WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY THE Z. SMITH REYNOLDS LIBRARY CALL NO. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/outlinesofhistor1907ammo Key. JOHN AMMONS. OUTLINES OF HISTORY OF French Broad Association AND MARS HILL COLLEGE From the Organization of the Association in 1807 to 1907, being a Period of 100 Years. By JOHN AMMONS. Edwards & Brougiiton Printing Company RALEIGH, N. C. "Ex AJk INTRODUCTORY NOTE. The following pages is but an Epitome of the His- tory of the French Broad Association. This is the hundredth year of its existence. The older brethren have passed away ; but one or two are left that know anything of the course of events for the last fifty years ; should these pass away without leaving some record many valuable facts will be lost without hope of recovery ; hence I have written. Begging pardon for the imperfection of the work, I pray that it may act as an incentive to the future his- torian, and be at least some help to him in compiling a more perfect history. I commit this work to God and the Brotherhood. The Author. A BRIEF HISTORY French Broad Association. Western North Carolina is an elevated plateau, situ- ated between the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east, and the Alleghany Mountains on the west. For sub- limity of scenery, this region is not surpassed but by few regions in all the world ; it is distinguished by the sobriquet of the Switzerland of America. Switzerland possesses the advantage of its snow-capped peaks and extended glaziers, but for variety and beauty of scenery Western North Carolina claims preeminence. This region embraces thirteen counties, lying almost alto- gether, west of the Blue Ridge, and having their towns located in the valleys lying between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghanies. The average altitude is about 2,500 feet above the level of the sea ; while many of the mountain peaks rise to more than 6,000 feet. The famous Mount Mitchel stands sentinel over all this region, towering to the height of 6,688 feet. This is the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains. Just where the first set- tlement was made is not certain, nor is it definitely known at what time; but it was not far from 1790, and must have been near where Asheville now stands, and probably on Gashes' Creek. All this western part of the State lay within the counties of Buncombe and Burke ; all that portion lying west and south of Toe R'ver belonged to Buncombe, and it was sportively called the State of Buncombe ; it was somewhere in the 6 History of French Broad Association. State of Buncombe that the first settlement was made. James Smith, who spent most of his life in the county, and who died in Asheville, was the first white child born west of the Blue Ridge. With the first settlers came the preacher of the gos- pel ; the pioneers in religious work were the Baptists and the Methodists — the Baptists taking the lead. Set- tlements were made in what is now Buncombe, Hender- son, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell and Haywood counties. The first settlements were located in the valleys and on the principal water-courses, and in each of these set- tlements a church was soon established. It is not defi- nitely known what church was first organized, but this belongs to Little Ivy, now in Madison County, or to French Broad, in Henderson County. Little Ivy was organized about 1796; who was its first pastor is not known to the writer. There was William Turner, of whom the old brethren used to speak, but little is known of him or his work, only that he preached at Little Ivy. David Blackwell was, prob- ably, the second pastor. Prior to 1807, churches had been organized at Little Ivy, French Broad, New Found, Locust Old Fields, Cane River, and Cane Creek. These six churches were, in 1807, organized into an Association, and called French Broad, after the name of the principal river of this region. Little Ivy, Locust Old Fields and New Found were constituent members of the Holsten Association in Tennessee, the others were dismissed from Broad River in South Carolina. The ministers which belonged to this body at its organization were Thos. Snelson, Thos. Justice, Sion Blythe, Benjamin King, Humphrey History of French Broad Association. 7 Posey, and Stephen Morgan. None of these were men of culture, Posey being the only man among them who had obtained more than the bare elements of an Eng- lish education, but they were men of brain and brawn, and what counts for more, God had put them into the ministry — they had not run before they were sent, nor had they answered before they were called — they were devoted to the work of saving souls. These six churches were the leaven in the meal, dif- fusing itself through the whole mass of social order, so that wherever a settlement was established a church was planted. In a few years the number of churches was greatly increased. Among the first new churches were Bull Creek, River Hill, Flat Creek, Grassy Creek, Middle Fork, Big Ivy, Roan Mountain, Hominy, Old Salem, and Beula. These churches were scattered over what is now Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, Transylvania, Hay- wood, Yancey and Mitchell counties, and embraced in their membership most of the leading citizenship of the country, or several communities in which they were situated. It will be seen, therefore, that in these early churches religion possessed a moral grandeur, such as to commend it to the hearts and consciences of the peo- ple ; it meant more than professing religion and joining the church, it meant a life separate from and above the men and ways of the world. It is true these early Christians labored under the disadvantages which a want of education and general culture always impose, but they were characterized by a rugged honesty and common sense, a native simplicity that made them scorn to do a mean thing; they were truly the salt of the 8 History of French Broad Association. earth, a light in each dark place in which these churches were located. For want of a broader information and culture, ques- tions of order and doctrine were often arising, which occasioned confusion and sometimes divisions. The first of these of which the writer has any information arose in River Hill church, near where the town of Marshall now stands. The grounds of contention were at first a matter of discipline, but it soon took a doctrinal turn. This resulted in a division in the church, which gave rise to the establishment of Walnut Creek church, and the old church finally fell to pieces. This disturbance and division was created and led by Isaac Tillery, who was a preacher, and at the time of the trouble the pastor of the church. He became an Antinomian, and finally made shipwreck and went to the bad. Of the progress of the work for twenty years very little is known, as no records have been preserved, and the only facts available are matters of tradition, and much of this is not reliable. These older churches sent out colonies to form other churches, and in a few years other Associations were formed in the territory occupied by the original six. The first of these was the Tuckaseige. This Association embraced the churches in Haywood and Macon counties ; since then the counties of Jackson, Swain, Graham and Cherokee have been created out of territory then lying within the limits of these counties. Locust Old Fields was em- braced in this Association. The next Association to be organized was the Salem, which was formed of churches in South Buncombe, and named for one of the oldest churches, known as Old Salem. This body increased till it became very strong. During its day it History of French Broad Association. g embraced in its membership James Blythe, N. P. Corn, William Mintz, J. C. Owen, Joseph Blythe, J. H. Duck- worth, Thos. Stradley, W. C. Berry and N. Bowen. James Blythe was an able minister ; a little in ad- vance of most of his brethren in point of culture. His labors were principally confined to South Buncombe, and what is now Henderson and Transylvania counties. Few men ever had greater power over men ; naturally impulsive, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, he preached as with the Holy Ghost sent down from God. In doctrine and spirit he impressed himself upon his people and his age, so that he had more to do in form- ing the character of the people, in the sphere of his labors, than any other person. He believed that Christ gave himself a Savior for all, to be testified in due time ; hence he mightily pleaded with men to be recon- ciled to God. Many souls were added unto the Lord through his labors. Other leading spirits in this body were Thos. Stradley and X. Bowen : Stradley was an Englishman, and belonged to the Gill School of The- ology. His views and his persistent advocacy of them gave rise to controversy in this body which for a num- ber of years operated as a disturbing element. The next Association organized was Roan Mountain ; it embraced most of the churches in the county of Yancey. Since that time the county of Mitchell has been formed, and embraces most of the churches in the organization. The leading spirit in this bodv was Stephen Collis. Collis was truly a man of God, he was happy in preaching the gospel of salvation, free to all ; he be- lieved in God's sovereignty, but also in man's free moral agency ; that God proposed to save all men through grace, but in order to be saved men must ac- io History of French Broad Association. cept the offered grace ; in other words, the gospel is God's power to save every one that believes, but that man has the same power to reject that he has to be- lieve ; he therefore urged sinners everywhere to yield themselves to God, in submission to his will. No man ever impressed himself upon his people and his time more than Stephen Collis ; he was a leader among men, and the people followed him gladly. Some years have passed since his departure, but to one acquainted with Elder Collis it is remarkable how the Collis spirit lives in the lives of the people whom he led to Christ ; he followed Christ and the people followed him. A deeper tone of piety is to be found in the churches where Collis labored than is to be found elsewhere in all this region. From the organization of the French Broad Associa- tion there had been more or less questioning about doc- trines and discipline ; all of the leading spirits were Calvinistic, but there were many minds that revolted at the sterner aspects of Calvinism. Men generally held to the idea of moral free agency, and were not able to see how it could be true that God, of His own sovereign grace, had chosen the heirs of salvation, and yet punishes unbelievers with everlasting banishment into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, could be a merciful and gracious sovereign, seeing he had left them in their sins to perish. These questions were taken up by the preachers and became, not only the grounds of contention and strife, but, in 1827, resulted in a division and the organization of the Big Ivy Asso- ciation. It was felt at the time that this division was a great calamity, and it gave rise to much bitterness and strife — the alienation of brethren, so that there was History of French Broad Association. 11 not a community where its effects were not more or less felt. The principal question of difference was the doctrine of Election. One party held that God, from eternity, had freely ordained whatsoever comes to pass, that Christ died for the Elect ; that these would be effectually called, sanctified and saved, while the rest would be left to perish in their blindness. As, almost always, in such cases, the parties went to extremes, those who advo- cated the doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty were often justly chargeable with being Antinomian. This was the result of ignorance, the advocates not being able to see the logical conclusion to which their reason- ing led. On the other hand, those who entertained the opposite view often found themselves floundering in the rankest Arminianism. The discussion of these subjects cleared away the mists, and after about twenty years the differences were adjusted and the opposing bodies were again united. The leading spirits in these disturbances were Stephen Morgan and Garret Deweese. The Deweese faction at first called themselves Free Willers ; this the}' did because they held that the salvation of any one depended upon the self-determining power of his own will. According to this view God, in the gift of His Son, had provided the means of salvation for all ; that this salvation is freely offered to all through the gospel, and that sinners must, by the self-determining power of their own wills, uninfluenced and unaided by any other power than th^gospel, choose life for themselves, and that those who do not thus choose for themselves must, as a moral sequence, perish. This was the ex- 12 History of French Broad Association. treme view of the Arminians, and was in effect the rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration. True, they did not profess to do this, rather, they taught the necessity of regeneration by the spirit, but this was in contradiction of their theory. All the preachers belonging to this body were intensely evangelical, they went everywhere preaching the word, and success attended their efforts; churches increased in membership, new churches were planted, and the doctrines which they preached were generally held to be the doctrines of God's word. The Minutes of this body for 1831 show that it embraced seven churches; while the Minutes for 1848, the last session but one, show that it had increased to twenty-five churches. The seven churches in 1831 contained two hundred and thirty-three members, while the twenty-five churches contained seven hundred and thirty-two members. The ministers belonging to this body, the latter date, were S.'Byrd, J. M. Bryant, J. Midcalf, L. Buchannan, J. Buchannan, J. Arrowood, J. Silver, C. M. Philfips, W. C. Berry, T. J. Rollins, R. Deaver, Wm. Deweese, James Rhea, Jesse Rhea, J. Wheeler, M. Peterson, J. W. Aver, E. Chasteen, J. Gun, L. M. Berry and Wm. Sprinkle. Berry and Sprinkle were not ordained. It was the privilege of the writer to know most of these men. J. M. Bryant, W. C. Berry and J. M. Run- nion were men of some literary attainments, while L. M. Berry was, for that day, a scholarly man, and rose to eminence and distinction in the ministry. Most of them were noted for piety and for zeal and devotion to the Lord's work ; and dying in good old age left their work to follow them for the glory of God. The Bie Ivy brethren were not heterodox as History of French Broad Association. 13 they have been represented, they were sounder than their creed, and the record shows that they were truly evangelical. They were charged with being Open- Communionists. In their vindication I refer to the Articles of Faith of this body: 1. "We believe in one only true and living God; and notwithstanding there are three that bear record in heaven — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost — yet there is but one in substance, equal in power and glory, and can not be divided, either in principle or practice, and not liable to change. 2. We believe the Old and New Testaments is the word of God, and a sufficiency is therein contained for our instruction, and they are the only rule of faith and practice. 3. We believe in the doctrine of Original sin, and that all mankind, since the fall^ are by nature the chil- dren of Wrath, one as much as another. 4. We believe in man's impotency, or inability to recover himself out of the fallen state he is in, there- fore a Saviour is absolutely needed. 5. We believe that sinners are Justified in the sight of God only by the imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ. 6. We believe in the Perseverance of the Saints in grace — that they are born again, or adopted into the family of Heaven — that they become equal heirs with Jesus Christ, and that He will raise them up at the last day. 7. We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are gospel Ordinances and true believers the proper subjects, and we admit of no other knowingly. 8. We believe that the true mode of Baptism is to ^ 14 History of French Broad Association. baptize or immerse a person, by their own consent, once in water, back foremost, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 9. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and of a General Judgment, where all will be judged according to the deeds done in the body. 10. We believe the punishment of the wicked will be Everlasting and the joys of the righteous will be Eter- nal after death. 11. We believe washing one another's feet is a com- mand of Christ left with His disciples, and ought to be practiced by His followers. 12. We believe that no one has a right to administer the Ordinances but such as are legally called and qualified thereunto. 13. We believe it is the duty of all church members to attend their church meetings, and it is the duty of the church to deal with them for neglecting the same. 14. We believe it is the duty of all church members to contribute to the support of the gospel and defray- ing all reasonable expenses of the church, never neg- lecting the poor, according to their several abilities. 15. We believe that any doctrine that goes to en- courage or indulge people in their sins, or cause them to settle down on anything short of saving faith in Christ, for salvation, is erroneous, and all such doc- trines will be rejected by us. 16. None of the above-named articles shall be so construed as to hold with Particular and Eternal Elec- tion and Reprobation, or so as to make God partial, either directly or indirectly, so as to injure any of the children of men." Minutes of 1838. In 1849, a U differences were adjusted, and this As- sociation was merged into the French Broad. History of French Broad Association. 15 The French Broad brethren had called themselves regular Baptists, thus insinuating that all others were irregular or schismatics. There had been controversies in the Baptist ranks from their first planting in the State. The Kehuka Association, which was the oldest, was a Calvinistic body, but it at first had belonged to the General Bap- tist, who were intensely Arminian, so much so that all that was necessary to obtain membership in a church was to profess to believe the Bible to be the word of God, and abstain from open immorality. To them the new birth or regeneration was a great mystery as it was to Nicodemus. Those who protested against this state of things separated themselves from them and formed other bodies, hence they were called Separate Baptists. These elements of controversy had gone into every community where the Baptists had gone, and so at an early day they developed in the French Broad Associa- tion. Stephen Morgan was a leader among his people ; he was a man of a rugged mold, physically, intellectu- ally and morally. Was a man of strong convictions and decisive in character — a radical rather than conserva- tive. He embraced the Calvinistic views with all the ardor of his soul. This gave offense to those who en- tertained different views ; and as these questions were agitated they gave rise to contentions which resulted in divisions. Just what Morgan's views were is at this day un- known, but he held and taught the doctrine of Election, i. e., that God, from all eternity, chose some men to Eternal Life, without any regard to faith or good works ; that these would be Called, Sanctified and 1 6 History of French Broad Association. Saved ; that the rest were Reprobates, and were doomed to Eternal Damnation ; that the number of the saved was fixed and determined, and could neither be added to nor diminished. These differences drove the brethren asunder, and the bitterness was such that persons living in the same community would have but little intercourse with each other. Deweese was charged with heresy, or false doctrine ; and with the assistance of Morgan and a few others from other churches was, by a minority of his church, excluded; but the great majority of his church stood by him and followed his lead. To be a Freewiller was enough to make one odious, with all who followed Morgan, so that churches meet- ing in the same community had no fellowship with each other and but little intercourse among their mem- bers. Criminations and recriminations were the order of the day, and often became sources of scandal. On the other hand, Morgan and his followers were called Antinomians, and their doctrines were believed to be the doctrines of devils. In the course of time these passions, in a measure, subsided, and brethren began, in a more teachable spirit, to discuss these questions of difference, and to their amazement found that they were not so far apart as they had imagined. They all alike believed in the doctrine of the Trinity. The Deweese party said in their Confession of Faith : "We believe in One Living and True God — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost — yet there is but one substance, equal in power and glory." This vindicated them from the charge of Arianism. They accepted the Old and New Testa- History of French Broad Association. 17 ments as the word of God, and the only rule of Faith and Practice. They believed in the doctrine of Original sin ; that all mankind were lost by the fall ; that man- kind was powerless to recover itself from its lost es- tate ; that a Saviour was absolutely necessary ; that sin- ners are justified only by the imputed Righteousness of Christ ; they also held to the doctrine of the Perse- verance of Saints. Finally it dawned upon them that the chief difference between them consisted in their use and interpretation of terms. In the Minutes for 1847 we f* 1 ^ this query from Gabriel's Creek Church: "Inasmuch as the doctrine held by the United Baptists, which we protested against, has measurably subsided, would it be gospel order to invite those of that body which agree with us in sentiment to the Communion Table?" "Answer: We think it would." At the session of 1847 correspondence was offered to French Broad, and Elders S. Byrd and J. M. Bryan were sent as messengers. This correspondence^ was accepted by the French Broad at its session in 1848, held at Grassy Creek, in Yancey County, and Elders Robert Pattison, Wm. Keith, D. W. Murry, H. W. Gilbert, and brethren James Wilson, Thos. Runnion, J. P. Edwards, A. Jer- vis, and May Jervis were appointed as messengers to Big Ivy Association. The next year the union was effected, and the two associations became one under the name of French Broad. Thus far I have treated of facts connected with the Big Ivy Association and its progress, because I had i8 History of French Broad Association. access to the Minutes of that body ; I now turn to trace the course of events in the French Broad. During twenty years the work had greatly prospered under the guiding hands of French Broad's ministry; the churches had increased in membership, new churches had been established in other communities, and it had become a great host. The churches in Hay- wood had been dismissed to form the Tuckaseige As- sociation; in 1838 the churches in South Buncombe and Henderson County had been dismissed to form Salem Association. The churches embraced in the French Broad at this date were Little Ivy, New Found, French Broad, Cane River, Cane Creek, Mud Creek, Flat Creek, Hominy, Roan Mountain, Beula, Ebinezer, Bull Creek, Grassy Creek, Big Ivy, Bethlehem, Mount Pleasant, Walnut Creek, New Bethany, Crab Creek, Mill's River, and Pine Creek, twenty churches. The churches dismissed were Cane Creek, New Bethany, Ebinezer, Crab Creek, Beula, French Broad, Mill's River, Mount Pleasant, and Mud Creek, nine churches, which left eleven in the old body, all north and west of Asheville. The ministers belonging to the body at this time were David Blackwell, Moses Freeman, Peter Miller, Baily Bruce, Stephen Morgan, Robert Jordan, James Blythe, Wm. Rees, Jesse Amnions, Luke L. Branson, Robert Pattison, Thos. Stradley, John Cantril and Merrit Rickman, fourteen ministers and twenty churches. None of these men had more than a mere smattering of an English education, but each of them was pos- sessed of a good share of sound common sense, and were fully consecrated to the work of preaching the gospel. History of French Broad Association. 19 The churches belonging to the French Broad Asso- ciation in 1848, the year before the Union, and prob- ably at the time of the Union, were Little Ivy, New Found, Flat Creek, Roan Mountain, Bull Creek, Grassy Creek, Big Ivy, Bethlehem, Walnut Creek, Pine Creek, Macedonia, Tow River, Bear Creek, Big Laurel, Rock Creek, Flag Pond, Low Gap, and Lynnville, eighteen churches. The ministers were Wm. Keith, P. Miller, P. Parham, J. Parham, Stephen Morgan, Wm. Rees, L. L. Branson, Robert Pattison, H. Gilbert, M. Free- man, S. R. Miller, Thos. Wilson, Stephen Collis, Stephen Wallen, James Hooker, J. Martin, and D. W. Murray, seventeen in all ; the number of preachers al- most corresponding with the number of churches, but some of these brethren were about laid aside by reason of age. The progress of the work, after the consolida- tion, was very satisfactory ; there were brethren in both bodies who had labored very hard to effect a re- conciliation. Now that this was consummated it gave great impetus to the work ; revivals were held in many of the churches, and they grew and prospered as never before. The preachers helped each other in these meet- ings ; sometimes a half dozen or more preachers co- operated in these meetings ; there was no rivalry, but complete harmony and co-operation, their labors were greatly blessed, the old spirit of strife was dead, and hundreds were added unto the churches : it was a beau- tiful illustration of "How good and pleasant it is to see brethren dwell together in unity." Where there were two churches in the same community they united and formed one church, sometimes taking the name of the Big Ivy Church, and at others that of the Frnech Broad. Bethlehem, of French Broad, and Cane River, 20 History of French Broad Association. of Big Ivy. united and became Cane River, while Liberty and Big Ivy became Big Ivy. thus proving that the Union was sincere and permanent. The French Broad brethren, in their great zeal and anxiety for harmony and peace, committed a very seri- ous blunder in agreeing to incorporate into the Consti- tution of the amalgamated body the following article : "This Association will discountenance and repudiate the aacrrine ;: a-articular. personal, unconditional, and eternal election and reprobation." Some of the breth- ren were dissatisfied with this, and it was discussed from time to time, but no one had moral courage to attack it At the Association at Flag Pond in 18S1 Rev. John Ammons called the matter up, and moved to strike it out of the Constitution. After some discus- si::: a:: a debate aver the matter it was by a very satis- factory vote expunged, and a cause of reproach re- moved. The Association now stands as holding to the d;c:ri::e of Modern Calvinism, :r the views of Fuller, rather than Gib. The union of the two bodies was followed by a re- vival of religion throughout the territory- occupied by the twc associations, and it was wonderful to see the brethren laboring in these meetings as 1 sweet-spirited as if there had never existed any differences among In September. :S5_. a meeting was held at Little Ivy by Rev. Wm. Keith, the pastor, and a leader in the French Broad, ana Rev. Tames Blythe. a leader in the apposing faction, that was wonderful in its results. At the close ::' about ten days there were sixty-five per- sons baptized into the fellowship of the church. From this :::eet:::g the revival spread to other churches and History of French Broad Association. 21 communities till it became general throughout the As- sociation, and hundreds were added unto the churches. This Association since the union has been peculiarly distinguished by the spirit of evangelism. In 1848 the Union Association had been organized, and about seven churches had been dismissed from Big Ivy to be- come members of this new body. The number of churches in the consolidation was thirty-seven, with a membership of 1.592. These churches were scattered over the territory now em- braced in Xorth Buncombe. Madison, Yancey and Mitchell counties. In October, 1849, Roan Mountain, Grassy Creek, Bear Creek, Rock Creek, Tow River, Beaver Creek, Cranbury, Laurel Branch, Ramsay Town, Jack's Creek, and Crab Tree were dismissed to enter into the organization of the Roan Mountain As- sociation. This reduced the number of churches re- maining in the French Broad to twenty-six, with a membership of 1.204. an d i ts territory very much re- duced. The Roan Mountain was quite a strong body from the beginning, embracing several churches which had been organized during the year, or had been hereto f<|pe unassociated. The number of members embraced in the organization was 666. The following named min- isters, whose names appear in the Minutes of the new Association, belonged to French Broad after its amal- gamation with Big Ivy, viz: S. Byrd, L. Buchannan, J. Buchannan, J. Arrowood. J. Silver. James Rhea, Jesse Rhea, J. Wheeler. Moses Peterson, J. W. Aver, Thos. Wilson, and S. M. Collis. All of these except Thos. Wilson and S. M. Collis had belonged to the Big Ivy Association. There had been a tendencv on the 22 History of French Broad Association. part of some brethren to practice Open Communion, and some of the churches had been impregnated with this leaven. At the time of the union they opposed it, and had shown a spirit of discontent, and at the or- ganization of the Roan Mountain Association they be- gan to push their views to the front. At the second session of this body, says the Minutes, "The subject of Open Communion was discussed, and the following resolution was adopted, viz : Resolved, That this As- sociation do, in the spirit of meekness, advise those churches which have been practicing Open Communion to desist from the practice, as we think it involves inconsistency to retain such church, or churches, a member, or members, who practice the same." Hist., page 2. In 1 85 1 we find this statement in the History of this Association : "Resolution. Inasmuch as Ramsay Town, Jack's Creek, New Liberty, Pine Grove, and Crooked Creek churches have withdrawn from this Association, and have become a distinct body, by the name of the Tow River Freewill Christian Communion Baptists, there- fore this Association withdraws from the said churches and is no more accountable for them." This question had been an element of disturbance in the Big Ivy Association, and the body had put itself on record as sound on the question in their Confession of Faith, Art. VII : "We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are gospel Ordinances, and true be- lievers the proper subjects, and we admit of no others, knowingly." In the Minutes for 1841 we find this: "Query from Tow River. Why do not all Christians commune to- History of French Broad Association. 23 gether? Is there no chance by gospel order? Answer deferred to a future period." This shows that the Association was not committed to the practice of Open Communion, and there is no evidence that it had ever been practiced — except it may have been, to a limited extent, by churches under the influence of John Wheeler and Moses Peterson. I have inserted these facts because the Free Will Baptists set up the claim that they are the same as the Big Ivy Bap- tists. Wheeler and Peterson were unwise leaders, and the Free Will Church, of which Wheeler was the head, was conceived in heresy and brought forth in schism and faction. It seems to have always shunned the light, and is to-day to be found in corners and dark places. There has never been a leader of superior in- telligence among them ; they are only distinguished by their low views of the doctrines of Sovereign Grace, their unstability of Christian character, and the Chris- tian profession, and their advocacy of Open Commun- ion. There is not the slightest similarity between them and the Big Ivy brethren. The first notice which we have of the missionary question we find in the Minutes of French Broad in 1848. There we have this item: "Notice the missionary question, and finding that all the churches in our Association are not hearty in this matter, we agree to refer it until our next session, hop- ing our brethren may consider this matter and give liberty of conscience on either hand." Min. 1848. Whether any notice was taken of it in 1849 I know not, not having the Minutes of that session ; but it is an indisputable fact' that immediately after the union that the Association began to do missionary work in 24 History of French Broad Association. its own bounds, and very soon began to contribute to Foreign and Domestic (now Home) Missions. An amusing incident is told of David Blackwell. In 1846, the Western Baptist Convention (auxiliary to the Baptist State Convention) was formed, and Elder James Kimsey was sent to visit the churches in the French Broad Association. He came to Bull Creek, where Blackwell was pastor. Blackwell refused to al- low him to preach to his congregation. After discuss- ing the matter at some length with his deacons and the preachers he consented to let him preach if he, Black- well, was allowed to open the services. To this Kimsey assented. The people assembled, and Blackwell pro- ceeded to read and sing a hymn, after which he knelt in prayer, and thus he prayed: "O Lord have mercy upon us ; what shall we do ! The missionaries are upon us !" It was believed then, by most of the breth- ren, that the missionary scheme was purely mercenary, and that the missionary was a money hunter. But these narrow views soon began to give way, and now for more than fifty years the French Broad Association has been a missionary body. The subject of temperance, from about 1850, began to receive a due share of attention. It was about this time that Gabriel's Creek Church sent up a query to the Association which called forth this deliverance : "We advise the churches of this Association not to re- tain in membership persons who make, vend, or use intoxicating liquors, except for medical or mechanical purposes." This was taking high ground for that day, but the Association, at each annual meeting until now, has thrown the whole of its influence in favor of strict temperance. It was about 1850 that the Sunday school History of French Broad Association. 25 work began to receive some attention. The first school established was at Gabriel's Creek, about 1853. This school, with slight intervals, has continued up to the present time, 1907, being over fifty years old. The Sunday school work took on no distinctive face for a number of years. It was a good place to gather the children on Sunday, where they could be kept out of mischief, and it also afforded some literary advantages, and it was no uncommon thing to see children come to the Sunday school with the Blue-back Speller, or a child's primer. But the religious idea soon got the as- cendancy, and as the Sunday School Union had intro- duced its work most of the schools were Union schools. In these schools, by common consent, all questions of doctrinal difference among Christians were excluded. It will be seen, therefore, that everything fundamental to vital Christianity was debarred from these schools. A Sunday School Convention was organized and called the "Ivy Union Sunday School Convention," and most of the preachers in the French Broad Association be- came leaders in this movement. This body met annu- ally, and the brethren, for three days, had a good time discussing questions of morals and plans of work. At each of these gatherings there was more or less preach- ing, but nothing to indicate whether the preacher was Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Campbellite, or Baptist ; truly it was easy sailing, except for the pains that had to be taken to avoid giving offense. This condition of things continued without a break or check till 1869. In that year Rev. John Ammons suggested a change in the work, that it be made more objective and denominational. Strange as it may appear it pre- cipitated a fierce controversy which continued for sev- 26 History of French Broad Association. eral years. Amnions stood almost alone in advocacy of denominational schools, and his fiercest opposers were found among the preachers. Only two or three of the preachers stood with him and had the courage to face the storm and advocate what they believed to be right and according to truth. L. L. Branson was outspoken ; J. W. Hooker was with Ammons in his convictions, but took no active part in the discussions; W. T. Bradley was then young in the ministry and for some time took no part in the controversy, but soon lined up on the side of his own church. Among the older preachers there were none found to stand for their own church and its doctrines in this conflict save L. L. Branson, H. W. Gilbert, and Jesse Whitt. The conflict was carried on quite fiercely, especially by Ammons' opponents, and at the session of the Asso- ciation held at Little Ivy Church in 1871 there was a combined effort made to crush Ammons. No fiercer contest ever transpired in the Association than this. Every minister, save two, were against Ammons, and all this before he had had a word ; it was a carefully prepared battle, and can probably be partly accounted for from the fact that he had dealt very severely with the advocates of Union Sunday schools. But he faced the ordeal like one conscious that he was in the right, and when the Association came to vote on the question which gave rise to the debate he won the day by a de- cided majority. The sturdy old-fashioned Baptists set their veto on those who would lead them, and thus re- buked them for their want of denominational firmness. From this time the Sunday school work became more Baptistic. The immediate occasion of this controversy was that Rev. D. B. Nelson, a Baptist minister, was History of French Broad Association. 27 laboring in Western N. C. under the appointment of the American Sunday School Union. He was an able minister, and regarded as a leader in the denomination. He looked at it, no doubt, from a business standpoint ; his living was from the sale of his books, and the num- ber of schools he organized and visited, most of the schools were in Baptist churches, should these with- draw their patronage it would seriously interfere with his business. He, therefore, set himself with might and main to oppose and defeat the movement. He and Amnions had a sharp newspaper discus- sion over the matter, and most people said that Nelson was only second best in the war of words; joined with him was Rev. N. Bowen, a man of considerable ability and broad culture. Both of these brethren threw the whole weight of their influence against the movement, with the advantage of having a newspaper at their com- mand, for Bowen was then publishing a paper at Hendersonville, N. C. Neither of these brethren were members of French Broad Association. Nelson visited the Association and encouraged the opposition, but it only made the victory more complete, for the effect of the controversy was felt more or less throughout Western N. C, and greatly helped in lining our peo- ple up in support of a Sunday school work that had a meaning. The controversy was in some sense to be deplored, because it operated as a bar to hearty co-operation be- tween those who differed on this question ; yet when the question was settled those who had differed came out of the smoke of battle friends, and worked together as if they had always agreed ; and the ultimate result was one of great good to the cause of truth and right- 28 History of French Broad Association. eousness. It had caused our people to study the Sun- day school problem, and led them to see that Sunday school work was but a department of church work, and that there is the same argument for Union Churches that there is for Union Sunday Schools. In the year 1855, the New Found Association was organized at Flat Creek in Buncombe County. The following churches were dismissed from French Broad to enter into this new organization, viz: Flat Creek, Turkey Creek, New Found, Bethel, in Buncombe County, and Bear Creek, Spring Creek, and Tittle Mountain, in Madison County. The territory of the Association then embraced that part of Madison County northeast of the French Broad River, a portion of Yancey County, with two or three churches in Tennessee. What its numerical strength was is not known to the writer, having no Minutes of that time. From the union of the French Broad and Big Ivy Associations there had been continual growth and in- crease till the beginning of the war in 1861. Churches had been organized at Upper Laurel, East Fork, Mar's Hill, and Ivy Gap, and the old churches had increased in membership and efficiency. The session for 1861 was held with the church at Cane River ; it was a time of intense excitement ; the war feeling was running very high ; the people were divided in sentiment ; most of the brethren favored secession, and were supporters of the war, but some very good brethren entertained adverse sentiments, and were opposed to the war ; this gave rise to much bitterness of feeling and evil sur- misings. Rev. H. W. Gilbert was a Union man, and to those of the adverse sentiments he was a dangerous History of French Broad Association. 29 and suspicious character. Wm. Ray, Berry Duyck and Baylus Gardner entered into an agreement to make Rev. Gilbert pray for Jeff Davis and the Confederacy, or ride him on a rail. Prayer-meeting was appointed for Sunday morning, and the aforementioned gentlemen waited on Rev. John Ammons to tell him of their plans and give him directions for conducting the prayer-meeting; while they would be on hand to note events and act accord- ingly. But Ammons was not the man to be either led or intimidated. He told them that he thought that he understood his own business, and needed no special directions from them. The Sunday morning prayer- meeting was conducted by Ammons, and managed in such a way as to save the old brother from insult and injury. Saving this incident the session was harmoni- ous and pleasant. During the war and for some years after the work was retarded and languished, and little more was done than to maintain the organization in- tact. True, immediately after the war there were re- vivals in most of the churches, and a large increase in membership, but the country was in ruin, property de- stroyed, fields laid waste, and church-houses dilapi- dated, so that it required some years to regain, in a temporal view, what had been lost. The work of missions received some attention ; Sun- day schools were maintained in most of the churches ; education and temperance were promoted and fostered. After the money crisis of 1872-3 there came a time of material prosperity before unknown ; farming was stim- ulated and improved, and every line of industry gave ample return for the labor and capital invested, and wealth increased with a bound. 3