had but little educational advantages, working on the farm until he was fourteen years of age, when his father sent him to school two years. This, with a session in Enon College after he was married, coupled with his close application, enabled him to ac- quire a fairly good English education. He was a fine mathematician, with some knowledge of Greek.
At the early age of eleven years, he gave his heart to God while attending a camp meeting near Dixon's Springs. Being young, under the influence of as- sociation he joined the Methodist society, where he remained till he was seventeen. At this age he began to read the Bible and church history. He soon saw that Methodism would not do. He then began an earnest enquiry after the true church of Jesus Christ. The Bible settled this question for him, and in 1844 he united with the then newly constituted Baptist Church, at Athens, Wilson County, Tennessee, having previously moved into that community. He was most probably baptized by Elder E. W. Haile, that prince of preachers. It was soon discovered that the Lord had laid on him the work of the ministry and he was licensed to preach by Athens Church in 1845. His field of usefulness began to enlarge itself, and, fol- lowing the leadings of providence, he soon moved to Smith County, and cast his membership with Mt. Tabor Church on the waters of Peyton's Creek. He now began his work in earnest, and was ordained by Mt. Tabor Church to the full work of the gospel min- istry in 1846, by a presbytery, viz .: Elders John Wiseman, Jonathan Wiseman, Daniel Smith and Reuben Payne. In this same year he was married to Miss Sidney L. Brown and moved to Tompkinsville,
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Ky., where the remainder of his life was spent. His marriage was blessed with three children.
He was rarely excelled as a preacher. He was log- ical and systematic, yet with a fine sense of imagery. He was both doctrinal and sentimental. He held one public debate with a Mr. Wright, a Campbellite cham- pion, and carried everything before him. He had a bodily defect which some times interfered with hard labor. Hence the people of his county tendered him some public office as long as he would accept of it. He also taught school in connection with his ministry. He passed to his reward at his home near Tompkins- ville, Ky., in the spring or summer of 1881 A.D. He 'died with the universal esteem of those who knew him. It could truly be said that he was indeed a man of God. In doctrine, he was a mild Calvinist and a strong Landmark Baptist.
ELDER MALCOM SMITH.
This veteran of the cross was born in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the year 1765. He pro- fessed hope in Christ in 1787 and was baptized by EI- der Abel Oliver in his native State. He left his moor- ings in the Old North State and came to Tennessee, landing in Smith County, October, 1807. He cast his membership with that old historic Salt Lick Church, situated in the edge of Jackson County. It might be remarked just here that this was one of the oldest churches in this section, having been constituted in the very early part of the century. He was ordained by this church in 1810, by Elder Miles West and others. His ministry was mostly confined to Smith and Macon counties. He was a strong Calvinist in doctrine and his preaching was largely experimental.
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He raised a large family, most of whom became Bap- tists. One of his descendents, Elder E. L. Smith, of Mt. Tabor Church, is a noted minister of the gospel. He was present and assisted in the constitution of Salem Association in 1822. He was always busy about the Master's business till God called him home. He passed to his reward August 25, 1827. Peace to his ashes ; would that we knew more of him.
ELDER HIRAM CASEY.
The subject of this sketch was born in the State of Georgia, March 23, 1790. His father emigrated to Tennessee, settling in Smith County, when Hiram was still a youth. Being reared in a frontier community, he grew up with but very little education. At the early age of seventeen, he was married to Miss Cath- erine Depriest by whom he became the father of twelve children.
He professed faith in Christ and was baptized into the fellowship of a church in Hickman County, Ten- nessee, by Elder Caruthers, when he was twenty-two years of age. Whether he had, for the time being, set- tled in that section or was on a visit there, we are not informed. He entered immediately into the ministry. He spent the first twelve years of his ministry (from 1812 to 1824) in Smith and surrounding counties in Middle Tennessee. Part, if not all, of this time his home was on Goose Creek near Meadorville. His membership was probably with the church then known as East Fork Goose Creek. While he did some pas- toral work and helped to constitute some churches, yet the greater part of his ministry was performed as an evangelist. He traveled and preached a great deal with Elder John Wiseman. His qualifications were
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suited to evangelistic work. He was large and portly, with a strong, clear, yet melodious voice, combining an eloquence and pathos that was captivating. He was known as the singing preacher and his power in song would often move large audiences to tears.
He was one of the ministers who assisted in the constitution of Salem Association in 1822, at old Cedar Creek Church. He was loved wherever he was known. He possessed a good degree of natural wit, and was cheerful and lively in the social circle, which made him a favorite even among the young people.
In the latter part of the year 1824, he left the scenes of his early ministry in Middle Tennessee and settled in Hardeman County, West Tennessee ; there he con- tinued to preach with the same zeal which had charac- terized him in Smith and adjoining counties. But he soon finished his work and went to his reward Decem- ber 4, 1828, while he was yet only thirty-eight years of age. This is another one of the strange providences of God, that we shall never understand till we shall go hence. It is found on the fly leaf of his old Bible that he preached 1,125 sermons from A. D. 1817, to A. D. 1822, a period of five years, making an average of 225 in each year. This will give the reader some idea of the amount of labor he performed. As to the number he baptized, etc .. we are not informed. Eter- nity alone can reveal the good done by this man of God; or the number who shall rise up in that day to call him blessed. His dust sleeps in the old Mt. Pleas- ant cemetery, where he was pastor when the Master said it was enough, some ten miles southwest of Boli- var, Tenn.
.
"Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep,
From which none ever wakes to weep."
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History of Middle Tennessee Baptists
ELDER W. H. HAILE.
The subject of this sketch was an elder brother of Elder E. W. Haile. He is a son of Leman and Hen- rietta Haile. He was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, in the year 1803. When yet quite a youth, he came with his parents, who sought a home among the hills of Smith County, Tennessee. He had but little educational advantages in this pioneer home and entered life with but little knowledge of books. The early part of his life was spent in the service of the wicked one. He made the devil a faithful servant and was accustomed to refer to his wickedness after he became a minister. This course was kept up until he was forty-three years of age, when he gave his heart to God. This was a complete surrender and his life, from that day to the day of his death, was one of consecration to God. He was as faithful in the service of God as he had been in the service of the devil. In the meantime, he had married and moved from the community of Knob Spring Church in Smith County, on the south side of the Cumberland, where his father settled, to what is now Trousdale County, on the north side of the river near Hartsville. Hence he cast his membership with Shady Grove Church, in the bend above Hartsville, and was baptized by his brother, Elder E. W. Haile, in November, 1846. Shortly afterward he was ordained as deacon of this church. But God had thrust upon him a greater work, that of preaching the gospel. He was ordained by Shady Grove to the full work of the gospel ministry carly in the year 1851, by a presbytery, viz .: Elders Jonathan Wiseman, Henry Roark and E. W. Haile with Deacons John Wilks and John Weathered.
He entered at once actively into the work of the
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ministry. His ministry covered a period of thirty years, from 1851 A. D. to 1881. He served, in all, eight churches as pastor. Among the places he served the following were prominent, viz .: Shady Grove, Knob Springs, Friendship, New Harmony, Athens and Dixon's Creek.
While he began late in life, yet his close application soon brought him to the front as a preacher. He was regarded by many as the ablest exponent of the doc- trines of the Bible in his section. This may be putting it too strong; yet, it is safe to say that he was rarely excelled. He was an unflinching Landmark Baptist, and never failed to magnify the peculiar doctrines of our beloved Zion. He no doubt would have gone to the martyr's stake for the defense of his principles.
He was married three times. He was first married to Miss Eliza Harris in 1830, who lived only a few years. In 1841 he was again married to Miss Chris- tian Avritt. This second marriage was again soon disturbed by death, and in 1854, after he had entered the ministry, he was married the third time to Mrs. Eveline Pride, who survived him and is still living. These marriages were blessed with seven children, only one of whom, a son, is still living.
His pastorate at Shady Grove covered almost the entire period of his ministerial life. Having been bap- tized into the fellowship of this church at its constitu- tion, it was to him dearer than life itself. A short time before he died, an impostor, one J. H. Jackson, who had secured ordination at the hands of a Baptist Church, came into the community. He was a very be- witching speaker and had all the brass, deception and treachery which usually belong to false teachers. He soon succeeded in deceiving the brotherhood, but
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Father Haile rightly judged him and warned his breth- ren against him. Jackson saw it was his time to strike and urged the matter to an issue, when, wounded and forsaken by his brethren, for the sake of a glaring fraud, he retired from the pastorate and Jackson took his place. Broken hearted, this noble father in Israel turned away from his unfaithful brethren and children in the Lord, and from the scenes of his life work and sought membership in Zion Church some three miles down the river below Hartsville. He died a member of this church, going to his reward January 30, 1881. He died in the blissful hope of immortal glory ; but with a heart saddened by having been wounded in the house of his friends.
ELDER JONATHAN WISEMAN.
This lovable brother was a son of Elder John and Anna (Hunt) Wiseman. He was born in Rowan County, North Carolina, in 1804. While he was yet very small, his father left the Old North State and came to Tennessee, settling on Round Lick Creek in Wilson County ; soon moving to Hickman, in Smith County, and later to Dixon's Springs, and still later to Cas- talian Springs, Sumner County.
In 1828 A. D., young Wiseman left the parental roof and wedded Miss Mildred Weathered, daughter of Deacon John Weathered. He was married by Elder Daniel Smith. Of this union, eleven children were born. After his marriage he bought a farm and set- tled not far from old Hopewell Church, in Sumner County, Tennessee, where he spent the remainder of his days. It was at this church, he gave his heart to God in the year 1832. He then united with this same church and was baptized by his father, Elder
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John Wiseman. It was soon discovered that the Lord had set his mark upon him for the ministry of the word. He was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry by this church in the year 1836, by a pres- bytery consisting of Elders John Borum, Robert Ruth- erford and Thomas Watts. He now entered heartily
ELDER JONATHAN WISEMAN.
into his calling. His first charge was Sylvan Church in the northern part of Sumner County. Among the points he served as pastor, mention might be made of Hopewell, Second Creek, Friendship, Dixon's Creek and others. He was one of the most popular minis- ters of his day, as well as one of the most useful. He perhaps did not have the depth of thought and
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grasp of intellect that his father possessed (and there were very few that did), but as a successful minister he was perhaps his equal. He was certainly a worthy son of a noble sire. Seldom do we see their like. In doctrine he was firm, but not rash.
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