wmm^ %S-i^%K: '-^gS-i^^-Jgivfc:^- DUNCAN ~J J^.'V l^:^ 'V'. I «i HISTOR — OF THE — BAPTISTS iZMISSOUEI — EMBRACINO — , AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORGANIZATION AND GROWTH OF BAPTIST CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS ; BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL AND OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE DENOMINATION ; THE FOUNDING OF BAPTIST INSTITUTIONS, PERIODICALS, &C. BY R. S. DUNCAN. WITH AN INTUODUCTION BY W. POPE YEAMAN, D. D. ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS PORTRAITS AND OTHER ENGRA VINGS. SAINT LOUIS: SCAMMELL & COMPANY, Publishers. 1883. Copyright 1882, bt scammell & coMPAinr. All Kights Eeserved. PREFACE. THIS volnme is the fruit of an early desire to know more of the doings of Baptist Churches. To this end, full twen- ty-five years ago, the author commenced gathering together As- sociational and Church records. These old records were care- fully studied and then as carefully filed away. Old documents fell into his hands from which he learned that the original Bap- tist settlements in Missouri were made under the most intense- ly interesting circumstances — that, in point of fact, the Baptists literally captured the Missouri Territory from the Spanish Catholics, and were really the first to preach the gospel and found churches west of the Great Eiver. Thus did he continue his collections and researches until, quite absorbed in the sub- ject, it occurred to him that a "History of the Baptists in Mis- souri" might be both interesting and useful. For this purpose, from about the year 1865 he labored most earnestly to complete his files. In the year 1875, at the request of the managers of the Central Baptist, he prepared for and published in said paper a number of chapters on the Early Baptists of Missouri. Soon these chap- ters were called for in book form for permanent use. Thus led on, he commenced the actual preparation of the work now com- pleted. During its prosecution he has found it necessary to fol- low another calling at a nominal salary, from which he had to make such frequent drafts to pay express and postage bills, and also sometimes the original market value of documents almost daily being added to his accumulating files, that, much of the time, those dependent upon him have been compelled to make very great sacrifices; but by the strictest domestic economj", and the generous aid of kind friends, the work has at last boon con- summated. Many chapters of this book have been written at in- tervals in his office work which ought really to have brought rest to his tired frame. And though he has grown prematurely gray under the pressure, he desires, in this connection, to express his devout gratitude to Almighty God for his abounding grace VI PREFACE. in keeping him thus far, and for enabling him to complete the work, which, though full of toil, has been one of great pleasure. This is not a traditional book. It has been prepared from the testimonj^ of original documents or manuscripts and living wit- nesses ; nor has it been written to tickle the fancy of the casual reader, but for truth-seekers — for those who are desirous of knowing well-authenticated historic facts. The plan of this work is as follows: The first division is into Periods — from 1796 to 1810 forming the first period, and each succeeding decade completing another period. These periods are then divided into chapters of a convenient length. Sketches of Associations founded in Period No. 1, may bo found in said peri- od, and thus throughout all the periods ; sketches of churches being placed in connection with the Associations to which they belong; and all being interspersed with biographical sketches of the men who were more or less prominent in building up said institutions. Then comes the Miscellaneous Department, con- taining: 1st. Such Biographical Notices as are not found in the preceding chapters; 2d. The Educational Institutions of the vState ; 3d, Eeligious Periodicals ; 4th. Baptist Publication In- terests; 6th. The Missouri Test Oath; 6th. Statistical Tables, &c., &c. My object has been to preserve from oblivion the memory of men and of institutions; to record on the pages of history im- portant events in the rise, progress and result of Baptist senti- ments in Missouri, once the battle-ground for soul freedom, and where the final blow to papal supremacy in the United States was struck. In seeking to accomplish these ends, I trust my highest motive has been the glory of God in the advancement of truth, and the perpetuity of the people who have "preserved pure the doctrines of the gospel through all ages;" all of which I have desired to accomplish without partiality. Also, the author wishes here to acknowledge material aid from the writings of many brethren, among whom may be mentioned the names of J. M. Peck, J. E. Welch, A. P. Williams, E. S. Thomas, William Polk, William Carson, and Wade M. Jackson, now gone home to rest; and S. II, Ford, J. H. Luther, E. S. Du- lin, W, Pope Ycaman, Jeremiah Farmer, and a host of others still living; and, fearing he may have, in a single instance, fail- ed to give them the proper credit, betakes this method of doing so, and likewise to express his gratitude for their valuable assis- tance. PREFACE. Vll Praying tliat this volume may bo followed by the Divine blessing, that it may meet with a hearty and cordial reception by the denomination as well as by many others, and accomplish good in the world, it is sent forth upon its mission, R. S. DUNCAN. Montgomery City, Mo. August, i88^. INTRODUCTION, EMBRACINQ A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, BY W. POPE YEAMAN, D. D. HISTORY is treasured life. To it the intelligent are indebt- ed for a knowledge of the facts and forces in the progress and development of human society. But for the painstaking historian, each successive generation would be left to the uncer- tain testimony of tradition for those ideas and institutions of preceding generations upon which is dependent almost all valu- able knowledge." Each generation would be left to grope its way in the imperfect and uncertain light of each day's experi- ence. The writer of a reliable and comprehensive history of any people or period, of any institutions of government or reli- gion, or manners and pursuits of any race or nationality, has necessarily led the intelligent student into an acquaintance with the leading ideas of the people about whom he writes, for the period embraced in his history, and he discovers to the student the leading facts in the life of that people — facts that were the outgrowth of ideas, — and then in turn the ideas that spring forth from these facts. In these ideas and facts is embraced the all of the inwardness and the outwardness of human life. Religious History unfolds to the student nearly all of the more potent forces that have, through the ages, worked out the prob- lems of the individual and social improvement of man. Legis- lation, jurispriidcnce and literature have never been above nor independent of the forces that inhere in the native religiosity of the human mind. Science technically owes its development and practical formulations and utilizations to legislation and liter- ature. The histoi-y of the Christian religion is the history of advanced revelation and progressive thought under the guidance of the Spirit of the Creator of all. It is here, and here only, that are found those active principles which have emancipated thought from the thraldom of ignorance and the domination of corrupt individual minds. Free thought and the liberty of individual INTRODUCTION. IX conscience — the inalienable rights of man — are asserted, defend- ed and promoted by the spirit and precepts of the Christian re- ligion. Its light dispels the darkness that gathered over man as an inevitable and unarbitrary consequence of the violation of the law of God — the law of human life. The Gospel is that river which, flowing from the throne of Eternal Truth, has carried life whithersoever it has flowed. Baptist History is the history of the force, purity, and pristine simplicity of the Gospel in its application to the wants of man- kind— a history of the introduction of light through the Mes- siah and the struggles and conflicts for the maintenance and Hniversal dissemination of that pure light. The cardinal and vital principles of the doctrine and practice of the Baptists underlie and create that spirit.and form of thought to which is traced that consciousness of individual right that led on to the assertion and establishment of religious liberty, and from religious libcrt}' comes the highest and best forms of civil and political liberty. It requires no forcing of ideas or tortur- ing of facts to convince the philosophic historian that the very idea and practice of Baptist Church polity have in them the germ and mainspring of the highest type of soul liberty. For in that idea and practice is a recognition of individuality of faith and accountability, and therefore individual right in all matters of conscience and ecclesiastical government. These ideas once reduced to practice in affairs of church were not long in assert- ing themselves in state affairs. The History of Missouri Baptists is the history of one geographi- cal division of that apostolic community whose light and power have been so long felt in the amelioration and elevation of hu- man society. A history well worth writing, for one fact if for no other, that the Baptists were the first anti-Eoman Catholics who planted the standard of an impriestriddcn Christianity west of the Mississippi Eiver. The impress of the pure and simple faith of that people has ever been seen and felt in the institutions and habits of the free, generous, progressive and independent thought of Western people. The author of this volume. Rev. E. R. Duncan, is a native Mis- sourian ; and herein is one reason why he should have undertaken the work which is now offered to the public. It is full of singu- larly instructive personal and general incident.-*, intimatelj^ in- terwoven by the conditions of real life in pioneer enterprise with the planting and training of the apostolic church in a virgin soil. X INTRODUCTION. Mr. Duncan is fifty years of age. He was born April 27, 1832, in Lincoln County. His father, Lewis Duncan, was a native of Virginia, whose wife, Harriet Kinnaird, was also a native of that State. Lewis Duncan was a Baptist minister. He with his family moved to Missouri in 1828. There were born to him eight sons and three daughters, who lived to maturity and married. In Missouri, at that early day, educational facilities were rare and imperfect. A farmer, with a large family to support, and his REV. R. S. DUNCAN. time divided with preaching, it was almost impossible to accumu- late sufficient fortune to enable the sending of children abroad to school for an education. The log school-house, with a few weeks' school in the winter, was the total of school opportunity. The author of this book never had a scholastic education, and in the technical sense was not educated. Yet he is an educated man. Self-reliance, diligent and painful toil, inspired by a noble aim and commendable ambition, led him at the ago of early manhood to have so far mastered the rudiments of an English education, that he was able to teach a school in which Arithmetic and the English Grammar were successfully taught. This was a de- cided progress, for when ho was married and settled in life he IXTRODUCTION. XI could read and write only imperfectly, and had not been farther into the mysteries of arithmetic than the " Single Eule of Three." In 1851 he was converted and baptized into Zion Baptist Church, Montgomery County, The venerable James F. Smith, who still lives, full of life and honored by all who know him, was God's chosen servant in the conviction of Mr. Duncan. In August, 1855, he was ordained to the gospel ministry by Bethle- hem Church, Lincoln Co., assisted by Walter McQuie, W. D. Grant and Lewis Duncan, his father. His services were at once in demand for the pastoral office. In this capacity he has occu- pied the pulpits of the following churches : Bethlehem, Sulphur Lick and Pleasant Grove, Lincoln Co.; Union, Warren Co.; Mount Pleasant, Loutre, Zion, Wellsville, Hopewell and Middle- town, Montgomery Co.; Mount Zion, Martinsburg and West Cuivre, Audrain Co.; and Ncav Hartford, Pike Co. During much of the time of the pastoral life of our author he was compelled to do farm work with his own hands, that he might support his family; at other times, from necessit}^, he taught school. In the early period of his ministry, churches in the country were not given to the support of their pastors, and the preachers of the period were hard working, poorl}'- fed and clad, and made many sacrifices to the work of the gospel. Un- der all these disadvantages, Mr. Duncan pursued his studies, never daunted by the seeming insuperable difficulties that frown- ed upon his noble effort. During the sectional war in this country, that unnatural and unconstitutional law was enacted by the party in power, that made it a criminal offense for any man to preach without having taken the Test Oath. Many faithful ministers were indicted un- der that law for preaching the gospel, Mr. Duncan among the number. In the summer of 1869 he was chosen Agent for Missouri of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Since that time, with only a short interval, he has continued in the service of said Board as District Secretary, and in 1881 ho was appointed Vice-President of the Board for Missouri. IFe has made a diligent and faithful agent, having done much in the way of increasing interest in Baptist Foreign Missions, and in systemizing that work in Missouri. About the year 1857 or '58 he commenced collecting together material which, a few j-ears later, led to the conception of a written history of the Missouri Baptists. He determined to per- XU INTRODUCTION. feet, as nearly as possible, his collections for that purpose, and subsequently began the preparation of said work. His labors have been onerous. No writer of history has been more pains- taking to gather reliable facts and dates, to arrange such in their proper order, and to show their bearing upon Baptist progress in this State. None but those who have done a like labor, or have been familiar with this particular work, can form any ade- quate idea of the immense labor involved. Almost a quarter of a century devoted to such an undertaking is evidence of great characteristic stability and commendable devotion of spirit and purpose to a definite and worthy object. During this long period Mr. Duncan has produced another work — The History of Baptist Sunday-schools — a volume of considerable merit, and one that met with complimentary favor in Sunday-school circles. The studies, writings, sermons and secretarial work of Mr. Duncan, and his steady advance in the acquisition and utilization of knowledge, have served to give him a deserved place among men of rank. In all this time and work, he has had to bear his full share of trials and afflictions ; but these have ever failed to extort from him a word of murmuring complaint, but on the other hand have served to develop and refine a higher spiritual life, clearly observable and remarked by those who have all the while known him. Mrs. Duncan, the wife of our author, whose maiden name was Sarah J. Ervin, has been, through all the struggles and trials of her husband, a constant and aifectionate help-meet and sympa- thizer. She was a native of Lincoln County, Missouri, a daugh- ter of David and Olivia Ervin, and grand-daughter of Hon. Mal- com Henr}', one of the pioneers of Missouri, and a member of the Convention that framed the first Constitution of the State, in 1820. This short and insufficient sketch is written as a deserved tri- bute to a strong and good man — one of those self-made men to whom all intelligent people gladly render merited honor. He is another instance of the effectiveness in every good work, and the triumphs which are almost sure to follow as the reward to self-reliance and integrity of purpose. The volume to which 1 write this imperfect introduction, will ever keep fresh and fra- grant the name of its author, and may Missouri Baptists never forget the duty and pleasure of owning and reading the work. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PREFACE 5 INTRODUCTION by W. Pope Yeaman— With Sketch of the Life of the Author ......... 8 CONTENTS 13 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 27 PRELIMINARY. 1682-1796. EARLY SETTLEMENTS. ' La Salle — District of Louisiana — Tradition — Upper Louisiana — First Settlement — Ste. Genevieve — St Louis — St. Charles — Louis XFV. — Auguste Chouteau — The Rude Cabins — The First House in St. Louis — The Original Districts of Mis- souri— ^Population, «S:c., «fec. ...... 31 PERIOD EIRST. 1796-1810. CHAPTEE I. EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. First Baptist Families — The "Lower Country" — Formation of the First Church, Ty- wappity — Thomas Johnson, the First Regular Baptist Minister to come West of the "Great River" — David Green — The Second Church formed, Bethel — Fiat- Boat Traveling ; the "Setting Pole" — Mr. John Baldwin — Dr. J. C. Maple's Mem- orial Address— The "Old Log House"— The Gavel— William Murphy 35 CHAPTER II. EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI (CONCLUDED). The Saint Louis District ; First Baptists Therein— .John Clark, the Pioneer— The Mu- sick Family — Catholic Oppression and Religious Liberty — ]\Ieeting Under Diffi- culties— Thomas R. ^lusick — Fee Fee Church, the Tliird Formed — Cold Water Church — James Kerr — Funeral in the Wilderness — Eld. Bro\vn — J. T. Green — J. Hickman ........ 44 PERIOD SECOND. 1810-1820. CHAPTER T. BETIIKL ASSOCIATION. Fornuition of Other Churches — Providence, Barren, SU Francois, Belhiew, «S:o. — Or- XIV CONTENTS. ganixatioii of the Pirst Association — Sketcbob of Johu farrar — William Street — "Wilson Thompson — James Philip Edwards — W^iugate Jackson — Thos. P.Green ■ — AVilliam Pollc und John Tanner . . < . . 67 CHAPTEE II. THE MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. Negro Fork, Upper Cuivre, and Femme Osage Churches — The Association Formed — Life of Lewis AVilliams — Of Jno. M. Peck — The Squatter Family — Rock Spring Seminary — The First Baptist Newspaper . . . . 76 CHAPTEE III. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION (CONCLUDED). James E. Welch — His Conversion, Marriage, Mission to St. Louis, General Sunday School Agency, Sudden Death — First Baptist Church, St. Louis — The Second Baptist Church, St. Louis — I. T. Hinton — Jerry B. Jeter— G. Anderson — A. H. Burlingham— W. W. Boyd— W\ M. IMcPhcrson— N. Cole— W. M. Page and Mrs. Page — Second Baptist Church, St. Charles — Third Baptist, St. Louis — Garrison Avenue, St. Louis — Johu Teasdale — Washington Barnhurst — G. A. Lofton — Marshall Brotherton — P. J. Thompson — W. M. Senter — Fourth Baptist Church, St. Louis— J. V. Schofield— Carondelet Church— G. L. Talbot— Park Avenue Church — Beaumont Street Church — TJniou Church, St. Louis 9-1 CHAPTEE IV. MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. The Baptist Church on Loutre — Joseph Baker — Indian Troubles — Origin of Mount Pleasant, Bethel, Mt. Zion, Salem, and Concord Churches — Formation of the Mount Pleasant Association — William Thorp — Preaching in the Forts — J. Hub- bai'd — E. Turner — Colden Williams — D. ]\IcLain — Adventure with the Indians —William Coates . . . . . . . .145 CHAPTEE V. MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION (CONTINUED). Great Prosperity — New Associations Formed — How They Divided — The Case of Lynch Turner — Account of the Division on Missions — Primitive Baptists and IVIissions, or Who Are Primitive, Missionary or Anti-Missionary Baptists? — Thomas P. Fristoe — Fielding Wllhoite— The Three Horsemen — The Old Log Court House, Carrollton — The Grand River Country — The De%'il's Headquarters — Ebenczer Rodgers — W. H. Mansfield — The Terrills, Jesse and Benjamin 161 CHAPTEE VI. MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION (CONCLUDED). Plan (jf Domestic Missions— William Duncan — Parting Scenes — From the Pulpit tt) the Grave — The Slavery Question — Addison M. Lewis — The Huguenot Lawyer — James Porter — Union with Anti-Missionary Baptists — Y. R. Pitts, His Last Hours and Sudden Death— J. ^V. Terrill— S. Y. Pitts— G. W. Robey— J. B. ^Veber— Sketches of r,cc r>rancli, Clift'ton, Friendship, Huntsville, Hickory Grove, Mobcrl}-, Mt. Horeb, Mt. Shiloh, Mt. Salem, Salisbury and other Churches 186 CONTENTS. XV PERIOD THIRD. 1820-1830. CHAPTEE I. CUIVRE ASSOCIATION. Formation and History of — Church Troubles — Sudden Dissolution of Antioch Church — Siloara Association, Its Origin — CuivTc-Siloara Association — Extreme Calvinism — Thomas Bowen — George Clay — Ephraim Davis — Darius Bainbridga —Thomas J. Wright 204 CHAPTER II. SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. Formation of the First Churches in the District, Eamsey's Creek, Peno, and Stout's Settlement (New Hope) — Biographical Sketches of Davis Biggs — Jesse Sitton — Bethuel Riggs — .Jeremiah Yardeman, His Eventful Life — The Dancing School, &c. — The Eoman Catholics at Bardstown — Yardcmau's Visit to Nashville — Set- tlement in Marion County, ^lissouri ..... 211 CHAPTER III. SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION (CONCLUDED). Controversy on Missions, and Its Results — Division of the Association — Prosperity of the Churches — List of Associational Moderators — Sketches of Bowling Green, First Louisiana, and Other Churches — .John H. Duncan — Robert Gillmore — David Hubbard — Anecdote of Hubbard — A. D. Landrum ; How He Baptized a Man Privately— J. H. Reach- W. F. Luck— J. D. Biggs— AV. J. Patrick 226 CHAPTER IV. CONCORD ASSOCIATION. Cooper County ; First Baptists Therein — Formation of the Association — History of Big Bottom, Big Lick, and Other Churches — Luke AVilliams — Revival at the Dance — John B. Longan — The Lawyer Outwitted — Controversy on ^Missions — Historic Import of the Term " United Baptists " — Peter Woods . 243 CHAPTER V. CONCORD ASSOCIATION (CONCLUDED). Begins to Promote Missions as a Body — First Executive Board — Opposes Alien Im- mersion— Sunday School Convention Fonned — First Baptist Church, Jetlcreon City — David Alice — Snelling Johnson — William II. Duvall — 'SI. I). Noland — William Clarke— .Joseph M. Chainy— Andrew Estes— G. AV. Hyde— T. A\'. Bar- rett^B. T. Taylor ....... 259 CHAPTER VI. FISHING RIVER ASSOCIATION. Its Formation — Broad Field of — Strange Views of Associational Powere — Advisory Councils, and Not Law-malciiig Bodies — Dr. Peck's Views on the Subject — Anti- Mission Policy of tlie Association — Rejects the iVIesseugers of Concord and Bhie River Associations — Declines in ilembei-ship .... 272 XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTEE VII. CAPE GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. Its Formation, History, &c. — A Primitive Missionary Body — Its First Executive Committee — First Evangelists — The Anti-]VIissionary Controversy and Division — Minorities — Jno. H. Clark — Crushing Influence of the War . . 277 CHAPTEE YIII. SALEM ASSOCIATION. Organization and History of — Corps of Earnest Preachers — Her Highest Degree of Prosperity in 1836 — Harmony Interrupted — Split on Missions — Opposition to the " Central Society" — Becomes Anti-Missionary — Mistaken Policy — Peyton Steph- ens— W. Cunningham — Deacon E. Stephens — Jabez Ham — Stephen Ham — Theo. Boulware— The Shouting Sister . . . . .290 PERIOD rOURTH. 1830-1840. CHAPTEE I. FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. Formation and Early History of — J. C. Duckworth — Hon. John Hutchings — The Old Pioneers — Consecration — Baneful Influence of Intemperance — Robert Car- penter— Fundamental Law — Feet-Washing — War Period — Missionary Eevival Organization of the Churches — James Williams — G. W. Sturdivant — The Bap- tist Convention of Southern Missouri ..... 299 CHAPTEE II. BLUE RIVER ASSOCIATION. First Churches — Organization of the Association — " United Baptists " — First Work — Account of the "Split" — Messenger of Peace — Misrepresentation — Domestic Missionary Work — Progress — Sketches of the Churches — John Fanner — Bushy Head — Dr. Lykins — G. W. Sparks — Jeremiah Farmer . . . 307 CHAPTEE III. BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) Organization and Faith of — The Conflict on Missions and Ultimate Division of — Pros- perity and Growth — JNlission Work — Ministerial Education Society — Male and Female College, Palmyra — History of the Churches — William Carson — Jer. Tay- lor— Christy Gentry — William Hurley — Eobert Hendren — J. S. Green — Anec- dotes— Mt. Salem Association ...... 322 CHAPTEE IV. THE MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. How it Originated — John .lackson — Preliminary Meeting — Violent Opposition — Hard Names — The Great lievival in Cooper County — Change of Name — Establish- CONTENTS. XVll ment of The MissouH Baptist — Southern Baptist Convention — Uriel Sebrcc — K. Hughes — D. H. Hickman — A. P. Williams — Noah Flood — X. X. Buckner — J. B. Wornall— L. B. Ely— W. Pope Yeaman— J. T. Williams— L. 31. Berry — Table of Meetings ....... 338 CHAPTEE V. BLACK RIVER ASSOCIATION. Organization, Location and Field of— Its First Ministers — Aggressive Character — Growth— J. W. Brown— L. L. Stephens— J. H. Floyd . . .382 CHAPTEE VI. UNION AND LIBERTY ASSOCIATIONS. Union Association Formed — Faith of— Forms a Missionary Society — Its Growth — Peter Williams — Division of the Association — Basis of Union — Coldness — J. H. Thompson — Liberty Association Formed — the Local Church Idea . 386 CHAPTEE VII. LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. Organization of, WTien and Why — Early Baptists of Boone County — Bethel, Little Bonne Femme, Cedar, L^niou, Columbia, Nashville, New Salem, Mt. Horeb, Concord, Ilicbland, and other Churches — A " Big Revival " — Sunday-schools — First List of Ministers — The Unanimity Eule — Method of Missimis — Origin of William Jewell College — Stephens College — Bonne Femme Seminary — R. Dale —James Suggett— Thos. H. Ford— David Doyle— R. S. Thomas— W. M. Jesse — H. W. Dodge— W. H. Burnham— J. M. Robinson- E. D. Isbell— J. M. Mc- Guire — James Harris ....... 391 CHAPTEE VIII. LITTLE PINEY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. At First " United Baptists " — Then Anti-Mission, Anti-Bible, Anti-Sunday-school Society, and Anti-College JMen — The Versailles Council — Trouble About a Name — MouxT Pleasant Old School Associatiox — Real Beginning of — Old School, Not Primitive — Retrogression — Adopts the Name "Old School" — Change of Policy — Protracted Meetings — Re\ivals — The jNIen of the Past Gen- eration— The Present — Lamine River Association — Two River Old School Association — How and When Formed — Reject the Mission System — A Small Body — Henry Louthan— F. 31. Turner — AVm. Priest . . . 42-f PERIOD FIFTn. 1840-1850. CHAPTEE I. LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. "When Organized — When The Weak Are Strong — Baptist Camp-meetings — Plan of Missions — The Connnunion Question — Knapp's Treatise — Biographies of "Wil- liam Tatum — Uenrv iVkard — Evangelists — The Agency System — Results — C eu- 2 XX CONTENTS. Churches : Grand River, Union, Friendship, Pilot Grove, Zoar, Crab Orchard — Compromise on Missions — Other Churches — Opinion of the War and the Test Oath — State Convention — Co-operation with — Jno. Woodward — Wm. McCam- mon — The Converted Wife and the Mad Husband — Gentry Baptist Associa- tion— The " Old " Gentry Association — The New Gentry — Chm-chcs in 1868 — Missionary Board — Query on the Deaconship — The New Country — Heresies — Missouri B.vptist Indian Mission Association . . 552 CHAPTEE XIII. CEDAR (now ANTIOCH) AND GASCONADE ASSOCIATIONS. When First Formed — Its Ministers — Record of Meetings — Cedar Church — Obadiah Smith — Sacrificing Men — Thomas Smith — Change of Name to Antioch — Com- munion Trouble — James Johnson — William Cook — Gasconade River Asso- ciation— First Appearance of its Name — Semi- Anti-Mission — Light and Change of Views — Alien Baptism — Pulpit Affiliation — Dry Fork Association Formed by a Colony from Gasconade ..... 5G3 PERIOD SIXTH. 1850-1860. CHAPTER I. BEAR CREEK ASSOCIATION. Origin of — History of its First Churches — Constituent Ministers — Progi-ess of the Work — The Great Catholic and Lutheran Field — Joseph Nicholls — The Little Baptist House in St. Louis — ^Lewis Duncan — D. W. Nowlin, Early Life, Con- version and Doctrinal Views of — Thomas T. Johnson, the Revivalist — ^W. D. Grant ........ . 671 CHAPTER II. BETHEL (now CALLED SOUTHWEST BETHEL) ASSOCIATION. The First Meeting — List of Churches — Ministers — Mission Spirit — Plan of Work — Associational Powers — Cheap IMissions — Remarkable Action — Baptists Not a Law Making People, as Such — Change of Name .... 685 CHAPTER III. BOURBOIS AND SMITH VALLEY ASSOCIATIONS. Its Formation — Missionary — Refuses Admission to Excluded Churches — "Old Mount Pleasant" Church — Smith Valley Association — Rejects "Alien " Inmiersion — Friendship and Other Churches ...... 689 CHAPTER IV. CENTRAL MISSOURI AND CONCORD ASSOCIATIONS. Central Missouri from Bethel — Feet-Washing — How a Church was Tried — The Wonderful Revival — Another New Association — Numerical Strength . 694 CONTENTS. XXI CHAPTEE Y. FREEDOM ASSOCIATION. Formation — Policy — "War Influences — ^Reorganization — Confusion — Rebellion — Pro- scription— Great Destitution — Action on the Liquor Traffic — D. R. Murphy, His Night Adventure, and Coining to Missouri — Geo. Mitchell, His Education, Work and Death ........ 598 CHAPTEE VI. JEFFERSON COUNTY ASSOCIATION. Origin and Name — iSabbath Observance and Sabbath-schools — Bethlehem and Calvey Churches — David Stites — Lebanon, Swashing, and Other Churches . G07 CHAPTEE VII. NORTH MISSOURI AND MOUNT MORIAH ASSOCIATIONS. Organization and Brief History of North Missouri Association — Of ML Moriah — Pre- liminary Meeting — Its Object — Circular on Communion — Summary — New Sa- lem, Gentr}"\'ille, and Pleasant Valley Churches — Open Communion Trouble — Deacon R. D. Black— B. F. Kenney— The "Test Oath"— Israel Christie— .L W. Black— Israel Christie, Jr.— B. AVheeler— Sam'l Weir— F. E. Jewell— T. M. S. Kenney ......... 613 CHAPTEE VIII. ST. FRANCOIS ASSOCIATION. Organization of — The Itinerant S\'stem — The Revival — ^The New Colony — Feet- washing — Sketches of the Churches — Biographical : C. T. Graham — A. Hughes —J. Crowley — W. W. Settle — Pinkney Graham . . . 622 CHAPTEE IX. TEBO ASSOCIATION. Early Itinerant Work in — Formation — First Ministers — Effects of the War, and Sub- sequent Prosperity — First Cnnu-ch, Clinton — Sketches of Churches — Biographi- cal : James Woods — W. A Gray ...... 630 CHAPTEE X. UNION ASSOCIATION (lIOWELL COUNTY), AND OTHERS. First Settlement and Churches in Howell County — RICIILA^^) Association — Devas- tation— IIuTTON' Vallky Association — L^'nion Association — The Schism — W. A. Findley — Statk Line Association — Sketches of the Churches : Rich Valley, Harmony, jMill Creelc, ML Nebo, ]\It. Hope Nos. 1 and 2, Richland— N. Barnett — Refugees ........ 635 CHAPTEE XI. ZION AND OZARK ASSOCIATIONS. When Formed — Sixth fleeting — Its Ministers — List of Meetings — The Anti-element — Compromise — Baptist College at Lebanon — S. W. Mo. Convention — Decleu- Xxil CONTENTS. Bion— W. C. TMiceler— H. II. Atchlcy— J. H. Lane— .J. B. Miller— "W. H. El- liott— Ozark Association — G. B. Stogsdell — Lo\vry Kichardeon • 640 PERIOD SEVENTH. 1860-1870. CHAPTEE I. CANE CREEK AND BUTLER ASSOCIATIONS. Date and Organization of Cane Creek — Timothy Reaves — List of Churches in 1867 — W. H. Reaves — Public Collections — "Alien" Baptism — Ministerial Need — Butler Association — First Called Western Missouri — Quarterly Communion — Affiliation With State Convention — Help From the Home Mission Society — Record of Meetings — Change of Name to Butler .... 647 CHAPTEE II. CENTRAL (formerly CALLED SEDALIA), AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. "The Queen City " — First Baptist Church, Sedalia — East Church — Sedalia Associa- tioji — Formation of and Change to Central — South Fork Church — Isaiah Spur- gin — E. T. Brown — Pettis County Association — Why Formed — Harmony Association — Why Organized ...... 652 CHAPTEE III. GENERAL BAPTISTS AND FREE WILL BAPTISTS. Bkthant Association of General Baptists — Missouri Association of Gen- eral Baptists — Big Creek Association of Free Will Baptists 659 CHAPTEE IV. THE MISSOURI BAPTIST SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONVENTION. Its Constitution, Motto, Work, and Final Dissolution — S. W. Marston — M. L. Laws ......... 661 CHAPTEE V. MISSOURI VALLEY ASSOCIATION. Date and Purpose of Organization — Early Prosperity — Carroll Comity, Sketch and History of its Churches — Tlie Three Horsemen — Old Log Court House — Car- rollton Church — "The Devil's Headquarters" — Big Creek, Wakenda, Beth- lehem, McCroskie's Creek, Good Hope, and Other Churches — Biographical: J. M. Goodson — Kemp Scott, Pioneer Life — J. D. Murphy — G. W. Hatcher — C. Bullock \ . .669 CHAPTEE YI. THE MISSOURI BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION. Where, When, and Why Formed — Objects — First Executive Board — "Test Oath" Endorsement — Money Expended on the Field — Conference for Peace — Consolid- Contents. xxiil ation with Gononil Assotiiitioii Propogcd — How Accomplished — Dr. Durlinp:- ham's Speech — Closing Keniarks . . , . . . 683 CHAPTEB VII. NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION. Meeting of the Convention — First Anniversary — The Object St!\ted — Faith of — Ap- proves Test Oath Coiit^titution of Missouri — Rescinds that Approval — Summary of the Year 1874 688 CHAPTEE VIII. NORTHEAST MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. "Where and How it Originated — "VATien Organized — A Helper of the State Conven- tion— Disintegration — Not Very Prosperous — Biographical ; J. IVI. Ingold and Stephen G. Hunt — Sketches of Highland, Greensburgh, and West Bethel Churches 692 CHAPTEE IX. OLD PATH ASSOCIATION. Wly and When Organized — Early Ecclesiastical History of Hickory County — First Minister — Ministers' Salaries — London Confession of Faith — Thomas Moore's Apostasy — The Case of J. H. Smith — Resolutions and Queries . . 695 CHAPTEE X. EOCK PRAIRIE (NOW DADE COUNTY) AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. Rock Prairie Formed — Change of Name — Pastoral Support, Position On — Confes- sion of Faith — Missions — Lack of Unity — Nevada Association — Sketches of Churches: Harmony, Nevada City — Report on Temperance — Webster Asso- ciation"— Sketches of Churches: Antioch, Cedar Blutf, Fairview, Good Hope, Good Spring, Mt. Zion — Biographical: Jacob Mingus — E. J. Smith — E. A. Mingus — Sketch of I'rospect Church ..... 700 CHAPTEE XL NEW PROSPECT ASSOCIATION. When and Where Formed — Eld. A. ^fay — Record of Meetings — The Prefix "Union" — The Error Corrected — Itinerant Work — Consolidation With Sac River Asso- ciation— Union Sunday-schools vs. Baptist Sunday-schools — Dissolution Consid- ered .......... 710 PERIOD EIGHTH. 1870-1880. CHAPTEE I. LAFAYETTE AND JOHNSON, AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. Rise of Lafayette — Principles — Progress — Methods of Work — AV.P.C.Caldwell — Jonathan Gott — Wm. C. Ligon — Henry I'albird — Lamixe Association — Bio- Xxiv CONTENTS. oraphy of T. V. Greer— A. ]VIacliett— Meramec Association— Comes from Frftuklin— Progresses — Retrogrades— Biographical : Hiram Smith— 11. Harmon — R. N. Gaugh— G. Seymour- Sketches of Churches; Fourche a Renault, White Oak Grove — Mount Zion Association— Sketches of Churches: Fay- ette, Glasgow, Chariton, Mt Moriah and Rocheport . . .713 CHAPTEE II. PLEASANT GROVE AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. A New Organization— When Formed— WTiere— Constituent Churches— Caleb Bush Visits the Churches— Method of Sunday-school Work— Present Strength— Dry Fork Association— Its Location, Origin, Growth and Present Strength — Dixon Association — How and When Formed— Landmark— Sketch of F. M. Mathews— .James River Association (Now Lawrence Coitnty Associa- tion)—H. C. Lollar— Charleston Association . . .729 CHAPTER III. SHOAL CREEK ASSOCIATION. Formation of— Its Pioneers — Prevalence of Baptist Sentiments — Views of Pastoral Support, Missions and Education — Alien Baptism— Excluded Members— Bio- graphical : Hczckiah Dobbs — E. W. Downing . . . .737 CHAPTER IV. SOUTHWEST MISSOURI BAPTIST CONVENTION. Oro'anization — Real Aims — A Co-worker with the General Association — College Founded — Trustees — Churches Aided — Jas. Schofield — B. McCord Roberts 739 CHAPTER V. WAYNE COUNTY AND OSAGE ASSOCIATIONS. Origin and Historv of— Curious Action on Domestic Missions . . 742 CHAPTER VI. MISSIONARY SOCIETIES OF MISSOURI. TiTE Missionary Society of Missouri Baptists — The Missouri Baptist Wo- man's Missionary Society — Mrs. O. P. Moss — The Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Society oe Missouri .... 745 CHAPTER VII. THE GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCHES OP MISSOURI. First German Baptist Church, St. Louis— C. Schoemaker— F. W. Glatfeld— E. S. Kupfer — C. West— J. S. Gubelmann— J, C. Haselhuhn— C. Ohlgart— J. M. Hoefflin — First German Baptist Church, Concordia, Lafayette County — C. Kresse — Chr. Werner — A, Hausler — First German Baptist Church, Pin Oak Creek — A. Rauschenbusch — A. Hoffman— First German Baptist Church, Hig- ginsville, Lafayette County — F. W. Greife .... 752 CONTENTS. XXV CHAPTER VIII. THE AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES OF MISSOURI. First African Chuirli, St. Louis— Tlio Little Sunday-school— J. B. JNIeachum, His Method of Emancipation — Second African Church, St. Louis — W. P. Brooks — North Missouri AssociATioy— Faith of— First, Second and Third Districts of — Eastern and Western Divisions of— Union (Colored) Association, Beginning of -Its Churches — Emanuel Cartwright ..... 7o5 MISCELLANEOUS. CHAPTEE I. BIOGRAPHICAL. David Anderson — Samuel Boone — J.C.Armstrong — Nathan A}Tes — 'M. J. Breaker — S. Driskell — Josiah Duncan — B. F. Edwards — W. L. T.Evans — Wm. Fuqiia — Henry Farmer — Joseph Flood — Jno, P. Glover — J. N. Gritlin — Jno. C. Hcrn- don— T3ree C. Harris— Jesse A. Hollis— 11. C. Hill— Wade M. Jackson— J. P. Jesse — K. M. Jones- Wm. M. Jones— J. T. ]\L Johnson — W. P. Lanier— Evan Lawler- E. Landers— tJ. H. Luther— M. P. Matheiiy— A. G. Mitchell— John S. Major— Walter McQuie — Jno. E. Moore — Da^id Orr — Joah Powell — Thos. Pitts — J. W. Renshaw — Wm. Kice — James Schofield — A.Sherwood — A. B. Snethen— Elisha Sutton— William Thompson— Thos. Taylor— :>L A. Taylor — O. Tompkins — Leonard Turley — C. C. Tipton — E. Towler — James Walker — Anderson Woods— A. Baker— Peter Brown— :M. T. Bibb— Ft. F. Babb— B. Baker — T. W. Bradley— J. B. Fuqua— W. Ft. Green— John Greenalgh— P. F. Ellis— Wm. Ferguson— P. N. Haycraft— S. C. JMajor- J. F. Smith— W. H. Yardeniau — Jesse B. Wallace — B. F. Lawler — G. L. Black . . 7G0 CHAPTER n. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. William Jewell College, Founding and History of— Dr. Wm. Jewell — College Opens — Suspends — Resumes — Present Condition — W. R. Rothwell — J. R. Eaton — R. B. Semple — J. G. Clark — Stephens College — Its Curators — E. S. Dulin — J. L. Stephens — Mount Pleasant College — LaGrange College — Competition for Loca- tion— .1. F. Cook — Resuscitation — Lexington Female College — J. P. Lan- neau — Hsirdin College — The Hardin Donation — C. II. Hardin — ~Mve. P. A. Baird — St. Joseph Female College — The Patee House — 3IcCimc College — A. Slaugh- ter— Grand River College — Scholarships — Southwest Baptist College — .1. R. Maupin — Pierce City College — Mavfield-Smith Academy — St. Louis Semin- ary ..... . . . 846 CHAPTER IIL RELIGIOUS PERIODICALS. The MissouH Baptist of 1842 — The Western Watchman — Burning of the Watch- XXVl CONTEKTS. man Office — Another HIIssoid-I Baptisi — Suspension of — Missouri Baptist Journal, 1866 — J. H. Lather and 11. ^I. lihoatlei? — The Baptist Rccoj-d — Con- solidation of the Journal and the Record — The Central Baptist — William Ferguson — AV. H. Williams — The Christian Repositoi'y — S. H. Ford — Baptist Battle-Flag (now changed to The American Baptist Flag) — D. 13. Ray 897 CHAPTER IV. PUBLICATION INTERESTS. The St. Louis Branch House of the American Baptist Publication Society — Lewis E. Kline — The St. Louis Baptist Publishing Company . . . 910 CHAPTER Y. THE MISSOURI "TEST OATH." The Oath — Its Penalty — How Received by the Denomination — Strictures on, by Dr. W. Pope Yeaman — Decision of the Supreme Court Thereon — Its Abolition — " Star Chamber " Notes — State of SocietjMn 1865 and 1866 — Imprisonments — Indictments — Trials — Murders, &c. . . . . .918 CHAPTER YI. STATISTICAL TABLES. Statistics of Missomi Baptists bv Decades — Statistical Table of Missouri Bap- r ♦= " ... 93n LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Eev. Alvin p. Williams, D.D., - Full Page, Frontispiece. Eev. E. S. Duncan, ------ 10 The Missouri Pioneer's Home on " The Great EivER," ----- Full Page, 30 Eev. John M. Peck, - - - - Full Page, 34 Old Bethel Church House, . . . - 39 Eev. Thomas E. Musick, ----- 50 Old Fee Fee Church House, - . . - 53 Eev, John T. Green, - - ... 55 Eev. Joshua Hickman, . - - . - 66 Lewis Williams' Certificate of Ordination, FullPage, 82 Eev. James E. Welch, ----- 95 The Pioneer Sunday-school, - - Full Page, 100 Second Baptist Church, St. Louis, Mo., - Full Page, 107 Pulpit, Baptistry and Gale Memorial Organ in Second Baptist Church, . - - . 109 Eev. J. B. Jeter, D.D., ----- 115 Eev. Galusha Anderson, D.D., - - - . 118 Eev. a. H. Burlingham, D.D., - - - 119 Eev. W. W. Boyd, D.D., 120 Hon. W. M. McPherson, - - - - 121 Hon. Nathan Cole, ------ 123 William M. Page, ----- 124 Mrs. W. M. Page, ------ 125 Eev. G. a. Lofton, D.D., - - - . 135 Hon. Marshall Brotherton, . - - - 137 William M. vSenter, ----- 139 Eev. J. V. ScHOFiELD, D.D., - - - - 141 Eev. a. a. Kendrick, D.I)., - - - - 144 David McLain's Adventure with the Indians, Full Page, 158 Eev. S. Y. Pitts, 198 Eev. G. W. Eobey, 199 Eev. J. B. Weber, - - . - - 200 Eev. J. W. Terrill, ----- 203 Eev. Jeremiah Yardeman, ----- 221 Jeremiah B. Yardeman, ----- 225 XXVlll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. The Secret Xight Baptism ; — " \Yould Not Tell Unless He was Asked," . . . . 237 Eev. James D. Biggs, . . . . . 241 Eev. Wiley J. Patrick, . . . . . 242 Eev. Gr. W. Hyde, . . . . . 268 Eev. T. W. Barrett, - - - - - 269 Eev. John H. Clark, ----- 283 Eev. Thos. P. Stephens, ----- 294 Elijah Stephens, - ... - 295 Hon. Wm. Carson, ------ 330 Hon. David H. Hickman, . - - - 358 Eev. ISToAH Plood, ..--.. 364 Eev. X. X. Buckner, ----- 368 Hon. J. B. Wornall, ----- 373 Lewis B. Ely, ------ 374 Eev. W. Pope Yeaman, D.D., - - - - 375 Eev. J. T. Williams, ----- 378 Eev. L. M. Berry, ------ 379 Eev. David Doyle, M. D., - - - - 410 Eev. J. M. McGuire, - - - - - 422 Eev. Wm. Harris, - . . . . 475 Eev. E. S. Dulin, D.D., LL.D., - - - - 476 Eev. Wm. M. Bell, ----- 499 Eev. J. C. Maple, D.D., - - - - - 500 Eev. W. C. Barrett, - - . - - - 528 Oliver P. Moss, - - - - - - 530 Eev. Lewis Duncan, ----- 576 Eev. David W. Nowlin, - - - - " - 579 Eev. T. T. Johnson, ----- 582 Feet- Washing ; A Eare Observance, - - - 595 Eev. Wm. W. Settle, ----- 627 Eev. S. W. Marston, D.D., - - - - 665 Eev. J. D. Murphy, D.D., - - . - 679 Eev. G. W. Hatcher, - .... 681 Eev. Henry Talbird, D.D., .... 718 Eev. H. C. Dollar, . . . . . 734 Eev. B. McCord Egberts, . - . - 741 Mrs. O. p. Moss, . - . . . 749 Eev. J. S. Gubelmann, - - - . . 753 Eev. J. C. Armstrong, - ... - 761 Hon. Joseph Flood, - - - - - ' 771 Dr. Eichard M. Jones, . - - - - 784 Bev. William M. Jones, ..... 785 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XXIX Eev. J. H. Luther, D.D., ----- 790 Eev. M. p. Matheny, ----- 793 Eev. James Schofield, - - - - - 800 Eev. Adiel Sherwood, D.D., - - - . 803 Eev. William Thompson, D.D., LL.D., - - - 809 Eev. M. T. Bibb, . . . - - 825 Hon. S. C. Major, ------ 835 Eev. J. F. Smith, ----- 837 Eev. W. H. Vardeman, - - - - 840 Eev. B. F. Lawler, . . - . - 843 Hon. George C. Bingham, ----- 844 Eev. G. L. Black, ------ 845 William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo., - Full Page, 849 Dr. William Jewell, . - - - . 851 Prof. A. J. Emerson, ----- 857 Eev. W. R. Eothwell, D.D., - - - - 859 Prof. James E. Eaton, ----- 860 Prof. E. B. Semple, ----- 861 Prof. James G. Clark, LL.D., . - . 862 Stephens" College, Columbia, Mo., - Full Page, 865 Hon. James L. Stephens, - - . . 867 Mt. Pleasant College, Huntsville, Mo , - - 869 Eev. J. F. Cook, LL.D., . . . . 875 Baptist Female College, Lexington, Mo., Full Page, S17 Prof. J. F. Lanneau, ----- 880 Hardin College, Mexico, Mo., - - - - 882 Hon. Charles H. Hardin, . - . . 884 Mrs. H. T. Baird, ------ 885 Prof. A. Slaughter, . - . - . 889 Grand Eiver College, Edinburgh, Mo., - Full Page, 891 Eev. J. E. Maupin, . . . . . 892 vSouthwest Baptist College, Bolivar, Mo., Full Page, 893 Pierce City College, Pierce City, Mo., - - 894 Eev. William Ferguson, ----- 903 Eev. W. H. Williams, ----- 904 Eev. S. H. Ford, D.D., LL.D., - - - - 906 Eev. D. B. Eay, D.D., ----- 908 Saint Louis Branch House, .... 911 Lewis E. Kline, ------ 913 PRELIMINARY. 1682-1796. EAELY SETTLEMENTS. LaSalle — District of Louisiana — Tradition — Upper Louisiana — First Settlement — Ste. Gejievieve — *SY. Louis — St. Charles — Louis XIV. — Augusts Chouteau — The Bude Cabins — The First House in St. Louis — The Original Districts of Missouri — Population^ &c. &c. ROBEET Cavelier, de La Salle, a Frenchman, in the year 1682, took formal possession of the country near the mouth of the Mississippi Eiver, and by this act the King of France claimed dominion of almost the entire Mississippi Valley, which was called the Province of Louisiana. Li 1763 France relin- quished her claim to all the country east of the Mississippi Eiver. France ceded to the United States, in 1803, the Province of Louisiana, but Upper Louisiana was not transferred until March 10, 1804; after which all this vast territory north of the south- ern boundary of Arkansas and west of the Mississippi Eiver was called by Congress, The District of Louisiana. This was after- wards called the Territory of Louisiana, and still later the Ter- ritory of Missouri. This last name was given it by Congress in 1812, and embraced what is now known as the States of Arkan- sas, Missouri, loAva, Nebraska and Oregon, and the larger parts of Kansas and Minnesota, also Washington, Montana, Idaho, Dakota, and parts of Wyoming, Colorado and the Indian Terri- tories. While under the dominion of Spain, this country was known sometimes by the name of Upper Louisiana, and for a short time after its cession to the LTnited States it was so call- ed. The capital of the Territory of Missouri — Upper Louis- iana— was at St. Louis, Under this organization the county of St. Charles was formed, and was defined as all that part of the territory north of the Missouri Eiver and west of the Mis- sissijipi Eiver, extending to the Indian Country on the west and the British Possessions on the north. This was undoubted- ly the largest county over formed in America. In the year 1820 the State of Missouri was organized, and 32 PRELIMINARY. admitted into the Union in 1821. The capital was at St. Louis until November 1st of that year; at St. Charles from 1821 to October 1, 1826; since which time it has been at Jefferson City. By act of Congress in the year 1836, the western boundary was extended to include the "Platte Purchase," when the State of Missouri (the Baptist History of which we shall try to write) attained its present dimensions. Tradition fixes the date of the first actual settlement of white inhabitants in what is now Missouri, as 1735, in the county of Ste. Genevieve. Subsequently, in 1763, a number of French families came from Kaskaskia and St. Philip and settled in this part of the country. The next settlement was in what is now St. Charles County. It was made by Blanchette La Chasseur, where noAV the city of St. Charles stands, in 1762. The next and principal of all the early settlements was made where St. Louis now stands, in the year 1764. The circum- stances of this settlement were these: Pierre La Clede Liguest, in 1763, ascended the Mississippi Eiver in search of some suit- able place to establish a permanent trading-post with the In- dians. He stopped at Ste. Genevieve, but failed to find even temporary accommodations for his goods and party. He pro- ceeded as far north as the mouth of the Missouri Eiver; he then retraced his steps and landed at the present site of St. Louis. He blazed a number of trees, and said to Auguste Chouteau, a young man who accompanied him :. "Next spring you will come here and make our settlement after the plan which I shall fur- nish you." Accordingly in the early spring of 1764, Auguste Chouteau, with thirty picked men, came to the selected place, cleared the ground and erected a few rude cabins. In March, M. Liguest arrived, laid off the village, and called it St. Louis, in honor of Louis XIV., King of France, not knowing that he had already ceded the territory to their old enemy, Spain. Liguest built the first house worthy of the name. It had a cellar and lower story of stone, and was on the square where Bar- num's Hotel now stands. Originally, Missouri was divided into five Districts : 1st. New Madrid^ including all the territory between the south- ern boundary of the State and Tj'^wappity Bottom. 2d. Cape Gimrdeav, including all the territory between Ty- wappity Bottom and Apple Creek. 3d. Ste. Tren^va-r, including the territory between Apple Creek and the Meramec Eiver. PRELIMINARY. 33 4th. St. Louis, including the territory between the Meramec and the Missouri Rivers. 5th. St. Charlca, including the territory between the Missouri and the Mississippi Elvers — that is, all north of the Missouri River. The population of Upper Louisiana, or the Missouri Territory, as afterwards called, in 1799, three years after the beginning of Baptist History, was 6,028. Stc. Genevieve was then the most populous district, and St. Louis next; while St. Charles was very little behind either. The following was the comparative pop- ulation of the above named places at the date aforesaid : Ste. Genevieve, 949; St. Louis, 925; St. Charles, 875. We have now a bird's-eye view of what Missouri originally was. REV, JOliN U. rjiCK. HISTOET OP THE Baptists in Missouri PERIOD FIRST. 1796-1810. CHAPTER I. EAELY BAPTISTS OF MISSOUEI. First Baptist Families — The "Lower Country" — Formation of tbe First Church, Tywappity — Thomas Johnson, the First Eeguhir Baptist Minister to Come West of the "Great River "^David Green — The Second Ciiurrh Formed, Bethel — Flat- boat Traveling; the "Setting Pole" — Mr. John Baldwin — Dr. J. C. Maple's Me- morial Address — The " Old Log House " — The Gavel — William ilurphy. MANY years before Missouri became a state, and while her territory was controlled by foreign kings, a few Baptists came and settled in her borders. At that time Romanism was the established religion, and hence there was no freedom of conscience allowed. Those who met to worship God in the sim- plicity of the ancient faith, did so at their peril. The few Baptists who were here prior to the close of the eighteenth cen- tury, were frequently threatened by the emissaries of the pope; but they "counted not their lives dear unto thcni," and went forward, not fearing them who could kill tlie body, but trust- ing in " Him who had power to destroy both soul and body in hell." They seemed to become emboldened by the threats of the papal jiarty, and raised their voices in opposition to the su- perstitions, corruptions, and innovations of the Romish Church; and in the defense of the doctrine of salvation by a personal and living faitli in Christ. Those were noble spirits that first planted the standard of a jnire gospel west of the Mississippi River. The first Baptists of whom we have any account (and they were the first Christians other than Catholics), that ever set 36 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. foot on the soil of Missouri, were Thomas Bull, his wife, and her mother, Mrs, Lee. They settled in what is now Cape Gir- ardeau County, in 1796. Mrs. Bull and Mrs. Lee died before the first church was organized. The next that came to this part of Missouri were Mr. Enos Eandol and wife, and Mrs. Aber- nathy, the wife of Mr. John Abernathy, in 1797, and settled a few miles south of Jackson, the present county seat, on Ran- dol's Creek, so called in honor of Enos Eandol, the first settler on it. These families lived several years in the midst of forest wilds, with Indians on almost every hand 5 entirely destitute of ordi- nary church privileges, though they occasionally met together — not publicly — to sing and pray, and worship God in the wil- derness. They were not, however, destined to live thus always. In the year 1799 they were encouraged bj'' a visit from Eld. Thomas Johnson, an aged Baptist preacher from Georgia, who was probably the first Baptist preacher of the reguhir order who ever came west of the '' Great River." Eld. John Clark, who was a Baptist in principle, though not a member, preceded him one year. The particulars of Clark will be given when we reach the St. Louis District. Of Thomas Johnson's life we have limited information. He was, doubtless, a native of the state of Georgia, where he resided at the time of his missionary tour west of the ''Great River." Most of his ministerial life was spent as missionary to the Cherokee Indians in his native state. His visit to Missouri was a great blessing to the scattered sheep of this great wilderness. Though contrary to law, he preached the blessed gospel to them ; not in stately houses of worshij) ; not in the largo public gathering, but in the log cabins and out of the way places, and to small companies of eager listeners with honest purposes and warm hearts. They made no great parade about their meet- ings, lest they should be interrupted by the agents of the pope. The preaching of this old pioneer was fruitful of good even be- yond the encouragement it gave to those who loved the Lord. During his stay, Mrs. Ballou, the wife of one of the oldest set- tlers, was converted under his preaching, and baptized by him in Randol's Creek. This was undoubtedly the first baptism ever administered in Missouri. As there was not yet a church in the territory, Mr. Johnson, following an old custom, gave Mrs. Ballou a "Certificate of Baptism," which, practically, answered uU the purposes of a "Letter of Dismission." EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 37 Elder Johnson died in liis native state about the year 1830. The year 1805 constituted a new era among the Baptists in this part of the territory. One year before, France had ceded Upper Louisiana to the United States, which event brought with it the enjoyment of religious liberty. Another fact also contrib- uted this year to the prosperity of the Baptist cause. It was the coming to the territory of Eld. David Green, of whom God seemed to have made choice as the instrument to perjmanently plant the gospel seed in this "Western Wilderness." David Green — was a native of Virginia. He spent the most of his life in ISTorth and South Carolina, preaching the gospel to the poor. During the early settlements of that state he moved to Kentucky, were he resided till 1805, when he came to Missouri. A few Baptist families had moved and settled in Tywappity Bot- tom, some ten or twelve miles south of Cape Girardeau. Sev- eral others had also settled in the neighborhood of Jackson. To these families Bro. Green preached for a while, and then return- ed to his home in Kentucky. But the condition of his brethren in the Missouri Territory rested so heavily upon his mind that he could not remain away from them, and the next spring he came with his family, and fixed his home in Cape Girardeau County. He continued his labors among the pioneers of that district, or- ganized the first two churches in the territory, and was taken home to rest on the 9th of December, 1809. {Reid's MS.) The first Bai)tist church ever formed in the Missouri Territory was in the Tywappity Bottom. As there has been some doubt about the date of this church, and as the honor of being the fird has been claimed for an- other, we give the testimon}' entire, on which this statement is made : *' In this vicinity the first Baptist church, called Tywappitj', was organized in 1805, of some 8 or 10 members. This was the first religious congregation, other than Roman Catholics, that was gathered west of the *' Great Eiver." The next year (1806), the second, called Bethel, was gathered in the vicinity of the present site of Jackson, about a dozen miles northwest of Cape Girardeau. In this vicinity, quite a colony of Americans from Kentucky and other states, including several Baptist fam- ilies, had settled. A preacher by the name of Green officiated with these churches in their early formation. "Tywappity Church was a feeble body from the first, and be- came defunct after a few years, but was reorganized in 1809, or 38 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. another church occupied its place, to which Mr. Edwards minis- tered in 1817. The meetings were held at Ross' Point and Ferry, at or near the present site of Commerce in Scott County." (Peck's ^'■Reminiscences of Mo.," W. Watchman, vol. 8.) Those pioneers endured many hardships. Even ten or twelve years after the date last named, they were sometimes reduced almost to starvation. Wo give the following description b}^ an eye-witness : *'0n Saturday, November 15, 1817, we were circumnavigating the ' Great Bend,' the flood of the Ohio checking the current. "When we left Shawneetown, there was not half a barrel of flour in the place, and it was by a special favor that we got two loaves of bread. We had lain in a supply of fresh beef, and the captain had a small stock of hard sea biscuit. A su2:)ply of eatables of some sort must be had at the first settlement, and this proved to be Tywappity Bottom, on Sunday at 12 o'clock. Hero I found two Baptist families, learned some important facts about the state of religion and schools in this part of the territory, but no milk and no meal could be had. We obtained a few ears of damp corn from the field, and a bushel of potatoes. The mills, such as then existed, were out of repair, and no family enjoyed the benefit of corn-dodgers. Hominy was the substitute for bread. Our progress by the setting poles, the cordelle, and 'bush-whack- ing,' from this time until we reached St. Louis, was at the rate of 8 or 10 miles each day. On the 17th, we reached Ross' Point, where bluff's jut into the river, and where resided John Baldwin, Esq., a Baptist of some prominence. Here also I found and made the acquaintance of Eld. James P. Edwards, who subsequently died in the western part of Kentucky." (Ibid.) We have already seen that the Bethel Church was the second gathered in the territory. It was organized July 19, 1806, a short distance south of the present site of Jackson, the county seat of Cape Girardeau County. We write with the old "book of records" before us. David Green, minister, and Deacons George Lawrence and Henry Cockerham oflSciated in the con- stitution. The constituent members were Eld. David Green, Thomas Eng- lish, William Mathews, Leanna Green, William Smith, Jane Eng- lish, Agnes Ballou, Thomas Bull, Clary Abernathy, Edward Spears, Catherine Anderson, Anderson Rogers, Rebekah Ran- dol, John Hitt and Frances Hitt — in all fifteen. Eld. David Green ministered to this flock in the wilderness EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 39 for a few years and died. Tliomas Bull was chosen writing clerk, and William Mathews as singing clerk. Bethel Church, though the second organized, may be regarded as the first permanent church organization in Missouri; the first (Tj'wappity) having become defunct not long after it was gath- ered ; and from Bethel Church, directly or indirectly, sprang all the churches that composed the first association. The first house of worship ever erected in Missouri, save by the Catholics, was built by the Bethel Church not long after its organization. It was constructed mainly of very large yellow poplar logs, well hewn ; was about twenty by thirty feet, and lo- cated about one and a half miles south of Jackson. ^^ ^ t-. OLD BETHEL CHURCU HOUSE. In October, 1875, the General Association of Missouri met at St. Joseph. On the first djfy of the session, Eev. J. C. Maple pre- sented the moderator with a handsomely mounted gavel, made of wood from one of the sills of the old Bethel Church house, accompanied by the subjoined address, and sketch of the early Baptists of the Cape Girardeau District. 40 EARLY )!.\PTIST"S OF MISSOURI. ADDHESS OF HEX. J. ('. MAPLE, D. D. " Brother Moderator and Brethren : I have a pleasant duty, which I desire, by your permission, to perform. " It is known to you, my brethran, that, as in other states, the Baptists were among the first to erect the standard of the Cross in ]\[issouri. And though we are not of those who have faith in the preserving power of relics or amulets, we do believe in guarding with care our records, and that both duty and affection require us to treasure some of the mementos of the men and their work who were the pioneers in this great state. ''From 1731 to 1803, the condition of the governmental affairs of the province of Louisiana, which then included what is now the State of Missouri, was far from being settled. The question of Spanish or French rule was not arranged to the satisfaction of the people. Yet for years the ' Upper Territory ' was under the control of a Spanish governor whose headquarters were at Cape Girardeau. Here he ruled with the pomp and severity of an oriental jjrince. He was never without his retinue of priestly advisers. Influenced by these vassals of the pope, he at one time issued an order that all the people who resided within a distance of fifteen miles from his mansion, should, on a certain day, at- tend 'mass' at Cape Girardeau. The few Baptists then in the jirovince, and residing within the district named in the order, dared to disobey the command. And it was only by what the priests termed ' the neglect of the governor/ that they narrowly escaped the penalties of their heretical insubordination. "In 1806 the Bethel Baptist Church was organized and soon afterwards a house was built in which they met to worship God. This was the first house of worship built by anti-Catholics, west of the Mississippi River. From the Great River to the Pacific Ocean this log house was the only building devoted to the service of the Living God. "The membership of the church was not large, but formed an active, consecrated band. When visited by those remarkable pioneers, Peck and Welch, they found here an earnest, liberal, working missionary body. Even the amount of mone}^ contrib- uted for missions has been kept upon the records by the un- wearied chronicler. Rev. John M. Peck. "But in a few years a portion of the church withdrew, and form- ed a new organization in the village of^ Jackson, one mile north of the old Bethel meeting-house. This was not the first, but the fourth colony which had gone out from the mother church. But EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 41 those wlio romjiincd after the formation of the Jackson (Jhnrcli unfortunately became anti-missionary, and of course the Bethel Church ceased to exist with the death of those who were the members. ''The church in Jackson, therefore, is the proper representative of this first Baptist church of Missouri. And at the suggestion of Rev. W. J. Patrick to the pastor of that church, Eev. James Reid, I had this gavel made. It is composed entirely, except the moun- tings, of wood taken from one of the sills of this first temple erected in the 'Western Wilderness.'* "The old house has been torn down. The hand of time and the ruder hand of man, have fully accomplished the work of demolition. I But that spiritual temple, of which every trul}- regenerated man and woman forms a part, will never feel the weight of years, nor yield to the wasting force of time. Sus- tained by the Almighty Hand, this more glorious structure which we labor to erect, will endure with the rock upon which it is founded, not only through the ages, but its existence is absolute and eternal. "This little piece of wood may serve to remind us of the small beginning of the Baptist denomination in Missouri, sixty-nine years ago. In less than seven decades the one church has in- creased to 1,292, and the little band that then stood alone in this vast region has become nearly 90,000 — to say nothing of the large numbers and the glorious work now being accomplished in other states and territories west of the Mississippi River. "We may well to-day exclaim, 'What hath God wrought!' "And while we should carefully avoid all vain-glorying over our numbers, let us to-day take fresh courage from this little memento of the past, and seek an increase of consecration to the Master's work, commensurate with our numbers and our oppor- tunities. We have not noAv, as then, a single log-house in the wilderness, but many elegant houses of worship, and what is still better, a noble band of able and consecrated ministers, who preach the word of life in these well-built temples. * This gavel is a handsomely polished instrument and may be seen at the annual sessions of the General Association in the hands of the president of the bod\'. f The old building -was standing in 1871, four years before the above was wTitten. The writer then visited it, but it liad long ceased to bo used as a house of worship. We looked at the old walls of the building — now doorlcss and windowlcsis, and with- out ft floor — and thought of the men and women who, while the Indians and the wolves prowled around them, used to jncet there and worship (Jod. 42 EARLY ISAl'TISTS OF MISSOURI. "We have all needed facilities for great usefulness. And let us, my brethren, with the call of this gavel, hear the voice of the little band that began the work in this great state, exhorting to greater activity, and, in the name of Ilini by whom they con- quered, promising us yet grander victories. " To your care, my dear brother, as the moderator of this body, I commit this memento. And when seven more decades have passed by, may it appear that our growth has continued at least to equal, if it shall not surpass, the rate of the past."* Eev. John M. Peck visited the Bethel Church in 1818, of which he thus writes : " On the 7th of November — Saturday — I met the church in Bethel meeting house. Eld. Wm. Street, who had come from a settlement down the St. Francois, had preached before my arriv- al. The church sat in order and transacted business. I then preached from Isaiah 53 j 1, and Eld. James P. Edwards followed me from John 14 ; 6. The people tarried through all these exer- cises with apparent satisfaction. Custom and common sense are the best guides in such matters. Dinner was never thought of on meeting days. The Cape Girardeau Society, auxiliary to the United Society, had already been formed in this vicinity, and there were more real friends and liberal contributors to missions in this church, than any other in the territory. Yet in a few years, from the formation of Jackson and a few other churches from this, the death of some valuable members, and removal of others of a different spirit, Bethel Church had " Ichabod " writ- ten on her doors. It became a selfish, lifeless, anti-mission body." (^Peck's Reminiscences of Missouri.) The same writer, on the Sabbath following, preached a mis- sionary sermon from Exodus 33 ; 15, and followed it with a col- lection amounting to 131.37. The Bethel Church sent messengers to the Eed Eiver Associ- ation, Kentucky, in 1810, and so continued to do until the form- ation of the Bethel Association in 1816,f an account of which will be given in a subsequent chapter. A Baptist preacher by the name of William Murphy, a native of Ireland, from East Tennessee, with his son William, and Mr. Silas George, located claims just south of the present site of * From the Minutes of the MissouH Baptist .General Association, 1875, pages 7 and 8. f Life of Eld. Wilson Thompson, p. 175; also Minutes of Bethel Church, June, 1810, and subsequent jears. EARLY UAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 43 Farmington, St. Francois County, in 1708. Eev. Murphy and Mr. G-eorge both died on the road home, as they returned for their families. David Murphy cut the first tree in what was known as the "Murphy Settlement." Mrs. Sarah Murphy, the widow of Eev. Wm. Murphy, in 1804, came to the claim located by her husband in 1798, in company with her sons, Isaac and Jesse, and a grandson and several others. Three years after she came to this country, she organized a Sun- day-school which continued in successful operation for many years. The school was organized not far from where Farmington now standso CHAPTER II. EAELY BAPTISTS OF MISSOUEI. (Concluded.) The Saint Louis District; First Baptists Therein — John Clark, the Pioneer — The Musick Family — Catholic Oppression and Eeligious Libert}' — Meeting Under Dif- ficulties— Thomas K. IVIusick — Fee Fee Church, the Third Formed — Cold Water Church — James Kerr — Fimeral in the Wilderness — Eld. Brown — J. T. Green — J. Hickman. THE first Baptist families that emigrated to this part of the territory, came from North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky, in 1796 and 1797. They lived several years under the Spanish Government. Several of the children and some of the family connections of Col. Daniel Boone were among the number. Col. Boone himself was not a member of any church, but he was in sentiment a Baptist, and was religiously inclined. ''Among these pioneers across the Mississippi, were Abraham and Sarah Musick, Abraham Musick, Jr., and Terrill Musick, Adam and Lewis Martin and their wives, Jane Sullens, Sarah Williams, who lived to see her son "and four grandsons ministers of the gospel, Mrs. Whitley and E. Richardson and wife, all of whom settled within the present boundaries of St. Louis Co. The Boone family, David Darst, William Hancock, Flanders Callaway, and others, settled on the north side of the Missouri Eiver, from twelve to forty miles above St. Charles." (Peck's Narraiive in Benedict and Triennial Register, 1836.) The French liberalists often boasted that the Sabbath should never cross the Mississippi River. Such was the prevailing sen- timent when the first Baptists came into this district. It was com- mon for men to attend " church " on festival occasions, and the better informed treated the ministry with respect, but the most of them regarded religion as priestcraft — a very good thing for the ignorant and vicious, but quite unnecessary for gentlemen. These Baptists of the first period encountered difiiculties from other sources than French infidelity. They were now under the dominion of the Pope of Roine, and were required b}' law to bring up their children in the faith of the Romish hierarchy. EARLY UAI'TIST.S OF MISSOLRI. 45 On the first of January, 1798, Gayoso, Commandant General, issued orders, among which were instructions as follows : "Liberty of conscience is not to be extended beyond the first generation; the children of the emigrants must be Catholics. Emigrants not agreeing to this must not bo admitted, but re- moved, even when they bring property with them. This is to be explained to settlers who do not profess the Catholic reli- gion." This was the sixth article. The seventh regulation *' expressly recommended to th§ com- mandants to watch that no preacher of any religion but the Catho- lic, comes into the province." (Martin's History of Louisiana^ vol. 2, p. 90; in Father Clark, p. 223.) These instructions were not enforced by post commandants, which, however, was not the fault of the Catholic faith, but grew out of the disposition to encourage emigration, and a lib- eral-mindcdness on tlie part of the commandants. All American emigrants were examined as to their faith, but Christians of almost any sect could give satisfactory answers to their questions. We give the following as an example : " ' Do 3'ou believe in Almighty God? In the Holy Trinity? In the true apostolic church? In Jesus Christ our Savior? In the holy evangelists,' &c. To these, and other questions of a gener- al character, affirmative answers being given, the ceremony would close with ^ un hon Catholique' (a good Catholic)." {Father Clark, p. 225.) While under the dominion of Spain, Missouri was a Catholic country (Roman Catholicism was the religion of the territory); but on being transferred to the United States in 1804, it became free for all sects and denominations, and to persons of no reli- gion. In a very large measure honor is due to the Baptists for the existence of this freedom. Freedom in religion has, from the beginning, been a fundamental doctrine of the Baptist de- nomination. Prior to the American Revolution they stood al- most alone in the defense of this doctrine. The colony of Rhode Island was founded by the agency of Baptists; and this was "the first civil government upon earth that gave equal liberty of con- science." Bancroft {History of the U. S., vol. 2, pp. 66, 67) says: "Free- dom of conscience, unlimited freedom of mind, was, from the first, a troph}' of the Baptists." In his Essay on Toleration, the celebrated John Locke says: 46 EARLY ]JAPT1«TS OF MISSOURI. " The Baptists were the first and only propounders of absolute liberty, just and true liberty, equal and impartial liberty." (Jones' Vindication, p. 15. in Bel. Lib., by Bitting, p. 14.) Upon investigation it will be found : 1st. That liberty of conscience is not a mere accident with the Baptists, but is a logical result of long cherished principles. It is an outgrowth of the fundamental doctrines of the denomin-. ation. 2d. That intolerance is a natural and logical result of the doc- trines of the Romish Church. In his encyclical letter in 1832, Gregory 16th denounced religious liberty as "that pest of all others most to be dreaded in a state." Again, prelates are required to take the following oath of of- fice: "Heretics, schismatics and rebels to our said lord (the pope) or his aforesaid successors, I will to my utmost persecute and oppose," (Bel. Lib., by Bitting, p. 37.) The first Baptists of St. Louis County formed three settle- ments: one near the Spanish Pond, north of St. Louis; another between Owen's Station (Bridgeton) and Florissant ; and still another on Fee Fee's Creek. For several years these pioneer emigrants were destitute of preaching and other religious privileges. The first preacher that came among them to break the bread of life was Rev. John Clark, in 1798. And, so far as we have been able to learn, he was VnQ first preacher, other than Roman Catholic, that ever set foot on the western shore of the Mississipjri Iiirer. Tradition in the fam- ily says Thomas R. Musick preceded Clark one year. Clark lived in New Design, Illinois, and at first only made occasional visits to Missouri, preaching to the scattered shcej-), but subse- quently made regular trips, after the style of a Baptist pastor, making monthly visits to three or four cliurches; or like a Methodist circuit rider passing the rounds of his circuit. John Clark — was a native of Scotland. He was born near the city of Inverness, which was once regarded as the capital of the Scottish Highlands, on the 29th of November, 1758. His ances- tors for several generations were born, lived and died at the same place. The family connections for many generations, were strict Presbyterians. The classics, mathematics, Presbyterian catechism and forms of religious worship were taught the chil- dren in the parish schools, and in the families, in that part of Scotland. Young Clark received a liberal education in the com- mon branches, but had a great aversion to the classics. During EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 47 his youth he was very amiable, kind-hearted, moral and gener- ous; remarkably industrious — never idle. About 1786, or 1787, he removed to Georgia and settled on the waters of the Savannah Eiver, and under the ministry of Elds. John Major and Thomas Humphries, united with the Meth- odists, and in 1791 was received on trial as a preacher and placed on the Richmond circuit in the region of Georgia. Three years after this he was ordained as deacon by Bishop Asbury. Mr. Clark had great veneration for John Wesley as a reform- er in the church of England, but was singularly scrijstural and conscientious in all his religious views, and learned from the New Testament that a church was a local society — that all dis- ciples should begin and end in the local society or church in which the members are in covenant relation. So dissatisfied did he become with the episcopal mode of church government, that in 1795 he severed his connection with the M. E. Church. In 1796 he started westward on foot, and after tarrying awhile in Kentucky, came on to Illinois, where he lived (if indeed it could be said he had any settled home) when he visited Missouri in 1798. At this time he was generally regarded an independent Meth- odist, though he was in sentiment a Baptist. About the year 1803 he became a Baptist officially, after the following singular manner : He was intimate with an Independent Methodist preacher by the name of Talbot. Both were dissatisfied with their baptism. A meeting was appointed. Talbot baptized Clark, who in turn baptized Talbot and several others. *'At the next regular meet- ing, a month later, Mr. Clark baptized two or three others of his society. * * * It was ten or twelve j'ears after this before he became regularly connected with the Baptist denomination." {Father Clark, p. 238.) Eld. John Clark was therefore the pioneer preacher of Mis- souri. His mode of traveling was on foot. There were no rail- roads and steamboats in those days. In fact horses were a scarce article. He traveled thus as far west as Bluifton, which was then the extreme frontier; south to St. Clair County, and north as far as Monroe County. In the midst of so much arduous toil consequent upon these extensive excursions, in the early summer of 1824 (an unusually wet season), the roads being very muddy, and especially so on foot, Mr. Clark's friends in Missouri furnish- ed him with a pony, put on him a saddle, bridle and saddle-bags, 48 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. and induced him to ride on his customary circuit. He started, but was greatly troubled lest the pony should hurt himself or hurt him. Whenever ho came to a creek or muddy slough, he would dismount, throw his saddle-bags over his shoulder, take off his nether garments, and carefully lead his horse through mud and water, often to the depth of three feet. His thoughts were so distracted in his care for the animal, that on his return home he entreated his friends to take back the horse and relieve him of a burden that actually interfered with his religious and ministerial duties. He would travel through heat and cold, wet and dry, rather than miss an appointment. On one occasion he actually traveled all night in order to reach his destination. The cir- cumstances are thus related by his biographer: "The ferry boat below the mouth of the Missouri Eiver had been destroyed in a flood, and the ferry not again established. Without knowing this, Mr. Clark started from the Spanish Pond, intending to cross at this upper ferry, which would have been a gain of thirty miles. He was obliged to turn down to St. Louis. His appointment next day was at Judge Lofton's, sixteen miles above Alton. Resolute on fulfilling his engagements, though three score and ten years had brought on him the infirmities of age, he made his way to St. Louis and crossed the ferry about dark. In traveling along the muddy pathway, in thick darkness, he became fatigued, and was repeatedly compelled to rest by leaning against a tree. He reached the house" of a hospitable Presbyterian friend at breakfast. He was excessively fatigued, and on inquiry the family were astonished to learn that he had traveled the whole night and preceding day. Regarding such an effort as an undue sacrifice from a feeble old man, his hospitable friend ven- tured an admonition that he should not expose himself. He received a response in his mild voice: *0, my dear brother, souls are precious, and God sometimes uses very feeble and insignifi- cant means for their salvation. The people expect mc to fill my appointments, and the only way was to reach here this morning. This is nothing to what our divine Master did for us.' " He had walked eight miles to his customary crossing place on the river, thence eighteen miles to St. Louis, twenty-four miles to Upper Alton, and by two o'clock he was sixteen miles further, preaching to the congregation in Lofton's Prairie. This made sixty-six miles walking in a muddy path, without sleep, so conscientiously strict was he to fulfill his engagements." {Father Clark, p. 272.) EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 49 "Father Clark" was never married. While spending his time in Illinois, he usually made his home with one or the other of his intimate friends, Capt. Joseph Ogle or Eld. James Lemen, Sen. Among his most intimate friends in Missouri Avere William and Elijah Patterson, at whose hospitable dwellings he usually found a home from about the year 1814. At an early day he formed societies, one in Spanish Pond Settlement, the other on Cold Water, both of which finally be- came Baptist churches. The exact date of these societies is not now known. These are the leading facts of Bro. Clark's life. He fell asleep in Jesus in 1833, being nearly 75 years old. The second preacher that came to this part of the territory and proclaimed the gospel was James Kerr. We have the fol- lowing brief account of him: "James Kerr — a minister of the Baptist church (whose father emigrated from Ireland, and was a Presbyterian), was born in the state of Pennsylvania on the 8th of October, 1749. In 1780, with a wife and two infant daughters, he settled two miles from where Danville, Kentucky, now stands. In 1797, his oldest daughter, with her husband, removed and settled twelve miles west of St. Louis, Missouri. Two years later, in 1799, he with his wife came on horseback from Kentucky to Missouri, to visit their daughter and look at the country lying between the two great rivers, and when within six miles of her daughter's home, Mrs. Kerr suddenly sickened and died. Few Americans were then in the country, but it was determined that the memory of the deceased should be commemorated according to the relig- ious customs of her fathers, and after due notice her funeral ser- mon was pronounced by her stricken husband, in the presence of all the Americans then in the surrounding country, on the 20th of October, 1799, and was long remembered by those 'strangers in a strange land' as an occasion of extraordinary in- terest, in which the minister, always earnest and gifted with na- ture's eloquence, subdued every heart and laid the foundation among his hearers for one of the most blessed Baptist congre- gations subsequently established in the earlier history of the territory and state of Missouri. " This devoted pioneer minister removed, with all his other children, to St. Charles County, in 1808, where he died Septem- ber 27, 1811. Of his nine children, who lived to become heads of families, all died in the fellowship of the God they had served. 4 50 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. His sons were men of great respectability and fine intelligence, exerted a wide influence for good wherever they lived, and each filled responsible public trusts. His four daughters survived to be regarded truly as 'mothers in Israel.'" {Southwest Presby- terian, March, 1870.) Another name deserves to be added to the list of pioneer preachers of Missouri. It is that of Thomas R. Musick, who, in 1801, visited the pilgrim settlers of the St. Louis district. In company with the pious John Clark, and a preacher by the name of Brown, he traveled and preached among them. Thomas E. Musick — was of Welsh descent; born in Spottsyl- vania County, Virginia, Oct. 17, 1756. The origin of the name Musick is quite in- teresting. More than a century and a half ago a small boy was found wan- dering alone in the province of Wales. He could tell nothing of his destination or of his ancestry. He could only tell them his name was George. As he developed into manhood he showed a fondness for music and be- came an excellent singer. As he lack- ed a surname, and showed an unusual KEv. THOMAS K. MUSICK. attachment for mu- sic, his protector conceived the idea of naming him Musick (the manner of spelling the word then), and hence he was called George Musick. Such is the tradition now in the family, and there is no doubt of its correctness. Many years ago George Musick came to America, and settled in what is now called Vir- ginia, where he raised a family consisting of five sons and sev- eral daughters. Ephraim was the fourth son of George Musick, and the father of Thomas R. Musick, the subject of this sketch, EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 51 Ephraim Musick was a member of the Church of England, and when his son Thomas, at the age of 17, was converted to God and proposed to join the Baptists, he met with violent opposition from the father. Thomas, however, was not to be deterred from his duty to God. His convictions were strong that the Baptists licld the truth in greater purity than any other people. He united with them in his native state, and soon after this began preach- ing. When a young man he moved to North Carolina and mar- ried Miss Mary Nevil, who proved to be to him '' a helpmeet" truly. As to when he was ordained, we have no account. At the time of his first visit to Missouri, in 1801, he was a resident of the Green River district in Kentucky, where he had been in a revival for several months, and about one hundred converts had been baptized. " Coming from the midst of an extensive and power- ful revival of religion, he was in a spirit of preaching, and cared little for the Spanish calahoza. He visited every family, in which professors of religion were to be found, in the districts of St. Louis and St, Charles, and during three weeks' sojourn, preached fifteen times to congregations assembled in log cabins and in the woods, on short notice, to hear him. He was threatened with the calahoza repeatedly." Eld. Musick moved his family and settled in Missouri in 1803, some say 1804. He was doubtless the first Baptist minister that ever permanently settled in the state. In 1811 an extensive re- vival spread over the district, and he preached almost uninter- ruptedl)'' night and day. Out of this work he came with his voice very much shattered, from which he never afterwards fully re- covered. In 1828 or '24 he lost the companion of his early man- hood, after which he sold his little farm about a mile or a mile and a half north of Bridgeton. After this he taught school and preached alternately. His plan was to travel, preaching until he exhausted his means, then go into the school-room and teach again. In the latter part of his life, his labors in the ministry were confined to the counties of St. Louis, Franklin, Gasconade and Osage, south of the Missouri River; and Lincoln, Pike, Montgomery, Audrain and Callaway, north of the river. To illustrate the dangers braved by the first Baptists in the state, it is related that, on a certain Sunday, ho had an appoint- ment in one of the settlements; and such had been the demon- strations of hostility from the friends of the Catholic authori- ties that his nephew, Asa Musick, accompanied him, and with gun in hand sat as his guard during services. 52 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. Elder Musick was not regarded as a deep doctrinal preach- er, but his discourses were well connected and his points were made clear. His strength was in exhortation. His appeals to sinners were often very pathetic. In doctrine he was strongly Calvinistic, and he was said to be anti-missionary in sentiment; notwithstanding which he seldom preached without earnestly calling on sinners to repent. In his later ministry he was cotemporary with Eld. Lewis Wil- liams, and now sleeps by his side in the old Fee Fee Cemetery in St. Louis County. He died December 2d, 1842. Among the records we find the name of a Brother Brown, a Baptist minister from Kentucky, who was associated in an early day with Clark and Musick, preaching to and gathering together the scattered sheep of this western wilderness. Elder Brown came in a very early day to the territory and made his home in a frontier settlement above St. Charles. He died in 1802, and his funeral sermon was preached by Elder Musick. From the scattered condition of the early Baptist families, and a number of other circumstances, no church was formed for sev- eral years after Father Musick settled in the district. But he and Father Clark continued to visit the different settlements, and preach to these hardy pioneers. The first Baptist church in what is now St. Louis County, was organized by Elder Musick in the year 1807, called Fee Fee's Creek from a small stream near which the meeting was held. The following are the names of most, if not all, the constituent members : Adam Martin, and his wife Mary Martin ; Abram Mu- sick, and his wife Sarah Musick; Terrill Musick ; John Sullens, and his wife Jane Sullens; Richard and Susan Sullens; Pru- dence Musick ; Hildebrand ; Susan Link, John Howdershell, and his wife Joicy Howdershell. This was the second 2:)ermanent church organization in the territory, the Bethel having preceded it one year, and it is the oldest church now in existence in the state, so far as we can learn, since the Bethel has ceased to exist. The records of the Fee Fee Church, from its organization to 1830, were burned with the Ecv. John M. Peck's library. The facts given of that early period can be relied, on, having been furnished by a living witness, Mrs. Kate Martin, the oldest sur- viving member of the church. Great prosperity followed the labors of this pioneer band, and in 1820 the church had grown in numbers and influence, having upon its roll at that time over 100 names. The first house of worship was » hewed log building on EARIA' iJAPTISTf^ OF MISSOURI. 53 Pee Fee Creek, about two miles southwest of the present site. What is now known as the old Fee Fee church house, was built of brick about 1831 or '32, on the old road from St. Charles to St. Louis. In 1870, while Rev. Joshua Hickman was pastor, the church completed a new brick house of worship 40x60 feet, located on the present rock road from St. Louis to St. Charles, and erected on a beautiful site of five acres of land, the gift of Bro. Erastus Post. The house is elegant, has a commodious auditorium, and in the basement three rooms for the social services and Sunday- school. It was dedicated in July, 1870, the sermon being preach- ed by Rev. W. Pope Yeaman, who, on the occasion, lifted a collec- tion, supposed by the committee at the time to be sufficient to free the new enterprise of debt. It transpired afterwards, however, Prf.w»i7/i/g<:cv^ OLD FEE FEE CmTRCH- HOITSE. that a large debt was still on this beautiful property. The finan- cial crisis of 1873, and the death of some of the members of the church, and partial failure of others, combined to make the re- maining debt quite a burden to the surviving members. Not un- til 1882 was this debt finally and fully paid. The occasion was one of great rejoicing to the members of this historic church, and on the 9lh of April of that year the church held a thanks- giving and memorial service, and invited their fast and generous friend of years' standing, Dr. "\V. Pope Yeaman, to return and preach the jubilee sermon, which he did, to a large concourse, from Matt. 25 ; 23 : "Well done, good and faithful servants." The following liavc labored as pastors of this church : Thomas R. Musick was pastor upwards of 30 years, John Clark, J. M. 64 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. Peck, Thos. P. Green, William Hurley, J. C. Herndon, Adiel Sherwood, Hawker, James, J. W. Thwing, W. H. Vardeman, J. B. Fuqua, Joshua Hickman, Joseph Hay, S. H. Ford, J. B. English, J. H. Luther and J. T. Green. In 1882 the church numbered 76 members, and was out of debt. Cold Water. — This was the second church organization in the St. Louis district. The records before us show that, after some dissension as to whether the Baptist community on Cold Water should become an "arm" of Fee Fee Church or of an Illinois church, being advised by the preachers present when assembled at the house of Wm. Patterson, a visible church was constituted the 10th of March, 1809, under the appellation of "The Baptist Church on Cold Water, Missouri Territory." Thomas R. Musick was for some years pastor, and was, we think, succeeded by John Clark after his removal to the terri- tory. This community of Baptists had much trouble on the slavery question. The records show that an emancipation Baptist church, on Canteen Creek, Illinois, in July, 1812, established an " arm " on Cold Water, and 18 persons were received into it. This "arm" continued to exist until November, 1834. It was then organized into an independent church, called "The Baptized Church of Christ, Friends to Humanity, on Cold Water." The Cold Water Church continued its records until May, 1819, when they cease. The church of 1834 died in or about 1838 or '39, and on the 23d of September, 1841, the present church on Cold Water, called Salem, was organized by Elds. John C. Herndon and Thomas P. Green, The constituent members of this church were from the old extinct churches orUnion and Cold Water, and twelve in all viz. : Cumberland James, Gilbert James, William James, Solomon Eussel, Edward Hall, Aseneth Patterson, Ann E. Henley, Sarah Hume, Keziah James, Eveline James, Ellender A. Eussel, Fran- ces Monroe and Elizabeth Blackburn. Eld. John Lee officiated as minister at times for the emancipa- tion Baptist church of 1834. Eld. John C. Herndon was first pastor of Salem, and was suc- ceeded by Bayless, Hawker, Clark, James, Hickman and Sher- wood. As Elds. Green and Hickman were for some time associated as pastors of the foregoing historic churches, we place their sketches in this connection as follows : John Thomas Green — was born in Crittenden County, Ky., June EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. 56 4, 1847. He moved witli his parents to Fa3''ette County, 111., in 1852. In early youth he was impressed with the idea that he was to be a preacher of the gospel; in fact he practiced boy- ish preaching until he was fourteen years of age. He was con- verted to Christ and united with the Baptist church at the age of 17. March 1, 18(55, he enlisted in the U. S. service, and served till the close of the war. At the time of his conversion he was seized with the conviction that he must preach. In 1868 after several years of most intense struggle against this convic- tion, he entered the University of Chicago as a ministerial stu- dent. Here he spent four years, entered the Baptist Theological Seminary in 1873, and graduated in the class of 1875, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Divinity. He was licensed to preach by the University Place (now Memorial) Baptist Church, Chicago, Juno 25, 1873. He entered upon his first pastorate at Moweaqua, 111., July, 1875, where he was ordained Sept. 16th of that year. Was married to Miss Melvina E. Bower, of Macon County, 111., No vem her 12, 1876. Received and accepted a call to the pastorate of the Park Avenue Church, St. Louis, Dec, 1876. Jan. 27, 1877, he was called to endure the great- est trial of his life, the death of his be- loved mother. He was blest in his pastorate at Park Ave., though moun- tains of difficulty rose on every side. In January, 1879, he entered upon his pastorate at Fee Fee, the " Mother Church of ]\[issou- ri." He has been k^^'- J^hx t. qrekn. instrumental, under God, in paying off the debt of nearly $5,000, which had rested upon the church for nearly twelve years. 56 EARLY BAPTISTS OF MISSOURI. Joshua Hickman — is a native of Mason County, Kentucky. He was born March 16, 1826 ; and at the age of 12 years he was converted. Two years after this event he united with the Baptist church at Mayslick, where he was raised, and was baptized by A. D. Sears, D.D., of Louisville, Ky. In March, 1850, the church licensed him to preach, and at once called him to fill the pulpit once a month in connection with Dr. S. L. Helm, the pastor. In September, 1850, he entered the Western Theological Institute, at Covington, Ky., of which Dr. S. "W. Lynd was president, and continued there until November of the year following. He then came to Missouri, and spent the winter of 1851 and '52 in St. Joseph, preaching most of the time for the First Baptist Church of that city, during which time 26 were added to the church. While in St. Joseph, at the call of the Baptist Church, he was ordained to the ministry by Elds. W. H. Thomas and Jonas D. Wilson. This was in March, 1852, and the next month he moved to St. Louis, and was married on the 25th day of December, 1852, to Mrs. Martha J. Kri- der, who became the mother of five children, and died in January, 1862. He was again mar- ried March 26, 1866, to Mrs. Isabella Crouse, of St. Louis County. Elder Hickman continued in St. Louis and vicinity for more than 27 years, preaching for the churches at Fee REV. josHiTA mcKMAN. Ecc, Salcm, Ches- terfield, Antioch, and Bernard Street, St. Louis. During this pe- riod he spent three years as corresponding secretary of the Gen- eral Association, and one year as general agent of the Central Baptist. He then went to Cape Girardeau, Mo. and became pas- tor of the First Baptist Church in that city. PERIOD SECOND. 1810-1820. CHAPTER I. BETHEL ASSOCIATION. Formation of Otlicr Churches — Providence, Barren, St. Francois, Bellview, &c. — Or- giuiizatioa of the First Association — Stcetch of John Farrar — AVilliam Street — Wilson Thompson — -lames Phihp Edwards — Wingate Jackson — Thomas P. Green — Wilhani Polk — ,Jt)hn Tanner. IN 1816, Missouri was still a wild territory. Tliere were a few Baptist churches scattered from New Madrid to Old Franklin, but there was no associational confederacy of the de- nomination. The first gathering for the purpose of forming an association was held in the county of Cape Girardeau, at the small log meeting- house of Bethel Church, the second Lord's Day in June, 1816. The convention was opened with prayer by Eld. Thomas Dono- luic. Eld. James Edwards preached. Isaac Sheppard was cho- sen moderator, and Thomas Bull clerk. The following churches and messengers were enrolled : Bethel Church : Thomas Bull, John Sheppard, Eld. Benjamin Thomson and Robert English; Tywa])pity Church: Henry Cockerham, John Baldwin and William Eoss ; Providence Church: William Savage; Saline Church: Eld. Thomas Dono- hue and John Duval; St. Francois Church: Eld. William Street and Jonathan Hubble; Turkey Creek Church: William Johnson, Daniel Johnson, E. Revell and S. Baker. Elders H. Cockerham, John Farrar, Thomas Donohue and James P. Edwards were appointed to preach and constitute churches in different parts of the territor}', after which the con- vention adjourned to meet again, on the last Saturdaj^ of Sep- tember in the same year, at the same place, Bethel meeting- house, and complete the organization. In accordance with the foregoing preliminary arrangements, another meeting was held at the Bethel church house near Jack- son, the county seat, the fourth Saturday in September, 1816. and the fii*st Baptist association west of the Mississi^jpi liiver 68 BETHEL ASSOCIATION. was fully organized and called Bethel, after the name of the church with which it met. Bethel, Tywappit}^, Providence, Bar- ren, Bellview, St. Francois and Dry Creek Churches were the constituents, whose aggregate membership was 230. Eld. Thom- as Bonohue preached the introductory sermon on this memor- able occasion. The preachers who were members of this first association, were Henry Cockerham, John Farrar, Wm. Street and James P. Edwards. The origin of Bethel and Tywappity churches has already been given. Providence Church — was constituted in August, 1814, by Elds. Wilson Thompson, John Farrar and James E. Welch, the latter of whom was a licentiate, at that time on a visit to the territory from Kentucky. The church was formed in a small log house on the St. Francois River, not far from where Fredericktown, Madison Co., now stands, built for the purpose of holding wor- ship in, and capable of containing about seventy-five persons. This body was first an "arm" of Bethel Church. At an early day Eld. J. M. Peck visited this church and circulated a subscription paper to secure money to enable Eld. Farrar to visit it monthly. He secured about $60. Several weeks after this the church took up the subject, and the majority actually voted to burn the sub- scription paper. What a deed ! But it was done, and we make the record to shame men who may now be disposed to flagrant- ly violate Baptist rights and privileges. Barren Church — was situated in a tract of country then known as the "Barrens," about twenty miles below Ste. Genevieve, in what is now Perry County. It was constituted the first Satur- day in July, 1816. Thomas Donohue was pastor until his death. Among its members were Obadiah Scott, Mr. Duvall and Elisha Belcher. This church was situated in a strong Eoman Catholic settlement, and, by deaths and removals, it became after a few years of toil extinct. St. Francois Church. — The exact date of organization is not known. On the 18th of June, 1814, the old Bethel Church dis- missed by letter Eld. John Farrar and forty-four others to form a church of this name. Prior to this, they had been known as the " St. Francois Arm of Bethel Church." It took its name from the river that rises in several branches in the vicinity of the Iron Mountain. This church held its meetings about twenty- five miles below the village of St. Michael, and had Eld. Wm. Street, a most excellent, devoted and faithful man for its pastor. BETHEL ASSOCIATION. 69 Bellview. — This church was situated in Washington County, ten or twelve miles south of Potosi, in one of the best farming settlements in this part of Missouri. The exact date of its or- ganization is not known. In 1818 it reported 23 members. It was one of the constituents of Bethel Association in 1816. In 1818 Eld. Felix Eedding was its pastor. He was a son of Eld. Joseph Redding, a pioneer of Kentucky. Mr. Eedding was so far anti-missionary, that when the leading members of his church at Bellview wished to circulate a sub- scription to enable him to devote more of his time to preaching the gospel, he absolutely refused to permit any such thing to be done. He would accept no perquisites from the church for his labors unless it was bestowed in the most private manner. Dry Creek Church. — The time and place of the organization of this body is not known. It was one of the pioneer churches, and a constituent of Bethel Association in 1816. At the first meeting the Bethel Association adopted the arti- cles of faith set forth by the Virginia Baptists, at the time the Regulars and Separates formed a union. It was hence organiz- ed upon the principles of the United Baptists, and to this day holds to the same faith. As to when and where the meeting of the association was held in 1817, we are not informed. In 1818 the association was held in what was called "Tbe Barrens" (now Perry County), at the cabin of Mr. Duval, one of the mem- bers of the Barren Church. Two corresponding messengers were present at this session, viz. : Eld. Wm. Thorp, from Mt. Pleasant Association, then but recently organized in the Boone's Lick country, Missouri; and Eld. Josiah Horn, from Little River Association, in Southern Kentucky. Also, Elds. J. M. Peck, Thos. P. Green and others were present as visitors. Resolutions passed favorable to missions. The following record is from " Reminiscences of Missouri" by J. M. Peck, who says that they are from the records of the asso- ciation for 1818, the first year he visited the bod}'^ : "September 28th, the business relating to missions, postponed last 3'ear, was taken under consideration, and Bro. Peck called on for information on the subject. Several interesting communi- cations were read, and a circular from the Baptist Board of For- eign Missions presented, and the great eff'orts made in the Chris- tian world to promote the cause of Christ stated, together with the views, proceedings, object and success of the Baptist denom- ination generally in this great and good work. Therefore, 60 BETHEli ASSOCIATION. " Resolved, That Eld. Thomas P. Green (near Jackson, Cape Girardeau County) be our corresponding secretary, to open a correspondence with the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, transmit to their secretary a copy of our minutes, and receive communications from them. *' Heard a plan, drawn up by Bro. Peck, to promote the gos- pel and common schools, both among the settlers and the Indi- ans in this country, which we think would be highly useful, and which we earnestly desire to see carried into eftect. Therefore, ^^ Resolved, That we view with pleasure the exertions of our brethren, J. M. Peck and J. E. "Welch, united in the western mission, to spread the gospel and promote common schools, both among the white settlers and Indians in this country, and that we recommend the above plan for the consideration of the churches and the liberal public. As Bro. Peck proposes to com- municate an outline of the plan, it is hoped that each church will consider on it, and instruct their delegates against the next as- sociation." {Western Watchman, vol. 8, p. 118.) Says the same author: "The doings of this meeting became the rallying point between the friends and the opponents of the missionary enterprise, that continued to agitate the churches, and produced a division in the old Cape Girardeau Association" (this was a daughter of the Bethel), "and the formation of the 'New Cape Girardeau Association,' as a missionary organization in 1840." {Ibid.) Eld. Wm. Polk, during his lifetime, wrote a history of Bethel Association, which was published in the Ironton Baptist Journal and also in the Christian Repository. He was a member of the body from an early day. To him we are indebted for many of the facts in this history. He says of the meeting of 1818 : "Com- munications were submitted by J. M. Peck on Foreign Missions, which resulted in a resolution favorable to the missionary en- terprise. But the next year it was withdrawn, and in 1820 re- newed again. It was then resolved that the churches send up their views at the next association, when the correspondence was again dropped, and never afterwards renewed. {Chris. Rep., vol. VI., part 2, p. 37.) Of the preachers who formed this first association in Missouri, the following records have been preserved : John Cockerham — was pastor at Tywappity in 1816. Of his coming to Missouri, we have no record. Soon after the organ- ization of Bethel Association he left this part of the territory. BETHEL ASSOCIATION. 61 John Farrar — was ordained to the ministry at the call of Bethel Church, by Elds. Golden AVilliams and Fielding Wolfe, June 18th, 1814. He was a preacher of moderate abilities, but a godly, praying man. lie was courteous in his manners, mild in his address, amiable in his disposition, sound and unwavering in his doctrine. He preached at Providence Church until about the year 1825, and then moved into Washington County, where he died in 1829. He was one of the worthy and successful pio- neer preachers of Missouri. William Street — was also a minister of those early times. Though a man of no extraordinary ability as a preacher, he was much beloved and respected by all who knew him, because of his consistent life and his zeal in the great cause he had espous- ed. He resided on St. Francois Eiver, Wayne County, in a house he had built, and which was covered with shingles fasten- ed on with wooden pegs; this he had to do, not for want of means, but on account of his remote situation. He was a man of wealth; had a number of slaves and abundant property. He would often solicit protracted meetings, and would feed and lodge all the visiting brethren and sisters rather than burden his poorer neighbors. He was frequently chosen moderator of the association, which place he filled with dignity and satisfaction to his brethren. He died in Wayne County in 1843 or '44, at the advanced age of about 90 years. Eld. Wilson Thompson — was one of the pioneer preachers of Missouri, and although not in the formation of the Bethel Asso- ciation, nor living in the state at that time, yet such was his con- nection with the first Baptist churches in Southeast Missouri, that he merits a place in this history just here. He was a de- scendant of respectable Welsh and English ancestors, the oldest son of Closs and Eebekah Thompson, born August 17, 1788, in Woodford County, Ky. His ancestors were almost all Baptists. His first awakening was at a baptismal scene. He fled from the water's edge into the adjoining forest, and fell prostrate on the ground. Thick darkness and gloom fell around him, so that he could scarcely see any object, though the sun was shining bright. Finally, being led to contemplate the mediatorial and sacrificial work of Christ for him, light shone round about him and he was filled with joy and peace. After he grew up to manhood, as a means of support and men- tal culture, he taught school for several years. This, however, was not until after ho commenced preaching. Under his mental 62 BETHEL ASSOCIATION. discipline and efforts to teach others, his active mind developed rapidly, and he gained some celebrity as a school teacher. After many struggles with himself he began preaching — or trying to preach, as he called it — when about twenty years of age. Some of his early efforts were followed with wonderful effects. In May, 1810, he was married to Miss Mary Grigg, of Camp- bell County, Ky., and emigrated to the Missouri Territory the following January, settling in the neighborhood of Jackson, Cape Girardeau County. Here he taught school and preached as opportunity offered. The inhabitants then lived in small set- tlements of log cabins. His preaching Avas well received ; a revival in old Bethel Church was the result, and there was a mighty shaking among the dry bones. His uncle Benjamin Thompson was among the converts, and subsequently became a minister. The revival con- tinued about eighteen months and was by no means confined to Bethel Church, where it commenced, but spread into the different settlements, reaching in one case as far as Caldwell's Settlement, some sixty miles. Thompson says : " During the revival I bap- tized 400 or 500 subjects, some old and some young, some white and some black, but all professed to be sinners and to trust in Christ as their Savior."* This was indeed a most wonderful work for those times and circumstances; yea! we will add wonderful for even the present times. About the close of this wonderful work of grace, the Bethel Church numbered 186 members. We will here relate an incident of the great revival of 1812 and '13: A negro man, Dick, the property of Judge Green, an avowed infidel, though a good citizen, was converted. Mr. Green forbade Dick's baptism, threatened to whip Dick and sue the man that baptized him. Thus the matter went for a time. About three months after Dick's conversion, he attended Eld. Thompson's meeting at Bethel and asked to be baptized. "Why," said Mr. Thompson, "areyounot afraid of your master, Dick? The Bible says, 'Obey your masters.' " He replied : " I got two masters : one is greater than the other. My Great Master says. Be baptized, and I wish to obey Him." The baptism was performed; the two daughters of Mr. Green witnessed it, but decided to say nothing of it to the father, and thus, if possible, save poor Dick a whipping. About two weeks after this. Judge Green came home in a fine humor, and began praising Dick in the highest terms. " Dick has al- * Life of Eld. Wilson Thotnpson, p. 190, BETHEL ASSOCIATION. 63 ways been my best servant," said he ; " but for some weeks past he has been better than usual. The horses shine from his rub- bing them, late and early, and he keeps every thing in the very best of order." The girls, thinking this was the best time to tell about Dick, said : " Father, we can tell you what has made Dick so much better of late." "What has done it?" said he. " Why, a few weeks ago we were at Bethel, at meeting, and Mr. Thompson baptized Dick, and he seemed so happy when they all gave him their hand, and called him brother." " Did you see Mr. Thompson baptize Dick ?" said the Judge. " Yes, sir, we saw it all." " Well," said Mr. Green, "I wish to God he would baptize all my negroes, if it would make them as good as Dick."* Wilson Thompson was ordained to the full work of a gospel minister some time after he commenced preaching. His ordin- ation occurred in April, 1812, at the request of Bethel Church, Elds. John Tanner and Stilly acting as a presbytery. In July following he was chosen pastor of Bethel Church. About this time his field of labor embraced, in addition to Bethel Church and neighborhood, Johnson's Settlement, about twenty miles southwest of Bethel; Caldwell's Settlement on St. Francois Riv- er, near St. Michael, about sixty miles from Bethel Church ; and Saline Settlement, forty miles north of Bethel. These settle- ments he visited monthly, in doing which he traveled, going and coming, 240 miles. In 1813 Mr. Thompson removed to the state of Ohio, having spent a little more than two years in Mis- souri. James Philip Edwards. — This pioneer of the West first came to Missouri Territory in 1811, and settled in Cape Girardeau County. He was born in Kentucky in 1782 ; was in stature rather under than above the medium, but wiry and compact, with great powers of endurance. His opportunities for an education had been much better than the majority of ministers of that early day. He studied for the bar and commenced the practice of his profession in his native state, but his inclination for the sacred calling predominated, and he commenced preaching soon after his settlement in Missouri, having been ordained at the call of the Bethel Church, on the 10th of April, 1812. In the year 1817 we find him actively engaged in the work of the ministry. In the summer of this year he made an extended missionary tour in * Life of Eld, Wilson Thompson, pp. 193, 194. "" 64 BETHEL ASSOCIATION. the lower part of the territory, during which he visited all the principal settlements on the Arkansas, the St. Francois and the White Eivcrs, and traveled more than a thousand miles. In some places he found the people not only destitute of ministers of any denomination, but deplorably ignorant of the gospel; while in other settlements some attention was paid to religion. Late in the fall of the same year (1817), "when Dr. Peck was on his way to Missouri, the craft on which he was a passenger ' lay up' for a day or two at Ross' Ferry, a few miles below Cape Girardeau. Here he found Bro. Edwards, and that acquaintanceship began which lasted through the lifetime of the former." In 1818 Fa- ther Edwards left Missouri and settled in Union County, Illinois, and spent the most of the residue of his life in that state and Kentucky. He fell asleep just before the storm of 1861, and was buried at his old home in the last named state. " In 1820, the Hephzibah Church united with the Bethel Asso- ciation. This church was constituted by Wingate Jackson, in Ste. Genevieve County, the same j^ear. It was located on the waters of the Big Saline, in a settlement called New Tennessee. The members in the constitution, eight in all, were Eld. Wingate Jackson, Obadiah Scott, Noah Hunt, Joel and Enos Hamers. and three females. *' Wingate Jackson — was born in Virginia, in 1776. His pa- rents emigrated to the state of Kentuckj^ in the early part of his life. In his early youth ho professed religion and joined the Baptists. He was ordained in that state and was for many years a prominent and useful preacher among the Kentucky Baptists. He removed to Missouri while it was a wilderness, and preach- ed with great acceptance through the bounds of Bethel Asso- ciation. He was ever read}'- to visit the churches in all cases of difficulty, and received the blessings of a peace-maker. On one occasion, there being seven accessions to the church while it was destitute of a pastor, Jackson and the writer of this were sent for, so that one or the other might come, and there be no dis- appointment. The church-house was occupied by the pedobap- tists, and the circuit rider made an appointment for the forenoon to sprinkle an infant. Both met at the same time, and Elder Jackson and the circuit rider took their places. The circuit rider preached, and at the close of his discourse called for the subject of his ceremonj^, making the following remarks: 'We are the people who believe in free agency, and that every per- son should judge and choose his own mode of baptism.' Ho BETHEL ASSOCIATION. 65 then called for the baby, went through the ceremony, and gave way. "Jackson then rose, took charge of the congregation, and after singing a hymn, he said he was well pleased with the sentiments expressed by the brother. He also believed in the doctrine of free agency ; and was most earnestly in favor of their choosing for themselves. But, said he, the brother was very inconsistent when, after such remarks, he sprinkled water in that babe's face, when it could not help itself and was incapable of choosing; and from the way it cried and resisted, we know the ceremonj^ was no wa3^i)leasing to it. " The circuit rider was set on fire by these remarks, and rose up majestically and challenged Jackson to debate. " ' There is nothing to debate between us,' replied Jackson. 'Reconcile your principles expressed, with this practice of yours, and the question is settled.' " The circuit rider took up his saddle-bags and left, while Jack- son went on and preached most acceptably to the large and waiting congregation. " lie was a man careful to put the churches on their guard against all imposition; yet avoided at the same time all unnec- essary controversy. Teaching the doctrines of the Bible, he dwelt on experimental and practical religion. He was a very profound man in the Scrii)turcs, and was held in his day as a standard preacher. Long after his death, when the propriety of inviting mourners forward was questioned by some, it was re- membered and used with effect, 'that Father Jackson had prac- ticed it.' So true is it that the good, though dead, yet speak to us. " I might dwell at length on the labors of this faithful man of God. It is due to his memory that this much should be said. •The churches, in their prosperity orin their struggles, should be reminded that there sleeps beneath the soil of this growing state, men who labored on amid obscurity and want, and passed through trials the most severe, that they might establish, under God, the good old cause in Missouri. " But as these things might not be interesting to the numerous readers of the Journal, I shall close this sketch by adding that, in 1835, he rested from his labors, and went from the storms of earth to the eternal sunshine of glory."* In 1821 the association had increased to 14 churches, with a * Wi/i. Pulk, in Ironion Baptist Journal, Vol, I, is^o, 4, 5 66 BETHEIi ASSOCIATION. membership of 417. Some of the churches were located in the territory of Arkansas, and were soon after dismissed to forma new association in that country. "In 1822 the Bethel Association appointed Elds. Street, Clark and Edwards to visit Arkansas Territory and constitute therein two churches. The point they were to visit was some 250 miles from their homes, and most of the way a wilderness, where the Indian camp was far more frequently met with than the white man's cabin ; but as servants of the Lord they proceeded regard- less of danger and difficulty. But they did not go unaided by their brethren. As soon as the appointment was made known, the brethrenmanifested their liberality as in the days of the apostles, and members subscribed toward their outfit, and sufficient means were collected to defray the expenses of the trip. They con- stituted two churches, Union and Little Flock, in Lawrence County, Arkansas Territory, both of which applied for and were admitted into membership at the session of the association in September, 1823." In 1824 Bethel dismissed nine churches to form Cape Girar- deau Association. They were Dry Creek, Bethel, Tywappity, Clear Creek, Apple Creek, Ebenezer, Big Prairie, Hebron and Shiloh. She also dismissed two other churches in 1831, to aid in the formation of Franklin Association. So that the Bethel has been somewhat of a parent among the associations in South- east Missouri. In the year 1825 Pendleton Church was constituted in a settle- ment six miles west of the present town of Farmington. This settlement was made up chiefly of immigrants from Pendleton District, South Carolina, and hence its name. One year after it was constituted, in 1826, this church united with the association. James Holbert was its early pastor, and sustained this relation until 1838, when he removed to Crawford Count}', and Eld. Wm. Polk became pastor, and so continued for more than twenty years. For a while this pastorate did not bring prosperity to the church, but in after years, under it, the church enjoyed several very precious revivals, and in 1859 it num- bered over 100 members, after having dismissed others to consti- tute new churclics. This body has sent forth several faithful heralds of the Cross. She has stood firm when ojDpositions have beat on her in all their fury. Firebrands have been thrown into her midst; seeds of discord have been scattered ; but the former would not burn, nor the latter take root and grow. BETHEL ASSOCIATION. 67 Before us lie the minutes of 1827. This year the session was held at Providence Church, Fredericktown, on the 22d to the 24th days of September. The introductory sermon was deliv- ered by Eld. D. Orr. Eld. Wingate Jackson was chosen moder- ator, and Simeon Frost clerk. At this meeting the New Hope and Little Flock Churches sent up this request: ""We pray you as an advisory council, to devise some plan whereby the destitute churches and the vicinities may be supplied with the preaching of the gospel." In answer to this, ''the association agreed to choose preach- ers for the puri:»ose of visiting the destitute churches and set- tlements, and to preach to them, filling their offices as gospel ministers, and report to the next association. They then chose Brethren Wingate Jackson, James Williams, David Orr and John Farrar." Nine churches sent messengers this year, viz. : Providence, B'ellview, St. Francois, Hephzibah, New Hope, Pendleton, Crooked Creek, Little Flock and Liberty. They reported 17 baptisms and a membership of 227. There were present six or- dained ministers and six licentiates. Eld. William Polk says: "In the year 183-4 there was a council held with Pendleton Church, August 1st and 2d. The messengers from the churches met to confer on the faith and order of the association, and as the term 'United' has not been generally used in the official records of the association, the propriety was taken into consid- eration, and the faith and order compared with that of the Uni- ted Baptists of the United States, descending from the Union in Virginia. "Bro. Wingate Jackson presided as moderator, and it was agreed unanimously that Bethel Association was the legal de- scendant of the United Baptists of Virginia. The proceedings of this meeting were presented to the association the same fall, 1834, and unanimously received and ordered to be printed with the minutes. " From that time to the iiresent,we have been known as 'Uni- ted Baptists,' by using the term in all official works of the asso- ciation and churches. And for this the association and churches have been reproached on one side for wearing it, because it was thought to fence out Parkerism or the two-seed doctrine ; and on the other side, because she could not tack on the surname * missionary,' 68 BETHEL ASSOCIATION. "Bethel Association has not connected herself, as a body, with any missionary organization, foreign or domestic, outside of her own bounds, since the year 1821, when the correspondence was dropped with the Foreign Board of Missions. "■ Her actions, as brought to view in the last chapter, showthat she was, in her younger days, an active missionary body, but the anti-missionary element finally succeeded, in a measure, in putting a quietus on the spirit of missions." Two things should be considered in connection with the fore- going action of the council: 1st. It would have been in perfect concord with the commis- sion to have been " connected with some missionary organiza- tion outside of her own bounds," since the command of Christ requires that his gospel should be preached in ''all the world." 2d. The great body of the Baptist denomination has never recognized as any part of its official name, the title of "Mission- ary;", while at the same time they have ever been a missionary people. "Missionary," if incorporated into the name of all Bap- tists who promote missions at home and abroad, through soci- eties, churches or associations, would by no means be a distin- guishing appellation ; for not only is the principal Baptist family missionary in spirit and practice, but almost all the minor sects among the Baptists are so too. As a rule (except in those states affected by the union of the Regular and Separate Baptists, in which case they are called "United Baptists"), the great body of the denomination is known under the simple cognomen of " Baptists." The Bethel Association held its session in 1837 with the Pen- dleton Church. The Little Pincy Association petitioned for cor- respondence, which was cordially granted and reciprocated. The preaching and business of the session were conducted with gen- eral satisfaction. Much of the spirit of Christianity was mani- fested, and the outpourings of the Spirit of God were witnessed on that memorable occasion. Ilephzibah Church, Ste. G-enevieve County, was the place of meeting in 1838. Several brethren were present from Little Piney Association. At this meeting a motion was made to droj:) the name "United." A warm debate followed, in which Oba- . diah Scott, an old and venerable soldier of the Cross, and Eld, "Wm. Polk, long a member and minister in the association, plead earnestly that the union which had so long existed should still Qontinue. It was a melting sccncj when old Bro. Scott, with fiilTIiEL ASSOCiATiON. 69 teai's freely flowing down his withered cheeks, besought them not to thus break the union between brethren of the same house- hold. Some of the principal advocates of the proposition were then merging into Parkerism, or two-seed-ism, where they even- tually landed. The following was agreed upon: "This associ- tion wishes her churches, if they think proper, to accede to the voluntary council of Versailles, and report to the association." For three years this proposition afTccted the peace of some of the churches. During this time Parkerism found its way into the association, though in disguise. If the reader should ask, "What is Parkerism?" we would answer, fatalism, antino- mianism, two-seed-ism — something akin to universalism and atheism — it is the worst of all isms. It dishonors God, and gives the devil the honor of being the father of a great portion of the human family. Connected with the early history and work of the Bethel As- sociation, was a most useful and devoted minister of the gospel, an account of whom we have reserved to this date. We allude to the worthy and amiable Thomas Parish Green — than whom few men have done more to build up the Baptist denomination. He was born in Chatham County, Xorth Carolina, June 3, 1790. lie emigrated with his father and family in ]807 to Maury County, Tennessee, where, un- der the ministry of Eld. John Record, he was converted and bap- tized into the fellowship of Lebanon Baptist Church, in the spring of 1812. lie removed to Missouri in the year 1817 and settled in Cape Girardeau County, where he was very successful in building up Christ's kingdom, and where he lived until his death, except a few short intervals. From his entrance upon the work, ho be- came an earnest advocate of the Sunday-school and missionary cause in South Missouri. In this work he met with considerable opposition from churches which were somewhat tinctured with antinomianism, and opposed both missions and Sunday-schools; but under the conviction that he was right and that " the gospel must be published," he persevered amidst all diflSculties, until he saw much good fruit from his labors in the pioneer associa- tions of the state. He was the author of the resolutions on for- eign missions adopted by the Bethel Association at its session in 1818. In the years 1829 and 1880 ho published the Western Pio- neer, at Pock Spring, Illinois; acted as agent of the American Sunday-school Union in 1831, for South Missouri, in the prose- cution of which work he visited and established schools, and 70 BETHEL ASSOCIATION. procured libraries in the following coimties, viz. : New Madrid, Scott, Cape Girardeau, Perry, Madison, ]St. Francois, Wayne and Stoddard. He accomplished much good^n the capacity of mis- sionary of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society, to which work he was appointed soon after th\ formation of said society. He moved to St. Louis and became pasior of the Second Baptist Church in June, 1835, and sustained this relation one year, four months of which time he kept the Bible, Tract and Sunday-school Depository in St. Louis. Eld. Green was an extraordinarj^ man. Raised without any educational advantages, he made himself a scholar. For some time his mind was entangled in the meshes of antinomianism and anti-missionism, but he burst the death-cerements and stood forth the champion of living truth and missionary effort. Illustrative of the spirit of the man, we give the following anecdote, for which we are indebted to Deacon Sandy Pratt, of "Wright City, Missouri : In the year 1835 the Cuivre Association met somewhere in Lincoln County. Thomas P. Green was present as a correspond- ing messenger. The association was anti-missionary. Soon after Bro. Green's apj)earance in the meeting, several of the older members of the body held a caucus to consult as to the best pol- icy to pursue relative to the visiting minister. They saw, and so decided, that Green was an intelligent man, an excellent preacher, and a decided missionary. They could not mistreat a visiting minister from a sister association, yet they feared the consequences if Bro. Green should preach. The brethren finally agreed that he must preach. Accordingly it was arranged to have three sermons on Sunday in the following order : 1st. Eld. Robert Gilmore (Bro. Gilmore was at that time opposed to missions, and subsequently related these facts to Bro. Pratt); 2d. Thos. P. Green ; and, 3d. The strongest man they had (name not given). The understanding was, that Bro.' Gilmore should attack Sunday-schools, mission and Bible societies, &c., with the expectation that Green would attempt to answer him, in which event the third man was to wind up Green. Old Father Gilmore carried out his part of the programme. Eld. Green arose, took his text, and without the slightest reference to the former dis- course, preached a precious, melting, gospel sermon. Almost the entire audience was delighted, and when Green quit, the whole house was bathed in tears. The masses were carried away with the sermon, for it had been a rich feast. The servant SiETHEL ASSOCIATION. 71 of the Lord had fed his people. Eld. Green was master of the situation. The minister who was to follow had nothing to say. He of course could say nothing against Green, for he had not entered into the controversy. The labors of this man of God were signally blessed, hundreds having been brought into the fold of Christ through his instru- mentality. The churches of Cold Water, St. Louis County ; the Second Baptist Church, St. Louis; Cape Girardeau, Bethel, and a number of others in South Missouri, reaped fruit from his la- bors. Eld. Green died in the triumphs of a personal faith in Christ. During the larger portion of his sickness his sufferings were great, but he bore them with calmness and patience. Not long before he died, he said to a brother by his bedside (Eld. J. H. Clark), " Brother, I have labored for thirty years in the cause of Christ, and only regret that I have not been more faithful. From the time I commenced preaching, I consecrated myself entirely to the work, though sometimes at a great sacrifice. Yet I do not regret what I have lost; and if I had my time to live over, with all the facts before me, I would enter the ministry." Like one of God's servants of old, Ke called his family and friends to his bedside, bade them an affectionate farewell, gave them a dj'ing blessing, and admonished them to prepare to meet him in heaven. At his home in the city of Cape Girardeau, Mo., he breathed his last on the 11th of Jul}-, 1843, being then in the 54th year of his age, after a painful illness of twenty-five da3''s, which he bore with patience and resignation.* The Bethel Association held its session in 1840 with the Beth- any Church. Correspondence was dropped with the Little Pi- ney Association, because she refused to correspond with any United Baptist Association. Bethany Church has been quite a fruitful vine. Four other churches were organized of members of this church, all of which were, in 1859, working members of Bethel Association. And there were in that year two Sunday-schools under the auspices of the mother church. During the ministrations of Eld. Wm. Polk, he baptized in behalf of Bethany Church 337 persons, and at no time were there exceeding 200 members in the church, such was the migratory condition of the people of that country. * For many of llie fjicts in the fnro^joing sketch we are indebted to Eld. J. H, Chirk, in the Christian Repoaitory, \u\. ^'1II. 72 BETHEL ASSOCIATION. William Polk. — This Missouri minister was born in G-eorgia, January 18, 1806, and united with the Baptists at the age of 23 3'ears. He commenced jireaching in 1831, and was married (date unknown) to Miss Mary Sharp, where Arcadia now stands, then in Madison County. Of his life work in the ministry, it may be said, that ho was the most energetic, as well as by far the most popular, preacher in Southeast Missouri. Kind, s3nTipathetic, truly pious, and ever punctual; he always had the confidence of the public, regardless of sectarian prejudice or political differences, in a measure un- paralleled. The eloquence or fame of other deserving ministers never drew such crowded houses. He was sometimes chosen moderator of his association. At the session of 1838 he was in the chair when an effort was made by the Parkerites to change the constitution of the association, and drop the term " United." Mr. Polk was, at the time, young in the ministry; but, together with Obadiah Scott (and of the ministers then in the body they were alone) he stood firm upon the original platform. In January of 1859 ho started a monthly paper at Ironton, called the Ironton Baptist Journal. In volume I. of said paper appeared a history of Bethel Association as editorial, a few num- bers of which came into our possession, and have rendered assist- ance in these sketches. In the popular acceptation of the term, his sentiments were not anti-missionar}', though he was not in full sympathy with the great body of the Baptist denomination in evangelical work. He had an aversion to the term " missionary." As seen in the his- tory of the association, he and his people had a system by which they promoted the spread of the gospel. Under their system they employed an itinerant, but were not willing to call hira a missionary. He thus gave much of his time and talent to the churches without remuneration, an error which his familj^, now living in comparative poverty, are free to confess. And truly it was an error. No man has the moral right to rob his family by giving his time to others for any purpose. A minister of the gos- j)el is no exception to this rule. Bro. Polk died Nov. 1, 1864. In the year 1841 the association met with the New Hope Church, St. Francois County, Missouri. The Colony Church was received into the association at this session. It came with 15 members. This church was constituted in the summer of 1841, at the dwelling-house of L. Parks, in a new settlement called Colony BETHEL ASSOCIATION. 73 Settlement, some five miles east of Farmington, in St. Francois County. The inhabitants of this settlement were from "Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina, and at the time of the constitu- tion of the church, a house sixteen feet square would hold the entire audience. During a term of less than twenty years this church received by baptism about 250 members, numbers of whom were dismissed and went into other counties, while others went out and formed churches in the country adjacent. This body had in 1859 a Sabbath-school of 60 scholars, and kept up a prayer-meeting. The minutes of 1859 show that the session this year was held with the New Hope Church, St. Francois County, on the last Saturday in September. Eld. Wm. Polk preached the introductory sermon, and was also selected as moderator; Eld. W. A. Hamilton was chosen clerk. Three new churches were received, viz. : Mt. Zion, Lo- cust Grove and White Oak Grove. Nineteen churches appear as members of the association, almost all of which report bap- tisms— in all 87; total membership, 834. Eld. E. Moore was appointed by the meeting to supply with preaching the destitute in the bounds of the association. Eld. Wm. Polk, W. Covington, G. W. Eennick, W. Burke and C. Gid- eon were appointed a committee to meet with Eld. Moore, the evangelist, every three months in the year, and also to make collections by subscriptions and in any other way they might think proper. The funds on hand were taken to make an outfit for Bro. Moore. In 1829 the following churches made application for dismis- sion for the purpose of organizing an association in the territory of Arkansas, viz. : Spring Eiver, New Hope, Little North Fork and Eichland. The delegates from these churches requested help. The association appointed Eld. J. Williams/S. Frost, J. Wilburn, Elder M. Bailey and Eld. W. Street, to meet and con- fer with the delegates at Spring Eiver Church, the second Satur- day in November, 1829. This church takes its name from the beautiful stream nearAvhich it stands, the crystal waters of which glide gently over its pebbly bottom. After the above dismis- sions, so far as our records show. Bethel Association was wholly in Missouri. In 1845 its numerical strength was between 300 and 400. In 1870 10 churches were represented, which reported 13 baptisms and a total membership of 311. The minutes of 1872 are COUw 74 BETHEL ASSOCUffON. tained in a neatly printed, though small pamphlet of thirty pages. The session was held with the Texas Church, St. Fran- cois County, beginning Sept. 20th, and continuing three days. The Bethel is one of the few associations in Missouri which believes in feet-washing as a religious ordinance. It has an arti- cle of faith on the subject as follows: "We believe the feet-washing as set forth in John 13th, to be one of the ordinances of the gospel, and that it ought to be ob- served by all Christians, as our Lord and Savior delivered it to the disciples, and ought to be practiced in connection with the Supper by all baptized believers." From the foregoing account it will be seen that Bethel Asso- ciation has been a fruitful vine, having dismissed nine churches in 1824, to form Cape Girardeau Association j four in 1829, to form an association in Northern Arkansas ; two in 1831, to go into the Franklin Association ; and nine in 1859, to form the Central Missouri Association. The total membership in 1872 was 627. Total baptisms, 65. The following brief sketch of a very worthy minister deserves a place in this chapter, and we give it in conclusion: Eld. John Tanner — was born and raised in the state of Vir- ginia. We know nothing of his early life. He was a Baptist minister in the Kehukee Association as early as 1777, in which year the following incident occurred in connection with his min- istry : "A certain woman, by the name of Dawson, in the town of Windsor, N. C, had reason to hope her soul was converted, saw baptism to be a duty for a believer to comply with, and express- ed a great desire to join the church at Cashie, under the care of Eld. Dargan. Her husband, who was violently opposed to it, and a great persecutor, had threatened that if any man baptized his wife, he would shoot him. Accordingly, baptism was defer- red for some time. At length Eld. Tanner was present at Eld. Dargan's meeting, and Mrs. Dawson applied to the church for baptism, expressing a desire to comply with her duty. She was received, and Eld. Dargan being an infirm man, when other ministers were present, would generally apply to them to admin- ister the ordinance in his stead. He therefore requested Eld. Tanner to perform the duty of baptism at this time. Whether Eld. Tanner was apprized of Dawson's threat or not, or whether he thought it his duty to obey God rather than man, we are not informed j but, however it was, he baptized Mrs. Dawson. In feETHEL ASSOCIATION. 75 the following Juno, in the year 1777, Eld. Tanner was expected to preach at Sandy Run Meeting-house, and Dawson, hearing of the ajipointment, came up from Windsor to Norfleet's Ferry on Roanoke, and lay in wait, near the banks of the river, and when Eld. Tanner (who was in company with Eld. Dargan) ascended the bank from the ferry landing, Dawson being a few yards from him, shot him with a large horseman's pistol. Seventeen shot went into his thigh, one of which was a large buckshot, that went through the limb and lodged in his clothes on the other side. In his wounded condition, Mr. Tanner was carried to the house of Mr. Elisha Williams, in Scotland Neck, where he lay for some weeks, his life being despaired of j but through the good- ness of the Lord he recovered again. Dawson being somewhat frightened lest he should die, sent a doctor up to attend him. After Eld. Tanner's recovery he never attempted to seek any redress, but submitted to it patiently as persecution for Christ's sake."* John Tanner spent a few years in Kentucky, and removed to the territory of Missouri in a very early day — sometime prior to the earthquakes of 1811 — and settled in what is now New Ma- drid County, not far from the present town of New Madrid. In the winter of 1811-12, he was visited at his home in the ''Low Country," by Eld. Wilson Thompson (a licentiate) and Thomas Bull, both members of Bethel Baptist Church, and found to be an old and infirm man.f In the spring of 1812 the earthquake had been so severe in the low lands about New Madrid, that he left and moved to the high lands of Cape Girardeau County, and settled in the neighborhood of Bethel Church,! and in April of that year he and Eld. Stilley, at the call of Bethel Church, ordained Wilson Thompson to the ministry. Eld. Tanner preaching the sermon on the occasion from the words: "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" In the summer of 1812 or '13 his health became more feeble, and he was for some time confined to the house j soon after which he died. As a preacher, he was sound, Calvinistic, able, and a great favorite with the mother of the Hon. Henry Clay. * Burkitt and Reed's Church History, pp. G0-C2. f Life of Eld. Wilson Thompson, p. 175. X Ibid., p. 182. CHAPTER ir. THE MISSOURI ASSOCIATIOK Negro Fork, Upper Cuivrc, and Fcmmo Osiige Cburcbcs — The ABsocialion Formed — Life of Lewis Wiilinnip — Of Jno. M. Peck — Tlie Squatter Family — Rock Spring Seminary — The First Baptist Newspaper. THE Territory of Missouri was under the control of Spanish or French Catholics from 1762 to 1803 or '4. Under their rule, "no preacher of the gospel, save Catholic, was permitted by law to come into the Province." A few preachers did, how- ever, come; not to stir up strife, but to preach the gospel of peace and salvation. Upper Louisiana was transferred to the United States in March, 1804, and with the transfer came the abolition of Catho- lic intolerance in the territorj-. This year (some say the year previous) Eld. Thos. R. Musick became a resident minister of the District of St. Louis, and soon began preparations for col- lecting the Baptist element into a church. He was successful, and in 1807 organized Fee Fee Creek Church of about seventeen members. This was the second permanent church organization in the territor}', and having stood from the beginning is now the oldest Baptist church in Missouri, and worships at this time in an elegant and commodious brick edifice, situated in one of the most beautiful localities in the county of St. Louis, about fifteen miles northwest of the city. For further particulars of this old community, the reader is referred to Chapter II. of PERIOD FIRST. CoLDWATER. — A skctch of this church has already been given in the aforesaid Chapter and Period. BoEUF Church — was formed prior to 1817, within the present limits of St. Louis Count}', but the circumstances and exact date of its oz'ganization are not now known. Negro Fork Church. — This is, also, one of the jirimitive churches of this part of Ihe state, having been formed prior to the organization of the first association. Upper Cuivre. — This pioneer community was located several miles southwest of Troy, the county seat of Lincoln County; THE MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 77 was gathered and formed by we know not whom, in about the year 1815 or '16, and, after an existence of some twenty years, dissolved. Femme Osage, — another pioneer church, was formed previous to 1817, and was located on a creek by the same name in St. Charles County. It has long since ceased to exist. The foregoing churches met and were formed into an associa- tion in the year 1817, under the appellation of " The Missouri Association." This is now St. Louis Association. As such doc- uments are now very rare, we give the entire minutes of the first meeting as follows : MINUTES OF THE MISSOURI ASSOCIATION, Held at the Rev. T. R. Musick's, St. Louis County, M. T., on the 7th and Sth of November, IS 17. 1. Bro. Lewis AVilliams preached the introductory sermon from 1 Peter 2 ; 5. 2. Letters from four churches were presented and read, and the names of their delegates enrolled. Churches. Delegates. Total No. Bocuf, Simpson and Massey, . . 30 Negro Fork, Lewis Williams, Ileldebrand and Terry, 16 Cold Water, J. Allen, . . . .17 Fee Fee Creek, Musick, Sullen and Martin, . 52 UpperCuivrc Creek, C. Hubbard and ]\r. Springston, . 13 Femme Osage, Colgan and , . . 14 (Letter failed.) 142 3. Letter from Upper Cuivre Creek received, and the names of their delegates enrolled. 4. Bro. L. AVilliams chosen moderator, and T. R. Musick clerk. 5. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to arrange the business of the association, and report to-morrow at 10 o'clock. 6. That brethren Colgan, Hubbard and Sullen, together with the moderator and clerk, bo that committee. 7. Adjourned till to-morrow, at 10 o'clock. November 7th, 1817. Met agreeably to adjournment, and after divine worship pro- ceeded to business. 8. The report of the committee called for, read and approved. 9. The rules of decorum were read and adopted, JO, Articles of faith read and received. 78 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 11. Contributions received from the following churches, viz.: Cold "Water, 75 cents j Upper Cuivre Creek, $2 ; Femme Osage, $S ; Fee Fee Creek, S2 ; Boenf, S3 ; Negro Fork, $2 : total, $12.75. 12. Appointed T. R. Musick treasurer of this association. 13. Brethren Martin and Sullen appointed to examine the funds, reported that $12.75 was yet on hand. 14. Shall we correspond with sister associations ? Answer, "We willj and that Bro. T. R. Musick write a letter, and that he and Bro. Williams bear it to the Illinois Association." 15. Bequest from Upper Cuivre Creek "that the next associ- ation be held at Femme Osage, St. Charles County." Voted, therefore, that this association hold its next meeting at Femme Osage Meeting-house, on the Friday before the fourth Sunday in October, 1818. 16. That Bro. "Williams preach the next introductory sermon, and that in case of failure, Bro. Collord. 17. That Bro. Musick prepare the circular letter for the ensu- ing year. 18. That the minutes of this association be printed, and that Bro. Musick attend to the same, and distribute them to each church according to their numbers. 19. That Bro. Musick receive three dollars for his services. The association adjourned to meet at the time and place ap- pointed. L. Williams, Moderator. T. R. Musick, Clerk. Such was the commencement of the second association in Mis- souri. Let us look in upon this frontier comj^any at this first meeting. We see thirteen men, the messengers of six small churches, met together in a log cabin, the residence of one of the number, to form an association. The letters from the churches are read, names enrolled, officers are elected, commit- tees appointed, &c. Hark! what is that we hear? The united voice of that little company, singing. How it fills the air with melody as each passing zephyr catches up the sound and wafts it toward the neighboring hills. The singing has hushed, and a single voice is heard : it is the man of God, praying. He talks as if in the very presence of Him who hears prayer. And thus they worship, untrammelled with many of the forms which so hinder the development of spiritual life in worshiping assemblies of later days. Again we examine the statistics of this primitive Ba2)tist body, ftiid find the entire membership to be 142, MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 79 Contrast the circumstances of this meeting with the condition of the denomination in the state to-day, with her seventy dis- trict associations and ninety thousand church members. We must now contemplate some of the more prominent ele- ments in the life of one of the leading spirits of this Baptist meeting. Eld. Lewis Williams — the first moderator of the Missouri (now St. Louis Association) was the father of the late distin- guished Dr. Alvin P. Williams. The father, like the son, was self- made, self-taught, having grown uji, and, for the most part, ac- complished his life work amidst trials and obstructions unknown to the present generation. With a giant mind he " attacked the armory of knowledge," and by a continued and unyielding ef- fort, seized upon and secured the instruments with which he dug deep, and laid strong the foundation of the Baptist superstructure in the field of his labors. A most striking illustration of the adaptation of means to ends, is seen in the early preachers of the West, and the subject of this sketch is by no means an ex- ception to the rule. Lewis Williams has been justly called the "prince of pioneer preachers," having been reared amidst the wilds and dangerous adventures of the then unpeopled or uncivilized Upper Louis- iana. He was born in North Carolina, May 19, 1784, and cross- ed the Mississippi River, as a member of his father's family, when a mere boy, in 1797. "lie had grown tip among the solemn mountains and the mighty forests, having never seen a large town, and could nei- ther read nor write. He was now to live with the Indians, by his rifle and his daring. AVhat a schooling for one whose min- isterial and religious influence is still felt throughout a great state. " St. Louis was then a French trading post, and was usually shunned by the American emigrants. Fourteen miles northwest of it was a settlement of Indians and Americans, called Owen's Station. It was made up principally of a band of mixed Shaw- nees and Delawares. A mission school was inaugurated among tliem by the Moravians, which lasted about six months. Young Williams attended this school with the Indians — all the op- portunity he had until after he became a preacher. But in Indian warfare, in hunting and dangerous games, he showed the supe- riority of his race in all feats, surpassing the older Indian boys. ''And thus he grew up, like the oak of the forest, or the 80 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. eaglo of tho mountains, the future pioneer preacher, and 'father of preachers,' of Missouri and the AVcst." All that was neces- sary to an accomplished backwoodsman, such as sagacity, nerve, quickness of perception and intense thought, were born in Lew- is "Williams, and developed and strengthened by his wild and daring life. In the war of 1812, immediately succeeding the battle of Tip- pecanoe, November, 1811, he joined a volunteer company, and was a brave and faithful soldier until the close of the war. These companies were called "mounted rangers," and organized by act of Congress. Williams was a remarkably skilful rifleman. After the set- tlement of negotiations at the close of the war, at an Indian vil- lage where Alton now stands, it is said that the Indians made a banter, and Williams was selected to take it up, beating their most expert warriors, both with the rifle and the bow. After the shooting had ended, an Indian walked up to Williams, put his hand on his head and exclaimed, "Pale face, silver hair; but Indian within." Eaised amid such associations, we could expect few religious influences or impressions on his character. lie had not heard a sermon until he was twenty years old. His father was destitute of religious habits, quite an illiterate man, and secured his prin- cipal living by hunting and fishing. One there was, however, whose influence was eff'cctivc in impressing his mind and direct- ing his thoughts. It was his mother. She had made a profes- sion of religion and united with the Baptists in ISTorth Carolina. In her solitary life in these Western wilds she never forgot her noble and daring boy. In her anxious prayers to God she fol- lowed him in his ramblings. He Avas married in 1805 to Miss Nancy Jump, who, like him- self, had grown up in the settlements. She made a profession of religion, and was baptized by either Clark or Musick, after the formation of Fee Fee Church, St. Louis County, in 1807. The issue of this marriage was the following children : Eliza, Lavisa, Isabella, Alvin P., Mary, Perry D., Isaiah T., Prudence E. and Milton F.j in all, nine. All four of the sons became preachers. Alvin P. and Perry are dead ; the other two are living. Isabel- la, one of the daughters, married a Mr. Murphy, two of whose sons became preachers, one of whom is the well known Rev. J. D. Murphy, D. D. Mary, another daughter, married a Mr. Cooper, two sons of whom, Perry D. Cooper and Frank Cooper, are min- MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 81 isters. Justly was Lewis "Williams called " the father of lircachcrs." In 1809 or '10 a glorious revival was enjoyed by Fee Fee Church and community. "Williams, who had fearlessly enter- tained Universalist sentiments, attended these meetings, and the brave-hearted backwoodsman bowed as a trembling sinner at the mercy-seat; and thus continued until ho found peace and joy by faith in the Lord Jesus. This result, however, was not reached in an hour or a day. lie continued for a season in utter darkness as to the way of salvation, at times settling almost in- to despair. At length the light began to beam in upon his soul and soon flooded his whole being. His insight into the right- eousness of salvation through Christ was as instantaneous as a flash from the leaden clouds, but the full manifestations of par- don were gradual. About two 5'cars after his conversion and baptism, he made known to the church his strong desire to tell the gospel message of mercy to his fellow men. He was at once licensed, and began to exhort the people with great earnestness and zeal, and soon after was ordained. On the next page is a true copy of his " cre- dentials," written on brown paper, and in the possession of the youngest of the family. Eld. M. F. Williams, of Randolph County. His preaching was almost always accompanied with a recital of the way the Lord had led him from darkness to light. This feature was characteristic of almost all the pioneer preachers of that day. A modern writer says : "I have seen a I'ural audience in those backwoods, made up of men and women of strong nerve, and not to be moved by any story of pain, danger, or death, weep with deepest emotions as Williams, Musick or Wilhoite told of the struggles of their souls in the days of their convic- tion and conversion. I have also observed the same appeals with the same rcsiills, in an audience of the refined and fashion- able, of men of business and skepticism, when Earlo has told in the same artless manner, his heart-struggles and his deliver- ance. The first eff'orts of Williams to preach, were recitals of what God had done for his soul, and hundreds were led to Jesus through the gospel thus preached." Williams was a very poor man. Ho lived on a small farm some seventeen miles froni St. Louis, not far from the present town of ^lanchester. His education was very deficient; he could bare- ly read at all, and could not write. His wife would often read for him, and help him to find his text. 6 82 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. ■k^ [4 .1 '1 > ^" 4) ^k^ 1:3 4 J ^ ^i^ K I I M Qi- 4 1 i^ C^' ^ "^^ MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 83 In 1819 he was 35 years old, had a large family, was poor, and had been preaching at least nine years. By the help of friends he surmounted all obstacles, procured the means to hire a man to fill his place on the little farm, and spent six months in the St. Charles Academy with Eld. Jno. M. Peck, in useful and appro- priate study. From this association with Dr. Peck, he went forth with fresh zeal and power, and hundreds were converted under his preaching. His name is now almost forgotten save by a few, but the records of his toils may be traced to this day through all that region of country. A missionary society presented him with a concordance and a copy of Fuller's " Grospel Worthy of All Acceptation." These books, with his Bible, composed his library, and he made them his constant study. " He moved from St. Louis County in the spring of 1821, to the mouth of St. John's River, some fifty miles west of St. James. Difficulties thickened around him. He had to a great extent to depend on hunting to supply his family. He had now to clear a new place. He could not deny the calls to preach in distant neighborhoods, though no pecuniary assistance was given him. In the midst of these embarrassments he was wounded in the leg by a vicious horse, and had to submit to the operation of amputation. The operation was so painful and protracted that it was feared ho would sink under it; but he recovered. His family was destitute of the necessaries of life, but the churches came to his assistance and supplied all the wants of his household. " Ho arose from his bed of suffering with seemingly renewed energy, and, provided with a wooden leg, he removed his fam- ily to Franklin County, and gave the remnant of his life to the work of the gospel. Through the lead mining district, along the waters of the Gasconade and Osage, up as far as Cole County, he was for some years the only preacher of the gospel, except an occasional Methodist circuit rider. The j^eople would come from twenty miles around any day of the week, to hear him. From long and laborious circuits of preaching he would return home to spend days and nights in the woods hunting, to provide for his family. On one of these occasions he had quite a thrill- ing adventure. He had brought down a deer late in the after- noon, but it finally escaped wounded. His horse had broken away from him, and in his efforts to catch him he broke his wooden leg. Ho was three miles from home; but, late in the night, crawling and hopping almost in helplessness, he reached 84 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. his cabin, to the gratification of his famil}-, who had for hours been expecting him." '' Lewis Williams/' says the venerable James E. Welch, " was one of the best of men and one of the most useful ministers Mis- souri ever had." He was prominent in the formation of the Franklin Associa- tion in 1832, many of the first churches of which were organized by him. In 1833 he labored as missionary in the bounds of Franklin Association (up to 1832 this was in the Missouri Asso- ciation), being aided by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society. His labors were very much blessed. He reported at the end of the year 84 baptisms by his own hands, and the asso- ciation increased to almost double its numerical strength. About the year 1837 he again moved into Gasconade and set- tled on a new place. Kow destitution seemed inevitable, his supplies from the missionary board being cut off by the gen- eral financial distress of the country. Age was pressing upon him. He said to the agent of the board, "Never mind; we can get corn-bread and bacon enough, and if these fail, I have the old rifle yet." " In November, 1838, he rode down to St. Louis to purchase the land on which he had settled. The weather was severe, and returning homeward, he reached the house of his old and early associate, James Walton, sixteen miles from St. Louis. He came with trembling steps, took his bed, and in less than a week — November 16th — his spirit passed away to its rest and reward — strong in his faith and mighty in his fall. His mortal remains re- pose in the old grave-yard at Fee Fee Creek, where a monu- ment marks the sj)ot."* The first annual meeting of the Missouri Association was held at the church called Femme Osage, St. Charles County, on the 24th of October and following days, in 1818. Great harmony and love prevailed throughout the entire session. The most important action in connection wnth this meeting was the forma- tion of the " United Society for the Spread of the Gospel." Eules and regulations were adopted, setting forth the objects of, and to govern the society, and a board of managers appointed con- sisting of the following members : David Badgely, Wm. Jones, Thomas E. Musick, Thomas P. Green, J. P. Edwards, William Thorp, Bethuel Ptiggs, J. M. Peck, J. E. Welch, and Messrs. * S. II. Ford, in Christian Repository, New Series, Vol. XI, pp. 28-35; to whom the author is indebted fur much of this sketch. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 85 Joh)! Jacob}', Cumberland James, Thomas Smith and William Biggs. Of this little company none are supposed now to be living: all have crossed the river. St. Louis was the centre of operations for the society. We give the following details from the constitution, as this was the first society organized west of the " Great River," for philan- thropic and missionary purposes. JS'^aine. — "The United Society for the Spread of the Gospel. Object. — "To aid the 'Western Mission' in spreading the gos- pel and promoting common schools in the Western parts of America, both amongst the whites and Indians. Terms of Memhership. — " Persons of good moral character, by paying five dollars annually. Each (Baptist) association, con- tributing annually, can send two messengers. Each branch or mite society, church or other religious society, contributing ten dollars annuall}', can send one delegate. Measures to be Adopted. — " The society, at its annual meeting, shall consult on the best measures to promote the gospel and common schools ; devise measures to assist ministers in obtain- ing an education, and to qualify school-teachers; consider the moral and religious welfare of the Indians, and devise means for their reform, and use every means in their power to send forth missionaries on the frontier and destitute settlements. Qiialiji cations of Missionaries and School Teachers. — "The first must bo in full standing in the Baptist churches, and give satisfactory evidence of genuine pietj^, good talents and fervent zeal in the Redeemer's cause. No person of immoral habits, or who, in the judgment of the board, is not qualified, can be employed as a school-teacher. FuTuts. — " The funds of the society shall be included in three departments: the Educational Fund, the Indian Fund, and the Mission Fund." In an early day the society employed several missionaries in Missouri and Illinois as itinerants, at the rate of the expense of hired men — at §10 to $20 ])cr month, according to locality. ^lost of these itinerants labored with good success; and some of them received their coni])ensati()ii from voluntary contributions. At different places local missionary societies were formed auxiliary to the " United Society " at St. Louis. These were sometimes called " Mite Societies." The association continued in active co-operation with the missic^nary enterprise for several j'oars, and then, from some intimations we have, wo conclude that it 86 Missouri association. became somewhat lukewarm and indifferent, but never opposed the spread of the gospel through human instrumentality^ as in some cases other sister communities did. The year 1818 was fruitful in the formation of several new churches in the bounds of the association. In the autumn of 1817 Elds. John M. Peck and James E. Welch, missionaries of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, arrived at the village of St. Louis. On their arrival they found several Baptists, and soon after hired a small room and commenced holding religious meetings. In a few months their number increased to thirteen, and on Feb. 18, 1818, they held a meeting and organized the First Baptist Church in St. Louis. — There were 11 constit- uent members. Immediately after the organization was com- pleted, the church showed forth the Lord's death in the Supper. The week following the church held a meeting, and resolved to proceed at once to the erection of a house of worship. Subscrip- tions were circulated and liberal donations were made. This was the first house of worship, save Catholic, ever attempted to be built in St. Louis. At the date above mentioned there were no more than about 25 professors of religion in the village. Up to 1824 the church had increased to 54 members, which certainly indicated a good degree of prosperity. Soon after this, the church began to retrograde, and in 1832 reported no more than 17 members, and shortly it became extinct. Those were days which tried men. The general state of soci- ety was truly corrupt. The village was crowded with inhabi- tants. Rent was extravagantly high. Eatables of all kinds were hard to obtain, and rery dear. Butter .was from 37 to 50 cents, coffee 62 to 75 cents, flour, inferior quality", $12 per bar- rel. But the worst of all was the society. On this subject Rev. J. M. Peck says : " One-half at least of the Anglo-American population were in- fidels of a low and indecent grade and utterly worthless for any useful purposes of society. Of the class I allude to, I cannot recollect an individual who was reclaimed or became a respect- able citizen. . . . This class despised and villified religion in every form, were vulgarly profane, even to the worst forms of blasphemy, and poured out scoffing and contempt on the few Christians in the village. Their nightly orgies were scenes of drunkenness and profane revelry. Among the frantic rites ob- served, were the mock celebration of the Lord's Supper and burning the Bible. The last ceremony consisted in making a MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 87 place in the hot coals of a wood fii-e, and burning therein the book of Grod, with shoutings, prayers and songs. The boast was often made that the Sabbath never had crossed, and never should cross the Mississi])pi. The portion of the Anglo-Amcr- can population who had been trained to religious habits in early life, and manifested some respect for the forms of worship, were kept away from the place of worship by an influence of which perhaps they were not fully conscious. Though the profane ribaldry of the class already noticed did not convince their judg- ments of the fallacy of religion, it affected their feelings and pride of character. But there was another class whose influence was far more effective, because it carried with it a degree of courtesy, respectability and intelligence. I refer to the better informed French population. These constituted at least one- third of the families. They were nominally Roman Catholics, and their wives, sisters, and daughters adhered to the Catholic faith, attended mass, and went to confession regularly. The men attended church on festival occasions. But every Frenchman with whom I formed an acquaintance, of any intelligence and influence, was of the school of French liberalists, an infidel to all Bible Christianity. But they would treat Christian people, and even Protestant ministers of the gospel, with courtesy and respect. Romanism was the religion of their fathers, but the casual correspondence held with France, where infidelity was demolishing the thrones of political and religious despotism, and tearing up the foundation of superstition, led them to regard all religion as priestcraft, necessary perhaps for the ignorant, superstitious and vicious, but wholly unnecessary for a gentle- man— a philosopher. The good-natured jokes and badinage of their French acquaintances, and the bitter taunts of profane and drunken scoffers, made it unpopular and unfashionable to be seen on the way to church on Sunday, except on special occa- sions. The Sabbath was a day of hilarity, as in all Catholic countries. Mass was attended in the morning by females and illiterate Frenchmen ; and in the afternoon both French and Americans assembled at each other's houses for parties for so- cial amusement. Dances, billiards, cards and other sports, made the pastime. Four billiard rooms were open throughout the week, but on the Sabbath each was crowded with visitors and gamblers. With few exceptions, the stores and groceries were open on that day, and in some of them more trading was done than ou any other day in the week. The carts and wagons from 88 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. the country came to market, and sold their provisions at retail throughout the streets." {Life of Peck, pp. 87-88.) Such was the state of society when the First Baptist Church was organized in St. Louis in 1818. On the second Sabbath in March, 1818, Messrs. Peck and Welch organized amission Sunday-school in the village of St. Louis, for colored people. The school opened with fourteen pupils, and in a little more than one month had increased to ninety. Some six or seven colored teachers aided the missionaries. Although they admitted no slave without the written permission of the owner, yet there were some who manifested great opposition to the *' negro school." Prom one of such opposers Peck and Welch received through the post-office the following ; " St. Louis, Maij U, 1818. '^Gentlemen : As you have but lately arrived in this country, and perhaps may not be acquainted with our laws, I would beg leave to refer you to the 7th section of an act for the regulation of slaves, and leave it to yourselves to decide, whether or not you have not incurred heavy penalties by jonr negro schools. "It might also be made a question by the patriot and philan- thropist, whether it is prudent or humane to give instruction to those who must be made by it either more miserable or rebel- lious. I warn you that the sanctity of the clerical character will not here screen the offenders against the laws from punishment. " Yours truly. Justice." Truly this was a curious document, and after reading it care- fully, Messrs. Peck and Welch filed it away as one of the curios- ities of a frontier missionary life. The school continued to pros- per, and a number of puj)ils were hopefully converted and baptiz- ed, and one of the happy fruits of this effort was the organiz- ation of the " First African Baptist Church of St. Louis." On the 22d of October, 1818, Eld. James E. Welch met with a few Baptist families at the house of Flanders Callaway, in what is now Warren County, not far from the town of Marthasville, and after the necessary preliminaries formed the Friendship Baptist Chttrch. — The constituent members were 12 in number, as follows : Flanders Callaway, Jemima Callaway, William Hancock, Mary Hancock, George Miller, Judy Miller, Henry E. Welch, Harriet Welch, James Stephenson, Elizabeth Edwards, Nancy Young and Nancy Spiers. There is no account of this church having any pastor, neither is there any record of church business. It became a member of the Missouri Associ- MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 89 ation. There were two baptisms, one in 1820, the other in 1822, and nine persons were added by letter up to 1825. From the records, this body must have dissolved prior to 1831, for in May of that year it was reorganized at the house of John Welch in Tuque Prairie, with nine members, and called Salem. The year 1818 was fruitful of still another church in the bounds of the old Missouri Association. It was the First Baptist Church in St. Charles. — This ancient com- munity was formed into a church, partly by the instrumentality of Eld. J. E. Welch, about the middle of November. It was com- posed of nine members. For want of regular preaching, and after struggling with insurmountable difficulties for several years, it eventually disbanded. Bro. Welch thinks that this event was brought about, in part, by the unwise policy of many ministers in neglecting, and in many cases actually avoiding the towns and more prominent points of influence in the country, and exhausting their energy upon fields of less promise. It is true that Baptists coo often yield the occupancy of the cities and towns, in whole or in part, to other denominations. Our towns wield a controlling influence upon the whole surrounding coun- try, and hence such points should always be under the influence of a pure Christianity. Too often have these points, in the early settling of a country, been left to other denominations, and thus, in all efl'orts to form and give direction to the religious prin- ciples of the people, they have had the vantage ground decidedly. Two men were quite prominent (others did their part also) in founding the early churches, and in giving tone and proper direction to religious sentiment in the Missouri Association, We refer to Elds. J. M. Peck and J. E. Welch. And although they did not spend their entire ministerial lives in Missouri, nor did they die here, yet their work as Christian ministers is insepar- ably linked with the history of the Baptist denomination in the state. They deserve a place, we think, just here. "John Mason Peck — was born in the parish of Litchfield, South Farms, Connecticut, October 31, 1789. Ilis parents occu- pied a respectable but humble sphere in life; and derived their support from a small farm, in the cultivation of which the fath- er was aided by his sons. So soon as these were able to render assistance in tlie toils of husbandry, their services were thus em- ployed during the summer, while in winter they enjoyed the advantages of that glory of New England, and especially in the earlier periods of Connecticut, the district school. Alternating 90 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. in this manner between toil of the lody and reflection of the mind, the subject of this sketch grew up among the hills and. rocks of his birthplace, rather a stupid and uncultivated youth, until he was about 19 years old, as he has since ingenuously confessed. Two or three events then helped to develop some powers of his nature which before were latent. He taught a winter district school for two or three seasons, boarding around in the several families of his em23loyers, as was then the more common custom ; and what was no uncommon result of such family intercourse, he got married Ma}' 8th, 1809. Near the same period he was converted to Christ, and with some little hesitation he joined the Congregational church in his native town. There was, indeed, scarcely anything else to join in that region then; but ere long, and while still employing his winters in teaching in some of the adjacent parishes, he formed the acquaintance of a few scattered Baptist families, simple, hon- est, humble Christian people, even their ministers unlearned, and putting on no airs of superiority to the common people, with whom they very freely mingled, and by whom they were highly esteemed in love for their work's sake. He lived, some half a century later, to draw the picture of the two denomina- tions, with the marked and sharp angles of difference as they were when he first knew them both, and before the large assim- ilation, which has since taken place, had melted and rounded off many of the very noticeable points of early dissimilarity. A few years after his marriage, finding that his father's home- stead would be inadequate to the support of multiplied and in- creasing families, he removed into a wild new region, in Greene County, N. Y., and there, among the mountains of the Catskill range, he cultivated a rude, new .farm, in summer, and taught school in winter, as before. Here, too, he and that discreet, pious, faithful and self-denying wife of his, put on the Lord Je- sus Christ in baptism, according to the original institution, after having been long and deeply exercised on this question, after having searched diligently among books and living, learned, aide advocates of pedobaptist usages, and struggled manfully with the prepossession in favor of the traditions of their early years. There, too, he was licensed to preach the gospel, and not long after was publicly ordained in the same county."* While living at Catskill, prior to 1813, he adopted the follow- ing means of improvement. He and two other ministers, Breth- * llufuB Babcock, m Western Watchman, Vol. XI, No. 1. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 91 ren Jenks and Lamb, living near each other, met every fortnight at each other's houses and discussed some question previously proposed. Thus they passed over a number of important topics in systematic theology. On the 17th of May, 1817, the board of the Baptist Triennial Convention accepted and appointed Rev. J. M. Peck and his co-worker, J. E. Welch, as missionaries to the Missouri Terri- tory. On the following day, which was the Lord's day, they were solemnly set apart to this work by appropriate services in the Sansom Street Church, Philadelphia. Pev. Dr. Furman preached the sermon of the occasion from Acts 13 ; 2 : " Separate me Paul and Barnabas," &c. One thousand dollars was the whole amount appropriated to defray their expenses to St. Louis, and to su2:)port the mission. On Friday afternoon, July 25, 1817, a little one-horse wagon was seen leaving the door of Asa Peck, in Litchfield, Connecti- cut, with J. M. Peck, his wife and three little ones, bound for the scene of his labors in the then " Far West." They made the trip by way of Philadelphia, to Shawneetown, in said vehicle, thence by keel-boat to St. Louis, where they landed on the morning of the first day of the following December, Mr. Peck being sick with low intermittent fever, from which he did not recover for two months. As soon as he had fully recovered, he entered upon his work. lie found many obstacles to the pro- pagation of a pure Christianity, among which was a great want of reverence for the Sabbath, also a disinclination to attend any place of worship. But a few men and women were found who had the fear of God before their eyes. On the third Sabbath in Februar}', 1818, these, to the number of eleven, were organ- ized into a church, called "The First Baptist Church, St. Louis," by Elds. Peck and Welch, this being the first time Eld. Peck had stood up west of the Mississippi to preach the gospel. We next find him engaged in a school which he had established in the spring of 1818. The building was on the east side of Fourth Street, opposite the site of the Planters' House; a two-story framed building, 30x20 feet, the lower story being used for the double purpose of school and church. Here for a time the First Baptist Church worshiped. Such was the commencement of Baptist work in the Catholic village of St. Louis, sixty years ago. But his labors were not confined to St. Louis. He made extended prospecting and ])reaching excursions in the terri- tory, establishing and aiding churches and associations. In 92 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. June and July of this year he made a tour through St. Charles, Clark's, Woods' (now Troy, Lincoln County) and Stout's Forts, to Eamsey's Creek Settlement in Pike County, where he found a small Baptist church, to which he preached Saturday and Sun- day, and returned to St. Louis. In September of the same year he made two trips to the south and southwest of St. Louis; the first one as far as St. Michael in what is now Madison County. On his return he preached in Cook's Settlement, also in the Mur- phy Settlement. It was on this tour that he found and thus de- scribes the '' specimen squatter family :" " About 9 o'clock I found the family to which I was directed. As this family was a specimen of the squatter race found on the extreme frontiers in early times, some specific description may amuse the reader, for I do not think a duplicate can now be found within the bound- aries of Missouri. The single log cabin of the most primitive structure was situated at some distance within the corn-field. In and around it were the patriarchal head and his wife, two married daughters and their husbands, with three or four little children, and a son and daughter grown up to manhood and womanhood. The old man said he could read, but 'mighty poorl3^' The old woman wanted a Jiyme book, but could not read one. The rest of this romantic household had no use for books, or ' any such trash.' I had introduced myself as a Bap- tist preacher, traveling through the country preaching the gos- pel to the people. The old man and his wife were Baptists; at least had been members of some Baptist church when they lived ' in the settlements.' The ' settlements ' with this class in those days meant the back parts of Virginia and the Carolinas, and in some instances the older sections of Kentucky and Tennessee, where they had lived in their earlier days. But it was < a mightj' poor chance ' for Baptist preaching where they lived. The old man could tell of a Baptist meeting he had been at on the St. Francois, and could direct me to Eld. Farrar's residence near St. Michael. The old woman and the young folks had not seen a Baptist preacher since they had lived in the territory, some eight or ten years. Occasionally they had been to a Methodist meeting. This was the condition of a numerous class of people then scattered over the frontier settlements of Missouri. The 'traveling missionary', was received with all the hospitality the old people had the ability or knew how to exercise. The younger class were shy and kept out of the cabin, and could not be persuaded to come in to hear the missionary read the Scrip- MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 93 tures and make a prayer. There was evidence of backwardness or some other propensity attending all the domestic arrange- ments. It was nine o'clock when I reached the squatter's cabin, and yet no preparations had been made for breakfast. The beds, such as they were, remained in the same condition as Avhen the lodgers first crawled from their nests in the morning. The young women appeared listless. Their heads, faces, hands, clothes, all indicated slothfulness and habitual neglect. Soon the old wo- man made preparations for breakfast, and as the culinary oper- ations were performed out of doors, very probably the younger women assisted, but no other female entered the cabin but the old lady. In an hour's time her arrangements within com- menced.*" Mr. Peck continued his itinerant work in Missouri until 1821, when he removed to Rock Spring, Illinois, and established the Rock Spring Seminary, which in 1831 became Shurtleif College. In 1829 Dr. Peck commenced the publication of The Pm^cer, the first Baptist newspaper in the Western States. As editor and publisher he continued this work about twelve years. He was also the author of the Emigrant's Guide, The Gazetteer of Illinois, Life of Daniel Boone, Father Clark, &c. He was a most remarkable man, indeed, and for a full account of his life the reader is referred to The Memoir of J. M. Peck. From 1821 he spent the residue of his eventful and useful life in Illinois, and died at Rock Spring, March 15, 1858, where he was first buried, and about a month later his remains were removed to the city of St. Louis, and now repose in Bellefontaine Cem- etery. * Western Watchman, Vol. VIII. Reminiscences of Missoun. CHAPTER in. MISSOUEI ASSOCIATION. (Concluded.) James E. Welch — His Conversion, Marriage, Mission to St. Louis, General Sunday- school Agency, Sudden Death — First Baptist Church, St. Louis — The Second Bap- tist Church, St. Louis — I. T. Hinton — Jerry B. Jeter — G. Anderson — A. H. Bur- lingham— W. AV. Boyd— W. M. McPherson— N. Cole— W. M. Page and Mrs. Page — Second Baptist Church, St. Charles — Third Baptist, St. Louis — Garrison Avenue, St. Louis — John Toasdale — Washington Barnhurst — G. A. Lofton — Mar- shall Brotherton — P. J. Thompson — ^~\V. M. Senter — Fourth Baptist Church, St. Louis — J. V. Schofield — Carondelet Church — G. L. Talbot — Park Avenue Church — Beaumont Street Church — Union Church, St. Louis. EEY. James Ely Welch — another member of the pioneer brigade, and cotemporary with Eev. John M. Peck, whose history closed the preceding chapter, was born in Fayette County, Kentucky, February 28, 1789, not far from the present city of Lexington. His father, James Welch, and mother, JS^ancy Ely, were both natives of Yirginia, the former of whom was born February 7, 1750 ; died August 2, 1828 ; and the latter was born Oct. 27, 1767, and died August 7,- 1887. Whenyoung Welch was about 10 years old, his father commen- ced sending him to a countiy school in the neighborhood. He con- tinued occasionally to attendschools, kept by diiferent masters, for aperiod of five or six years. When nearly 17 years old he left his father to work with his eldest brother, who was by trade a mill- wright, with whom he continued, except at intervals, until he was 19 years of age. He then taught school in the summer and worked in Lexington in the winter, until he reached the age of 21, He again made his father's house his home, doing business in the neighborhood. During the summer of 1810 it pleased the Lord to open his eyes and show him that he was a poor lost sin- ner, justly exposed to His wrath. In the fall of the same year he made a public profession of the Lord Jesus, and on the 26th of October was baptized by Rev. J. Yardeman, and united with the church at David's Fork, about two miles from where he was born. Mr. Welch thus speaks of this part of his life: "In the summer of 1810, when I had just entered my 22d MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 95 year, tlie Rev. J. Vardeman annonnccd from the pulpit on the Sabbath, that as there were to be a barbecue and a dance at Mont- gomery's Spring on the 4th of July, he would preach at the meeting-house, and invited all the members to attend and to bring their children with them. When I heard the appointment and request, I had a ticket in my pocket, and decidedly intend- ed to bo one of the party on the Fourth. When the day arrived, my father said to me in the morning, * My son, you are your own man, and have the right to go to that frolic to- day, if you choose; but if you will gratify me, you will go with us to Da- vid's Fork.' That was all he said, but when he had re- tired it left me in tserious thought, which resulted in a determination to gratify my father and let those attend the ball who might. TSOrdO REV. JAMES E. WELCH. I ever expect, while time and eternity may last, to cease prais- ing God that I was induced to gratify my parents on that occa- sion instead of myself; for on going to the meeting I listened to the first sermon I ever really heard, from 1 Sam. 7 ; 12 : ' Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.' Before a profession of religion was made, I had a private conversation with Bro. Vardeman on the state of my feelings and the exercises of my mind — that on a certain occa- sion, wliilo at a meeting, such were the manifestations of the love of God to my own soul that I scarcely could restrain my- selffrom getting upon one of the seats and exhorting sinners to * flee from the wrath to come.' He coolly, and unfortunately for me, replied, ' you had better take care, lest you run before you 96 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. are sent.' That remark caused me more anxiety and anguish of soul than any remark I ever heard. Full one year I was un- happy at meeting and alone. The ardent desire of my soul was to warn and beseech sinners to be reconciled to God j yea, I felt, 'Wo is me,' if I do not do it; and then would come the warning voice of my father in the gospel, ' Take care lest you run before you are sent.' Neither my own parents, nor any one else, knew the exercises of my mind, but I deliberately decided, ' I cannot live so ;' and yet such were the views of my unfitness, that I never should have entered the ministry could I have en- joyed peace of mind without it. The question of deepest anxi- ety was, what ' can I do which promises any deliverance from the dilemma in which I feel myself to be ? Finally, I concluded to travel, and see whether new scenes and new acquaintances would bring any relief, and if I 7nust preach, I had rather begin among strangers, for *a prophet hath no honor in his own country and among his own kin.' But where to go, was the question. Knowing that I had an aunt in Georgia, to Georgia, in the fall of 1811, I directed my steps, with no worldly business whatever in view, but perhaps upon the same errand that took Jonah aboard ship for Tarshish." {Western Watchman, vol. IX.) After spending an anxious winter in Georgia, he made his first attempt at preaching in March, 1812, in the Sharon Church, of which the distinguished Abram Marshall was pastor. Bro. Welch thus describes his struggles in that state: "I never studied more closely, nor more hours during the day and night, than while I remained in Georgia, and yet I had no instructor and but few books to aid me. I had been literally born in a cane-brake, brought up on a farm, and had never stud- ied geography, history, or even grammar, when I commenced my labors in the gospel at 23; and no individual, except the in- finitely wise One, can tell with what readiness and joy the ad- vantages of instruction now enjoyed by young men would have been embraced. The Baptists had no theological seminary, nor even a private instructor of whom I had ever heard, where a young man might pursue those theological studies which would enable him ' rightly to divide the word of truth.' Those of us who entered the ministry forty-five years ago [this was written about twenty years ago], know what it is to meet with discour- agements, and sometimes when treated discourteously by young men who were educated in those seminaries which we labored to establish, human nature could not do less than to say, ' Well ! MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 97 •we have had our day !' No other young men, thanks to the All- wise Disposer of events, need ever in future pass through the difficulties with which we had to contend. I question whether any mortal suffered more from a man-fearing spirit than I did in my early efforts at public speaking; to whom it was a greater tax upon the nervous system to arise and address an assembly, than it was upon mo; and especially if there happened to be one or two aged ministers present. If experience teaches truly, I can safely say to my young brethren in the ministry, that of all the hearers you may ever have, you have the least to fear from a fjither in the gospel. He will hear you with more char- ity and allowance than any hearer you have. Perhaps that dread of public speaking might have deterred me altogether, but for the counsel and encouragement given by old Father Marsh- all, who would often say, J. M. MiI'IlERSON. 122 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. lington, Kentucky; moved thence to Helena, Arkansas, where he spent five years, and from there he moved to St. Louis in 1841, where he lived until the Master's summons reached him in the prime of a green old age. God gave him a large nature, and in every organic way en- riched him with a lavish hand. His great and commanding fig- ure was but the fitting counterpart of his great and commanding soul. A few months after the arrival of Mr. McPherson in St. Louis there came a crisis in his history. His life had been worldly. He had given himself to his profession and to the acquirement of wealth by its prosecution, somewhat to political affairs, con- siderable to the Presidential campaign of 1846, and thrown him- self freely into those fellowships and professions, political and social, which were calculated to drown any religious convictions which he might have had. When Rev. Isaac T. Hinton was call- ed to the pastoral ofiice in the Second Baptist Church, Mr. Mc- Pherson rented a pew and became a regular attendant at said church. Here, under the ministry of Mr. Hinton, he was con- victed of sin, and finally led to Christ in January, 1843, and was baptized by Mr. Hinton on the 8th of that month. After his conversion he gradually abandoned the legal profes- sion, and engaged in the business of real estate, and was largel}^ instrumental in furthering the growth of the city of St. Louis to its present metropolitan position. He was a prominent origin- ator of the beautiful Bellefontaine Cemetery, one of the first promoters of the building of the great bridge, and his hand was felt in all the large enterprises in the city. Every success- ive pastor was made to feel his powerful support in every good work. He was a pillar in the Second Baptist Church of St. Louis, and contributed most liberally both of his means and of his time to the promotion of Baptist sentiments and of Baptist growth all over the state. When stricken down with the fell disease that finally carried him off, the church felt that it was losing its leading lay member. No one else could quite take his com- manding place. He died in the Lord, and his death was lament- ed by the entire city. Nathan Cole* — was born July 26, 1821. His father came to St. Louis in 1821, from Seneca County, N. Y. In 1842 he pro- fessed religion at Alton, and since 1852 he has been a member of the Second Baptist Church, St. Louis. He is a diligent stu- * From Baptist Encyclopedia, Catbcart. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 123 dent of God's word now, and he loves to expound it in the Sunday- school. In 1869 he was chosen mayor of St. Louis, and filled the office to the great satisfaction of his fellow-citizens. He was elected President of the Merchants' Ex- change in 1876, and the same year was sent to Congress from the Second District of Missouri. Mr. Cole is a friend to the poor, to educa- tion and to religion, and has given large amounts to sustain and advance the cause of Jesus, and to fiir- thcr public interests. He is a firm Baptist, with a large scriptu- ral charity. He is one of the most en- lightened, unselfish and blameless men that ever occupied a seat in Congress. "William M. Page — was born January 16, 1815, and emigrated to St. Louis in the fall of 1833. He returned to Xew Hampshire in 1836, and was married to Miss Eliza Jaquith of that state, and came again to St. Louis. In 1842 Mr. Page professed conversion, and with eleven others, among whom were Edwin Dobyns and George Trask, was baptized in Chouteau's Pond, and he became a member of the Second Baptist Church. The same year Mr, Page and Mr. Dobyns were elected deacons of the church, and Mr. Trask was elected treasurer. All three had been active in church affairs from the reorganization under Rev. B. T. Bra- brook in May, 1837. A few years afterward Deacon Page re- moved to New Orleans and became a constituent member of the First Baptist Church of that city, was elected one of its deacons, and through his influence Pastor Ilinton was called from St. Louis to New Orleans. He was a devoted friend of Mr. Hinton, and was at his bedside and closed his eyes when he fell a victim to the yellow fever scourge in 1847. 1 I ji.i ' Tlie Buptist Cacydopedia.' HOX. NATHAX COLE. 124 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. He returned to St. Louis in 1848, and in the great fire of 1849 he lost a steamboat, at which time all the business portion of the city and thirty-two steamboats were burned. Soon after the fire he opened a store on Broad waj', in connection with Capt. Samuel Smith, and two years afterwards bought the controlling interest in the St. Louis Glass Works, which business prospered until the second winter, when the continued freezing over of the river, and there being no railroads, thus being cut off from material, and the hands deserting them, the company became WILLIAM M. PAGE. discouraged and left the business. Mr. Page again went back to his river life and so continued until the breaking out of the war, most of which period he spent with the army as trades- man. The war over, he became permanently settled in business in St. Louis, and was soon after re-elected deacon in the Second Baptist Church, and is now the senior deacon of the city of St. Louis, and is also president of the board of trustees of his church. For a number of years he was a member of the execu- tive board of the General Association, and was one year its pres- ident. He has also been honored by his district association, having for three or four years presided over its deliberations. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 125 Deacon Page has a wide reputation as a Bible scholar, having always lovingly sought to accurately interpret the meaning of the Sacred Word in the original tongues. Indeed, his strongest characteristic may be deemed a scrupulous devotion to truth and consistency in all the affairs of life. This quality causes him to be one of the most faithful, regular and methodical of Chris- tians, and has commanded the confidence and love not only of those who agree with him, but of his opponents in any given course. He is one of the raost benevolent men in St. Louis, and has for years used his means with a liberal hand to advance Bap- tist interests. Mrs. Eliza Page — wife of Deacon W. M. Page, is a native of New Hampshire, and came to St. Louis soon after her marriage in 1836. She was a member of Dr. Malcolm's church in the East, and as soon as she came to St. Louis identified herself with the Baptist Church of this city, growing in the good cause with the city's growth. She is actively identified wnth all the leading en- terprises of the city in the vari- ous branches of religious culture, and the relief of all the sick, l^oor and defence- less. She is Pres- ident of the In- '">v\ stitutional Mis sion, visiting the mks. w. m. page. City Hospitals, House of Ecfuge, "Workhouse, Jail and other places, where a kind word to a needy and distressed one would do good. She is always ready to go on any mission of mercy, giving a kind word here, some papers and tracts there, and al- ways, with an open purse, relief to the needy. She is now also 126 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. actively engaged in the effort to establish a Baptist Orphans' Home in this city, which will be one of her crowning eff'orts. She loves to administer to the wants of the distressed. The beauty of all is, that all her acts of charity and mercy are unos- tentatious, and coupled with grace and meekness. Although in her threescore years and ten, she is one of the most active and shining lights in the church, being first and foremost in all mat- ters pertaining to church work and the advancement of the cause. She has for years been the teacher of the infant depart- ment of the Sunday-school. The children love her as a mother, and her power with them is magnetic. This '' Mother in Israel " wields a power for good in the de- nomination,which is not only local, but goes through the state, she having some years since gone to Jeff'erson City and there organ- ized a branch of the Institutional Mission, which has done a great deal of good in that city. Her life is an ornament to the denomination, and may she live many years to further develop the good work among us.* The Second Baptist Church, St. Charles. — In the spring of 1832 Eld. William Hurley visited St. Charles and began preach- ing. He found a few Baptist families in the town at that time, and at their earnest solicitation he continued his labors once a month with them for the year. His labors were very acceptable and blessed to the conversion of souls. In a few months after his arrival he had bajDtized ten or twelve persons, and these, to- gether with those whom he found in the town upon his arrival, he organized into a church in the summer of 1832. At about the end of one year Eld. Hurley left them, and being without a pas- tor the church never reached a great degree of efficiency, and after struggling for several years disbanded. Another, which is the Third Baptist Church of St. Charles, was formed by Eld. W. R. Eothwell, corresponding secretary of the General Association, and Eld. J. H. Tuttle, missionary of Bear Creek Association in 1870 or 1871. We now resume our narrative of the association proper. Its early records are scarce. We give what we have. In 1822 the Missouri Association dismissed those churches con- nected with her body located north of the Missouri Eiver, to form a new association, of which we will give an account in fu- ture. Also two or three churches were dismissed in 1832 to aid in forming an association in Franklin County. * By L. E. Kline. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 127 In 1833 the association held its meeting at the Fee Fee Creek meeting-house, commencing September 20th. The preceding year (1832) this body was composed of 7 churches, viz. : Fee Fee Creek; St. Louis (First Church); African, St. Louis; Bonhom- me, Good Hope, Wild Horse Creek and Goshen; 66 baptisms were reported, and a total membership of 335, of which more than one-half were members of the African Church, St. Louis. According to Allen's Begister, there were only four ministers in the association at this time, viz.: Thomas E. Musick, J. Bailey, A. Felson and J. B. Meachum; the two latter of the African Church, St. Louis. The minutes of 1834 contain reports from the following churches: Fee Fee Creek, African Church, St. Louis, Bonhom- me. Good Hope, Goshen and Union; aggregate membership, 342. Ministers, Thomas E. Musick, Alton F. Martin, J. B. Mea- chum (colored), John Bailey and Thomas Hensley. Only 32 baptisms reported. In 1835 there were 8« churches, 7 ministers and 390 members. The additional ministers were Thomas P. Green, Joseph Nicholls and George Clay; 15 baptisms only were reported this year. From 1849 to 1859 the association held annual meetings with- out any interruption. The 32d anniversary in 1849 was held with the Antioch Church, commencing August 10th. Eight churches sent letters and messengers, reported 249 baptisms and an ag- gregate membership of 1,221. The committee on periodicals reported the destruction by fire of the Western Watchman office in May of this year, and recommended the raising of a publish- ing fund of SI, 000, to place said paper (then the Baptist paper of Missouri) on a firm basis. The committee also recommended the periodical publications of the boards of the Southern Baptist Convention, viz. : the Southern Mission Journal and The Commission. Silas C. James, J. M. Peck, John H. Thompson, James Wil- liams, J. Berry Meachum and Eichard Sneethan (the two last of the African Churches, St. Louis), appear in the minutes as pas- tors of the churches at this date. The association placed herself right on the records as a mis- sionary body at this session, by " afl'ectionately recommending the churches to keep up weekly prayer meetings, to help, by prayer and contributions, foreign and home missions, the Amer- ican and Foreign Bible Society, the General Association, the Baptist College and Sabbath-schools." In 1850 the association met with the Fee Fee Church. The 128 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. principal item of interest was the report of the formation of the " German Mission Society" in St. Louis the preceding Novem- ber, and the employment in the city of three, and in the interior of tlie state of two, G-erman missionaries. Salem Church entertained the meeting in 1852; 70 baptisms were reported. The temperance cause was very earnestly com- mended to the churches, and so were Sunday-schools. The con- dition of the churches was reported as being low and nearly helpless ; prayer meetings '' few and far between j" family prayer by many entirely neglected; "few, if any, young men consecrating themselves to the ministry, to supply the places which death will soon make vacant." Many of tho churches were threatened with extinction. Concord Church was the place of meeting in 1853, when the constitution was amended, and the name of the association changed to " St. Louis Baptist Association," the name it now ears. From this act it appears that the appellation " United " was dropped. The corresponding secretary of the Southern Board of Home Missions was cordially received and invited to make a public collection on the Sabbath. Ministerial education, temperance, Sunday-schools and German missions all received due attention, and their importance was made prominent in the business of the body. So far as we can discover from the minutes, few, if any, of the churches promote missions through the asso- ciation. This is done either in a direct way or through some local or general society. The St. Louis Association (for such is now its name) met in 1855 at Salem, and declared that, "as a body," it would not pro- mote foreign missions, but only missions among the destitute in the district embraced in its own limits. At the same session it recommended the churches to make collections as follows : in January, for foreign missions; in April, for domestic missions; in July, for the Sunday-school and publication causes ; and in October, for the Bible Society. The remaining part of this period — that is, up to 1859 — the association occupied itself with the usual business of such bodies. The executive board, for the most part, kept a missionary in the field at a salary ranging from $700 to $900 a year. Elds. J. Hickman, J^B^uqua and P. II. Steenstra were the evangelists for the last four years of this period, and 662 were added to the churches by baptism. Baptist principles made commendable pro- gress, as the following from the minutes of 1859 will show : MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 129 Churches. — Fee Fee Creek; First African, St. Louis; Second, St. Louis; Salem; Antioch ; Chesterfield; Second African, St. Louis ; Concord ; German, St. Louis ; Third, St. Louis ; Fourth, St. Louis; Union, St. Louis; and Allenton; in all thirteen. Ministers. — John B. Fuqua, Peter H. Steenstra, .T. Hickman, Anthony Hauslar, Wm. Crowell, Geo. Mitchell, Washington Barnhurst, Galusha Anderson and S. C. James. Total member- ship of the Association, 2,359. We again turn to the city of St. Louis to see something of Baptist progress therein. For over forty years from the form- ation of the First Baptist Church, there were only two Baptist churches in St. Louis, viz. : the Second and the First African. Three new Baptist churches were organized in St. Louis in the years 1850 and 1851. The first in chronological order was the German Baptist Church — to constitute which, 19 members were dismissed from the Second Baptist Church. This body was organized in January of that year. The Third Baptist Church of St. Louis — which of the Amer- ican churches ranks as second in numerical strength, was or- ganized on the evening of the 29th of September, 1850. The services of constitution were held in the audience room of the Second Baptist Church, conducted by Dr. Jeter, their pastor. The reason assigned in the records for constituting this new church was, that there might be a Baptist church " in the west- ern part of the city." And still, at this writing (only a little over thirty years from the date of constitution), such has been the rapid progressof the city, that the church edifice on Clark Av- enue, near Fourteenth Street, is regarded as too far *' down town." During the first three years of its existence, this church was sustained by the joint aid of the Southern Baptist Convention and the General Association of Missouri. In December, 1850, Eev. Joseph Walker became pastor, which relation he sustained for two and a half years, during which the church gained some strength, 30 having been baptized and 38 received by letter and relation. During this pastorate 24 were dismissed by letter, 9 of whom moved to and formed a church in La Crosse, Wis. From the church at La Crosse, 8 others have gone out, so that the Third Church, St. Louis, though but a youth, is an honored grandmother. In April, 1853, Kev. John Teasdale was installed pastor, and the work was pushed forward with fresh vigor ; 59 were added during this pastorate, 42 of whom were baptized. Eld. Teasdale y 130 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. lost his life in the terrible railroad disaster at the Gasconade Bridge, Nov. 1, 1855, and the church was again without a pastor. In 1854 the church completed a very neat house of worship, that now stands in the rear of her present elegant house on Clark Avenue, below Fourteenth. Eev. W. Barnhurst was the successor of Mr. Teasdale. This pastorate began in September, 1856, and closed July, 1860. Un- der his ministry the church enjoyed a glorious revival in 1857, and was greatly strengthened. There were added in all, during his connection with the church, by baptism 87, by letter 56 ; to- tal, 143. The church numbered 172 members when he resigned. Eev. Elias John Foote began as a supply to the church in Au- gust, 1860, and in February, 1861, he accepted a call and became pastor, in which office he continued until April, 1862. The ex- citing days of the war made this period unpropitious for suc- cessful pastoral work ; 6 only were added by letter, 22 were dis- missed, and 3 were excluded. The fifth pastor was Eev. J. V. Schofield, who began his la- bors in June, 1862, and continued until 1869; he then resigned and became pastor of a church at Des Moines, Iowa. At the close of his pastorate the church numbered 197. During Dr. kSchofield's labors with the church, the present edifice was built at a cost of $50,000, the most of which he raised after having in- augurated the movement. Eev. W. Pope Yeaman was called to the pastoral office in February, 1870, and on the first Sunday in the following Aj^ril entered upon his duties in this relation, and so continued until the first Sabbath in October, 1876. During Dr. Yeaman's con- nection with the church some 400 were added to it by letter and baptism ; a large congregation was built up; a debt of several thousand dollars was paid and the mortgage on the church edi- fice cancelled ; and the social, spiritual and pecuniary strength of the church greatly enhanced. Eev. George A. Lofton commenced his labors as pastor early in the year 1877. Under his ministry the church grew in mem- bership and efficiency. Garrison Avknue Church, St. Louis. — This is a new interest, having been formed in April, 1877, of 34 members, mainly from the Third Churcli. Dr. Yeaman was the first pastor, and so contin- ued for some two years. After him came Eev. J. C. Armstrong in the same office, and in Juno, 1882, Eev. J. H. Curry M^as in- stalled jiastor. At first the church worshiped in a chaj)el on MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 131 Garrison Avenue. About 1879 or '80 this hoiiso was moved to Compton Avenue and Morgan Street, where the church now worships. Just here we pause in this narrative to chronicle a few events in the lives of some of the pastors of the Third Baptist Church, St. Louis. Ekv. John Teasdale — the second pastor of the Third Church, was of English extraction, and was born near Hamburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, November 12, 1806. His grandfather, Thomas Teasdale, was a Baptist minister of great respectability in England for some years ; also for about a quarter of a cen- tury in this country. His father, Thomas Teasdale, Jr., was a man of more than average intellectual powers, and was for sev- eral years a member of the state legislature. John Teasdale was the oldest son of eleven children. He re- mained at the parental home until he was 20 years of age, when single-handed he commenced the battle of life. He began his in- dependent career as a district school-teacher, and about this time he was brought seriously to consider the importance of per- sonal religion. During a revival in the neighborhood of his school, Mr. Teasdale was converted, and in company with a younger, brother, Thomas C. Teasdale, now a popular evangelist of the South, he was baptized into the fellowship of the First Baptist Church of Wantage, New Jersey, by the pastor. Eld. Leonard Fletcher, Nov. 20, 1826. The following is from the pen of his brother above named — Thomas C. Teasdale, D. D., of Knoxville, Tennessee. He says: ** Almost immediately after his conversion, my brother was exercised on the subject of preparing for the gospel ministry. At first his modest nature shrank from the solemn and respon- sible task. But impelled by an ardent love to Christ and a deep solicitude for perishing sinners, he was enabled at length to tri- umph over every obstacle; and at the solicitation of his pastor and the church he entered at once on a course of preparation for that blessed work. He accordingly resorted to Hamilton, N.Y., where he spent some five years in vigorous efforts to store his mind with useful knowledge, and prepare himself the better for his responsible duties as a minister of the Lord Jesus. His irrepressible desire to make the most of his time while at the seminary, and the ease with which he mastered the lessons as- signed to his class, led him to suppose that he might safely take an extra study or two and still inaiutaiu a respectable standing 132 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. in his class. He ventured upon the experiment. But after awhile his constitution gave way under the pressure of its too weighty burdens, and he was compelled to leave the institution entirely before his intended course was fully completed. " His marriage with Miss Susan B. Losey, who survives to mourn his irreparable loss, and his ordination and subsequent set- tlement as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Newton, and of the Hamburg Church, which our excellent and venerated grandfather had served for twenty-five years previously, soon afterwards transpired. "Subsequently he removed into Virginia for the benefit of his health ; and after traveling for some months as agent of the Sunday-school Union, he found his health suflficiently restored to justify his return to the duties of the pastorate ; and he receiv- ed and accepted the call of the Fredericksburg Church, Ya., in 1836, to become its pastor. This position he filled for several years with great success and acceptance. But his health failing he resorted to the agency work again, and labored for a time with gratifying success in behalf of the Virginia Baptist Sabbath- school and Publication Society. " In 1841 he returned to New Jersey, and settled with the church at Schooley's Mountain, where he remained some ten years, diffusing a spirit of increased zeal and devotedness, not only in his own church, but throughout the association, which in his early ministry he had been mainly instrumental in forming."* In the autumn of 1850 Mr. Teasdale removed "West and set- tled in Upper Alton, Illinois, soon after which he became agent of the American and Foreign Bible Society for Central and Southern Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. Subsequently he was tendered the agency of Shurtleff College, which he accepted, and by constant and laborious effort was rewarded by an endowment fund and finished building. From Alton he moved to St. Louis in April, 1854, and was settled as pastor of the Third Baptist Church. From the commencement of his pastorate the church moved forward with new zeal and energy. A lot of ground was secured on which to erect a house of worship. The laborious pastor raised money for the purpose, and the building was dedi- cated on the 31st of December, 1854. This house, in the rear of the present main edifice, is now used by the church as its chapel, in which it holds prayer meetings, socials, Sunday- school, &c. * liCttcr of T. C. Teasdale, D. D., in Weste7fi Watchman, Dec, 1855, MiSSOtTftI ASSOCIATION. 133 Eld. Teasdale's pastorate was a very successful one, and lasted one year and eight months, during which he greatly endeared himself to the church and won the profound respect of the com- munity. Neither the pastor nor the church, but the infinite Master, terminated his pastorate. We have the following ac- count of his sudden death : / " It will be long before the citizens of St. Louis, and particu- larly many members of the Third Baptist Church, will forget that heart-rending disaster which resulted in the death of many valuable lives, among which is numbered the subject of this sketch. Mr. Teasdale, in company with other invited guests, was on an excursion in honor of the opening of the Missouri Pacific Eailroad. The train reached and went upon the bridge that spans the Gasconade Eiver. The cheerful company was shocked by the sudden creaking and crashing of timbers. But few fleeting moments were left for venting thought or feeling. As the train went down, the beloved Teasdale was heard, by one who survived, to remark, ' G-reat God ! how terrible are thy judgments.' This was on the 6th day.ofNoyember, 1855. These- so far as man knows, were his last words. Thus terminated the life of one deserving the highest encomium that human lips can \ give : ' He was a good man.' " {Manual of Third Baptist Church, \^t. Louis, p. 29.) vSeven children were the fruit of Mr. Teasdale's first and only marriage, five sons and two daughters, all of whom, with the wife, survived the husband and father. " The five sons and the mother are members of the Third Church. The daughters are members of Baptist churches elsewhere." Hev. AVashinqton Barniiurst — for several years the devoted and successful pastor of the Third Baptist Church, St. Louis, and youngest son of Joseph and Priscilla Barnhurst, was born in Philadelphia, December 30, 1830. From infancy he grew up with a deep reverence for the teachings of the gospel, and during a special awakening in the Broad iStreet Church in his native city, was converted and ba])tized by Hev. J. Lansing Burrows, D. D., March 8th, 1846. With Edward Payson's "passion for souls," it was natural that he should seek the ministry. After graduating at the Philadelphia High School, and after- ward at the University of Lewisburg, he entered Rochester The- ological Seminary. Here ho pursued a course in theology with zest and industry, reached greatemiiieiico in his class, graduated, and in September, 1853, was ordained i)astor of the church at 134 MlSSOTJRT ASSOCIATION. Chestnut Hill, Penn. He was married on the 15th of the same month to Miss Jennie S. Clark of Eochester, N. Y. During his brief pastorate at Chestnut Hill the church was blessed with large accessions. He spent the entire winter of 1853-'4 in pro- tracted meetings at Chestnut Hill and Plymouth, then an out- station. The large number of conversions at the last named place resulted in the formation of the Plymouth Church. From 1854 to 1856 he was pastor of Burlington Church, New Jersey. Here he had a successful pastorate, and led many con- verts into the baptismal waters. Each Sabbath afternoon he preached for the little church at Florence, where, in the winter of 1855-'6 he held a protracted meeting; and it is supposed that his exposure incident to these labors outside his duties as pastor, laid the foundation of the disease which resulted in his early death. In search of health, he visited in the spring of 1856 his friends in St. Louis. He became interested in the Third Baptist Church of that city, then for some time destitute of a pastor. *' The church was weak and the congregation scattered. He became pastor in October, 1856, the church being dependent on the Southern Baptist Board for support. His first year was one of sowing. Only 1 was baptized, and 9 received by letter; while 5 were dismissed and 2 excluded." During the revival in No- vember, 1857, the church was greatly enlarged, the congregation rapidly increased, and about 100 were added to the church, 75 of whom were by baptism. The church soon not only became self-sustaining, but able to help others. " For a considerable period Bro. Barnhurst was the only white Baptist pastor in the city (the other white churches being desti- tute), and he assisted in the Zion Church, and also different min- isters in the vicinity of St. Louis. Failing health compelled him to relinquish regular preaching and the cares of the pastoral office, and he resigned his cbai'ge July 8, 1860. He now moved to Iberia, Miller County, Missouri, where he purchased a farm, hoping that out-door exercise and a change of climate might re- store his health. He removed his membership to Eichland Bap- tist Church, and preached in the destitute regions as often as health would permit. But he constantly declined. His last ser- mons were preached during a visit to his former charge in St. Louis, November, 1861. After this he was confined to his house until his death. Early on the morning of April 29, 1862, he called his wife and sister to his bedside and told them he was Missouri association. n^ dying. Ho spoko for a lon^ time of the preciousness of Jesus and the joys of heaven. Then waving his hand gently and ex- claiming ' higher, higher,' his spirit left its frail tabernacle, and ascended to his Father's house in heaven." {Manual of Third Baptist Church, pp. 32, 33.) During his brief but earnest ministry, he baptized more than 300 souls. Washington Barnhurst had a warm, generous heart. " His aims were simple, his nature frank, his faith abiding." George Augustus Lofton — is a Mississippian, and was born in Panola County, December 25, 1839. He was educated at Mer- cer University, having finished his course in 1859-'60. His orig- inal purpose was to enter the ministry of the Methodist Church, but while studying the Greek Testament he was converted to the faith of the Bap- tists, and united with the Second Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. For four years, com- mencing in 1861, he served as an artillery officer in the army of the Southern Confed- eracy. In 1868 he en- tered the Baptist min- istry, and has since served as pastor the following churches : Dalton, Ga.; First Baptist, Memphis, Tenn.; and Third Bap- tist, St. Louis; in all of which churches there has been a nu- merical, spiritual and , i,.. ,>„,„.> i.,.,wK,,..d,a.-. social growth, and in- rev. n. a. lofton, d. d. to their fellowship he has baptized about 600 converts. Froin the commencement of his work as pastor of the Third Baptist Church in 1877, his labors were greatly blessed. Dur- ing his less than six years' pastorate with this church, he preach- ed 500 sermons, delivered over 1,000 prayer-meeting and Sun- day-school lectures, taught two classes almost every Sabbath, attended over 100 funerals, baptized over 200 converts, and weU 136 MiSSOtJRI ASSOCIATION. coined as many more into the church by letter. During this pe- riod the churcli has paid off a debt of $10,000, besides meeting its current expenses, which have been heavy ; added to which, she has given liberally to missions, both home and foreign, and also to education. When Dr. Lofton entered the pastoral office, the church was struggling under division and declension, but the blessed results above enumerated have been achieved under his ministration. But the strongest may be too heavily loaded. Under the weight of hard toil Dr. Lofton's health gave way. In fact for several years his health had been declining, and he was compelled to take occasional vacations. With his nervous system completely racked, he left home early in May, 1882, for a trip South, to rest his over-taxed powers. It was on this trip that an unfortunate episode occurred, for which the few cen- sured him, while the many exonerated him from blame. On the 12th of July, 1882, he tendered his resignation, which was ac- cepted, whereupon the church, without a dissenting vote, adopt- ed resolutions expressive of the kindest Christian sympathy with him and its confidence in him as a true Christian gentleman; and also invited him to preach his final sermon on the following Sabbath, July 16th. The occasion was one of the deepest in- terest. The house was crowded to the utmost capacity, eren to the filling of the aisles with chairs. Wrapt attention was given to the sermon throughout, which was from the words, " Finally, brethren, farewell." Frequent sobs could be heard during the services, after the close of which both young and old pressed around the retiring pastor and wept bitterly. Judge Marshall Brotherton. — This well-known and highly honored citizen, useful and beloved Christian, departed this life at his country residence in the county of St. Louis, on Wednes- day, the 24th of November, 1871, at about 9.30 P. M. Judge Brotherton was, at the time of his death, a deacon of the Third Baptist Church of St. Louis. To mention the name of the de- parted was sufficient to awaken admiration for the noble and generous in human character, and inspire reverence and love for the pure, upright and humble in Christian character. The deceased was born in the state of Pennsylvania, February 5, 1811. When he was three months old his parents emigrated to Missouri and settled in St. Louis County. In early life Marshall Brotherton gave his heart to Jesus, and his whole subsequent career was one of singular consecration and remarkable piety. He early won the confidence of those who knew him, and while MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 137 yet a young man was promoted to positions of honor and trust, in the discharge of the duties of which he impressed the public as a man of singular fidelity and integrity. For many years he held high official positions, and in after life was urged by the better class of citizens to accept further and higher honors; but his naturally modest and retiring nature shrank from additional distinction. Large success attended his business pursuits, and had not his large heart led him to allow others to use his name in their business interests, his wealth would have been immense. Be- nevolence, integrity and modesty were the distinguishing fea- tures of his character. His heart was an asylum for the sorrow- ing, and his purse a treasury for the need}-. Than he, per- haps no Baptist, liv- ing or dead, west of the " Great Eiver," has given more money to the cause of Christ. His funeral services, which were held at the Third Baptist Church, conducted by the pastor, who was assisted by Drs. John- son and Burlingham, and Bros. Hickman, Morrill and Pogson, were lai'gely attend- ed by the leading cit- izens of the city and county, all of whom f e 1 1 themselves mourners and losers. The life of our departed brother was an evidence of the truth of Christianity, and that a man may live actively and successfully without tarnishing his character.* P. J. Thompson — a deacon in the Third Baptist Church, was born in Newtown, Bucks County, Pa., September 11, 1809, just 72 years and 20 days before his death, October 1, 1881. At the age of 12 he removed to Philadelphia, and lived in the family of Joseph Barnhurst. At 20 he joined the Nazareth Methodist * Central Baptist, Vol. X. From "Xhe Bapimc Kiivyclopedia." irOX. MARSUALL lUiOTIlKUTOX. 138 MiSSOtlRI ASSOCIATION, Church, but about four years after he became convinced that the Baptist belief was the true one, and united with the Sansom Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia. In 1836 he came West, having previously, on September 4, 1833, married Miss Mary Barnhurst, daughter of his friend and employer, whom he leaves a widow. In 1844 he settled in St. Louis and united with the Second Baptist Church, where he was deacon, superintendent of the Sunday-school and engaged in every active work. His broth- er-in-law. Rev. Washington Barnhurst, now dead, was called to the pastorate of the Third Church in 1858 and Mr. Thompson followed him, being immediately elected deacon. He was a con- stant and devout attendant at public worship, until disease laid its hand upon him, and ho was ever ready with counsel, work or pocket-book to help a church in its work. Said Dr. Lofton : " In all transactions of thirty or forty years' business in this city — out of which he accumulated a handsome estate — no mortal has ever accused him of wrong or dishonesty. * * * He was a good man, a good husband, a good father, a good citizen, a good business man, a good church member, a good deacon and a good Christian." William Marshal Senter — is not a minister of the gospel, but stands prominent ainong the Baptists of St. Louis. He was born in Lexington, Henderson County, Tennessee, April 11, 1831. He grew up on a farm, taking his part in the manual la- bor incident to such a life, going to school more or less each year until he was 19 years old ; after this he went to school two years, seeking a common school education. In 1853 he entered a dry goods' house as clerk, in Trenton, Tennessee, four years after which he bought out his employer, and continued the same business until 1864 ; in the fall of which year he came to St. Louis and established the firm of Senter & Co. Said firm yet exists, and is composed of W. M. Senter and William T. Wil- kins, his wife's brother. Its business is " Cotton and General Commission." Mr. Senter has been often honored by his fellow merchants. For one term he was Director and President of the Merchants' Exchange; also three times President of the Cotton Exchange, St. Louis, which position he now holds. He is Vice-president of the Texas & St. Louis Railroad, a road now being built from St. Louis to Gale City, Texas, a distance of 400 miles. In 1850 he was converted and united with the Baptists in his native state ; first becoming a member of Bluff Springs, then of MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 139 Trenton Baptist Church. His business in Tennessee requiring much of his time there, he continued his connection with the Trenton Church for several years after coming to St. Louis. In 1870 he united by letter with the Third Baptist Church, St. Louis, then under the pastoral oversight of Dr. "W. Pope Yea- man. Here, too, as in business circles, Mr. Senter is made prom- inent by his fellow-workers. He fills the office of deacon, and has for years been president of the finance board of the Third Baptist Church ; he is also superintendent of the morning Sun- WILLIAM M. SKN'TER. day-school. With a liberal hand he contributes to missions- state, domestic and foreign ; and, best of all, he said to the wri- ter of this notice: "If I have been able to honor God in the po- sitions I have held, that is all I desire." The Fourth Baptist Church, St. Louis — was organized Sep- tember 21, 1851, under the name of the Zion Baptist Church. There were 16 constituent members. They worshiped in Stur- geon Market Hall until April 24, 1859. They then entered the base- 140 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. ment of the present house of worship, under the name of the Fourth Church. Much good was done under the first pastorate. The early history of the church was very discouraging, and after six years of struggling against what seemed to be insurmounta- ble obstacles, they held a special meeting on the 10th of October, 1857, to consider the question of dissolving the organization and abandoning the enterprise. A committee was appointed to con- sult with the other churches in the city. It was finally agreed that one more effort should be made to sustain the undertaking. During the revival of 1858, the church was much increased, and in 1859 the membership had reached 150. The war came on, and new difficulties gathered around the church. Again, in 1861, the chief supporters of the church held a consultation to determine the second time whether the effort to build up a Baptist church in ISTorth St. Louis should be finally abandoned, but all this while there M^ere some faithful men and women who stood by the enterprise and gave it their j)rayers and labor. The pastorates have been somewhat brief, as might be expect- ed under so many discouragements. The following is a list: Ed- ward I. Owen, Thos. Morton, Geo. Howell, Geo. Mitchell, E. G. Taylor, W. B. Bolton, Thomas Morton (second term), A. C. Os- born, D. T. Morrill, M. H. Pogson and J. Y. Schofield, under whose labors the church has been gradually building up, and a cumbersome debt has been recently paid off. J. V. Schofield — is a native of Chautauqua County, New York, the eldest of a family of eight children, born December 4, 1825. His father, James Schofield, is yet living, and has been for many years in the ministry of the Baptist denomination. In 1843 the family removed to Illinois, but young Schofield re- mained one year and attended the Mayville Academy in his na- tive county, where, in the spring of the same year, he made a profession of religion, was baptized by Rev. O. Dodge, and join- ed the Mayville Baptist Church. In the fall of 1848 he entered Madison University; three years thereafter he became a member of the junior class in the Uni- versity of Eochester, and graduated in 1852. He then entered the Eochester Theological Seminary and graduated in 1854. In July of that year he was married to Miss Julia E. Frary, daugh- ter of a Baptist preacher. Immediately after, he entered his first pastorate in the Jefferson Street Church, Louisville, Ky. Here h« was ordained the 24th of October, 1854. During his MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 141 four years' occupancy of the pastoral office, this church added to its original 16 members, 94 by baptism and 87 by letter. From Louisville, Eld. Schofield removed to Quincy, Illinois, in May, 1858, to accept the care of the First Baptist Church of that city, where he labored a little over four years, and, under his administration, 86 Avere added to the church by baptism and 50 by letter. In the summer of 1862, while visiting his brother. Gen. Scho- field, in St. Louis, he was invited to supply the pulpit of the Third Baptist Church, on Sabbath morning Soon after, re- ceiving an invitation to become their pas- tor, he resigned his charge at Quincy, and settled as pastor of the Third Baptist Church, St. Louis, commencing his la- bors July 1, 1862. {Manual of Third Bap- tint Churchy St. Louis.) His pastorate here of seven years, was dur- ing a very critical j period, civil strife di-' viding families and former friends ; but under his wise admin- istration the church prospered. The pres- ent edifice was built at a cost of $50,000. Dr. Schofield inaugurated the movement and raised most of the money. The house was dedicated May 12, 1866. Under his pastorate the church took i*ank with the first church- es in the city. In 1869, he was elected to, and accepted, the pas- toral office at Des Moines, Iowa. In one year the house of wor- ship was completed, a debt of $5,000 provided for, and a rerival ensued in which 80 were baptized. lie next moved to New Brit- ain, Connecticut, in 1871, and for four and a half years was pas- tor here, adding 305 members to the church, 225 of whom were by baptism. In 1876 he returned to St. Louis, and was installed pastor of Fnim ■■Till- liiiiitist l^inyLlopcdla. SCHOFIELD, D. D. 142 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. the Fourth Baptist Church, his present field. Here the edifice has been thoroughly repaired, debts paid, and the church im- proved financially, socially and spiritually. In May, 1880, La Grange College conferred on him the honorary degree of Doc- tor of Divinity, and in June of the same year the Chicago Uni- versity conferred on him the same degree. Dr. Schofield is a clear thinker, an able preacher, an earnest and efficient pastor, and has baptized over 600 persons.* Eev. J. Y. Schofield was the contributor of the other bio- graphical sketches from Missouri, for Dr. Cathcari's Baptist ^Ency- clopedia. Carondelet Baptist Church op St. Louis. — The first interest fostered by Baptists at Carondelet was a mission Suuday-school established in the spring of 1864, with occasional preaching by Eev. John Finkburg. The first gathering for this purpose con- sisted of 8 children, but the number soon swelled to 130 pupils and 15 teachers. The meetings were held in Odd Fellow's Hall, corner of Nebraska and Main Streets. This work was forward- ed somewhat by Dr. Anderson, then pastor of the Second Baptist Church, St. Louis. November 3, 1867, under the guidance of Dr. Adiel Sherwood, the Carondelet Baptist Church was organized at the house of Clinton S. Barrett, corner of Second and Taylor Streets. The constituent members were 5 in number. Dr. Scho- field, then pastor of the Third Church, assisted Dr. Sherwood. Mr. Morey T. Andrews, at the solicitation of his wife, who was a member (now deceased), offered the church a lot of ground 75 feet front by 140 feet deep on Fifth Street, at the head of Taylor Street, provided the church would erect a house of worship thereon within fifteen years dating from July 1, 1871, to cost not less than $10,000. The offer was accepted and a brick chapel has been erected on the rear of the lot at a cost of $ 4,000, leav' ing a $6,000 addition to be made within four years. The first regular pastor was Fred. Bowers, then J. H. Luther, after him Thos. Hudson, Jno. Seige, J. H. Breaker, T. J. Koetzle, A. F. Eandall, E. L. Schofield and G. L. Talbot. The total num- ber of members from the organization to the present has been 267; present membership, 106; Sunday-school, average attend- ance 100, teachers 15. There is also a Ladies' Industrial Society in the church, which has done efficient work, having raised $1,000 for church purposes among themselves. Altogether things look hopeful at Carondelet. * Baptist Encyclopedia, Catbcurt, pp. 1034-'35. MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. 143 G. L. Talbot — was born near Harrodsburg, Kentucky, June 21, 1853, where he grew to manhood, with good common-school advantages during his minority. lie spent three years in George- town College and two years at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Louisville, Kentucky. lie made a profession of religion in 1869, and in February, 1876, was ordained a gospel minister. He taught school for two years, one in Kentucky and one in Illinois, and while thus employed supplied several pulpits for short intervals. His first pastorate was at Columbus, Ken- tucky, beginning May 1, 1879, where his labors were much bless- ed of the Lord. On the first of January, 1882, he was settled in the pastoral ofllce at Carondelct. Park Avenue, St. Louis. — This church is located on Park Ave- nue and State Street, and was organized May 9, 1868; 13 mem- bers from other Baptist Churches and 15 by baptism were en- rolled as its first members. J. M. C. Breaker was the first pastor. His successors were Geo. Kline, M. L. Laws, D. T. Morrill, J. V. Schofield, J. T. Green and C. N. "Wester. The church then called Dr. Geo. A. Lofton, and has a nominal membership of 130, in reality not over 80. 'It is situated in a churchless district and is as much a mission as a church, says the clerk, Jno. Morton. They have a Sunday-school of 250 members, with W. L. C. Brey as superintendent. Prayer meetings and also young peoj^yle's meetings are held weekly, and have a fair attendance. Beaumont Street Church, St. Louis. — This church is the out- growth of the Jefferson Mission Sunday-school which was or- ganized by members of the Second Baptist Church June 20, 1859. The school first met in the second story of the Jefferson Engine House, corner Franklin Avenue and Twenty-third Street, where, on the 6th of Januar}', 1861, a neat chapel was dedicated for the use of the school. The cost of the building was 82,000. This building was destroyed by fire soon after the war, without insu- rance. A much better building was then erected on a lot on the corner of Beaumont (Twenty-seventh) Street and Morgan. October 4, 1866, 57 members, 55 of wliom had been dismissed from the Second Ba])tist Church for the purpose, signed the Cov- enant, and the Beaumont St. Baptist Church was duly organized. Rev. A. A. Kendrick was chosen pastor, and continued to serve in that capacity for nearly six years. In the first three years the church grew to 132 members. Mr. Kendrick resigned the pastorate June 1, 1872, to accept the Presidency of Shurtleff College. He was succeeded in this office by J. C, C. Clarke for 144 MISSOURI ASSOCIATION. about two years, and Mr. Clarke by J. S. Mabie, who remained as pastor until the church was consolidated with the Second Church, upon the removal of the latter from its location in the heart of the city to the vicinity of the Beaumont Street Church. The church enjoyed an unusually vigorous and prosperous life, until it became evident that it was the purpose of the Second Church to take possession of the promising field in which it was located. The property of the Beaumont St. Church passed into the possession of the Sec- ond Church, and the proceeds of sale were held in trust for ex- penditure in some new field. In June, 1858, an- other church was or- ganized in St. Louis, called Union. It was composed mostly of members dismissed from the Second Baptist Church. In the minutes of the St. Louis Associa- tion for 1858, they report having se- cured the services of Rev. G. J. Johnson, of Burlington, Iowa, as pastor. During their short history they worshiped in the commodious house formerly occupied by Dr. Post's Congregational Church. This church, after a brief career of only a few years, ceased to exist. This is all we know of its history. Most gladly would we extend these sketches, but space forbids. We must take leave of the Missouri (now St. Louis) Associa- tion. The space allotted to it is more than full. This body has, for the past twenty years, met as usual, been engaged in promot- ing the various enterprises of the denomination, such as mis- sions, Sunday-schools, Bible work, &c. It is now confined most- ly to the city and county of St. Louis, composed of about twen- ty churches, with an aggregate membership of more than 2,500. From "The Baptist Kiicyclopedia.' REV. A. A. KENDRICK, D. D. CHAPTER IV. MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. The Biiptist Church oii Loutre — .Joseph Baker — Indian Troubles — Origin of Mt. Pleasant, Bethel, 3It. Zion, Salem and Concord Churches — Formation of the Mt. Pleasant Association — William Thorp — Preaching in the Forts — J. Huhbard — E. Turner — Colden AVilliams — D. McLain — Adventure with the Indians — William Coates. IN the jcar 1809, several Baptist families emigrfited from the State of Kentucky, and settled near Loutre Island, in what is now known as jMontgomery County. Among the number were Rev. Joseph Baker (and wife, perhaps), and John Snethen and Prudence, his wife; also one or two families b}' the name of Brown. The next year a Baptist church was organized a short distance west of Loutre Island, which was the first organization of the kind north of the Missouri River. It was organized after the following form : "Disti'ict of St. Charles, Upper Louisiana, tha first Saturday in May, ISIO. *'"\Ve, the Baptist members of the United Order, whose names shall be hereafter written, do covenant and agree to live to- gether in a church capacity, and endeavor to hold up and be governed by the Old and New Testaments, believing it to be the only true rule of faith and practice. And as we have no op- portunity to get helps to constitute, we do therefore form our- selves into a church, believing it to be legal and right, as we do not think it right for any human composition to be binding on the conscience of anj', but that it is right to be governed by the Old and New Testaments. '* Samuel Brown, Joseph Baker, John Savage, Delaney BoLEN, William Savage, John Snethen, Elisha Todd, Benj. Gammon, AbrahaxM Groom, Susanna Savage, Eliz- abeth Williams, Prudence Snethen, Frances Brown, Patsey Bolen, ^Iauv Savage, Margaret Jolly, Sally Gammon, Sarah Todd, Sarah Groom." At the church meeting in the following September, Rev. Jo- seph Baker was elected pastor, Samuel Brown was ordained deacon, and William Savage was made clerk. 10 146 MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. During the time they had pastoral preaching the church held regular monthly meetings, but in the fall of 1811 these were interrupted by the death of the pastor, Eld. Joseph Baker, Some were added to the church during this period. This church was organized and held its meetings at an unoccupied log cab- in one-half mile west from Loutre Creek, and some four miles north from Loutre Island, owned by Mr. Williams "Warden. This was the pioneer church of North Missouri, it being the first west of St. Charles and north of the river. Though men and women of true courage and bold hearts, these pioneer pilgrims were destined to annoyances and sufferings scarcely dreamed of when they first set foot on the soil of Mis- souri. They were compelled literally " to fight for the field " in which to plant Immanuel's banner. Their houses were plun- dered, their property was stolen, and they were driven into forts to save their own lives from the ruthless savages whose hands were dripping with the blood of many an innocent sufferer. The Indians began their depredations as early as the jaar 1810. In July of that j^car a hostile band of Pottawatomies came stealthily into the settlement on Loutre, nearly opposite the mouth of the Gasconade Eivcr, and stole a number of horses. A volunteer company was at once raised, consisting of Stephen Cole, Wm. T. Cole, Samuel Brown, Messrs. Gooch, Patton, and one other person, to go in pursuit of them. They followed the trail across Grand Prairie to Bane Lick, a branch of Salt Elv- er, where they discovered eight Indians, who threw off their packs of plunder and scattered in the woods. Night coming on, the party disregarded the advice of their leader, Stejihen Cole, an experienced man with the Indians. He advised setting a guard, but the majority exclainu^d against it, and cried "cow- ardice." About midnight the Indian yell and death-dealing bullet aroused them from their sleep. Stephen Cole had taken his station at the foot of a tree, and if he slept it was with one eye open. lie killed four Indians and wounded a fifth, though severely wounded himself. Wm. T. Cole, his brother, and two other persons, were killed at the commencement of the fight. Next morning the survivors reached the settlement and told the dreadful tidings, and a l)arty returned to the spot, buried the dead, but found the Indians gone. (Peck's lienwiiscenccs.) This was but the commencement of a series of hostilities which drove the settlers into forts, and finally resulted in the Indian war of 1812-15. After being greatly harassed for some MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 147 two years, the little church near Loutre, with the exception of Benjamin Gammon and his wife Sally Gammon, and Sarah Groom, moved higher up the country into the Boone's Lick region, where the settlements had become much stronger. Here they united with the former settlers in building forts to protect themselves against the hostile Indians. After the close of the war John Savage, Delaney Bolen, Wil- liam Savage (clerk of the church on Loutre), Susanna Savage, Elizabeth Williams, Patsey Bolen, Mary Savage and Margaret Jolly all moved across the river and settled in Cooper County, not far from the present town of Boonville. Deacon Samuel Brown, John Snethen, Elisha Todd, Abram Groom, Prudence Snethen, Frances Brown and Sarah Todd remained in the Boone's Lick country, and subsequently Mr. Snethen and his wife, and perhaps a few others, returned to their home on Loutre. The fact that William Savage was clerk of the church formed on Loutre in 1810, and on the dispersion of the church at the breaking out of the war, having been driven into the " LTpper Settlements," and subsequently moving into Cooper County, ac- counts for the records at the beginning of this chapter being found in the old Concord church book, for it was but natural that the clerk should hold on to the church-book on the dispersion of the flock; and having taken it into another county, it was but to be expected that on the organization of a new church he would present it to said church, to be used as it had formerly been j just as William Savage did when the Concord Church was or- ganized in 1817. In the year 1810 a number of families emigrated, mostly from Madison County, Kentucky, and made the first permanent settle- ment in the Boone's Lick country. Several of the number were Baptists, who came with the purpose of planting the gospel in these wild regions. Among these Baptists were Col. Benjamin Cooper (one of the pioneers of Kentucky), Capt. Sarshal and Braxton Cooper; and Elders William Thorp and David McLain. These were joined in 1812 by several Baptist families from the Loutre Settlement, among whom were John Snethen, Samuel Brown, William Savage, Elisha Todd, Abraham Groom, their wives, and several others, who had been driven from that "low- er settlement" by the Indian depredations. Although these pio- neers were in hearing of the savage war-whoop, and the morie able-bodied had to shoulder their trusty rifles in defense of their homes, yet they occasionally mot to worship God, 148 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. In 1812, on the 8th of April, Elders Thorp and McLain held a meeting in a log cabin in which school was kept, situated only a short distance from Franklin, in Howard County, and organized the first Baptist church in the " Upper Country," " Mount Pleasant." The following were constituent members: Eld. Da- vid McLain, Samuel Brown, Abraham Groom, John Berry and wife, David McQuitty, Elisha Todd, Sarah Todd his wife, Wil- liam Creson and wife, William Monroe and wife, Isham Revis, Berry Wren and wife, Shadrach Wren, John Snethen and Pru- dence his wife, Josiah Brown and Frances his wife, Daniel En- gart and wife, Mr. Hill and Mrs.Winscott. Eld. Wm. Thorp and wife united with the church in November, 1816. During the early history of Mt. Pleasant Church, its members were called to pass through severe trials on account of the In- dian war. The people who remained at home were compelled to live in forts to escape the Indian tomahawk and scalping- knife. Their fields were cultivated under guard. Their meat was brought from the woods, being the fruit of their well-aimed and trusty rifles. In consequence of the war, no church meetings were held from September, 1812, to January, 1816. During all this time Elds. McLain and Thorp held meetings and preached in the forts. Eld. David McLain was chosen pastor in July, 1812, and served in this capacity until April, 1819, when Eld. W. Thorp was cho- sen. In February, 1824, he resigned and was succeeded by Ebenezer Rogers, who continued until September, 1833. In 1835 Reuben Alexander succeeded Rogers and served the church one year, when William Duncan was chosen pastor and so continued until 1846. During the first twenty-five years of its history the Mt. Pleas- ant Church had several divisions. The first occurred in 1817, on account of slavery. The second in 1831, over the selection of a pastor ; and in the following year another occurred upon the question of missions; again, in 1834, a large number of the members became disaffected, withdrew, and went off with the Campbcllites ; and finally, in 1838, quite a number withdrew, and united with the Methodists. Under all these reverses this primitive community stood firm. She preserved the ancient faith, and stands to-day as a monument of God's mercy and goodness. Bethkl Church — comes next in order, north of the river. It was situated in the western part of what is now Boone County, MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 149 about eight miles iiortli of Rochcport, and organized June 28, 1817, with the following members : Anderson Woods, Betsey Woods, David McQuitty, John Turner and James Harris. Wm. Thorp was its first pastor. Mount Zion — another of the pioneer churches of this period, was constituted December 20, 1817, at the house of Elisha Todd, four or five miles in a southerly direction from the present town of Fayette, Howard County. The following persons were in the constitution : Eld. David McLain and wife, Thomas Hulbarth, Elisha Todd and wife, Henry Burnham, and Elds. Golden Wil- liams and Edward Turner. Eld. McLain was chosen moderator, and Henry Burnham clerk. In June, 1818, the}' agreed to build a house of worship on Bonne Femme Creek, about one mile north of where it was constituted, and in 1823 it moved back and built upon the pres- ent site. The old liouse still stands, but a new one has been built near by. In 1831 the church divided on the mission question, but we think both parties continued to meet in the same house. The anti-mission brethren have not met for worship since the war of 1861, and only about three members remain. The present mem- bership of Mt. Zion Church is 32. At the house of Wm. Coats, in what is now Callaway County, Eld. James E. Welch, then a missionary of the Triennial Con- vention, on the 31st of May, 1818, constituted the " Salem Bap- tist Church," with 9 members, 5 of whom were pious and prudent men, and one of them a deacon of long standing in Tennessee. Immediately after the organization was completed, the church celebrated the dying love of Jesus "in the breaking of bread." "The meeting was a solemn and deeply interesting one," says the venerable Father Welch in his Recollections of the West. John M. Peck was the first Baptist preacher who visited this church, which occurred in December after its organization. Concord Church, Cooper County. — On the 10th of May, 1817, a meeting was held among these cross-bearing disciples, which was attended by Elders Edward Turner, William Thorp and David McLain, who proceeded to organize the Concord Church of the following members : Luke Williams, Polly Williams, Wil- liam Savage, Mary Savage, Dclane}^ Bolcn, Judith Williams, Ab- salom Huft', Susanna Savage, Joseph Baze, Lydia Turner, Charles Williams, Patsey Bolen, Sally Baze and Elizabeth Williams, in all 14. 150 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. The following is a copy of their AETICLES OF FAITH: "Article 1. We believe in one only living and true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. Art. 2. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Tes- taments to be the written word of God, and the only rule of life and practice. Art. 3. We believe in the fall of man and his utter inability to recover himself from that lost estate. Art. 4. We believe the doctrine of particular election, espec- ial calling, believers' baptism and the final perseverance of the saints, through grace. Art. 5. We believe in baptism by immersion, and the Lord's Supper, and that true believers are the only proper subjects of the same. Art. 6. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and a general judgment. Art. 7. We believe the joys of the righteous and the punish- ment of the wicked will be eternal. Art. 8. We believe in the imputed righteousness of Christ. Art. 9. We believe it to be ovr duty to support the gospel, and de- fray the expenses of the church." This church was located in the settlement south of Boonville, and gave name to the Concord Association in 1823. In June of the year 1817, at the second meeting of the church, she chose Elder Luke Williams as her pastor, who continued in this rela- tion until his death, about six years afterwards. This left the church in a very destitute condition. The membership was small, very few of whom were males. Such was the gloomy state of affairs when Eld. Kemp Scott came among them, a year or two after the death of Eld. Williams. He was chosen pastor, and for a time the church was greatly prospered. The first fourteen years of its history show that the church gradually grew, re- ceiving members both by baptism and by letter every year, but at the same time dismissing many m.embers to join other churches, and sometimes to go into new organizations. During this per- iod its numerical strength ranged from 20 to 45. There are no authentic records of the church from 1833 to 1846, a period of thirteen years. On the 26th of December, 1846, a union was formed with a neighboring church, known as " The Vine." This event added considerable strength to the old church, which to this day stands as " a city set on a hill." MT, PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 151 Some, we believe, regard the Concord Church a continuation of the church on Lontre, formed in 1810. "VVe do not so regard it. We have aimed simjily to jjlace the facts before the reader. Another "Salem" Church was organized prior to the year 1818, but we cannot ascertain when it was organized nor where it was located. Saturday, July 25, 1818, a meeting was held at the Mount Pleasant meeting-house, Boone's Lick Settlement, Howard Coun- ty, and "The Mount Pleasant Association" was formed. The 5 following churches and messengers composed this first meeting: Mount Pleasant: David McLain, William Thorp and S. Brown; Concord: L. Williams, William Savage and C. W. McWilliams; Salem : (the last Salem above named) John Croly, Eeuben Guage and Joseph Litterel ; Mount Zion : Colden Williams, Henry Burnham and Edward Turner; Bethel: John Eeed, Anderson AVoods and Lazarus Wilcox. Aggregate membership, 161. These five churches did meet, as above stated, and form in point of time the third Baptist association of Missouri. Eld. Wm. Thorp was chosen moderator and George Stapleton clerk, after a sermon " introductory to business " by Eld. Luke Williams. Correspondence was opened with the Tate's Creek Association, Kentucky, and the Bethel Association, Missouri; with the former by letter only. Elds. Wm. Thorp and Edward Turner were selected to bear the letter of correspondence to Bethel Association in Southeast Missouri, some two hundred to two hundred and fifty miles away. The contributions for asso- ciational expenses were SIB. 87. The following is the 3rd Article of the constitution: "The members thus chosen and convened to be denominated ' Mt. Pleasant United Baptist Association,' being composed of sundry churches, lying and being in the territory of Missouri," &c. The reader may have need to refer to this article in the future. It is now meet that we should inquire somewhat into the lives, and if possible, learn something of the sacrifices and the work of the ministers of this early period. William Thorp. — This man was the first moderator of the Mount Pleasant Association. He was born in Virginia in the year 1772 ; his parents were from the old world, and were Scotch Irish. At a very early age his mother died, leaving him and his two older brothers, Dodson and James, in somewhat destitute circumstances. The father was of a restless disposition. He having broke up housekeeping, left his three sons to shift for 152 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. themselves in the midst of a selfish and tempestuous world. The boys became separated and know but little of each other until they wero about grown. AVilliam fell into the hands of a tyran- nical aunt, who compelled him to take the fare of the negro chil- dren. She was a hard mistress, and so intolerable was her treat- ment that he determined to getaway ; and finally, after several at- tempts and failures, he succeeded in making his escape. Not long after this he fell in with his uncle, Thomas Thorp, with whom he migrated to the wilds of Kentucky in 1786. Here he encountered many hardships, but managed to support himself, laboring by the day, month or job, as best suited. Soon after his conversion he united with the Baptist church in Kentucky, then under the j^astoral care of Eld. D. Chcnault. Feeling a deep impression to speak of Jesus and His salvation, he went forward in praise and prayer, and began at once to point sinners the way to God. He was now in his 20th year, and about this time he became acquainted with Miss Frances Owen, a daughter of Barnet Owen, late of Virginia. Frances was the youngest of three daughters, a zealous Baptist, a de- lightful singer, and an attachment sprang up between them which soon resulted in their marriage. His choice of a wife proved to be a good one, for through all her long life she ex- emplified those qualities which adorn a preacher's wife. She would say to her husband : " Gro, preach, if the Lord has called you — He will provide for us." When first married they were very poor in this world's goods, being able to carry their en- tire possessions in a sack; thej' were, however, rich in faith. They believed that God would provide for their wants ; and with this faith they coupled industry and economy. They hired to a man by the name of Phelps for a year; he to do farm work, she for the house-work, wheel and loom. Thus they continued for three years, the plan of salvation all the while engrossing his mind. He still wanted to preach, but had a great difficulty to encounter, as he had never been to school and could neither read nor write. By the help of his wife and the assistance of his employer, Mr. Phelps, he soon learned both to read and to write. Being a man of unceasing energy, he press- ed on through every difficult}', overcoming all obstacles. He commenced preaching, and some time after was ordained to the full work of the ministry. Under his ministry the church- es grew and prospered, and he was highly esteemed for his work's sake. His family meanwhile had increased to six chil- MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 153 dren, four sons and two daughters. He had no inheritance of land or money, and having heard of Missouri and her won- derful richness, he put his little household goods on pack-horses, hid adieu to friends and old associates, and with his family started westward. About the 1st of Kovember, 1809, he pitched liis tent at Loutrc Island, now in ]\rontgomcry Count}", Missouri. At St. Charles, then occujiied mostly by French and Spaniards, with a slight sprinkle of Americans, they passed the border of civilization. The following spring he left his family in charge of his brother James, who had come with him from Kentucky, and went about a hundred miles further up the river, and made a crop in Boone's Lick Bottom, now Howard County. On Christ- mas eve, in 1810, he landed with his famil}' at his new camp, made of split slabs, in company with about five other families. In 1811 the settlement increased to thirty or forty families, and in 1812 the increase was still greater, covering portions of what is now Boone and Howard on the north, and Cooper and Saline counties on the south of the Missouri Eiver. In this increase of population there were a number of Baptist families, so that, as we have already seen. Elds. David McLain and Wm. Thorp, in 1812, constituted the Mt. Pleasant Church, the first church on the Baptist platform in the "XTpper Country;" and, save the little fraternity near Loutre Island, the first church north of the Missouri River. The troubles of the Indian war came on in 1812, and the inhabitants were compelled to take shelter in forts from the ravages of the blood-thirsty savages. This state of things lasted until peace was made in 1815, during which time our venerable father, William Thorp, traveled from fort to fort, preaching the precious gospel at such intervals as best suited, he and his companions with guns in hand, lest they should be attacked by the Indians. Through all the suffering, privation, and many narrow escapes of those fort days, God preserved him from the hand of the prowling savages, while his brother and companion in labor. Eld. McLain, was wounded and had a son killed. After the close of the war, he devoted most of his time to the ministry-, constituting churches, having generally the care of four, some of which were forty miles distant, and often visiting destitute neighborhoods to preach the gospel to the scattered sheep of Christ. He indeed came as one " preaching in the wilderness," and his labors were blessed in the conversion of souls and many were added to the churches. His early asso- 154 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. ciates in the ministry were Elds. David McLain, Luke Williams, Golden Williams, Jacob Chism, Edward Turner, Peter Woods and Thomas Campbell. Mt. Pleasant Association, of which Eld. Thorp was first moderator, was formed in July, 1818, and still later the Salem Association was constituted, and churches and ministers increased. Among his later ministerial acquaintances were Elds. T. P. Stephens, Theo. Boulware, Berryman Wren, James Barnes, Thomas Fristoe Sr., John Longan, Kemp Scott and Thomas Fristoe, Jr. In 1821 he extended his preaching tours up the Missouri Riv- er and constituted several churches in Ray and Clay Counties. Fishing River Church, from which Fishing River Association took her name, was the first in order of time. He moved from Howard to Clay County in 1824, and united with Little Shoal Creek Church, where he remained until his death. For some years he was moderator of Fishing River Association, and was discontinued as such only when, from old age, he was unable to serve longer. During his long, hazardous and somewhat event- ful life, he received no pecuniary compensation from the churches, but on the contrary often contributed of his substance to supply the wants of his needy fellow-laborers in the ministry. He had great prejudice against what he called the " modern missionary system." He witnessed the union of the Regular and Separate Baptists in Kentucky, and was in the separation in Missouri on the missionary question, and went with the anti-missionaries. In doctrine Eld. Thorp was an extreme Calvinist; not as much so as some of his later associates. He would, not unfrequently, when preaching, dwell on the final doom of the impenitent, not in a cold phlegmatic manner, but with tears trickling down his furrowed cheeks. " On one occasion he and Eld. Thos. Campbell were returning from a trip to Rocky Fork Church in Boone County ; conversation had abated, and Eld. C. had lagged behind. Suddenly he rode up by the side of Eld. Thorp, and remarked hastily, ' Bro. Thorp, I can beat you preaching, and you will never do any good.' Bro. Thorp said, * Why, Brother Campbell?' 'Because,' said Bro- ther Campbell, ' you preach right straight along, and the Devil comes right after you and picks it right straight up; but I scat- ter mine so that he can't find any of it.' This was the plan Bro- ther Campbell took to tell him what bethought of his preaching." Eld. T. P. Stephens used to call him the *' Great Apostle of the West." His name was in almost every church book in the state MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 155 at that day and it was sweetly remembered by the people of (rod. He suffered from paralysis in his left side for about two years before his death, which occurred on the 7th of March, 1853, at his house in Clay County. He fell asleep in Jesus and was bur- ied in the public graveyard at Little Shoal Creek Church. His faithful wife now sleeps by his side, having died in 1860, at the advanced age of 87 years, 68 years of which time she lived a de- voted Christian life. (Obtained from a sketch in Regular Baptist Magazine, Vol. Ill, p. 418.) In his Reminiscences of Missouri, Rev. J. M. Peck furnishes the following brief account of Elds. Hubbard and Turner : "Elder J. Hubbard — who was an old man and had been long in the ministry, was a resident and a preacher in Howard County on my first visit (in 1818). He possessed a strong mind, and had received a better education in early life than his brethren in the ministry. He was clear-headed, Calvinistic in doctrine, and yet free from the blunders of those who could not reconcile the duty of sinners to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with the sovereignty of God in the dispensation of his grace. I found no preacher in Missouri, and few anywhere else, who had such full and correct knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, as Elder Hubbard possessed. Yet he was modest and unassuming, with- out the least dogmatism in giving his views when solicited. He was quite deaf, and could enjoy conversation only when his brethren spoke in a distinct tone of voice. I did not hear him preach, but those who had heard him repeatedly, said he was slow of speech, with very little emotion, but very instructive in the Scriptures to all those who did not relish mere preternatural excitement. He did not live more than two or three years after my visit. "Elder Edward Turner — was from Kentucky, and came to Howard Count}^ soon after the close of the war. He was a man of moderate al)ilities, and of correct deportment as a minister of the gospel. His name appears on the minutes of Mount Pleas- ant Association of 1820, as amessenger from Mount Zion Church, but in 1826, and for several years after, from the Mount Gilead Church, which I suppose he joined on its constitution. About 1832 he appears as a messenger of correspondence from the Salt River Association. On the division in the churches and asso- ciations on missionary efforts, or more properly on the adoption of measures through the General Association, to sustain mission- 166 MT. 1>LEASANT ASSOCIATION. aries to preach the gospel to the destitute, Elder Turner's affin- ities led him to the anti-mission party. I have no knowledge of the period of his death." CoLDEN Williams — was another of the early Baptist ministers of the Boone's Lick Settlement. The first we know of him is in the Cape Girardeau country, where he is said to have been pas- tor of Bethel Church. From there he came to the Boone's Lick Settlement in an early day. As a minister he was highly es- teemed. He possessed a discriminating mind, very much loved, and was faithful in the work of the ministry. He became a con- stituent member of Mount Zion Church and for a time supplied her with monthly preaching, and continued as a messenger of said church to the association until 1830, when his name disap- pears from the minutes, and he is supposed to have died about this time. David McLain. — Although David McLain was the first Bap- tist minister in the order of time to settle in the Boone's Lick Country, we have reserved a sketch of him until the last in this list of pioneers. He aided in the formation of Mount Pleasant Church in 1812 and became its first pastor. So far as we have been able to ascertain he was a native of Kentucky, married in that state and emigrated to Missouri with a young wife in 1810, and settled in what is now Howard County. He lived in a log- cabin on a farm in the river bottom two or three miles from the village of Franklin, where he was several times visited by the pioneer, Eld. J. M. Peck, in the year 1819. Eld. Peck says of him : *' He had, like many of the preachers of that day, some crude notions about election, predestination, and some other Bi- ble truths. He saw no way to reconcile the free agency and moral accountability of man with the divine sovereignty in the dispensation of grace. He had no just conceptions of instrument- alities and means to be used in the service of Christ, as belong- ing to and constituting a portion of the purposes of God. He could not perceive that the instrumentalities God had appointed, such as preaching the gospel to sinners for their conversion and sal- vation, was as much of divine appointment as the official work of Christ in justification, or the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration." Eld. McLain was a co-laborer with Eld. Thorp in the forts during a portion of the war, and aided in gathering the church- es that composed the Mt. Pleasant Association, and was present and assisted in the constitution of said association. He had MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 157 • strong prejudices against the missionary enterprise. Eld. J. M. Peck was one day conversing with him about sending mission- aries to the lieathen, and mentioned that the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions was making efforts to furnish missionaries for the Indian tribes of the country. Eld. McLain replied, some- what indignantly : " I will give as much as any man, according to my means, to buy powder and lead to kill them all, but I would not give one dollar for all the attempts to Christianize them, as you call it." Somewhat surprised at such an outburst of indignation, Eld. Peck inquired for his reasons, and received, in reply, a thrilling narrative of his privations and sufferings during the war ; including the following remarkable adventure : Early in March, 1813, Eld. David McLain started on horseback to Kentucky in company with a man by name of Young. They traveled without molestation till they reached Hill's Ferry on the Kaskaskia Eiver, on the old trace from St. Louis to Vin- cennes, where Carlyle, the seat of justice of Clinton County, 111., now exists. Three families that resided here, being alarmed by Indian signs, had left the ferry for one of the settlements in St. Clair County. The ferry boat being fastened to the west bank, the two travelers crossed with their horses, and had not pro- ceeded more than half a mile before they were fired on by In- dians. Mr. Young was shot and fell from his horse. Mr. Mc- Lain's horse was shot through the body, and fell, but the rider extricated himself, threw his saddle-bags into the bush and ran for his life with several Indians in chase. Soon after, all the In- dians fell back but one stout, athletic fellow that seemed deter- mined not to lose his prey. Elder McLain was encumbered with heavy winter clothing. The Indian fired and missed him, which gave him the chance to throw off his heav}^ coat, in hopes the prize would attract the attention of his pursuer. The other Indians having fallen back, Mr. McLain made signs of surrender as this one approached him, having loaded his gun. In this way he deceived his foe till he got within a few feet, when he assum- ed an attitude of defiance, watched his motions, and at the in- stant he fired dodged the ball, and then with all the energy he could command ran for his life. The contest continued more than one hour, during which his foe fired at him seven times. In one instance as he threw his breast forward, unfortunately he threw his elbow back and received the ball in his arm. They had run three or four miles in the timbered bottom down the river, and at a bend camo near the bank. Elder McLain found MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 159 himself nearly exhausted, and it seemed to him his last chance of escape was to swim the river. He plunged in, making the utmost effort of his remaining strength, and yet he had to keep an eye constantly fixed on his wily foe, who had loaded his gun for the eighth time, and from the bank brought it to a poise and fired a second of time after McLuin dived in deep water. By swimming diagonally down the stream he had gained on his pur- suer, who, with the savage yell peculiar on such occasions, gave up the chase and returned to his band. Doubtless his report to the braves was that he had followed a " great medicine," who was so charmed that his musket balls could not hurt him. On reaching the shore Mr. McLain was so exhausted that it was with the utmost difficulty he could crawl up the bank; for he was in a profuse perspiration when he plunged into the cold water. He was wet, chilled through, badly wounded, and could not stand until he had rolled himself on the ground and rubbed his limbs to bring the blood into circulation. It was thirty-five miles to the Badgley settlement where Elder Daniel Badgley and several Baptist families lived, which Mr. McLain, after in- credible effort and sufferings, reached the next morning. There, with his wounded arm and a burning fever, he lay several weeks, till some of his friends came from the Boone's Lick Settlements, and got him to his family. A party of volunteers went over the Kaskaskia Eiver, buried Mr. Young, found Mr. McLain's saddle- bags, with the contents safe, but saw no Indians. In February, 1819, he was stricken down with that often fatal disease, the winter fever, and both he and his wife died of it that month. We omitted to say that the Mount Pleasant Association at its first session adopted the following article of faith : " 9th. The preaching that Christ tasted death for every man shall be no bar to communion." This article was and is common in the confessions of faith of the "United Baptists" from Virginia to Missouri. The first annual meeting of the association was held at Mount Zion meeting-house, Howard County, in 1819, when Mt. Pisgah and Providence churches were received. Salem Church pre- sented the following query : " Is it admissible for a church to license a sister to speak in public?" Answer, "No." Emigration was now pouring into the country, extending west- ward on both sidesof the river to the Indian boundary, which, on the south of the river, was the west lino of Lillard (now Lafay- 160 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. ette) County, and on the north of the Missouri River was the old state line, running due north from the mouth of the Kaw (Kan- sas) Eiver. In 1820 the meeting was held south of the river at Concord Church on the Petit Saline. Seven new churches were admit- ted, viz. : Petit Osage Bottom (Teet Saw), Mt. Nebo, Double Springs and Big Bottom, from the south side; Mt. Ararat, Little Bonne Pemme and Chariton, from the north side of the Missouri River. Thomas Campbell, Robt. Dale, John B. Longan, Jacob Chism, Lewis Shelton, Peyton Nowlin, Wm. Jennings, Peter Woods, Ebenezer Rogers and John Bowles, a licentiate, were added to the list of ministers. The most of these men were from Kentucky. Total membership at this time, 401. Elder Peter Woods was moderator. " Quarterly (sometimes called yearly) meetings for preaching and other religious exercises were appointed in the bounds of the association. These continued three days and were kept up by the association for a long series of years. From three to eight preachers would volunteer to attend these meetings." Elder William Coats. — As a member of the " Pioneer Bri- gade" of Baptist emigrants to the Far West, William Coats well deserves a place in this chapter. He had been a member of the Baptist denomination nearly twenty years when he came to Mis- souri, and a few years after this event of his life he became a Baptist minister. He was most likely a native of the State of Tennessee. At any rate he emigrated from that state to Mis- souri in the year 1817, and became the first settler in a small prairie in Callaway County, which was afterwards given, and to this day bears the name of" Coats' Prairie." The first Baptist church in Callaway County was formed at his house by Rev. James E. Welch in June, 1818. There was no pastor to pay them the usual " monthly visits," and the little flock was greatly encouraged by the influence of Brethren Coats and Smith, who kept up prayer meetings regularly in the community. The church in Coats' Prairie was called "Salem." He died in the year 1834 or 1835, and is thus remembered by the association to which he belonged {see minutes Salem Association, 1836) : " We deem it due from us to express the high regard which we entertain for the memory of Bro. William Coats as a faithful, zealous and devoted man of God, who was exemplary in life, patient in affliction and resigned in death." CHAPTER V. MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. (Continued.) Great Prosperity — New Associations Formed — How They Divided — The Case of Lynch Turner — Account of the Division on Missions — Primitive Baptists and Mis- sions, or "Who Are Primitive, ^Missionary or Anti--Missionary Baptists? — Thomas P. Fristoe— Fielding \ViIhoite — The Thiee Horsemen — The Old Log Court House, Carrolltou — The Grand Piiver Country — The Devil's Headquarters — Ebcuezer Kog- ers — W. H. Mansfield — The Terrills, Jesse and Benjamin. FEOM emigration and by baptism, the churches of Mt. Pleas- ant Association increased very rapidly. From 1820 to 1823 18 new churches were admitted — 32 now in all ; dispersed over a country some 200 miles from east to west, and 25 miles on either side of the river. At the session of 1823, held at Pisgah, Cooper County, 504 baptisms were reported, and 218 the year previous; total members, 1,523. The body was now entirely too large, and " the request of Mt. Vernon Church relative to a division of the association, adhered to. We agree to divide into three associ- tions — to divide north and south — so as to leave the churches in Big Bottom and Chariton to the east, and that the lower part be divided by the Missouri River — the upper association to be held at Fishing Eiver, to commence the second Saturday in Novem- ber, 1823. The lower association, on the south side, to bo held at Mt. Nebo, to commence the third Friday in October." This action was taken at the session of 1823. The year 1824 was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The association met this year at Little Bonne Femme Church. Eld. Wm. Coats preached the introductory sermon; Eld. Edward Turner, moderator; Geo. Staplcton, clerk; con- tributions, $57.29 ; 5 new churches and 2 ministers were receiv- ed; there had been 103 baptisms. Anderson Woods, Thomas Turner and Jabez Ilam were among the ministers raised up in the churches from 1823 to 1826. At the seventh annual meeting in 1825, held at Mount Zion meeting-house, Howard County, the following query was enter- tained, viz.: ''Will the Mt. Pleasant Association advise the churches composing her body to receive into their fellowship a 11 162 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. member baptized by a person out of their fellowship ?" Answer, "No." Muscle Fork, Little Union and Dover were new churches added at this session. " Bro. Rogers presented a letter from the board of foreign missions, which was read." The treasurer was instructed to pay the expenses of corresponding messengers. At the session of 1827, held at old Mt. Pleasant meeting- house, it was agreed to again divide the association, and the line between ranges 13 and 14 west was fixed upon ; the churches east of said line to form a new association, which they subse- quently did under the appellation of " Salem," an account of which will be given in due time. The division still left 16 churches and 10 ministers in Mt. Pleasant Association. About this time some " wandering" preachers, called "Christ- yans," disturbed the minds of some with their Arian and other anti-christian sentiments. These influences were successfully counteracted by the publication of a circular letter in the min- utes of this session on the divinity and mediatorship of Christ, written by the late Ebenezer Bogers. From 1828 to 1832, Friendship, Boone's Lick, Mt. Nebo and Pleasant Grove Churches were received into the union. The minutes of 1832 give the following abstract: Churches. — Mt. Pleasant, Salem, Mt. Zion, Bethel, Silver Creek, Mt. Ararat, Chariton, Mt. Gilead, New Hope, Mt. Moriah, Mt. Hermon, Sugar Creek, Muscle Fork, Little Union, Dover, Leb- anon, Friendship, Mt. Nebo and Pleasant Grove. Ministers. — Fielding Wilhoite, R. Alexander, Thomas Fristoe, E. Rodgers, Thomas Turner, H. Thomas, Felix Redding, J. Bus- ter, J. Radcliff and A. J. Bartee; 18 churches and 10 ministers ; baptisms reported, 91; total membership, 1,050. In 1834 the association met with Dover Church, Randolph County. In this session there was considerable agitation. The majority of one church was rejected and the foundation was laid for a division in the body which came next year. Two letters were presented to the association from Dover Church, one from the majority, another from the minority, each claiming to be the Dover Church. The circumstances were these: " Campbellism, through preachers of that sect and the Millen- nial Harbinger, had entered the state and sought the same mis- chief and division among Baptist churches in Missouri as it was then working in Kentucky. With little in common with Bap- tists but the mode of baptism, and making an open show of it and inveighing against pedobaptists, they claimed close affinity MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 163 and affection for Baptists, when in fact Baptist churches were their chief point of attack, from the dismemberment of which they expected to build their churches. Eld. Lynch Turner, in 1830, fell into their toils, and the church at Dover, of which he was a member, was shaken and sifted. For two years he im- bibed and occasionally taught the views of Campbell. He was arraigned before his church for heretical teaching, and witnesses were called from Mt. Ararat and other churches where he had preached. On trial he was sustained by a majority of the church. The minority withdrew and sent up a separate letter stating grievances to the association in 1834. With two letters from Dover Church the matter was squarely before the association. It referred the case to the corresponding delegates present from Concord, Salt Eiver, Fishing Eiver and Saline Associations. The committee of whom J. B. Longan was moderator and Pey- ton Nowlin clerk, decided that *the minority by sufficient evi- dence established the charges against Lj^nch Turner, and that they and the witnesses from Mt. Ararat Church had been treated with contempt by the decision of the majority at Dover Church, and that said minority be recommended to the regard of Mt. Pleasant Association as the Dover Church.' The decision was adopted by the association." * The missionary question was the next thing that involved dis- cussion in the meeting of 1834. The following further details of this meeting, also of the meeting of 1835, and the division that resulted, are given by an eye witness : ''Not long after the Central Society was organized (September, 1834), the Mt. Pleasant Association met with the Dover Church, in Randolph County. Elds. Fristoe and Wilhoite, who were members of this association, were present at the organization of the Central Society, but if my memory is correct, neither of them joined it. The fact of their attendance gave offence to some of their brethren, who were industriously engaged until the associa- tion met in exciting prejudice against them, particularly against Eld. Fristoe, who had for several years been moderator of the association. A great point with the anti-mission brethren was to run Eld. Turner into the moderator's chair, which, after a regu- lar and systematic course of electioneering, was effected. After the strife in electing officers had subsided, the business was con- ducted quietly, until the query, ' What shall be done with the missionary system which has made its appearance among us?' *Eld, S. y. Pitts, iu Central Baptist, Vol. XTS^ No. 21. 164 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. came up for consideration on Monday. Various answers were proposed by the friends of benevolent efforts, which were re- jected. The simple proposition, ' Liberty of conscience should be granted,' was at length submitted, and after a debate of some hours, was decided in the negative. No answer had yet been suggested by any person opposed to the Central Society. James H. Birch, Esq., then a candidate for Congress and a delegate from Fayette Church, whom the anti-mission brethren classed with themselves, proposed for answer, in substance, ' That the sub- ject of missions was one upon which Christians might conscien- tiously differ, but we advise the churches to keep it out of their bodies.' The missionaries were silent. The antis regarding the mover as their fast friend, carried his proposition by acclamation, and as it was the only remaining subject of interest, and the day far spent, the association adjourned in a few minutes after the question was taken. The adjournment took place but a short time before the anti party discovered they had granted the mis- sionaries all they had desired, which was a source of no little chagrin and dissatisfaction. Their prey had escaped them, but they solaced themselves with the reflection that a year would soon flit away j and they would then have the line distinctly drawn. " There is no doubt but that Elder Stephens of the Salem As- sociation was more active in exciting the spirit of discord, than any minister belonging to Mount Pleasant. It is true that Elds. Eatcliff, Eedding, and some others, were as hostile as Stephens, but he was more active and exerted a greater influence than all of them together. It is to be regretted that in his zeal to sup- press what he conceived to be an error, he should have acted upon the principle that the end should justify the means. If he had confined himself to what he knew, or had good reason to believe, his course had been less exceptionable, for on various occasions he endeavored to create impressions by making state- ments which he could not but know were incorrect. For instance, at Millersburg, in September, 1835, the Salem Association being then and there in session, he brought up as facts the oft-repeated calumnies against the late Mrs. Judson. These were presented in the most solemn manner and a stranger would have supposed that Eld. S. had no doubt of their correctness; but when Eld. Fristoe inquired of him whether he did not know they had been disproved, he replied, in effect, that he believed they had been ! <' The Mount Pleasant Association convened this year (1885) MT. PLEASANf ASSOCtAlTON. 165 With the Mount Zion Church, Howard County, on the second Saturday in September, just one week after the adjournment of the Salem Association. When the letters were called for, two were presented from Mt. Moriah, and two from Friendship. It seemed that minorities in each of these churches had refused to adhere to the advice given by the association at Dover, the pre- ceding year. Nothing would satisfy them but the excision of all who were tinctured with the missionary spirit. Each of these mi- norities claimed to be the church and sent its letter and messenger. " The four letters were referred to the committee of arrange- ment. When the committee was about to bo appointed Elder Suggett suggested to the moderator (Elder Turner) the propriety of appointing an equal number from each party. When this suggestion was made, Elder Stephens remarked that he was sur- prised, or that it was strange advice to be given by Elder Sug- gett, for but a week before, when precisely such a case occurred in Salem, Elder Suggett, the moderator, took special care to ap- point the committee of arrangement exclusively from his own party. To this Elder Suggett replied that Elder Stephens stated what he must know to be incorrect, for the minutes would show that there had been no such case at Salem, and the truth was, that no respect whatever had been paid to this subject in select- ing the committee. The moderator and clerk of Salem had been appointed with power to call in whom they pleased, and it was the clerk and not himself who had called in others. By refer- ence to the minutes it will be seen that the following individuals were in attendance as messengers from other associations, viz.: J. B. Longan and J. W. Maxey from Concord; E. Clark and W. E.Price from Fishing Eiver; J. Suggett, Wm. Duncan, E. S. Thomas. T. P. Stephens, A. Woods, J. Barnes and T. Campbell from Salem ; and W. II. Helms from Bethel. " It w^as obvious on Saturday to a majority of the brethren last mentioned, that if a compromise could not be agreed upon there must be a division, and with the hope of preventing this they met that night at the house of Bro. Sebree. After much consul- tation the corresponding brethren advised the missionaries to submit the following propositions: " ' 1. Wo are willing to be at peace upon the principles of the United Baptists of the United States. " '2. Wo are willing to be at peace, if the association will ad- here to the advice given at its last session, yielding to all the liberty of conscience upon the subject of missions. 166 MiP. Pleasant AssoctAtioiJ. " '3. If a division upon the subject of missions is inevitable, the minority proposes that it shall be effected by advising the churches to grant to minorities in each, if that minority request it, a copy of the record of the church book, and that in all cases the majority in each church, whether for or against the forego- ing propositions, retain the regular daj'S of meeting, and the church book. Should the minority in any case require it, they shall be entitled to the use of the house two days in every month, selecting for themselves any other day, Saturday and Sunday, than those upon which the majority meet.' "These propositions were given to Bro. Sebree, who on Mon- day morning before the association met, submitted them to El- der Redding. After reading them Elder Eedding remarked that, in behalf of his brethren he would agree to the last, but would have nothing to do with the others. At a suitable moment Broth- er Sebree remarked to the association that he had three prop- ositions to offer, which he would read. He wished to have the first adopted. It was his first choice. If that was defeated he would offer the second, as he preferred it to the third ; but if he could not obtain the second he would then offer the third, as the only alternative left them. He then read the propositions, but before he could offer the first. Elder Redding moved the adop- tion of the third, and met with a second, whereby Bro. S. was forestalled. To effect his object he moved to amend, by substi- tuting the first instead of the third. It was the fixed pui'pose of Elder Redding and the anti brethren to avoid the question, whether they would be governed by the principles of the gener- al union, and they would have succeeded if Bro. Sebree had been ignorant of the principles of parliamentary proceedings. The amendment forced the association to decide, and the question be- ing taken, whether they were willing to live upon the j^rinciples of the United Baptists in the United States, it was carried in the negative. Bro. Sebree then moved the adoption of his second proposition, which was refused, and the liberty of conscience clearly denied. The question recurring upon the adoption of the third, it was carried in the afiirmative. The missionary party then retired, and having lio disposition to interrupt those who occu- pied the house, adjourned to meet with the Mt. Moriah Church on the fourth Saturday in October succeeding. "It should be remembered that no church in the association had taken any action on the subject of missions. There were, perhaps, not more than thirty, certainly not more than fifty, per- Mt. pleasant association. 167 sons in the whole association that belonged to the Central Soci- ety, and no one of these had introduced the subject into the church of which he was a member. We have called one party- missionary only for the sake of .distinction, for in truth a large portion, if not a large majority of those so styled had never belong- ed to any benevolent society, and stood opposed to missionary op- erations. The question which caused the division was whether liberty of conscience should be granted; and all who were in the affirmative were then and still are called missionaries. We have remarked that when this question was fairly put and decid- ed in the negative, the minority withdrew and adjourned to a future da}". Both parties claimed to occupy original ground, and each styled itself the Mt. Pleasant Association." (R. S. T. in Mo. Bap., June, 1843.) Note please the closing sentence of the foregoing quotation: *' Both parties claimed to occupy original ground, and each styled itself the Mt. Pleasant Association." As a historian, we are compelled to follow one party or the other, or to reject both as the original Mt. Pleasant Association. We have no personal interest in this matter, and without hesitation shall be governed by the facts. What are they ? 1st. Mt. Pleasant Association was organized upon the princi- ples of " United Baptists," and so continued i;ntil 1835. 2d. In 1835, when the trouble came up on missions, the oppos- ers rejected the original basis or constitution, while the friends of missions — the minority — stood upon the said basis or consti- tution. 3d. The anti-mission party changed the old constitution, drop- ped the name "United Baptists," and took the name "Old School Baptists." Upon the other hand, the missionary party did, and to this day do, retain the original name and constitution. AVith these facts before us we shall follow in these sketches the missionarj^ piirty as the real, true and original Mt. Pleasant Association, and regard the Old School Mt. Pleasant Association as originating in 1835, and in due time continue the history from said date. "Associations among the Baptists with their present name and model, originated in Wales between two and three hundred years ago, and are really human inventions with no ecclesiasti- cal power whatever. And so lojig as a Baptist association is regarded as a voluntary society, with no ecclesiastical power over any body, made up for useful and religious purposes, com- 168 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. posed of messengers from the churches thus united, whose privi- lege is to devise measures for all good and lawful purposes that individual churches may and can do, all is well. The trouble usually has arisen from resolutions to prohibit or require action on the subject of missions and other objects of Christian benev- olence." (J. M. Peck in Christian Hepository.) The trouble in the Mt. Pleasant Association mainly grew out of the fact that some of the members of some of its churches Bad united with the Central Society for missionary purposes. A portion of the association was so bitterly opposed to said society and the object of its organization, that they determined to with- draw fellowship from all who had countenanced the society, on the ground that it was a human invention and unauthorized in the Scriptures. These brethren were no doubt honest in their opposition to the Central Society, but it does seem strange that they could not also see that Baptist associations are as really hu- man inventions as are mission societies. The following extract is from the doings of the old Welsh As- sociation, the first of modern times: "In the association held at Swansea in 1654, the church at Llantrisaint proposed to assist the church at Abergavenny, now Llanwenarth, to support their minister, which also they did. From the messenger of Llantrisaint, also, the proposal to revive the ancient order of things came the preceding year; that is, to encourage and support the missionary cause." (His. Welsh Bap., by Davis, p. 85.) - The anti-missionarj^ Baptists claim that the missionary enter- prise is a " modern invention." They, no doubt, think that it is ', but the very opposite is true. Missions are as old as Chris- tianity— no new thing, not even among the Baptists. ' By the foregoing extract we learn that over 200 years ago the Welsh Baptists promoted missions, and considered the|" missionary cause" a part of the "ancient order of things.'^ We hope the reader will not pass on without carefully reading the quotation again. The oldest Baptists this side of the bloody age— the times of persecution, when Grod's true witnesses lived in seclu- sion to escape the cruelties of the Eomish Church — were mission- ary Baptists. Tell it to all around you, and wherever you go. The real old school, or primitive Baptists, in every age of eccle- siastical history, have been the most zealous supporters of mis- sions, home and foreign. This is written advisedly ; we know whereof we affirm. Mt. pleasant association. 16d The Welsh Baptists may be considered the fathers of the Eng- lish Baptists, wlio were also missionary. Abundant proof of this might be adduced, but our space forbids more than the fol- lowing: The General Assembly of Particular Baptists of Eng- land and Wales met in the city of London in 1689. The follow- ing action was taken on the third day of the meeting: "After solemnly seeking the Lord, considered and concluded that a public fund or stock was necessary toward maintaining and sup- porting a regular ministry, and came to a resolution how to raise it, and unanimously concluded that it should be raised by a free will offering; that every person should communicate according to his abilitj^, and as the Lord shall make him willing and en- large his heart, and that the churches severally among them- selves do order the collection of it with all convenient speed, that the ends proposed may be put into present practice." The uses to which this public fund or stock were to be applied are as follows: " 1st. To communicate thereof to those churches that are not able to maintain their own ministry, and that their ministers may be encouraged wholly to devote themselves to the great work of preaching the gospel. 2d. To send ministers that are ordained, or at least solemnly called, to preach both in city and country where the gospel hath or hath not yet been preached, and to visit the churches, and these to be chosen out of the churches in London or the country, which ministers are to be approved of and sent forth by two churches at the least, but more if it may be." (^Crosby's Hist. Eng. Bap., vol. Ill, pp. 251-'2.) The foregoing is submitted without note or comment. The great American Baptist brotherhood almost boast of their descent from the English Particular Baptists. The first and old- est Baptist churches and associations of America were mission- ary Baptists. The old Philadelphia, the Warren, the Charles- ton and the Kehukee associations, all had missionary plans for promoting the spread of the gospel. Wo submit the following testimony on this subject: The Philadelphia Association was the first formed in Amer- ica, having been constituted in 1707. In the minutes of 1750 the following action is recorded : " The association, taking into con- sideration the advantages and benefits that will arise to the in- terests of religion and the cause we profess, from a public fund or stock in bank, * * * Ave have concluded to acquaint the several congregations we belong to with the proposal, that if it 170 MT. PLEASANT AS'SOCIAITOK. seem meet to them to further so good a purpose by sending in yearly such sums as the Lord shall bless them with, and incline their hearts to contribute, that a beginning be made against next year." Again at the session of 1771, "A motion being made relative to the appointment of an evangelist, * * * five ministers were put in nomination for the office, viz. : Eev. Messrs. John Gano, Benjamin Miller, Samuel Jones, David Jones, Morgan Edwards. The choice fell on the last, which he accepted on the conditions then specified," There were not twenty thousand Baptists in the United States (colonies) when these efforts at evangelization were made. We now turn to the Charleston Association, formed in 1751. This also was a missionary body, shown from the following: "In 1755 the association, taking into consideration the desti- tute condition of many places in the interior settlements of this and the neighboring states (then provinces), recommend to the churches to make contributions for the support of a missionary to itinerate in those parts." {Benedict's His. Bap., first edition, Yol. II, p. 135.) The old Kehukee Association of North Carolina originated in 1765. In 1832 it became anti-missionary. It was a missionary bod}^ in its former days, as will appear from the following action of said body in 1786 : " From the frequent requests in the church letters to the asso- ciation, we think it necessary that four ministers be appointed to visit the churches in our connection, each one to go through the churches twice in one year. " For the support of these ministers, we think necessary for the association to advise the congregations thus visited to con- tribute as they may think it to be their duty; and favor the next association with an account of what they shall do for that pur- pose." {Burkitt and Bead's Hist. Kehukee Asso., p. 91.) The foregoing facts will give the reader some idea of the spirit and disposition of the Baptists of the oldest associations on the continent of America relative to the mission work of the de- nomination in that early day. We have given them that all who peruse these pages may have a proper conception of the contro- versies on missions, with which, in these sketches, we shall fre- quently meet. Fidelity to the truth compels us to say that the anti-missionary party were the aggressors in this controversy. There can be, we MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. l7l think, no doubt on this subject, and in confirmation of the truth of "vvhat we say, we refer the reader to the propositions of Uriel Sebree at the meeting in 1835, submitted in behalf of the friends of missions, as follows: " 1st. We are willing to be at peace upon the principles of the United Baptists of the United States ; 2d. We are willing to be at peace, if the association will adhere to the advice given at its last session, yielding to all the liberty of conscience upon the subject of missions." Both these propositions were rejected by the opposers of mis- sions; hence we say they were the aggressors, for both these propositions were reasonable and in perfect harmony with the original principles of the association and of the Baptist denom- ination generall}'. For the reason that we propose giving a history of the Bap- tists of Missouri, not only of what we consider the Eegular or Primitive Baptist denomination, but of the entire Baptist name, we have given the foregoing facts. And further, it is but justice to say that the Baptists, commonly called Missionary Bap- tists, as a people, have never yet declared non-fellowship for the Anti-missionaries (this might have been done in some cases); but this is just what the last named party has done toward the former. After all efforts to secure harmony in the association had fail- ed, those adhering to the original platform, being in the minor- ity, quietly withdrew, held a temporary session and adjourned; and on the fourth Saturday of the following October (1835) met at the Mt. Moriah meeting-house, Howard County, and held the seventeenth annual session of the Mt. Pleasant Association, properly so-called. In the meeting harmony prevailed. There were represented the following Churches. — Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Zion, Silver Creek, Bethel, Chari- ton, Mt. Gilead, Mt. Moriah, Sugar Creek, Friendship, Otter Creek, Union — 11 in all. Ministers. — Elds. Fielding Wilhoite, William Duncan, Thomas Fristoe, E. Foley, W. H. Mansfield and A. J. Bartee. Total church membership, 574. Of the preachers who continued with the old Mount Pleasant Association, we have sketches of but four. Of Elder Foley we have been unable to gather any information. Eld. A. J. Bartee was cotemporary with Elds. Fristoe and Wilhoite, and in company with the latter made extended preaching excursions 172 Mt. pleasant association. in the newly settled districts in Upper Missouri in 1834-'5. He died soon after the split in the association. Grout prosperity followed the division. Elds. Thomas Fristoe, Wm. Duncan and Fielding Wilhoite took the field. They went from church to church preaching the gospel ; an extensive revival of religion followed, hundreds of willing converts were added to the Lord, and the churches fast increased in numbers. Eld. Alvin P. Wil- liams, then living in Cooper County, came over and helped them in these meetings, and their mutual labors were abundantly blessed. New churches were formed and old ones were greatly increased in strength and efficiency, and the Mt. Pleasant Asso- ciation was again a large and influential body. From 1835 to 1843 the following churches were added : Bethlehem, Huntsville, Fayette, Keytesville, Big Spring, Highland, Bear Creek, Eben- ezer, Eichland, Blanket Grove, New Providence, Mt. Salem, Mt. Tabor, Shiloh, Ten Mile, Pleasant Grove, and the membership increased to 1,950. The session in 1848 was held at Friendship meeting-house, Howard County. The churches reported 415 baptisms this year. The following additional ministers appear on the list: J.W. Ter- rill, B. Terrill, G. Corey, A. B. Hardy, Jesse Terrill, O. P. Dav- is, L. Ellison, E. Stringer. The churches were located in the counties of Boone, Howard, Eandolph, Chariton, Macon, Adair and Schuyler. A. B. Hardy, B. Terrill and T. Fristoe agreed to attend a meet- ing on the Fabius, the second Saturday in the following October, and help constitute a new association. This was the Middle Fork Association, an account of which will appear in due time. From following these details we shall now turn to contemplate, for a time, a subject more life-like in the sacrifices, devotion and work of some of the ministers of those times. We shall commence with Eld. Thomas Fristoe — one of the pioneers of Central and Upper Missouri, who was born near Knoxville, in East Tennes- see, February 8, 1796. Few men, if any, did more to build up and defend the cause of Christ in Central Missouri than he. Al- most alone, so far as ministerial co-operation was concerned, he stood firm as a rock during the contest on the subject of " mis- sions" and "liberty of conscience" in the Mt. Pleasant Associa- tion; and in his subsequent ministerial life did much to build up the churches in the state. And although he was not equal in culture and executive pulpit ability to some others of his day. MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 173 yet he was not a whit behind any man in devotion and usefulness in the Baptist ranks. Hundreds in "that day" will call him blessed and own him as their spiritual father. Thomas Fristoe was of respectable parentage. His grandfather (Richard Fristoe) and grandmother were natives of Wales and came to this country at an early day. They both belonged to the established church in the colony of Virginia. Four sons were born to them, three of whom, viz. : Daniel, William and Robert, became Baptist preachers. The two former were conspicuous among the early Baptists of Virginia; the latter was the father of him whose name heads this sketch. Not much is known of the early domestic life of young Fris- toe. In the year 1814, when eighteen years old, he enlisted in the war then raging between England and the United States. Young Fristoe was baptized b}^ Jesse Brooks into the fellow- ship of West Fork Church, Todd County, Tennessee. He after- wards baptized, in Missouri, several children of the man who baptized him. He removed to Missouri in 1818, soon after which he began to preach the gospel. On his arrival he became an in- mate of the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Campbell, in Old Chariton, Howard County. While only a licensed preacher, Bro. Fristoe visited Lafayette County, and commenced preaching in that destitute country. There was no Baptist minister nearer than Cooper County. Many persons were hopefully converted and made a public pro- fession of religion, when Eld. Luke Williams was sent for, and came all the way from Cooper County to baptize the converts. He made several trips to Lafayette County for this purpose. These labors on the part of Brethren Fristoe and Williams were blessed to the good of many souls, and in the end a Baptist church was organized — the first in all that upper country — which is now the First Baptist Church in Lexington. These meetings were held before the town was located some two miles from its present site. Brother Fristoe continued his labors in that coun- try until his ordination, which took place at the first meeting of the Fishing River Association, in 1828, having been called for by what is now the first Baptist Church in Lexington, and it was* participated in by Eld. J. B. Longan, Ebenezer Rogers, Kemp Scott and others. Soon after his ordination Eld. Fristoe return- ed to Howard County, where he made his permanent home until his death. About this time (1823) he became pastor of Chariton Church, which relation he sustained for about thirty years. 174 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. In 1824 he married Nancy Jackson, daughter of Congreve Jackson of Kentucky. She was to him a helpmeet indeed, being well adapted to the duties of her station. The fruit of this mar- riage was three sons and two daughters, all of whom made cred- ible professions of religion — one daughter at the age of twelve years. From the beginning of his life as a husband he sustained the family altar. In later years he adopted the custom of hav- ing one of the children read a chapter; he would then interro- gate the whole number as to what was in it, and by this means the attention of each one was secured. In his early ministry, Eld. Fristoe was chosen pastor of Zoar Church, Saline County, where he labored about ten or twelve years most successfully, which fact was evinced by his having baptized during the time some 300 converts. At the close of his thirty years' pastorate at Chariton, the church numbered 250 members. At this place he was succeeded by Eld. William Thompson. During the thirty years next succeeding his ordin- ation and permanent settlement near Glasgow, Howard County, he was pastor of a number of churches far and near, among which may be mentioned Eichland, Mount Zion, Salem and Ara- rat in Howard County, and Fish Creek and Rehoboth in Saline County. Eld. Fielding Wilhoite was his well beloved fellow-la- borer. In addition to his pastoral labors he was accustomed, in company with Eld. Wilhoite, to make preaching excursions to the more recently settled and destitute parts of the state to the north and northwest of his home. In addition to being a good pastor, he was well adapted to the work of a pioneer evangelist. His faithful sermons and earnest exhortations have been heard and felt in many log-cabins and school-houses in the counties of Chariton, Carroll, Linn, Eandolph, Monroe, Lafayette and oth- ers. And many a sin-burdened soul has been led to the feet of the Savior by his counsel, and rejoiced in the hope of sins for- given. The Central Society (now General Association), grew out of these preaching excursions. Elds. Fristoe, Wilhoite and one or two others saw so much need of preaching as they trav- eled over the counties of Randolph, Macon, Monroe and others, •that they held a consultation at the house of Deacon John Jack- son, and resolved upon an effort to form a society for promoting evangelical preaching among the destitute, composed of members from all parts of the state, which was fully consummated in 1835. So that Bro. Fristoe must be regarded as one of the founders of the General Association, the present name of the Central Society, MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 175 As a preacher Elder Fristoe was not remarkably endowed, either as to the graces of delivery or as to mental structure. Nor were his requirements such as he earnestly desired the rising ministry to possess. Reared in a new country, he was to a great extent deprived of the advantages of education. Engaged in the laborious duties of a pioneer preacher and in providing for the wants of his family, there was little time for mental culture and the acquirement of general information. Yet he familiarized him- self with God's word, obtained clear views of its saving doctrines, imbibed its principles, drank deeply of its spirit and bowed his head in humble submission to its authority. He was rich in ex- perience and was deeply impressed with the vast importance of his work. Conscious of his weakness, he habitually implored divine assistance. He once said to me, *' Often, when lining out the hymn, I would all the while be praying, 'Oh Lord, do not let me disgrace Thy glorious cause to-day.' " To glorify God was the end he set before him. Possessed of an unquenchable de- sire for the salvation of souls, he sought the end in the divinely appointed way of calling sinners to repentance. In substance ho thus expressed himself to the writer on different occasions. On his dying bed he exclaimed, " Oh ! the glory of God ! That is the great end • live for that." To these qualifications, and to the worth and influence of the character so faintly outlined above, he added a sweet and affec- tionate address and a zeal that never abated. Thus qualified, he went forth on his mission of love without the prospect of tem- poral remuneration, but strong in faith and earnest in prayer. Here were the elements of success; here the explanation of the lasting impression he has left on the denomination throughout Central Missouri. Multitudes were converted under his preach- ing. Of these he baptized nearly fifteen hundred. Churches were organized and influences set in motion, the benefits of which will be gathered by our people in all the years to come. In the closing days of his life he rejoiced in the denominational progress to which he had so largely contributed, and was in full sympathy with all the more recent activities and enterprises of our people. But he is gone. He died March 2, 1872, without any special form of disease. Without pain he gradually yielded to the burden of years. His faithful wife preceded him about thirteen years, having closed her earthly career in 1859. (In part from a sketch by W. E. Painter in Cmfral Bap., Vol. VII, p. 12.) Eld. Fieldinu Wiluoite — a cotemporary of Thomas Fristoe, 176 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. and who, being identified from the beginning with the General Association, occupied a prominent place among the ministers of the past, was born in Kentucky, April 14, 1799. His father was Sampson Wilhoite, in company with whom he came to Missouri in 1818, and in the year following he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth McQuitty. In the year 1822 he professed religion under the preaching of, and was baptized by, the venerable Peter Woods into the fel- lowship of Bethel (now Walnut Grove) Baptist Church, Boone County, of which he remained a member as long as he lived. About four years after his conversion and baptism he was licens- ed to preach, and about one year later, at the call of the Bethel Church, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry by Elds. Eobert Dale and Elijah Toby. He made the ministry his life work. He traveled over eleven counties, including Boone, Howard, Callaway, Audrain, Eandolph, Macon, Adair and Chari- ton, preaching the gospel to dying men. In his day, ministers more generally followed the apostolic plan, by traveling two and two. Thus did Eld. Wilhoite. He was often the traveling com- panion and co-laborer of Noah Flood, R. S. Thomas, Thos. Fris- toe or A. P. Williams. Fielding Wilhoite was the Apollos — they planted, he watered. His forte was in exhortation. In this he was wonderfully gifted. At times he was said to be almost over- whelming. Entire congregations were sometimes moved under his melting appeals. In his labors with Dr. A. P. Williams he seemed especially fitted. They had "gifts diifering," yet they were not divided. The solid and convincing arguments of Wil- liams, followed by the gushing pathos of Wilhoite, seldom failed of immediate good results. In those earlier days ministers often made "preaching excur- sions," in which they would travel many miles and visit and hold meetings in many neighborhoods. We now invite the reader to follow us in one of these excursions. Not very late in the summer of 1839 three horsemen wore seen wending their way across the country toward the present town of Carrollton (then a mere village), where they had an appoint- ment to preach. Just before reaching the village they met a man (Benjamin Ely, father of Lewis B. Ely) who informed them that no appointment had been made. Benjamin Ely was a Bap- tist, and of course very cheerfully invited these travelers to go home with him, which they did, and were well cared for until morning. MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 177 Our horsemen were Elds. Fielding Wilhoite, Thomas Fristoe and Alton F. Martin, then a young preacher. Next morning our three missionaries were early in town and called on a Baptist hotel keeper by name of Freeman, from Virginia. They asked him about the chances for a meeting. He answered : "To be candid, I think a very poor chance. Presbyterians and Metho- dists have tried and failed — tlie Baptists need not tiy at all. In fact this town is called 'The Devil's Headquarters.'" But this was the kind of place our little band was hunting, in which to work. In the town was a log-house used as a court-house. Leave was obtained to hold meeting there. A meeting for a certain hour in the afternoon was announced, and they got brooms and went and cleaned up the old court-house; then retired to rest, meditate and pray. Only twelve persons were present at the meeting in the afternoon ; but at night the house was full. In a few days, such was the throng that they had to move out into the grove, and by the following Lord's day a number of persons were at the ** mourner's bench." Old Bro. Freeman, who had grown cold, was among the penitents. Quite a number of con- verts were baptized as the fruit of the meeting, and a Baptist church organized. This was the beginning of the Carrollton Church. Eld. Wilhoite and his companions journeyed northward up Grand Eiver. They stopped at a little village called Knave Town late one afternoon, in the forks of Grand Eiver near the line of Grundy County. There was no meeting-house and they were directed to a little log school-house about one-fourth of a mile from the village, and arrived just as school was dismissed. They asked the teacher if they could have meeting there that night. He readily assented, and it was announced to the child- ren, who stood around listening attentively to the strangers. One little boy, about twelve years old, stepped up and said, " Won't you go home with me ? My father and mother are Bap- tists." They of course went, and met with a cordial reception, and all ate a hearty supper, after which they returned to the place of meeting and found the house and yard filled with peo- ple, eager to hear what the men of God had to say. Quite a num- ber went forward for prayer that night, and before the meeting closed some twelve or fifteen professed conversion. The baptiz- ing was left for a Brother ^Merrill to do, whom our missionaries met at the meeting, and who soon after gathered a little church, which became a constituent of North Grand River Association. 12 178 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. Fielding Wilhoite was one of the most useful ministers of Cen- tral Missouri. He witnessed the conversion of nearly four thou- sand souls in his day, a large number of whom he baptized. From the field of his ministry have gone out quite a number of useful preachers, among whom might be named Dr. S. H. Ford, Tyree C. Harris, his brother E. H. Harris and others. He was one of the founders of the "Central Society" — now the General Association; was in the first meeting in 1834, and was quite prominent in the contest in Mt, Pleasant Association on the missionary question. As is common with men of his temperament and manner of preaching, after about twentj'-five years of active ministerial life his health gave way. He lived for some years after this event in his life, but, on account of infirmity, was never able to do much preaching after the year 1852 or '53. His death occurred in November, 1872. He suffered from nervous disease twenty or thirty years. He had three apoplectic strokes, and under the third he died. He had often praj'ed that he might retain his consciousness up to his death, but God willed it otherwise. He now rests from his labors. Eld. Ebenezer Eogers — whose life in some respects was an eventful one, and who emigrated to the Boone's Lick country in 1819, and spent fifteen years of the best part of his ministerial life as a pioneer in Upper Missouri, was the eldest child of Wil- liam aiid Cecilia Eogers, born March 16, 1788, near Newport, Monmouth County, South Wales. His ancestors had lived in the same neighborhood for centuries, and, as far back as 1715, were staunch Baptists, connected with the church at Blaina from the earliest times. He landed in America in the fall of 1818, intending to return in a few months, but an overruling Providence ordered it other- wise. In his travels, prosecuting his business, he became the welcome guest of Benjamin Edwards, a very distinguished Bap- tist of Nelson County, Ky., and father of Dr. B. F. Edwards, so well known about St. Louis. While he sojourned in Kentucky he preached with great acceptance and success in different towns and counties. While in this state he formed the acquaintance of Eev, James E. Welch, then a young minister, who thus describes the interview (see Western Watchman, Vol. VII, No. 41): "While at the meeting of the Elkhorn Association in 1818, 1 first became acquainted with the Eev. Ebenezer Eogers, who had but a few weeks before landed upon our shores direct from Wales, his na- MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION, 179 tive country. I was delighted with the man at my first inter- view. His open frankness, simplicity and softness of manners, interested all who formed his acquaintance." In May, 1819, in company with Hon. Cyrus Edwards and his newly married wife, he started on a visit to the Territory of Missouri. Traveling by steamboats and railway cars was then scarcely thought of in the \Yest, and public stage coaches were very rare in the Mississij)pi Valley. With his traveling compan- ions in a private vehicle and he on horseback, the trip was made. This was a new mode of life to the young "Welsh graduate just from the metropolis of old England. Upper Missouri was then thinly settled and almost destitute of preachers, and being in the prime of early manhood, enrich- ed with a liberal education and animated with aspirations to do good, he saw a field of usefulness opened before him, which, though not sought by him, he coxild not refuse to enter. He at once commenced his labors, traveling from settlement to settle- ment and preaching the gospel to the settlers in their rude log- cabins or in the shade of forest trees in the open air. Blessings in rich profusion were poured out u]>on these primitive assem- blies. The first church organized under the labors of Eld. Rog- ers was at Chariton, Howard County, consisting of 19 members. This church was in the old town of Chariton, at the mouth of the river of the same name and just north of the Missouri Eiver, a short distance west of the present town of Glasgow. Mr. Rog- ers was chosen first pastor of Chariton Church and so continued for a period of five years. He generally preached to four churches, often from fifteen to twenty miles apart; and not alone to the churches of which he was pastor did he confine his labors, but made occasional tours to the settlements east, west, north and south, to the distance of forty to fifty, and sometimes a hun- dred miles from home. He made frequent preaching excursions during the warm season, and taught school during the fall and winter as a means of support. It is said that he was the first gospel ])reacher whose voice was heard west of Grand River. He aided in oi'gani/.iiig sotuc f^O churches and several associa- tions. In August, 1834, he toolc a proiiiinent part in the ]ir('lini- inary meeting of the General Association, and in Novemlier of that year ho removed to V])])er Alton. Sev<'ral j'ears before his death he had his own monument erected, fully inscribed, except the date of his death. lie did this, he said, "To familiarize myself with death." He died at Upper Alton, 111., May 25, 1854. 180 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. Eld. Wm H. Mansfield. — Another who came into Mt. Pleasant Association in an early day was Wm. II. Mansfield, a brief sketch of whose life was furnished by Eld. W. L. T. Evans, as follows : " Eld. William H. Mansfield was born October 2, 1790, in Albe- marle County, Virginia; moved to Missouri in the fall of 1831 ; professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the year 1823, and having been raised by Methodist parents and sprinkled in in- fancy, he had grave doubts in regard to his baptism; and being much concerned about some Baptist peculiarities, he betook him- self to reading the Bible; and in about a year after his conver- sion he was baptized in the likeness of his Savior's death by Eld. John Goss, and united with Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Orange County, Ya. He was licensed in 1831, and preached his first sermon at Mt. Hermon, Howard County, the church he united with on his arrival in Missouri. He subsequently remov- ed his membership to Chariton Church, by which church he was ordained to the full work of the ministry, Elds. Fielding Wil- hoite, William Duncan and Thomas Fristoe acting as an ordain- ing council. Eld. Mansfield was pastor of Silver Creek Church, Eandolph County, about twelve years; supplied Otter Creek, Monroe County, for a time, also Pleasant Grove Church for two or three years. After the consolidation of Pleasant Grove and Mt. Ararat Churches and the formation of Mt. Olive Church, he preached for said church for many years. Father Mansfield as- sisted in the constitution of three churches and labored in the counties of Randolph, Chariton, Howard and Monroe with great acceptability, and the Lord blessed his labors abundantly. "He has been living at his present home — one mile north of Eoanoke, Howard County — over forty years [this was written in 1872], beloved and respected by all who knew him. His aged companion, with whom he has lived nearly fifty-five years, is still spared to comfort him with her presence. His health has been somewhat feeble for several years, but his mental faculties seem to be unimpaired, and it is his delight to converse with his brethren and talk of his prospects for the better land. Ilis mem- bership is now at Roanoke, and when his health will admit of it he attends, and his presence always encourages his brethren and sisters. The issue of his only marriage was eleven children, all of whom he lived to see make a ])rofession of religion and be- come consistent members of the Baptist denomination, save one. One son, P. J. Mansfield, became an earnest and zealous preach' ^r in the Mt. Pleasant Association," Mt. pleasant association. 181 Tibe aged Mansfield was still living in Xovcmber, 1878, but has feince died, the particulars of which we have asked for, but have failed to secure. Eld. Jesse Terrtll. — Another minister who moved into the bounds of the Mt. Plea.sant Association just after the "split," was Jesse Tcrrill, a man full of the Holy Ghost, strong in the faith, and whose influence is yet felt in that part of the state which constituted the field of his labors. Jesse Terrill was a native of the state of Virginia, born in Al- bemarle County, January 12, 1805. His parents, Robert and Mary Terrill, moved to and settled in Boone County, Ky., when he was a little bo}^ three years old. He professed religion and joined the Baptist Church at Bullctsburg, Ky., when he was only thirteen years of age. He sought and won the heart and hand of Miss Abigail "Wal- ton, of Boone County, Ky., to whom he was married in the year 1826, and of whom were born to him nine children, an only son, the rest daughters. The son and one daughter died several years ago. Of the six married daughters one became the devoted wife of Eld. W. L. T. Evans, of Randolph County. In November, 1832, he was ordained a minister, the council consisting of Elds. Wm. Whitaker, Joseph Botts and Francis Craig, at the call of Dry Creek Church. After his ordination he was chosen pastor of East Bend Church, and so remained until his removal from Kentucky. No more is known of his minis- terial life in that state. Late in the j^ear 1836, in company with two of his brothers, James and Benjamin Terrill, he emigrated to Missouri and set- tled in Randolph County, not far from the town of Roanoke. Here he lived until he died. He was pastor of churches loca- ted in Central Missouri, as follows: Friendship, Howard Coun- ty, thirteen years ; Union, Randol])h County, three years; Eben- ezer, in Randolph County, till death ; Sweet Spring, same county, three years; Silver Creek, same county, three years; Mt. Gil- ead and Moniteau churches, two to four years. It can bo truly said that no pastor was ever more tenderly loved by his people than was Jesse Tcrrill. The following inci- dent will confirm this statement. In the year 1839 the Ebenez- er (now Higbee) Church called him as her pastor, in which re- lation he continued until his health gave way about three years before his death ; he then sent in his resignation, being unable longer to attend the meetings; but the church refuscii to accept 182 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. his resignation, saying that nothing but death should separate them as pastor and people. He was a very punctual pastor, seldom missing an appoint- ment. In a thirteen years' pastorate at Friendship Church, Howard County, he is said to have been absent on only three occasions. His labors were abundantly blessed to the good of the Baptist interests in Howard, Eandolph, Chariton, Macon and Monroe counties; and he Avas regarded by all who knew him as " one of the good men of the earth." For ten years — from 1859 — Jesse Terrill was the venerated moderator of the Mt. Pleasant Association. Being a man of sound judgment, executive ability, and characterized by decision, punctuality and uniformity, coupled with a broad charity for all, he commanded the highest esteem and won the warmest Chris- tian affection of all who knew him. For the last three 3-cars of his life he was confined to his room, but bore his sufferings with meekness and resignation. He died at his residence in Randolph County, February 2, 1873, and was buried in the old family graveyard. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. S. Y. Pitts, of Huntsville, a large congregation of people being present to participate in and witness the ser- vices. ExD. Benjamin Terrill — a younger brother of Eld. Jesse Terrill, and one of the good and useful men of his day, was a na- tive of Boone County, Kentucky. He Avas born on the 7th of May, 1811. A few years prior to his birth his parents, Robert and Mary Terrill, emigrated from Albemarle County, Virginia. In early life he was the subject of Divine grace, and at the age of 14 years was hopefully converted and baptized into the fel- lowship of BuUetsburg Baptist Church, by Elder Absalom Graves. In the 22nd year of his age he was married to Miss Frances M. Bishop, who only lived about three years after this event. On the 2nd day of June, 1836, he was again married to Miss Deblah S. Crisler, of Boone County, Kentucky. The fruit of this mar- riage was four sons and two daughters reared to maturity, all of whom became members of the Baptist denomination. One of the four sons, James W. Terrill, is a Baptist minister of great pow- er. He was former president of Mt. Pleasant Baptist College, and greatly distinguished himself at the head of that institution. In fact, as a teacher he was, perhaps, the most remarkable man we ever saw in the school-room. He is now, we believe, at Win I MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 188 Chester, Tennessee. Another and younger son, A. W. Terrill, for several years distinguished himself as president of Hardin College at Mexico, Mo. Benjamin Terrill, from the time of his conversion, at the early age of 14 years, often had impressions in regard to the ministry. But his extreme youthfulncss, coupled with the fact that he had not even a good English education deterred him for some time from entering upon the work. In the fall of 1836, in company with his wife and two broth- ers, James and Jesse Terrill, he removed to Missouri and settled in Randolph County, near the present town of Moberly, where he remained until a few years ago. At the time of his settle- ment in Randolph County, he found but few Baptists in that part of the state. The nearest Baptist church to him was Mt. Ararat, in Howard County, with which he and his wife sought and ob- tained membership. He at once gave his influence to the build- ing up of Baptist interests in Randolph and adjoining counties. His attention was first turned to the centers of influence. On the 27th of August, 1837, he and seven others formed the new church at Huntsvillc, under the ministry of Elds. Fielding Wil- hoite, Thos. Fristoe and Wm. H. Mansfield. Subsequently he moved his membership to Union Church, four miles east of his residence. The meetings of this church were held at the house of Deacon P. T. Oliver. By the authority of this church he was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry on the second Sat- urday in November, 1838, the presbytery consisting of Elder Jesse Terrill — his older brother — and Deacons P. T. Oliver, D. D. Crews and Elijah Benton. When Eld. Terrill entered the field — which ho did immediately upon being ordained — the "Ma- cedonian cry" came to him from almost every quarter. He real- ly became the pioneer in his field, and as rapidly as ho could, responded to the calls upon him to " come over and help us." He traveled and preached the gospel from Monroe to Schuyler County, and aided in forming a number of churches in this vast field. The following may be named : Shiloh (now Moberly), Sweet Spring, Iligbee, Thomasville, Union, and Mt. Vernon in Randolph County; Hickory Grove and Oak Grove in Monroe County; Mt. Salem and Ten Mile in Macon County; and High- land in Schuyler County. Within the territory of many of these churches. Eld. Terrill was the first Baptist minister who preach- ed the gospel and baptized. At the time of Eld. Terrill's early ministry, Missouri was one 1S4 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. vast missionary field. He, for the greater part of the time dur- ing the crop season, was compelled to labor on his farm during the "week, and preach Saturda3-s and Sundays. As soon as crops were laid by, he took the field at his own charges, and toiled day and night, pointing sinners to the Lamb of God. In this way he held a great number of meetings in the school-houses, cabins of the settlers, or under the trees of the forest, and had the exquis- ite pleasure of rejoicing with hundreds of happy converts, most of whom he baptized. Bro. Terrill was a sound gospel preacher, and though not a man of "great learning," was possessed of a natively strong mind. His views of "salvation by grace" were very decided. He held no mixed views, but had clear conceptions of Divine truth. He was a genial companion in the social circle, and always delight- ed to talk about Christ and his salvation. A little more than four years before his death, his health be- gan to fail. His disease was what is properly known as " heart disease." He gradually became more and more feeble, but en- dured it all without a word of complaint. About four years be- fore he died, he thus wrote: "I am looking at the sun as she fast moves to the West. I sometimes feel like I have a home in heaven, and as soon as I enter the door I expect to cry, Grace, grace" He died at the residence of his son, President A. W. Ter- rill, of Mexico, at 9 o'clock p. m., June 17th, 1877 ; and his re- mains were carried to his old home, one mile from Moberly, and buried in the family graveyard. One word more. The Terrill family of Central Missouri have been a power for doing good ; not surpassed, probably, by any family in the state. CHAPTER YI. MOUNT PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. (Concluded.) Plan of Domestic Missions — William Duncan — Parting Scenes — From tbe Pulpit to the Grave — The Slavery Question — Addison M. Lewis — The Huguenot Lawyer — James Porter — Union with Anti-Missionary Baptists — Y. R. Pitts, His Last Hours and Sudden Death — T. W. Terrill— S. Y. Pitts— G. W. Robey— J. B. Weber- Sketches of Bee Branch, Clift\on, Friendship, Huntsville, Hickory Grove, Mobcrly, Mt. Horeb, Mt. Shiloh, Mt. Salem, Salisbury and other Churches. '' A LEEADY have we seen that the decade immediately suc- -jlJl. eeedingthe division gave to the churches Jesse and Benja- min Terrill, Addison Lewis, Joshua Terrill, Wm. Duncan, Green Carey, T. S. Allen, John Roan and B. Anderson as ministers. During the same period the association nearly quadrupled its membership, the years 1839-'40-'41 furnishing by baptism 327, 203 and 415 additions, respectively. The churches during this time began to move out on two lines of progress, viz. : missions and ministerial education. In 1839, at Mt. Gilead, a committee of which Stephen Wilhite was chairman, entertaining a deep sense of the need of educating the rising ministry, recommended to the association a proposition which was adopted, setting forth the propriety and practicability of establishing a theological seminary in the state ; and asking co-operation of Baptist church- es and associations throughout the state in the enterprise. Thus was agitated the wave that led the General Association to adopt in 1846 a plan for the erection and endowment of Wm. Jewell College at Liberty, and here Dr. Wm. Jewell found in Wade M. Jackson, Eoland Hughes, Uriel Sebree, Noah Kingsbury, Noah Flood, Addison Lewis and the AVilhites its warmest friends and efficient supporters." * At the session of 1843 the Mt. Pleasant Association adopted measures for raising funds to aid young men in studying for the ministry ; and a committee was appointed to examine such as might be recommended to them as beneficiaries, consisting of A. B. Hardy, Eoland Hughes, Wade M. Jackson, F. Wilhoitc and Wm. Duncan. The committee was styled the "Educational Com- * Eld. S. Y. Pitts in Central Baptist, Vol. XIV, No. 23. ~~ 186 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. mittee of Mt. Pleasant Association." Some few of the churches seemed yet to be unsettled in regard to the General Association. They had grave doubts as to whether the real design of said association was understood, although its aims were explicitly stated in its constitution. A large majority were in favor of becoming auxiliary to the said General Association, but for the sake of the little remaining disaffection action was deferred, and all were advised to acquaint themselves with the real purposes of that body. The Condensing Committee say: "In all our let- ters we hear a salutary expression in reference to Sunday-schools and Bible classes." The association held meetings regularly; attended to the usual routine of business, with occasional "forward movements." The old mother church, Mt. Pleasant, Howard County, entertained the meeting of 1844; Huntsville was the place of meeting in 1845; Ebenezer, Eandolph County, in 1846; Mt. Zion, Howard County, in 1847; and back to Eandolph County with Shiloh Church, in 1848 ; and in 1849 it met at Mt. Olive, Howard Coun- ty. During all this time Uriel Sebree was moderator, and John Swetnam clerk. The minutes show a good degree of prosper- ity in quite a number of the churches ; 261 baptisms were re- ported; number of churches, 25; total membership, 2,043. The plan of domestic missionary operations adopted this year, consisted of two parts : 1st. The churches were pledged by their messengers for a specified amount of money for missionary work the ensuing year, to be paid at the next meeting; 2d. An executive board was appointed, consisting of the moderator, treasurer, clerk and three other brethren, whose duty was annually to appoint a mis- sionary or missionaries to ride in the bounds of the body ; said board was to perform its duties without any pecuniary consider- ation and report annually to the association. The following item of business will be of interest to many: " Settled with corresponding members. Eld. Jesse Terrill was allowed $4; B. Terrill, $8, and M. M. Modisett, $7." (Note. — The above named plan of domestic missions may have been adopted in 1848 instead of 1849. We have not the minutes of 1848 before us, and from the records of 1849 see that pledges for missions were made the preceding year.) Eev. William Duncan. — " This deservedly popular minister of the gospel attended for the last time the association in 1846. At that session he preached on Monday, the last day of the meet- MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIAl^ION. 187 ing, and was taken sick while in the puljiit, but could still travel, and rode home the same day a distance of some 20 miles ; he was immediately confined to his bed and died on the following Sat- urday, October 10, 1846, of congestive fever. The meeting was held this year at Ebenezer Church, Eandolph County. " William Duncan was born in Amherst County, Virginia, February 22, 1776. Ilis parents, John and Sarah T. Duncan, were highly respectable residents of that county. His father was a Baptist minister. At the age of 20 years he became the subject of religious influence, and was converted and united with the Baptists, and at once entered upon the work of the ministry. He was very soon recognized as a young man giving promise of usefulness. Early in his ministry he was called to the pastoral care of as many churches as he could serve. In this capacity he labored with Ebenezer, Mt. Moriah and Pedlar Churches, in Am- herst County, and Rock Fish and Jonesborough, in Nelson County. The first four of these churches he is said to have served about 34 years. He labored with fidelity and eminent success, until his removal from Virginia. Large numbers were brought into the fold of Christ through his instrumentality, so that his churches were the largest and most influential in the Albemarle Association."* He was married quite young, in his native county, to Miss Sal- ly Henly, by whom he had eight children, two sons and six daughters. Three of the daughters are dead. The sons are in Missouri; one of whom, Dr. W. H. Duncan, is a physician. In the latter part of the year 1830 he emigrated to Missouri, leaving behind him four churches he had served about thirty-four years. These churches he left amid the pleadings, remonstrances and tears of all, to follow his children to the West. He settled in Callaway County, where he lived for eight years, faithfully pursuing his ministerial work. "He then moved to Howard County, where he served five churches, acting a part of the time as domestic missionary, and thus filling up his time in the min- istry until the close of his life."f Besides his pastoral Avork he traveled over a large portion of Central North Missouri preaching the gospel, and no man ever held a more enviable place in the aff'ections of the people to whom he ministered. Two incidents will serve as illustrations on this subject. The first is his departure from his churches in Virginia, thus described by an eye-witness: * Virginia Baptist Ministers, by Taylor, p. 312. f Ibid., 312. 188 Mt. pleasant association. " I shall never forget his valedictory sermons to those churcli- es. The lamentations of his flock he had so long fed on spirit- ual food, in fact the sorrow pervading the whole congregation, surpassed anything of the kind I had ever witnessed, or ever expect to witness. This speaks in language not to be misunder- stood, as to the estimation in which he was held by his churches, and his congregation generally. But not so loudly as when he was solicited, after locating in Missouri, to return to Virginia and take charge of his old churches at any cost he might assess them ; and was also offered the finest farm in that section of country with everything to make him comfortable." All this he declined and remained in Missouri. The other incident is this : When the news of his death reach- ed Huntsville, Eandolph County, where he had been pastor the last eight years of his life, the circuit court was in session; which, on motion, was immediately adjourned. His pulpits also, both at Huntsville and in all the churches where he was pastor, were draped in mourning. William Duncan was an eloquent preacher, with much more than ordinary talent and influence. "His views were enlarged and liberal." Born in the times of our Eevolution, Eld. Duncan was one of the connecting links between the present and the past — a repre- sentative of another age; zealous and vigilant of the interest and progress of the Baptist denomination. " Fidelity to friends, noble and generous impulses, devotion to wife, children and all, gushed from the fountain of a clear and strong judgment, the streams of which fertilized the actions of his life. And more still, he cultivated the minor as well as the greater virtues. His presence was seen in everything useful and honorable within his reach. He was frequently urged to become a candidate for Con- gress and as frequently declined the honor, preferring to spend his time in his Master's vineyard rather than to mingle with the rabble." The last sixteen years of his life were spent in Missouri. And although he died at the advanced age of 70 years, he literally went from the pulpit to the grave, as the circumstances of his death already spoken of show. He had clear views of Bible doc- trine and was a sound gospel preacher. During the decade commencing with 1850, the Mt. Pleasant Association held regular annual meetings in the following or- der : Mt. Gilead, Howard County ; Keytesville, Chariton Coun- MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 189 tyj Sweet Spring, Eandolph County j Bethlehem, Boone County ; Huntsville; Sugar Creek, Boone County; Chariton, Howard Count}-; Huntsville; New Hope, Chariton County; Eoanokc, Howard County. New churches admitted as follows: In 1850 Little Bethel; 1851, New Hope and Eocheport; 1852, Liberty, Middle Fork and Oak Grove; 1853, Mt. Horeb (Boone County), Lebanon, Yellow Creek and Boonsborough ; 1855, Prairie Val- ley; 1856, Muscle Fork and Mt. Salem; 1857, Mt. Moriah and Pleasant Hope; 1858, Bethany; and in 1859, Zion, Mt. Vernon, Hays' Eidge and Union. The association now numbered 40 churches, with an aggregate membership of 3,184. It was an active missionary body, having exjjendcd for itiner- ant missionary work over $3,000 during this period. The amount of salary usually paid missionaries was from §20 to §50 a month. In 1854 the citizens of Huntsville founded Mt. Pleasant Col- lege and offered the control of it to the association. The prop- osition was accepted, and steps Avere at once taken to secure a charter, erect suitable buildings and collect funds for endow- ment. This association was now, without doubt, one of the most efficient institutions of the kind in the state. Poland Hughes, a leading member of the association and its moderator since 1850, died between the sessions of 1854 and 1855. Broad and comprehensive views were taken of educational interests in the following action at the session of 1856 : ^^ Resolved, That this association recommend William Jewell College as a state institution, that should rise above sectional and local feelings and prejudices, and be the first object of our prayers, energy and contributions, and that we cordially invite the agent of the board of trustees into our midst to raise an en- dowment." In 1857 the American Tract Society manifested quite a dispo- tion to interfere with the institution of slavery in the Southern States. The news of this event reached the Mt. Pleasant Asso- ciation through the Big Hatcheo Association of United Baptists of Tennessee, in the same year, whereupon the Mt. Pleasant As- sociation adopted resolutions as follows: " Resolved, That we recommend to all Christians and patriots that they withdraw their patronage from the American Tract Society. " Rtsolced, That we recommend to all the members of the Bap- tist churches that, in the future, the}' discountenance the efforts of the colporteurs of said society in our midst, and that they 190 MX. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. purchase books and tracts of our own publication societies in tha South. " Resolved, That we recommend to all our sister associations in the state and throughout the South, to take a similar position with reference to the American Tract Society, until that society- recedes from its present attitude toward American slavery." Another important entry is made in the minutes of this year as follows : " Whereas, In the dispensation of Almighty God, a beloved brother and faithful minister has been called from earth to try the realities of another and invisible world : therefore, " i?eso?yefZ, That although we bow with humble submission to the will of Almighty God, we feel that in the death of Bro. Ad- dison M. Lewis his family have lost an affectionate and kind husband and indulgent parent, the community at large an inval- uable citizen, and the church of Christ a faithful, zealous and de- voted minister." Rev. Addison M. Lewis — was the seventh child and youngest son of Colonel Zachary Lewis, born at Bell Air, Spottsylvania County, Virginia, in September, 1789. "The ancestry of Mr. Lewis was highly respectable. Mr. John Lewis, brother of Addison, thus refers to his progenitors : ' On the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, a French Huguenot lawj-er of good fortune, Mons. Louis, left his native country and bought an estate in Wales. He had three sons, all of whom were lawyers. One re- mained in Wales with his father, the second went to London, and the eldest to Ireland. After the death of their father, the youngest emigrated to Yirginia and settled on the Dragon Swamp. He is the Welsh Lewis, from whom Addison is lineally descended.' " * His parents being Episcopalians, he wa.s brought up in that faith and became identified with them. Before he reached the age of nineteen years he became powerfully convicted of sin. He saw the necessity of personal holiness as a preparation for death and eternity. Euclid and other text-books were laid aside and the Holy Bible took their place. To everything he seemed indifferent, save his condition as a sinner. He soon became a walking skeleton. " Morgan, a pious slave, and member of the Baptist church, was the best spiritual adviser which Addison, his young master, could find. Said his brother: 'Morgan has had more of his com- * Virginia Baptist Ministers, by Taj-lor, p. 474. MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 191 pany than I have, although we were very intimate before. Ad- dison brings him to the study, and also goes to his cabin fre- quently.' How illustrative of the fact is this, that the experience of God's grace in the heart qualifies far better for giving relig- ious instruction to the religious inquirer, than all the learning of the schools ! -Under Morgan's tuition Mr. Lewis was led into a knowledge of the plan of salvation, and thus brought peace- fully to rely on Jesus Christ, and to hope in His name." * He became a Baptist, having left the church of his childhood, and was baptized July 3, 1808. Ever after this his chosen com- panions were found among the Baptists, and through his whole subsequent life he manifested great attachment to their distinc- tive principles, because he believed them scriptural. Soon after uniting with the Baptists he entered the ministry, and spent the prime of a useful life in Virginia and Kentucky. He was one of the original fifteen members of the Baptist Gen- eral Association of Virginia. In 1843 he emigrated to Missouri and spent the evening of his ministerial life in this state, having been made the successor of the late lamented Wm. Duncan at Huntsville. On the 26th of August, 1857, he died, it being the 68th year of his life, and the forty-ninth of his ministry. " In the pulpit Eld. Lewis used the simplest form of speech which a learned man could select from the pure Anglo-Saxon dialect. He was a man of exalted moral and Christian charac- ter. In personal appearance, tall and commanding; in deport- ment, grave; in speech, conservative; and a gentleman of the olden school." Eld. James Porter — though not many years a minister in Mt. Pleasant Association, well deserves a place in these sketches. He was the son of Hezekiah and Nancy Porter, born in Grayson County, Tennessee, in the year 1809, and with his parents emi- grated to Howard County, Missouri, in 1820, His education was secured in the common or district schools of his early day, and did not extend to the higher branches, but was abundantly sufficient to qualify him for a successful school- teacher, the occupation of a portion of his earlier life. At the age of 19 years he was married to Miss Sarah Walker, who proved to be a true and affectionate companion and a good minister's wife. While young, though married, he removed to Monroe County * Virginia Baytist Ministers, by Taylor, pp. 475-'6, 192 MT. PLEASANT .iSSOCIATION. and settled on the middle fork of Salt River, some four miles north of Madison. Here he lived until his death. He was a moral man and concluded that he could do much by way of hid- ing the deformity of his soul, under which impression he united with the Campbellites, but for want of fitness failed to be immers- ed. Housed to say that this circumstance in his life had much to do in producing penitence and leading him to the foot of the cross as a humble beggar for mercy. On the fourth Sabbath in September, 1843,^ in the midst of a large congregation, he arose and told of God's pardoning favor, asked admittance into Hick- ory Grove Church, Monroe County, was cordially received and the following month was baptized by Eld. Benjamin Terrill, the pastor. This church was a small, new organization at that time, and Porter's addition greatly encouraged the brethren. From the beginning he was active in promoting the cause, and com- menced preaching in 1854. He was ordained to the ministry by Elds. James Burton and Benjamin Terrill, in March, 1855. He at once heartily entered upon his work as a gospel minister, serving from the commencement of his ministry the churches at Union, Randolph County, and Oak Grove, Monroe County, both of which were raised up under his labors. He also was pastor of Mt. Salem, Macon County, and Shiloh, Randolph County, a part of his time. His race was short but strong. No man had more influence in his field of labor than he; and no preacher, at the time of his death, was doing more to build up the Baptist cause in the bounds of Mt. Pleasant Association. JSTot long before his death he said to one of his sons : " You are preparing to live; I am preparing to die." So death, although it was somewhat sudden, did not come upon him unawares. He died of apoplexy — the third stroke— April 21, 1859. During the war period of 1861-'5 regular meetings were held by the association, and although the statistics show less of pros- perity than formerly, yet several hundred were baptized and ad- ded to the churches, despite the blighting influences of the civil strife. In the year 1863 an eff'ort was made towards a re-union with that part of the association which violated the constitution in 1835, and thus caused a division in the old association. Look- ing to this end, Bro. B. Anderson introduced the following pre- amble and resolution, which were adopted unanimously: ^'Whereas, Our Old School Baptist brethren hold in common with us, to one Lord, one faith and one baptism ; one and the MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 193 same experience aud church organization; and in fine, believe in the great leading doctrines to which we hold, therefore, '^Eesolved, That wo ought to labor in order to a reunion with these brethren j that we ought to pray earnestly to God for this desired object." How this proposition was received by the Old School Mount Pleasant Association, we have been unable to learn. We only know that the reunion has never been effected. Something was done by the association each year to promote evangelization ; and ministerial education was commended to the churches. At the close of this period the association was com- posed of 41 churches, containing a membership of 3,432. In later years the association held meetings as follows: At Mt. Gilead, Howard County, in 1867 ; Keytesville, Chariton Coun- ty, 1868; Chariton, Howard County, in 1869; Cliffton Hill, Ran- dolph County, in 1870 ; Friendship, Howard County, 1871 ;*Hunts- ville, in 1872; Mt, Zion, Howard County, 1873 ; Salisbury, 1874; Hickory Grove, Monroe County, 1876; New Hope, Chariton County, 1877 ; Walnut Grove, Boone County, 1878; Sharon, How- ard County, 1879; Shiloh, Randolph County, 1880; Prairie Val- ley, Chariton County, 1881. We shall chronicle only a few events of this period. In 1880 12 churches were dismissed to form the Mt. Zion Association (for names of churches, see said association). The year following four others were dismissed to unite with the same association, which left Mt. Pleasant with only 31 churches on her list, and an aggregate membership of 2,110. Thus was the association reduced from her 56 churches and 4,000 members in 1877. Truly can the Mt. Pleasant be regarded the mother association in northern, central, western and a part of southern Missouri. Its territory is now confined mainly to Randolph and Chariton counties, with churches in Boone, Monroe and Macon counties. The plan of missions, in operation for over thirty j^ears, has resulted in much good ; $200 to $300 have been annually expended in sustaining itinerants in the bounds of the associa- tion. The minutes of 1872 chronicle the death of two of the most influential ministers in the body, viz.: Elds. Thomas P. Fristoe and Y. R. Pitts : the sketch of the former has already been given. YouNGKR Rogers Pitts — was a native of Kentucky, born at Great Crossings, Scott County, November 8, 1812. His parents were Younger and Elizabeth Pitts. His father was a member of Great Crossings Baptist Church and died when our subject was 13 194 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. a boy twelve years of age. His mother was a most remarkable woman, known throughout the central portion of the state as a " mother in Israel." While Younger Pitts was yet in early life, he came on a visit to Missouri, and while in the state he was converted and bap- tized ; after which event in his life he returned to his native state and attached himself to the Baptist church at Great Crossings, from which church, according to the records, he went as a mes- senger to the Elkhorn Association as early as the year 1840, and was also at that time a licensed minister. In 1841 he was regu- larly sot apart to the gospel ministry by the following ministe- rial council, viz. : J. D. Block, James M. Frost, Howard Mal- colm, Eyland T. Dillard, B. P. Kenny, and W. Gr. Craig. Soon after his ordination he was called to the pastoral office in the following churches : Great Crossings, Clear Creek and Forks of Elkhorn; and so continued for a number of years. He was a la- borious, earnest and successful pastor. Bold and fearless in the "defense of the gospel," a staunch Baptist of the primitive mod- el, he was ready under the most adverse circumstances to do his whole duty, both as a member and a minister of the denomina- tion of his ancestors. Besides his duties as pastor, he filled im- portant positions in denominational enterprises in his native state. He was an active member of the Board of Trustees of Georgetown College, and also moderator of Elkhorn Associa- tion, one of the three oldest institutions of the kind in the state, as well as the largest and most influential. After spending about twenty years of active ministerial life in Kentucky, he removed to Missouri in October, 1860, and pur- chased and settled on a fine farm in Howard County. " In this state he devoted himself with characteristic earnestness to the work of the ministry. Ho was a true friend to the cause of mis- sions and to all our educational enterprises. To the young men preparing to preach the gospel he was a sincere and substantial friend. For several years he was a member of the Board of Trustees of William Jewell College, in which capacity he served all its interests with industry and fidelity. He had even con- sented to devote all his energies to the work of raising a perma- nent endowment for the college, when he was suddenly stricken down by the hand of death." Minutes of General Association of Missouri, 1872, p. 34.) Wherever he went he wielded an influence for good. His pas- toral labors were mostly given to the churches at Fayette, Mt. MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 195 Moriah and Salisbury, and temporarily to Glasgow and Bruns- wick. To every denominational work his energies, his talents and his means were directed. He was a generous contributor to William Jewell College. He filled a large place in the aifections of the denomination, not only in the Mt. Pleasant Association, but throughout the state; and with few exceptions, he was al- ways present at the anniversaries and contributed in no small degree to the success of the meetings. Pitts was a man of broad and expansive views; of a large and beneficent heart, brimful of love to God and his people ; of an untiring zeal, and of an invincible courage. His body was large and well proportioned ; his deportment manly and dignified j and his personal appearance commanding and bold. With these characteristics he seldom, if ever, failed to interest and entertain an audience, eren under the most unfavorable circumstances. He was a master workman and rarely ever failed in what he un- dertook. He fell at his post — in line of battle — and his death was as sud- den as it was unexpected. The following account of this event was furnished the Central Baptist, soon after its occurrence, by Eld. W. E. Eothwell, now of William Jewell College: "You have doubtless heard of the death of Eld. Y. R. Pitts. He died at Clinton, Monday evening, October 16, 1871. He was attacked Sunday afternoon with sj-mjitoms like cramp colic and congestive chill. I was first apprised of his sickness in the even- ing after our delightful Sunday-school meeting. I found him in an agony of pain. Dr. Britz and Dr. Jennings were called in. Everything was done that could be for his relief and comfort. Nothing seemed at all to arrest the disease, and no relief came till death. "Ho was perfectly rational, except in the last hour perhaps a few incoherent utterances. He knew the danger of his con- dition and often spoke of it. Monday evening Bro. Warder said to him : " 'Bro. Pitts, if it is the Lord's will to take you now, are you ready to go? Do you still feel the Savior near you?' " 'What, do you think my end is near ? Yes, perfectly recon- ciled— perfectly reconciled.' "Brother Warder then asked him if he had any messages to send his family — his dear wife and children. For a moment he seemed overcome with tender emotion. I cannot say certainly whether he said, ' Tell them I trust in the Lord and His right- 106 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. eousness, and not in works which man can do,' or ' Tell them to trust in the Lord and His righteousness, and not in works which man can do.' It was now his trust — not that he had preached the Gospel forty years; not that hundreds had been converted under his ministry ; not that his zeal and energy and counsels had so blessed the churches throughout nearly half a century in Kentucky and Missouri; but his soul rested in this last hour solely on the Lord and His righteousness. *' Father Pitts' sufferings were intense and he talked but little. The last connected words I remember hearing him utter were, *Now let me rest a little.' He soon rested from pain and toil and care forevermore. ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, yea, from henceforth saith the Spirit, They do rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.' " Some circumstances of his death are very painful : that he should die away from home — from his wife and children he loved so well; that he should be called away so suddenly. And yet why not? He was absent from home, but it was on the King's business. Never were his heart and his hands so full of work for the blessed Savior. He had just cut himself off more from all temporal cares and consecrated himself to the work of the Lord more unreservedly than ever perhaps in his life. Ho had just girded himself afresh with the whole armor of God. He had just accepted the financial agency of the William Jewell Col- lege, and had the care of our ministerial students upon his heart. He fell on the field of action — fell in the harness. All the breth- ren will remember how spiritually minded, how full of charity, how fervent in spirit he was during the meeting of the associa- tion. But I must stop. As his spirit went up to God I stood with Bros. Warder and Avery and Jennings and others, weeping — in silent prayer that God would give a double portion of his Spirit to many an Elisha from the school of our prophets, and bless our Zion while he chastened. "A funeral sermon was preached in Eoanoke on Wednesday, 3 P. M., by Bro. M. L. Laws, pastor of Glasgow Church, from the text: 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.' He was buried in Huntsville Cemetery, Thursday, 11 A. M. A great congregation was present. Bro. P. T. Gentry led in prayer, and we committed the manly frame of Y. E. Pitts to the earth in the comforting faith of a glorious resurrection with our Lord Jesus Christ." {Note. — The General Association had only a few days before. Mt. i>leasant association. 197 closed its annual session, on which Eld. Pitts had been in attend- ance. Many sad hearts left Clinton on the 16th of October, 1871.) Just two years before his death, at the close of the General Association at Columbia, Bro. Pitts was stricken w'ith apoplexy, and many then left his bedside expecting to see his face no more, but it pleased God to raise him up and give to the church militant two years more of his mature ministerial life. Joshua Willis Terrill. — The parents of J. W. Terrill (John and Eebecca Terrill) were natives of Virginia, and emigrated to the state of Kentucky in an early day, settling in Boone County, where, August 21, 1821, he was born. He moved with his pa- rents and the family to Howard County, Missouri, in 1835, and settled near Eoanoke, where, except a short time during the war, he has ever since resided. Under the ministry of Dr. A. P. Wil- liams he was led from darkness to light, by whom also he was baptized and became a member of the church called Mt. Ararat, in May, 1839, and the same year was licensed to preach. Four years to a month after this he was ordained, and afterwards fill- ed with honor and success the pastoral office in the following churches : Roanoke, Silver Creek, Thomasville, New Hope, Pleasant Grove, Pleasant Hope, Friendship, Salisbury and per- haps one or two others. Of some of said churches he was pas- tor from twenty to twenty-seven j'cars. The name of J. W. Ter- rill will ever be revered and loved by the members of the Mt. Pleasant Association, over which he presided as moderator for a number of consecutive j^ears. He was a logical, sound, gos- pel preacher, few men handling ii subject better than he ; and no man did more to build up the Baptist interest in the field of his labors.* He was married to Miss Matilda A. Walton, October 8, 1840, who was to him a helpmeet in all his ministerial life. From youth he was afflicted with dyspepsia, and much of his life with chronic bronchitis. This last deepened into consump- tion, and on May 18, 1882, he died at his home in Howard County. Samuel Younger Pitts — is the son of Jno. A. Pitts and Sarah Rochester McDowell, the former of'Scott County, and the latter of Danville, Ky. They emigrated to Missouri in 1831, where, in Randolph County, the subject of this notice was born October 14, 1833. The Christian mother dying in his eighth year left a deep religious impression on the boy; and a lovely sister, four years younger, imparted to his young life joy, shape and im- pulse. At eighteen years of age he was converted and the fol- * Eld. K. J. Mansfield's MS. m MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. lowing year was baptized b}^ liis uncle, Rev. Y. R. Pitts, into the fellowship of the Great Crossings Baptist Church, Kentucky. He spent several sessions at Howard High School, now Central College, Fayette, Mo., under the instruction of President W. T. Davis, with Prof. J. J. Rucker as classmate, with whom, in 1852, he entered Georgetown College, Ky., taking the English Litera- ture Diploma in June, 1854. While at Georgetown he became acquainted with Miss Anna M. Winston, daughter of Dr. J. D. Winston, of Nashville, Tenn., to whom, February 28, 1856, he was united in the bonds of wed- lock. At the instance of the Roanoke Baptist Church, Mo., he was ordained to the gospel ministry July 3, 1859, by Dr. J. W. Terrill and A. R. Macey, his former Ken- tucky pastor. Beingthconly son of an en- terprising and thrifty farmer, many cares and duties claimed the time that should have been given to study an d work for the Master, thus crippling his early growth, and stinting the fruit of manhood, for which he is now attempting to atone by encouraging young ministers to a thorough preparation for, and exclusive devotion to their calling. He has served, in a ministry of 23 years, seven churches as pastor J among them Roanoke and Huntsville 3 years each, Mt. Ararat 5 years, Mt. Shiloh 10 years, and Cliflfton Hill 22 years; and has baptized 257 persons. In 1872 he removed to Hunts- RKV. S. y. PITTS. MX. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 199 ville. Bro. Pitts is generous, kind, hospitable, and one of the most liberal pastors we have ever met; and the fruit of his spirit may bo seen in the life of his people. George W. Eobey — was born May 27, 1838, in Marion Co., Mo. At the age of 14 years he was converted, and three years after was baptized by Eev. Nathan Ayres. When 18 years old he was licensed to preach the gospel, and entered Bethel College, Pal- myra, where, after four years, ho graduated in 1860. He was or- dained and became pastor of Little Union Church in 1859. From 1860 to 1867 he preached as pastor to the last named church, and also to Philadelphia, Bethel and Emerson Churches, in Marion County ; and ISTewark in Knox County. He also labored as mis- sionary of Bethel As- sociation, save one year — 1865 — which he spent in Indiana, preaching for two country churches. In 1863 he was mar- ried to Miss Rebecca J . K c 1 1 3^ , who has proven herself a true helpmeet in every good work. Slie is a woman of extraordin- ary faith, and deep, earnest piety. Tlie husband cheerfully owns that whatever of success has attended him, has been largely due to her earnest prayer and faithful co-operation. In the year 1867 Jfr. Pobey was settled as pastor at Shelbina, where he continued for five years, devoting a part of his last year as missionary of the General Association. In 1872 he ac- cepted a call to Hamburg, Iowa. Here he continued until the spring of 1875, when he resigned to become associate editor of the Baptist Beacon, published at Pella, Iowa. In the fall of this year he accepted a call to Bedford, in the same state, where he was remarkably successful. He continued at Bedford until Oc- tober, 1881 when he resigned, returned to his native state, and KEV. 0. W. KOBEY. 200 MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. at once settled at Mobcrly. Here, during six months' labor he gathered some 75 members into the church, quite a number of whom were young converts. Mr. Eobey has a weak constitution, and is always in feeble health, 3'ct he has been in labors quite abundant, and already about 1,200 soiils have been added to the churches under his ministry. J. B. Weber — President of Mt. Pleasant College, Ilunts- ville, was born in Lewis County, Mo., June 2, 1848. He had the advantage of excellent common schools in early boj^hood. In his 13th year he was converted. He graduated at La Grange College, taking the complete classical course in 1871. He held professorships of mathematics and natural sciences two years in Concord College, Kentucky. After this he took a special course in Washington and Lee University, Yirginia. He returned to Missouri, and tilled the chair of Latin and natural sciences in La Grange Col- lege for two years. On June 13, 1876, he married Miss Annie Ray, el- dest daughter of Eld. D. B. Ea}', and spent about 5 j-ears as associate editor of the American Bap- tist Flag. He was ordained a tn i 11 is te r in May, 1879, and in June, 1881, was elected President of Mt. Pleasant College, soon J^' ^ ' ' ^^ ' "' •' after burned. In the former part of this sketch some account was given of the five constituent churches of the Mt. Pleasant Association. There are others which deserve a notice just here. Bee Branch. — This church was organized by Eld. David An- MT. PLEASANT ASSOCIATION. 201 derson, May 13, 1848, in a neighborhood about 20 miles north of Keytesville, Chariton County. The constituent members were tuine in number. Mr. Anderson was chosen first pastor and con- tinued in this office two or three years, and was succeeded by N. Dille for two years, and he by J. S. Bell for about eight years. During the war the membership became much scattered, and some united with the "■ sects." No meetings were held from about the middle of the year 1862 until after the close of the war. The house of worship — a log building 22 feet square — was built in 1853, but in 1870 was unfit to occupy. The church was in a better condition in 1881, and numbered 88 members, with P. M. Sears as pastor. Cliffton Hill. — Under the name of " Dark's Prairie," 23 members formed this church October 13, 1859, having been as- sisted by Elds. JST. Flood and J. W. Terrill. It has a house of worship valued at 82,000, which was built or re-built in 1868. Rev. S. Y. Pitts has been from the beginning the pastor, and has built up a large church of 147 members, contributing regularly to the diiferent benevolent and denominational enterprises. The church is located at Cliffton, Randolph County, 7 miles west of Huntsville. Friendship. — This is one of the pioneer churches, and bears date from May 9, 1829, having been organized at that time by Elds. E. Turner, Ebenezer Rogers and others. It is in Howard County, about 6 miles north of Fayette. Asa J. Bartee served the church as pastor the first six years of its history, and was succeeded by Jesse Terrill for fourteen years. The church en- joyed a most wonderful revival, commencing December 25, 1864, which resulted in 60 accessions. Present membership, 92. Huntsville. — This is the county seat of Randolph. The Bap- tist church here was organized with only 8 members, August 27, 1837; Elds. Wilhoite, Fristoe and Mansfield assisting in the or- ganization. The pastors have been William Duncan (first eight years), Addison Lewis, Bart) ct Anderson, G. Carey, Wm. Thomp- son, Noah Flood, W. R. Rothwell, S. A. Beauchamp, M. J. Break- er and S. Y. Pitts. The most remarkable revival in the church was during the ministry of William Duncan, who was assisted by the lamented A. P. Williams. The immediate fruit of this meeting was the conversion and baptism of 130 souls, one entire family of 8 being among the number. After the founding of Mt. Pleasant College the church sold its house of worship and gave the proceeds to that institution for the privilege of using 202 MT. :tI,EAgANT ASSOCIATION. the college cliapcl for religious worship. Tho present numerical strength of the church is 117. They give to missions annually, have a Sunday-school and also a juvenile mission society. • Hickory Grove. — On the 29th of August, 1843, this church was organized by Euphrates Stringer and Benjamin Terrill, with 31 members. Its location is in Monroe County, not far from Mil- ton, about 18 miles westward from Paris, the county scat. The first pastor was Benjamin Terrill, and then James Porter, James Burton, Bartlet Anderson and W. L. T. Evans. In 1844 the church built a log house for worship, 30x60 feet, which it occu- pied in 1870, but was at that time making eftorts to build a bet- ter one. In 1882 the church numbered 133 members, with M. F; "Williams, brother of the late Dr. A. P. Williams, as pastor. MoBERLY. — This is a railroad centre of some 4,000 inhabitants. The Baptist church was organized November 15, 1841, of 18 members, and was called Shiloh, and was some two and a half miles northeast from Moberly. Here the church built a log house in 1843, in which it worshiped until 1868, when it moved to Moberly and built a frame house on the east side of the rail- road, at a cost of $1,100. The present elegant church edifice has been since built in a central part of the town, costing some $10,000 to $12,000, on which it is carrying a somewhat cumber- some debt. For about tenj^ears after the church was organized, Benjamin Terrill was the pastor; after him came Bartlet An- derson, James Porter, W. L. T. Evans, J. W, Terrill, H. Hatcher, A. J. Colwell, "under whose ministry the present house was built, and G. W. Pobey, under whose ministry the church has grown in efficiency and members, numbering nearly 200. Mt. Horeb — located one mile west from Sturgeon, Boone County, bears date of March, 1853. This church was organized by Wm. Thompson and Green Carey, with 32 members. Thomp- son served the church as pastor a few months, then W. P. Wig- ginton filled that office until 1857. After him came P. T. Gen- try, Green Carey and others. Mt. Siiiloh — in Randolph County, some nine miles west of north from Huntsville, was formed of 12 members, by Bartlet Anderson, May 29, 1852. The next year it built a small frame house of worship in Darksville, a small village at or near where the church was formed. Bartlet Anderson was the first pastor. D. Cliffton was pastor in 1882, the church numbering 102 mem- bers. Mt. Salem. — This church is about four miles south of Hunts- MT. TLEASAXT ASSOCIATION 203 ville, and was organized September 9, 1856, with 44 members. Benjamin Terrill Avas first pastor; after him came F.M.Stark, James Burton, and D. Cliffton pastor in 1882, the church num- bering 112 members. New Providence. — Elds. E. Foley and F. Wilhoite organized this church on a constituency of 15, August 8th, 1841. Its loca- tion is six miles northwest from Columbia, in Boone County. It belongs most likely to Bonne Femme Association. Sweet Spring. — This was one of the older churches of the Mt. Pleasant Association, having been organized September, 1845. It was located some seven miles southeast of Iluntsville. Benj. Terrill was pastor the first fourteen years, then came J. R. Ter- rill, after him .Tesse Terrill. Benj. Terrill was again pastor un- til the church dissolved and the members went to Moberly and Eenick. Salisbury. — This church was organized Januaiy 19, 1867, and was at first located two miles south of the town. Lewis EUedge was pastor one year, then Y. R. Pitts until his death. The church worships in a house Avorth ^3,000, and numbers 69 members. S. A? Beauchamp was pastor several years ; J. W. Terrill has filled the same office. KEV. J. w. terrill. PERIOD THIRD 1820-1830. CHAPTER I. CUIVEE ASSOCIATION. roriiiaiiou and History of — Church Ti'oubles — Sudden Dissolution of Antiocli Church — Siloam Association, Its Origin — Cuivre-Siloam Association — Extreme Calvinism — Thomas Bowen — George Chu' — Ephraim Davis — Darius Bainbridge —Thomas J. Wright. rr'^IIE formation of Cuivre Association occurred in 1822. It JL was composed of eight chnrches formerly belonging to the Missouri Association, and situated north of the Missouri River, in the counties of St. Charles, Warren and Lincoln. Of the first six years of its history we know no more than is given above; and are even doxibtfiil as to the correctness of one item there given, which is, that there were eight constituent churches. We give it, however, as we find it in the onl}^ record we have of the ftict. Wf- have access to the minutes of this old community from 1828 xo 1838. The session in 1828 was held at Friendship Church, in what is now Warren County, in October. The introductory sermon was preached by Eld. Darius Bainbridge, w' ho was after- wards chosen moderator, Geo. W. Zimmerman becoming clerk. From the minutes of that year we extract the following summary : CJmrches. — Friendship, Cuivre, ]\IcCoy's Creek, Little Bethel, Sulphur Lick, Troy, Providence, Antioch and Stout Settlement. Ministers. — G-eo. Clay, David Hubbard and Darius Bainbridge. Ijirentidics. — Thomas Bowen, David Clark and Wm. Skinner. Three baptisms were reported and a total membership of 225. The following ministers were present as correspondents : Thos, R. Musick, Lewis Williams, Wm. Coats, Jabez Ham and B. AYren. In accordance with the custom of that day, three minis- ters, Lewis Williams, Jabez; Ham and William Coats, were se- lected to preach on Sunday, all of whom preached regular ser- mons. One regular sermon at a sitting, and that a somewhat brief one, is all that the people of this age care to hear. What a difference fifty years ago concerning such matters ! CUIVRK ASSOCIATION. 205 ThismanifestI}' results from two causes which we now mention : 1st, ^Meetings for ])reaching arc much more frequent now than then. 2d. There is really leas of spiritual niindedncss and more of worldly conformity now than then. This association adopted the ver}- common custom of that day of holding yearly meetings. From the minutes of 1828 we learn that the appellation used by it was simply The Cuivre Baptist Association. For the next ten years, reaching up to 1838, regular meetings were held as follows : In 1829 at Cuivre Church, Lincoln Co.j in 1830 at Stout's Settlement, in Lincoln Co.; in 1831 at Sulphur Lick, same Co.; in 1832 at McCoy's Creek, St. Charles Co.; in 1883 at Little Bethel, Warren Co.; in 1834 at Bryant's Creek, Lincoln Co.; in 1835 at Macedonia, Montgomery Co.; in 1836 at Troy, Lincoln Co.; in 1837 at Little Bethel, Warren Co.; and in 1838 at Salem, same Co. At no time up to this period did this association seem to be an efficient body. No more than ninety baptisms were reported by all the churches during the entire ten years, and the largest membershijD reached at any time was 304, which was in 1833, in which year there were forty-six bap- tisms, and letters and messengers received from ten of the twelve churches coiniiosiug the bod}-. In 1834 the association agreed to unite with the Salt Kiver Association in "setting apart the first Sunday in the following January', as a day of fasting and prayer for a revival of G-od's work upon tlie hearts of poor sin- ners, and that He also will raise up laborers, and send them into his harvest." This does indeed prove that there were a few names in old Cuivre that had not forgotten their first love. An incident occurred in connection with the discipline of a small church called Antioch, located not far from Warrenton, Warren County, at the meeting of the Cuivre Association in 1830, which really did not terminate until the following year, and which we think ought to be related for tlie benefit of the church- es now. The facts arc briefly as follows : /At the session of 1830, held with the Troy Church, Bro. Thos. " 'J. Wright informed the association that there were rumors afloat in the world that some of the members of the said Antioch Church had suffered fiddling and dancing in their houses, and countenanced horse-racing. Bro. Preston, the messenger, when appealed to for information, said that he was not authorized to ^|vc any information other than that contained in the letter. 206 CUIVRE ASSOCIATION. The association then ajipointed Brethren Elton, Nethorton and John M. Falconer a committee to visit said church, inquire into her situation and report to next association. The committee visited Antioch Church and inquired of them if they countenan- ced dancing and horse-racing, and they answered no. The com- mittee then retired to consult, and after a short time returned, and through the chairman began an address to the brethren of Antioch Church, whereupon they were informed that there was no such church in existence — that it had dissolved while the com- mittee was out. This, of course, was a quick way to dispose of the matter, but was it right ? r^Some of the members were guilty of the things alleged by\ Madam Eumor, and the rest did not have the coui-age to rebuke^ them. The fate of Antioch Church has been the fate of many others which countenanced, or even permitted, disorder, with- out a protest. A church is a place of purity, and the members are required to keep themselves unspotted from the world. In 1838 the Cuivre Association was reduced to 7 churches and 202 members. The names are as follows: McCoy's Creek, Lit- tle Bethel, Sulphur Lick, Sand Eun (formerly Troy), Bryant's Creek, Macedonia and Salem. Ministers. — Robert Gilmore and Thomas Bowen. Licentiates. — A. L. Knapp and Joseph Nicholls. Sulphur Lick Church entertained the association in 1839. The feeling in opposition to missions showed itself in proceedings un- friendly to those engaged in promoting this enterprise, and in consequence two churches withdrew, viz.: Salem and Sulphur Lick, the former of which united with Bonne Femmo Associa- tion and tlie latter with Salt Eiver Association. About this time also some trouble occurred in the last named association relative to the subject of missions and three or four churches which were opposed to the enterprise withdrew and soon after formed a new association called Siloam. These churches were located in the counties of Pike and Lincoln, and called Spencer's Creek, Beth- lehem, Union and a part of Siloam. The Cuivre Association was now reduced to five or six church- es, and after the Siloam Association had existed for two orthree years, or about 1842 or '43, the two bodies met together and consolidated under the cognomen of " Cuivre-Siloam Regular Baptist Association." This association refused co-operation and fellowship with all associations that promoted missions, Bible societies, or Sunday- CUIVRE ASSOCIATION. 207 schools. By it, all societies for the dissemination of gospel truth were called " men-made institutions." It took the ground that because there was no direct Bible authority for such societies, they were, therefore, wrong; although there is as much author- ity in the Scriptures for such societies as there is for Baptist as- sociations. We have scattering minutes of the Cuivre-Siloam Association for the last twenty-five years. Judging from the statistical table, it has scarcely held its own in numbers during this period. In fact it is not so large now as it was then. Very little business is transacted in its sessions, ex- cept such as is needful to keep up its annual meetings, and con- tinue correspondence with several sister communities. Of these we may mention the Two Eiver Association, the Salem, and the Mt. Pleasant (Old School) Association. The minutes of 1850 give the following summary : Churches. — Mt. Pleasant, Bethlehem, Little Bethel, Sand Eun, Siloam, Bryant's Creek, Spencer's Creek, Pleasant Hill, Mt. Zion, Macedonia, Sugar Creek and Union. Ministers. — Thos. J. Wright, Wm. Davis, Thos. Bowen, Eichard Owings, M. Moore and Ephraim Davis. Licentiates. — T. P. Rogers. Baptisms 7 ; total membership 352. In doctrine, the majority of this association may be put down as extreme Calvinists; in practice they are a unit in opposition to missions. While truth compels us to record these facts, we wish also to say that the so-called " Old School Baptists" are generally experimental Christians. They are as a rule sound on " experimental religion," although in the grossest error concern- ing the "mission of the churches of Christ." This assertion can certainly bo demonstrated, but this is not the place to do so. We have for years been thoroughly convinced that their errors on the subject of missions (the subject that really split the de- nomination), grow out of an unscriptural application of what is commonly called the " doctrines of Calvinism." For years after the anti-missionary churches separated themselves from the great body of the denomination, the majority of their ministers became extremely controversial in their manner of preaching, seldom failing to select a theme which would lead them to the discussion of the doctrines of election and predestination, and they were not unfrequently somewhat bitter in their denunciations of their missionary brethren. But a new order of things is gradually 208 CUIVRE ASSOCIATION. growing amongst them. Some of their ministers hold protract- ed meetings — a thing much abused by them twenty-five years ago — and earnestly exhort sinners to repent and turn to Grod. Under this condition of things some of their churches have of late been on the increase. This feeble community was reduced at one time (1867) to only 186 members j but since her ministers have changed their man- ner of preaching, as indicated in the last paragraph, she has been on rising ground. Her living ministers are Elds.Wm Dav- is, P. L. Branstetter, T. P. Rogers and Charles Ilolcomb. Her churches are eight in number situated in the counties of Lincoln, Pike and Montgomery. Thomas Bowen. — This servant of Christ was one of the few men who, born in the 18th, passed into the last quarter of the 19th century. He was a native of Warren County, Kentucky, born in December, 1797, and when about 17 years old he emi- grated to Missouri, where he spent the residue of his life. He commenced preaching the gospel when about 30 years of age and was for more than fifty years a minister among the people commonly called Old School Baptists. Many people now live in eastern Missouri, Christians as well as good citizens, who say that " Father Bowen was the first jireacher we ever heard." He was known among his neighbors as a good man, the record of his life being that of a Christian of spotless character. By the continued and universal testimony of his long life he proved the genuineness of the gospel which he preached to his fellow men. But his life work is now done and he sleeps with the sainted dead. He died November 10, 1878, nearly 81 years old. George Clay — another pioneer preacher of eastern Missouri, was born in the state of Kentucky. We find his name for the first time in the minutes of Cuivre Association, in 1828, when he appeared as a messenger from Friendship Baptist Church, War- ren County, and was also at that time an ordained minister of the gospel. He was an able exponent of Bible doctrines as un- derstood by the Baptists. As a preacher, his style was plain, clear and forcible. We never saw him in the pulpit but once. On that occasion his subject was "Bible baptism." He handled the Scriptures bearing on the subject as a " master workman " — one fully com- petent to "rightly divide the word of truth." We know neither the time nor circumstances of his death, but think he has now been dead for some years. CUrVRE ASSOCIATION. 209 Ephraim Davis — emigrated to Missouri in 1834 or 1835, and was for sixteen years a minister in Cuivre and Cuivre-Siloam Association. He was from the state of Kentucky, and settled in Lincoln County, in the neighborhood of the present town of New Hope. In May, 1835, he became pastor of Union (now New Hope) Baptist Church, and continued such until his death. He was strongly Calvinistic in his doctrines, a good man and much be- loved by the church. His preaching was better calculated to feed the flock than to call sinners to repentance. Under his min- istry the church increased very slowly, and his entire sixteen years' pastorate was without compensation save a few presents. Under his ministry the Union Church, in 1840, declared that she "would not hold correspondence Avith any society or body of professed Christians who hold to and practice the present be- nevolent institutions of the day," and further "that nothing in said declaration should be construed to prohibit any member from giving to any preacher sent out according to the order of the United Baptists." In Jul}-, 1841, the church withdrew from the Salt Eiver Association of United Baptists and in two years there- after united with the Cuivre-Siloam Association of so-called Eeg- ular Baptists. The result of these unwise, and, to us, strange proceedings, was a divided church at the close of Eld. Davis' pastorate. He died in October, 1851. Darius Bainbridge — was a native of Kentucky and son of Eev. Absalom Bainbridge, M. D. He moved to Missouri and settled in St. Charles County, about 1822. He was married in Kentucky to Miss Mary Wright, sister of Eld. Thomas J. Wright. Darius Bainbridge commenced preaching as early as 1824, la- bored in Missouri twelve years, moved to Wisconsin, thence back to Missouri and settled in Clay County in 1847, where he spent the remnant of his days. He was chosen moderator of Cuivre Association in 1828 and was re-elected for eight consecu- tive years. In his preaching he was not considered quite so " hard " as some of his brethren of the same school. The following incident is related of him : On one occasion, while preaching, he became very earnest and commenced exhorting sinners to repent. Pres- ently he suddenly stopped and said, " Brethren, I feel like H ing what I ought not to do." But why not exhort sinners? Those who call themselves "Old School Baptists" can best answer this question. Opposition to what was then called " the effort sj's- tem" was the prolific parent of many resolutions and prejudices 14 210 CUIVRE ASSOCIATION. which produced discord among, and retarded the progress of, the Baptists. Eld. Bainbridge lived to a good old age, and died in Clay County, Missouri, about the year 1862. He raised a family of ten children, three sons and seven daughters, and was married but once. Thomas Jefferson Wright — a Baptist minister of more than ordinary preaching ability, and for years the moderator of Cui- vre-Siloam Association, was born in Clark County, Kentucky, March 8, 1803; he was married in 1820, and moved to Missouri in 1830. In the split on missions, he identified himself with those who opposed what he called the "men-made" institutions of the day. His preaching partook greatly of a controversial char- acter. Seemingly under the impression that all denominations had departed from the true faith, he seldom preached without attempting to disprove the supposed false system of somebody. He was well posted in the arguments both of his own people and others, and was considered an able advocate of the doctrines of his own denomination. He was moderator of his association the year he died. The following lines to his memory are from the minutes of 1868 : "Brother Wright for many years preached the gospel among us, and was bold in confronting heresy, and in him the church had a defense though the enemy should come like a flood. But he has gone to rest, he has finished the work the Master assign- ed him. He held up the ensign of our Savior triumphantly to the end. He passed, as we confidently believe, from the militant to the triumphant kingdom of God, on the 2d of September, 1867. Let us cherish his memory, ever remembering that we, too, are subject at any time to the Master's call." CHAPTER n. SALT EIVEE ASSOCIATION. Formation of the First Churches in the District, Ramsay's Creek, Peno, and Stout's Settlement (New Hope) — Biographical Sketches of Davis Biggs — Jesse Sitton — Bethuel Riggs — Jeremiah Vardeman, His Eventful Life — The Dancing School, &c. — Yardeman's Settlement in Missouri. THE Salt River Association is now a large and influential community of Baptists, composed of 37 churches, located in the counties of Ralls, Pike, Audrain and Lincoln. The fol- lowing record is from the minutes of the first meeting : "Minutes of a conference of Baptist brethren, begun and held at the Baptist church on Peno, Pike County, on the 23d, 24th and 25th of August, 1823. "Met agreeably to appointment. The introductory sermon was preached by Bro. Jeremiah Taylor from 1 Chronicles 12 ; 32. "Letters from 6 churches were read and messengers enrolled." The names of the churches were Ramsay's Creek, Stout's Set- tlement, New London, Bethlehem, Bear Creek and Peno, the aggregate membership of which was 95. Davis Biggs was cho- sen moderator, and Wm. Carson clerk. The ministers were Da- vis Biggs, Jesse Sitton and Leroy Jackson. Articles of faith were adopted, very nearly agreeing with those usually set forth by the General Union of Baptists, or " United Baptists." The fifth item of business on Monday is, that " This associa- tion be called the ' Salt River Association of the State of Mis- souri.' " The following from the constitution is of interest : "Art. 5th. No query shall be received which has not been du- ly considered in the church who sent it, and on which satisfac- tion cannot there be had." " Art. 6th. The association shall endeavor to provide for the general union of the churches, and to preserve a union among them, give them advice in matters of difficulty, inquire why churches fail in representation, but shall not enter into or con- tinue a correspondence with any church, body, or board of peo- 212 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. pie, without the consent of each church in the association, sister associations excepted." "Art. 7th. Two-thirds of the association concurring therein may withdraw from any church in the union that is heterodox in principle or disorderly in practice. But no member shall be questioned for believing in or promulgating the doctrine of elec- tion, or a general provision in Christ for all men." Eamsay's Creek Church. — The first church formed in the bounds of Salt River Association was the Eamsay's Creek Bap- tist Church, in a settlement of the same name, in the southeast- ern part of Pike Count3^ Eld. John M. Peck visited and preach- ed to this church in July, 1818. (^Western Watchman, Yol.YUI, No. 43.) He says that in 1816 — in the fall of that year — the Ramsay's Creek Settlement was commenced, and the church above named was situated in this settlement j hence it must have been organized between the fall of 1816 and the summer of 1818, the time of Peck's visit. Major "Watts and John McCune were two of the leading men in the settlement. McCune was a Bap- tist. The first pastor of Ramsay's Creek Church was a Mr. Rud- dle (pronounced Riddle). Mr. Ruddle was taken prisoner by the Indians on their attack on Ruddle Station in Kentucky; he was carried away to the northwest and adojDted into the tribe ; had his ears split and all the "white blood washed out" of him. He married a daughter of the chief and adopted their customs. After the lapse of many years he heard of his relatives in Ken- tucky, and with his Indian wife found his way back to his native state. His wife soon died, and he professed religion, learned his native language (which he had about forgotten while among the Indians) and began preaching. When Eld. Peck visited Ram- say's Creek Church in 1818, Eld. Ruddle was then pastor, but subsequently removed into Adams County, Illinois, and after- wards to Pike County, where he died at an advanced age. Ramsay's Creek Church still exists. It worships in a substan- tial brick edifice, some six miles from Clarksville. The earliest known church records were made in 1823, which show that in 1835 Eld. Ephraim Davis was elected pastor, who was succeeded in the same oflSce by Eld. A. D. Landrum in 1838. Eld. Albert G. Mitchell, the present pastor, succeeded Eld. Landrum in 1850, which gives him a thirty-two years' pastorate. Peng Baptist Church. — Another constituent of Salt River Association was Peno Baptist Church, organized at the house of John McCune on Big Peno Creek about eight miles northwest SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 213 of Bowling Green, Pike County, December 25, 1819. Eld. le- roy Jackson officiated in the constitution. Constituent members : Leroy Jackson, Polly Jackson, Joseph Trotter, Polly Trotter, John McCune, Polly McCunc, Thomas Hedges, William Biggs, Betsey Biggs, Betsey Shannon, Susan Doyle, Wm. McCoy and John Carr — in all thirteen. Until 1833 Peno Church held its meetings alternately at John McCune's and a school-house near by, on Big Peno Creek, and at Samuel Lewellen's on Little Peno, some four miles distant from McCune's. On the 26th of February, 1833, Peno Church was divided and the membership on Little Peno Creek, thirty in all, were formed into a separate organization by the name of Mt. Pleasant Church, by Elds. J. Vardcman and Davis Biggs. This church still exists and worships in a comfortable brick church edifice about three miles south of Frankford, From 1823 to 1833 Peno Church was ex- ceedingly prosperous, and greatly increased in numerical strength both by letter and baptism. About this time emigrants were flocking to this section of the state, mostly from Kentucky, many of whom were Baptists. In 1839 the church enjoyed a gracious revival of religion. Among the converts were numbc-red Hon. A. P. Miller, long the clerk of Salt Eiver Association; also Wm. Penix and many of the Biggs family, the Shannons and the Mc- Cunes. The successive pastors of Peno were Elds. Leroy Jack- son, Davis Biggs and A. D. Landrum. The church never had a house of worship properly so-called, the two she had had being built of logs and used for the double purpose of school-house and meeting-house. In 1852 the church dissolved, gave letters to her members, the majority of whom met and formed the Su- gar Creek Church in the same year. Stout's Settlement (now New Hope) Baptist Church, Lin- coln County — another of the constituents of Salt River Associ- ation, was organized June 16, 1821, by Elds. Bethuel Biggs and Jesse Sitton, the latter of whom is supposed to have been the pastor until 1828, when he was dismissed by letter and' left the state. Eld. David Hubbard succeeded him and continued pastor some two or three years. In February, 1830, a serious difficulty was brought into the church, growing out of the marriage of a young sister to a man who had a living wife. On an investigation, the sister was ac- quitted. The minority was dissatisfied with the decision of the majority, and asked that a council be called, which was granted. 214 SAT.T RIVER ASSOCIATION. Sulphur Lick, Troy and Little Bethel Churches sent each three members, who sat as a council, and after hearing the case, advis- ed that the sister be excluded, and the majority refusing to do so, the minority withdrew from the church in June, 1830, and formed the Bryant's Creek Church in the same neighborhood. In August, 1831, the name of the church was changed from. Stout's Settlement to that of Union, and about the year 1836 she built a log meeting-house 46x20 feet, about two miles north of New Hope. Eld. Ephraim Davis became pastor in May, 1835. Dur- ing this pastorate the church adopted a resolution refusing cor- respondence with any " society of Christians who hold to the present benevolent institutions of the day." Eld. Davis, who was a good man and much beloved by the church, died in Octo- ber, 1851, and left the church much divided on doctrine and the subject of missions. Finally, in 1852, a majority called Eld. A. G. Mitchell as pastor. Being dissatisfied with this action, the minority withdrew — some getting letters and some not — most of whom united with Bryant's Creek Church (anti-mission). Soon after this the church rescinded all her acts and resolutions in op- position to missions, and under the ministry of Eld. Mitchell gradually grew in numerical and moral strength • and in 1857 the placeof meeting was moved to New Hope, the church having built a commodious frame house in that town, 40x60 feet, which she now occupies. By resolution, the name was changed from Union to New Hope in July, 1867. This is now one of the strong- er churches in the association (not so strong probably as it has been) and wields an influence for good in the community. (Prom H. N. BasM's 3IS.) The Salt River Association held its second meeting at Bear Creek Church, Ralls County, in October, 1824. The third meeting of the association was held at Ramsay's Creek Church, Pike County, commencing September 30th, and ending October 3, 1825. Eld. Davis Biggs preached the opening sermon, and was also chosen moderator. Wm. Sitton was clerk. Elds. Bethuel Riggs and D. Bainbridge were present as corres- ponding messengers from Cuivre Association, and were selected to preach on Sunday. On Sunday, Davis Biggs administered the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. "Agreed to hold the next association at Salem, and set apart Saturday and Sunday for di- vine service and the Lord's Supper, the elements to be prepared by the church where the association is held." The association adopted the custom of holding "union" or "yearly" meetings SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 2l5 ■ — three of which were provided for during the j-ear. Summary: 8 churches, 25 baptisms, and total membership 184. In 1826, Siloam was the place of meeting. One new church, South River, was received. In 1827 the association met at Bethel Church, Marion County. Daniel Moss, Jeremiah Taylor and Mordecai Boulware have been added to the list of ministers since the first meeting. Salt River and Quincy Churches — last from Illinois — were added this year. Total membership, 225. The sixth meeting was held in 1828 at Mt. Pleasant. Corres- pondence by letters and messengers was held with Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Cuivre and Missouri Associations. Nineteen baptisms. Elds.D. Hubbard, E. Turner and James Suggett were appointed, and preached on Sunday, The meeting in 1829 was held at Ramsay's Creek. The custom now prevailing was to meet on Friday and close on Mondaj^. Saturday and Sunday were spent in preaching and other acts of divine worship. Would that such a custom yet prevailed ! Eli Merrill appears now as a minister of the association. South River was the place of meeting in 1830. The churches seem to be enjoying a steady growth. Membership, 343. In 1831 there were no items of interest, excepting the adoption of the following resolutions offered by Bro. Davis Biggs : " 1. That the messengers of this association do request all the members of their respective churches to engage in solemn prayer to God for a revival of religion among us, between sunset and dark of each day. "2. Set apart the first day of Januar}^ next, as a day of fasting and prayer, and all the members of the churches composing this body be requested to observe that day as such." One new church was also received this year, viz. : Bethlehem, Marion County. In the year 1832, the meeting was held at Bear Creek, Marion County. Salem was added to the list of churches, and John H. Keach and Jer. Vardeman to the list of ministers. "Concurred with Cuivre Association in setting apart the first of January, 1833, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, that God avert the awful pestilence in the country, stop the progress of error, and revive his work among us." In 1833 they met at Peno. God had manifested his power, doubtless, in answer to prayer. Many souls were added unto the Lord. The ministers of Christ were active in itinerant labors. They preached the gospel from neighborhood to neighborhood, 216 SALT RIVEft ASSOCIATION. in the cabins of the settlers, under the trees of the forest, and in the rude houses of worship wliich here and there began to be seen in the country. As a part of the visible results 296 baptisms were reported to the association this year, and eight new churches were added to the list, viz. : Palmyra, Mt. Pleasant, North Fork and Union, of Marion County; and Noix Creek, Gwin's Creek, Little Union and Union, of Pike County. Total membership of the association, 874. At the session of 1834 (held at Salt Eiver, Ealls County) there was evidence of a continued state of prosperity throughout al- most the entire bounds of the association. Two hundred bap- tisms were reported. David Hubbard preached the introductory sermon. Six new churches were admitted to membership. The association was now grown to a large and influential body, with its borders extending northward into Lewis, and westward into Monroe County. Fourteen churches were dismissed to form a new association. These were situated mostly in Lewis, Marion and Monroe Counties. From the minutes we gain the following summary of Churches. — Bear Creek, Bethlehem, Eamsay's Creek, Siloam, Bethel, Providence, South Eiver, Salt Eiver, Spencer's Creek, Paris, Salem, Palmyra, Mt. Pleasant, North Fork, Union, Pleas- ant Hill, Noix Creek, Gwin's Creek, Little Union, Union Pike County, Indian Creek, Mt. Moriah, Elk Fork, Wyaconda, Mt. Pisgah and Gilead; the total membership of which was 1,143. Ministers. — Davis Biggs, Jer. Taylor, Christy Gentry, E. Wil- liams, Ed. Turner, Archibald Patterson, Jer. Yardeman, David Hubbard, W. McQuie and J. M. Lillard. Licentiates.-7—C. L. Turner, J. Keach, J. Lear, T. P. Park, Noah Flood, T. E. Hatcher and J. F. Hedges. Davis Biggs — one of the fathers, and the first moderator of Salt Eiver Association, was born in Camden County, North Car- olina, March 8, 1763. His father, John Biggs, who emigrated from England many years before the revolutionary war, was of Welsh extraction. He was a soldier in the war of 1776, on ac- count of which, and during his absence, the British and tories stripped him of almost everything he could call his own, save his land. When Davis Biggs was but a boy his father died, not a great while after which event he determined to try a seafaring life, to commence which he embarked on the Black Ship, which was go- ing out on a trip to the West Indies after a cargo of salt. In SALf RIVER ASSOCIATION. 217 these days the seas were infested with pirates, who captured many a merchant vessel and lilled their coflers with the rich treasures on board. The Black Ship was a medium sized vessel of six guns. They had a pleasant sail out, and without difficulty secured their cargo of salt and started home. On the way they had a desperate encounter with two privateers, and after several hours' battle succeeded in driving back the pirates, and were no more molested. Once more at home our young seaman conclu- ded he had had enough of a sailor's life, and determined to spend the remainder of his minority at the old homestead, under the care and training of a fond and loving mother. He had three brothers — Eobcrt, the eldest, and John and Imoriah. The last named became a Baptist jjreacher, but was cut down in the prime of life in his native state, North Carolina. After his return home young Biggs, in company with his broth- ers, occupied his time in cultivating the old farm. Notwithstand- ing these were war times, and but little attention paid to school interests, he managed to secure quite a respectable English ed- iication — far ahead of the generality of his day. At the age of 18 years he was married to Miss Anna Morris, daughter of Jesse Morris, of Camden County, North Carolina, by whom was born to him two sons, AVilliam and Morris, and two daughters. Wil- liam Biggs succeeded his father as moderator of Salt Eiver As- sociation, and we think occupied that position until his death. When about 20 years of age, Davis Biggs began exhorting and preaching. In 1797 he was called to the pastorate in the Ports- mouth Baptist Church, Virginia, not long after which he moved to that state, and settled in Norfolk County. He did much preaching in this and adjoining counties during his thirteen years' stay in Virginia. He was accustomed every fall to make preaching excursions to the " Upper Country," and spend sever- al weeks at a time. In this way he rendered efficient aid in build- ing up the Baptist interest. In 1810 he sold his possessions in Virginia, and moved to Kentucky and settled in Bourbon Coun- ty. He was now in his prime, being forty-seven years of age. He traveled and preached all over that jjart of the state. He was pastor of the Baptist Church in Georgetown seven years, and of Silas Creek, in whicli he held membership ten years, and suj)plied the pulpits of the Bethlehem and Dry Eun Churches a part of the time while he lived in the state. But emigration advanced westward, and with it came the sub- ject of this sketch, bringing with him the everlasting gospel, the 218 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. divinely appointed instrumentality of Christian civilization. In September, 1820, he, together with his family, landed on Peno Creek, Pike County, Missouri, where he made his permanent dwelling place. Davis Biggs was about five feet and ten inches in height, weigh- ing from 150 to 155 pounds. He had a round face, blue eyes and brown hair. He was quick tempered, and used often to say that his temper was his besetting sin. His body was of that build suited to great endurance and a frontier life. He aided much in building up the Baptist cause in Northeast Missouri. The field next to his own house was first looked after. The churches of Peno Creek, Eamsay's Creek and Mt. Pisgah reaped the fruits of his labor, in a majority, if not all, of which he labored as pastor. At the organization of Salt River Associ- ation he was chosen moderator, which position he held for sev- eral successive years. Father Biggs had quite an intelligent look, and was indeed an intelligent man. As a preacher, he was considerably above medi ocrity. Besides preaching to the churches of which he was pas- tor he would travel extensively, confirming the churches in the faith. In his preaching excursions he would often proceed south as far as the Missouri Biver. As preachers were scarce in his earlier day in Missouri, much devolved upon the few who were here. Elder Biggs seemed always willing to bear his part. Be- ing a man of quick impulses, and devoted to a pure and holy life, he used often to find it necessary to reprove blasphemers and wicked and worldly men ; in fact, he faithfully exposed sin wherever he saw it. He aimed literall}^ and faithfully to follow the instructions of his Master — "Eeprove, rebuke," &c. This brought down upon his head the opposition of many who had darling sins, and there were many of this class in those pioneer days. But none of these things moved him. Such was the heat- ed opposition to him at times, that it amounted to persecution, but still Davis Biggs wavered not. He was as firm as they were hostile. Had the pioneer band failed to lift up a warning voice and show the people their sins in this country fifty or sixty years ago, what would have been the state of society now ? Tongue nor pen could have described it. Of the descendants of Elder Biggs, there are a number of high- ly respectable families in Pike County and other parts of the state, the most of whom are Baptists, and some of M^hom have occupied quite honorable positions in ofiicial life. Elder James SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 219 B. Biggs, the popular and much loved pastor of the Baptist church in Kirkwood, Mo., is a great grandson of his. For sev- eral of the last years of Father Biggs' life, he was unable to preach on account of affliction, and on the first day of August, 1845, he died, triumphing in the cross, at his home some six miles nearly west of Louisiana, Pike County, being upwards of 82 years of age. Jesse Sitton. — This honored minister of Jesus Christ was one of the founders of the Salt Eiver Association. AVe have nothing pertaining to his nativity. He came to Missouri as early as 1821 and united by letter with the Stout's Settlement Baptist Church, being a minister at that time. He was pastor of this church from 1821 until 1828. when he was dismissed by letter and moved from the state. The name of Bethuel Riggs appears among the older ministers of this association, and deserves some notice here, Bethuel Riqgs — a pioneer preacher of Missouri, was born about 1760 in the state or colony of New Jersey. Not much is now known of his very early life, he having spent a little more than half his life out of Missouri. At the age of 17 years, while but a youth, young Eiggs enlisted as a soldier in the war of the Amer- ican revolution, and for the services rendered therein he after- wards received a pension. He married in his earlier life. His wife was Xancy Lee, sister of a celebrated Baptist preacher by the name of James Lee, who used to preach under the trees with his gun standing by his side, apprehending an attack from Indians. At the age of 18 years Bethuel Eiggs was converted to Christ and became a Baptist, and soon after moved to North Carolina, and subsequently to Georgia, where he lived some years, and here he not only began his ministry but traveled and preached somewhat extensively. Long before that state was densely pop- ulated he traveled from settlement to settlement and preached the everlasting and blessed gospel to poor sinners, warning them with tears in his eyes to flee from the wrath to come. While still a comparatively young man, he, in company with a largo colony, came across the Indian country to Kentucky. This trip was made during the earlier Indian wars. While crossing the mountains and the unsettled portions of country intervening be- tween the states, the emigrants were in great peril. But they used every precaution and were watchful and vigilant, and final- ly reached Kentucky in safety. Mr. Riggs settled in that part of Kentucky opposite Cincinnati. 220 SAM UTVER ASSOCIATION. While living in this place a somewhat rare incident occurred in his life. There were some restrictions in the territorial laws concerning marriage. One day a couple came to his house wish- ing to be married. Owing to the above named restrictions they could not be married in the territory. An expedient was thought of, which was to get into their canoes and go out into the river. And this they did, and when about midway in the Ohio Kiver Eld. Riggs married them, and they went on their way happy. In the year 1809 he came to Missouri and first settled on Dar- denne Creek, in St. Charles County, where he lived some eight years. He then moved higher up the country and settled about five or six miles nearly north of Troy, the county seat of Lin- coln County, by a celebrated sulphur spring and lick, called Sulphur Lick. This spring possessed some excellent medical qualities, and afterwards gave name to a church which was or- ganized at his house in 1823, of which he was a constituent mem- ber, and was also pastor several successive years. But Elder Riggs was of a traveling disposition and hence did not confine himself to one place long at a time. He spent much of his time in itinerating. He preached over large portions of Warren, St. Charles, Lincoln, Montgomery and Pike Counties. Subsequent- ly he moved to Monroe County, where he lived for awhile preach- ing in the settlements in the Salt River country. He then mov- ed to Illinois, thence to Ohio, and back again to Missouri, where he died and was buried by the side of his faithful wife, the com- panion both of his youth and his old age. Jeremiah Vardeman. — This distinguished minister was one of a class somewhat rare in the annals of the church.. He possess- ed the peculiar talent of bringing the leading truths of the gos- pel home to the consciences of his hearers. His illustrations were singularly vivid, his language strong, simple and well suit- ed to convey clear thoughts to every class, even the most illiter- ate; while the deep fountains of feeling gushed forth from his own heart and poured like a shower of rain over the minds of his hearers. In deep emotions, vivid conceptions of gosi:)el truth, and the power of exciting sympathy, he resembled Whitefield. There were occasions, when in an unpremeditated exhortation he seemed to touch every chord of the soul, and by the outpour- ings of gospel admonitions in a simple and affectionate style would strike the consciences of all around him. There was not the least affectation in the style and manner of his preaching. Ho had never studied the arts of the rhetorician, and despised SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 221 all trick and artifice in moving the passions. In allusion to the practice among frontier people of winnowing grain in a primi- tive fashion, he spoke of the labored efforts of some preachers in^ getting up excitement, as " making wind with a blanket." (J. M. Peck in Western Watchman, Vol. YII.) Jeremiah Vardeman was the youngest of twelve children, a descendant of Swedish and Welsh ancestors, and traits of char- acter peculiar to each nation were conspicuous in him. He was born about twelve miles above old Fort Chiswell in what is now Wythe County, Vir- ginia, July 8, 1775. His grandfather, John Vardeman, Sr., had emigrated to America from Sweden and set- tled in South Carolina early in the 18th cent- ury, when his father, John Vardeman, Jun., was seven years old. Here the younger John Vardeman grew to manhood, married Elizabeth Morgan, a native of Wales, and soon after removed to and settled in Bedford County, Virginia, not far from the celebrated peaks of Otfer. The elder John Varde- man was a member of the Lutheran church in his native coun- try, but united with the Protestant Episcopal Church in South Carolina. He died at the extreme age of 125 years. Jolm Vardeman and his wife, the father and mother of Jere- miah, professed religion and united with the Baptists while liv- ing in Bedford County, Va.; in 1767 removed to the settle- ments on New River; and in 1779 moved to the wilds of Ken- tucky and settled near Crab Orchard. Jeremiah, the youngest son being old enough, took part in the Indian wars, and frequently served as a scout. During a great revival of religion in Kentucky which commenced in 1792, he was converted and made a public profession of religion. He had strong impressions to preach, but having little education he re- REV. JEREMIAH VARDEMAN. ■LrL SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. sisted the impressions, and they finally wore off. Note what fol- lowed. Young Vardeman had a natural fondness for social pleasures and hilarity , seeing which, some of his worldly associates used all their influence to entice him into sin. He was induced to attend a neighborhood dancing party ; only once, he cogitated, and then he would be more strict. Here he found jjersons of respecta- bility who treated the 3'oung church member with marked atten- tion. His next downward step was to attend a dancing school in the neighborhood of Crab Orchard "only as a spectator." Here amidst the whirl of excitement and gayety he was in- duced to sign his name to the list of pupils to the school. He now gave himself wholly up to worldly amusements, though oftentimes, as he testified afterwards, scourged by the lashings of conscience. Before that fatal night he had never attended even a country frolic. Trained as he had been under the uni- versally prevailing idea that balls, dancing and sports of all kinds were a violation of the Christian profession, he very nat- urally regarded his conduct as a forfeiture of his Christian char- acter; and left the church without explanation, to the deep mor- tification of his parents and two brothers, Avho were members of the same church. "Being a man of strong impulses and great energy of charac- ter, he engaged with his whole soul in whatever he undertook. He became the leader of the young people in every species of amusement. None could sing and play on the violin so en- chantingly — none so full of hilarity as Jeremiah Yardeman."* With one exception his religious friends gave him up, under the impression that he would proceed, step by step, the downward course. That exception was his pious mother, who would some- times say : " I know Jerry will be reclaimed : God is faithful, and I feel assured that he is a prayer hearing God." Under the ministry of an unlettered Baptist preacher by the name of Thomas Hansford, after spending three years of his life in the manner above described, Vardeman was most powerfully convicted of his backslidings, and for two or three days he had great distress of soul. He finally fouiid comfort and solemnly vowed to the Lord that he would forsake all vain amusements and devote himself to the preaching of the gospel. The people of Pulaski County at that time, for the most part, lived in log cabins, scattered through the forests, with few wag- * Peck's Memoir of J. VardcmuD, in Western Watchman, Vol. VII. SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 223 on roads, but only "bridle paths" leading from cabin to cabin. In these cabins Mr. Vardeman began to hold week-night meet- ings. Great interest was at once awakened, and quite a number were converted. "The church of which he had been a member restored him to fellowship, and gave him a license in the old Baptist form; a certificate merely stating that he had " a gift " of usefulness and had liberty to use it wherever Providence opened a door. He now gave out appointments and preached several times in quick succession. All classes came out to hear him, and in a short time upwards of twenty of his former associates in Lincoln County, and members of the dancing school that had led him astray, became humble and obedient disciples of Christ." (^West- ern Watchman, Yol. VII.) His ordination occurred about the year 1801, soon after which he found himself called to the monthly supply of four churches. He was poor in this world's goods, but by the favor of Divine Providence and the aid of his brethren he was soon advanced in the ministry to a sphere of great usefulness. From the first Eld. Yardeman was eminently successful in exhortation. On the first Sabbath next succeeding his restoration he attended a meeting where he was expected to speak. A crowd of people had assembled. After some older men had spoken he arose, and with tears gushing from his eyes, gave an exhortation mingled with confessions of his own backslidings, and entreated his young associates to forsake the sinful amusements into which he himself had led them. The effect was wonderful : " Young and old pressed forward and offered him their hands, and with audi- ble voices exclaimed: ' Oh, Mr. Yardeman, pray for me;' and one said, ' Do pray forme, Mr. Yardeman, for I'm a heap bigger sinner than you ever was.' " (Annals Am. Pulpit, p. 422.) Mr. Yardeman had never before attempted to pray in public, but remembering his vow unto the Lord when he obtained re- lief, he fell upon his knees and began to pray in behalf of the crowds around him begging for mercy. It was soon after this event that Mr. Yardeman visited his old church in Lincoln Coun- ty, and was admitted back to membership as related in a preced- ing paragraph. From the time of his restoration. Eld. Yardeman spent an ex- tensively useful career in the Baptist ministry in Kentucky, and was one of the most popular preachers in the state, which se- cured for him large congregations wherever he went. He preach- 224 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. etl at David's Fork, Lexington, Bardstown, Louisville, and as far off as Nashville, Tenn., and Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1830, he emigrated to Missouri and " pitched his habitation on the border of a beautiful and fertile prairie near Salt River in Ralls County. Here he soon had comfortable houses for his large family and numerous dependents, and 200 acres of virgin soil under cultivation." Nor Avas he neglectful of the moral wilderness around him. Without a stipulated salary, he pro- ceeded to collect together the scattered sheep of Christ's flock and gather them into folds, and several churches grew up under his immediate labors. His influence was not confined to Salt River Association. He took a prominent part in bringing the denomination of the state into active co-operation in benevolent efforts, and was the first moderator of the '* Central Society." He had a giant frame and vigorous constitution, yet he con- tinued his ministerial labors without relaxation. For nearly two years before his death he became unable to stand while preaching, and sat in an arm-chair while he addressed the peo- ple with deep pathos. Only two weeks before his final depart- ure, in company with another minister, he visited the Sulphur Springs at Elk Lick, which appeared to afford him benefit. Be- fore they left, they constituted a church, a measure not contem- plated in the visit. There was a revival, and notwithstanding his weakness Eld. Vardeman baptized five converts; the last service of the kind he ever performed. He had then baptized more Christian professors than any man in the United States. As he kept no registry of these and other labors, the accurate number cannot be ascertained, probably not less than 8,000 con- verts. On the Lord's day before his death he attended the appoint- ment of another preacher in the church in his immediate neigh- borhood. He was free from pain, his appetite good, and his mind clear and calm in view of death. After the first sermon, he spoke with usual effect half an hour or more from Heb. 2 ; 3 : "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" The following week he grew worse, though little alarm was felt by him or his family about his speedy dissolution. But on Satur- day morning. May 28, 1842, he called his family around him, gave some directions, bade them farewell, and sank in death like a child falling asleep — all within fifteen minutes — in the 67th year of his age." (J. M. Peck in Western Watchman, Vol. VII.) " In doctrine he was moderately Calvinistic. His views of the SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 225 doctrine of the atonement corresponded with those of Andrew Ful- ler, in his Gospel Worthy of all Acceptation. He delighted to defend the essential divinity of the Son of God — the trinity of persons in the Godhead — God's sovereignty and man's free agency and ac- countability— the vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross, with all other leading doctrines of the gospel held by the denomination to which he belonged. ITis sncoess in the ministry of the gospel was perhaps unequalled by that of any other minister west of the Alleghany Mountains. This unusual success must be attributed, in a great measure under God, to the sympathy of his own heart with the unconverted. 'Knowing the terror of the Lord ' himself, he felt deeply for the poor sinner al- ready condemned. He threw his soul into his sermons, while he would plead with and for them, as though he could take no denial. The earnestness of his manner was calculated to convince the sinner that the preacher felt, and felt deeply for him. When he perceived that his preaching had enlisted the feelings of the unconverted, he was in the habit of proposing to pray with and for them." (J. E. Welch in Western Watchman,Yo\. VII.) Mr. Vardeman was married three times. Two sons by his first wife have long lived in Missouri, Jeremiah B. Vardeman and Rev. W. H. Vardeman. Both professed religion in youth. JEREMIAH B. VARDEMAX. 15 CHAPTER ni. SALT EIVER ASSOCIATION. (Conclude:!.) Controversy on ^Missions, and its Results — Division of the Association — Prosperity of the Churches — List of Associatioual jVIoderators — Sketches of Bowling Green, First Louisiana, and Other Churches — John H. Duncan — Robert Gilmore — David Hub- bard— Anecdote of Hubbard — A. D. Landrum ; How He Baptized a 3Iau Private- ly—J. H. Keach— W. F. Luck— J. D. Biggs— W. J. Patrick. DURING the fii'st eleven years of its existence the Salt River Association made very gratifying progress in the dissem- mination of Baptist principles and the formation of Baptist churches, until its boundaries included the counties of Pike, Ralls, Marion, Lewis and Monroe. In 1834 it dismissed the following churches, viz. : Bethel, Little Union, Palmyra, Bear Creek, Pleas- ant Hill, Salt River, Providence, South River, Wj^aconda, G-il- ead, Indian Creek, North Fork, Paris and Elk Fork. These churches, situated in the counties of Marion, Lewis and Monroe, in pursuance of an act of the mother association, met the follow- ing October at Bethel meeting-house, Marion County, and form- ed the "Bethel Association," of which an account will be given in due time. This event reduced the number of churches in the Salt River Association to 13. From 1835 to 1840 the sessions were regularly held, and har- mony prevailed until 1839. In 1840 a division took place on the subject of Missions, concerning which event we have gathered the following facts from the records and from eye-witnesses: The fifteenth anniversary of the association was held at Siloam Church, Pike County, September 7-9, 1838. Quite a number of brethren were present who felt that the time had come for the churches to do something in the way of sustaining an itinerant missionary to labor among the destitute in the bounds of the association. They consulted about the matter, and finding that some were opposed to bringing the question into the association in any shape, and wishing to avoid trouble and confusion, a meet- ing was held at the church house on Saturday after the adjourn- ment of the body, and a missionary board or society was formed. Eld. Thomas T. Johnson was its president j $30 were raised and SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 227 Eld. Jacob Bower was employed as a missionary at $10 per month. Although the friends or missions kept this matter en- tirely out of the association, yet the opposition was not satisfied. The next session (1839) was held at Ramsay's Creek, No ac- tion was taken on the subject of missions, but there was a mani- fest lack of harmony. During the introductory exercises, the Bro. who was preaching (Eld, William Davis) said : " Paul was a Eoman;" whereupon Eld. Jer. Vardeman spoke up and said, "N'o, no, brother; Paul was a 'Hebrew of the Hebrews;' " and here the fight began. Eld. Vardeman was the advocate of mis- sions, Eld. Davis was in the lead of the opposition; still no ac- tion was taken in the association. Soon after this meeting of the association, the Bethlehem Church published a circular against the missionaries, urging those opposed to missions to '' come out of Babylon." A copy of this circular was sent to every church in the association, and thus the controversy waxed hotter and hotter. In 1840 the association met at Spencer's Creek Church, in Pike County, When the messengers arrived, they ascertained that three churches, including the one with which they had met, had separated themselves from the association. In view of thiSi{)ro- cedure, the following admonitory resolution was adopted : " That we consider the secession of Spencer's Creek, Bethle- hem and Union churches a palpable violation of their covenant engagements with Salt Eiver Association, and we do affection- ately advise and admonish these brethren to reconsider the course they have taken and return again to the bosom of the as- sociation," This admonition did not prevent the schism. Noth- ing in reason would conciliate the brethren who were opposed to missions. The three churches above named and a minority of Siloam, separated themselves from the mother body, and formed soon after a small association called Siloam an account of which was given in a preceding chapter. During this period — 1835-'40 — several names were added to the corps of ministers. We note the following: T. T. Johnson, Amos Beck, A. D. Landrum, Wm, Davis and E, Davis. The first formal action we find in her records on the subject of missions was at her session at Spencer's Creek in 1840, as fol- lows : " Resolved, That wo recommend to the churches composing this association the proprictj^ of obtaining and sustaining a preacher whose labors are approved by the churches, to labor in the 228 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. bounds of this association in destitute places, and report to the next association." In 1841 they met at Salem, Ralls County. Sulphur Lick Church, from Cuivre Association, and Bethel Church, of Ealls County, were admitted this year. They dropped correspondence with Cuivre Association (anti-mission), and opened correspondence with Little Bonne Femme Association. Eld. Lewis Duncan was added to the list of ministers. The churches now began to en- joy greatly increased prosperity and 96 baptisms were reported. Peace and harmony prevailed throughout the bounds of the as- sociation. Mount Pleasant Church entertained the association in 1842, when the following resolution was adopted : "That this association approve of the object and principles of operation of the General Association of Baptists of Missouri." Every year brought accessions to the ministry. This year the names of Robert Gilmore, Ira Bailey and L. C. Musick were added. The anniversary of 1843, held at Sulphur Lick, Lincoln Coun- ty, was gladdened by the glorious intelligence of an old fash- ioned revival of religion among the churches. The whole num- ber ^f baptisms during the year was 213; total membership had again increased to nearly 1,000, having more than doubled in the last three years. Four new churches were received, viz. : Saver- ton, Ralls County; New Salem, Lincoln County; Mt. Hope, St. Charles County ; and Camp Creek, Warren County. Noix Creek was the place of meeting in 1844, and Mt. Pisgah in 1845. In 1844 J. H. Duncan and W. H. Yardeman were added to the list of ministers. The latter was a licentiate. Troy and New Hope Churches, both of Lincoln County, were received this year. New churches were added every year. In 1845 Martins- burg Church, Illinois ; Zion Church, of Montgomery County, late from Bonne Femme Association ; Bethlehem West Cuivre, Lincoln County, and West Cuivre, Audrain County, were re- ceived. This year, at the request of Salem and Mount Pisgah Churches, an executive committee on missions was appointed, consisting of Brethren Wm. Waddell, II. G. Edwards and Geo. W. Peay. Said committee were instructed to procure a minister or ministers to ride and preach in the bounds of the association, for such time as funds might be procured for such purpose. The minutes of the session of 1846 are printed on one side of a large sheet, similar to a small newspaper. The meeting this SALT RIVEE ASSOCIATION. 229 year was held at Kamsay's Creek Church, and lasted four days. Elds. A. I). Landrum and David Hubbard traveled as evangelists about 100 days, at 75 cents per day; 58 were added to the church- es by baptism, and 30 by letter. The association now numbered 1,088. Zion Church, Montgomery County, was the place of meeting in 1847. Wm. Biggs had died during the year, concerning which event appropriate resolutions were adopted. The table exhibits but little prosperity during the j^ear. Only 7 baptisms reported. Contributions amounted to $17. Decided action was taken con- cerning missions. Last year the question had been submitted to the churches, a large majority of whom had expressed their ap- probation of the action of the association. With reference to this approval, the body "Resolved, That with a view of carrying out the wishes of said majority, and with no view whatever of trespassing upon the rights of the minority, the association now proceed to select a minister, or ministers, whose duty it shall be to give at least two Sabbaths in a month to the work, and labor mainly with the weak churches and in destitute settlements so long as funds maj" be procured for that purpose." The collection on the Sabbath for mission purposes, in cash and pledges, was $46.75. For the remainder of this decade, up to 1855, the association held regular sessions, as follows : in 1848, at Bethel Church, Ralls County ; in 1849, at Noix Creek, Pike County ; in 1850, Mt. Pleasant, Pike County; in 1851, Eamsay's Creek ; in 1852, at Salem, Ralls County ; in 1853, at Mt. Pisgah, Pike Count}- ; in 1854, at Mill Creek Church, Lincoln County ; and in 1855, at Sugar Creek Church, Pike County. In 1853, the First Baptist Church, Louisiana, Cottonwood Church, Lincoln County, and Mt. Pleasant Montgomery Coun- ty, were admitted into the association. From 1856 to 1865, the association held regular sessions as fol- lows: Adiel Church, 1856; Martinsburg, III., 1857; Providence, in 1858; Union, in 1859; Buffalo Knob, in 1860; Louisiana, in 1861; West Cuivre, in 1802; Mt. Pisgah, in 1863; New Salem, in 1864 ; Noix Creek in 1865. During the 35th session, in 1858, a "Ministerial Education So- ciety" for the association, was organized, the object of which was to raise funds for the education of young men preparing for the ministry. The giving of two dollars constituted the giver ^36 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION, an annual member. The following is a list of ministers : Steph- en Fish, J. T. Williams, J. F. Smith, J. J. Gipson, J. F. Hedges, A. P. Eogers, J. M. Johnson, T. T. Johnson, J. II. Keach, L. C. Musick, J. N. Griffin, A. G. Mitchell,W. F. Luck,W.W. Mitchell, C. B. Lewis and E. Autery. At the session of 1859, Bro. Jno. T. Williams preached the in- troductory sermon. A. G. Mitchell was re-elected moderator. The churches were advised " not to receive members from pedo- baptist or Campbellite societies, without baptizing them." This advice is in perfect agreement with the great body of the Bap- tist denomination of the United States. For the information of many, we give the following on this subject, from Rev. David Benedict, the Baptist historian. He says : " I have ascertained by my extensive correspondence, that by far the greater part of our denomination both re-baptize and re- ordain all who join them, from whatever churches they come." (^History of the Baptists, p. 944.) Early in the year 1861, the booming of cannon was heard in our peaceful and happy country. It was the beginning of four years of civil war. Many hearts were wrung with anguish at the news from the bloody battle-fields, and many a sad story was told concerning the mangled bodies of fond fathers and loving brothers and sons who fell, fighting like true soldiers. During these troublesome times no interests suffered more than the cause of a pure faith. Seven of the twenty-four churches failed this year to send letters or messengers. Still the table shows that at least one-half of the churches had a good degree of prosper- ity. There were 128 baptisms. In 1862 only twelve churches sent letters; the meeting was at West Cuivre Church, far away from the great body of the mem- bership of the association. There were only 23 baptisms. The minutes of 1863 show that messengers from almost all the churches were present. Officers of last year were re-elected. Elds. J. S. Green, Eobert Kaylor, and Bro. Jas. McPike were present from Bethel Association, and Brethren L. S. Moore, J. Motley and M. E. Motley from Bear Creek Association as corresponding messengers. Dover Church, Pike County, was received into the association this year. The membership had grown to 2,500, and spread over a tract of country from Salt Piver on the north, to Cuivre River on the south and southeast, a distance of about eighty miles. In 1865, the association met at Noix Creek Church. It was in SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 231 September. This was the month, on the fourlli day of wliich the "Test Oath" took eft'eet, and consequently there seems to have been but little preaching during the session. From the minutes no arrangement appears to have been made for preaching on the Lord's day, and no one is reported as having preached on that day. Elders Tiussel Holman, agent of domestic and Indian mis- sions of the Southern Baptist Convention, and J T.Westover of the American Baptist Publication Society, were invited to seats, and presented the claims of their societies to the association, and over S200 were contributed in response to Bro. Holman's appeal. Over 200 baptisms were reported. In 1866, the association met at Dover, Pike County. Sessions of the association were held as follows from 1866: At Dover, Pike County, Sept. 7-8, 1866; Eamsay's Creek, Sept. 13- 14,1867; Salem, Ealls County, Sept. 11-12, 1868; Providence, Pike County, Sept. 10-11, 1869; Sugar Creek, Pike County, Sept. 9-11, 1870; Mill Creek, Lincoln County, Sept. 8-10, 1871; Louisiana, Sept. 13-15, 1872; Bethel, Ealls County, Sept. 12-14, 1873; Mt. Pleasant, Pike County, Sept. 11-13, 1874; New Hope, Lincoln County, Sept., 1875; Dover, Pike County, Sept. 8-9, 1876; Star Hope, Lincoln County, Sept. 7-8, 1877; West Cuivre, Audrain County, Sept. 13-14, 1878 ; Spencerburg, Pike County, Sept. 12-13, 1879; Vandalia, Audrain County, Sept. 7-9, 1880; New Salem, Lincoln County, Sept. 6-8, 1881. During this peri- od there was an average of 138 baptisms annually. In 1866 the association numbered 22 churches and 1,968 members. In 1881 it numbered 37 churches and 3,176 members. The churches seem to have had the greatest prosperity in 1870 when they re- ported 290 baptisms. Ministers in 1881. — J. D. Biggs (since moved to Kirkwood), F. M. Birkhead, J. B. English, S. Gr. Givens, E. Jennings, M. P. Matheny (since moved out of the bounds), A. G. Mitchell, D. W. Morgan, W. J. Patrick, A. P. Eodgers, G. B. Smith, W. M. Tip- ton, J. Eeld and M. S. Whiteside. Action was taken as follows on the "Missouri Test Oath," which came up at the request of Mt. Pisgah Church through her letter: "Your committee recommend the association to appoint a committee of five members (in case it should be necessary) to memorialize the next legislature to repeal or abolish the * Test Oath,' or at least so much as relates to our ministers, many of whom are debarred from prosecuting their duties, duties which 232 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. they dare not disregard, and which the state should vouchsafe security to as a sacred duty, on account of the commission they hold from Jesus Christ Himself to 'Preach the gospel to every creature.' " Moderators of Salt Biver Association. — Eld. Davis Biggs, 6 years; Eld. Jer. Taylor, 1 year; Eld. Wm. Fuqua, 1 year; Wm. Biggs, 15 years; Eld. A. D. Landrum, 11 years; Eld. A. G. Mitchell, 10 years; Eld. J. M. Johnson, 1 year; Eld. M. M. Modisett, 2 years ; Hon. John D. Biggs, 4 years ; Hon. A. P. Miller, 4 years ; Eld. John T. Williams, 1 year, and Eld. W. J. Patrick, 4 years. Bro. Miller was for 17 years clerk of the association. The following churches number upwards of 75 members : Bowling Green — was organized June, 1854, by Elds. Wm. Hur- ley and T. T. Johnson, with 19 members. The pastors have been Elds. Wm. Hurley, M. M. Modisett, L. C. Musick, J. T.Williams, W. F. Luck, J. F. Smith, J. W. Haines, A. P. Eodgers, W. H. Burnham and J. D. Biggs. Total present membership, 86. Dover Church — was organized September, 1862, with 11 mem- bers. The ministers officiating were Elds. A. G. Mitchell, M. M. Modisett and J. B. Fuller. M. M. Modisett was first pastor; his successors have been Eld. A. G. Mitchell and J. F. Cook. Present membership, 86. Louisiana First Baptist Church — was organized March 26, 1853, by Eld. A. D. Landrum, with 36 members. Eld. J. F. Smith was first pastor; his successors were M,M. Modisett, J. T.Williams, H. M. King, J. B. Fuller, A. F. Eandall, E. Gibson, J. D. Biggs, J. T. Williams and W. M. Tipton. Present membership, 145. Mill Creek — was organized in 1851. In 1882 the church num- bered 87 members, with W. J. Patrick as pastor. Mt. Pisgah — was organized December, 1833, b}- Elds. Davis Biggs, Moses Fuqua and Walter McQuie, with 18 members. Eld. T. T. Johnson was the first i)astor; his successors were W. Mc- Quie, J. F. Smith, J. T. Williams, W. W. Mitchell, A. P. Eodgers, M. M. Modisett and W. J. Patrick. Present membership, 140. Mount Pleasant — was organized February, 1833, by Elds. Jer. Vardeman and Davis Biggs, with 30 members. Eld. Jer. Yardeman was the first pastor; Eld. S. G. Givens was pastor in 1882, the church numbering 74 members. New Hope. — (Sketch of this church in former chapter, under head of Stout's Settlement.) New Salem — was organized in 1843. In 1882 the church num- bered 161 members with J. Eeid as pastor. SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 233 Noix Creek, — This church was organized in 1830. J. Rcid was pastor in 1882, the church numbering 221 members. Eamsay's Creek. — (Sketch of this church in a former chapter.) Star Hope — was organized at Eeid's School-house, Ma}-, 1867, with 9 members, by Eld. W. F. Luck. The tirst pastor was Eld. M. S. Whiteside; Eld. W. H. Burnham was his successor. Total present members, 126. Salem. — This church bears the date of 1832. The present mem- bership is 215. Sugar Creek — was organized May 1, 1852, by Elds. A. D. Landrum, J. M. Johnson and T. T„ Johnson, with 9 members. The pastors have been : Elds. J. M. Johnson, M. M. Modisett, G. W. Foster, J. F. Cook and J. D. Biggs. The total present mem- bership is 98. West Cuivre — was organized in 1845, by Elds. W. H. Varde- man and J. G. Sweeney, with 11 members. Eld. W. H. Varde- man was first pastor; he was succeeded by Elds. J. N". Griffin, Wm. Jesse, B. B. Black, L. C. Musick, J. F. Smith, E. S. Duncan, J. T. Wheeler, W. E. Wiggington and J. D. Eobinett. Present membership, 211. This church has preaching three Sundays in the month. John H. Duncan — was born in Culpepper County, Va., about the first of July, 1803. He grew up in his native state and mov- ed to Missouri when a young man. He had a good English education, and while he preached but little, spent most of his life in the school-room as a teacher. He lived and died a single man, and never manifested any special fondness for the society of the gentler sex. His preaching was methodical and partook somewhat of the controversial. About the middle of December, 1851, he died, and was buried on the farm of his brother, Eld. Lewis Duncan. Egbert Gilmore — for some years a member of, and minister in Salt Eiver Association, was the son of John and Elizabeth Gil- more. He was born in 1792, in the state of Virginia, and subse- quently moved to the state of Kentucky, where he was married to Miss Mary Hansford in 1818. Eight children were the issue of said marriage. In 1819 he emigrated to Missouri and settled in St. Charles County, where he remained for a brief period, and then moved to Lincoln County and settled in the neighborhood of Old Sul- phur Lick Church. Not long after his settlement in Lincoln County, he professed 234 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION religion and became a member of the Baptist denomination, hav- ing been baptized by the old pioneer, Eld. Bethuel Riggs. We first find the name of Robert Gilmore as a licensed minis- ter in the minutes of Cuivre Association in 1880. He was or- dained about the year 1841. He was a most excellent man, had only a limited education, and was a real old fashioned preacher of the gospel. He was for a time identified with the opposers of missions, but after- wards obtaining clearer views on this subject, he became a mem- ber of the Salt Eiver Association and so remained until his re- moval from the state. His labors in the ministry were confined chiefly to Lincoln and Montgomery Counties. In the spring of 1849, equipped for a long journey, Eld. Gil- more, with his own family and many others from his adopted state, started across the western plains for California. The cholera broke out among the emigrants and many were made its victims. Eld. Gilmore, his faithful wife and one son were among the sufferers. He died at the head of Sweet Water on the 25th of June, 1849. He died as he had lived, a faithful, devout Christ- ian. In his last moments he was very quiet, and with calmness and composure he sweetly "slept with his fathers." A name remembered with much pleasure by a large circle of admirers in the Salt River Association is that of David Hubbard. — He was born in the year 1796 in the state of Kentucky, near where the celebrated Daniel Boone first settled. His father, Charles Hubbard, was a native of Virginia, and after spending several years in Kentucky he moved to and settled in St. Louis County, Missouri, in 1809, when David was a small boy. Charles Hubbard was an influential Baptist, and while he lived in St. Louis County filled the oflfice of deacon in the old Fee Fee Baptist Church. David Hubbard grew up in the territory of Missouri, in an age when schools were almost unknown so far west. He therefore secured few advantages from this source; but possessing a strong, active mind, he made the best use of his limited oppor- tunities. He, however, never secured what would be now call- ed a good common English education. At about the age of 23 years he professed conversion and was baptized by Eld. Charles Collard while he was a resident of Gasconade County. Soon after this event of his life he moved to Warren County, and about this time— 1821 or '22— he commenc- ed preaching; and was ordained by the Little Bethel Church in SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 235 1824. He spent three or four years in Warren County, moved thence to Lincoln County, and settled some ten or twelve miles west from the county seat, Troy. In 1829 he moved higher up in the county and lived some ten or twelve j-ears in the neigh- borhood of New Hope; thence he moved to Pike County, Ill- inois ; where he lived until he moved to Oregon in 1853 or '54. David Hubbard was popular in the pulpit and out of the pul- pit. Wherever his name was known in Eastern Missouri he could get a congregation, week-day or Sunday. As a pastor he labored industriously. In this capacity he labored with the Sul- phur Lick, Bryant's Creek and Union Churches, all in Lincoln County, and with the former of these for a number of years. He was almost all the time pastor of four churches. The following somewhat amusing anecdote showing that the best of preachers sometimes make a partial failure, and also how ministers occasionally enjoy a joke at each other's expense, is yet told and very much enjoyed by Bro. Hubbard's most de- voted admirers : During the sitting of the Salt River Association at Sulph- ur Lick in 1843, on an afternoon several ministers were spend- ing a social hour at the house of Bro. William Moore, near by the church house. The conversation was upon the sermon preach- ed in the forenoon, which merited some severe criticisms, Bro, Hubbard raised up and said, " Brethren, if I can ever out- pi'each myself it is when I have to follow a bungler." At night a visiting brother from a sister association was put up to preach. It was undecided as to who should follow him. His sermon was somewhat muddy and mixed, Bro. A. D. Landrum who was sitting near Bro. Hubbard in the pulpit, whispered in his ear, <'Now is your time, Brother Hubbard." The visiting brother finished his sermon and Brother Hubbard rose to follow him. He took a text, talked awhile, but all was dark. He took another text, but utterly failed of any liberty on it, and sat down finally, having said but little. This was a good lesson to Bro. H., and will become such to any other who will properly use it. Eld, David Hubbard was twice married ; first to Miss Hannah Morrow, of Gasconade County, Missouri, of whom were born to him ten children, Ilis second marriage, in 1842 or '43, was with Miss Mary L. Thurman of Lincoln County, by whom he had eleven children. In 1853 or '54 he moved to the state of Oregon, Calmly rely- 236 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. ing by a living faith on the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, he breathed his last at his home in Oregon, June 14, 1868. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. . . . that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." Abner D, Landrum — was for fifteen years an active minister in the Salt River Association. He was a preacher in Kentucky before he emigrated to Missouri in 1838. He was most likely a native of Kentucky, and must have been born not far from the beginning of the present century. From 1838 to 1850 he filled the office of pastor in the Ramsay's Creek Church. At her ses- sion in 1845 he was elected moderator of Salt River Association, and was continued in this office until the close of the session of 1856, save one year (1846). He presided with ease and dignity. In the pulpit Eld. Landrum was dignified, graceful and easy. As a preacher he was earnest, practical, persuasive, rather than profound. As to his early advantages for intellectual culture we know nothing, but feel justified in saying that his education was liber- al for his day. He aided in organizing the following churches : Salt River, Sugar Creek, and First Baptist, Louisiana. In 1838 he became pastor of Peno Church, and so continued until its dis- solution in 1852. The following somewhat divei'ting incident occurred in his ministry : On one occasion he was visited by a good Methodist brother who had become dissatisfied with his baptism, but not with the Methodist church. He said, " Brother Landrum, I want you to immerse me at night, and then not say anything about it, as I wish to remain a Meth- odist, and it may make some trouble if the church finds it out." "I cannot do that," said Mr. Landrum. The man was very earnest and insisted that Bro. L. should im- merse him under the foregoing restrictions. Finally Bro. Lan- drum agreed that he would immerse the brother and say nothing of it unless some one should ask about it. They met on the appointed evening a little after nightfall, at a pond or pool of water not far from Bro. Landrum's house, and the baptism was administered. From the pond to the house the elder proceed- ed, and with dripping clothes walked into the presence of his family and some neighbors who were present spending the eve- ning. Of course every one was astounded and amazed, and " Bro. Landrum ! what is the matter; what have yoii been do- SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 237 ing?" immediately fell upon his ear. This was what he wanted to hear, and he promptly replied : *' I have been out to the pond to baptize Bro. C." The news of the baptism spread rapidly and soon the entire neitrhborhood knew of it. ^:ifeaa»iM^JX Ct^-f' THE SECRET NIGHT BAFfLSM ; — " WOULD NoT TELL TJNI.ESS HE WAS ASKED." At the next quarterly conference Bro. C. was called to ac- count for having ignored the teachings of his church, having sought immersion after having been sprinkled, thus denying that sprinkling is authorized in the Bible. Bro. C. could not deny the charge, and finally arose and said : '' Brethren, I hope you will forgive me this time, for if you will, I promise you I will never be baptized again." Bro. C, we suppose, felt that he must surely be riglit now, and had no need of trying any other mode of baptism, for he had both. In the latter part of the year 1856, or early in 1857, Eld. Lan- drum moved to Ilenrj'" County, since which time we have learn- ed but little of him. We have an impression that he died during the war. If now living, he must be quite old. .TonN Hawkins Keacii. — This most excellent man and useful minister of the gospel fell asleep in Jesus at his home in Ralls 238 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. County, Missouri, January 11, 1878. He died of rheumatism, followed by congestion of the lungs. " Father Keaeh was born in Prince William County, Virginia, March 29, 1807. "When he was eight years old his father removed to Mason Co., Ky. They spent six or eight j'cars in Mason, Fleming and Nicholas Counties, and then settled in Jessamine County, near Nicholasville. It was here he was first awakened; under the preaching of Elder Edmund Waller he found himself a lost sinner. A great revival was in progress at Mt. Pleasant Church, when he was converted and joined the Baptist church in the fall of 1826. His was a powerful conversion, such as con- strained that eminent divine. Rev. Edmund Waller, to prophesy that young Keach would be called to preach the gospel. In 1831 the family emigrated to Missouri and settled in Marion County, north of the Fabius, young John having come out and raised a crop the year before. Soon after landing here he lost his father, and he had to plod the world alone. March 29, 1831, he united in marriage with Miss Mary Lake, who survived him. In 1841 he was ordained a Baptist minister, Elds. Ilaycraft, Lillard, Shumate and Taylor officiating. All his time was taken up preaching the gospel to various churches. In 1848 the Baptist G-eneral Association of Missouri appointed him an agent to raise funds for the endowment of William Jew- ell College. He traveled over Northeast Missouri for this object during the years 1848, 1849 and part of 1850. He raised several thousand dollars, and all his life he remain- ed a warm friend of liberal and popular education." (M. W. Wood in Central Baptist, January, 1878.) Eld. James F. Smith says: " Bro. Keach was a Bible student from the time of his conversion to the commencement of his min- istry ; hence he was a good preachel- from the beginning. His address was cool and deliberate — never much excited, but very earnest. His preaching was eminently useful, being full of in- struction and matured thought, and was highly appreciated by inquirers after truth. He was a doctrinal preacher, but seldom failed to make a practical application of the subject. Many have claimed him as their spiritual father. He was one of the best pastors in Northeast Missouri, and long filled this office in the Salem and Bethel Churches, Ralls County." Bro. Keach was a devoted friend and promoter of missions, both home and foreign, and especially the latter, in which he took great interest. SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. 239 The following brief description of his triumphant death is from the pen of his son-in-law, Bro. M. W. Wood: " The antithisis of suffering here, and glory yonder, seemed ever present to his mind. Bro. J. F. Smith, who had known Father Keach for more than half a century, and who began the ministry with him, called to see him a few days before his death and remained to comfort him. They conversed much indeed upon the comforts and consolations which the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ affords the Christian, both in life and in death. A question was put to the dying man (who remained perfectl}' conscious to the moment of dissolution), as to how the valley and shadow of death appeared to him from his near approach ? 'Bro. Smith,' said Father Keach, ' the way is a dark and shad- owy vale, but the light on the other shore is so bright and efful- gent, it dispels the darkness and the gloom. Jesus is there — Jesus, the light, the truth, the way.' "But when the members of the family and tried friends were called around the bedside to receive the parting word, and take the hand in the final good-bye, the scene was far too affecting to be described. It was a happy, a glorious occasion to confirm the truth of victory in death to a house full of witnesses. There were no dry eyes, no vacant looks — no mistaking the grand and triumphant victory over death, hell and the grave on this occa- sion. All could see 'he had faith in God.' " {Central Baptist, Jan. 31, 1878.) One more standard-bearer remains to be noticed in these sketches — the invincible and venerable William Francis Luck. — This earnest and aged Baptist min- ister has not been long dead. He was born November 27, 1801, in Campbell County, Virginia. His grandfather Luck was a na- tive Scotchman and his grandmother Luck was of English pa- rentage. Young Luck grew up with but little help from the schools, for there were few such institutions in his QSirXy day. His mother was a devout Baptist; his father was an irreligious man, and died when he was a small boy of only eight summers. Left fatherless, he grew up into a wild and somewhat reckless young man. He was married September 2, 1824, to Miss Elizabeth McGann, of his native county, and early in 1827, with his young wife emi- grated to Tennessee and settled in Wilson County. He was con- verted at a Baptist camp-meeting in the fall of 1830, and united 240 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. with the Pleasant Valley Church of Separate Baptists. Soon after his conversion he commenced preaching and received or- dination in July, 1833, at the hands of Elds. John Whitlock and Elisha Bell. The union of the two Concord Associations of Tennessee in 1842, identified him with the " United Baptists " after that date. He spent upwards of twenty-five years in the ministry in Tennessee, a larger portion of which time he was in the pas- torate. He removed to Missouri in 1857 and settled in the bounds of the Salt River Association, in Lincoln County, and was soon industriously engaged in preaching the gospel. He labored both as an evangelist and a pastor. As an evan- gelist he was quite successful, and was much beloved as a pastor. Soon after he came to the state he was called to be pastor at New Salem Church — near his home — and so continued, with one or two short intermissions, until his death. He also labored as pastor in the following churches : New Hope, Sulphur Lick and Fairview, in Lincoln County; and Bowling Green and Indian Creek, in Pike County. During the war between the states, Eld. Luck was made a po- litical prisoner, and lay in Gratiot Street prison, St. Louis, for about nine months. Here he continued his ministry, preaching almost every Sabbath. He was finally released, having learned of no charge against him, save that he was a Southern man. But the end must come. After a ministry of about forty-sev- en years William F. Luck died December 26, 1878, of softening of the brain, resulting from an attack of hyperaemia. about a year and a half before, James D. Biggs — was born in Ealls County, Missouri, October 17, 1843. He was baptized in March, 1858 ; and licensed to preach in 1866. He was educated at Georgetown College, Kentucky, where he graduated in June, 1869, and was ordained in the same month. In August of that year he married Miss Lucy Hatch of Georgetown, Ky., and the month following, with her entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Greenville, S. C. He accepted the care of the church atMillersburg, Bourbon County, Ky., in July, 1870, where he remained for two years; thence he returned to his native state, and, in answer to a call from the First Baptist Church, Louisiana, he settled as pastor inthatcity July, 1872. During his pastoral period here, in April, 1873, he was elected to the presidency of the Louisiana Baptist (now Mc- SALT RIVEE ASSOCIATION. 241 He resigned Cune) College, which position he held two years, the pastorate of the church and the i)res- idoncy of the college at Louisiana, to ac- cept the care of the First Baptist Church at Springfield, Mo., and continued there from 1875 to 1878, when he was forced to resign on account of injuries received in a railroad dis- aster. From Spring- field he went to Ealls Countj^ and after resting and re- cuperating preached to several churches in Ealls and Pike Counties until the first of December, 1881, when he was called to the Baptist church at Kirkwood, Missouri. J. D. Biggs is a great-grandson of Davis Biggs, one of the pio- neer preachers of Northeastern Missouri ; and the founder and the first moderator of the Salt Eiver Association. WiLKY J. Patrick — son of Wiley J. and Margaret S. Patrick, was born in Macon County, Missouri, January 3, 1840. His fath- er was reared in Kentucky and his mother in Baltimore. When quite a child his parents moved with him to Hannibal. Seven years of his boyhood were spent in Illinois among strangers, and from the age of fourteen to twenty-one in Monroe County, laboring on a farm in the summer, and going to school some in the winter. Two years of his early life he taught school. On the 18th of May, 1862, ho professed conversion in his pri- vate room, and on the following day united with tlio Salem Church, Monroe County, having been baptized by Eov. A. C. Goodrich. Here he was afterwards ordained and first became pastor. The next autumn he preached his first sermon at Long Branch Church. The period from this until June, 1864, was spent 16 REV. JAMES D. BIGGS. 242 SALT RIVER ASSOCIATION. for tho most part in going to school, the last year at William Jewell College. He then spent a year as missionary of Bethel Association. In 1865-'6 he was in a series of revivals in Little Bonne Femme Association, and in the latter year locat- ed as pastor of New Salem, Nashville and other churches. At Koanoke in this year he was elected corresponding sec- retary of the Gener- al Association. In 1S68 he remov- ed to Jefferson City, the cajiital of the state, having become pastor of the First Baptist Church in that city. Here he preached until the spring of 1870, when, accept- ing a call, he moved to Fulton. In 1872, he was again missionary of Bethel Association and became pastor of Union and Providence Churches. In January, 1873, he was elected chaplain of the Mis- souri Senate, and in 1874 became one of the owners and editors of the Central Baptist. He was missionary of Salt Eiver Associ- ation in 1876, and entered the pastorate of Mill Creek, Curry- ville, Salom and Mt. Pisgah Churches; and in the time has been pastor of Indian Creek, New Hoije and Spencersburg. lie is the moderator of Salt River Association, a trustee of William Jew- ell College and a member of the Board of State Missions. Mr. Patrick was indicted by the grand jury of Monroe Coun- ty in 1865, for preaching without having taken the Test Oath, lie has been twice married : in 1866 to Miss Lizzie A. Withers, the issue of wliich was one daughter and one son; in 1875, to Miss Amanda E. Ustick, now the mother of two daughters. Mr. Patrick is scarcely yet in his prime, and ranks among the able men of the denomination. REV. WILEY J. PATRICK. CHAPTER IT. CONCOED ASSOCIATION. Cooper County ; First Baptists Therein — Formation of the Association — History of Big Bottom, Big Licic, and Otlier Churches — LulsO Wilhams — Re\ival at the Dance — Jolm B. Longan — The Lawyer Outwitted — Controversy on Missions — His- toric Import of tho Term " United Baptists " — Peter Woods. COOPER County, situated in the central part of the state, was settled in 1812. A few Baptists were among the first settlers. Immediately after the close of the Indian war in 1815, other Baptist families moved into this region. The number was still further increased the following year, and in 1817, as we have already shown, the Concord Church was organized in the settlement south of Boonville, the first church south of the riv- er west of St. Louis County. In accordance with a resolution of the Mount Pleasant Asso- ciation, and of churches dismissed from that body, the Concord Association was formed on Saturday before the third Sunday in October, 1823, at Mt. Nebo Church, in Cooper County. The constituent churches were eight in number, situated south of the Missouri River, and cast of a line running south from said river so as to include tho church in Big Bottom. Their names were Concord, Big Bottom, Pisgah, Mt. Nebo, Double S2:)ring, Big Lick, Union and Mt. Pleasant. The aggregate membership was 335. Peter Woods was chosen moderator, and Jordan O'Bry- an clerk, after an introductory sermon by Ebenczer Rogers. Be- fore us lie the minutes of the first meeting, in which we recog- nize the names of the following ministers : Luke Williams, J. B. Longan, David Alice, Peter Woods and Jacob Chism. Tho ap- pellation of this body was, "The Concord Association of Bap- tists." Correspondence was opened up with the Mount Pleas- ant Association of United Baptists, and also provided for with Fishing River Association as soon as organized. The custom of holding Union or Yearly Meetings in differ- ent sections of the associational field, was adopted, following the example of the older associational communities. 244 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. Forty-one baptisms and 359 members were reported at the session of 1824, held at Big Lick, Cooper County. Jordan O'Bryan, of Mt. Ncbo Church, appears as the author of the circular letter published in the minutes of this year. It contained an able and scriptural argument on the support of the gospel ministry. Bro. O'Bryan was a layman of remarkable devotion and puritj'' of life. He was for some years a member of the legislature from Cooper County, and was one of the few who came out unsoiled by the corrupt influence of politics. Eld. Luke Williams died only a short time before the meeting of this session, whereupon the following was passed by the body : " The Concord Association do recommend to all the churches in its bounds, to draw up subscription papers, and request their members to subscribe thereto what money they are willing to give, which money shall be deposited in the hands of William Savage, for the purpose of j)aying the remaining balance due on the land on which the widow of Eld. Luke Williams, deceased, lives. If there should be more money subscribed and paid into the hands of Bro. Savage, he shall appropriate it to the use of the family." The association unanimously agreed to the following : " That we set apart the first Saturday in October for prayer and fasting, in union with our brethren in Kentucky, praying that the Lord would revive his work throughout the inhabited world, and that a great reformation may take place." These views were in perfect concord with the evangelical spirit of the denomination in all ages. In 1825, the association held its session with Good Hope, for- merly Big Bottom, Church. Jacob Chism preached the intro- ductory sermon, and was afterwards elected moderator; clerk same as at first meeting. One new church, called Liberty, was received. The following action was taken on the subject of "alien bap- tism": *' Agreed that this association do advise the different church- es in her bounds not to receive any members into their fellowship who have been baptized by preachers or ministers out of the fel- lowship of the General Union of Baptists, on account of their heretical opinions, unless they are rebaptized by some regularly ordained minister in the Baptist Union." At the third annual meeting at Mt. Pleasant Church, in Cooper County, in 1826, one new church, Zoar, was received. The asso- CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 245 elation mouths over the death of one of lier pious, able and wor- thy ministers, Eld. Peter Woods, pastor of Mt. Nebo Church. The minutes of this year show the following summary: Churches. — Concord, Pisgah, Good Hope (formerly Big Bot- tom), Mt. Nebo, Double Springs, Big Lick, Union, Mt. Pleasant, Liberty and Zoar. Ministers. — Kemp Scott, John B. Longan, David Allee William Jennings and Peyton Nowlin. Big Bottom Church, — one of the constituents of Concord As- sociation, was organized on the fourth Saturday in August, 1818, in the celebrated Missouri River Bottom of the same name, in the "Great Bend" in Saline County, opposite the town of Glas- gow, Howard County. The records furnish no clue to its con- stituent members. Wm. Lillard was the first clerk. In May, 1820, " the church requested Bro. Peyton Nowlin to attend their monthly meetings ; he agreed to do so." This is the first record of a pastor. LTntil 1825 the church held its meetings from house to house, sometimes in the town of Jefferson. In April of that year it moved into its new meeting-house, and changed its name to " Good Hope," the name it now bears. This body, from the list of members in the old church book, now before us, has done a noble work in its field of labor. In 1829 its membership was 84. The following is its succession of pastors: Elds. Peyton Nowlin, Kemp Scott, Thomas Riggs, Abner Gwinn, W. M. Bell, J. D. Murphy, A. P. Williams, and again W. M. Bell. It is now a large and influential body in the Saline Association, contribu- ting statedly to home and foreign missions. Bia Lick Church, Cooper County, — another of the pioneer churches of the state, and a constituent of Concord Association, was organized the 24th of August, 1822, under an arbor near Judge Ogden's Spring, about one mile north of where the church house was afterwards built. Elds. Jno. B. Longan and Jacob Chism composed the council. Its original members were 16. Eld. J. B. Longan was pastor from 1822 to 1845 ; Eld. Tyree C. 5arris from 1845 to 1851 ; following him was Rev. Robt. H. Har- ris, fifteen years ; Eld. B. G. Tutt, one year ; Eld. J. B. Box, one year; Eld. J. D. Murphy, four or more years; and Eld. J. S, Palmer was his successor. Two extensive revivals were enjoyed by this church : the first in 18,38 under the labors of the late A. P. Williams, the other in 1847 during the pastorate of T. C. Har- ris, when the church reached its maximum, numbering about 350 members. 246 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. Liberty, — another of the early churches, was formed prior to 1825 by Brethren Longan and "Woods, located in what is now Moniteau County. Its pastors have been T. V. Greer, Chaney, Duncan, Akens, J. K. Godbey and Wra. Wood. Of the remaining churches bearing date prior to 1825 we have no sketches. Elder Luke Williams. — Standing at the head of the list of ministers in the first meeting of the Concord Association is the name of Luke Williams, a very popular and useful preacher of his day. He was born August 5, 1776, in the colony of Virgin- ia. His father was James Williams, whose wife was Martha Murrell, sister to Elders Thomas and Eichard Murrell, two Baptist ministers of olden times. His mother having died when he was a boy, Luke was bound to a man by the name ofMcGloh- lin, to learn blacksmithing, where he remained a little over one year, and learned the use of tools very readily and was delighted with the business. His master was a fine smith, and was gener- ally kind when sober, but unfortunately he would indulge in the use of intoxicating drinks to a great excess, and when drunk he was very tyrannical, not only to his apprentices, but to his own family also. On one of these drunken occasions he promised Luke a severe flogging next morning, and made him pull off his pantaloons and put them under the head of his bed. In the night Luke opened the door of the old man's room, crept softly up to his bed, and finding his pantaloons he jerked them and made for the door, with the old man after him. The boy shut the door as he ran out and thus checked the speed of his pursu- er. The race led through a piece of newly cleared land ; and soon the old man ran against a large stump and fell sprawling to the ground, and commenced hallooing at the top of his voice — " Oh, Lord ! oh. Lord ! " while young Williams continued his flight, shouting, " Thank God! thank God ! " At this time his father lived about 150 miles from there, but after overcoming many difficulties, Luke finally reached home in safety. Like a wise man his father took him back to McGloh- lin's, had the terms of the contract rescinded, and returned home with his boy. After this the father and son spent much of their time in hunting in the early settlements of Kentucky, during which they had some hair-breadth escapes from the In- dians. On the 9th of July, 1799, Luke Williams was married to Miss Polly Shropshire, a lady two months his senior. They were both CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 247 at that time very fond of the dance. Williams was also a good fiddler. On one occasion, some three years after, their mar- riage, while the wife was on the floor dancing, she was pung- ently convicted of sin. She at once betook herself to prayer; and had no rest day or night till she felt the preciousness of God's pardoning grace, soon after which she became a Baptist. She was a bright light in the church until she died at the ad- vanced age of 66 j^ears. Shortly after the conversion of his wife, Mr. Williams was brought under conviction, and soon after found peace in believ- ing in Christ, and became a church member with his beloved wife. The plan of salvation seemed so plain to him that he at once began to have a desire to preach Christ crucified to a per- ishing world. The church of which he and his wife were now members was in Powell's Valley, but the name is not now re- membered by the family. In the year 1804, he and famil}'^ moved to and formed a settle- ment on the Clear Fork of Cumberland Eiver, there being no settlement nearer than twenty-five miles. About four or five families composed the new settlement. The county filled up rapidly with new comers, and the people built a log house which served the purpose of a house of worship and school-house. It was not far from this time that he was called to ordination, Eld. Elijah Foley being one of the officiating presbytery. In the ftill of 1815, he started with his famly for Missouri, stopped one year in Illinois, rented a farm, made a crop, sold out, bought a few head of cattle, and in the fall of 1816 continued his journey west and settled a new place, establishing his home in Cooper County, five miles west of where Boonville now stands. Here he built him a log cabin, cleared a small farm, planted corn, &c., spending his Sabbaths and many week nights preaching the gospel to the pioneer settlers. He did not confine himself to his own neighborhood, but traveled and preached over most of the settled portion of what is now the state of Missouri. This he did without fee or reward, pecuniarily, because, in fact, the peo- ple had nothing to remunerate him with, Missouri at that time being no more than a wild territor3\ For a while he was the only ordained Baptist minister in the "Upper Countrj-," south of the Missouri River. He often stayed out on preaching tours without a dollar in his pocket, for the reason that he had no money. He used to say he needed no money to travel among his brethren and friends. This was nearly sixty years ago, and 248 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. times have very much changed, so much so that should a man go without money in his purse now, he would most likely be compelled to borrow before he reached home, as has been the case with the author. On arising one Sunday morning, preparatory to starting to his appointment, he learned that there was neither bread nor meat in the house. The children were crying for bread. The poor man's heart sank within him. What could he do? No manna fell from heaven on the Lord's day to supply his family. Game was plentiful and could be had during the week — but none had been laid by for this occasion. While meditating on this condi- tion of things around him, a well fatted buck leaped into the garden enclosure, as if to say, " you can feed your crying chil- dren with my flesh if you wish," The pastor took down his trusty rifle, killed and dressed the game, and his good wife pre- pared it for the family. But he went to the place of worship with a sad heart, feeling that perhaps he had done wrong. How could he proclaim the terrors of God's law to others, while he was guilty of violating the Sabbath ? Such were the thoughts press- ing in upon his mind. With tears in his eyes he related to the congregation all the events of the morning, and requested the church to decide whether he had done right or wrong. With unanimous voice it was decided he had done right in killing the deer on the Sabbath, under the circumstances; after which he dried up his tears and proceeded with the worship of the sanc- tuary. While the foregoing will serve to illustrate his conscientious- ness, the following, related by Eld. Benjamin Bowler of Cooper County, will show something of his decision of character, and his readiness in turning everything to good account. On one occasion as he was journeying homeward with his wagon and team, he applied for lodgings at a neat, respectable looking farm house by the road side. The family consisted of a mother and son, respectable, well-dressed people. After pro- viding for his horse, Eld, Williams returned to the house and took his seat near the door with his wagon whip laid across his lap. After awhile quite a number of well-dressed ladies and gen- tlemen began to assemble at the house, and from every indica- tion he soon began to think that there was going to be a dance, and this opinion was confirmed when the young man of the house went to a trunk, took therefrom a violin, and began to tune it up. Eld, Williams did not belong to the dancing Baptists, and he CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 249 asked permission of the lad}' and her son to talk about thirty minutes before the dancing begun. Permission being readily griinted, he took out his hymn book and Bible, and opened the services. After talking about thirty minutes he invited peni- tents to join him in prayer, whereupon every one present ac- cepted the invitation. There was no dancing in the house that night, and subsequently he organized a Baptist church in the neighborhood, which manifestly had its beginning at the pro- posed dance. When Mr. Williams was married, he could barely spell a little in two syllables. Fortunately for him his wife had a liberal ed- ucation, and proposed to him that if he would devote his spare moments, wet days, etc., to study, she would at least teach him to read and write. Being an apt scholar, and having so good a teacher, he soon became a good reader and quite a fair penman; and continued until he had a good practical knowledge of arith- metic and grammar. Thus did he prepare himself for his subse- quent life work. Many of the facts in this sketch have been furnished us by El- der Williams' oldest son, James Williams, of Scio, Oregon. In reference to their life in Missouri the same informant says : '' Father used to tan his leather in a trough and made our shoes himself. Mother and the girls spun and wove our clothing, and we raised our cotton and picked all the seed by hand. Many have been the nights after I came in tired and weary from plow- ing all day, that I have been soothed to sleep by the sweet hum of the spinning wheel. In addition to the cloth made, father killed a good many deer, and we dressed their hides and made clothing of them. I have often seen my father get up before an audience to preach with his leather hunting shirt on." Thus did our pioneer fathers live. How much do we owe them for their efforts and privations to plant the gospel in our land, and not only so, but much gratitude is due those faithful women, the wives of those men of God, who stood by them in the midst of peril and want and on whom so many cares devolved while the husband and father was absent in the gospel field. Eld. Williams was a faithful expounder of the truth as it is taught in the Scriptures. His preaching was better calculated to inform the judgment than to excite the passions. In the latter jjart of his ministry Elders J. B. Longan, Jacob Chism and Peter Woods were his contemporaries and co-labor- ers. He and Eld. Woods had an agreement that whoever was 2o0 COKCORD ASSOCIATION. the survivor was to attend and preach the funeral sermon of the other. When but little past the prime of life, he died September 5 1824, and was buried near where he lived in Cooper County. In accordance with the agreement Elder Woods preached at his funeral, from 2 Tim. 4 ; 7. 8 to a large congregation of peo- ple. Elder John B. Longan. — The following sketch of this servant of Christ and pioneer preacher of Missouri is from the jien of P. H. Steenbergen, of Callaway County. "John B. Longan was born in Virginia The exact date and place of his birth I cannot now remember. In early life he was fearfully wicked, and being a man of extraordinary physical powers, and of Irish descent, when excited was a great terror to most men. In early life, ere his footsteps had become too fa- miliar with the paths of sin, he was awakened to a sense of his lost condition under the preaching of that distinguished Virgin- ia revivalist, Robert Stogdon. He soon after professed to find a Savior, *'just such an one," as he often afterwards said, "as could save such a sinner as he was." He very soon joined the church, and was baptized by that great preacher, Jeremiah Vardeman. Like Saul of Tarsus, he was soon found earnestly engaged in building up that cause which he had once tried to tear down. He had a scanty education ; but as God called illit- erate fishermen, so he called John B. Longan to that holy call- ing. In his early ministr}^ he moved to Kentucky and settled in Barren County with a few BajDtists, mostly from his native state. These formed a church called Mount Pleasant, in the midst of a strong Methodist neighborhood, which had the preaching of Pe- ter Cartwright and Zachariah Quesenberry. The little church planted by Longan soon began to grow and flourish. The Lord blessed his labors abundantly. Soon a controversy arose on the subject of baptism, but he was immovable as the rocks of Gibral- tar on the subject of believers' baptism. His faithfulness and courage soon wiped out the last vestige of sprinkling from the whole neighborhood. He was soon afterwards elected modera- tor of the Green River Association and presided over that body until he moved to Missouri, which was, I think, about the year 1816, and settled for a short time at Old Chariton, Howard Coun- ty. He afterwards settled in Cooper County, soon after it was divided into what is now Cole and Cooper. He lived in that part denominated Cole, where he labored with great success. A few CONCORD ASSOClA!riON. 251 Baptist churches formed themselves into an association known as the Concord Association. He was chosen moderator, and pre- sided as such as long as he was able to attend. About the year 1834 the Central Society was formed, now call- ed the General Association, over which he presided as moderator for many years. Here we must relate a circumstance which illus- trates his peculiar Irish wit: In the election of candidates for the division of Cooper County to form the new county of Cole, the aspirants were a young lawyer and a farmer. He took a deep interest for the farmer, though never known to meddle with pol- itics. On the first day of the election he went to a precinct, and the next day to Boonville; he was soon surrounded by a crowd, inquiring how the election was going. He said he was fearful the lawyer would be elected. A young lawyer standing by wish- ed to know what objection he had to lawyers. He remarked that he doubted their honesty. The lawyer remarked that he did not know why a lawyer could not be as honest as a farmer. The old father's reply was, "Neither do I, but show me an honest law- yer and I Avill show you a white crow." Some time after, father Longan was called into court as a witness. This same lawyer was employed. As soon as he was sworn, the lawyer looked at him, saying, "You are a preacher, are you not, sir?" " I pro- fess to be, sir." "Well, we shall expect to hear the truth from you, sir," "I expect to tell the truth, sir." "Well, sir, is not Mr. M. very fond of his tea?" "I do not know, sir. I know he is very fond of his coffee." " You understand what I mean, sir." "I understand what you say, sir." "Is he not fond of ardent spirits?" "Oh, if that is what you call tea, he is." This being a little tough on the young lawyer, created a burst of laughter throughout the court, to his great confusion, and he said, " You may stand back, sir." The lawyer on the other side slyly remarked, "Another white crow for you." These two cir- cumstances were the foundation of the greatest intimacy be- tween the preacher and the lawyer, till death separated them. I have often heard the lawyer remark in after years that he believed old Father Longan was the best and truest man the world ever knew. On another occasion he was in company with a preacher who held to the doctrine of holy perfection in this life. Father L. of course argued that this was impossible. When they retired to their room the old father took great pains to fold up his clothes and put thera under the head of his bed. Bro. K. Scott, 252 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. who was present, said, '' Bro. Longan, what do you mean ?" Ilis reply was, " I am afraid this perfect man will steal my clothes before day." The young man said, " Father Longan, do you think I would steal ?" " I hope not, my son, but if it were not for the restraining grace of Grod, with all your perfection, you would." This young preacher became one of Father Longan's warmest friends and greatest admirers. Father Longan was Calvinistic in his views, but by no means an extremist. Salvation by the sovereign grace of God, Christ and Him crucified, repentance, faith and experimental religion, were his great themes. His true greatness consisted in the sim- plicity of his preaching. He was a student of the Scriptures, and had no taste for idle speculation. He was a man of deep- toned, earnest zeal and piety, devoted to his calling, a strict dis- ciplinarian, perfectly versed in Baptist usage, impartial in all his decisions, strictly honest and upright in all his dealings with his fellow men, an aifectionate husband, a kind father, an oblig- ing neighbor. All denominations loved him; the world loved him; in fact, it was only to know him to love and admire him. In February, 1827, two members, John Briscoe and Charles Woods, were called to an account in JSTebo Church for carrying on the traffic in negroes for purposes of speculation. Two min- isters (Jacob Chism and William Jennings, the former of whom had sold a negro woman to Briscoe and Woods) undertook to screen them. The difficulty soon got into the association and resulted in a heated controversy on the subject of missions. Chism and Jen- nings were alone, as to the ministry, in their opposition to mis- sions. They violently opposed the publication of the circular letter written by Eld. Kemp Scott in defense and explanation of the missionary enterprise, at the session of 1827. As a peace measure the association gave the following advice, in lieu of the publication of the circular letter, viz.: "We recommend that the cause of missions be not made a bar to fellowship, and that the subject be not stirred in any church any more, nor be brought into the association hereafter, and that each individual be left to think and act in the matter as he please, as we think they have an undoubted right." This advice enraged the opposition, and to the association in 1828, met at Double Spring, in Cole County, through the influence of Chism, the Bethlehem Church sent the following declaration: " The United Baptist church of Christ, called Bethlehem, re- < CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 253 quest the association to undo what she did in last association, in | saying that the mission cause should not be a bar of fellowship; for we would remind the association of the ground on which the constitution of all United Baptist Associations stand, that there is no toleration given for any of the hired money-begging mis- sionaries to come in among us, nor hired priests, nor any of the societies that stand in connection with them ; therefore, they are not among us constitutionally, and according to strict discipline they are not of us. We therefore join with our sister associa- tions, the Kebukee of North Carolina, and the Buttehatchy of Alabama and Mississippi, which have declared an unfellowship with all the money-begging, hired, pompous missionaries, and hireling priests, with all the societies that stand in connection with them, such as auxiliaries, tract societies, Bible societies, theological seminaries, Sunday-school union, and rag society, etc. We therefore pray a division in the association, that all the above described characters be separateed from us in the associa- tion ; and if the association should fail to separate them from us, we as one of the members of the association declare, that we stand on the ground that the United Baptists guaranteed to us, also the constitution of our association. We declare we will not live with the above described characters, and as many churches as stand on the ground this association was constituted on, we contend that they are constitutionally Concord Association. . . . By order of the church in conference, 17th September, 1828. EiCE Hughes, Chairman." What a wonderful production the foregoing is, coming as it does from professed Christians. Who violated the principles of the United Baptists, the association in 1827, or the Bethlehem Church under the leadership of Elds. Chism and Jennings? We leave the reader to judge for himself, A majority of Nebo Church joined in with the Bethlehem Church in this opposition to the association and good order. After a full investigation, Bethlehem and Nebo Churches were both pronounced in disorder and excluded from the association, and non-fellowship declared for Elds. Chism and Jennings. The faction under these two men claimed to be the Concord Associa- tion, held a session in the following November, and reported one church of fifteen members, a majority of another of thirty- six members, and a third church made up of about eight disaf- fected members of several churches. This schismatical body held together for several years, and then became extinct; and 254 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. the old Concord Association contifiued its course unharmed and in great harmony. We feel constrained to introduce in this connection a brief ac- count of the origin and meaning of the term " United Baptists," for the following reasons : 1st. Most, if not all, of the oldest associations in the state were organized upon the " terms of union " adopted by the first Uni- ted Baptists of America. 2d. The foregoing controversy in the Concord Association in- volves the principles of the United Baptists. 3d. Many of our readers, especially the younger members of the churches, do not understand the historic import of the term "United," as a prefix to the term " Baptist." The name originated in Virginia. At the time the Baptists of that state began to send forth such populous colonies of their brethren to the Western country, they were divided into " Reg- ulars " and "Separates," the latter being much the most num- erous. The Regulars were Calvinistic; the Separates were not unanimous in their doctrinal sentiments, but a majority of them were Calvinistic, and of the rest a part were much inclined to the Arminian side of the controversy. " In 1769 the Ketocton Association of Regular Baptists sent Messrs. Garrett, Major and Saunders as messengers to the Gren- eral Association of Separate Baptists, which met that year in North Carolina, with a letter, of which the following is an extract: " ' Beloved in our Lord Jesus Christ : The bearers of this let\ ter can acquaint you with the design of writing it. Their errand is peace, and their business is a reconciliation between us, if there is any diff'erence subsisting. If we are all Christians, all Baptists, all new lights, why are we divided ? Must the little appellative names 'Regular' and 'Separate,' break the gold- en bands of charity, and set the sons and daughters of Zion at variance? 'Behold how good and how pleasant it is for breth- ren to dwell together in unity,' but how bad and how bitter it is for them to live asunder in discord. To indulge ourselves in prejudice is surely disorder ; and to quarrel about nothing, isi irregularity with a witness. O, our dear brethren, endeavor to\ prevent this calamity in the future.' \ " This excellent letter was presented to the Separate Associa- tion, and after a lengthy debate, the proposal for a union was re- jected by a small majority." (Semple's History of Virginia Bap- tists, p. 46.) / CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 255 Just eighteen years after, in 1787, the proposition was renew- ed and the union effected, and " the terms of the union were entered on the minutes in the following words: "The committee appointed to consider the terms of union with our Regular brethren, reported that they conceive the man- ner in which the Regular Baptist confession of faith has been re- ceived by a former Association is the ground work of such un- ion. The manner of this reception was, that they should retain their liberty with regard to some of the objectionable articles. "After a considerable debate as to the propriety of having any confession of faith at all, the report of the committee was adopt- ed, with the following explanation: iiTo prevent the confession of faith from usurping a tyranni- l^al power over the consciences of any, we do not mean that ev- ery person is bound to the strict observance of everything there- in contained; yet that it holds forth the essential truths of the gospel, and that the doctrine of salvation by Christ, and free and unmerited grace alone, ought to be believed by every Christian, and maintained by every minister of the gospel. Upon these terms we are united, and desire hereafter that the name of 'Reg- ,^ilar' and 'Separate' be buried in oblivion, and that from hence- forth we shall be known by the name of the ' United Baptist Qhurches of Christ, in Virginia.' " (Semple's History of Virginia Baptists, p. 75.),^' Such was the origin of the term "United Baptists" in Virginia and the South Atlantic States. This question also has a history in the West. The first Baptists of Kentucky were both Regulars and Separates. The Elkhorn and South Kentucky Associations embraced the substance of the two parties in the early days of the Baptists of the state, and by these two bodies, in the year 1801, a "Union" was effected, simi- lar to the one which took place in Virginia fourteen years before, upon the following terms: "TEKMS OF UNION BETWEEN THE ELKHORN AND SOUTH l^IEN- TUCKY, OR SEPARATE, ASSOCIATIONS. i'We, the committee of the Elkhorn and South Kentucky As- sociations, do agree to unite upon the following plan: " 1st. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the infallible word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice. "2iid. That there is only one true God, and in the Godhead, ..or divine essence, there are Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 256 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. "3rd. That by nature we are fallen and depraved creatures. "4th. That salvation, regeneration, sanctiiication and justifi- cation, are by the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. " 5th. That the saints will finally persevere through grace to glory. "6th. That believer's baptism by immersion is necessary to receiving the Lord's supper. " 7th. That the salvation of the righteous and punishment of the wicked will be eternal. " 8th. That it is our duty to be tender and aff'ectionate to each other, and study the happiness of the children of God in gener- al ; to bo engaged singly to promote the glory of God. " 9th. And that the preaching Christ tasted death for every man, shall be no bar to communion. " 10th. And that each may keep up their associational and church government as to them may seem best. " 11th. That a free correspondence and communion be kept up between the churches thus united. "Unanimously agreed to by the joint committee. ( Signed.) Ambrose Dudley, John Price, Joseph Eedding, David Barrow, Eobert Elkin, Daniel Ka- MEY, Thomas J. Chilton, Moses Bledsoe, Samuel Johnson."* The foregoing " Terms of Union" were unanimously adopted in a General Convention of the churches of both associations, held in October, 1801, at Howard's Creek meeting-house in Clark County. They agreed to lay aside the names "Eegular" and "Separate," and travel together in future in communion and fellowship as united brethren. We have now a brief outline of the historic import of the term " United Baptists." All the oldest associations of Missouri were organized upon the principles of the United Baptists, and when the controversy on missions sprang up, the opposers of missions refused to continue in fellowship with those who maintained the aforesaid principles of the United Baptists, all of which may be seen by reference to the preceding account of the union of the Baptists. Who then adhered to and who departed from the original platform in Con- cord, Mt. Pleasant and other associations of the state ? We must * Benedict's History of the Baptists, first edition, Vol. II, pp. 239-40. CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 257 now leave this subject, and the reader can form his own judgment in the premises. Peter Woods, — This worthy minister of the gospel was the first moderator of Concord Association. He was in the strictest sense a pioneer preacher. lie was a native of Virginia, born March 20, 1762, in Greenbrier County; when young, he moved with his father's famil}^ to Kentucky, grew up, married, and lived in that state until about 45 years of age. His wife was a Miss Cavan- augh. He was brought up in the faith of the old school Presbyter- ians, and regarded the Baptists as altogether unworthy of re- spect from honorable and highminded persons ; notwithstanding this, when he was converted, he joined the Baptists. The cir- cumstances were as follows : A most wonderful revival broke out among the Separate Bap- tists of Kentucky in an early day. Hundreds were converted. So inveterate was young Woods, that he would not even attend the meetings, though in the neighborhood. One of his broth- ers, with less prejudice than he, was converted and joined the Baptists. " This was too bad ; our family is disgraced ;" so thought and so said Peter Woods. He further decided that if any one should in his presence allude to his brother's becoming a Baptist, that he would slap him on the mouth. But God's ways are not our ways. Peter Woods knew not what was be- fore him. The meetings went on and he was converted. The question now came up as to what church he should join. He decided that he would read the New Testament and find out if possible the true church and the true baptism. For convenience he decided that wherever he found sprinkling he would place a red string, and for immersion he would put a blue one. He read the Testament from Matthew to Eevelation, and on examining he found that all the strings were blue. He was so enraged that he dashed the book away from him. He would afterwards al- lude to this rash and foolish act of his life, and wonder that the Lord did not strike him dead. But he was a very conscientious man, and despite his early Presbyterian prejudices, became a Baptist and soon after commenced preaching. He was a very useful man in his day. Not learned, not pro- found, not brilliant; but with a mind full of the knowledge of God and a heart full of zeal, he succeeded. He loved souls, and he won souls. He was a pioneer preacher in three states. Having commenced 17 258 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. early in Kentucky, he removed to Tennessee soon after the be- ginning of the present century, and after twelve or more years in the last state he emigrated and settled in Cooper County, in the fall of 1819, while Missouri was yet only a territory, and but three small Baptist associations had been organized — the Beth- el, the Missouri (now St. Louis) and the Mt. Pleasant. Eld. Woods was 57 years old when he came to Missouri, but he engaged earnestly in preaching the gospel. At the formation of Concord Association he was elected moderator, and was re- elected the second year. In his last illness he expressed himself as feeling conscious of approaching dissolution. He had his grave-clothes and coffin made, and at his request the latter was brought into his room by the workmen, Messrs. Simms & Rice. He thanked them, and in about one hour thereafter he breathed his last. This event oc- curred September 19, 1825. Thus lived and thus died one of the pioneer standard bearers of three states. CHAPTER V. CONCOED ASSOCIATION. (Concluded,) Begins to Promote Missions as a Bod}- — First Executive Board — Opposes Alien Im- mersion— Sunday-school Convention Formed — First Baptist Church, Jefferson Cit}-— David Alice— Snelling Johnson— William H. Duvall— M. D. Noland— Wil- liam Clarke — Joseph M. Chainy — Andrew Estes — G. W. Hyde — T. W. Barrett — B. T. Taylor. THE meetings of the Concord Association after the settle- ment of the anti-mission controversy, noticed in last chap- ter, were generally very harmonious. About the same routine of business occupied the attention of the body every year: such as the reading of letters and enrollment of members ; election of officers; welcoming corresponding messengers; appointment of corresponding messengers; selection of ministers to attend the "union" or "yearly" meetings, etc., etc. It cannot be expected that we go into detail on these subjects every year, because it would be uninteresting and unprofitable to the reader; we shall in the future pass as briefly over the ground as possible, noticing such things as are of special interest, or pertain to progress. The almost yearly reception of new churches indicates the gradual enlargement of Baptist influence and the steady progress of Baptist principles in the association. In 1830 the churches of Sardis and Bethel ; and in 1833, Mt. Zion, Mt, Gilead and the First Baptist Church on Osage, were admitted to membership in the body. As a body the association did not sustain itinerant missions, but she declared in terms not to be misunderstood, that each in- dividual member should enjoy liberty of conscience on this sub- ject Corresponding messengers were usually present from Mount Pleasant and Fishing Kiver Associations. In 1835 the meeting was held at Good Hope in Saline County. At this session, when correspondence was called for, two parties claiming to be Mount Pleasant Association presented letters. That party which ad- hered to the principles of the "United Baptists" and was will- ing to grant liberty of conscience on the subject of missions, was 260 CONCORD ASSOCIATION, recognized as the Mount Pleasant Association; and the majority party, which had sent to this meeting Brethren Davis Todd and J. P. Embree, were rejected. During the associational year ending Septem.ber, 1838, the churches enjoyed large prosperity. There were 350 baptisms this year. From 1841 to 1843 upwards of 1.000 were added to the churches by baptism alone. Progress in new churches was made as follows from 1835 to 1842 : Cold Spring, Monroe, Grilgal, High Hill, Jefferson Cit}', Lebanon, Heath's Creek, Mt. Vernon, Pinnacles, Little Eich- woods. Fish Creek, Eichland, Osage, Providence, Prairie Point. At the meeting in 1842 the following was adopted : ^^ Eesolved, That we divide this association, by striking off all the churches above and west of the Lamine Eiver, to form a new association." An account of this new body (the Saline Association) will be given in due time. In 1843 the ordained ministers were J. B. Longan, "Wm. C. Batchelor, Kemp Scott, Thomas Green, Elias George, W. H. Duval, D. W. Johnson, Levi Eoark, M. D. Noland, G. O. Mor- ris, John Brockman, Snelling Johnson, M. TV. Duncan, Z. "W. McCubbin, Wm. C. McCubbin and Enoch Taylor. Aggregate membership of the churches in 1843, 2,136. The session of 1847, held at Lebanon meeting-house, Moniteau County, was an important one. The church at Moreau sent a request that year, that the asso.ciation would <' use the surplus funds on hand to employ a minister to ride and preach in the bounds of the association in destitute neighborhoods, and hold protracted meetings with the most destitute churches, and also recommend the churches to send up annually a special fund for that purpose." The association referred this request to the churches for approval or disapproval. So far as we have been able to learn from the records, this is the first action in Concord Association looking to the promotion of itinerant missions by the body. In 1848, the meeting was held with the Osage Church. The association appointed a presbytery, consisting of all the ordain- ed ministers present, to ordain Bro. T. F. Lockett to the minis- try, at the request of the Osage Church. This action of the as- sociation was justifiable only upon the ground that the church calling for the ordination could witness the examination and or- dination of the candidate. Associations, as such, have no power nor right to ordain ministers. Gospel churches alone have this CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 261 power. The following important action was taKen respecting missions, and ordered printed in the minutes. It originated with the request from Moreau Church the preceding year : " In lieu of the resolution of 1827, we advise that each church in Concord Association, that is unanimously in favor of missionary opera- tions, and each individual belonging to churches not unanimous be permitted to contribute, and send up their contributions an- nually to the association, for missionary purposes." The twenty-sixth anniversary was held at Mt. Pleasant meet- ing-house, September 14 — 17, 1849. Eiglit churches sent up mis- sionary funds. The following wise action was taken on the sub- ject of missions : '^Resolred, That one member out of the delegation of each church that contributed to the missionary fund of this associa- tion, compose the executive committee, viz.: J. II. Hutchison, S. Johnson, I. Vivion, M. D. Noland, G. W. Lockett, D. F. Denwid- die, T. Bolton and E,. Jobe. Great peace and harmony prevailed among the churches. Elds. Snelling Johnson and W. M. Eobertson labored as evan- gelists a part of the year; the former under the appointment of the executive committee, at S15 per month, and the latter vol- untarily and gratuitously. Prosperity prevailed throughout the bounds of the association. Nearly 400 baptisms were the result of the year's work of the various pastors and missionaries. The Sabbath collection for missions amounted to $18.50. The association continued her sessions regularly, growing stronger and stronger every year. In 1854 $286 were raised for missions. Elds. Jacob Capps and Wm. Clark rode as evangel- ists. In 1855 she declared the endowment of William Jewell College to be " the most important enterprise before the denom- ination." Information reached the association in 1863, at Mt. Pleasant, Cooper County, that certain churches followed the practice of receiving " alien immersions." Said churches were promptly advised not to receive the immersions of other denominations, because it was regarded as inconsistent with gospel order; and the following year it was decided that she would drop such churches as continued in said practice. At the meeting in 1868 Eld. G. W. Ilydo met with a very cordial reception as agent of William Jewell College, and was invited to visit the churches in behalf of said interest. Eev. S. W. Marston, agent of the State Baptist Sunday-school 262 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. Convention, was present at this meeting and organized a district Sunday-school convention, the object of which was the promotion of Baptist Sunday-school interests. Its officers consisted of a president, secretary and treasurer, and a vice-president in every Sunday-school in the district. The minutes of 1870 show the following summary: Churches. — 39 (we have not space for the names.) Ministers.—^. E. Eice, E. H. Hurlbut, J. B. Box, S. Driskell, J. W. Williams, J. P. L. Maxey, A. N. Bowers, E. H. Harris, John Wood, Thomas Howell, C. Nevill, G. W. Hyde, J. K. Jones, J. L. Tichenor, W. M. Eobertson, B. Gr, Tutt, S. Aikin, J. E.Sims,E. P. Scott, J.;K.Godbey, I.V.Johnson, J. D. Murphy, A. N. Bonois and T. V. Greer. Baptisms during the year, 286. Total members, 3,166. In 1871 Eld. T. V. Greer was elected missionary at a salary of $800 per annum. In 1872 contributions were as follows: various mission pur- poses, $742.25; and for all purposes reported, $6,726.91, or near- ly $200 to a church. The association was now composed of 41 churches, situated in the counties hereinbefore named. At their request certain church- es were dismissed (see history of Lamine Association). The Con- cord is the daughter of Mt. Pleasant Association; but during her greatest prosperity became the mother of two of the most active associations in the state — the Saline and the Lamine. In her later years the Concord Association has not been so active as in former years, though she is still putting forth commend- able efforts in promoting the various denominational enterprises. Her aggregate membership is 2,648. Her churches are central- ly located in the state, being situated in the counties of Moniteau, Morgan, Cole, Cooper and Miller. Jefferson City, the capital of the state and county seat of Cole County, is in the bounds of Concord Association. The denomi- nation failed, for many years, to give this city that attention which its importance demanded. The First Baptist Church was organized here July 8, 1837, by Elds. Kemp Scott, M. D.JSToland and E. S. Thomas, with eleven members. For nearly three j'ears after its organization it had no pastor. The first pastor was Eld. Kemp Scott, who was elected to this office about 1840. His suc- cessors were Elds. S. H. Ford, W. W. Keep, M. D. Noland, J. A. Hollis, Thomas A. Lockett, E. H. Harris, W. J. Patrick, E. H. Hurlbutt and T. W. Bai'rett. Several of these pastoral periods CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 263 were only about 6 months long, and none of them, up to Bro. Patrick's, was two years. In 1845 the church dissolved, but ral- lied and reorganized in April, 1847. The condition of this church from its organization has been varying — sometimes hopeful, sometimes doubtful. Its principal hindrances have been : 1st. A wantof regular ministerial watch- care; 2d. A neglect of prayer meetings and Sunday-schools; 3rd. A want of wholesome discipline; and 4th. An injudicious location of its house of worship. During a period of thirty-one years, running from its organi- zation in 1887 to 1868, the church held no regular meetings for twelve years, and for twenty-one years of this time it was with- out a pastor. In 1869 its total membership was only 35, but it has since grown into a much larger church. It has recently com- pleted a new church edifice on Monroe Street, between High and Main, and numbers 134 members. David Allee — of Spanish and English descent, was born near Eichmond, Va., in 1763; served as a soldier in the Eevolutionary War of 1776; and was married to Miss Charity Bibee in 1784, who was of Welsh extraction and made him a useful and devoted wife. He was converted when a young man, emigrated to Ken- tucky in 1795, and soon afterwards commenced preaching the gospel to dying men. He settled near Louisville, Ky., and united with Glover's Creek Church, by which he was ordained to the ministry in 1806. He emigrated to Missouri in 1820, set- tling in what is now the southeast part of Cooper County, and united with Pisgah Church. Two years after he aided in the oi'ganization of Mount Pleasant Church, of which he and family became members and so remained until his death. He was in the organization of Concord Association in 1823 and ever sought to promote its prosperity. When the question of forming the "Central Society" (now General Association) was agitated, he advised its formation. Bereaved by death of the wife of his youth in 1823, dwelling in a country sparsely inhabited, and here and there crossing the freshly made trails of roaming bands of Indian hunters, he steadfastly continued in his Master's work, traveling and preaching in the counties of Saline, Cooper, Mor- gan, Moniteau, Cole, Callawa}', Boone and Howard. In the sum- mer of 1825 he put up a rude log-cabin and taught the first school in his neighborhood, almostat his own expense. He spent the summer of 1834 in Kentucky, returned to Missouri in the fall, and, after a long and painful affliction, died in January, 1835. 264 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. Eld. Alice's manner of preaching was plain and forcible. He was not what would now be called a systematic preacher, but his sermons were made rich with Scripture quotations well adapted and fitly chosen. He was a man of prayer and deeply pious, and this gave him power as agospel minister. His children, five sons and six daughters, all professed religion. Three sons filled the ofiice of deacon in the churches of which they were members. Four grandsons are ministers of the gospel, viz.: Wilson and Nicholas Allee, David K. Scott of Kansas, and E. P. Scott, for some years moderator of Concord Association, by whom the substance of this sketch was furnished. Snelling Johnson.* — This earnest man of God, and self-sacri- ficing Baptist minister of the !N^ew Testament, was born in Clark County, Kentucky, October 23, 180-i. While yet in his minority' he emigrated with his parents, Philip and Margaret Johnson, to Missouri, in 1819, and settled in what is now Moniteau County, but then Cole. His father died soon after coming to Missouri, and left him and his widowed mother in charge of a large, de- pendent family. After maturity he married Miss Prudence N. Hackney, who, with five sons and two daughters, survived the husband and father. When he was a joung man, eighteen years of age, he em- braced, by a living faith, the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and was baptized and received into the fellowship of Union Church, Cole County. He soon afterwards commenced preaching, but was not ordained until 1834. From his ordination until near his death he was pastor of three to four churches, with very little by way of support, many years receiving less than $10. The same old story ! We are of opinion that as a rule ministers are as much to blame as the churches for meagerness in sala- ries. "The laborer is worthy of his hire," should be as fully preached as that Grod commandeth all men to repent. Besides pastoral labor, he traveled as missionary of Concord Association. Also as missionary of the General Association he preached in many counties in central and south Missouri. Snelling Johnson was what men generally call a "revivalist." His peculiar gift ran in this direction. He disturbed the waters of Central Missouri in the baptism of above five hundred con- verts. Many a saint will greet him "in that day" as their spirit- ual father. He lingered some months with cancer and died December 9, * By hi8 son, Eld. I. V. Johnson. CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 265 1856. In his last illness he was visited by a number of his fel- low laborers, among whom we mention Elds. William Duvall, R. Hickman, B. L. Bowles and R. H. Harris. "William H. Duvall* — was born in Virginia, December 23, 1790. His parents were Notley and Jemima Duvall. He emi- grated with his parents to Kentucky when about 6 years old. He professed faith in Christ about the 24th year of his age. In the year 1825 he came to Missouri and settled in Cole County. On February 27, 1827, he was married to Miss Eliza J. Tully, in Callaway County, Missouri, and was licensed to preach by Beth- el Church in Cole Count}' during the year 1830. He was after- wards ordained to the gospel ministry by the Mt. Zion Church, then in Cole, now in Moniteau County. He at once entered the work of the ministry with earnestness, and spent the most of his time in preaching and serving as pastor of Pisgah in Cooper County, Union in Cole, and Big Lick Church in Moniteau County. He also did much missionary work, being the first ap- pointment of the Home Mission Board in this state. His co-la- borers at this time were the Langdons, Spencer, Maxey, Fristoe and Snelling Johnson. In 1844, he moved to Johnson County and continued the same active life in the ministry up to the beginning of the late war. During this time he served as pastor of Bethel and County Line Churches, and did much work as an evangelist among the neigh- boring churches and through the surrounding country. For two years during the war he served as pastor of Stony Point and Pleasant Valley Churches in Jackson County. Owing to the dan- gers incident to the war, he was then compelled to suspend his labors for a season ; and when peace was restored he found him- self disabled from further active life, parti}' from the infirmities of old age and partly from an old aflfliction from which he had suffered the greater part of his life. Yet, notwithstanding his enfeebled condition, his heart still glowed with the love of his Redeemer, and his soul burned with the desire to proclaim that love to his fellow-men, so much so that whenever'he could get to church he could not forbear preaching, even when it was nec- essary to support him while standing to speak. And when con- fined entirely at home with his children and grand-children, his almost constant theme was religion, and as long as he was able to speak to them he showed as great a desire for the salvation of his offspring as he had manifested for the salvation of sinners. * By Eld. Geo. W. Smith" 266 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. During the last few years of his life he was very feeble, being entirely blind and suffering great pain. But he bore his suffer- ings with patient resignation, and although the light of day was shut out from his sightless balls, yet by the eye of faith he be- held the " King in His beauty," and " endured as seeing Him who is invisible." At no time did his faith falter, but to the last most implicitly trusted the same Savior he had so often and so earnestly commended to men. He died January 4, 1873, at the home of his daughter, attended by loving relatives. In the midst of a raging snow-storm his spirit left the old, worn-out tabernacle, and departed to be with Christ. He leaves two sons and two daughters, his wife having died November 1, 1852. At the time of his death his member- ship was with the Concord Church in Lafayette County, Mis- souri, where he was greatly beloved." Martin D. Noland, — for nearly thirty years a minister in Con- cord Association, came to Missouri as early as 1828, and proba- bly in 1827. At all events he appears at the meeting of the asso- ciation in 1828 as a messenger from Sardis Church, which was organized in August, 1827. We know nothing of his nativity or early life, and have been able to gather very little of any part of his life. He was a man of mature mind when he came to the state, though not a minister of the gospel for several years sub- sequent to this event. He was licensed to preach by the Sardis Church in September, 1834, and by the same church ordained to the full work of the ministry in February, 1836. He filled the office of pastor in the following churches : Cold Spring, Sardis and Dry Fork ; besides, we know not how many more. As a pastor he had few, if any, superiors. Devoted as a Christian, fervent in prayer, warm- hearted in exhortation, he was, in his sermons, logical and con- vincing. The Concord Association thus notices his death in her minutes of 1862 : ''Resolved, That in the death of Eld. M. D. Noland the cause of truth has lost one of its most zealous advocates, and the church of Christ one of its most devoted, Christ-like and self- sacrificing ministers." William Clarke. — This devoted servant of God and faithful minister of the gospel was born in Hampshire County, Massa- chusetts, June, 1826. He emigrated to Missouri in 1841, and was married to Mary Snodgrass. He became a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Moniteau County, in 1842, having been baptized CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 267 by Eld. Danville ; and was subsequently ordained to the gospel ministry at the call of the same church by Elds. Snelling John- son and Dunn. He was a much loved pastor, a wise counsellor and a true minister. We find his name in connection with the pastoral office in Lookout Grove, Lebanon and Sardis Churches, in the Concord Association, and at the time of his death he was pastor of Burlington Church, Boone County. He died at his home near Centertown, Cole County, January 29, 1877, of cancer on the breast, leaving a wife and seven child- ren to await their reunion in the resurrection morn. Two deceased ministers of Concord Association, of whom we have been able to gather little information save of their death, deserve a place in this chapter. The first, Joseph M. Chainey, — died during the year 1863, we presume, as his death is published in the minutes of that year. We know nothing of his nativity, age, or the circumstances of his death. He was regarded as a zealous preacher of the gospel, and died triumphing in the Cross. Andrew Estes. — The name of this brother first appears in the minutes of the Concord Association in 1842, as a messenger from Richland Church, and in 1848 he was present at the Association as a messenger from Freedom Church, where, by the well-known star in the statistical table, he is numbered among the preachers. The minutes of 1864 contain an affectionate notice of his death, wherein he is regarded as " a most zealous advocate of the truth, and a faithful laborer in the gospel of Jesus Christ." Gr. W. Hyde, — son of Richard and Eliza D. Hyde, was born in Spottsylvania County, Virginia, March 25, 1838. His grandfather Hyde was an Englishman, and made frequent visits to his native country. The family descended from Hyde, Earl of Clarendon; in honor of whom also the celebrated Hyde Park in England was named. Richard Hyde moved to Chariton County, Missouri, in 1839, where he raised a large family, consisting of eight sons and one daughter. He and his wife were members of the old school Presbyterian church. Gr. W. Hyde was converted and joined the Baptist church at Keytesville, Mo., in May, 1853; and in September, 1855, he en- tered the Missouri University, where he took a full course and graduated in July, 1859. The following October he entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and took the full course, graduating therefrom in May, 1862. While a student of the uni- versity he held his membership in the Columbia Baptist Church, 268 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. was made superintendent of its Sunday-school, and was licensed to preach by the same. Eev. J. B. Jeter procuring him a chap- laincy in the Confederate Army, he preached from 18G2 to 1865 to a military post in Powhatan County, Ya., called Huguenot Springs. At this place his labors were much blessed, and many of the soldiers professed conversion and were baptized. During this period of his life (July, 1863) he was ordained to the full work of the ministry by a Baptist church in the neighborhood of the military post. After the war Mr. Hyde returned to Missouri, and in Septem- ber, 1866, engaged in an agency for the Sunday-school Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, and for some time j)rosecuted this work. In Octo- ber, 1867, he was united in mar- : ^> riage to Miss ;'^V Anna Clark, only ^V\ child of Judge B. 't^ C. Clark of Coop- ' er County, Mo. In July, 1878, she died, being the mother of four children. Elder Hyde spent a year as pastor at Keytesvillo and Brunswick, but the greater part of his minister- ial life has been spent with the churches at Mt. Nebo, Concord, Mt. Hermon and Boonville, all in Cooper County, and, for many years, in the Concord Association. Twice he has been agent of William Jewell College, and for a year was one of the general missionaries of the General Association. In March, 1880, he was united in marriage with Mrs. E. G. Garnett of Dover. Mr. Hyde was one of the original eight who founded the "Jer- emiah Vardeman School of Theology" in "William Jewell Col- lege, for which purpose he gave $5,000. For twelve years ho has REV. O. W. HYDE. CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 269 been a member of the 'board of trustees of said institution; for eight years ho has been a curntor of Stephen's College ; and is now a trustee of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. While a student at Greenville, S. C, he superintended a large col- ored Sunday-school which met Sunday afternoons in the gallery of the Baptist church. In this work ho was seconded by the church, and had for teachers some of the best students in the seminary. While in attendance on the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at Greenville, in May, 1882, he met a colored man who was then and is now a member of the Sunday-school, who said, ** Thank God I see you, my brother! Those were golden seeds j'ou sowed amongst us, and they have yielded a blessed harvest." Thomas Washington Barrett — was born in West Virginia in 1835. He united with the Baptist church at Marietta, Ohio, in 1856, and was bap- tized by Dr. Leon- ard. In the same year he came to Missouri, and was educated atWilliam Jewell College. On the 28th of Oct., 1860, he was ordain- ed to the ministry and immediately received an ap- pointment as mis- sionary of North Liberty Associa- tion. The year fol- lowing he became pastor at Weston, Mo.; and in 1862 was called to the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Leaven- worth, Kan., which he served two and a half years. From this point he wentto St. Joseph as pastor in 1864, and in 1866 was finan- cial agent of the Sabbath-school board of the Southern Baptist Convention for North Missouri ; also for a part of the years 1866 and' 67 he labored as general agent and missionary of the General RKV. T. W. BARRETT. 270 CONCORD ASSOCIATION. Association. He was then recalled to thechurchin Weston, and such was the success of his labor, that in two and one-half years the church was more than quadrupled in numbers, and a beauti- ful and substantial house of worship was erected. In 1869 he was called to Hannibal, where an elegant house of worship was built and paid for during his pastoral term; and many were a l- ded to the church. In 1873 he took charge of the Baptist Church at Jefferson City, where he has labored with efficiency, they hav- ing paid a heavy debt on their house. In 1872 he received the degree of A. M. from William Jewell College, and for a number of years has been an active jnember, and is now secretary of the executive board of the General Association, and for a consider- able period filled the position as member of the board of the Baptist State Sunday-school Convention. Brooking T. Taylor — is a native of Kentucky, and was born in Franklin County, March 12, 1823. His parents — Brooking and Ann Taylor — were formerly of Virginia. From his 6th to his 16th year he was a sad boy, by reason of conscious guilt be- fore God. He then became sweetly reconciled to God, from which time he felt a constant sense of duty to preach the gospel. In 1843 he commenced his pupilage in Georgetown, earnestly desiring to learn to read English, but succeeded in taking the degree of A. B. in 1851, and of A. M. in 1860. He was ordain- ed in December, 1851, and the year after became pastor a,t Colum- bia, Kentucky. From this time he filled the pastoral office in the following order : at Newcastle, Ky., in 1858 ; Owensboro, Ky., in 1860 ; Henderson, Ky., in 1866, and at XJrbana, Ohio, in 1868. In 1872 he became pastor at Columbia, Missouri ; at Ful- ton in 1877, and at Brownsville in 1882, where his labors have been much blessed. In the year 1851 he married Miss M. B. Alexander, of Ken- tucky, his present companion, whose missionary he has been since that time, except about five years ; and has therefore made his saddle his theological school for the most part of his life. He settled as a school teacher in a destitute locality (Creelsboro, Ky.) where he constituted a Baptist church which eventually swallowed up the Methodist and Campbellite organizations that had preoccupied that place. Having acted much as an evangel- ist, he has baptized comparatively few of the converts of his meetings — in all about 1,000 baptisms during his life, one of the number being a lady, who was at the time 105 years old. He has never had but one church (Fulton, Mo.) that did not prosper. CONCORD ASSOCIATION. 271 Since 1853 he has been a Landmark Baptist of the strictest sort. Nothing can induce him to be anything else. As such ho has been persecuted no little both in Kentucky and in Missouri. He confesses to an ardent wish to arouse his ministering breth- ren to a more aggressive denominationalism. lie always awak- ens a missionary spirit in his churches, and gathers from them missionary contributions. The}' are also expected to run a Sab- bath-school and one or more prayer meetings. Eld. Taylor is an author. He wields a ready pen. His most important work, published in book form, is entitled The Infidel's Confession. Although in his present field but a short time, his churches are increasing in numbers and growing in influence. CHAPTER VI. FISHING EIVEE ASSOCIATION. Its Formation — Broad Field of — Strange Views of Associatioual Powers — Advisory Councils, and Not Law-making Bodies — Dr. Peck's Views on the Subject — Anti- Mission Policy of the Association — Eejects the Messengers of Concord and Blue River Associations — Declines in Membership. FISHING River Association was the result of dividing the territory of Mt. Pleasant Association. It was organized at Fishing Eiver Church, Clay County, the second Saturday in November, 1823, embracing at that time all the churches in the state west of a line indicated by Grand Eiver, seven in all, viz. : Fishing Eiver, Mt. Vernon, North Eush Creek, Little Shoal Creek, Sniabar, North Bluffton and Big Shoal Creek; with six ministers. Aggregate membership of the churches, about 100. From Dr. Peck's sketches we learn that in 1824 the association met in September, in the bounds of a church near the site of the city of Lexington. There were then 9 churches, 4 ministers, 26 baptisms and 291 members. In its ministry and in its churches there was less of activity, religious enterprise and self-sacrifice than in its sister associations. Much of the increase in member- ship was from emigration, now pouring into the state, mostly from Virginia, Kentucky and the Carolinas. From the minutes of 1826 we gather the following items : the session was held at North Bluffton, Eay County ; Wm. Thorp was moderator ; thirteen churches were represented, six bap- tisms reported, and a total membership of 372 ; Eld. Felix Eed- ding was present as a corresponding messenger from Mt. Pleas- ant Association. We recognize the following names of ministers: William Thorp, James Williams, Eobert Fristoe, Wm. Turnage and Vanderpool. The contributions amounted to $14.87. "At the session of 1828 fifteen churches appear on the min- utes. The churches received since the organization were New Garden, Little Sniabar, Six Mile, Pleasant Grove, Beersheba, Salem, First Platte and Liberty. Total membership of the as- sociation, 508. Elders James Williams, James Edwards and Benj. W. Eiley had come into the country. " At the same session the association made a wonderful dis- covery. We give it in the language of the minutes : " 'In answer to the churches requesting union meetings, we FISHING RIVER ASSOCIATION. 273 say that we, as an ussociation, have no right to appoint or dis- appoint any meetings of this kind, but wish the churches in fu- ture to say when they wish such meetings, and we Avill request our ministering brethren to attend them ; but for the year 1829, we recommend the holding of four at the following places,' &c. "Though insignificant in itself, we advert to this small mat- ter to illustrate and explain a prominent Baptist principle. " These brethren had some vague notions that Baptist associ- ations had some power derived from the churches, for some pur- poses and to some extent, but its extent or its limits were quite indefinite. And here we will give a historical fact that we have traced out with no small labor and care. In earl}^ times, when Baptists were persecuted in old Virginia, those who called them- selves ' Regular Ba2)tists,' received the sympathy of Presbyter- ians, who, in their opposition to the laws that sustained 'the church,' entertained similar views of religious liberty with the Baptists. The ministers of the Eegular Baptists knew that the Presbyterians had their presbyteries and synods, and as they had associations it was natural for them to suppose that these bodies had at least some power derived from the churches like their neighbors. And yet these Baptist associations, copying the phraseology of the Philadelphia Association — the mother of all such bodies in America — claimed to be only 'advisory coun- cils,' but with them (but never with the Philadelphia body) ad- vice meant law. If a church did not think proper to follow the ' advice,' it met the censure of the association. Law is follow- ed by penalty, but every one may neglect advice without cen- sure. We could refer to twenty, yea, fifty cases, in which cen- sure, then divisions and alienations followed the neglect of advice given. These crude, anti-Baptist notions spread through Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, and to the frontier of Missouri; and hence there has been no small amount of trouble in adjusting the question, how much or how little power the churches have delegated to the associations. All the ecclesias- tical power a Baptist church possesses is derived from Divine authority through the New Testament, and cannot be delegated to another body without trenching upon the authoritj'^ of the King in Zion. Only let the impression prevail that a Baptist Association is a voluntary society made up of messengers from the churches for all useful, religious purposes, and can devise measures and do every good and lawful thing that any individual Christian or community of Christians may do, and all will be well, 18 274 FISHING RIVER ASSOCIATION. " In all religious affairs, as in everything else, there are essen- tials and non-essentials. With Baptists, essentials include all those things derived from the New Testament, either in the form of precept or example. All the doctrines taught and practical duties enjoined are essential to some purpose in the kingdom of Christ. Our readers will please not to make the blunder many of our pedobaptists do, when they use the term 'essential' to denote such things only as are essential to the salvation of the soul, and ' non-essential' to signify many duties enjoined on the believer. By ' non-essentials,' Baptists mean all those things used for religious purposes, about which God has made no spec- ial revelation — such as building meeting-houses, printing the Scriptures, purchasing hymn-books, publishing circular letters, forming associations of churches, mission societies, &c. '• Doubtless our anti-mission brethren were honest in their opinions, and really thought if the mission part}' gained the as- cendency, they would institute rules under the specious name of 'advice,' requiring them to contributeto objects in which they did not conscientiously believe. Hence there was a strife for power, when all the notions about power in such bodies originated in misapprehension. And it would be strange indeed, if in such strife there were not some blame, prejudice and mistakes in all parties." (J. M. Peck in Bepository, Vol. VII, p. 415.) Salem Church, Jackson County, was the place of meeting in 1833. The following churches had been added since 1828 : Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Gilead, New Hope, Crooked Eiver, Round Grove, Little Blue, Pleasant Garden, High Point, Marion and Black Water. The total membership had now increased to 919; bap- tisms this year, 38. Elders Thomas Fristoe, Kemp Scott and M. D. Noland were present as correspondents, the former from Mt. Pleasant, the two latter from Concord Association. The statis- tical table shows the following list of ministers: James Williams, Wm. Thorp, Enoch Finch, Wm. Turnage, Robt. Fristoe, Thomas Staton, Sr., Henry Hill, B. AV. Riley, James Savage and Joseph White. The action of 1828 relative to union meetings was ig- nored, and this year seven "yearly" meetings were appointed in as many different churches. In 1834 the association held its meeting at New Garden in Ray County. Letters of dismission were granted to 10 churches on the south side of the Missouri River, for the purpose of forming what is now the Blue River Association. From the first, the Fishing River Association held correspond- FISHING RIVER ASSOCIATIOW. 275 cncc with her sisters, Concord and Blue Hiver Associations. In 1837 her messengers, Elders Henry Hill, Wm. Thorp and others, returned from the meeting of the Concord Association and re- ported that said association " advised the churches to make the iavoring of mission societies, etc., no bar to fellowship." This advice not suiting the Fishing River Association, at her next session in the fall of the same year she refused seats to the mes- sengers of Concord, and thus committed herself to the anti-mis- sion policy. In like manner also did the Fishing Eiver Associ- ation sever her fellowship with the Blue Eiver Association. In 1841 the last named body "recommended to the churches to let the missionary question alone;" and further, "that churches and brethren be left free to act in this matter as their consciences maj' dictate, and that it be made no bar to fellowship." On account of this action, the Fishing River Association, in 1842, refused to receive the letter of Blue River Association, or to recognize her messengers as Baptists. {Christian depository, Yol. XXI, p. 262.) From this time forward the Fishing River Association stood opposed to the missionary enterprise and grew weaker in nu- merical strength. This year (1843) her minutes show the follow- ing summary: 20 churches, 78 baptisms, 10 ministers and 1,072 members. This year also she opened correspondence with Two River (Old School) Association, although, according to her min- utes, she stood upon the platform of the " United Baptists." In 1844 the 20 churches reported 39 baptisms and 1,071 mem- bers. Contributions, S25.50. Our next minutes are for 1850. This year the session was held at Little Shoal Creek in Clay Count3\ Eld. Thos. Wolverton preached the opening sermon. The appellation "United Bap- tists" had been exchanged for that of "Regular Baptists." The table shows the loss of one church and over 200 members in the last six years. Our latest records of this association are for 1866; 21 church- es appear on the list, only 17 of which sent letters, the aggregate membership of which was 556, showing a heavy loss numerically since 1843. In this sketch avc have aimed to present all the salient points in the history of Fishing River Association to the full extent of the records before us. The fact is, that without exception, so far as we have been able to get infornmtioTi cither from observ- ation or printed records, every association in the state adopting 276 FlSHINd RIVER ASSOCIATION. the anti-mission policy has made little or no progress, and most of them have grown weaker in membership. There are, we feel confident, few, if any more, of that persuasion in Missouri now than there were in 1836. CHAPTER VII. CAPE GIRAEDEAU ASSOCIATION. Its Formation, Historj', &c. — A Primitive 3Iissionary Body — Its First Executive Com- mittee— First Evangelists — The Anti-Mission Controversy and Division — Minorities — John H. Clark — Crushing Lifluence of the War — Sketches of Churches — Thomas Juden. THE Cape Girardeau Association was organized at Hebron Church, Capo Girardeau County. The convention for this purpose met on Saturday, June 12, 1824, and closed on the 14th, Letters were received and messengers enrolled from the follow- ing churches: Bethel, with 41 members; Dry Creek, 28; Ty- wappity, 11 ; Clear Creek (Illinois), 66; Apple Creek, 15 ; Eb- enczcr, 17; Big Prairie, 19; Hebron, 20; Shiloh (Illinois), 28; Jackson, 8; nine of which hud been dismissed from Bethel As- sociation. Minisicrs in the Convention. — Benjamin Thompson, James Wil- liams, Edward Kerr, James P. Edwards, Jeremiah Brown, Dav- id Orr, Thos. P. Green, Wingato Jackson, James Holbert and John M. Peck. The last three were corresponding messengers from Bethel and Missouri Associations, The following from the constitution will show upon what basis and with what principles this old community was organized : ^^ Preamble. — From the long exi)erience of Baptist churches, it has been found iiscful to associate on general principles for the mutual fellowship of the churches; to provide means for gener- al intelligence, opening Christian correspondence, supplying des- titute churches with evangelical preaching and ordinances, de- vising means for the promotion of religion, and thus concentra- ting our eflorts for the peace, purity and prosperity of Zion," "Article 1st. This body shall be known by the name of Cape Girardeau Baptist Association. "Art, 8th. The fund of the association shall be raised by the voluntary contributions of the churches or individuals, out of which shall be supplied the expenses of printing the minutes, expenses of the clerk and corresponding members appointed to other associations, and the surplus, if any, shall be applied in any way to promote the ^ijjiritual benefit of Zion in the limits 278 CAPK CllRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. of this association or its vicinity. The association may adopt measures for the purpose of raising contributions, which shall be added to the surplus fund for the purpose of enabling minis- ters to preach to the destitute churches of this body, or where the association may direct." At the first meeting the following resolution was adopted : "That one person be appointed in each church for the ])ur- pose of carrying into effect the objects proposed in the eighth article of the constitution, whose duty it shall be : "1st. To ascertain the churches in our bod}^ which are desti- tute of preaching and the regular administration of the ordin- ances, and settlements that are destitute of preaching, and make report to the association. "2d. To raise funds by voluntary contributions, subscriptions or public collections, for the purpose of enabling members of this association to supply the destitute churches and settlements, under the direction of the association." The association held its meetings uninterruptcdlj- for eight years, from 1824 to 1832. During all this period its business was transacted in harmony, and a true and genuine missionary spirit prevailed throughout its bounds. It maintained the principles adopted at its first meeting. Resolutions were followed b}^ ac- tions, as may bo seen by the following facts: The Clear Creek Church sent a petition to the association in 1825 requesting the ordination of Bro. Brown, which " avus taken up and decided that the authority of this body docs not extend to ordination, but we recommend the churches to call on the min- istry for that purpose." Throug'ii the agents in the churches, $21.20 were sent up for missionary purposes this yeai'. Bethel Church gave $1; Clear Creek, $4; Hebron, 50 cts.; vShiloh, $63 Jackson, $5.50 ; Thos. P. Green, $3.12 ; and S. B. McKnight, $2. "Elders Thomas Donohue, of Missouri, and James P. Edwards, of Illinois, wore elected as traveling preachers — their fields of labor to be designated by the clerk. Samuel Iluntsaker, Thos. Howard, A. Eandal, Isaac Sheppard and S. B. McKnight were appointed an executive committee to take charge of the funds for the support of the traveling preachers." At the session of 1820 the executive committee reported that Eld. J. P. Edwards had spent three and a half months as a trav- eling preacher in the field of his ap]iointment, at a salary of $10 per month and his incidental expenses. CAPE GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. 279 The amount sent up for sustaining the gospel among the desti- tute was §27.95. Bro. Edwards was continued as a traveling preacher, with the privilege of selecting his own field of labor. At the session of 1829, instead of one collecting agent in each church, the association provided this year for the appointment of a committee annually, " to transact the whole business, and adopt such rules and regulations as they may deem proper, con- sistent with the intent of the eighth article of the constitution, and that they report annually to this association their proceed- ings." Brethren B. Hempstead, James Randal, Andrew Martin, R. A. McBride and Thomas Juden were appointed said commit- tee. These records abundantly show that this body possessed the true apostolic missionary spirit. During most of this period — 1824 to 1832 — they kept two trav- eling missionaries in the field, who were objects of both their prayers and their contributions. These were the better days of the old Cape Gii'ardeau Association. Soon, however, troubles arose and rent the churches asunder. During the period from 1832 to 1860 many changes were wrought in the association. At the commencement of this per- iod it contained twenty churches, double its original number, lo- cated in Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi and Perry Counties. And while it continued to promote missions, its influence was extensively felt throughout these counties. But the day of ad- versity came. Gradually a spirit of covetousness began to pos- sess some of the churches. The principles concerning the spread of the gospel, so unanimously adopted by this body at its first meeting, began to be ignored ; in the doing of which the com- mands of the Head of the church were set at naught, and tramp- led under foot. Such was the bitterness of feeling on the part of the opposition that they not only refused to do missionary work, but they also refused to remain associated with those churches that did. As in all past time among the Baptists, so also now, those who felt impelled to put forth eftbrts to promote the spi-ead of divine truth regarded this obligation as proceeding from the command of Christ J but they always taught that whatever a Christian did in the way of giving to spread the gospel must be a voluntary act on his part; as indeed must bo all his acts and exercises in the divine life, if at all acceptable to God. Those who opposed missions were not willing, however, to do this. They said to their brethren of a more evangelical spirit, " You must not give 280 CAPE GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. money for these missionary purposes, or we shall refuse 3'ou our fellowship." The result of this spirit was that in 1840 eight of the twenty churches withdrew and formed what was then called, by way of distinction, the New Cape Girardeau Association. Their names wore Cape Girardeau, Mt. Zion, Harmony, Mt. Moriah, Pleasant Grove, Cypress, Pleasant Hill and Little Eiver. These churches were all in which majorities were in favor of holding to the original principles, as adopted by the first meet- ing of the association. The rest of the churches — twelve in num- ber— embracing the anti-missionary element, kept up what was called the old association for awhile, but its do-nothing policy, adopted in antagonism to the Bible and the most ancient prac- tices of the churches of Jesus Christ, has long since brought it to naught, and every church which went off into anti-missionism has either become extinct, or, reorganized, united with the reg- ular Cape Girardeau Baptist Association. The ministers who went with the anti-missionary element were Jeremiah Brown and Benjamin Thompson, and some say that James Williams bocaine anti-missionary, though this does not come well authenticated. That body which was called, at the time of the division in 1840, for the sake of distinction, the "New" Cape Girardeau As- sociation, was in reality the original association, while that body or party which continued to be called the " Old " Cape Girar- deau Association was a new association. The majority, or so- called old association, not only changed the original constitution, but obliterated that entire instrument and adopted a new one upon an entirely new basis; hence we say it was a new associ- ation. The minorit^^, or so-called New Cape Girardeau Associ- ation, not only did not abolish the old constitution, but did not even change said instrument in any essential feature, if at all, and hence it was the old, original Cape Girardeau Association. Constitutional minorities, and not schismatical or factional inn- jorities, must in all cases be regarded as the true and legitimate successors of original forms and institutions. Take the following case for illustration : In the town of M was a Baptist church of 75 members, practicing the immersion of professed believers in Christ as a condition of membership. In course of time dissension arose in said church. A few so-called liberal minded men thought that the conditions of membership were too much circumscribed, and finally proposed that not only immersed believers, but also all CAPE GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. 281 who " desired to flee the wrath to come," and the children of believing parents, should bo admitted to membership in the church. A sharp contest ensued. The vote was taken. Forty sustained the proposition and thirty^five voted against it. AVhich party was the Baptist church at M ; the majority who viola- ted the constitution, or the minority who adhered to that instru- ment? The case is easily decided. We now proceed with our narrative. From 1840 to 1850 tlie constitutional Cape Girardeau Association held regular sessions, but nothing of special interest occurred. New churches were formed yearl}', and old ones increased in numerical and spiritual strength. From 1856 to 1860 the association made steady but not rapid progress. Sunday-schools received the heartiest com- mendation. Educational interests were fostered and promoted. A missionary was kept for most of the time in the field. The old plan of 1824, of having a solicitor in each church to raise mis- sionary funds, was followed. The net increase was 154 members. During most of the year 1860 all things seemed to work well in the bounds of the Association. But worse times were near at hand. This was the year immediately preceding the commencement of the war. Gradually the excitement rose higher. In the spring of 1861 hostilities actually began. It was now that a great trial came upon the association, located, as it was, on the Mississippi River, the line bordering between the free and the slave states. Up and down this great river were carried the munitions and men of war. All these things produced more suffering among the churches of this association than those in the interior of the state. Regular monthly meeting of the chiirches, in many cases, were prevented. Communications were cut off between many of the churches, military commanders began to usurp authority and jeopardize the lives of the brethren, brave men trembled, those strong in the faith began to doubt, and many of the doubting fled. Such was the condition of things throughout this district that the association held no meetings in 1861 and 1862. In 1863, messengers from eight churches north of the Big Swamp met at Goshen, and held a short but harmonious session. J. G. Rutter, J. C. Maple, G. W. Cokcr, J. II. Clark, A. McKcl- vey, J. Wyatt and T. B. Turnbaugh were the ministers in attend- ance at this session. The business was transacted on Saturda}-. From the corresponding letter we learn that for the two preced- ing years "great spiritual dearth prevailed among the churches, 282 CAPK OIRARDKAU ASSOCIATION, the missioiKirios had left the field, tlic Sabbath-schools had been broken up, })rayer nieetiu^s had been scarcely thought of, and in many churches a sermon had not been heard for a year." Though the attendance was small at this session, there were many pleas- ant reunions of old and endeared brethren in the Lord. The oppressive measures growing out of the civil war either silenced or drove from the field every minister in the associa- tion, save one, whose name was John II. Clark. From 1864 to 1867 he was the only minister belonging to the association that did ministerial work in her bounds. How the grace and power of God Avere magnified in this man ! By nature he was timid, but by grace he was bold. For several years he had no comrade, but stood up alone, and in sight of those who sought the destruc- tion of his cause, boldly preached the glorious gospel of the Son of God, waiting for the fulfillment of the promise to send more laborers into the harvest. John Henry Clark — was born in Loudon County, Virginia, December 12, 1812. At about the age of 16 years he was con- verted, and together with three of his sisters was soon after baptized by Eev. AY. F. Broaddus into the fellowship of Long Branch Church, in his native count}'. He often spoke of Eld. Broaddus as his father in the gospel. Bro. Clark moved to Missouri in June, 1839, and settled in Cape Girardeau, soon after which he united with the church in that place. He was licensed to preach by the church in Cajie Girardeau in August, 1842, and by it he was ordained December 28, 1844, soon after which he was called to the pastorate in said church. This office he filled only for a few months, being unwil- ling to give up his appointments in the count}'. But he gave the church in town two Sabbaths in the month. Rev. S. H. Ford, now of St. Louis, succeeded him in his pastoral office at the Cape. During his boyhood he manifested some taste for the languages and displayed remarkable ability for acquiring them. He re- ceived a good academic education in his native state. Much that he acquired in early life was permitted to pass into disuse, and he used to warn his friends against a like neglect. He gave much of his time to teaching, after his settlement in Missouri, and be- ing a man of a very gentle spirit he was very tenderly loved by his pupils. Ho gave much of his time to secular employments after his marriage, but almost every Saturday left these matters to the care of others and went to fill his appointments and preach the blessed gospel of Christ, and whenever he saw that the inter- CAPE OIRARDKAU ASSOCIATION, 283 csts of the cause required it, he laid aside pecuniarj'' matters. For some years he preached once a montli at a log school- house about twelve miles from Cape G-irardeau. Because he saw no visible results for good from his labors, he talked about giv- ing up that point to preach in some other locality. He was urged to continue his appointment by his sister, Mrs. Gordon, a lady of influence and wealth in the community. She told him she be- lieved there were blessings in store for that people. He labored on, and in 1861 such deep feeling was manifested that he decided to hold a meeting of days, sent for Eld. J. C. Maple, and they held a meeting, at the close of which, in that old log house, they constituted a church of thirty members, which was named Hub- ble's Creek, from a stream of the same name near by. To this body he ministered un- til his death, dur- ing which time but few months elapsed that he did not bury some new convert into the likeness of Christ's death. Hubble's Creek in a short time grew into a strong and active body, and they have built a good house of worship. Eld. James Eeid was Bro. Clark's successor in the pastoral oflEice. The minutes show that for a number of years Bro. Clark acted as moderator of the Capo Girardeau Association. In this posi- tion he acted with his usual kindness, and if he committed any blunder in rendering his decisions, he did so on the side of ten- derness. Bro. J. C. Maple, to whom I am indebted for the foregoing facts, relates the following incident in the life of Eld. Clark. He says: RKV. JOHN H. CLARK. 21^4 CAW. OtIrardeau association. "I once rode witli him some thirty-five or forty miles, to aid in the ordination of a minister. We had been invited by the church of which the brother was a member. Bro. Clark was the moderator of the presbytery which decided to ordain the man. After tlie adjournment of the first meeting, several brethren of unimj^cachable integrity came to Bro. Clark and informed him that the man was not honest and perhaps untruthful. Brother Clark took him aside and after telling him in his own kind and even fatherly way of what he had heard of him, told him plain- ly that the cause of Christ was at stake in this matter, and we could not lay hands on him. We never learned the subsequent history of that man. The church which had wickedly consented to call the council in order to get rid of his importunities, was greatly pleased with the conduct of the presbytery." On returning home one night sick from Ebenezer, nine miles from the Cape, he said to his wife, " My work is done." This ill- ness was long and painful, but borne with a patience which as- tonished all. He bade his family and friends farewell, left mes- sages for his churches, and April 4, 1869, breathed his last. The association held its session in 1864 at Hubble's Creek Church; 58 baptisms were reported ; one church. Pleasant Grove, having reported 48 of that number. Only nine churches were represented. Crushing were the trials under which the body met in Septem- ber, 1865. The mouths of the ministers present were locked by the ''Test Oath." The minutes record that the "introductory ser- mon was to have been delivered by Elder John 11. Clark; but owing to the restrictions imposed by the new constitution of the state, he was unable to do so, being unwilling to take the oath prescribed therein." By resolution the churches were earnestly recommended to keep up their regular monthly meetings, their Sunday-schools and prayer meetings, in view of the probability that they would be deprived of pastoral labor by the Test Oath. Nineteen church- es appear on the list this year (1865), but only six of this num- ber sent messengers. From 1867 to 1870 the associational minutes show that meet- ings were held regularly, and that the churches were greatly prospered. Ministerial help began to increase. In 1867 G. ¥. Bray ton and J. G. Shearer; in 1868 James Eeid ; and in 1869, J. S. Jordan moved into the bounds of the association. And Bro. Jonas Hoffman was ordained in 1867, Bro. B. L.Bowman in 1869, CAPK filRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. 285 and Bro. J. T. Ford in 1870, so that in the short space of three years seven ministers were given the churches in the associa- tion. At the session in 1870 an amended constitution was adopted, which provides that the "association shall be composed of life members and messengers sent by the churches." Ten dollars given at one time constitutes a " life member." In 1876 the association numbered 29 churches. Several were that year dismissed to form a new association — mostly, we think, in Scott County. In 1878 the Cape Girardeau Association was composed of twen- ty churches, embracing in whole or in part the counties of Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi, Perry and New Madrid. Her min- isters were T. A. Bowman, John T. Ford, C. B. Ford, J. F. God- win, Z. A. Hoppas, J. M. Warren and W. H. Welker. Total mem- bership 557. She had standing committees on Sunday-schools, on foreign missions, on state missions, on religious literature, on education, on family worship and on the state of the churches. The 58th annual session was held at Cape Girardeau, August 19-21, 1881 ; when Eld. J. Hickman was elected moderator and Eld. T. A. Bowman clerk. Fourteen churches were on the list, 5 of which were without pastors. Statistics of eleven churches were given showing their aggregate membership to be 426; 20 converts had been baptized and $125.20 had been expended in itinerant work in the bounds of the association, with Eev. T. A. Bowman as missionary. Jackson Church. — Save one, this is now the largest church in the association. It was organized April 30, 1824, mostly of mem- bers from Bethel, the most active and evangelical element of which it gradually absorbed ; the residue of which became in- different to progress and finally dissolved. The Jackson Church in 1882 numbered 64 members with Joshua Hickman as its pas- tor. Gravel Hill. — This church was organized in 1870, and sever- al 3'ears ago was one of the strongest in the association numer- ically, and had p]ld. J. M. Warren as pastor. No statistics are now given. Eld. J. T. Ford was pastor in 1882. Cape Girardkau. — This church occupies the most important field in the association, being in Cape Girardeau, a town of sev- eral thousand inhabitants, and located on the Mississippi Eiver, with a strong Catholic element to antagonize. It was organized August 13, 1834, by Eld. Thomas P. Green, with 9 members. Its 2S(l CAPI GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. house of worship is a nciit brick edifice, valued at §1,500. The number of members in 1882 was 63. The pastors have been: first, T. P. Green, succeeded by J. H. Clark, Samuel Baber, D. D., S. H. Ford, LL. D., W. F. Nelson, Jas. S. Green, A. Sherwood, D. D., J. C. Maple, G. F. Brayton J. S. Jordan and Joshua Hickman. Union Church. — The organization of this body was effected with 18 members, the first Lord's day in Ma}', 1832, and that year it united with the Cape Girardeau Association. Pleasant Hill, — in Scott County, was organized in 1828. HuBBEL Creek. — This church of 44 members was organized in 1861. Pleasant Grove. — Located in Perry County, Avas organized in 1839. Mt. Moriah, — in Matthew's Prairie, Scott County w^as con- stituted in 1830, This is now Charleston, Mississippi Co. Apple Creek. — This was once an "arm" of Bethel, and be- came a separate organization in 1820, the members for that pur- pose getting letters of dismission from the mother church Sept. 9th of that year, Ebenezer — is located in the Big Bend of the Mississippi, Cape Girardeau County. Its organization was consummated June 9, 1821, The constituent members (five in number) were dismissed from Bethel Church, Mt, Zion. — This church first appears as a member of the Cape Girardeau Association in 1830, at which time it consisted of 26 members. Cypress — was organized in 1827, in Scott County. The church of this name now existing was organized twenty years later by Henry E. Hemjostead, of four members; and again the church was reorganized in 1867 by J. G, Shearer. Little Eiver, — This is now Sylvania Church, under which name it was reorganized and admitted into the association in 1871. The old church (Little River) was first organized about the year 1845, by Thomas Owens, with 5 members, and was lo- cated in the Little River country, Scott County, Harmony, — was among the pioneer churches of this part of the state, having been constituted in 1830, in Mississippi County. This body must have been disbanded in subsequent years. The present Harmony Church was organized April 29, 1855, by W, D, Terry, M. W. Holland, H. B. Graves and G. W, Coker, of only 3 members. CAPE GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. 287 Dry Creek. — This flock was gathered prior to 1816 — no more is now known of it. Goshen, — situated near Oak Eidge, Cape Girardeau County, was organized by Peter Williams, February 20, 1841. Eld. Wil- liams became first pastor and served six years. Hebron Church. — This, too, is a daughter of Bethel Church, having been organized in May, 1822. On the eleventh of that month Bethel Church dismissed the following members for that purpose : Polly Green, Abraham Randal, Eebekah Randal, Ma- ry Randal, Simon Poe, James Randal, Nancy Randal, Samuel K. Parker, Elizabeth McMiller, Elizabeth Parker, Rebekah Poe, James Holcomb, Francis Holcomb, Susannah Williams, Matilda Williams, Benjamin Hitt and Sarah Hitt. Also Judge Thomas Judeu, then late of Baltimore, united in the organization of the church. The Hebron Church is located some four or five miles northwest from Cape Girardeau, and was organized by Thomas P. Green, assisted by Thomas Juden. The church in 1879 was without a pastor, and numbered only 13 members. For 1881 no statistics are given. Judge Thomas Juden — for some years an active and efiicient member of the Hebron Church, was born in the city of Balti- more, Md., April 12, 1799. His parents were from England, where his eldest sister was born. In accordance with the old and well established custom of that country, Thomas was in early life put to a trade, and continued his apprenticeship until he was a thorough master of his chosen handicraft. When in his sixteenth year he was converted and became a member of the First Baptist Church in his native city. In the spring of 1820 he set his face for " the far West"; and in company with some others he crossed from Baltimore overthemountains to the Ohio River, down which he floated to the Mississippi River. Thence on foot he made his way to Jackson, Cape Girardeau County. On the 22d of March, 1822, he was married to Miss Nancy Hol- comb, who survived him. In May following he aided in organ- izing, and became a member of the Hebron Baptist Church. He bought a tract of land some 3 miles from Jackson on the road to the Cape, from many acres of which he soon cleared away the forest and put them into cultivation. Owing to a defective title the whole was afterwards wrested from him, and with a growing family about him he had to begin life anew. He then purchased from his bi-olher, the late Col. G. W. Juden, the farm which be- came his lifelong home, and where now his body rests. 288 CAPE (URARDKAf ASSOCIATION. While living near Jackson, the church in that place being in need of some one to till the responsible position of deacon, and hav- ing no male member suitable for the office, it petitioned Hebron Church to part with Thomas Juden that he might unite with them and take the vacant position. This request was acceded to, and, until his removal to Cape Girardeau, he continued to honor the charge assigned him, afterwards filling the same office in. the church at that city. Thomas Juden was highly esteemed as a Christian and as a citizen. He was for years moderator of the Cape Girardeau Association, in which office he gave full satisfaction to his breth- ren. Ho also filled to the satisfaction of his constituents the honorable position of Justice of the county court. And although he lived 56 years in Cape Girardeau County, no one ever found a blemish upon his character. He died a triumphant death at his residence, two and a half miles north of Cape Girardeau, February 8, 1876, having almost reached his 77th year.* Addenda. — We have before said that the old Cape Girardeau Association was a missionary body. To confirm that statement we give the following from the minutes. In 1832 the Bethel Church in her letter solicited the association " to strike out of her constitution all features relative to missionary subjects and ob- jects." In answer to this the association, at the same session, adopted the following: " Eesolved, At the request of the Bethel Church, that the asso- ciation strike out of her constitution and preamble, all the parts bordering on missionary subjects and objects, and particularly out of the preamble, from the word ' church' in the third line to the word ' therefore ' in the eighth line," etc. In 1839 this subject was again acted upon, in these words: " Upon an examination of the constitution of the association, together with the order made at their meeting in 1832, striking out certain parts thereof, the association is of opinion that no ])art of the constitution is by that order stricken out, because it does not point out clearly the parts intended to be struck out; and that this associiltion are of the opinion that they have from the constitution the right to take such steps as they may deem expedient to suppl}'^ the destitute churches in her bounds." Such was the deportment of those opposed to missions, that * The bubstaucc of this sketch was furnished us by Mrs. Ann E, Wilson. CAPE GIRARDEAU ASSOCIATION. 289 the friends of this work, as a peace measure, withdrew before the next meeting of the association and became what was for a time called "The New Cape Girardeau Association," but which was in reality the old Cape Girardeau Association, because it adhered to the old constitution, while what was by some regarded the old bod}^ was schismatical, because it adopted a new constitution, a new policy and a new name, styling itself, from 1841, " The Cape Girardeau Association of Itegular Baptists." CHAPTER Ym. SALEM ASSOCIATION. Orgiinization and History of — Corps of Earnest Prcacliers — Her Highest Degree of Prosperity in 183§ — Harmony Interrupted — Split on Missions — Opposition to the " Central Society " — Becomes Anti-Missionary — Mistaken Policy — Peyton Stephens — W, Cunningham — Deacon E. Stephens— Jabez Ham — Stephen Ham — Theo. Bouhvare — The Shouting Sister. SUCH was its rapid growth that the Mt. Pleasant Association deemed it expedient to divide again. Accordingly at its session in 1827 the following was adopted : *' This association agrees to divide by the line between ranges thirteen and fourteen, so that the churches east of that line may form into a new association/' etc. Pursuant to the foregoing action, thirteen churches, viz. : Lit- tle Bonne Femme, Mt. Vernon, Eocky Fork, Cedar Creek, Sa- lem (Coates' Prairie), Union, Liberty, Columbia, Middle Elver, Freedom, Providence, New Providence and Enon met at Cedar Creek meeting-house, Callaway County, October 20, 1827, and organized the " Salem Association." This was the title of the new association. It embraced the following Ministers. — David Doyle, Anderson Woods, James Suggett, Thomas Henson, Ninian Eidgeway, Thos. P. Stephens, J. C. Mc- Kay and Alia B Snethen. The aggregate membership of the churches was 513. Dr. David Doyle was moderator and Wm. Jewell clerk. The Salem Association was the third colony from the old Mt. Pleasant, with which it proposed correspondence at its first meeting. At the second meeting correspondence was opened with the Concord, Salt Eiver and Cuivre Associations. For the first ten years the sessions were held as follows : at Little Bonne Femme Church in 1828; at Eocky Fork in 1829; at Samuel Boone's house in 1830; at Union, Boone County, in 1831 ; at Fulton in 1832 ; at Gilead in 1833 ; at Salem, Boone County, in 1834; at Millersburg in 1835; at Providence in 1836, and at Eocky Fork in 1837. She had a corps of earnest gospel preachers, and for the first nine or ten years of her history the churches were enlarged, SALEM ASSOCIATION. 291 strengthened and multiplied. The total net increase of mem- bers was 545, making an aggregate membership of 1,058 in 1836. She never afterwards reached the same numerical strength. At the third meeting several changes were made in the arti- cles of faith, or constitution, as they called it. Two years there- after the Freedom Church complained that the association had proceeded illegally in making said changes. The subject was taken up by the association, and after a lengthy debate it reached the following conclusion : " That this association had no power to change the constitution, and that, therefore, the constitution, as given by the convention, is the only constitution which the association can recognize, till altered or made anew by another convention called for and uj^poijited by a majority of the church- es composing the association." In 1836 the harmony of the association was interrupted by the presenting of two letters from Mt. Pleasant Association, there having been in that body a division on missions, each part claiming to be the original association. By one or both parties claiming to be Mt. Pleasant Association, the appointment of a joint committee was solicited from Salem and Fishing Eiver As- sociations. After a consultation, '' It was agreed that a friendly letter be written to each division claiming to be said Association, and brethren Suggett, Boulware, Duncan, Campbell, Stephens, Davis, Boone and Thomas were appointed a committee of con- ference." In 1887 the association met with Eocky Fork Church, Boone County. On Saturday the joint committee made its report, giv- ing advice, which was acted upon as follows: "Agreed that we receive the advice of the committee from Sa- lem and Fishing River Associations, and to have the advice pub- lished in our minutes, viz. : 'Forasmuch as the Mt. Pleasant As- sociation is now divided on the subject of missions, and they have unitedly called for a committee from Salem and Fishing River Associations, and those committees being assembled (to adjust the difficulty, and, if possible, reconcile the contending parties) at the meeting-house called Mt. Zion, in the county of Howard, properly in order, and the parties being also assem- bled, were called upon by the moderator, and did lay in all their claims of being the Mt. Pleasant Association, together with all their grievances one with the other, and after hearing all that each party had to say on the subject, give the following as their most clear conviction and the deliberative opinion, viz. : We the 292 SALEM ASSOCIATION. committee advise those who are called missionary brethren to withdraw their names from the Central Society, or any other mis- sionary^ society, and take their seats with the rest of their breth- ren ; and, 2d, that those who are called anti-missionary brethren cordially embrace their brethren, allowing them, and all the rest of their brethren, the liberty of conscience and privilege of giv- ing their money or anything else, to the furtherance and pros- perity of the cause of God as they may think proper.' " {Minutes of Salem Association, 1838.) The foregoing report was not published until the year after it was made and adopted. On Monday of this session (1887) the same subject was again taken up in the following order and with the following results : " 1st. Called for the unfinished business of Saturday, on the subject of Mt. Pleasant Association, and agreed to correspond with the anti-missionary part of said association It was also proposed to correspond with the missionaiy part of said associ- ation, which proposition was rejected; whereupon Brethren Sug- gett and Thomas, our moderator and clerk, withdrew from the association." " Brother T. P. Stephens appointed moderator, and O. Harris, clerk, to fill their places." Thus was the association rent in twain. The following year (1838) four churches, viz.: Little Bonne Femme, Columbia, Nash- ville and Mt. Horeb, sent letters and messengers to the associa- tion, seeking a reconciliation ; but failing, withdrew, and the next year formed a new association. (See history of Little Bonne Femme Association.) Prom this time the Salem Association was anti-missionary to all intents and purposes. It fraternized with the anti-mission- ary part of Mt. Pleasant Association, which refused to allow the missionaries liberty of conscience in contributing money for the spread of the gospel. Yet in 1838 it adopted the following: "On motion, it is agreed that this association will not meddle with the liberty (or duty) of any individual member contributing to the support of the ministry, or the propagation of the gospel as they may think proper." We are free to confess that we cannot see why the Salem community should have adopted the last named motion, after opening correspondence with the anti-mis- sionary part of Mt. Pleasant Association, which had positively refused liberty of conscience on this subject, and refused corres- pondence with that part of Mt. Pleasant which simply asked for SALEM-ASSOCIATIOK. 293 liberty of conscience on the subject of missions. (See history of the division in Mt. Pleasant Association.) In 1843 the Salem Association numbered 1,054 members and seven or eight ministers. From this date it began to decline, and so continued until its aggregate membership was less than when it was first organized. The minutes of 1870 give the following summary: Churches. — Rocky Fork, Cedar Creek, Union, Two Spring, Gil- ead. Concord, Goshen, Mt. Carmel, Davies' Fork, Liberty (Ful- ton), Mt. Tabor, New Liberty, Middle River, New Providence and Salem (Coates' Prairie). These churches were situated mostly in the counties of Boone and Callaway j one or two were in Mont- gomery. JL'nisfers. — Peter Kemper, L. McGuiro, W. E. Stephens, E. H. Burnham, F.Jenkins, T. Bowen, C. Guthrie, J. F. Burnham and S. Ham ; and two licentiates, R. R. Pace and James E. Lee. Baptisms, 26; contributions, $26.50; aggregate membership, 500. We have now passed over forty-three years' history of this as- sociation. For the first nine or ten years it was an aggressive and prosperous bod}-. In 1837 it took ground against the Gen- eral Association and all other benevolent societies, and soon be- gan to grow smaller, until in 1870 its membership was less, by thirteen, than it was in 1827. These facts are recorded for the benefit of all whom they may concern. Thomas Peyton Stephens.* — The subject of this sketch was born in Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the year 1787. He moved to Kentucky in 1815; was converted and united with Mason's Fork Baptist Church in 1818. In the fall of 1820 he emigrated to Missouri and settled in Callaway County, soon after which he, his brother Elijah (father of Hon. J. L. Stephens), Wm. Edwards, Isaac Black and Abraham Renfro, with a few sis- ters, organized Cedar Creek Baptist Church, the oldest in Calla- way County. [Salem, (Coates' Prairie) was older by two or three years.] Eld. Stephens was pastor of this church nearly half a century. He felt it his duty to severely oppose in the pulpit all who differed from him in doctrine. His home church, Cedar Creek, held only monthly meetings, and during his early life he generally supplied as pastor three other churches. He was conscientiously opposed to ministers receiving a stipulated salary for their services, and opposed * The substance of this sketch was furnished by Hon. J. L. Stephens, of Columbia, 294 SALEM ASSOCIATION. with all his might the organization of the General Associa- tion for missionary purposes. He and Eld. Theodorick Boul- ware led the division movement in the association, and until their death they were regarded, throughout Korth Missouri, as the leaders of the anti-mission party. Boulware was a man of more culture — Stephens was more determined and constant, hence more felt. Although Stephens was what is popularly called an uneduca- ted man, yet he had a fine stock of information, and his influence will be felt in his field of labor for many years to come. As a legitimate fruit of his peculiar views on the subject of minister- ial support he relates, himself, that he preached for Old Rocky Fork Church twenty-five years, for which he re- ceived " one scrub sheep and one drab overcoat." Elder Stephens was of the ex- treme Calvinistic school. His man- ner of address was feeling and pa" thetic, often mov- ing a large part of his audience to tears. In the so- cial circle he ex- celled, and here he was a universal favorite. It was no unusual thing to see half a dozen to a dozen men gather around him and listen for hours to his entertaining conversation. Once a year he would usually make an extended tour among the associations, and his name was generally on the list of preach- ers for Sunday. The following facts are from his obituary in the minutes of Salem Association for 1866: "Eld. Thos. P. Stephens died on Sunday, April 2, 1865, at his residence in Callaway County, Mo., REV. THOS. P. STEPHENS. SALEM ASSOCIATION. 295 after a short illness, aged 78 years. He leaves behind him a lov- ing wife and children, and many friends to mourn his loss. The deceased was throe times married : in 1817 to Miss Edwards; in 1827 to Miss Hall of Indiana; and to his third wife, Mrs. Nancy Shields, of Howard County, in 1835, who survives him. Eld. T. P. Stephens was a faithful minister in the Baptist denomination for half a centur}". His Christian character was pure and unsul- lied, and his influence was given to the building up of the Bap- tist cause in the "West." No man was more unflinching and un- compromising in declaring the truth as preached by the anti- missionary Baptists. William Cunningham, — another minister in Salem Association, died in the spring of 1868, in the prime of life. He was regard- ed as a true believer in Christ and the doctrines of the Baptists, which he was ready and willing at all times to defend. He was a man of feeble bodily powers. At the time of his death he was pastor of several churches who felt deeply his loss. Elijah Stephens;* — older brother of Eev. Thomas P. Steph- ens, was born on the Dan River, in Rockingham County, North Carolina, Janu- ary 26, 17 8 5. His grandfather, John Stephens, was an English- man. In 1812 he married ]\Iiss Patsy Ren fro of Kentucky, and about four years thereafter he uni- ted with the Bap- tist church at Ma- son's Fork, of the same state, giv- ing the brightest evidence of con- version. In the fall of 1819 he and his wife, with their children, LockjWm., Jas. *MS of Hon. J. L. Stepbeiifi. BLIJAH STEPHENS. 296 SALEM ASSOCIATION. L. and Mary, moved to Boone County, Missouri, settling on the east side of Two Mile Prairie, some twelve miles east of Colum- bia, where he spent an unusually quiet life as farmer. Soon after the organization of the old Cedar Creek Church in 1821 or '22, he was elected deacon, and filled the office until his death. After a brief illness of six days he gently and quietly breathed his last, and followed his fathers. This event occur- red about one year after the death of his brother, Elder T. P. Stephens. Jabez Ham — deserves to be numbered among the early preach- ers of Missouri. He was born in Madison County, Ky., in 1797, and moved to Missouri in 1817. He began to preach in 1824, having become a Baptist sometime previous to this. About the year 1826 he organized the ^ew Providence Baptist Church on Lou- tre Creek near the western boundary of Montgomery County. In the division he and his church went with the anti-missionar- ies. He was a man of limited education, but of a strong, active mind, and with a proper degree of culture would have been a re- markable man. At times, in exhortation, he was powerful. He was a soldier in the war of 1812-'15 and filled the office of trum- peter. After a somewhat active ministry of about sixteen years, he died at his home in Callaway County, and was buried at New Providence Church, in Montgomery County. His wife, Hannah Todd of Kentucky, became the mother of fourteen children. She survived him and in 1879 lived near Pop- lar Bluff, Missouri. Stephen Ham, — a younger brother of Jabez, was born in Mad- ison County, Kentucky, June, 1804. He married Jane Johnson, of his native state, and moved to Missouri in 1828, settling near the western boundary of Montgomery County, in the neighbor- hood of which he lived until near his death. (Mr. Ham moved to the home farm, where he is now buried, in 1838.) In the year 1843 the Salem Association met at Middle River Church in Callaway County, September 3-5. To this session, the New Providence Church, of which Mr. Ham was a member, sent a request that he be ordained to the ministry. He was accord- ingly ordained by Elds. B. Wren, P. Kemper, T. Campbell, and brethren Davis and Fuqua, who were present as visitors. He was somewhat active in the ministry for about twenty or twenty-five years. lie preached at Salem (Coates' Prairie) Church eighteen years. SALEM ASSOCIAl'lON. 2d7 He succeeded his brother Jabez in the pastoral office at New Providence, commencing probably a year or two before his or- dination as a stated supply to the church. He continued with this church some twenty years. He also preached for some years at Freedom (Frog Pond) Church on South Bear Creek, Mont- gomery County. His death occurred March 29, 1879, at his temporary home with his youngest son at Montgomery City, Mo.; and his mortal remains were deposited in the family cemetery on his old farm. Theodorick Boulware. — This distinguished Baptist minister was of Irish and English parentage, born in Essex Count}', Vir- ginia, November 13, 1780. At the age of ten years he professed conversion and united with the Forks of Elkhorn Church, Ky., then under the ministry of Eld. W. Hickman. His parents mov- ed to Kentucky when he was a child four years of age. Having been ordained a Baptist minister in July, 1810, by Elds. Suggett and Ficklin, he spent about seventeen years in active ministerial duties in Kentucky, and removed to Missouri in the spring of 1827, settling two and a half miles north of Fulton, Cal- laway County, and camping out until, by the help often or twelve of his new neighbors, a log cabin was built. He was pastor of the following churches in Kentucky: Buck Run, Big Spring, North Elkhorn and Clear Creek. He also, once a month, visited and preached to the convicts in the state prison at Frankfort. In 1823 the Buck Run Church enjoyed a precious revival under his minis- try— some 40 being received into fellowship. Soon after he removed to Missouri he was pastor of, and preached monthly to the following churches : Liberty, Provi- dence and Middle River. Mr. Boulware continued preaching for these churches for many years, visiting other churches and asso- ciations; and thus he spent from three to four months of every year up to 1856, when he received great injury from a fall on the ice. From this hurt he never fully recovered, though he after- wards traveled and preached some. Eld. Boulware was a man of high order of talents, had a lib- eral education, and was an impressive, forcible and eloquent preacher. He appealed to the judgment rather than the pas- sions of men. As illustrative of this feature of his ministr}', we give the following anecdote. In his autobiography he says: ""While addressing a large audience, some shouted aloud. I sat down, the noise ceased. I said, ' If it is my duty to speak, it is your duty to hear. I have not come to address your passions 298 SALEM ASSOCIATION. • but your understandings.' Stepping out at the door, a lady, shaking my hand, humorously said, 'When I get to heaven, I will shout as loud as I please.' I replied, 'I have no objection, sister, but that is no reason why you should not behave better here.' " In the controversy, in 1835, on missions. Eld. Boulware was determined and uncompromising in his opposition to what he called the " new order of things." He was very earnest (and doubtless conscientious) in his remonstrances against the forma- tion of the General Association for missionary purposes. He had not a superior in his day in the West as a defender of the doctrines held by the people of his faith. While in Ken- tucky he was solicited at different times to settle in Henderson, Georgetown and Cincinnati, being offered a salary ranging from $500 to $900; but declined because he was unwilling to raise his family in town. On one occasion, while preaching at "Versailles, he made the following declaration : "The resources of the gospel are not for that sort of Christians that can arrive at a state of sinless perfec- tion." Whereupon four or five gentlemen and ladies arose, look- ed resentful and started for the door. " Stop, stop," said Boul- ware, " I did not know you were here. Hear the whole story. Once is often enough to be damned, but if any should be twice damned it is those who can do so much good, and do not do any; that is all, gentlemen, that is all ; now go." (Sketch of the Life of Theo. Boulware, p. 8.) Eld. Boulware was three times married : to Miss Susan W. Kelly, of Kentucky, April 17, 1808, who died in January, 1854. In June, 1855, he married Mrs. E. H. Offutt, who died December 7, 1857. His third wife was Mrs. A. W. Young, whom he mar- ried in September, 1865. He was the father often children, nine of whom lived to maturity. On account of the Test Oath, and being threatened with impris- onment, he left Missouri in 1866 and went to live with his daugh- ter, Mrs. C. A. Eogers, near Georgetown, Kentucky. He was now quite feeble, but on several occasions sat in the pulpit and preached at Dry Run Baptist Church, near his daughter's. He was now nearing his home on high. His theme was religion, and his companion the Bible. Ho died of general relaxation, September 21, 1867, being nearly 87 years old, and having been a Baptist 77 years, and a minister of the gospel 57 years. PERIOD FOURTH. 1830-1840. CHAPTER I. FEANKLm ASSOCIATION. Formation and Early History of — .J. C. Duckworth — Hon. John Hatchings — The Old Pioneers — Consecration — Baneful Influenct) of Intemperance — Robert Carpen- ter— Fundamental Law — Foet-"\Vashing — "War Period — ^Missionary Rc\-ival — Or- ganization of the Churches — James AVilliams — G. "W. Sturdivant — The Baptist Convention of Southern Missouri. FKANKLIX Association, a daughter of the old Missouri, and one of the ohler bodies of the kind in Southeast Missouri, was organized at the house of J. C. Duckworth early in the year 1832. Rev. James "Williams was moderator. Its churches were gathered mainly under the labors of Elds. Lewis and James Wil- liams. "The association embraced the counties of Franklin and Washington, and portions of Jefferson, St. Francois, Gasconade and Crawford, including a tract of country about a hundred miles square. Within these bounds, however, was the Missouri District Association, * Friends to Humanity,' united in doctrinal views, but differing on the subject of slavery from the Franklin communit}-. The association held its first annual meeting at Mer- amec Church, Sept. 14-17, 1832. The table shows that there were 10 churches, 10 ministers, 82 baptisms, and a total mem- bership of 374." (Alleji's Register, vol. I, A. D. 1833, page 177.) The second annual meeting convened at Potosi, Washington Count}', Missouri, September, 1833. The churches had increased in number to 13, and in membership to 544. Among the pio- neers at this meeting was the venerable John Hutchings, M'ho, in 1820, was a member of the convention that formed the consti- tution of Missouri. He died only a few 3'ears ago at the advan- ced age of ninety-four years. From the beginning, the Franklin Association was eminently a missionary body. At the time of its formation there was a strong anti-mission influence in southern Missouri which had given trouble to some of the older associations. She took de- cided ground on the subject in her constitution, as follows: 300 FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. "Art. 2. Churches may bo received into this hody hy applica- tion, provided they are sound in the faith and orderly in prac- tice, and will not oppose those who wish to be engaged in the benevolent institutions of the day, leaving every member to ex- ercise his own free will relative to those institutions." In 1834 corresponding messengers were appointed to Bethel and Missouri Associations; and on Sunday of this session Elds. A. P., Lewis and James Williams preached. In the minutes may be found the names of many pioneer ministers and brethren, who consecrated their all to build up the struggling cause of the Baptists of Southeast Missouri. It was in the bounds of this association that the Williamses, Caldwell, Carpenter, Stephens, Frost, Brown, AVhitmore and others consecrated their first labors to build up the Redeemer's kingdom. Many of them have gone to their reward, but the blessed cause for which they wept and praj'ed still lives. God honored the labors of these men. In 1835 the association met at Providence Church, St. Francois County. The statistics show 20 churches, 11 ordained and 4 li- censed preachers, and 797 members — an increase over the previ- ous year of 140. In 1837 the association recommended the formation of Bible classes in the churches. Intemperance was the bane of many churches in these early times. This associa- tion raised her voice against it in the following resolution, adopt- ed this year : " Resolved^ That this association recommend to the churches of this body to form a temperance society in connection with each church." The seventh annual meeting (1838) was held at the Fourche Arno meeting-house. Eld. Robert Carpenter, one of the pio- neers, died during the early part of this year. He was apj)oint- ed the preceding year to write the circular letter. The contro- versy with the American Bible Society had just terminated in the formation of the American and Foreign Bible Society. The following resolutions, adopted at this meeting, will show how this subject Avas viewed by an association of Baptists in the wil- derness of the West: "W/ier^a.9, The Baptist denomination in these United States has been compelled to form the American and Foreign Bible Society to sustain their missionaries in publishing faithful translations of the Holy Scriptures, the American Bible Society, through which our denomination has been accustomed to aid our Foreign FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. 301 Missionaries in the publication of the Word of Truth, having de- clined any aid in the future to foreign translations, unless, in- stead of their being faithfully translated from inspired originals, they are so far conformed to the English version that all denom- inations can consistently use them in their schools and commun- ities, thereby cutting off all translations made by Baptist mis- sionaries, who have translated the Greek word baptizo as they conscientiously believe it ought to be translated by a word equiv- alent to immersion ; therefore, " Resolved, That the translation and distribution of the word of God among the heathen is an object of the first importance in Christian effort. ^^ Resolved, That we sincerely and in the fear of God approve the course pursued by our denomination in forming a separate Bible society to circulate among the heathen the most faithful versions that can be produced, and recommend to the churches and friends of our denomination to aid by their prayers and contributions in this good work." From this date the association continued her work after the method usually adopted by such bodies with a degree of success which was gratifying, if not altogether satisfactory. She enter- tained scriptural views of the mission of churches, and sought in every laudable way to promote the evangelization of the world. The logical result of all this was the numerical and spiritual growth of the churches. One of the fundamental laws of Christianity is, that those who labor to bless others, them- selves become the recipients of multiplied blessings. And so it was with the Franklin Association. During the first years of her history she was particularly blessed. As early as 1839 her churches had increased in number to 26. Prominent in her councils were brethren John Hutchings, Uriah and Josiah Johnson, Isaac Benning, Z. Jennings, Simeon Frost, J. C. and P. P. Brickey, J. H. Bambo, James Glenn, and others, who have gone home to heaven. Since the year 1839 the bounds of Franklin Association have been curtailed from time to time by dismissions to other associ- ations which have grown up in South Missouri. It is yet a large body, covering a large area of country, including, in whole or in part, the counties of St. Francois, Crawford, Washington, Dent, Reynolds, Iron, Phelps and Ste. Genevieve. In 1880 the session was held at Union Church, Ste. Genevieve County. The minutes show that after all her conflicts and crop- 302 FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. pings she has more than maintained her ground, having 23 churches, 13 ministers and a total membership of 1,482 ; $153.50 had been expended for associational purposes. Items of Interest. — The first executive committee on missions in Franklin Association was appointed in 1841, consisting of Elds. James Williams, II. Lassiter, M. S. Smith, and Brethren Jacob Boas and Charles Burks. Bro. William S. Murphy was appoint- ed at the same session corresponding secretary. Some years before (in 1833) the "Franklin Missionary Soci- ety" was organized ; but this year (1841) the association having taken entire control of the missionary work, the society was dissolved. At the meeting in 1844, the following, on motion of Bro. Hun- ter, was adopted: " Resolved, That the ordinance of the Lord's Supper be admin- istered at the annual meetings of the association," In 1846 this was adopted : " Eesolved, That we view the 'Saints' Washing of Feet' as a gospel ordinance, and do recommend the practice of the same among our churches." Of the war period, Bro. Herman Ferguson says: "Franklin Association never failed to meet during the war of 1861-'5. Al- though different political sentiments prevailed, yet when the annual meetings would roll jound they were attended, and the cause of our blessed Redeemer would root out bitter political feelings, and His honor would be uppermost in the affections of the brethren." {H. Ferguson's Letter, July 16, 1874.) In 1854 the Franklin Association originated the " Southern Missouri Baptist Convention " for missionary purposes, a history of which will be found in another place. The year 1856 witnessed a great revival of the missionary spirit. Almost the entire membership became enlisted in the work. The churches not only gave money for missionary pur- poses, but they gave liberally; and in four years from this time the association numbered 36 churches with an aggregate mem- bership of 1,240. Bethel Church — is located in Crawford County, eight miles south of Stcclville, the county seat. It was organized in Septem- ber, 1841, by Elds. 11. S. D. Caldwell and E. Fort, with 6 mem- bers. It now worships in a house half log and half frame, and has a membership of 66. Black River — is situated on the middle fork of Black River, FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. 303 in Rej'nolds County, and was organized by Eld. H. Lassiter, Oct., 1833, with 20 members. Elds. R. S. D. Caldwell, H. M. Smith, J. N. Russell, J. R. Pratt and others have successively filled the pastoral office. In 1880 the church numbered 121 members. CoRTOis. — This is one of the pioneer bodies. It is located in Crawford County, and was organized May 23, 1829, with 10 members. It now has a membership of 80 and worships in a frame house 26x36 feet. Joseph King was the first pastor. Liberty — was organized June 9, 1816, under the name of Bell- view, by Eld. Felix Redding. It was anti-missionary. Eld. Red- ding was the first pastor. Eld. James B. Smith succeeded him and in 1829 the church was dissolved and re-organized^ and took the present name. This church has sent into the ministry Wil- liamson Gibson and James M. Frost. Old Mines, — another of the pioneer churches, was organized in 1834, with 15 members, by James Williams. It is located in Washington County, and worships in a frame edifice 30x40 feet, and was in 1876 a feeble band of only 17 members. Union. — This church was organized by Elds. James Williams, T. P. Green and James Cundiff, May 7, 1832. It is in Ste. Gene- vieve County, and has an unfinished brick church edifice. Eld. Cundiff" first filled the pastoral office. Present membership 229. James Williams, — in an eminent degree one of the pioneer preachers of Southeast Missouri and the firstmoderator of Frank- lin Association, was born near Lexington, Kentucky, October 4, 1789. He was the oldest of a large family of children, and his parents being poor he received only such an education as the common schools of that early day could afford. At maturity he emigrated to the territory of Missouri, settled first in St. Louis, thence moved to Now Madrid County and purchased a farm. While here he was married to Miss Lydia Waller. The earth- quakes of 1811 destroyed his property and drove him to the high- lands near the town of Cape Girardeau. He entered upon the work of the ministry about the year 1816, and a few years later moved to Madison County, where ho spent his Saturday's and Sundays and as much more of his time as he could spare from the farm, in preaching the gospel to the settlements around him. In 1832 he moved up into Washington County and settled in Fourche a Renault, where he soon gathered a church. In quick succession Three Rivers Church in St. Francois County, Bethle- hem in Jefferson County, and several others were organized as 304 FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. the fruit of his Labors in whole or in part. Elds. T. P. Green and H. Lassiter were now his colaborers. Soon after his remov- al to Washington County he and several other ministers made efforts and succeeded in the formation of Franklin Associa- tion. In 1840 he purchased and removed to a farm on Big Riv- er in Jefferson County. Being in easy circumstances financially, although the churches were poor and unable to do much toward his support, he gave much of his time to the ministry, in visiting monthly such churches as he supplied with preaching, and in holding protracted meetings. His work was a grand and an impor- tant one. Society was in a formative state — the country was new and rapidly filling up with emigrants from all parts of the country. Few at this day and time ever call to mind that James Williams and his cotemporaries dug deep and laid the founda- tions of those institutions which we now enjoy. With the skill of master workmen they adjusted and set in order the elements of our religious system. From the time of his removal to Jefferson County (1840) to his death, his membership was in Bethlehem Church, of which also he was pastor for twenty-one years. For some years he was con- tinued as moderator of his association (Franklin), and did a much needed work, especially for his day, in holding protracted meet- ings (a custom he followed through most of the leisure season), in which he was quite successful. James Williams was a man of a strong, active, well-balanced and moderately well-cultivated mind, a fluent speaker and forci- ble reasoner. He peacefully fell asleep in Jesus in April, 1861, being then in his seventy-second year, lamented by many whom he had led from darkness into light, and who had waited with delight and profit upon his ministry. G-EORGE W. Sturdivant* — died at his residence in Phelps County, Missouri, February 25th, 1873, in the 60th year of his age. He was a native of Virginia, and was born June 1, 1814. He was converted about 1833, soon after which he removed to Mis- souri and became a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Frank- lin Association. He was successively pastor of the Hopewell, Willow Spring and Friendship Baptist Churches — the latter in Burbois Association. Ho was a man of native intellect and correct views of theolo- *rroiH "T. E. C." in Central Baptist, March 27, ISTs! ' FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. 305 gy, which would have been more apparent if lie had been bless- ed with the advantages of early mental culture. He was greatly afflicted during the last five years of his life, but was punctual in filling his appointments and was at the regular meeting at Friend- ship in February last, and the next day he was called to the spirit land. He was highly esteemed and a useful laborer, as the author of this has reason to know. THE BAPTIST COX^^EXTIOX OF SOUTHERN MISSOUEI. This institution originated at the meeting of the Franklin As- sociation in 1854, when that body met at Union Church, in Ste. Genevieve County. Dr. A. Sherwood offered the resolution that led to the organization. By appointment of that association, the meeting was held at Smyrna meeting-house in Washington Coun- ty, the fifth Saturday in October, 1854, when the "Conrention of Southern Missouri" was formed. The occasion of this movement was that the Greneral Association held its meetings at too great a distance for the churches of South Missouri to reach them. So the convention declared in the preamble to its constitution: *' Whereas, The area of Missouri is so extensive that it is in- convenient for the churches to assemble at any one point, and many are unacquainted with our General Association, and do not feel the influence of its benevolent labors; therefore, we, the ministers and members of several churches and associations, maintaining that the churches are the highest ecclesiastical au- thority on earth, and repudiating the idea of intermeddling with their independence, do hereby agree to organize a society to ad- vance their interests, prosperity and spirituality. "Aiiicle 1. This body shall be called the "Baptist Convention of Southern Missouri." "Articled. Its objects shall be to promote domestic and for- eign missions; the circulation of the Bible and religious books; Sabbath-school instruction, and ministerial and general educa- tion ; the funds for which shall be raised by voluntary contribu- tions." The methods of the convention were much the same as those of the General Association, and while the field of the latter has al- ways been defined to be the entire state, the former proposed to confine its labors to only that part of the state south of the Mis- souri River. In this work the convention regarded itself as a co-worker with the General Association and by no means an an- tagonist of it. It was, however, short-lived, only existing some seven or eight years, during which time only a comparatively 20 306 FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION. small amount of labor was done in the way of supplying the des- titution in Southern Missouri. At its second meeting, held in 1855, four associations, viz. : Cape Girardeau, Franklin, St. Fran- cois and Jefferson County, and ten churches sent messengers. "W. W. Settle, A. Sherwood, J. B. Fuqua and J. H. Clark were now prominent among the ministers. The meeting in 1860 was, we think, the last one held. That year only about $100 had been expended in the itinerant work. J. C. Maple, R. S. D. Caldwell and J. G. Butter were then among the ministers of this institution. CIIAPTEIl n. BLUE EIYER ASSOCIATION.* First Churches — Organization of the Association — " United Baptists " — First Work — Account of tlie" Split" — Messenger of Peace — Misrepresentixtion — Domestic Mis- sionary Work — Progress — Slcetches of tlie Cliurches — John Farmer — Bushy Head — Dr. Lj'kins — G. W. Sparks — Jeremiah Farmer. WITH the advancing tide of emigration, Baptist principles found their way to the western prairies, and while Mis- souri was yet struggling as an infant state. Baptist churches were planted in that vast, beautiful and fertile region of country lying south of the Missouri River, and extending to the western bor- der. The first church organized was the Big SNiABAR,f — in Lafayette Count}', about the year 1820, of five members. Little Sniabar — was the next in order of time, which was or- ganized about three miles from Lexington, in 1824, by Elds. J. Warder, Wm. Thorp and Robt. Fristoe. There were twenty con- stituent members. About 1840, this church was moved to Lex- ington, and is now the efficient First Baptist Church of that city. The next in chronological order is the Six Mile Church — in Jackson County, near Blue Mills ; it was organized June 3, 1825, and still exists. Pleasant Grove, — not far from Independence, was organized, as near as can be ascertained, in 1827. Salem Church — bears about the same date of the last named, and was located five or six miles east of Independence. It was dissolved in 1845, and was soon after succeeded by the present New Salem Church, near the same site. Round Grove — was constituted prior to 1832. It was also in Jackson County, and was dissolved in 1836. * For tho facts and sometimes the language of this sketcli, we aclf F-ld. 11. M, llhodcs, in Missouri- Bujdist Journal, vol, I. BETHEL ASSOCIATIOX (n. E.) 323 tinuo a correspondence with any church, board, or body of peo- ple, without the consent of each church in the association." The faith of the association was the same as that of the Bap- tists generally of that day. The first annual meeting was held at Providence meeting- house, Marion County, in September, 1835. Three new churches, Clear Creek, S. F. Salt River and Fox Eiver, were added at this session, and Eld. Wm. Hurley appears as a minister; also N. Flood and T. E. Hatcher as licentiates ; 81 baptisms during the year, and the membership of the association increased to 724. The circular letter on the " Pastoral Relation," written by Hon. Wm. Carson, then in his prime, and published in the min- utes of this session, struck the key-note on benevolent itinerant work. The churches were for the most part feeble bands, and no other action was taken looking toward itinerant work, than this circular letter. At that time there was a large tract of country in the northern and western boundaries of the associa- tion, almost wholl}' destitute. In the circular an appeal was made for ministers to go and preach to the people, and the church- es were urged to sustain them. It was a thorough and genuine evangelical document. B}' permission of the association the fol- lowing brethren had their names recorded on the minutes as vo- ting against the circular letter, viz. : Edward Turner, Gabriel Turner, Isaac Ely, Ezra Fox, W. Arnold, A. Creed, A. King and R. Vanschoike. The session in 1836 was held at Paris, Monroe County. Here there was a conflict between the friends and the opponents of missions. The 9th Rule of Decorum adopted at the first meeting declared : "That no church or member shall be called to account for believing or promulgating the doctrine of either a special or general provision in Christ." The majority of the association held to the doctrine of a special provision. Some who held to this doctrine were opposed to missions, and by some one of this feeling a resolution was introduced declaring "a non-fellowship for all who held the doctrine of a general provision." This was regarded as an ingenious attempt, under disguise, to kill the mis- sionary spirit, by bringing on a contest between those believing in a special provision, and those believing in a general provi- sion in Christ. But the friends of missions saw the point, and the whole thing was a failure. A large number who held to the doctrine of a special provision, possessed a genuine missionary spirit. 324 BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) South Eiver -was the place of meeting in 1837. The member- ship of the association had now increased to 882. The threat- ened storm came on this year and the association was rent asunder. Some members had joined the Central Society (Gen- eral Association). Eelative to this the Elk Fork Church sent up the following query : << We wish the association to give us their advice and opinion whether those of our brethren who have joined the Baptist Cen- tral Society (G-eneral Association), the Bible and tract societies, and who have taken it on themselves to appoint and send out evangelists, have not departed from the constitution, which says the word of God is the only rule of fiiith and practice; and whether they have not violated the latter clause of the 8th arti- cle of the rules of decorum which says: The association shall not enter into, or continue, a correspondence with any church, body or board of people, without the consent of each church in the association." The association promptly answered as follows: ^'Resolved, That in our opinion the latter clause of the 8th ar- ticle of the rules of decorum has not been violated, as this asso- ciation has not entered into a correspondence with any church, body or board of people, without the consent of each church in the association. " Resolved, Furthermore, that the brethren who have joined these societies are amenable to their respective churches, and not to this association." The missionary element of the association were unwilling to see a division take place. Hence the compromising character of these resolutions. They were, too, unwilling to compromise the truth. Hence the firm and decided stand they took in these resolutions. But opposition was aroused. They determined to test the matter fairly and squarely. This expression of the as- sociation, with its antecedents, was too ambiguous, hence the fol- lowing resolution was offered by Eld. H. Louthan : *' Resolved, That this association discountenances and declares non-fellowship with the mission system and all its kindred branches, and with all churches and associations that aid and support them as religious institutions." This resolution was lost by a large majority, whereupon Looney's Creek and Elk Fork Churches, through their messen- gers, asked for letters of dismission, which were granted. The work of division was now accomplished ; henceforth, in the bounds of Bethel Association there were to be two dissociations, BETHEL ASSOCIATION (n. E.) 825 the one seeking to send the gospel into all the Avorld, ihe other opposing this work. The fourth annual meeting was held at Wyaeonda, Lewis County, in 1838. On account of the action of the association the preceding j'ear, two churches, Bear Creek and Providence, ask- ed leave to withdraw, whereupon the following were unani- mously adopted : '' TF/uTeas, The churches at Bear Creek and Providence have declared non-fellowship with all brethren who may eo-operate in missionary operations; and " Whereas, Wo hold that the subject of missions is one in which brethren shoiild be perfectly free ; therefore, " Resolved, That we withdraw from said churches. " Resolved, That said churches, in intimating that this associa- tion is corrupt in doctrine, made use of an unwarrantable and uncharitable assertion ; and that this association stands un- changed in her original constitution, which said churches at Bear Creek and Providence assisted in forming." Four other churches, viz. : South Fork, North Fork, Clear Creek and South Eiver, withdrew from the association on ac- count of missions, making eight in all, leaving seventeen in the original organization, with a total membership of 719. In 1839 and '40 five new churches were added, which increased the mem- bership of the association to 822. The seventh annual meeting (1841), held at Bethel, Marion County, began a new era in the history of the association. Three new churches came in, and 184 were baptized. The association began the work of missions through its own organization. It elected a missionary board and became a working missionary society. Public collections were taken up at the meeting, and churches requested to make collections for missions in the bounds of the association. The executive board consisted of Jer. Taylor, C. Gentry and A. Broadus. Elds. P. N. Haycraft and B. Stephens were employed as itinerant missionaries at 618 per month. The amount of public collection for missions at this meeting was 841. (Thus far we are greatly indebted to History of Bethel Association, by R. M. Rhodes, in Mo. Bap. Jour., Vol. I, Nos. 39, 41.) The records show that for the years 1842 and '43 the associa- tion enjoyed great prosperity, 1,004 were baptized as the fruit of revivals throughout almost the entire bounds, and a number of new churches were formed and united with the association. 326 BETfiEt ASSOCIATION (n. E.) Total number of churches, 33; total membership, 2,123. Her boundary now embraced, in whole or in part, the counties of Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Lewis, Clarke. Scotland, Audrain and Shelby. From this time the association continued with a steady hand to hold up the banner of Prince Emanuel. Her state and con- dition were like all other such institutions, variable. The church- es had their harvests, when converts were gathered in. Then, again, would come those seasons when but little progress in this way was made; seasons when we often, though improperly say, " coldness and barrenness seem to pervade all our churches." Such seasons or times are generally of the highest importance, giving opportunity for the planting, cultivating and developing processes, so much needed in the churches. At the session of 1844 eight churches were dismissed to form a new association (see Wyaconda Association). The year prev- ious to this the ministers of the association were 16, viz. : J. Tay- lor, J. H. Keach, C. Gentry, B. M. Parks, N. Parks, A. Broad- us, B. Stephens, P. N. Haycraft, J. Shumate, W. M. Jesse, J. M. Lillard, J. S. Smith, R. Hendren, S. Elmore, A. T. Hite, W. T. Barnes j licentiates, L. S. Hatcher and J. E. Smith. At the meeting of the association in 1854, held at Paris, the "Bethel Baptist Ministerial Educational Society" was formed. Its object was to aid young men called of God and approved by the churches, in studying for the ministry. During a recess in the association $118 were raised for this purpose. In 1855, in response to a proposition submitted by Eld. Nathan Ayres, chairman of the board of trustees, the Baptist Male and Female Seminary at Palmyra was adopted and made the school of the association. The twenty-second annual session was held at Ebenezer Church, Marion County, commencing September 6, 1856. By ballot, Wm. Carson was elected moderator and Thos. E. Hatcher, clerk. They were re-elected the following year when the association was held at Providence. Marion County. On Sunday of the session of 1856, Rev. Wm. M. Bell baptized 28 candidates, 13 of whom were young ladies and 15 of whom were young gentlemen. It was said to have been the most interesting baptismal scene ever wit- nessed in that section of the state. Long Branch, Monroe County, was the place of meeting in 1858. The body then numbered 27 churches and 2,017 members j and contained the following ministers : C. Gentry, Sen., N. Ay- BETHEL ASSOCIATION (n. E.) S27 res, Eber Tttcker, Eobt. Kay lor, P. N. Hay craft, B. Stephens, "VV. C. Busby, J. S. Green, Ilenson Thomas, A, C. Goodrich, J. Shumate, E. C. Snyder, J. "W. Haines, M. Powers, D. V. Inlow, J. W. Mitchell, H.H.Tilford, Thomas H.Storts and G. W. Robey. Prom 1858 to 1859 the association had a net increase of 218. Be- tween the meetings of 1858 and 1859 the Bethel ^Fale and Female Seminary changed its name to " Bethel College," by an act of the legislature. The association passed through the war period without any great loss; its table in 1865 showing an aggregate membership of 1,950, and an expenditure of $344 for association- al purposes. From the records we note nothing of special inter- est for some years past in the doings of this fraternit}'. The Bethel is one of the strong associations in the state, numbering in 1881 27 churches and 2,755 members. The largest church was Hannibal with 227 members. Eev. W. C. Busby has for several years been the moderator. Bethel Church. — This is, so far as we have been able to learn, the oldest Baptist Church north of Salt River, having been or- ganized prior to IMarch 15th, 1823. It is some six or eight miles northwesterly from Palmyra, Marion County. In 1828 there were 23 members, six of whom were colored. This was the home church of the old pioneer preacher, Eld. Jer. Taylor, and of it he was pastor from its organization until his death in 1848. The church now numbers 167 members and has preaching twice a month. Crooked Creek — was organized in March, 1840, by A. "Woods and B. Stephens' of eleven members. It is in Monroe County. Eld. A. "Woods was the first pastor. Ebenezer — is situated in Marion County, and was organized December, 1843, of 20 constituent members. Eld. J. F. Smith was the first pastor. This church has one mission Sunday-school. Emerson, — under the name of Houston, was organized in 1846, by P. N. Haycraft and J. IT. Keach. The latter was the first pas- tor. Long Branch. — This church is located ten miles south of Par- is, county seat of Monroe County, and was founded in 1843. Monroe City — was organized January 23, 1869, by B. F. Hix- son. Mount Pleasant — was formed in December, 1842, by Keach and Haycraft, Avith 12 members. Mount Prairie — was organized by "Woods and Gentry-, April 15, 1837. 32R BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) Mount Zion — is in Shelby County, and was organized by Elds. Hurley and J. Taylor, August 26, 1838; C. Gentry was the first pastor. North Eiver — was organized October 29, 1843 in Shelby County; the first pastor was Eld. J. F. Smith. Palmyra. — Jer. Taylor organized this church with ten mem- bers in 1832, and Spencer Clack was the first pastor. Philadelphia. — This church, situated in Marion County, was organized by N. Ayres and J. Shumate, May 3, 1851, of 31 con- stituent members. Pleasant Hill. — This is an old community, and was organ- ized in August, 1833, of 14 members. Salem, — four miles north of Paris, was formed May, 1857. This church ordained W.J. Patrick to the ministry in September, 1863. Shelbina — was organized in December, 1864, by S. A. Beau- champ, of 6 constituent members. It now has a brick church edifice worth $4,000. Union. — This pioneer community, eight miles west of Palmy- ra, was organized in 1833; Jer. Taylor was its pastor the first fourteen years of its history. First Baptist Church, Hannibal. — This is the largest church in the association, having a total membership of 227. It has an excellent church edifice, elegantly and tastefully arranged, and beautifully located just west of the public square. The following sketch of the church is from the MS. of Eld. E. Hendren, who was in the constitution. Soon after the meeting of the Bethel Association in 1837, the Bear Creek Baptist Church, a member of said association, passed resolutions denouncing missions, one of which was as follows: ^^ Resolved, That no member of this church, or of any other church or body of people, believing in, or in any wise encourag- ing the missionary institutions, shall have any communion or fellowship with this church." Upon the adoption of said resolutions, Eld. Robert Hendren, the former pastor, with a number of others, called for and ob- tained letters of dismission. On the 25th of November of the same year (1837) eight of the above named members met at the house of S. Self, near Hanni- bal, and were formed into a Baptist church by Eld. R. Hendren, under the appellation of Zoar. The constituent members were K. Hendren, S. Self, Wm. Halsey, Mary A. Hendren, Francis A. BETHEL ASSOCIATION (n. E.) 829 Davis, Nancy Self, and two colored women named Providence and Maria. The articles of faith were Calvinistic, yet " a persuasion of a general provision for all men was no bar to communion." The constitution provided that " all should be left free to act accord- ing to their pleasure on the subject of missions." This church was admitted as a member of Bethel Association in 1839 under the name Zoar. For several years it made but lit- tle progress. In July, 1841, it was moved into the town of Han- nibal, and was afterwards called by that name. In the year fol- lowing (Jan., 1842) a meeting was held by Elds. A. Broadus, Norman Parks and Christie Gentry. A revival was then the re- sult and five professed conversion. Among the converts were three daughters of Eld, Hendren — one of whom was a deaf mute. This occasion of baptism, administered by Eld. Hendren in the Mississippi River, was the first time this primitive rite was wit- nessed in Hannibal, and made a deep impression on many who witnessed it. The church continued to prosper under the joint labors of Elds. Hendren and A. Broadus, until in 1843 it num- bered 64 members. Hon. William Carson. — This servant of Christ was one of the fathers of Bethel Association. Though not a preacher of the gospel he was a remarkably useful man. He was born near Win- chester, Virginia, May 14, 1798, and was of Irish and Welsh pa- rentage. At the age of twenty-one years he embraced the Christ- ian faith and united with the Baptist denomination, whose inter- ests he industriously promoted for more than half a century. In the fall of 1819 he emigrated to Missouri, settled in New London (then in Pike County), and was from time to time called to fill stations in which he made himself useful to his country. From 1824 he was for six years Register of the United States Land Office at Palmyra; and for fourteen years he was a member of the Legislature of Missouri — four years of the time in the Senate. But we note particularly and briefly his life as a Baptist. He was endowed with fine intellectual powers, a genial disposition and a good education; all of which he used to promote the best interests of his people. He aided in the organization of the first Baptist church in New London in 1823 or '24; was a constituent member and clerk of SaltRiver Association in 1823. In 1834 he was present at the Bethel Association, aided in the organization, and acted as first clerk ; and for twenty years serred in this ca- pacity or as moderator. 330 BETHEL ASSOCIATION (n. E.) The early Baptists of Bethel Association had a most powerful and formidable Presbyterian element to contend with. About the year 1830 Dr. D. Nelson settled in Marion County, and commenced the establishment of Marion College. He called around him a number of Presbyterian ministers, like himself, eminent for talent. A most determined effort was made to rout the Baptists. One method resorted to by Dr. Nelson was to assail and denounce the Baptists through the public press. He wrote a letter to the Neio York Evangelist, in which he charged the Baptists with being drunkards, Sabbath-breakers, &c. Carson, then proba- ly the only man in north- east Missouri able to meet him, entered the f i el d against Dr. Nelson, and in a manly. Christian and d ign i fi e d manner re- plied to him, denouncing his state- ments a s a slander on the Baptists. Carson com- pletely rout- HON. WILLIAM CARSON. ed his antag- onist and vindicated his brethren. In about ten 5'ears, Marion College and the preparatory schools at East Ely and "West Ely were abandoned, and the Baptists are now scarcely, if at all, second in efficiency to any denomination in those bounds. William Carson was present and participated in the formation of the Central Society in 1834; and was also a member of the convention at Boonvillein 1850 to locate William Jewell College. After a short illness he died at his home in Palmyra, Novem- ber 3, 1873. " Diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," expresses the life work of this good man. BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) 331 Jeremiah Taylor — was one of the pioneer preachers of Mar- ion Count}', having come to Missouri in 1822. He was one of the most useful preachers of his day — not an educated man, but " his life was a liring epistle, known and read of all men " who knew him. His doctrinal views were about those held by the great Andrew Fuller of England. These he would press with great earnestness and zeal. He was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, February 27, 1774, and after a useful life of half a century as a Baptist minister, he died May 21, 1848. He was present and preached the introductory sermon at the organization of Salt River Asso- ciation in 1823. He also aided in the formation and became a con- stituent member of the Bethel Association in 1834. *' The strong Baptist influence in and around Palmyra is due, in no small de- gree, to the foundation laid by this good man. He was not a pleasant speaker, nor was his success due so much to his pulpit labor as to his pastoral work; for as a pastor he greatly excelled. He was one of the best pastors I ever knew." * He filled the office of pastor in the churches of Bethel and Un- ion, in Marion County, for many years, and was very much lov- ed and honored by his churches. He was a man of large property in land and negroes, hence would preach without much remuneration, as was common with the pioneer preachers. All the ministers of Bethel Association were present, bj' invi- tation, on the occasion of his funeral. Two sermons were preach- ed, one by Eld. William Hurley, the other by Eld. James F. Smith. Eld. C. S. Taylor, now of Bethel Association, is a grandson of his, and is a minister of promising and useful talent. Christy Gentry — was born October 14, 1790, in Madison Coun- ty, Kentucky. His parents were natives of Virginia, and brought up in the Presbyterian faith. In early life Christy was said to be fond of the chase, and somewhat inclined to be reckless. He married Miss Lucy Christy, of Clark County, Kentuck}^, when about twenty-two years of age. Four or five years subsequent to this event, after a season of deep sorrow for sin, he found fa- vor with God and soon after united with the Round Top Baptist Church, in Kentucky. Even before his union with the church he seemed to have been selected for the ministry, as the following incident will show. He says: "One day my wife and I saw a ♦From the MS. Sketch of Jcr. Taylor, by Eld. J. F. Smith. S.92 fiETSEL ASSOCiAflON (N. E.) compan}' of young people approaching our house, and, as usual, we advanced to the front fence to meet them. They proved to be a company of weeping mourners pleading for mercy. As they advanced, one of the company signified that they had come to so- licit me to pray for them. We all at once knelt upon theground, while I tried to pray for the heart-broken penitents who wept around me." Reader, what a scene ! Did you ever witness a grander one ? After preaching about ten years in Kentucky he moved to Missouri in 1830, settled in Ealls County, and united with Salt Eiver Church. In 1834 he was in the organization of Bethel As- sociation and presided as moderator, and was for some j^ears con- tinued in the same office. He made many sacrifices in labors for the Master. Much of his labor was with feeble churches or in destitute or newly settled 2iarts of the countrj- : lience he was poorly remunerated. Many of the churches were no more than little mission stations; but they grew larger, and as they gained strength he labored to promote the preaching of the gospel " in the regions beyond." When this was commenced the contest about missions began. It was said by the opponents of the mis- sionary work that this was a new doctrine among the Baptists, although the Old Particular Baptists of England and Wales had been engaged in missions for 150 years. Christy Gentry stood firm in the contest. He was with the missionaries contending for the ancient order of things. He la- bored thirty-two years in this state, and was a faithful servant of Christ and the churches. He fell asleep in Jesus March 14, 1866, in the arms of his affectionate son, Christy. Eld. James F. Smith preached his funeral sermon to an immense concourse of people. William Hurley. — There are yet living many persons who can bear witness to the eloquence and eminent usefulness of this ser- vant of Christ. William Hurley was born in England in 1795. His parents were Episcopalians and he was brought up in this faith. At about the age of eighteen years he was "brought to see himself a wretched, helpless and vile sinner. He prayed earnestly for pardon and peace, and gradually the light of life spread over his mind," and he enjoyed reconciliation with God, He commenced the same year to preach in his native village, was ordained in 1822, and spent six years after this event in preach- ing in different parts of England, both as pastor and evangelist. He emigrated to America in 1828, and itinerated through most BETHEL ASSOCIATION (n. E.) 333 of the eastern and southern states ; then came to Missouri in 1832, made his home in St. Louis County, and for two years was pas- tor of the old Fee Fee Church. During this period of his life he visited St. Charles, found a few Baptists, continued to preach there once a month, baptized ten or twelve persons during the summer of 1832 and formed the Second Baptist Church in St. Charles the same year; which, after a brief period, disbanded for want of regular ministerial succor. In 1834 he attended the preliminary meeting of the Central Society, and was present the following year at Little Bonne Femme Church when the organization was perfected. From this meeting, upon the solicitation of Hon. Wm. Carson and others, he visited Palmyra, Marion County, soon after which he was called to be pastor of the Baptist church in that place. From 1835 to 1853 his labors were mostly confined to Marion County and Northeast Missouri. He was very fond of itinerating, and often during the entire period of his ministry he Avould make preaching tours among the churches and destitute settlements. For two years he served as pastor in Bethel Church, Marion • County, having been called to that office in 1851. He was re- called in 1853, but declined on the ground that he wished to itinerate and preach the gospel among the poor churches. His connection with this church was a pleasant and happy one. He was much loved, had large congregations, and his labors were greatly blessed. After he severed his connection with this church he was called to the care of Bethel Church, Ealls County, which he retained until the time of his lamented death. For nearly a quarter of a century Elder Hurley was an able and efficient minister in Missouri, laboring untiringly as pastor, missionary and evangelist. " Eternity alone will unfold the re- sults of his labors. But something may be said of them even now; for ' his praise is in all the churches.' Would you receive but an inadequate conception of his labors and their results, then sum up, if 3'ou can, the number of churches he has organized, and call up to your mind's eye the hundreds of souls that have been by his instrumentality gathered into those churches ; aye, listen to the harpings of many of them before the throne of God. Think too of the Sabbath-school influence which he has sent forth, and the influence in favor of temperance, and of all good morality. Think of the power which he has wielded for the right, shaping, and duly cementing, the foundations of society in this portion of the ' Great West.' " {Memoir of Wm. Hurley, p. 12.) 334 BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) Hurley was a Freemason ; and was made such in Union Lodge No. 19, at Paris, about the year 1838 or '39. In 1842 he received the degree of Eoyal Arch Mason in Palmyra Chapter, No. 2. He was regarded by the fraternity as one of its brightest ornaments, and for many years filled the office of Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. He was below the medium height, heavy set, good looking, but not a handsome man. His voice was harsh or gutteral — not musical; but his elegant and logical arrangement, and his chaste and appropriate language never failed to secure the profound attention of his auditors. Eld. Hurley's doctrinal views were strictly Calvinistic. He delighted to defend the Divine purpose in man's salvation. The following anecdote will illustrate, somewhat, his doctrinal views : ''A number of brethren, preachers and others, had stopped at the hospitable home of Eld. Anderson Woods for the night, after the adjournment of the association at Paris. The conversation turned upon the doctrine of the atonement. Jeremiah Yardeman, who held views much in accordance with the great Dr. Fuller, after criticising the Calvinistic views of Hurley, challenged him to reconcile his theory of God's sovereignty with the free agency of man, &c. Hurley rallied upon Bro. V., and said: 'Let me ask you, Bro. Vardeman, if there are no difficulties or crooks in your theory ? ' * No, God bless you (a common expression with Bro. V.) ; my theory is as straight as a gun-barrel.' " (Wm. Carson, in Mo. Bap. Jour., Vol. I, No. 23.) On one occasion, a gentleman in the presence of Hurley was somewhat severely criticising the tenets of Freemasonry. Hur- ley turned to him and said, " My friend, do you know much about Masonry?" "No sir, not very much," was the reply. "Then I would suggest that you do not say much," said Hurley. He was cool and determined. At the time of the division in Bethel Association he was moderator. A brother who ranked high with the anti-mission party introduced a resolution declar- ing non-fellowship for those engaged in Bible societies, mis- sions, &c. Eld. Hurley hesitated to put the motion on the ground that it was not in order. The mover insisted that the moderator put the motion, or leave the chair and let them elect one who would. To this, Hurley playfully and coolly replied : " It is not often that honors are conferred upon me and I shall not sur- render them so readily." The last public act of his life was the delivery of an address at BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) 335 ' the laying of the corner stone of an educational edifice in Troy Lincoln County, July 30, 1856. He reached the town the day before, delivered the address in his own peculiarly characteristic style, and in the afternoon complained of some slight indisposi- tion. No one thought him dangerously ill until the afternoon of August 2d, three days from the commencement of his illness. He grew rapidly worse, and on Sunday morning, August 3,1856, he died at the residence of his intimate and esteemed friend, Hon. John Snethen, and was buried by the Freemasons in the Troy Cemetery. Truly could it be said, '' a great man in Israel has fallen." Egbert Hendren. — This member of the pioneer brigade of min- isters in Missouri was born Dec. 29, 1779, in what was then called the Northern Neck, now Kichmond County, Virginia. His parents being members of the Episcopal Church, he was brought up in the tenets of that establishment. When about 11 years old he was left an orphan, and was cared for by an uncle with whom he lived until his maturity. Having grown up in a day when there were few educational advantages, he obtained but little help from the schools; but being a man of industrious habits and indepen- dence of thought, he gained sufficient knowledge of the rudi- mentary principles of an English education to make him a useful minister of the gospel. As nearly as can be ascertained, he commenced the ministry in 1824, and was pastor of several churches in his native state until 1831, in the spring of which year he moved with his fam- ily to Missouri, and located in Marion County, some four miles west of Hannibal. After settling his familj^ comfortably, being a man of good property, though not rich, he gave his time to the ministry. The country being then sparsely settled, and there being but few houses of worship, he preached the gospel in log school-houses, private residences and under trees of the forest, to the people of his day. When the controversy on missions resulted in the division of Bethel Association in 1837, Eld. Hendren was pastor of Bear Creek Church, and upon the adoption of resolutions by a major- ity of said church denouncing missions, he, with the minority, got letters of dismission and formed the present Hannibal Church. (For a fuller account, see history of said church.) He had a stroke of paralysis early in the year 1858. This set- tled into hasty consumption, and in a few weeks it terminated fatally. He died in the bosom of his family, March 30, 1858, 836 BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) James S. Green. — The subject of this sketch was born July 5, 1819, in Fauquier County, Ya., in which state he Avas educated in select schools and academies. Although he never took a full collegiate course, his education is superior to many who have. He is an accurate and critical English scholar, and has studied and read extensively the Latin and Greek classics. His bap- tism by Eld. C. Huff occurred July 17, 1842, and the sumo year he removed to Marion County, Mo., and by letter united with the Bethel Baptist Church, by which he was licensed to preach the following year. In November, 1847, he was ordained to the gos- pel ministry by the First Baptist Church, Hannibal, Mo., the or- daining presbytery consisting of Elds. W. Hurley, B. Stephens and L. Granger; and with this church he spent his first pastoral period. In 1850 he moved to Cape Girardeau and labored as pastor for a time ; and in November, 1851, was elected pastor First Baptist Church, Palmyra, Mo. Here he spent nine j^ears in a pleasant and successful pastorate, when he resigned and took charge of several churches in the country. He was again pastor at Palmyra about four years, and again resigned. Then he be- came pastor of Paris, Monroe County, and Bethel, Marion Coun- ty. For years he has filled the pastoral office at Monroe City, and for a part of that period has labored in the same capacity at Providence and Little Union, both in Marion County. December 13, 1853, Eld. Green was married to Martha J. Car- son, daughter of Hon. Wm. Carson of Marion County. Four children were the fruit of this union,- but all of them have passed over the river, leaving the father and the mother alone, waiting to join their dear ones above, " Where life is not a breath, Nor life's affections transient fire, Whose sparks 6y upward and expire." MOUNT SALEM BAPTIST ASSOCIATION. This infant fraternity was organized of churches dismissed from Bethel Association, at Mount Salem Church, Knox County, October 19, 1878. The constituent churches were seven in num- ber, viz. : Mount Salem, Eock Creek, Mount Pleasant, Mount Zion, North Eiver, Shiloh and Walkersville. The two first named are in Knox County; the next is in Lewis County; and the four last named are in Shelby County. The aggregate mem- bership of these churches was 513. This association occupies an important field, and has fair prospects of success. $100 were con- tributed for mission work on Sunday of the first meeting. BETHEL ASSOCIATION (N. E.) 337 The second session was held at Walkersvillc, commencing Au- gust 22, 1879. Black Creek Church, from Bethel Association, and Salt Eiver Church, newlj^ constituted, were received into the union. The executive board reported $95.50 as the amount of money expended, and $21 cash on hand. This body has an earn- est corps of ministers, eight in all, and two licentiates, viz. : J. P. Griffith, M. S. Smith, John Eaton, H. Eaton, G. W. Eaton, O. Collins, P.IST. Ilaycraft and R. Kaylor; licentiates: Wni. Brown and J. A. Garnett. Correspondence was opened with Bethel and "Wyaconda Associations, and messengers appointed to attend the meetings of the same. The aggregate membership of the nine churches in 1880 was 627, 22 CHAPTER IV. THE MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. How it Originated — John Jackson — Preliminary Meeting — Violent Opposition — Hard Names — The Great Kevival in Cooper County — Change of Name — Establishment of The Missouri Baptist — Southern Baptist Convention — Uriel Sehree — R. Hughes — D. H. Hickman— A. P. Williams— Noah Flood— X. X. Buckner— J. B. Wor- nall— L. B. Ely— W. Pope Yeaman— J. T. Williams— L. M. Berry— Table of Meetings. IN the fall of 1833 a small group of Baptist ministers were seen in prayerful consultation at the house of John Jackson, in Howard County. They were Thomas Fristoe, Ebenezer Rogers and Fielding Wilhoite. The great burden of their prayer and conversation was the widespread religious destitution of the state. They resolved upon an extended preaching excursion at their own charges. Fristoe and Rogers journeyed as far as Paris in Monroe County. Wilhoite, taking with him A. J. Bartee, went in another direction. They returned, and being more than ever convinced of the destitution of the country, held another meeting for consultation and resolved upon an effort to form a general society for missionary purposes. Letters were at once sent to leading men and ministers throughout the state, calling a pre- liminary meeting at the time and place named in the following records : ^'Friday, August 29th, 183^. "Agreeably to general notice, the subscribers, members of Bap- tist churches in Missouri, associate themselves together at Provi- dence meeting-house in Callaway County, to deliberate upon the state of religion in the bounds of the churches to which they be- long, and to consult if any special measures are necessary and practicable to promote the preaching of the gospel within the bounds of the state. ^^ Ministers. — Jeremiah Vardeman, William Hurley, Ebenezer Rogers, James Suggett, Jabez Ham, J. C. McCutchen, J. B. Longan, Walter McQuie, Noah Flood, Kemp Scott, J. W. Maxey, Fielding Wilhoite, William H. Duval, Thomas Fristoe, Robt. S. Thomas, Gr. M. Bower and Anderson Woods j and J. M. Peck, from Illinois, who was invited to a seat. MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 339 ^^ Other Members. — Wm. "Wright, J. G. Berkley, David Moore, Wm. Armstrong, James M. Fulkerson, John Sweatman, S. Hiter, M. D. Nolin, W. Major, Wm. Dozier, Thomas S. Tuttlc and Jer- emiah Yardeman, Jr. ^^ Note. — The above named persons vpere from the counties of St. Charles, Pike, Ealls, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Calla- way, Boone, Howard, Chariton, Cooper and Cole, Eight or ten more brethren had been delegated to attend this meeting from the southern parts of the state, but were prevented by sickness and other causes. "Jeremiah Vardeman was chosen moderator and E. S. Thomas clerk. ^^ Resolved, That Elds. Eogers, Scott, Longan, Peck and E. S. Thomas be appointed a committee of arrangements to prepare business for the meeting, and that they be required to draft rules of decorum for its government. " Saturday, August 30, 1834. " Assembled, &c. Eules of decorum reported and adopted. " The committee then offered for consideration the following resolutions, upon which some of the brethren addressed the meet- ing, and each resolution was adopted unanimously. " Resolved, That we consider the preaching of the gospel the great and prominent means which God has appointed for the conversion of sinners and the upbuilding of his church on earth. '^Resolved, That in accordance with the sentiments of our de- nomination, all preachers of the gospel whom God approves must give evidence that they are born again by the Spirit, called of God to the work, and be set apart by oi'dination by the authority of the church. " Resolved, that it is the duty of all Christians to promote, as the Lord has prospered them, the preaching of the gospel to the destitute. " Brethren from each part of the state were invited to give information on the following subjects: " 1. On the state of religion generally, revivals, and success in preaching the gospel. "2. On the destitute churches, and fields of labor. "3. What special measures have the Baptists pursued to pro- mote the cause, and supply destitute churches and settlements, and what have been the fruits of those measures ? " After some progress on the above topics, the meeting ad- journed till Monday. 340 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. " Monday, September 1st. "After prayer b}'" the moderator, the business of Saturday was resumed and considerable time spent in hearing communications from brethren on the aforesaid topics, on which mucli valuable information was obtained." The following were then adopted : "Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting, the call for the preaching of the gospel upon the frontiers and within the bounds of the Salt Eiver, Salem, Mount Pleasant, and Concord Associ- ations, is imperative; that with a view of cultivating peace and Christian affection with all the brethren of the associations to which we belong, we are unwilling to take any course of action to effect the object contemplated by us, without giving those brethren and others in Missouri an opportunity^ to co-operate, if they choose. Therefore, we have appointed the Friday before the first Lord's day in June, 1835, when, with leave of Divine Providence we will assemble at Bonne Femme meeting-house, near the Two Mile Prairie, in Boone County, to adopt a constitu- tion and enter upon such measures as may be deemed expedient. " Besolved, That all who may desire it may be apprised of our ultimate object, the following form be sent forth as an outline of what will be the constitution of this body when adopted, subject to such amendments as brethren from different parts of the state may suggest at the meeting to be held in June. " PLAN OF A CONSTITUTION". "Article 1. This society shall be known by the name of the Baptist Central Convention of Missouri. "Art. 2. The object of this society shall be to adopt means and execute plans to promote the preaching of the gospel in the des- titute churches and settlements within the bounds of the state. "Art. 3. It shall be composed of those only who are Baptists and in good standing in the churches to which they belong. "Art. 4. The business of this convention during its recess shall be conducted by an executive committee, consisting of a mod- erator, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer, and five other persons to be chosen annually, and continue in office until a new election. The officers shall perform the usual duties of those officers without compensation, and the committee shall fill vacancies that may occur in their own body during the recess of the convention. Meetings of the committee shall be held quarterly, and at any time, by a call from any three mem- bers, who shall notify the rest, if at their usual residences. MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 341 "Art. 5. This society shall possess no power or authority over any church or association. It forever disclaims anj- right or pre- rogative over doctrinal principles; that evcr}^ church is sover- eign and independent, and capable of managing its own affairs without the interference or assistance of any body of men on earth. "Art. 6. The funds contributed by this society shall bewhollj'- derived from the voluntary contributions of those who may feel disposed to promote the objects of society. "Art. 7. The preachers who may be aided by the society must be men of good standing and tried piety and belong to some Baptist church in the state. "Art. 8. This convention shall meet annually on the Friday before the third Saturday in May, at such place as the society shall designate. "Art. 9. This constitution shall be amended only by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at an annual meeting. "Appointed the following correspondents, to whom we hope other Baptists will communicate their views: Eobert S. Thomas, Columbia, Mo.; William Wright, Palmyra, Mo.; Jordan O'Bry- an, Pisgah, Cooper County; and Thomas P. Green, Jackson, Cape Girardeau County. ^'- Note. — Our brethren who were not present will notice that the constitution has not been adopted, nor the contemplated body yet organized. This has been left for the next meeting, to be held at Little Bonne Femme in June, 1835. "It is hoped that our brethren will give the proposed consti- tution a fair and candid examination, and suggest such altera- tions as they may deem advisable." This meeting was largely attended. Brethren Vardeman, Longan, Peck, Eogers, Ham, Wilhoite and Hurley did the preacliing. Numbers came forward for prayer, and several con- verts were baptized. Eld. Theo. Boulware, T. P. Stephens and others were present at the meeting at Providence, but did not have their names en- rolled. They (Boulware and Stephens) opposed the organiz- ation of the Central Convention or Society with all their pow- ers. They afterwards became the leaders of the anti-mission element in Central Missouri. Boulware says, "We advised and entreated these brethren to disperse and not establish this cock- atrice's den among us, from which will emanate a serpentine brood, marring the peace of God's children and bringing scan- 342 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. dal on the cause of Christ, for we feel assured you have much more in view than the happiness of the church and the salvation of men. We fear you are deceptive." {Autobiography of Eld. Theo. Boulware.) Strange that men who profess a godly life can be so complete- ly filled with prejudice. Such language as the above from a Bap- tist preacher! Why should he call a missionary society, formed of Baptists in good and regular standing, a " cockatrice's den," " a serpentine brood ?" Baptist societies had then been promo- ting missions for nearly two hundred years, and had proven that they sought only the good of men. Prejudice alone can drive men to such extremes. In June, 1835, pursuant to the appointment of the convention of 1834, a meeting was held at Little Bonne Femme Church, Boone County. The constitution previously submitted was adopt- ed, with only a few unimportant changes, and the Central Soci- ety (now General Association) of Missouri was organized. The first article of the constitution was altered to read ''Central Society," instead of " Central Convention." "The anti-missionary spirit now developed itself by making favor to the missionary enterprise a test of church fellowship. The liberty of bestowing their means to the support of the gos- pel was denied the friends of missions. All the arguments that the opposers were capable of presenting to the sordid and sel- fish propensities of depraved human nature were resorted to, to overthrow the new organization. Politicians were warned to be on their guard — that this was the entering wedge for a union of church and state, and that nothing short of a system of taxa- tion would satisfy these friends of mammon." (Wade M. Jack- son, in A?ner. Bap. Iiegiste7\ 1852, p. 189.) Such were the circumstances under which the G-eneral Associa- tion was organized. Opposition continued from 3'oar to year, but those devoted servants of God gave themselves diligentlj^ to the work; and there being but a small fund on hand, the minis- try proved their sincerity by going into the destitute fields and preaching the gospel at their own charges. The first annual meeting was held at Bethlehem Church, Boone County, commencing June 3, 1836. John B. Longan was moder- ator and G. M. Bower clerk. The names of seven ministers and nine laymen were added to the former list of members. On the Sabbath Eld. Longan preached and explained the objects of the society, after which a collection of ^51.75 was taken. S. Wil- MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 343 hoite was elected treasurer, and the minutes show a balance on the subscription listof $17.50, which, with the Sunday collection, was the whole amount of funds. " Eld. Anderson Woods was elected general agent to preach throughout the state and promote the objects of the society." "The doings of the second annual meeting — held the 2d, 3d and 4th days of June, 1837, at Mt. Moriah, Howard County — show a considerable increase of members to the society, which was attended by a number of able ministers from a distance. Eight missionaries were appointed for two months each, and Eld. Kemp Scott was appointed general agent. The report of the ex- ecutive board was very favorable as to the success of the mission- aries. The minutes show an increase of funds over last year of $244." (Wade M. Jackson, in Amcr. Bap. Eegister, 1852, p. 189.) Columbia, Boone County, was the place of meeting in 1838. The society met June 1st. The general agent, Bro. Scott, re- ported at this session that he had visited ten counties, several associations, and had collected $75 cash, obtained $11.50 in sub- scriptions and baptized 126 converts. This meeting was glad- dened by intelligence of a glorious revival in Cooper County, under the labors of Elds. A. P. Williams and Frost, the re- sult of which was the conversion and baptism of some 400 in the bounds of Concord Association. On May 31, 1839, the society met at Big Lick, Cooper County. At this meeting the name of "Central Society" was dropped, and that of " General Association of United Baptists of Missou- ri " was adopted. This year gave a considerable increase of members, funds and mission labor. The session of 1840, at Paris, Monroe County, was attended by a large number of members. The executive committee consist- ed of James Suggett, chairman, P. S. Thomas, corresponding secretary, Stephen Wilhoite, treasurer, Wm. Carson, recording secretary, and Roland Hughes, Uriel Sebree, W. Wilhoite, J. B. Dale and George McQuitty. Elds. Fielding Wilhoite, Wm. H. Duval and A. F. Martin performed missionary labor amounting to 87 days, resulting in 28 baptisms, and the formation of 3 new churches. The treasurer's report shows a balance in his hands of $342.14. The state was divided into two districts, the Mis- souri Piver forming the dividing line ; and Elds. P. N. Haycraft and A. F. Martin were itinerants for the district north, and Elds. J. C. Herndon and James Suggett for the field south of the riv- er. Eld. ZSToah Flood was appointed general agent; salary 344 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. Chariton Church, Howard County, entertained the 6th anni- versary in 1841, commencing August 27th. The general agent reported that he had labored nine months in the bounds of 15 associations, preached 170 sermons, and obtained in cash and pledges $581.50. The joint labors of the missionaries were thir- teen months and 17 days; visible results, 69 baptisms and 4 new churches. At the session of 1842 the expediency of publishing a Baptist periodical was discussed and a committee appointed on the sub- ject. An effort was also made to establish a Baptist Book De- pository in St. Louis, and from the spirit manifested it was ap- parent that the association had taken a strong hold upon the af- fections of the denomination. At the session of 1843, held at Jefferson City, preliminary steps "were taken to establish a Baptist educational institution in the state, which resulted in the founding of William Jewell College several years afterwards, to which end Dr. Wm. Jewell of Co- lumbia had proffered the sum of $10,000. (For a full account of this institution, see Educational Depajiment.) At this session the following report was made on " The Neal Fund :" Whereas, The General Association has been informed that the late Jeremiah H. Neal of Montgomery County, Missouri, did, by his last will and testament, bequeath $1,000 for promoting mis- sions; which sum, this association is informed, was to be paid over to and appropriated under the direction of this associa- tion ; therefore, " Resolved, That this body will appoint an agent whose duty it shall be to confer with the executor and executrix of the last will and testament of the said J. H. Neal, and take such steps as the said agent may deem expedient to obtain the amount of the said bequest for this association." Wm. M. McPherson was appointed agent as above, with full powers to receive the said bequest and receipt for the same. The plan for a religious paper had been matured, and some ten issues of The Missouri Baptist had been made. (See Religious Newspapers.^ The minutes of 1844 show an expenditure of $848 for home and foreign missions. Prominent among the active members who attended the meet- ing at Columbia in 1845 arc the names of Elds. Wm. Duncan, Noah Flood, Thos. Fristoe, S. H. Ford, E. S. Thomas, A. P. Wil- MISSOURI BAPTIST OF.NERAL ASSOCIATION. 345 liams, A. Broadus and D. E. Murphy, only one of -whom (Dr. Ford) is now living. And of prominent laymen we find the names of Uriel Sebree, E. Hughes, S. C. Major, Lcland Wright, W. M. McPherson, T. W. Ustick, Wm. Jewell, P. G. Camden, S. Wilhoite and J. B. Vardeman, — all dead save Wright and Vardeman. In the eleventh annual meeting, 1846, at Lexington, 42 church- es and 4 associations had a representation in men or money. The contributions amounted to $994.90. The agitation of the slav- ery question having, a short time previous to this meeting, re- sulted in a division of theAmer. Bap. Home Mission Society and the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention, the following report was made thereon : "The committee to whom was referred the subject of dissolv- ing our connection with the American Home Missionary Society, and becoming auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention, have given such attention to the subject as the time allotted and other engagements would allow. "It is the opinion of the committee that this association is under obligations to the American Baptist Home Missionary Society for the aid which they have heretofore rendered in the support of missionaries in this state, and which they are still dis- posed to continue as far as their means will justify. "While the circumstances which produced division between the North and the South have been beyond our control, and the division itself, in many respects, is to be deeply regretted, yet we cannot but hope that, in the providence of God, it will result in a wider diffusion of the blessings of raissionarj^ effort. "From the local position, the institutions of the state, and the general feelings of the people, it appears to your committee to be obviously proper that, so far as union with any organization, as an auxiliary, is concerned, this Association will better har- monize with the views and the enterprises of the Southern Bap- tist Convention. The committee, therefore, recommend the adoption of the fol- lowing resolutions : " 1st. Resolved, That this association become auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention. " 2nd. Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting be in- structed to notify the corresponding secretary of said conven- tion of this resolution. S. W. Lvnd, -\ Wm. M. McPherson, v Com." W. C. LiGON, ) 346 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. It is an interesting fact that in 1836, one year after the divis- ion, the Baptists of Missouri numbered 8,728 and were divided as follows: Eegular or Missionary Baptists, 150 churches, 77 ministers, 5,357 members ; anti-missionary Baptists, 80 churches, 49 ministers and 3,366 members. In 1846, just ten years after, the Eegulars numbered 292 churches, 144 ministers and 15,331 members; and the anti-missionary Baptists, 118 churches, 57 ministers and 4,336 members. What a commentary on the unwise policy of the opponents of the missionary enterprise ! In the future we shall be able to notice only the more impor- tant events in detail in the history of the General Association. Our space forbids any other course. For the sake of brevity, we have grouped in a table at the end of this chapter a number of interesting facts, such as the time, place and officers of annual meetings, preachers of annual sermons, &c., &c. The association continued from year to year to prosecute the work of state missions, supplying destitute neighborhoods and weak churches in important places with a preached gospel, to the full extent of her means ; to encourage and foster Sunday-school interests, mostly for years through the agencies of the Am- erican Sunday-school Union; to build up and strengthen the claims and give to the support of William Jewell College, with a view to ministerial education; and to commend and forward denominational interests throughout the world, especially gen- eral domestic, Indian and foreign missions. On Indian missions she said, in 1847 : "Next to the supply of 'our own immediate wants, the contiguity of the Indian territory to our own borders directs the eye of Christian philanthropy to the red man of the forest, as claiming no insignificant share of our sympathies and aid. We, therefore, recommend the Indian Mission Association to the prayers and contributions of our brethren throughout the state." On foreign missions she jDut on record the following sentiment: "In the judgment of this association, the subject of evangelizing the world commends itself to the cordial co-operation of every Christian, and the ministers of our denomination are requested to aid in disseminating light, and awakening, if possible, a deeper interest in behalf of foreign missions." The executive board this year (1847) consisted of U. Sebree, Eld. E. S. Thomas, Leland Wright, S. C. Major, W. M. Jackson, Eld. D. Perkins, H. Wallace, W. D. Hubbell, Eld. F. Wilhoite, MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 347 Eld. John H. Keach, E. Hughes, Eld. W. C. Ligon, Eld. A. T. Hite, John Eobinson and Wra. Carson. By the minutes of this year it appears that a ministerial con- ference was organized the previous year in connection with the association; the object being "to promote the information and usefulness of its members by essays, discussions and mutual criti- cisms on portions of Scripture and subjects of a doctrinal and practical character." An impfortant action was taken this year on the "agency" question, the first of the kind we have noticed. The constitution was amended, so that the corresponding secretary might receive compensation for his services, and the appointment of a general agent, to be sustained by the funds of the association, was de- clared to be incompatible with the interests of the bodj^, and it was, therefore, " Resolved, That we affectionately request twelve ministering brethren of our denomination gratuitously to devote one month during the ensuing year to present the claims of the G-eneral As- sociation, and take up collections to promote its objects. Elds. W. H. Yardeman, W. C. Ligon, W. C. Bachelor, Elias Grcorge, M. D. Poland, Wm. Worley, Jas. Suggett, T. C. Harris, R. C. Hill, S. W. Lynd, "W. "W. Keep and J. C. Eenfro agreed to labor as requested." How strange such an action ! This was equivalent to asking these twelve ministers to support a general agent for twelve months, rather than that the whole association should do so. In 1850 the association reversed its decision respecting agen- cies in 1847, and instructed the board to put a general agent into the field as soon as a suitable man could be found. Sad news reached the session of 1853. Bro. Uriel Sebree,one of the constituent members of the body, and for a number of years its moderator, had but recently died. Uriel Seijree, — a native of Orange County, Virginia, was born July 15, 1774, and was left an orphan at the age of ten years. Soon after the death of his parents he went to live with his un- cle, Cave Johnson, in Boone County, Kentucky, and was by him placed as apprentice at the carpenter's trade. In the 23d year of his age he was married to a Miss Cave, of Boone, by whom he had one child, who died in infancj^. He commanded a company during a six months' campaign in the war of 1812. He was in the disastrous battle of the Eiver Eaisin, where he was made prisoner and afterwards exchanged 348 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. without permission to return to the service. He returned to Ken- tucky and subsequently served several sessions in both branches of the Legislature. His second marriage was in 1817, with Miss Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Gen. John Payne, Of this wife were born to him two sons and six daughters, of whom six survived the lamented father. In 1819 Capt. Sebree was sent on an exploring expedition to Council Bluffs, in charge of government stores, and performed the arduous duty with great satisfaction to his employers. His conduct on this expedition secured his re-appointment to a sim- ilar service in 1820. He was a man of great skill and indomit- able perseverance, to which his success in these hazardous enter- prises is mainly attributable. He served for several years as a receiver of public moneys in the land office at Fayette, Missouri, and maintained the reputation of an upright and efficient officer. It was in the church, however, that the excellence of his char- acter was most conspicuous. He attached himself to the Baptist denomination in early life, and for more than forty years bore an active part in all that concerned the church of which he was a member. He co-operated liberally in organizing the General Association, when obloquy and persecution were the reward of its advocates. During many of its sessions he presided over its deliberations, and was never absent but from physical debility. His house and his heart were always open to his brethren and none was ever favored with more delighted guests. His death occurred May 18, 1853, only seven days before the meeting of the association. Again in 1855 the association was called to mourn with the be- reaved. Eoland Hughes and Rev. T. C. Harris had both died during the associational year, the former of whom had often pre- sided in its deliberations. Eoland Hughes, — by diligence in business, had acquired more than an ordinary share of this world's goods ; and qualified by that practical good sense which so eminently distinguished him, ho appropriated a portion of it to the education of Tyree C. Har- ris, whose piety and aptness to teach gave early promise of his having been called to the gospel ministry. Brother Hughes was *'mild and conservative in all his views, commanding the confidence and esteem of all his brethren; ever ready for every good word and work j and deservedly wielded more influence with the denomination than any lay member in the state." MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 349 The war clouds darkened the horizon early in 1861. But for faith in God stout hearts would have failed through fear. Long will the memory of those days live. At the meeting in 1862, held at Rehoboth, Saline County, a very exciting event occurred, which is thus described by W. R. Eothwell, an eye-witness. *'The business of the body was transacted in the afternoon of Saturday, then adjourned to hold divine worship in the forenoon and afternoon of the next day, which was the Sabbath. On Sab- bath morning, the 27th of July, while Rev. Wm. Thompson was preaching, the meeting-house was surrounded by a company of troops, which produced so great an excitement as to bring the exercises to a rather abrupt close. All the men present, minis- ters and all others, were ordered out into line and examined as to name, place of residence, and any papers in possession. A number of men were arrested and taken to Marshall, the county seat of Saline. The troops were, I understand, militia in the Federal service, stationed at Marshall. " The excitement among the people was so great that no furth- er services were attempted. Among the ministers present were Elders A. P. Williams, Thomas Fristoe, J. A. Hollis, J. W. War- der, Jesse Terrill, &c. I think the persons arrested were citizens of Saline County." Pursuant to the call of the executive board — there having been no session held in 1864 — the association met at Boonville, Au- gust 19, 1865. Several distinguished brethren from a distance were present as visitors, among whom were Elds. James B. Tay- lor of Richmond, Va., corresponding secretary F. M.B., S. B. C.j Russel Holman, corresponding secretary domestic board, S. B. C, and A. D. Brooks of Lauderdale, Mississippi. The associa- tion continued her former relation to the Southern Baptist Con- vention, and so amended her constitution as to have appointed annually a committee on foreign and domestic missions. A case of great interest came up at this session. The State Convention, under the influence of extreme politicians, had framed and secured the adoption of a new constitution, which required all ministers to take an oath before a civil magistrate as a qualification for ministerial functions. This law was to take effect September 4, 1865, only a few days from the time of the meeting in question. It was under this state of things that the General Association held its session at Boonville. Not a few of the best men of the denomination in Missouri were present on that memorable occa- 350 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. sion. After long and careful deliberations the following docu- ment on the "delation of the Churches to the Civil Authority," was adopted and published in the minutes. Because of its import- ance, we give it in full, as follows: "The Baptists hold no equivocal position on the relations sus- tained by the churches to the state. While they have taught for ages that Christians owe allegiance to the civil government in all things belonging to the temporal power, they have likewise held that the state has no right to interfere with the freedom of conscience, the relations of the ministry to their congregations, and the absolute liberty of the churches in all matters of faith, worship and discipline. For these principles they have suffered in every century. The religious history of Great Britain, the annals of New England, the criminal records of the South and the present trials of the Baptists in Europe, all bear witness to the steadfastness of our brethren in maintaining the liberty of conscience, absolute religious freedom for themselves and for all men. " And the progress of these principles in other religious bodies, and in the popular mind, shows not only that they are of divine origin, but that statesmen have discovered their wisdom in en- grafting them upon the laws ordained for the government and order of society. "We cannot therefore but express our sorrow that the new constitution of the state of Missouri requires of our ministers a certain oath before they can lawfully discharge the duties of their sacred office; for " 1st. This ordinance they regard as a violation of the spirit of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom in the exercise of religion. (Amendments to the Constitution, U. S., Art. 1.) "2d. It is inconsistent with the declaration of rights of the new Constitution. (Constitution of the state of Missouri, Art. 1, sec. 9.) "3d. It presupposes the right of the magistrate to come be- tween the minister and the great Bishop and Shepherd of souls, from whom alone thecommission to preach is derived. (Matt. 28; 19, 20.) "4th. It is plainly adverse to the teaching of the New Testa- ment, which directs us to 'render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's' (Matt. 22 ; 21.) "We do then most solemnly protest against the enforcement MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 351 of this oath, and we hope that all the ministers of our denomin- ation will remain true to our glorious history, faithful to the ex- press will of our fathers in the associations of olden times, and Steadfast in our devotion to our divine Master, who has provided us with laws, not only for the government of our churches, but for our guidance in every private trial and public emergency. "But, let it be distinctly understood, that while we submit this paper as an expression of the Baptist denomination, wo do at the same time recognize the authority of this state in all temporal matters, and do exhort our brethren to hold them in honor who ■rule over us, and as much as lieth in them to live peaceably with all men ; therefore, ^^ Resolved, That it is our belief that civil government is of divine appointment, for the good order of society^ that magis- trates are to bo prayed for, and conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and Prince of the kings of the earth. ''2d. That wo therefore hold ourselves bound (this limitation understood) to be good and law-abiding citizens. <'3d. That the requiring of this or any other oath of us, as a condition upon which we are to exercise our ministerial functions, is opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. "4th. That it is our solemn duty to decline it, choosing, as the servants of God did in the primitive churches, to obey God rather than man. " 5th. That we do this in no rebellious or captious spirit, but in order to maintain a pure conscience in the sight of God, by whom we are finally to bo judged. "6th. That we earnestly request a modification of the con- stitution of the state in this particular, as wo love our state and wish to remain in it, and have a perfect harmony between its requirements and our ministerial duties." The anti-missionary brethren, at the time of organizing the Central Society, warned the people against the movement, de- claring their belief that the object was a "union of church and state." How overwhelmingly does the foregoing action refute such an insinuation and show its utter lack of foundation. Let it be borne in mind that to be a Baptist is to necessarily and for- ever oppose the state church system. At the session of 1866 intense interest was manifested in all our denominational enterprises. 352 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. The following amounts of money and pledges were raised dur- ing the associatioual year, including the efforts made at the pres- ent session : For General Association, $2,591.10 Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, . . 3,511.85 Foreign Mission Board of Southern Baptist Convention, 800.00 Domestic " " " " ". " 3,319.70 Sutid. School " " " " '' 261.80 Grand Total, $10,484.45 The Missouri Baptist Journal, published by the Eev. John Hill Luther, was recognized as the state organ of the Baptist denom- ination, and warmly commended to the churches as worthy of their patronage. There was a question agitating at this time the minds of many. It was that of co-operation and fraternal feelings among North- ern and Southern Baptists. This was a practical and important question for Missouri Baptists to consider, because there were here men of all parties. If our ministers and members could rise above mere sectionalism, peace and prosperity would surely fol- low; but if they could and would not do this, then there must be bickering and strife throughout the state. The General Associa- tion, comprehending these facts, gave expression to the follow- ing sentiments touching the subject: " Since it is our desire to promote the peace of Zion, to allay the spirit of strife, and enlist the co-operation of our entire de- nomination, irrespective of party or politics, throughout the state, in preaching the gospel of the Son of God ; therefore, '^ Eesolved, Thai we request all our agents, missionaries and pastors to labor for the peace and harmony of Zion; and to make no distinction on account of secular influence, but to win souls to Christ, and to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified." The meeting of the association in 1868, held at Paris, was one of the most important that we ever attended. The following was adopted : ^^ Resolved, That on Sabbath, August 9th, immediately after morning service, a collection be taken up in all the congrega- tions over which the members of this body have control, and that funds so raised shall be appropriated to the mission work of this state, and that besides this collection, no money be raised publicly for any purpose during the present session of this body." One hundred and forty-seven churches were represented in MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 353 this meeting by messengers or money, or both; and it was prob- ably the largest gathering of the Baptist hosts ever seen in con- nection with the Greneral Association up to this time; no doubt due in part to the fact that the Baptist State Convention had been dissolved, and its members were returning to their former seats in this bod}'. Here, too, was demonstrated that men in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth can rise infinitely above sec- tional and political differences and sit together in harmony and love. On Sabbath afternoon a Sunday-school mass meeting was held at the Baptist meeting-house. In connection with this meeting " The Missouri Baptist Sabbath-school Convention" was organ- ized, with E. D. Jones as president, S.W. Marston as correspond- ing secretary, and an executive board located in St. Louis. A very important action was taken at the session of the associ- ation in 1869, at Columbia. After deliberation, the constitution was amended by striking out the second clause, which read as follows: "And shall bo auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Con- vention." The object in striking out this clause was to leave each district association, church and individual member free to contribute funds for general missionary purposes through what- ever society they might choose. The necessity of this arose from the fact that the Baptists of Missouri, of all sections and parties, proposed to co-operate in one general state organization for be- nevolent and evangelical work. This session was cheered by the presence and counsel of a number of visitors, among whom where Elders J. L. Burrows, of Virginia, M. T. Sumner, of Alabama, S. M. Osgood, of Illinois, A. D. Brooks, of South Carolina, E. E. Pattison, of Alton, and G-. J. Johnson, of St. Louis. Manifestly the above action of the association called forth the following misrepresentation from a reputed (but to us unknown) Baptistminister, and published in Jfarfyrc^omo/JfissoMn, volume II, page 369. The author says : "The General Convention for 1867 met at Jefferson City, in October. The 'Test Oath' of the new constitution having been set aside, the convention changed its policy, and ordained three things as indispensable prerequisites to membership in order to co-operation with the Baptist General Association of Missouri. "'(1.) A continuance of their auxiliary relation to the Ameri- can Baptist Home Mission Society, in order to secure their sym^ pathy and aid in our work in this state. 23 354 MISSOLRI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. "'(2.) A continuance of the Board in St. Louis, as the most proper and effective base of operations. " *( 3.) A clear recognition of the Baptist doctrine, that all Bap- tists, "without reference to race or color, have an equal right to a participation in our councils, immunities and privileges.' " This put the Baptists of Missouri in a condition to be sold out to the Northern Baptists, and henceforth be subject to the behests of the Board of Home Missions of New York ; and now the institutions and organs of the church in Missouri are in the hands of the political Baptists of the state, while the true Bap- tists are deprived of their rightful heritage and denied the bles- sings of Christian fellowship. * * * The foregoing facts have been furnished by a well informed and reputable member and minister of the Baj^tist church in this state," etc. We propose no apologies in behalf of the members of the State Convention. It may be they committed some blunders in con- nection with the history of that body, which was organized un- der the pressure of political excitement. It is enough for us to know, that after three meetings of the convention it was dis- solved, and peace and harmony were restored. But in regard to the foregoing statements from Martyrdom in Missouri, furnished by "a well informed and reputable member and minister," etc., we have only to say, so far as we have been able to gather the facts, those statements are almost entirely a perversion of the truth. The General Association did indeed strike out the clause in her constitution making her "auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention," but she has not been auxiliary to the Home Mis- sion Society since 1845. She very wisely left this question with each individual and each church. Nor did the General Associa- tion for several years after this move its board to St. Louis; neither was the board of the Baptist State Convention contin- ued in that city. The General Association never denied fellowship and mem- bership to "Northern" or "Southern" Baptists, but in the midst of discord and confusion opened her doors equally wide to all, and for so doing she is calumniated as above by a sup- posed " reputable minister." Some of our churches have been at times under the necessity of denying " membership and fel- lowship" to certain would-be "reputable ministers," and it may be that the publisher of Martyrdom in Missouri was "taken in" by some of these (dis) " reputable men," MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 355 Lato in the year 1867 Eld. .T. M. Eobiiison accepted the posi- tion of corrcsijonding secretary and general agent of the board of the General Association. He prosecuted the work with vigor and success, the contributions for associational purposes for the year ending August 8, 1868, amounting to $6, 260. 10. Twenty- eight local and traveling missionaries had been in the employ of the Board, who reported 4,797 days of labor, 688 baptisms ad- ministered and the organization of fifteen new churches; 147 churches had contributed to the associational funds. For the year 1868 and '69 Eld. Robinson was continued as corresponding secretary and general agent, and though greatly hindered by sickness and giving only one-third of his time to the work, his success was little below that of the year preceding. Thirty-four men had performed services under the auspices of the board, and $4,898.71 had been contributed to the funds of the association. The missionaries reported 3,215 days of service and the baptism of 832 converts. On the 13th of October, 1870, the association met with the Sec- ond Baptist Church, St. Louis. Rev, Noah Flood, moderator of the preceding year, was re-elected to that office. Through the general board, and the boards of district associations reporting to said general board, S8, 096.44 had been collected and expended during the year. This session closed Rev. J. M. Robinson's term of service as corresponding secretary, and the association ten- dered him thanks for his labors. In 1871, when the body met at Clinton, Rev. W. R. Rothwell appears as corresponding secretary; and 16 missionaries had been in the employ of the board, to whom about $2,000 had been paid. Sometime during the year the old office or title of corres- ponding secretary had been exchanged for that of superinten- dent of domestic missions. In this office Dr. Rothwell was suc- ceeded by Rev. J, Hickman in March, 1872, the former having resigned the January before. To this office Rev, S. W, Marston was called in 1873, and was entitled superintendent of state mis- sions. His first report was rendered at Sedalia (First Baptist Church) where the association met October, 1874, showing that $4,903.73 had been collected during the year. The board had in its employ that year, for longer or shorter periods, 18 men as missionaries, to whom it paid the sum of $1,320 ; 605 were bap- tized and 12 churches were organized. The association met at St. Joseph in October, 1875. The whole land was under great financial pressure and the churches especially seemed to feel its 350 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. influence. Rev. S. W. !Marston had continued his labors as sup- erintendent of missions; 347 churches were enrolled as contrib- utors, and $4,916.51 was the amount of contributions. At the commencement of this session the board was $1,420.72 in debt, which was $729.16 less than the debt of the year before. The meeting at Hannibal in 1876 was held under financial em- barrassment, in the itinerant department. On the first of the June preceding, Rev. S. W. Marston resigned his position as superintendent of state missions, and a majority of the board voting to dispense with the services of a paid traveling agent, Rev. J. D. Murphy was aj^pointed to conduct the work through the mails and the papers until the annual meeting. The embar- rassments arising from the new method of conducting the work, to say nothing of midsummer when collections are meagre, gave but little room for success. The whole amount of collections through the year from churches, individuals, advertising, &c., was $3,377.43. Soon after the meeting at Hannibal Rev. Joshua Hick- man was again employed as corresponding secretary, and began his labors under the greatest discouragements. The lack of vigor in prpsecuting state missions the previous year; dissatisfaction on account of unpaid salaries; and the general financial embar- rassment of the whole country were formidable obstacles to suc- cess. The amount collected for associational purposes and passing through its treasury was $1,945.35; addedto which were $3,351.42 paid out by various district associations reporting to the cor- responding secretary, as auxiliaries to the General Association. The report of the board at the session of 1878 indicates a com- parative failure in the work, there having been in actual collec- tions only $1,511.20 during the whole year. "When the board commenced work immediately after the meet- ing in 1878, claims against it for services rendered were present- ed by four missionaries of the year before, and also by the former corresponding secretary. Added to this embarrassment was that arising from great opposition to the agency system, under the influence of which the association gave instructions limiting the time to be spent by the corresponding secretary " on the field" to "one-half his whole time." Under these circumstances Dr. W. Pope Yeaman filled the office of corresponding secretary for a part of the year; $2,461.03 (including the Neal fund) were collected, and some old claims together with new ones were paid off. For the year closing with the session of 1880, Dr. Yeaman was continued as corresponding secretary, giving only a part of MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 357 his time to field work. Tlic board liad in its cjiiplo}- (lnrin<^ tlie year 17 missionaries ; and the total collections amounted to $5,753.81. Encouraged by this state of things and approving the methods of the board and the energy of the corresponding secre- tary, the association recommended that the whole time of Dr. Yeaman be secured, with such liberal compensation as would en- able him to surrender all other engagements. He virtually gave himself up to the work, and at the end of the year (October 21, 1881) the treasurer's report exhibited as the total receipts the sum of $11,199.69, of which amount the board had disbursed $8,875.41, having had in its employ thirty -three missionaries. For many years the executive board was located at Fayette, Howard County. In 1866 it was removed to Columbia; then in 1873 or '74 to St. Louis, where it remained until 1878, when it was removed to Mexico. In 1881-'2 it consisted of Eev. J. C. Maple, president ; Eev. T. "W. Barrett, recording secretary; J. A. Guthrie, treasurer; Eev. W. Pope Yeaman, corresponding secretary; Eov. J. D. Murphy, Eev. Wm. Harris, Joel Guthrie, J. M. Gordon, T. M. James, A. G.' Turner, A. C. Averj^, Eev. G. A. Lofton, Eev. J. Eeid, C. H. Hardin, L. B. Ely, Eev. J. T. Williams, Eev. W. W. Boyd, Eev. W. J. Patrick and N. T. Mitchell. [Because of their special prominence in other fields of labor, sketches of some of the early leaders of the General Association have been given in other places.] Hon. David H. Hickman. — This Christian nobleman was a na- tive of Bourbon County, Kentucky-, and was born November 21, 1821. His father. Captain David M. Hickman, moved to Boone County, Missouri, when young David was but a boy, and settled not far from Little Bonne Femme Church. He received quite a liberal education at Bonne Femme Academy, and at the age of 15 years, under the preaching- of Eld. Fielding Wilhoite, he was converted, baptized, and united with the Baptists. His adopted county, Boone, honored him with a seat in the Legislature, where he in turn honored Boone County. He was the author of the first bill creating a state tax for the support of public schools. Wherever he was, he was full of enterprise. Exceedingly modest and retiring, he never sought preferment, but seemed the more frequently to be called on to fill important positions in the councils of his people, whether social, political or religious. He was for years moderator of Little Bonne Femme Association, and at the time of his death was moderator of the General Association. 358 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. D. H. Hickman was a most amiable Christian, one among the most liberal in the denomination. Not long before his death he gave $5,000 for the endowment of William Jewell College, and otherwise materially aided that institution. He turned no char- ity away. He was foremost in establishing the Baptist College at Columbia, now knoAvn as " Stephens' College." The rule of his life, as a con- tributor, was to give "as the Lord pros- pered him." He said to the writer: " The more I make, the more I feel like givingto the Lord's cause." He died of con- gestion of the lungs and hyperaemia of the brain, after an illness of twelve days, June 25, 1869, t his residence near Columbia. The i:)rocession which foil owed his re- mains to the grave was the largest ever witnessed in the HON. DAVID H. HICKMAN. town of Columbia on the occasion of a funeral. Alvin Peter Williams. — The news of the sudden death of Dr. A. P. Williams produced a widespread grief over the entire de- nomination of the state, yea! over almost the whole land, east, west, north and south. The loss of no other man in the state ever caused such general lamentation. All seemed to realize that a prince in Israel had fallen. We clip the following notice of his death from the Glasgow Journal. "Elder A. P. Williams came to an untimely death in this place on Monday, Nov, 9, 1868, under the following circumstances: "He had been stopping with his friend Mr. W. J. Key, whose residence is situated on a high hill. About 3 o'clock in the after- noon of that day, he started home, and led his horse down the MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 359 hill, and just outside of tlio enclosure, close to the gate, in at- tempting to mount, his spur struck the horse, causing him to jump down an embankment some six feet, throwing Elder Wil- liams violently to the ground. He was seen to fall and immedi- ately assistance came to his relief. He was taken up almost in- sensible, blit soon became conscious, and was taken into a house near by, when ho told how the occurrence happened. No bruises were perceptible on his person. Drs. Collins and Southworth, two excellent phj'sicians, were immediately called in and every- thing done that was possible to save his life, but all in vain. A blood vessel had been ruptured and internal hemorrhage ensued, resulting in death in about two hours from the time of the acci- dent. He was conscious until about twenty minutes before he died. He seemed to suifer a good deal in breathing, wanting to be raised up frequently and then let down. "His remains "wiere taken home Tuesday morning to his fam- ily, at or near Cambridge, in Saline County, eight miles from Glasgow. On "Wednesday the Masons of Glasgow, and a large number of the citizens from the surrounding country, attended his funeral. "Elder Williams was one of the most eminent Baptist preach- ers in the state. He was about fifty-five or sixty years of age. No more will his eloquent voice be heard in the pulpit. He has gone to his rest in the better land." Missouri claims the honor of being the native state of A. P. Williams, he having been born in St. Louis County, March 13, 1813, being the oldest son and the fourth child of Eld. Lewis Wil- liams, one of the most noted and useful among the pioneer preach- ers of Missouri. "Though his father was a minister of the gospel, and felt the importance of giving his son opportunities for an education, such facilities were not afforded him, as in that early day ministers were poorer and were more poorly paid than they are even at the present day. To eke out a scanty supportthey were obliged to resort to manual labor, a not uncommon thing in the state in this day. And, besides all this, schools were then few and of an inferior quality in this western country. Young Williams spent his boyhood in laboring on the farm, thereby assisting his father in providing for the family. This cmploymenthe was compelled to follow, in some measure, for years after he was married and entered the ministry." {Rev. Dr. A. H. BurJingham's Shetch, p. 7.) To give some idea of how he overcame obstacles, it is related S60 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENEftAt ASSOCIATION. of him, that in the earlier days of his ministry he made rails at 60 cents a hundred, to support his family and to buy his books. His conversion occurred in his sixteenth year. While under conviction he made the same mistake that thousands had done before him — that he must be able to offer a holy prayer before God would hear and answer him. His burden increased rather than diminished, until, finally casting himself wholly upon Je- sus Christ for salvation, his spirit became calm. He at once made a profession of religion and was baptized. The following year, the 17th of his life, at the call of the St. John's Church he was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, his father, Lewis Williams, and David Stites acting as the presbytery. The wonderful influence that he was to wield in the Baptist denomination generally, and especially in this rising state, was not indicated in his early ministry. But God manifestly intend- ed that he should become a leader in our Baptist Zion, to do which he encountered and overcame wonderful difficulties. " Without the prestige of means, social position or education, he was to carve his way through the world. If ever a young min- ister, destined to attain eminence in the profession, was put up- on his own resources exclusively in the beginning of his career, that young man was the late Alvin Peter Williams. But God had endowed him with rare intellectual powers, and had kindled in his soul an insatiable desire for knowledge." {Dr. Burlingham's Sketch, p. 10.) Young Williams lost no time, nor did he let slijD an opportun- ity for improvement. Though at once entering into active min- isterial life, both as pastor and evangelist, and obliged to per- form manual labor for the partial support of his familj-, he found time in a few years to gain sufficient knowledge of the Greek language to enable him to read the New Testament in its orig- inal tongue and to make himself the Apollos, " mighty in the Scriptures." He followed the habit through life of reading and studying his Bible as he rode on horseback to his ajjpointments. His powers of memory were extraordinary, retaining Bible phraseology, or whatever he saw, heard or read, with astonish- ing distinctness. He used to say that " if the New Testament were lost, he thought he could replace it from memory." " He was a profound thinker and an able theologian," fond of contro- versy as a means of arriving at the truth, but never seeking the least advantage or unfairness in debate. As a safe expositor of God's word, few men in this country could equal him. *' For MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. S6l Originality of thought, and for calm, careful Christian thorough- ness, whether by speech or by pen," he doubtless bore a more striking resemblance to Andrew Fuller than any other man on the American continent. The following testimonial, from the pen of Eev. J. H. Luther, appeared in one of our leading religious journals. "As a contributor to the Baptist literature of the nineteenth century, Dr. Williams had no superior. He has been styled by one of the most polished scholars and eloquent divines of our country, " The Andrew Fuller of America." Referring to this compliment, we shall never forget his reply to us, as arm in arm we walked to the church, in 1860. " It humbles me to hear this compliment from Dr. . I have simply tried in my work to show the errors which beset our people in this great valley." He had all the simplicity of Wayland, the orthodoxy of Fuller, the straight-forwardness and bluntness of a western pioneer, and the earnestness of Henry Martyn. His fugitive pieces, the occa- sional sketches of his ever ready pen, would fill a volume, and give him a place among the foremost writers of the age. " As an evangelist in Missouri, the last quarter of a century is illustrated with his triumphs. In the common acceptation of the term, he was not a revivalist. He was, however, an evangelist of the primitive type, resorting to none of the clap-trap of pseudo- religionists to attract the masses to his church, and avoiding every demonstration not sanctioned by enlightened reason. He may have labored sometimes to spread out his argument so that the simplest could grasp it; but with his analj'sis made out, and his subject fairly before the minds of his hearers, he rose like a giant above every depressing surrounding, carrying by his pecu- liar eloquence and persuasive manners every heart with him. It was not Williams, then, who was seen and admired by the con- gregations of Missouri ; it was the sublime theme which had been presented to fallen men — the same sweet story of old, which fell from the lips of a disciple whom Jesus loved and honored — mak- ing him a winner of souls. "As a pastor Dr. Williams was unsurpassed. In the pulpit, at the fireside and in all the relations of life, he carried himself as the affectionate shepherd, the dignified bishop, the persuasive teacher, winning the affections of every class and fortifying his churches against every form of error. In his estimation the pastoral office rose superior to every other position. Though his labors as an evangelist were immense, resulting in the organ- 362 MISSOt'RI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. ization of many churches, and though his contrihutions to the press were never intermitted, he nevertheless magnified his office as pastor of several churches. He loved to minister to the sick and the sorrowful; ho was the friend of the young, the unwearied teacher of those who, burdened with sin or sick of a false religion, sought his counsel for guidance. Many a home to-day is sorrow- ful because of the death of the faithful pastor who combined in his complete character the eloquence of the preacher, the wisdom of the counsellor and the affection of a friend." (Central Baptist, Yol. I, No. 16. Dr. Williams' sermons were thoroughly prepared, and so plain that all could understand them. To preach the gospel was his delight, and when dwelling upon the great themes of grace he often rose to a high degree of eloquence. His whole soul was ablaze. As a burning mass of devotion to Christ and love to men, he would throw it into the subjects of eternal interest he was presenting, and at times he would become absolutely over- whelming. His itinerant work carried him over much of Central and Western Missouri; and, besides this, prior to 1857-'8, he spent some time in pastoral work at Lexington, Eichmond, St. Joseph, Liberty, Pleasant Eidge and other places in Platte County. He was ten years pastor of Pleasant Eidge Church, commencing with its organization in January, 1844. Not far from the same date he organized the Second Baptist Church at Liberty, Clay County, and the Eichmond Church, Eay County; and the same year (1844) was foremost in organizing the North Liberty Association, hav- ing constituted three of the four churches (the last three above named) that formed that body. He may be therefore regarded as the father of the North Liberty Association, which commenced with four feeble churches, in the midst of one of the largest anti- mission associations (Fishing Eiver) in the state, but is now, in efficiency, second to no organization in the denomination in Missouri. As early as 1843 the name of A. P. Williams is associated with the Baptist General Association of the state, having come that year from the church at Lexington. He was then beginning to rise to distinction, receiving the appointment as one of the three messengers to the Triennial Convention, which was to meet the following April at Philadelphia. He lived for a time at Warrensburg, but moved thence to Sa- line County, where he spent the last ten years of his life as pas- MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 863 tor of Miami, Bethel and Rehoboth Churches, and a part of the time of Grood Hope Church. During his ministry he was instru- mental in the conversion of many thousands of souls, and is said to have baptized between three and four thousand persons, a service in which he took great delight. He was first elected moderator of the General Association in 1863, and served in this relation for four consecutive sessions. The last work of his life as an author is a bound volume of 165 pages, entitled The Lord's Supper. The Scriptural and logical arguments on the question were presented in a clear and con- vincing manner. It is, in short, a profound and exhaustive dis- cussion of the subject. The following memorial of Dr. Williams was published in the minutes of the Southern Baptist Convention. (Session of 1869, pp. 27-'8.) "Rev. A.P.Williams, D.D., of Missouri, was a highly honored and greatly beloved friend of this convention and of all the in- terests which it represents. God endowed him with a remarkably clear, vigorous and active intellect, which, without early culture, had been by many years of study carefully disciplined and richly stored with Bible knowledge. Few men of the age possessed a more logical, discriminating and creative mind. He devoted all his powers in early life to the ministry of the gospel; and rarely has any man made fuller proof of his ministry. * * * He was equall}" efficient in the pulpit, on the platform, or with the pen. By force of character, sound judgment, conciliating man- ners and incessant effort, he placed himself in the front rank of the Baptists of Missouri, and, indeed, of the denomination." "In the early years of his ministry, A. P. Williams was mar- ried to her who, while he lived, was the devoted sharer of his toils and sacrifices as a public servant of Christ, and who, now that the Master has called her husband first, waits in sadness and in hope to join him where unions are never broken." {Dr. Bur- lingham's Slictch, p. 9.) A. P. Williams was the oldest of four brothers — all Baptist ministers — one of whom. Perry D., is dead ; and two of whom, Isaiah T. and Milton F., now live in the state. Noah Flood. — For many years Rev. Noah Flood was a minis- ter in the Baptist denomination of Missouri, that held him in very high esteem and delighted to honor him whenever occasion offered. Now that he is gone, they hold sacred his name and memory. 364 MISSOURI BAPTIST GEN'KRAI. ASSOCIATION. Ho was born June 14, 1809, in Shelby County, Kentucky, be- ing the fifth child of Joshua and Mary Flood — the i'ormer of hon- orable English parentage, and the latter a descendant of the Huguenots. His parents were possessed of strong intellects, great decision of character, and for many years were devout members of the Baptist de- nomination, in the faith of which they raised up their children and at the age of nearly fourscore years died, having been permitted to wit- ness the conver- sion of their entire family of children. When but a child, little Noah began to ask ques- tions about- death and the Deity, which seemed really beyond his age, and from his very earl}- life it was the be- lief of his pious mother that he would be a minister of the gospel. His limited early education was obtained in a log school-house near his father's farm, and when eighteen years old he could read, write and spell, and cipher to the "single rule of three," this be- ing as far as his teacher, an old revolutionary soldier, could go in the arithmetic. In childhood he was the subject of religious impressions, but his stubborn heart would rebel against God, whom he regarded simply as a tyrant. On his death bed he gave the following account of his conversion : "About the year 1824 there was a great religious awakening throughout that portion of Kentucky, when I was led to serious reflection upon the condition of my soul, and had I been under the instruction of modern revivalists, doubtless then would I have been induced to join the church; but it was the custom then for those seeking membership in the church to relate their Chris- REV. NOAH FLOOD. MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 365 tian experience and to toll of the work of grace upon their hearts, and the churches were very careful to ascertain, if possible, if Grod had produced a new creation before persons were invited to membership. The venerable Abram Cook was then the religious teacher of that part of the country and he was careful that I should make no mistake. I thought much upon the subject until about the 5'ear 1828, when I felt that it was my duty and privilege to unite with God's people." In July of that 3'ear he united with Six Mile (now Christiansburg) Baptist Church, Shelby County, Kentucky. By peculiar providential circumstances, in October, 1829, Noah Flood was led to Missouri and located in St. Charles, where he followed the tailor's trade to procure means to go to school, at the same time studying such branches as are taught in the com- mon schools. From St. Charles he went to Marion College, Ma- rion County, under the management of Dr. Nelson, where by his own exertions he supported himself, unwilling to be a burden to others, or to live by the charity of friends or brethren. While attending Marion College the Lord brought him forth publicly in a manner peculiar to himself. At this time a small band of Baptists known as Little Union Church worshiped not far from the college. With these Noah Flood found a spiritual home, and for them and their success his sympathies were arous- ed. In December, 1832, that little band of Christians called upon him to exercise his gift in preaching, and upon that day they gave him license to preach the gospel. He never up to this time had mentioned his desire to preach. In this we may rightly in- fer that while God was teaching and preparing him for the work, he was likewise impressing the mind of the church in the same direction. During the spring that followed his first attempt to preach, an incident occurred in his life which resulted in his being greatly encouraged. He started to attend a meeting some forty miles distant, in company with an aged brother. In the evening they stopped all night with a family where there was a gathering of people at a quilting. The old minister preached and loft an ap- pointment for the return trip. It so happened that young Flood had to fill the appointment. A cloud seemed to rest upon him. For two hours alone in the woods, with his Testament he sought aid from God. His mind was finallj' led to Titus 2 ; 11-15, from which he preached, and God was with him. His own heart was full; the people wept and prayed ; and here God gave his first 366 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. marked evidence of approbation. He spent the remainder of the year in preaching in school-houses and in strengthening weak places. He did a vast amount of real pioneer work from Marion Coun- ty to the Des Moines River, and proved himself eminently fitted to organize and la}' foundations for useful superstructures. In this field he was the instrument of forming many churches, the first of which was St. Francisville in Clark County. Another was Fox Eiver. In this work he was often associated with Elds. James Lillard and Jer. Taylor, two of the early pioneers of Northeast Missouri. From this field God directed him to Alton, HI., where he at- tended Shurtleflf College in 1834-'5, in company with Drs. J. M. Frost and Samuel Baker. These three men would cut cord wood and clear up ground to obtain means of support while preparing for the ministry. While at the Alton school Mr. Flood studied theology five months under Dr. Colby. From Alton he went to Woodford County, Kentucky, where he taught and preached. While here he was much aided in his stud- ies by Elder Nathan Ayres, afterwards, his brother-in-law, and who contributed greatly to his usefulness. In 1838 he was ordained to the gospel ministry by the church at Forks of Elkhorn, and June 19th of the same year married Miss Livisa Jane Ayres, a noble Christian woman, who suffered many hardships to permit him to be from home preaching the gospel. She, with six children, one son and five daughters, sur- vived him. In October, 1839, Noah Flood returned to Missouri and settled in Callaway County, where he was destined to accomplish much good in the Baptist cause. He contested every inch of ground with the anti-missionary spirit that met him at almost every point. He had settled in the midst of the strongest anti-mission element in the state, supported by the strongest men in their ranks, among whom were Theo. Boulware and Thos. P. Stephens. His opponents warned the people against him, and closed their meeting-houses upon him. The only church house that was for some time open to him in that section of country was known as Brick Providence. So full of trial and discouragement was his first year in Callaway County that he was often tempted to leave for another field; but the language of Christ in John 4; 35, " Lift up your eyes and look on the fields," &c., seemed so di- rectly addressed to him that he determined to stay. He was MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 367 even publicly denounced from the pulpit by the opposition as a "hireling," " money hunter/' &c.j but none of these things moved him. Grod helped him and he pressed forward. The people flocked to hear him in school-houses, inprivate dwellings and in the groves, while many seemingly providential circumstances aided him and often resulted in the founding of a church. While in Callaway County, the first church organized was Richland, now strong and useful; and after this the following churches were in whole or in part th^ fruit of his labors: Grand Prairie, Unity, Union Hill, Mt. Horeb and Dry Fork. From his field in Callaway, he removed to Fayette, in Howard County, in 1852. Here he remained until 1858, and was pastor of Fayette, Walnut Grove, Mt. Zion, Mt. Gilead and Chariton Churches. In 1858 he removed to Huntsvillc; thence in 1863 to Roanoke. During all of this time he was active in labors. The dark period in his life was during the war. He was a pos- itive man and often subjected himself to dangers by a bold and honest expression of his sentiments. His sympathies were with the South, and however ultra men may have regarded him, all gave him the credit of being honest and true, and his extremest opponents respected him. Never wall the great brotherhood of the state forget his bold and manly speech in 1867 at Lexington, Missouri, in the General Association, when he frankly told the causes of grievances, and opened the way for mutual explana- tions which resulted in a much fuller union of our denomination- al interests in the state. No other man on the floor, perhaps, had the nerve to make that speech. It was, however, produc- tive of great good. The harmony of the Missouri Baptists after the close of the war, was due in a very large measure to the in- fluence of Noah Flood. He comprehended the real differences and saw that they could and should be thrown aside. Upon this conviction he acted and took the brethren from whom he had been alienated, lo his heart; and upon his death-bed expressed his great love for them, whona he said he "appreciated and loved more than ever before." His love was reciprocated, for during his last sickness many of these brethren visited prayed and wept with him. In 1865 Noah Flood removed to Boone County, and closed his very useful earthly career in Columbia, on Monday, August 11, 1873, at 8 o'clock, P. M. An affectionate family and dear friends who loved and honored him, surrounded his wasted foYm when he breathed his last. His death was a full and complete triumph 368 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. through grace. Tlaving long expected to die (he was sick about twelve months) ho had made his arrangements for that solemn hour. From its early history he was a conspicuous member of the General Association. He had acted as missionary and financial agent, and was specially active in organizing her educational in- terests. William Jewell College was a special object of his fos- tering care and of his earnest prayer. Though he did not enjoy the advantage of a complete collegiate education himself, he nev- ertheless greatly appreciated it and cheerfully aided others in attaining it.* Xerxes Xavier Buckner| — was one of the most eminent and useful members in the Baptist ministry of Missouri, prominent in the interests of the Grcneral Asso- ciation and ready to every good work. He was born in Spencer County, Ky., Feb. 20,1828. He was brought up on a farm , where he learned those habits of self-denial and up- rightness which Avcre so eminent- ly his characteris- tics through life. When about 19 years of age he made a public pro- fession of religion and was baptized into the fellowship of the Plumb Creek Baptist church, in his native county. By this church he was licensed to preach, and afterwards the call for his ordination issued from the same body. We find him a student, first in Mount Washington Academy, *■ The foregoing account is from tlic Bketch of the life of Noah Flood by Eld. J. F. Cook, LL.D., published iu Chnatlan Rcponitoi-y, Vol. XIV, p. 41. f From Central Baptist, February, 1872, '^'^ REV X. X. UL'f IvSTCR. MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 369 and afterwards in Georgetown College, in both of which he took a very prominent rank. By his inexhaustible fund of good hu- mor, as well as by his natural goodness of heart, he won both the confidence and esteem of his associates. ITe was, during his boyhood and early manhood, exceedingly popular. He was gifted as a singer, having naturally a very sweet voice and more than ordinary talent for musical acquire- ments. "When ho had finished his studios, or rather when cir- cumstances forced him to relinquish what he earnestly desired to pursue farther, he left the college and became pastor of the churches at Taylorsville and Fisherville in his native state. His work in the ministry was therefore begun among those who had known him from his childhood. His labors were not in vainj souls were converted and the churches strengthened. In the fall of 1855 Brother Buckncr came to Columbia, Mo. He had been called to the pastorate of that church, and after earnest solicitations accepted that field in preference to all the others then before him. Columbia was then, as it is now, sur- rounded by a wealthy and prosperous community. The people were mostly from Kentucky and Virginia; they were energetic, hospitable and intelligent. While these were the special char- acteristics of the farming community, the citizens of the county seat were marked for their cultivated refinement. Here was the State University, which has continued to flourish; there were also several flourishing schools for young ladies. He came among this people a timid young man, dreading the terrible ordeal through which he as a young pastor must pass. This ordeal he successfully underwent and continued to gain upon the confidence and esteem ofthe community until he wielded an influence for tlie religion of Jesus, such as he alone can exer- cise " who points to heaven and leads the way." After nearly two years' residence in Columbia, during a con- siderable portion of which time he was both teacher and pastor, he was married September 3, 1857, to Miss Clara Moss Prcwitt. This marriage proved a most happy one. No man ever found a wife more true and devoted to the work of Christ than did X. X. Buckner, So long as it was possible for him to preach, she encouraged him to give himself wholly to the gospel. On the 21st day ofthe same month of their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Buckncr took up their residence in the Baptist Female Col- lege of Columbia. This institution, now known as " Stephens' College," had its origin in a suggestion made by Mr. B. He 24 870 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. was the first to propose such an enterprise for the Baptists. But at that time he had but little means, and hence the money was principally furnished by others. Hickman, Prewitt and others, whose names I have not at command, were the substan- tial friends of the enterprise. " His large views," said Dr. Du- lin, in a sermon upon the occasion of his burial at Columbia, comprehended the importance of an institution of learning here. He conceived the idea of a Baptist Female College in Columbia, assisted in purchasing the property and aided in inaugurating the departments of instruction." After about five years of toil at Columbia, having most of the time discharged the double duties of pastor and teacher, Brother Buckner settled at Boonville. Here he began his work as pas- tor, devoting his whole time and energy to the church. From the brief notes kept at this time, I learn that he accepted the care of the church in Boonville, January 17, 1860. For several months preceding this, and afterwards until the first of Maj^, he preached almost every day. Large numbers were converted and baptized. At Boonville, Mt. Zion and Fayette, where he held up the ban- ner of the Cross, sinners enlisted for the glorious conflict. In May he visited his native state. Having spent a month among his kindred there he returned and on the first Sunday in June preached three sermons in Boonville. When will the lov- ing and appreciative brethren learn that preachers' lungs are not made of steel or brass? He aided in a number of meetings dur- ing the summer and fall. His labors were constant. Very fre- quently he speaks of preaching Saturday, Saturday night and three times on Sunday. His afternoon sermon was often preach- ed to the colored people. He mentions protracted meetings at Columbia, Nebo, and other places, in which great good, we have no doubt, was accomplished, for numbers were added to the churches. The limits of this article will not admit of specifica- tions. In these constant labors, this riding twenty-five and thirty miles to appointments, then preaching to crowds of people and again riding to some distant house to spend the night, sleeping some- times with fire and sometimes without, sometimes in comfortable rooms and on good beds, and again in open cabins on hard and uncomfortable straw mattresses, we find in the record of two years' labor of this kind the secret of the origin of that disease that laid him aside from the active work of the ministry and finally brought on the attack th^t terminated his mortal career, MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 371 He soon found that his support at Boonville was not sufficient to pay the expenses of his family. In order therefore to keep the wolf of want from the door, he went to the country and be- gan teaching in a private family. In a short time he concluded that if he must teach, he had just as well go at it right. He therefore went back to Boonville, purchased property, fitted it up in good style and soon had one of the most flourishing schools in the state. To show that he engaged in teaching reluctantly, I will here mention a single fact. About the time he was leav- ing Columbia, he was elected president of the Baptist Female College in Lexington, which position he declined because of his consuming desire to be wholly in the ministry. In Boonville he soon owned a good school building with all the necessary ap- pointments to carry on successfully an institution of high order for young ladies. In a few years failing health began to warn him that he could not bear up under the double duties of the pulpit and the school room. Driven by the necessities of his enfeebled health he left Boonville and became a resident of Kansas City. His invest- ments in this growing city at that time proved his wisdom and forethought. He could not gain his own consent to become alto- gether a business man. Though preaching almost every Sunday, and a portion, at least, of the time, acting as pastor of the church in Westport, he yet desired to be more fully in the work of Christ. He therefore moved to Liberty, and again undertook the work of two men. He became principal of the Liberty Fe- male College and pastor of the church. After some two years more of hard toil he again moved his family to Kansas City, which he then decided to make his home for life. And this res- olution he kept, though at a later period he often spoke of mak- ing his home in Columbia, where now his mortal remains sleep in the grave. The Baptist denomination in this state could not afford to do without his services. The gifts with which the Master had en- dowed him were greatly needed. He was soon called into act- ive work with the president and friends of William Jewell Col- lege. His superior financial abilities had here ample opportun- ity for their full exercise. He had been ap])ointcd agent of the college in April, 1867, and did very considerable effective work. He was now again pushed forward to lead in the important en- terprise of raising an endowment for the Baptist State Institu- tion. He made a liberal contribution himself, and had not his 372 MISSOURI KAI'TIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. failing strength compelled him to relinquish the work, the finan« ces of the college Avould no doubt be to-day in a much more flourishing condition than they are. He soon discovered that he could not be from home sufficiently to discharge the duties of financial agent of the college. And if he could be thus constant- ly away from his family he could not do the speaking necessary to be successful in the work. God had in the last eight years greatly blessed him in worldly goods, and he knew how to use his means for the cause of the Divine Ecdeemer. His liberality was limited only by the meas- ure of his ability. His life was a verification of the divine prom- ise, "The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." During his last illness a meeting of brethren was called at the residence of Deacon D. L. Shouse to devise ways and means for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause in Kansas City. He sent word, from what proved his dying bed, that though he was not able to be with the brethren in person he was present in heart, and that he might be counted on for a full share of the means necessary to carry out the plans. At fifteen minutes before twelve o'clock on the night of the 19th of January, 1872, Rev. X. X. Buckner breathed his last. He had been ill for several weeks, but was, as all believed, slowly recovering. About twenty minutes before his death he com- plained of shortness of breath, and before any aid could be fur- nished him he had crossed the river; His funeral services were conducted on Snndaj^ afternoon at 3 o'clock at the First Baptist Church by the pastor. A large num- ber of the ministers of various denominations of the city were present, as also the common school board, of which honorable body he was a member. The house was crowded, and a more solemn audience never waited upon the services of the sanctuary. His remains were then taken to Columbia for interment. The trustees of Stephens' College, acting as pall bearers, carried his remains first to the family mansion of his father-in-law, and thence at 2 o'clock P. M. to the Baptist Church, where a full au- dience listened to an eloquent discourse from Dr. Dulin, from the text, " What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Loving friends then laid his body away in the grave, there to await the summons of the last trumpet. His loving wife, his five children, and with them the whole Baptist denom- ination of the state, mourn his loss. MISSOURI BAPTlSl' GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 373 Hon. John B. Wornall — is a man of imposing personal pres- ence, a well-built frame, clothed with a firm, muscular, powerful system — an honest, open face and a kindly beaming eye. Though a private member, he is a jjower in the denomination. Bro. Wornall was born in Clark Count}', Kentuck}-, but spent his youthful days near old Burk's Church in that state. His father moved to Jackson County, Missouri, in 1844, with his wife and two sons, John B. and G. T. Wornall. Early in life Bro. W. on a profession of faith united with the Baptist church at West- port. Kansas city was then a mere landing for Westport, with a solitary clap-board warehouse. A true friend of education, he has sustained Wil- liam Jewell College with a strong and lib- eral hand, and by many a young man struggling for an education is Brother Wor- nall remember- ed gratefully. Mr. Wornall was for two years modera- tor of the Gen- eral Associa- tion, He is also a member of the State Sen- ate, where his weight of char- acter is greatly felt. He is not a politician of choice. We have heard him tell to a select few how, when his name was expected to be presented to a convention for nomination, that he went alone before God in prayer, leaving himself in His hands and asking that if it was not for the promotion of His glory, that the vote might be against him. He was soon after nominated, almost, if not quite, unanimously. He is now about fifty years of age, conservative, dignified, benevolent — a noble type of man. (Christ- ian Repository, by S. H. Ford, 1874, p. 158.) HON. JOHN B. WORNALL. 374 MISSOURI BAPTIST GEUEHAL ASSOCIATION. Lewis Bell Ely. — One of the most useful men among the Mis- souri Baptists is L. B. El}', who for three years was moderator of the General Association. lie was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, May IS, 1825, and when a youth of 13 years removed with his father's family to Missouri. In 1841, when 16 years old, he was converted and the following year was baptized by Eld. Wm. C. Ligon and united with the Bap- tist church at Car- rollton, where he is yet a member. For twenty-five years Mr. Ely was superintendent of the Sunday-school in his church, and only resigned earlj^ in 1880 on account of the pressure of his work as finan- " cial agent of "Wil- liam Jewell Col- lege; and ever since its organization as a union school in 1844, he has been connected with the same institution either as teacher or superintendent. Brother Ely has been a very successful business man, having followed the mercantile life for nearly forty years, from which he has but recently retired, and is now devoting himself to the interests of the college above named, to which he has been a lib- eral contributor, having given as much as $5,000 at one time to its endowment fund, which is growing into noble and adequate proportions under his consecrated and successful work for it. He has been greatly blessed in his earthly possessions, and on all occasions he uses his means liberally in the support of his de- nomination and its interests. No man in Missouri holds a high- er place in the affections of his brethren. Though somewhat gray, and seemingly a little beyond the meridian of life, he is appa- rently only in the midst of a most useful career. LEWIS B. ELY. MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. S75 "William Pope Yeaman.* — A moderator of the General Associ- ation, and one of the most eloquent and popular ministers in the Baptist denomination in Missouri, is he who bears the familiar name of "W. Pope Yeaman. Ho was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, May 28, 1832^ and is the third son of Stephen M. and Lucretia Yeaman — the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter (Miss Helm) a native of Hard- in County, Kentucky. He studied law in the office of his uncle, Gov. John L. Helm, at Elizabethtown, Ken- tucky, and at the age of 19 years was admit- ted to the bar in his native county. At about the same age he was married to Miss Eliza Shackelford of the same county. This lady, by her sterling qualities, vigorous in- tellect and wifel}' devo- tion, has proven her- self a fit helpmeet to her husband. For nine years Mr. Yeaman devoted him- self to the practice of the law and attained to From "The Baptist Encyclopedia." eminence in his profcs- rkv. w. popk yeaman, d. d. sion. He was particularly able as an advocate and was retained in many of the most important and difficult cases in the judicial district in which he lived. At the age of 28 years, after a severe and prolonged struggle between ambition and a sense of duty, he yielded to his convic- tions that he ought to preach the gospel, and was ordained a Baptist preacher at Calhoun, Kentucky. His first pastorate was at Nicholasville, and ho was soon called to divide his time be- tween that church and East Hickman, in Faj'ette County, the pul- pit of which had been made vacant by the resignation of the ven- erable Ryland T. Billard, D. D., who had been pastor of the church for thirty-seven consecutive years. *From the Sketch published in the Commonwealth of Missouri. 376 MISSOURI BA1>TIST QENERAt ASSOCIATION. In 18G2 Bro. Yeaman was called to the pastorate in the First Baptist Church in the city of Covington, Ky., where he succeed- ed such men as Dr. S. W. Lynd, James Frost and Dr. S. L. Helm. Both at East Hickman and also at Covington his pastorate was an eminently successful one. In December, 18G7, he accepted the call and became pastor of a prominent church in the city of New York, where he took high rank among his brother minis- ters. Under his ministry the church grew rapidly in numbers and influence. In associational meetings in New York his abil- ity as a platform speaker and as a debater gave him command- ing influence. Though offered heavy pecuniary inducements to remain in New York, his inclination to come "West brought him to St. Louis in 1870, where, in answer to her call, he became pas- tor of the Third Baptist Church. His labors were much blessed in this important field. The church grew in numbers, wealth, spiritual power and beneficence, until it became second to no other church in the state. In 1870 the faculty and trustees of William Jewell College con- ferred on Brother Yeaman the merited honor of the degree of Doctor of Divinit}'. In coming to Missouri Dr. Yeaman at once placed himself in sympathy with the great denominational enterprises of his breth- ren, and has ever since remained a steadfast and self-sacrificing friend of Missouri Baptist institutions and interests. Though as- sailed and tempted, ho has never swerved from his original posi- tions in matters of denominational education, missions and jour- nalism, in each of which departments he has done much service and valuable work, the good effects of which are now realized by the denomination. In 1870 he was elected moderator of the St. Louis Association, to which position he was re-elected for six consecutive meetings of that body. At the seventh meeting he declined a re-election. In 1875 Dr. Yeaman was elected chancellor of "William Jewell College, which oflftce he held during much laborioiis work for two years, when he resigned. The board of trustees highly com- mended his administration of college affairs. In October, 1876, he resigned the pastoral office in the Third Church, St. Louis, and gave his time to the chancellorship and chief editorship of the Central Baptist. In April, 1S77, the Garrison Avenue Baptist Church, St. Louis, was founded and Dr. Yeaman received a unan- imous call as pastor, which he accepted, and in which he con- tinued some two years until the church was in a good condition, MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. S77 when he resigned, and at his request Eld. J. C. Armstrong was called and accepted. At its session in 1877 Dr. Yeaman was chosen moderator of the Missouri Baptist General Association, and his efficient, dignified and courteous conduct as a presiding officer has secured his al- most unanimous election at each succeeding meeting of that body. He was for several years one of the vice-presidents of the board of foreign missions of the Southern Baptist Convention y and at the meeting of that able body of Christians, held in the city of Lexington, Ky., May, 1880, he was chosen, in company with Ex- Governor Brown, of Georgia, Ex-Governor Leslie, of Kentuck}', and Dr. Winkler, of Alabama, one of the vice-presidents of the convention. Dr. Teaman's close study of theology, his analytical mind, his logical and fervent eloquence and executiveability, with his gen- ial spirit and great energy, have made him a strong man in the estimation of his brethren. His candor of manner has made him the object of some unpleasant animadversions, and while the fearless declarations of his convictions have made him some enemies, he gains and holds warm and multitudinous friends. In the fall of 1878 he was elected to the office of correspond- ing secretary of the General Association of Missouri, in which position he has exceeded the highest expectations of his most devoted friends in the efficiency with which he has conducted this department of denominational work. John T. Williams — was born in Accomac County, Virginia, March 19, 1826, and with the family moved to Missouri in 1836. In 1844 he united with the Baptist Church in Hannibal, having a short time before accepted Christ as his Savior, attributing his earliest religious impressions to the teachings of a pious mother. Feeling it to bo his duty to preach the gospel, he took a' five years' course in Georgetown College, Kentucky, where he grad- uated in 1852 ; then spent one year in the institute at Maysville, Kentucky, teaching; and for the next four years was connected with Bethel College, Palmyra, Missouri, and was also pastor of Bethel Church, Marion County, which was blessed with many revivals and greatly flourished under his ministry. In 1857, at the solicitation of friends, he removed to Louisiana, and established the Louisiana Seminary, which was successful. Ho was also pastor of the Louisiana Church. Having been elected president of the Baptist Female College at Columbia, Mo., he accepted and removed to that city in 1860, 378 MlSSOtJRT BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION Here ho continued for five years, conducting the school through the entire war period witliout the loss of a day. He also served the Baptist church at Columbia as pastor. In 1865 he resigned these positions, contrary to the wishes of many friends, and re- turned to Louisiana, where in 1869 he was elected president of the Baptist college. Here for eight years as pastor and teacher ho continued his labor, growing all the while in the favor of his brethren and the community generally. In 1879 he took the field for the Central Baptist, traveling through heat and cold; and ren- dered efficient aid in enlarging the useful- ness and establish- ing more firmly the foundations of that paper. In January, 1881, Mr. Williams enter- ed upon his pastor- ate at Paris, Monroe Co., Mo., where he has been working with his usual en- ergy for an ajipreci- ative people, in ex- pectation of a bless- ing from on high. He has for nearly thirty years been actively engaged in the work of Missouri Baptists, sympathiz- ing with and encouraging the general interests of the cause in every department. A largo portion of his life has been devoted to female education. ¥ov several years he has been a member of the board of trustees of the Southern Baptist Theological Sem- inary, also of the board of William Jewell College, and for ten years clerk of the General Association. Bro. Williams is de- servedly numbered amongst our most useful and efficient men, and is now in the prime of his life.* * ifr. \Villinin8 was licensed to preach by the Baptist cluirch iu Georgetown, Kx., July 13, 18o0; and iu October, 1853, ho was ordained by Providence Church, Marioa County, 3Io. REV. JOHN T. WILLIAMS. MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 370 Larkin Merle Berry — is the son of a Baptist minister of prominence, Eev. "W. C. Berry, for many years editor of the Bap- tist Telescope and Carolina Baptist. He -was born in North Caro- lina, April 12, 1824. At the age of 12 years he was converted and baptized, and at 19 ho was called of God and entered the Baptist ministry. At the age of 21 he married Miss Bishop of Spartanburg, S.C. Ho was pastor of several prominent churches in Xorth Carolina and South Carolina up to the war of 1861, at which time he was pastor of Lincolnton Baptist Church, N. C, of which he was the founder. He spent the years 1857 and '58 as district secretary of the home board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Soon after the war he accepted a call to the pul- pit as pastor of the Portland Avenue Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky. He remov- ed to Missouri in January, 1871, and took charge of the pastoral work in the Chilli- cothe Church, from which he was called to the Bernard Street Church, St. Louis, in May, 1872. This work he resign- ed in the fol- lowing Janu- ary, and again assumed the mission work as district sec- retary of the home board of rev. l. m. berry. the S. B. C. for the district of Kentucky, leaving his family in Missouri. In 1876 he engaged in the agency work of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Since then he has made Salisbury his permanent home, having filled the pastoral office at different times in the following churches: Salisbury, Fulton, Roanoke, Chariton and Keytesville, until December, 380 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATIOIJ. 1879, when he entered upon the work of state missions, as dis- trict missionary secretary, in which capacity he served until May 1, 1881, when failing health forced his resignation. As a means of restoration he made atrip to Europe, traveling through England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Franco, Italy, Holland, Bel- gium and Germany. He returned greatly invigorated, and is now laboring as an evangelist, and in this capacity is rendering valuable service in the promotion of Bajstist interests. Eld. Berry is a man of rare preaching talents; possesses the highest order of social qualities, and is an able defender of the tenets of his denomination. He is considerably over six feet in height, as straight as an Indian, a perfect pattern of neatness and a model Christian gentleman : thus saying, we have not told the half. EECORD OF ANNUAL MEETINGS. Date. Church Met With. Mod. and Clk. '{Preacher and Text. Aug. 29, 1834, Providence, Callaway County, June 5, 1835, Little Bonne Femme, Boone Countv, " 3, 1836 Bethlehem; Boone County, - " 2, 1837iMt. Moriah, Howard County, " 1, 1838IColumbia, - - - - May 31, 1839 Big Lick, Cooper County, Aug. 28, 1840 Paris, ----- " 27, 1841 Chariton, Howard County, " 25, 1842 Richland, Callaway County, " 24, 1843 Jefferson City, - " 23, 1844 Mt. Moriah, Howard County, " 28, 1845 Columbia, - - - " 27, 1846 Lexington, - - - - " 26, 1847 Walnut Grove, Boone County, J, Yardeman, i R. S. Thomas J. Yardeman, W. Wright J. B. Longnn, | G. W. Bower I J. B, L.,.ugan, A. P. Williams, 24, 1848 Big Lick, Cooper County, - " 23, 1840 Mt. Nebo, Cooper County, " 22, 1850 Little Bonne Femme, Boone I Countv, " 28, 1851 Liberty, Clay County, " 26, 1852 Bethel, Saline County, - Wm. Carson J, B. Lon^ , AV. ^t. Quince J. B. Lonp;an J. O' Bryan J. .Sug2;ott, \Vm. Carson IT. Sebrec, B. 8. Thomas U. Sebree, W. Wright U. Sebroe, W. M. Jackson R. Hughes, W. M. Jackson R. Hughes, L. Wright LT. Sebree, W. M. JMcPherson U. Sebree, L. Wright U. Sebree, L. Wright Wm. Carson, L. Wright R. Huglies, W. M. Jackson R. Huglies, M. F. Price R. Hughes, 3L F. Price Romans 10 A. Wood, James 1 ; 27 A. P. Williams, ]\Iatt. 9 ; 28, 29 James Suggett, Luke 2T; 46, 47 T. P Green, Matt. 24; 14 I. T. Hinton, Dan. 12 ; 4 L T. Hinton, 1 Cor. 9 ; 7 A. Broaddus, 2Cor,9;8 R. K Hcrndon, 1 Thess. 1 ; 2, 8 S. W. Lvnd, Gal. 6 ; 14 T. C. Harris, 1 Cor. 1;2 W. C. Ligon, Eph. 2 ; 18 N. Flood, 2 Peter 8 ; 11 J. E. Welch, Prov. 22 ; 6 J. B. Jeter, Luke 8 ; 1-8 T. C. Harris, Ib. 53 ; 10 MISSOURI BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 381 Date. Church Met With. \ Mod. and Clk. \\ Preacher and Text. May 25, 1853 Fayette, - - - - " 27, 1854 Union Hill. Callaway County, " 2G, 1855 Palmyra, - - - - " 23, 185G Columbia, - - - - " 27, 1857 Lexington, - - . " 21, 1858LMt. Nebo, Cooper County, - July 23, 1859 Huntsvillc, - - . «' 21, 18G0 Liberty, Clay County, « 27, 1861 Miami, .... " 26, 1862 Rehobotb, Saline County, - " 25, 1863 Roanoke, - - - - 1864jXo meeting nclcl this year. Aug. 19, 1865 Boonville, - - - - July 21, 186G Roanoke, Aug. 10, 1867, Lexington, - - - - " 6, 1868 Paris, - . . - " 4, 1869 Columbia, - - - - Oct. 13, 1870 St. Louis, Second, - " 12, 1871 Clinton, .... " 10, 1872 Glasgow, " 8, 1873 Macon, - . - . " 6, 1874 Sedalia, - - - - « 8, 1875 St. Joseph, First, " 18, 187G Hannibal, " 24, 1877 Lexington, - - - - " 23, 1878 Mexico, - - .- - " 22, 1879 Kansas City, Calvary, - " 20, 1880 Carrollton, " 18, 1881 St. Louis, Third, Hughes, li. S. Thomas Hughes, S. 15. Johnson m. Carson, . M. ^[cPherson H. Hickman, D. Reed E. McDaniel, J\L F. Price m. Crowoll, Wm. M. Bell E. :\IcDanie], Wm. :\I. I]cll E. MeDnniel, AVm. M. Bell E. ]McDaniel, J. T. Williams E. McDaniel, AV. R. Roth well P. Williams, W. R. llothwcll A. P. Williams, J. T. Williams A. P. Williams. J. T. Williams A. P. Williams, J. T. Williams D. 11. Hickman, J. T. Williams Xoah Flood, J. T. Williams Xoah Flood, J. T. Williams X. X. Buckner, ¥A. W. Stephens J. B. AVornall, ¥A. W. Stephens J. B. AVornall, Ed. AV. Stephens L. 15. Ely, Ed. W. Stephens L. B. Ely, M. J. Breaker L. B. Ely, E. AV'. Stephens W. Pope A'eaman, E. W. Stei)hens AV. Pope A'eaman, ^ E. W. Stephens AV. Pope Yeaman, J. T. AVilliams AA''. Pope A'eaman, J. T. AVilliams AV. Pope A'eaman, J. T. AVilliams R. F. Ellis, Romans 10; 4 R. H. Harris, John 9; 4 J. E. AA'ekh, Sam. 24; 24 D. Reed, Juhn 1G;8, 11 A. Poindexter, 2 Cor. 5 ; 14, 15 AA'm. Price, 1 Cor. 1 ; 18 E. S. Dulin, Matt. 10; 9, 10 G. Anderson, John 12 ; 24 John Francis, Is. 53 ; 2 J. AV. Warder, 2 Tim. 4 ; 6, 8 A. P. AVilliams, A. P. AVilliams, Phil. 1 ; 12 E. S. Dulin, J udges 8 ; 4 Charles AVhiting, Luke 9; 60 AV. H. Thomas, Num. 13 ; 30 Jas. Dixon, Dan. 2 ; 31, 35 T. Rambaut, Mark 16 ; 15 J. H. Luther, John 21 ; 16 J. C. Maple, Matt. 28; 21 D. T. Morrill, Ps. 126; 5, 6 A. Machett, Matt. IG; 18 S. H. Ford, Josh. 3; 12 AV. Pope A'eaman, IJohn 4; 7-12 G. A. Lofton, Mark 16; 20 AV. AV. Bovd. lloni. 1 ; 14 S. II. Ford, Matt. 3 ; 1 AA^m. Harris, 1 Thcss. 1 ; 6-8 J. V. Schofield, Mark 16 ; 15 CHAPTER V. BLACK EIVEK ASSOCIATION. Organization, Location and Field of — Its First Ministers — Aggressive Character — Growth— J. AV. 15ro\ra— L. L. Stepliens— .1. H. Floyd, THE Black River Association was organized with a colony of six churches from Cape Girardeau, November 14, 1835, at Greenville, Wayne County, in the midst of a destitute and im- portant field for missionary effort. The constituent churches were Black Kiver, Cherokee Bay, Columbia, Big Creek, Bear Creek and Greenville, with an aggregate membership of 188. The ministers were Henry McElmurry, William Macom and S. Winningham. Bro. McElmurry was moderator and Sam'l J. McNight clerk. In the first ten years of the associational history we notice the following additions to the list of ministers : AVil- liam Settle, B. Clack and N. G. Ferguson. Meetings were held regularly each year until 1860. After this no meetings were held until the year 1865, when the smoke of the war had cleared away and business was resumed, and no more interruptions occurred of which we have any account. From the commencement the Black Eiver Association was an aggressive body, and increased in efficiency and members, until in 1850 its churches numbered 24, with a total membership of 1,079. This year twelve churches were dismissed, mostly in Wayne County, to form a new association by the name of St. Francois. Prior to the dismission of the aforesaid churches, the associational bounds had extended over the counties of Wayne, Stoddard, Dunklin, and as high up as into Madison. The work continued to prosper, churches multiplied, and the association grew in material and spiritual resources, and again, in 1857, says C. B. Crumb, the present clerk, "another colony of five churches went off to form the Cane Creek Association, which left eighteen churches in the Black River. Since the last named date the association has generally been held in Stoddard and Dunklin Counties. The first printed minutes we have are for 1860. The title page reads thus: "Minutes of the ^5th Anniversary of the Black Biver Association of the United Missionary Baptists." The meeting wa§ BLACK RIVER ASSOCIATION. 383 held with Bloomficld Church, Stoddard County, commencing August 31. The minutes give the following summary : Churches. — Providence, Bloomfield, Gravell}' Hill, Bethany, Mount Pleasant, Grand Prairie, Kennett, Bethlehem, Pleasant Valley, Palestine, Shiloh, Oak Grove, Mount Union, White Oak Grove, ]S"ewHope, Duck Creek, Pleasant Grove, Ebenezer, Point Pleasant, Union, Friendship, Concord and Castorville. The last three were new churches. Baptisms, 125. Aggregate member- ship, 962. Ministers. — E. P. Paramorc, Sanders AValker, Edward Allen, F. W. Miller, W. B. Howell, A. D. Watson, AYm. W. Whayne, W^m. Macom, Jas. H. Floyd, Lewis L. Stephens, John Miller, Jonathan Snider and Tilford Ilogan. Board of Domestic Missions. — E. P. Owen, A. B. Owen, Geo. Macom, Daniel Harty and Stephen P. Waltrup. The following resolutions were adopted at this session : "Resolved, That this association will not hold in fellowship any church which will tolerate in her members the practice of selling intoxicating liquors, to be used as a beverage, or who will encourage in any way the use of intoxicating drinks. "Resolved, That we do not recognize any as having been bap- tized who have received the ordinance at the hands of pedo- baptists." — Unanimously adopted. "Resolved, That a liberal education is a powerful aid to piety and zeal in qualifying young men for the gospel ministry. That it is the duty of the churches to aid such brethren as give pro- mise of usefulness in the ministry, and are not able to educate themselves." (Minutes of 1860.) Eld. L. L. Stephens was paid §50 for 50 days' service as mis- sionary. He reported 9 baptisms, 50 family visits, and 48 ser- mons preached. In 1866 Bethany, Oak Grove and Palestine Churches sent let- ters and messengers to the 31st anniversary. One new church — Shady Grove — was admitted. An executive committee on mis- sions was appointed, viz. : B. E. Frazier, Wm. Ingrain, J. F. Herron, L. L. Stephens and J. B. Eeese. Eight churches, viz.: Little Vine, Four Mile, Spring Hill, Pleasant Grove, Antioch, Mt. Zion, Harmony and Liberty, were admitted into the association in 1867. The usual custom of the association for years has been to have a missionary sermon preached on Sunday, and follow the same with a public collection. The minutes of 1869 exhibit great prosperity. The scattered 384 BLACK RTVER ASSOCIATION. churches had been G:athered together, new ones formed and added, until, in this year, the association numbered 30 churches and 1,726 members ; 338 baptisms occurred in the last year. This year the missionary plan was so changed as to make every pas- tor a missionary of the association, and the churches were in- structed to pay to them all the funds collected for missionary purposes. About this time great indifference prevailed; there was a lack of unity as to methods of work. Many "plans" were tried, but none were successful, for want of co-operation and funds. In 1871 only 22 baptisms were reported; and no more than thirteen of the twenty-eight churches sent messengers in 1872. Eight of the churches sent $209 for home missions, and a messenger was sent to the General Association to solicit aid in supplying the great destitution in the bounds of the association. Since 1875 the association has lost in numerical strength. She then numbered 27 churches, she now has only 20. The minutes do not show whether this is from dissolutions or dismissals. She has not, however, lost in vital force and zeal. In 1878 near $300 were spent in itinerant work and Bro. Carlin was the mis- sionary. The churches are now, for the most part, located in Stoddard, Dunklin, Pemiscot and New Madrid Counties, and some of them are engaged, in a moderate way, in promoting Sun- day-schools and missions — home and foreign. Two churches have a membership exceeding 100; Landmark, 182; and Oak Grove, 153. The forty-sixth anniversary w^s held at Bloomfield, Stoddard County, commencing July 15, 1881. R. P. Owen was elected moderator and C. B. Crumb clerk. The table shows a moderate degree of prosperity. Several churches had enjoyed revivals. In all 70 baptisms were reported. The subject of "annual pas- torates" was discussed, and the churches were advised to call their pastors for an "indefinite time." Well done for Black Eiver ! Ministers.— 'Diiv\d Lewis, J. F. Bibb, W. H. Dial, T. B. Turn- baugh, R. H. Douglass, T. Hogan,W. G. Henson (licentiate), M. y. Baird, L. D. Cagle (licentiate), J. J. Wester, H. D. Carlin, M. J. Whitaker, J. H. D. Carlin and Stringer. Oak Grove Church, Dunklin County, was selected as the place of meeting for the second Friday in August, 1882. John W. Brown — was one of the ministers of Black River As- sociation. We have been able to gather the following facts, only, concerning him. He lived in Dunklin County, was a highly es- ♦ BLACK RIVER ASSOCIATION. 385 teemed brother, regarded as a man of ardent piety, earnest zeal and untiring energy. He was a faithful watchman, and died in battle, August 13, 1868. Eld. L. L. Stephens, — another of the ministerial band of this association, who had presided in its councils and traveled as a missionaiy, died sometime in the year 1872. Eld. J. n. Floyd. — Bro. Floyd was a native of Clarke Coun- ty, Missouri, and was born in 1832. His father's family moved some years ago into Dunklin County, where in 1854 he was con- verted and united with the Baptists, and in 1858 began preaching. He spent most of his subsequent life in Missouri, save one year —1870-71— in Texas. He was a hard working man, cultivating a farm for a living, while he usually preached to three and four churches statedly, and held protracted meetings at intervals. Our informant sup- poses that his death might have resulted from over exertion. He says that Bro. Floyd usually spent two to three months every year in protracted meetings, and that he thus continued until so much exhausted that he could not talk, and would be compelled to return home for rest. Eternity alone will unfold to view the toils and sacrifices of such men. He died June 8, 1874, being then in his 43d year. 26 CHAPTER YI. UNION AND LIBERTY ASSOCIATIONS. Union Association Formed — Faith of— Forms a Missionary Society — Its Growth — Peter Williams — Division of the Association — Basis of Union — Coldness — J. H. Thompson — Liberty Association Formed — The Local Church Idea. MESSENGERS from four churches, viz. : Salem, St. John's, Boeuff and Prairie Fork, dismissed from Franklin Associ- ation, met at St. John's Church, Franklin County, Mo., Novem- ber 6, 1839, and organized the " Union Baptist Association." Eld. D. Stites was elected moderator and J. A. Mathews clerk. Correspondence was opened with the Missouri and the Franklin Associations. The aggregate membership of the four churches was 244. The articles of faith were substantially the same as those adopted by the great Baptist family. Regular annual meet- ings were held, the usual routine of business transacted and a somewhat steady but slow increase was enjoyed. In 1845 the churches had increased in number to nine and in membership to 340. The ministers present this year were J. H. Thompson, D. Stites, B. Leach, C. Maxwell and G. Rutherford. Our next records are for 1851, when eleven churches sent mes- sengers to the session at Indian Prairie Church. Under the in- fluence of the early example of her mother, the Franklin Asso- ciation, she had formed a missionary society whose executive committee reported annually to her the result of its work. From the report of said committee this year we glean the following facts : Elds. Peter and James Williams had been employed to itinerate, whose labors resulted in the organization of two church- es, four Sunday-schools and the baptism of 126 converts. $160 were raised in cash and pledges for missionary purposes, and one brother was appointed in each church as collector. At the session of 1858 nothing was seen of the missionary so- ciety, nor of the itinerants in the field, nor of the prosperity among the churches. Eld. J. D. Murphy, pastor at Carrollton, Mo., appeared as a young minister, and preached the introduc- tory sermon at this meeting. He was born, raised, converted and commenced preaching in this field. Eld. Peter Williams was UNION AND LIBERTY ASSOCIATIONS, 387 elected moderator at the 21st anniversary (1859), lield at New Salem, Gasconade County, where the following churches were represented by messengers : Indian Prairie, Liberty, Providence, Dubois, Big Burbois, Cedar Fork, New Salem, Pleasant Valley, Mud Spring, New Hope and Little Flock. The largest of these was New Salem, which had 73 members. Peter Williams — was a younger brother of the pioneer, James "Williams, the first moderator of Franklin Association. He mov- ed from St. Francois up into Franklin County, about the year 1850, and became pastor of three churches in Union Association. He was a poor man and worked hard to support a large family, but was nevertheless an acceptable minister and had good suc- cess. Eld. Benjamin Leach says of him : "I assisted Bro. Peter Williams in organizing five Baptist churches, and in ordaining four ministers of the gospel. He died in Osage County. I saw him a few days before his death — he was cheerful and said he was waiting for the Lord to call him home." The minutes of 1862 show but little of prosperity. A division in sentiment sprang up this year relative to church government, which culminated in the withdrawal and subsequent exclusion of New Salem, Mud Spring and Liberty Churches. These churches and one other by name of Bethel, met together in 1869 and or- ganized the Liberty Baptist Association, which existed nine years as a separate body and was then merged into the old body upon the following terms and conditions: " BASIS OF UNION. ^^ Whereas, In 1862 a division of sentiment arose among the churches of Union Association in regard to a question of church government, which culminated in a division of certain of the churches into separate bodies, resulting in Liberty Association; and, *' Whereas, Liberty Association has in conference accepted a proposition from our sister church to blend the two associations into a common fellowship, and into one body j and, " Whereas, We see no valid reason why we should longer keep up two separate organizations, and thus perpetuate non-fellow- ship among Baptist churches of the same faith and order, all working for the same endsj therefore, " Eesolved, That we be united on common grounds into one body, to be called Union Association, retaining the constitution of that body, subject, however, to amendment to suit the require- ments of the association as united; and that we will work to- 388 UNION AND LIBERTY ASSOCIATIONS. gether forgood and for the advancement of the Redeemer's king- dom, looking unto Jesus, the author of our faith. "Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to meet a like committee from Liberty Association for the purpose of se- lecting a place for holding the meeting of the association as united, and to select some one to preach the annual sermon, provided Liberty Association accept these propositions. " Resolved, That the delegation from Liberty Church be request- ed to present these propositions to Liberty Association at its next meeting." (Mimitcs of Union Association, 1878, p. 10.) From about the year 1861 or '62 the association seemed to lose in vital force, doing little or no aggressive work, until in 1866, when the 28th anniversary was held at Cedar Fork Church, Franklin County; only five churches reported by messengers, four ofwhich sent statistics showing 7 baptisms and 166 members. But by the year 1868 she had begun to rally. The session was held at Liberty, Gasconade County. Two missionaries, Elds. L. M. Mahany and Wm. Bridges, in the joint employ of this and the General Association, had been kept in the field. They re- ported upwards of 100 baptisms, over 150 accessions to the churches and between $600 and |700 received from all sources. Five new churches were also added this session, viz. : Pleasant Hill (in Franklin Co.), HoiJewell, Mount Pleasant, PleasantHill (in Osage Co.) and Linn. In 1869 14 churches reported 96 bap- tisms and 497 members. These churches were situated in the counties of Gasconade, Franklin and Osage. Elds. L. M. Ma- hany, Peter Brown, Wm. Bridges, E. C. Maxwell and H. F. Odum were active ministers in the association at this time. The first named was the joint missionary of this and the General As- sociation, at a salary of $550. The interest continued for several years, when coldness seiz- ed hold of the masses, until in 1877 " only three churches had regular preaching, others had gone out of existence, and almost all the ministers, by the parsimony of the churches, were driven beyond the bounds of the association." {Minutes Union Association, 1877, p. 4.) This year only three of the four churches, viz. : In- dian Prairie, Mt. Olive and New Hope were represented, which reported 13 baptisms and 2 ministers — J. H. Blaylock and "Wm. Bridges — in the entire association. The session of 1878 witnessed a better state of things, resulting from a restoration of fellowship between theTTnion and Liberty Associations and the uniting of them again into one body under UNION AND LIBERTY ASSOCIATIONS. 389 the old title of "Union Baptist Association," an account of which has already been given (see "Basis of Union"). The Union As- sociation at this time numbered 11 churches, 437 members, and was moderately active in promoting home missions, foreign missions and Sunday-schools. One church, New Hope, Franklin County, had a woman's foreign missionary society in it, with Mrs. M. S. Walton as president, Mrs. S. A. Bridges, secretary, and Mrs. C. A. Armstrong, treasurer. The ministers of the as- sociation were Wni. Bridges Benj. Leach, J. T. Leach and P. D. Cooper. The forty-first annual session, at New Haven, commenced Oct. 9, 1879, when 6 ministers and 14 churches appear on the list,with a membership of 542. Eev. B. Leach, as itinerant, reported 161 days of labor, 222 sermons, 9 baptisms and 30 conversions wit- nessed. In 1880 the meeting was held at New Salem, Gasconade County. This year only ten churches are on the list, and 5 ministers. Eld. R, N. Gough had spent 86 days in the field as an itinerant, during which time he had preached 88 sermons, deliv- ered 12 temperance lectures and 10 Sunday-school lectures, bap- tized 5 and collected $81.25. In 1881 the association met at Liberty Church, Gasconade County, October 20th. Eld. B. Leach was moderator, and A. C. Walton, clerk. Only 5 of the 9 churches on the roll sent mes- sengers. Elds. Wm. Bridges, B. Leach and J. H. Breaker were the pastors. From the report of the committee on temperance, it appears that the use of intoxicants prevailed to a demoralii- ing extent in many of the churches. This may explain why so little prosperity exists. Only two churches reported baptisms, viz. : New Hope and Bethel, the former 15 and the latter 8. Eld. B. Leach had spent 144 days as itinerant and pastor, for which he received $21.25. Eev. John H. Thompson, — for some years a minister in Union Association, was born in Louisa County, Virginia, March, 8, 1795. He entered the ministrj- at the age of eighteen years and was married to Miss Sarah N. Perkins about four years afterwards. Leaving his native state in 1821 and spending about thirteen years in Alabama, he removed to ]\[issouri in 1834 ann,i , M i>. the wintry fields, bearing the precious seed. These pioneer preachers who spent their lives in poverty and toil for Christ's sake, were men who walked by faith and not by sight. They believed firmly in God and in the truth they preached; and consequently took no heed of what men said or thought. They were not miserable LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. 411 eye-servants to popular applause. They were not looking at every turn to see what the papers said about them. What work they did was not with an eye to the outward look of it. They were satisfied to know that the eye of the Eternal smiled ap- provingly on their toils, their sacrifices and their victories. Sel- dom did they make even a note of the privations they endured or the blessings they scattered ; and when they departed, in the language of the Roman, * The good that men do is oft interred with their bones.' " The memories of such men we cherish. To us it is a delight- ful task to wipe the dust from their tombstones and record their humble, obscure, yet glorious lives. * The memory of the good man shall not perish.' " A noble type of the western pioneer preacher was David Doj^le of Boone County, Missouri. A hale, whole-souled man, with strong sense, keen discernment, natural eloquence and a rich, joyous humor — he seemed fitted by Providence to influence and win the confidence of the early settlers of a frontier state. For a more independent and uncontrollable class of people can be found nowhere on the earth than is such a population. They are usually bold and energetic, who part with old homes and kin- dred, and plunge into new countries to win a home from the unbroken forest. It is not every man that is adapted to gain a permanent influence over such persons. But an influence almost omnipotent David Doyle held over such a population for forty years. "He was born in Rutherford County, North Carolina, January 13, 1779. While u boy he was the subject of God's grace and pro- fessed a change of heart when about sixteen years of age. We have heard the old man, after sixty years had intervened, tell the simple story of that work upon his heart, and we have look- ed around on the congregation among which were the strong- minded, the educated and the skeptic, and have seen all — yes, all — melted into tears at the recital. 'Ah,' he would say, with a voice clear and silvery, 'the remembrance of the mercy I found that day will gladden my poor heart as it beats its last in death, and will gladden my soul as it sings its first notes in heaven,' " A few years after his conversion he was licensed to preach, and at about nineteen he was ordained to the work of the minis- try, in which he continued over sixty years. " His education was, for his time, quite liberal. He was a good English scholar and had paid considerable attention to Latin. 412 LITTLE bonne! iFEMME ASSOCIATION. At the time he was ordained to the work of the ministry he had made considerable proficiencjMn medicine; and in 1816 he spent some time in Lexington, Ky., prosecuting that study. But to preach the gospel was the desire of his heart, and he looked around for a field where he could work to advantage in his Mas- ter's cause. Missouri was then a territory, thinly inhabited. It took some three or four weeks to pass from Kentucky in keel- boats to that far-oifland. A party of Kentuckians about moving to the territory were joined by Doyle, and in the winter of 1816 he landed in St. Louis. " The mighty metropolis of Missouri, destined to be the great- est inland city on the continent, was then an inconsiderable town principally inhabited by the French. Mr. Doyle remained there through that winter and held meetings in private houses. There were, in all, four Baptists in the town, and to them he broke the bread of life. This was in 1816, one year before the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions sent Elders Peck and Welch to Mis- souri. Forty-four years ago the Baptist standard was raised in St. Louis by Doyle. What changes have transpired since then ! Its seven Baptist churches, with their numbers, wealth and lib- erality, surrounded with a population of 200,000 — did any of them ever hear the name of David Doyle, the first man that rais- ed the Baptist standard there? " The following spring Doyle moved up into Howard (now Boone) County, which was being rapidly settled. He soon went to work to gather up a little church, and in December following fifteen Baptists assembled at the house of Anderson Woods and were constituted into a church. This church continues to this day — the mother church in all that country. From it went forth as ministers of the gospel Anderson Wcfods, whose memory still lives in the hearts of thousands, a deeply pious and most labor- ious man, who died in the harness at his post; and Eobert S. Thomas, former president of William Jewell College, who did more to direct and elevate the Baptistsof Missouri than can now be possibly appreciated; and John Harris, who labored faith- fully the short time he lived ; and among others the writer of this memorial. That old Bonne Femme Church, where thou- sands have bowed before the Cross — what recollections does it awaken ! The Hickmans, Harrises, Johnsons, Basses, Jewells, Woods — the men who gave energ}" to the cause in that battle- ground with Campbellism and Antinomianism — they are gone to their rest, but their memories are immortal. LITTLK BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. 413 3|c :|c 4^ ^ 4: 'k 3): "He died July 29, 1859, after nineteen days' illness of tj^phoid fever. For more than twenty-nine j^ears he had been the shep- herd and teacher of New Salem Church, near his home in Boone County. He was venerated and beloved." Egbert S. Thomas. — The following brief sketch of this good man is from the classic pen of Dr. A. P. Williams : "Brother Thomas was born in Scott County, Kentucky, on the 20th of June, A. D. 1805. His parents' names were John P. and Lucy Thomas. His father was elected treasurer of Ken- tucky in 1808, which office he held for some eight or nine years. He was at one period of his life in affluent circumstances — in- deed rich — for that period or age • but in his old age, by some means, he lost his fortune. This happened when his son Eobert was a mere boy. Eobert was thus thrown upon his own re- sources. Having an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, he ac- quired an education by writing in a clerk's office in Frankfort, Ky.jin the day, and going to school at night. He finally grad- uated at Transylvania University when only eighteen years of age. Afterwards he secured a diploma from Yale College as a testimonial of his scholarship. " Brother Thomas made a profession of religion when a young man — at what age I have been unable to learn. Nor have I as- certained with what particular church he first united or by what minister he was baptized. Suffice it to say that he chose to con- nect himself with the Baptists. Soon after, he emigrated to this state and located in Boone County. He came to Missouri about the year 1824, and engaged in the arduous but glorious work of proclaiming to his fellow-men the 'unsearchable riches of Christ.' Ho was ordained to the work of the ministry by those fathers in the gospel, Anderson "Woods, John Greenhalgh and James Suggett, who, like himself, have gone to their reward. In, his earlier ministry the Bonne Femme, Salem and Columbia Churches, in Boone, and Millersburg Church, in Callaway County, shared. And in the latter period of it the Liberty and other churches in Clay County, and finally the Westport and Kansas City Churches in Jackson. Here the sun of his ministrj' set. "Brother Thomas must be numbered amongst the fathers and the organizers of the General Association of our state. It was first known as the ' Central Society of Missouri. ' Hence he performed his part in the conflict, which at that time and for 414 LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. some years after was carried on between the primitive mission- ary spirit that possessed him and his colaborers, and that mod- ern antinomian, anti-missionary spirit which opposes all instru- mentality in the promotion of the cause of the Redeemer and the conversion of sinners. And we who have succeeded him and them are not aware perhaps how much we owe to them, under God, for the present prosperity of all our benevolent enterprises and churches. They labored, and we have entered into their la- bors. They cleared the field, broke up the soil and cast in the seed ; we are gathering the fruits. " It was my privilege to have but a limited personal acquaint- ance with Brother Thomas, but I was permitted to know him sufficiently well to justify me in endorsing the testimony which others, better acquainted than myself, have borne of him. ' As a husband and father,' says Brother D. H. Hickman, of Colum- bia, ' he possessed all those social, refined and endearing qual- ities which make home attractive and lovely.' "As a citizen and neighbor, all testify that he was amiable, social, kind and benevolent. But we prefer to cherish his mem- ory as a minister of Jesus Christ. And here the testimony is uniform. Says Brother Hickman, 'He was an able, efficient and self-sacrificing preacher; and was instrumental in building up many churches in Boone and other counties. * * * Naturally kind, affectionate and sympathetic, he exerted a wonderful influ- ence over his hearers ; and it would be impossible to estimate the good results which his faithful warnings, expressive of such earnest and disinterested love, have and will yet accomplish for the benefit of immortal souls.' Again, ' His labors of love were not confined to a limited circle. For many years no man in all Missouri was able to exert so strong an influence over the minds of his brethren and associates; and none have used it more ef- fectually for good.' ********** "Brother Thomas' health had become somewhat feeble, when in .fune, 185-, a beloved daughter was prostrated by a mostpain- ful and distressing sickness attended by long protracted spasms and alienation of mind. Night and day he hung over this dear object of his affections. His sympathies for his suffering child were intensely excited, and it became evident that his mind was yielding to the agonies of his heart. Slowly and almost imper- ceptibly at first, his reason yielded, until but the wreck of his noble and highly cultivated intellect remained. It was at the LITTLE BONNE I'EMME ASSOCIATION. 415 time my privilege to be with him and do what could be done to mitigate his symptoms. But human efforts were powerless for good. He i^assed under the influence of a wild mania. He was taken to the asylum at Fulton, where under the kind and effi- cient management of Dr. Smith, he was restored to reason and a consciousness of what had passed. His beloved daughter had gone to heaven. His improved condition was of short duration — his work was done — the Great Shepherd called and he hasted away to his reward." (Dr. Lykins of Kansas City, to A. P. Wil- liams.) "Brother Thomas died at Fulton, June 18, 1859, about the^f/ifi/- sixth 5'ear of his age. Let us all strive to follow him as he fol- lowed Christ." {Missouri Baptist Journal,Yo\. III. No. 2 ; Dr. Wil- liams' Sketch.) Dr. E. S. Dulin offers the following tribute to the memory of E. S. Thomas : *' In our benevolent operations he was first. First, because he gave all. His time, his talents, his money and himself were laid as a holocaust of love on the altar of Christ. For some ten years he labored in the vineyard of his Master, with the next thing to no remuneration; and (in the language of the editor of the Mis- souri Statesman) ' devoted himself to the high and honorable avo- cation of teaching, and continued so to do, until a short time be- fore his death. * * * His whole life was one of utility to th# pub- lic, inspiring the young with a love of learning, and elevating the moral and religious tone of the society in which he lived. Before the establishment of the State University he was profes- sor in Columbia College, and was afterwards elected to fill the chair of languages and moral science in the university, the du- ties of which places he discharged, whilst he held them, with much credit to himself and entire satisfaction to the patrons of the institution.' "To serve the denomination of which he was a member, in 1853, at a sacrifice, both social and pecuniary, he resigned his professorship in the university and accepted the presidency of William Jewell College, This position he resigned in 1855 (when the financial condition of the institution compelled the trustees to suspend the college), and the same year moved to Kansas City. Here he labored with great success. The Baptist church in this place was constituted by him, and he continued the successful and beloved pastor until his death. "In all the relations of life, Eobert S. Thomas was a model 416 LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. man. As a son, husband, father, friend, neighbor, citizen, teach- er, Christian or pastor, he stood forth as an example worthy of imitation. He was a man of talents, and those talents were con- secrated to Christ. He was a man of education, and that educa- tion was devoted to the cultivation of mind and the development of thought. He was a man of influence, and that influence was wielded for the best interests of humanity. He was a man of energy, and that energy was given to the church. " He has left his family a reputation unsullied and a name un- tarnished ; to the world, an example of heroic toil and disinter- ested self-sacrifice; to the church, a life of labor, of self-denial, of unwavering consecration and devotion to the cause of Christ. " No monumental pile may record his name and deeds, yet they are stereotyped in letters of living light upon the memories of the pure and good, they are written out upon the rolls of hea- ven by the recording angel of God. His conquests were achiev- ed on spiritual battle-fields, and his rewards are among the 'saints in light.' His ambition was to win souls to Christ and these will be gems to stud his coronal stars in the crown of his rejoic- ing to shine with undimmed lustre before the throne of God, ' world without end.' " (E. S. D. in Missouri Baptist, Vol. I, No. 5.) William Morgan Jesse, — for some years a pastor in the Little Bonne Fcmmo Association, was a native of Cumberland County, Virgftiia, and was born September 2, 1798. In January, 1820, he married Miss Mary Ann Parker, and about ten years afterwards they both made a profession of religion and were baptized by Elder Jenkins. Soon after this he commenced exhorting. In company with several other families he emigrated to Callaway Countj^ Missouri, and united with the Baptist Church at Millers- burg in 1832. The following year he settled near Mexico, Au- drain County, and August 6, 1836, he and his wife and twelve others organized the first Baptist church in Audrain County, called Hopewell, located about one and a half miles west of Mex- ico. Elder Jesse was ordained to the ministry at the call of this church in 1842, Noah Flood assisting in the services, and the same year (October, 1842) was made pastor and continued in this ofiice until his death. From the time he was called to the pastorate at Hopewell there was a constant increase, not only of members but of vital strength. The maintenance of the doctrine of experi- mental religion is one of the characteristic elements of the Hope- well Church to this day, due in a great measure to the consecra- ted labors of Mr. Jesse in the earlier times. LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. 417 Much of his time was given to pastoral work — in addition to his home church — at Unity, Long Branch, Cuivre, Loutre and other churches. While Elder Jesse was not a man of much cul- ture, such were his distinctly marked elements of character that men of culture, as Noah Flood, R. S. Thomas and others, were quite fond of and souj^ht his company. What ho lacked in polish was fully supplied in a gushing, overwhelming zeal — a soul all aglow with love for souls and for the Master; and back of all, godliness of life. Si:)eaking of him on one occasion, W. W. Keep said, "A man full of the Holy Ghost." He was no Sunday Chris- tian. His every-day life was a commentary on the divinity of the Christian religion. God gave him eleven children, all of whom became Baptists — four of whom entered the ministry, three of the four having been ordained; two, John and Thomas, have gone to their rest, and one, William J., now fills his father's pulpit at Hopewell. " Father Jesse fell asleep in Jesus, August, 1857, near the 59th anniversary of his natural life." (From the MS. of Jame^ F. Smith.) "There are but few of the Lord's servants who have been call- ed from their field of labor on earth who have more near rela- tives following in their foot-prints to the heavenly land than old Brother Jesse, besides a number of others who date their awak- enings under his sermons. I have a near neighbor who tells me that the first effectual sermon to which he ever had listened was one from him; it being delivered with such effect that himself and wife, 'ere they were aware of it, were both prostrate in the midst of the sermon, calling for mercy. The husband and wife were both soon members of his church. "He traveled and preached a great deal during the twenty- seven years of his ministry, swimming creeks, going through cold and heat, with no earthly reward in view. In those days there was very little said about paying preachers. His object was the glory of God and the salvation of sinners." {Central Bap- tist, Vol. I, No. 3.) H. W. Dodge,* — pastor of the Baptist church at Columbia, Mis- souri, was born in Albany, New York, November 16, 1815, and three years afterward he moved with his parents to Richmond, Virginia. In 1821 the family moved thence to Culpepper Coun- ty in that state, where his early life was mainly spent. He was baptized in Julj^, 1833, by Rev. William F. Broadus, a prominent * By E. W. Stepheue. " ^27 418 LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. Baptist minister of Virginia. In October, 1839, he graduated with honor at Columbia College, J). C, and from that institution he has successively received the degrees of A.B., A.M. and D.D. On October 10, 1839, he was married to Miss A. B. Brown of "Washington City, who died in 1864. In 1839 he entered the Baptist ministry, his ordination taking place at the First Baptist Church of Washington City, October 25, 1840, the presbytery consisting of Rev. O. B. Brown and Rev. Stephen Chapin, president of Columbia College. His first pas- torate was at Springfield, 111., where he entered upon his duties in 1840, remaining until 1843, when he resigned. For some fif- teen years thereafter he had pastoral charge of several churches in Clark and Fauquier Counties, Ya. In 1843 he was invited to take charge of the Baptist Church at Columbia, Mo., and also of the Second Baptist Church, St. Louis, but declined both invita- tions. Commencing in 1859 he was pastor at Lj^nchburg, Va., eight years. In 1865 he was again married, this time to Mrs. Ida Latham, widow of R. P. Latham, a graduate of the University of Virginia; and two years after he returned to his old churches in Fauquier and Loudon Counties, Virginia. Upon an invitation he visited Texas in 1871, and soon after his arrival he accepted a cull from the Baptist church at Austin, in that state, where he remained five years. In 1876 he was chosen pastor of the church in Columbia, Mo., a position which he accepted and has filled with efficiency ever since. It is a cii'cumstance worthy of special record that to the same church whose call he declined in 1843 he should, while located in a different section of the Union, have been called thirty-three j'ears afterwards by a different member- ship, who at the time had no knowledge of the action of their predecessors. An overruling Divinity that shapes all ends seems to have thus directed his destiny to the charge with which, in his riper years, he has been so pleasantly identified. To the labors of the gospel ministry few men are more pecu- liarly adapted. Nature and grace combine in generous degree to qualify him for his high calling. In disposition singularly gentle and amiable, he is excellently fitted for the delicate duties of pastoral sympathy and oversight. In originality of thought, vividness of imagination and especially in felicity of expression — qualities of afknowledged value to the successful preacher — he is greatly gifted. If to them we add a deep consecration, an earnest zeal and a conscientious devotion to Baptist doctrines and usages, we but make a faithful portrait of him as a minister LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. 419 and a man. We cannot better define Dr. Dodge's characteristics than by quoting the following pen picture of him a few years ago in the Beligious Herald, bj^ his classmate Dr. John A. Broadus : " Dr. H. W. Dodge, so warmly loved in Northern Virginia and Lynchburg, has found the climate of Missouri better suited to his constitution than that of Texas was, and although beginning to show that he will some day grow old, is still every inch himself. What curiosa felicitas verhonim! What radiant imagery and glow- ing sentiment! What delicate and gentle satire! And best of all, what unselfish generosity, brotherly kindness and transparent honesty! It is a boy schoolmate of many years ago, distinguish- ed by his friendship, and delighting in his eloquence, who utters this passing tribute; but it expresses also the candid judgment of advancing age. Dr. Dodge's ministry is said to be highly es- teemed in Columbia, the seat of the State University and Steph- ens' Female College." W. H. BuRNHAM — is a native of Boone County, Missouri. He was born June 30, 1839, and spent his early life on the farm, at- tending occasionally the common schools of the neighborhood. In 1853 he made a profession of religion, and united with the New Salem Baptist Church near his home at Ashland, and soon became quite active in the young men's prayer meeting. After preparation in a high school he entered William Jewell Col- lege in 1857, then under the presidency of the celebrated Dr. Wm. Thompson. Here he spent four years, then entered the State University and graduated in one year. He at once enter- ed upon the pastoral work in four churches in Callaway County, with three of which he continued eleven years, baptizing during the time several hundred candidates. He held also quite a num- ber of protracted meetings with great success. In 1868 he delivered the annual sermon before the Society of Religious Inquiry in the Westminster Presbyterian College, be- ing the only Baptist minister they ever honored with an invita- tion to do so. In 1876 he moved to Clarksville, Mo., where he labored for many years as pastor, at the same time holding many revival meetings in other places. During this time he was also pastor at Troy and Bowling Green (the former the county seat of Lincoln, the latter of Pike Countj'^). In 1880 ho was re-called to his old field in Callaway County, and has filled the pastoral office at Second Fulton Church, Richland, Unity and Dry Fork, all of which churches have enjoyed revivals during his late pas- torates with them and are in a flourishing condition. 420 LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. Eld. Burnham is somewhat of a belligerent, having held two religious oral discussions. The first one in 1868 was with Eev. Mr. Marlow, and the last one but recently with Eev. Mr, Jar- rett; both of whom were ministers in the Campbellite denomin- ation. Mr. Burnham is said to have triumphed in the argument in both debates. He is a very fluent speaker and one of the fin- est sermonizers in the state. John M. Eobinson. — In the year 1855, at the meeting of the Bear Creek Association, held that year atMiddletown, Montgom- ery Count}', we met, for the first time, the subject of this brief sketch. He had not then been long in Missouri ; was young, active and zealous. Very soon after his removal to the state, he became prominent in Baptist movements and has so continued. J. M. Eobinson is a native of Kentucky, having been born in Fayette County, November 3, 1827. His parents also were Ken- tuckians. He was converted at the age of nineteen years, and was baptized by Dr. E. T. Dillard at David's Fork Baptist Church in his native county. Here he was licensed to preach late in the year 1849 ; and on the first Sabbath in February, 1854, he was ordained by Dr. Dillard, and Elds. Wm. M. Pratt, B. E. Allen and P. T. Gentry. One month after this he moved to Ean- dolph County, Missouri, and commenced his labors in the gospel in this state, at New Salem Church, Boone County, in November, 1854. In January, 1855, he was elected pastor of this church, also to the same office in the churches of Little Bonne Femme and Nashville J all of them in Boone County. In this field of labor his preaching was fruitful in the conversion of hundreds of souls. From 1855 to 1882 his labors were confined to church- es in Boone and Callaway Counties, except three j^ears of effi- cient service as corresponding secretary of the Greneral Associa- tion. For many years he also served as a member of the execu- tive board of the same body. Failing health constrained him in February, 1882, to seek a change of climate. This he found in New Mexico where he was speedily called to the pastoral office in the Baptist church at So- corro. From this place he thus wrote under the date of March 28, 1882: "I think I must remain here until my health improves. Then, if thought prudent and the Master's cause demands it, I may return to Missouri. The tie of nearly thirty years' labor with brethren is not easily severed. I have a very warm place in my heart for my brethren in Missouri. We diff'ered in matters of policy at times, but I could do that and love them still," LITTLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION 421 Erasmus Darwin Tsbell — was born at Paris, Kentucky, Octo- ber 17, 1825. He joined the church in 1841 and was ordained to the ministry in 1849. He is a graduate of Greorgetown College, Kentucky, and also of the Western Baptist Theological Semin- ary, completing the course in the last named in 1852. His first regular pastorate was in the Beale Street Baptist Church, Mem- phis, Tennessee, where he continued two years, adding much strength to the church in the accession of nearly 90 jjersons to her membership. His health failed and he returned to Kentucky. He was pastor awhile at New Castle, and then became president of the college at Augusta, Bracken County, Kentucky, preaching every Sunday and teaching all the week. In the year 1862 ho was elected professor in Georgetown Col- lege, in which position he remained for ten years. He also preached at the churches of Stamping Ground, Scott County, and Buck Eun, Franklin County, Kentucky. During the two years preceding Mr. Isbell's removal to Missouri, his labors seemed specially blessed both in his own and in other churches where he held a number of meetings and gathered in near three hun- dred converts. In January, 1873, he removed to Missouri and stopped a few months in Macon City. His first pastorate was at Columbia, where he remained nearly four years, commencing with about 120 members and leaving the church with nearly 300 members; ad- ding about 280 during his pastoral period. This church has a partially floating membership on account of the schools. His next pastoral work was at Fayette, where he found the church much discouraged, having had no accessions for a number of years. Here he continued two years, during which time thei church house was remodelled and the membership greatly en- larged. For the past three years he has been pastor at New Salem, a most desirable country church in the heart of the state. During the first year he preached here only once a month, but for the last two years he has given all his time to this church and Ash- land, an outgrowth of New Salem. He has preached virtually to the same congregation, these churches being only one and a half miles apart; and has accomplished much good. Mr. Isbell was raised wholly under pcdobaptist influences. He became a Baptist from reading the New Testament, and is the only Baptist in his family. He is a logician, a profound thinker and reasoner. He han- 422 tll^TLE BONNE FEMME ASSOCIATION. dies his subject as a master workman; his sermons being full of* deep and well matured thought, method and unanswerable scrip- tural argument. Jonathan Martinie McGuire. — The subject of this notice de- scended from a preaching ancestry. His grandfather, Alan Me- Guire, was pastor of the Baptist church in Columbia, Mo., from 182G to 1834. His father, Levi McGuire, was a pioneer of Cen- tral Missouri, coming to Boone County in 1819, and was widely known, and preached many years for the anti-mission Baptists in Boone and Callaway Counties, and died in 1873. His uncle, the lamented Jno. A. McGuire, for 30 years an active and useful Baptist minister in Kentucky, died recently at Monroe, La., at the age of 83 years. J. M. Mc- Guire was born in Boone Co., Mo., May 1, 1830. Here he grew up and was edu- cated. When in his nine- teenth year he commenced REV. J. M. MCGUIRE. active life as a teacher, and by his own exertions acquired suffi- cient means to take a thorough college course. He gi-aduated at the State University in 1855, finishing the entire curriculum after an attendance of nearly four years, and received the degree of A.M. in 1858. In 1857 he took charge of vho academy at Green- field, Mo., where he taught; and at the fjame time engaged in the study of the law, two years after which (in 1859) he commenced the practice of law at Eolla, Mo. In 1861 Mr. McGuire enlisted in the Confederate Army ; serv- ed the entire four years as an officer, and was surrendered at LITTLE BONNE PEMME ASSOCIATION. 423 Memphis, Tenn., in 1865. Eeturning to his duties in the school- room, he taught a high school in Kentuckj^, in 1866, and here, "as the chief of sinners," he obtained a hope in Jesus, made a public profession and was baptized. This event occurred in 1868. From the commencement of his Christian life he was zealous in the Sunday-school and prayer meeting. He entered the ministry b}' ordination at Port Royal, Ky., March 1, 1870, and at once gave himself wholly to the work of preaching the gospel, and has thus continued ever since, never having an idle Sunday, nor ever lacking a support. After spending four years in the ministry in Kentucky, he returned to Missouri in 1874, having been called to the pastoral office in Eichland and Millers- burg Churches, in Callaway County. To the former he gave half his time for four years, and of the latter he has been pastor for several years. Eld. McGuire has filled the pastoral office in the following churches in Boone and Callaway Counties, name- ly: Little Bonne Femme, Bethel, Grand Yiew, New Providence, Pleasant Grove, Unity and Providence. In some of these he still fills the office, and is blessed with as cultured and liberal a people as are in the bounds of the Little Bonne Femme Associ- ation. James Harris. — The subject of this notice was one of the no- ble men of Central Missouri, and was for many years a leading member of the Little Bonne Femme Association, and active in almost every enterprise of the denomination. In Christian be- neficence he was a companion and colaborer with Eli Bass and D. H. Hickman. He was among the founders of Stephens' Col- lege, and at the time of his death was president of its board of curators. He gave S5,000 towards the endowment of the theo- logical school in William Jewell College. As a business man he was not surpassed, perhaps, in Boone County, and was at one time a member of the state legislature. He was a steady, earn- est, practical Christian. His death occurred July 11, 1881, at his residence near Ashland, Boone County. CELAPTER Yni. LITTLE PINEY AND OTHEE ASSOCIATIONS. At First "United Baptists" — Then Anti-Mission, Anti-Bible, Anti-Sunday-school Society, and Anti-College Men — The Versailles Council — Trouble About a Name — Mount Pleasant Old School Association — Eeal Beginning of — Old School, Not Primitive — Retrogression — Adopts the Name "Old School" — Change of Policy — Protracted jMcetings — Eevivals — The IMen of the Past Generation — The Present — Lamink PiIVEr Association — Two Eiver Old School Association — How and ^^Tien Formed — Rejects the Mission Sj^stem — A Small Body — Henry Louthan — F. M. Turner — Wm. Priest. THE Little Piney Association was organized in 1833 on the platform of the United Baptists, by a few churches in the counties of Pulaski and Crawford. In 1837 the meeting was held at Big Piney meeting-house in Pulaski County. There were then five churches, viz. : Little Piney, 33 members ; Dry Fork, 21; Big Piney, 21 ; Grand Glaize, 20; in all, 95. Osage Church sent no statistics. Elds. Thos. Snelson, David Lenox and Jesse Butler were the ministers. Contributions, $12.50. We have said that this association was composed of " United Baptists." Such was its appellation when first founded, and it so continued up to 1838. But it took most decided ground against missions at this session and subsequently dropped the term ''United" and adopted the appellation '' Eegular Predestin- arian," in its stead. In 1838 there were only 4 churches, Osage having dropped out, and this year the membership was 93, against 95 the year before. The following, from the Confession of Faith (republished by order of the association this year; see Art. 11), shows that the Little Piney Association was anti-mission from, an earlier day, though it claimed to be "United Baptist" on its title page. "Art. 11. We believe that everything necessary for the instruc- tion and good discipline of the church is recorded in the Holy Scriptures, and should be strictly attended to — at the same time avoiding every tradition and invention of men, such as the Sun- day-school union, Bible society, tract societies of all kinds, rag societies, temperance societies, and what is generally known by the Baptist board of foreign missions, home missions, and all ec- clesiastical schools for the instruction of preachers, with all oth- LITTLE PINEY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 425 er inventions of men, under the head of religion, which the New Testament does not warrant. And this association does hereby declare that she will not hold any member in fellowship who will invite or allow preachers or tutors of the above societies into their houses after they are known to them; for we believe those who do it are partakers of their evil deeds. The foregoing articles are not to bo so construed as to say, we forbid our mem- bers from entertaining strangers and travelers ; nor to say we are opposed to learning ; those we reject are only to be rejected in their public character, as not being able ministers of the New Testament." (^Mimites of Little Piney Association, 1838, p. 3.) In the year 1838 (the day and month not given) a voluntary council was held at Versailles, Morgan County, its purport being to secure union among the Baptists who held the same faith, but were divided on account of names. Said council appointed an- other meeting at the same place December 25, 1838, and request- ed all ''orderly orthodox Baptists who were opposed to all the new anti-scriptural schemes of the day, to appoint two members from each church to sit in said council, provided they would agree to resign all names except such as were scriptural, and permit the council to settle upon the name." The churches were also requested to send their articles of faith. To this proposition the Little Piney Association responded as follows : " The request of the council at Versailles being congenial with our feelings and views, we take it up and hereby advise all the churches in this association to comply with the request of said council." Every reader of Baptist history will see at once that the Ver- sailles council was a movement of the anti-missionary element of the Baptist churches of the state, or more particularly of South Missouri. "We have no record of its next meeting, and cannot give an account of its proceedings nor of the number that sent messengers to it. We discover this only, that after the year 1838 certain associations of South Missouri with anti-mission procliv- ities dropped the appellation "United" and took the name "Regular," "Old School," or some such title. In 1853 the Little Piney Association of Regular Predestinarian Baptists — such was now its name — met at the Bethel meeting- house in Cole County, May 21. The following summary will show the state of the churches at this date: Churches. — Little Piney (not represented); Dry Fork, 20; Big Piney, S^ ■ Mt. Zion, 31 ; Union, on Osage, 23 ; Prairie Valley, 21 ; Little Maries, 10 ; Union, on Big Maries, dissolved ; Sardis, 426 LITTLE PINEY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 11 ; Bethel, 43 ; Pilgrim, dissolved ; total membership, 217 j bap- tisms, 9; contributions, $16. Ministers. — E. M. Newport, David Lenox and J. W. "West. In the minutes of this j^ear wc have this somewhat remarkable action recorded: "Took up the reference respecting the articles of faith. The Lord's church objecting to the latter clause of the 17th item, it is agreed to strike out so much of said item as re- lates to assisting the ministry." "VVe make no comments, as none are needed. MOUNT PLEASANT OLD SCHOOL ASSOCIATION. This association originated in 1835, it being that portion of Old Mt. Pleasant Association which ignored the principles of the United Baptists. The facts are as follows : The Mount Pleasant United Baptist Association was formed in 1818 and continued in harmony until 1835, in which year a division occurred on the missionary enterprise. Both parts retained the name Mt. Pleas- ant, neither organizing anew. Those favorable to missions con- tinued the old constitution and name, "United Baptists." Those who took a stand against the "benevolentoperationsof the day," at first simply dropped the prefix " United," calling themselves " Baptists." Subsequently, however, they took the name "Old School" as a distinguishing title. This is now the "Mt. Pleas- ant Old School Baptist Association," and these are the reasons why we place its commencement in 1835, and not in 1818, as some perhaps would have it.* In 1840f this body met at New Hope Church, Howard County, the second Saturday in September. It then consisted of the fol- lowing : Churches.— S&Um, 32; Mt. Zion, 25; Bethel, 20; Silver Creek, 42 ; Mt. Ararat, 39 ; Mt. Gilead, 27 ; New Hope, 63 ; Mt.Moriah, 19; Mt. Hermon, 13; Muscle Fork, 45; Little Union, 63; Do- ver, 26 ; Friendship, 12 ; Mt. Nebo, 38 ; Pleasant Grove, 32 ; Liberty, 31 ; Little Zion, 61 ; Hickory Grove, 22; Clear Creek, 28 ; ^non, 18 ; Mt. Salem, 34; Middle Fork, 24; total, 714; bap- tisms, 19; contributions, $24.50. Ministers. — R. Alexander, P. Redding, J. Buster, J. "W. Gash- wiler and E. Turner. Reuben Alexander was elected moderator, and Jno. A. Pitts clerk. One new church^the last named in the list — was re- * For a full account of the division in Mount Pleasant Association, see Chapter V, Period Second. •j- The first minutes we have of this association. LITTLE PINEY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 427 ceived. Letters of correspondence and messengers were pres- ent as follows. From Salem Association : T. P. Stephens, Jas. Barnes, M. Davis, T. Turner and S. Kennon; Fishing Eiver : Brethren Evans and Allen ; Two River : Patterson, Fuqua, Webb, Fox and C. Turner ; Blue River : G. Fitzhugh and T. Proctor. The business of the association seemed to be conducted simply with an eye to the welfare of its constituents, and of its sister communities. They met, shook hands, read letters from the churches, enrolled names of messengers, received and appointed correspondents, read circular letters and appointed yearly meet- ings ; all of which constituted the sum of the proceedings. There was no effort to evangelize and no money for missions. In 1841 the churches rej^orted 17 baptisms and a total mem- bershijD of 710 — a decrease of four members from the year pre- ceding, and one church less. Contributions, $28.50. The list of the churches was still on the decrease in 1842, when there were only 18 reported. There were 25 baptisms this year. A custom prevailed at this time of electing ministers to preach on Sunday by private ballot. In 1847 the number of churches had decreased to 16 with 436 members, and only two baptisms were reported for the year. Contributions, $15.25. This year the following action was taken relative to the name : " The recommendation of Mount Zion Church taken up ; which was, that this association be hereafter known by the name of the pastor. He had preached on the day of his death, which was occasioned by apo- plexy. Thus ended the life of one of the most prominent and faithful ministers of his denomination. Franklin Matthew Turner. — This gifted young minister of the Two Tliver Association died February 8, 1879, only a few months after furnishing the foregoing sketches. He suffered se- verely for seven days from a painful attack of pleuro-pneumonia. He was born July 16, 1837, in Marion County, Missouri, being the youngest son of Eld. Charles L. Turner, a cotemporary of Boulware, Stephens, Hurley, Yardeman and others. He receiv- ed a liberal education in the schools of his native county, having attended Bethel Baptist College for the purpose of completing a course in mathematics, of which he was passionately fond. There were at the time several theological students attending the college. Young Turner one day jestingly remarked in their presence, " I am preparing for the ministry," little dreaming that 432 LITTLE PINEY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. his light jest, in the providence of God, would become a reality. Early in life he had serious impressions on the subject of a personal salvation, and acquired an extended knowledge of the Scriptures and of the tenets of the different sects. Yet he never embraced Christ as his Savior until he was 27 years of age, at which time he was baptized by William Priest and became a member of Bear Creek Baptist Church. In 1S66 he was ordain- ed to the gospel ministry by Elds. Priest and Louthan, and from that time consecrated himself fully to the work for ten years, except about three months' service in the 28th General Assembly of the state. For more than twc years prior to his death he was seriously afflicted with bronchitis, causing him to resign the pas- toral care of his churches and retire almost entirely from the ministry. Elder Turner was an exceedingly pleasant speaker, and one of the most popular preachers in his denomination. Of him, Eld. William Priest says: " In the death of Brother William Turner, the church has lost an able minister of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was not only an able proclaimer of the gospel, but also an able defender of its truth. He is gone from us, but we believe that our loss is his eternal gain. He was buried at Bear Creek Church on the 9th of February. His funeral was largely attended — the largest procession that I have seen in this coun- try." (From the Messenger of Peace, April, 1879.) William Priest,— one of the most polished and eloquent min- isters in Missouri) and for some years moderator of Two Eiver Association, was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, March 4, 1808. In 1832 he emigrated to Missouri, and tvvent}'' years after- wards was baptized into the fellowship of Flint Hill (Old School) Baptist Church, Pulls County. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in August, 1853, by Elds. C. L. Turner, Wm. Davis and T. P. Rogers. For 20 years before his baptism he had entertain- ed a hope in Christ. Eld. Priest is a man of very superior intellect. He is a self- made man, having received a very limited edu.cation in the schools, but from close application all his mature years he has acquired efficiency in the j^rinciiDles of government, law, physic, theology and the sciences. His whole life has been one contin- ued series of sacrifices for the benefit of those around him. He is eminently a Christian gentleman, and has filled several prom- inent offices of the state — once a member of the senate, also of the late constitutional convention. For the past 25 years he has LITTLE PINEY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 433 beenthepastor of Flint Hill, North Fork and Bear Creek Church- es, and a portion of the time of Palmyra. Mr. Priest is an emi- nent minister in his denomination. PERIOD FIFTH. 1840-1850. CHAPTER I. LIBEETT AND OTHER ASSOCIATION'S. When Organized — "WTien the Weak Are Strong — Baptist Camp-meetings — Plan of Missions — The Communion Question — Knapp's Treatise — Biographies- of William Tatum — Henry Akard — Evangelists — The Agency System — Results — General lle- vival Interests — Unites with The Sac River Association — Mt. Pleasant, Greenfield, Slagle Creek, Friendship, and Springfield Churches — Sac River Associatiox — Organization — Appellation — Anti-^Mission Proclivities — Elijah Williams — Revivals — Union Association — Novel Method of Forming — W. F. Spillman — B. Buckner — Mission to the Cherokees — Kansas Applies for Help — Division of the Association — War Troubles — Reorganization — Secession — Change of Name to Springfield Association — Greene County Association — i\.nother Sac River Association — New Prospect Association. THE Liberty Association of United Baptists was organized by messengers from Mt, Pleasant, Enon, Providence, Turkey Creek and Cedar Cburches, assembled in convention on the Sd and 5th days of May, 1840. Rev. Wm. Tatum vras moderator, and James Gilmore clerk. The convention adopted a constitu- tion and articles of faith, after which it adjourned to meet in regular session the next September. The first annual session of Liberty Association was held at Turkey Creek, Polk County, commencing September 25, 1840. Two new cburches were added to the list above, making 7 in all, situated in the counties of Polk, St. Clair and Greene, hav- ing a membership of 112. A small beginning, indeed, but the few are strong wbcn tbe Lord of Hosts is on their side. So it was demonstrated in the history of this association. Elds. Wm. Tatum, D. R. Murphy and Brethren Obadiah Smith and James Gilmore were among tbe leaders at this time. At the second annual meeting, 1841, held at Providence, Polk County, Sac River and Coon Creek Churches were received into the association, having been recently constituted. Correspond- ing messengers were present from Sj)ring River and Concord Associations. Baptist camp-meetings were somewhat fashion- able in that day, and the association agreed to hold one at the LIBERTY AND OTHKR ASSOCIATIONS. 435 time and place of her next session. This custom grew out of the fact, in part, that very few communities were ];5repared to enter- tain the crowds that attended these meetings. The churches were requested to send up funds to the next association to sup- port home missions. Messengers from 15 churches assembled on the 4th Saturday in September, 1842, at Cumberland Camp Ground, near Provi- dence, Polk County, and held the third annual session. A very considerable revival influence had passed over the association- al field, and 138 baptisms were reported at this meeting as a part of the fruits. The aggregate membership iiad increased to 888. The following plan of missions was adopted: '^Resolved, That we appoint five members of this body, to be known and styled ' The Board of Home Missions,' .... which shall be vested with power to manage all missions in the bounds of this association, subject to the following rules and regula- tions." There were in all eight rules, the second of which said : " The board shall, in no instance, incur a greater expense than it has funds to meet." The board of missions consisted of E. M, Campbell, A. Mor- ton, U. L. Southerland, W. Heraldson and C. Dozenberry. In 1843 the association met at Cedar Church, St. Clair County. This year and the lust the following new churches were admitted into the union, viz. : Clear Creek, Friendsliip, Monagan, Pisgah, Union, Blue Springs, Horse Creek, Bethlehem, Greenfield, Flag Spring, Alden and Salem. The entire membership of the asso- ciation was now 614, in all 21 churches, located in Polk, Greene, Dade, St. Clair. Niangua (now Dallas), Pulaski and Camden Counties. To the session in 1844, held at Mt. Pleasant, Greene County, Coon Creek Church sent a query on the subject of communion, to which the following answer was given : ^^ Resolved, That the following be an answer to the query from Coon Creek Church, viz.: We, as a body, do not intend, with our present views, to agree to open communion with pedobap- tists: nevertheless, wo advise our churches to exercise lenity to- ward those who may entertain a different opinion." To counteract open communion sentiments, the association rc- ])ul)lishcd Tvnapp's Treatise on Communion and appended it to her minutes. 436 LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. This vast region of country was traversed in this early day by zealous, self-sacrificing evangelists; revival after revival follow- ed, churches multiplied, and an unusual number of ministers were raised up. The first moderator of this association, and one of her leading ministers, was William Tatum. Eld. William Tatum — was one of the pioneer preachers of Southwest Missouri, having also previously spent twenty-seven years of pioneer ministerial life in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was a native of Guilford County, North Carolina, and was born September 24, 1783. In 1805 he made a profession of religion and soon afterwards commenced preaching in his native state, not long after which he moved to Kentucky and settled in Lo- gan County, some six miles north of Russellville. Here he raised a family of thirteen children, having married before he left North Carolina. Eld. Tatum was a farmer-preacher, laboring hard during the crop season to secure a support for his large and growing fam- ily, and giving himself up to the ministry the balance of the year. 'His labors during most of that period were confined to middle and southern Kentucky, but extended at times into the state of Tennessee. In 1837 he closed his labors in Kentucky, and with his wife and younger children moved to Missouri and settled in Greene County. Soon after this he organized Mt. Pleasant Church, not far from his own home, of which he became pastor, and so re- mained, we think, as long as he was able to preach, and of which he was a member until his death. He was highly esteemed by his brethren, a self-made and a self-sacrificing man, spending much of his later life in sowing the gospel seed among the peo- ple in his adopted state. Large numbers under his ministry were added to the churches both in Kentucky and Missouri. Af- ter he became too feeble to preach, he spent most of his time in reading, meditation and prayer, and died in the hope of a bless- ed immortality on the 26th of January, 1856. Eld. Tatum's ancestors descended through the High Church of England, but his parents were Baptists, and his father a min- ister in that denomination. He has two sons who are Baptist ministers, living in Texas. (Furnished by Lewis F. Tatum, a son, of Greene County, M(j.) Henry Akard, — an old settler in Polk County, Missouri, and for several years a preacher in Liberty Association, was bora LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 437 in Tennessee, August 13, 1813. As he grew up he received such an education as the common schools of his daj' aiforded. In September, 1832, he was married to Miss Lavinia Jones, and soon after, in the same year, moved to Polk County, Missouri. Here, for some ten years, he lived a stranger to God. He was converted and baptized under the ministry of Eld. D. E. Mur- phy, for years one of the leading ministers of that section of the state. From 1844 the Liberty Association moved steadily on, through her ministry, planting and fostering churches, and holding regu- lar sessions as follows: In 1845 at Mt. Zion, Polk County; in 1846 at Enon, Polk County; in 1847 at Sac River; in 1848 at Cedar Church, Cedar County ; in 1849 at Mt. Pleasant, Greene County; in 1850 at Mt. Zion, Polk County; in 1851 at Union Creek Church, Greene County ; in 1852 at Liberty, Greene Count}'; in 1853 at Brush Grove, Polk County; in 1854 at Mt. Pleasant, Hickorj- County; and at Enon again in 1855. The custom of holding camp-meetings was continued from year to year as long as the association existed in its present form and name. In 1846 an effort was made to unite this and Sac River Association, B. Buckner, H. Akard, Wm. Tatum and others being appointed a committee for that purpose; but the effort failed. Seven churches were dismissed in 1848 to form a now association, which was so done, and the new fraternity was called " Cedar Association." At the meeting in 1849 it elected by private ballot. Elds. S. L. Beckleyand W. B. Senter as evangelists, and authorized them to take up collections wherever they thought necessary. The following year was one of marked progress, 80 converts being added to the churches by baptism. The session of 1853 appointed five camp-meetings with as many different churches, selecting from three to six ministers to attend each meeting. Glorious results followed these efforts in the way of conversions, the work continuing far beyond the next meeting. At this session the association appointed a col- lecting agent with powers, privileges and duties as follows: ^^Resolced, That it is the duty of this association to appoint a traveling agent to travel and preach, to take up public and pri- vate collections for missionary purposes and pa}' over to some one appointed to settle with him ; and that the said agent shall be allowed $250 for his compensation provided he collect that much, the overplus to go into the hands of the treasurer of the 438 LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. association, provided there be any, for missionary purposes, and E. M. Campbell is appointed said treasurer." Eld, B. McCord Roberts was elected as said traveling agent for the year 1854. This system of traveling agents gave new life to the missionary work of the association, as the contributions to her benevolent work will show. §210 were reported in the treasury at the ses- sion in 1855, the like of which had not before been known in that country. The minutes of 1855 make the following exhibit of the state of the work : churches, 20 ; baptisms, 283 ; aggregate member- ship, 1,140. This year, by agreement, the association united with Sac Elv- er Association and formed Union Association, for an account of which see history of said association. SAC KIYER ASSOCIATION. The oldest records of Sac River Association which we have are for 1850, which was the eighth annual meeting. This would carry the organization of this body back to 1842. Our corres- pondent from Greene County, Eld. A. C. Bradley, says: " The Sac River Association was organized, or held its first session, with Pleasant Hill Church. There were 4 churches rep- resented: Pleasant Hill, Union and Crisp Prairie in Polk Coun- ty, and Mount Pisgah in Dade County. Eld. T. J. Kelly was elected moderator, and Nelson McDowell clerk. Both are dead." Herstyle of address was " Sac River Association of United Bap- tists." The session of 1850 (8th annual) was at Mt. Pisgah Church, Dade County. From her organization until then (eight years) only two churches. Bear Creek and Sinking Creek, had been received ; which made six churches in all, with 217 members. Eld. D. R. Murphy says that this association was considered anti-mission- ary. Confirmatory of this statement are the following facts : 1st. Up to this time correspondence had been kept up with the Salem Association, which was avowedly opposed to the mission- ary enterprise. 2d. Eld. Burrow Buckner, who for a time entertained senti- ments antagonistic to missions, was for some time identified with this association. At this date (1850) Elds. Elijah Williams, T. J. Kelly, Josiah Stogsdill and Burrow Buckner were the ministers. Elijah Williams. — In his younger days Elijah Williams was a schoolmate of the late Eld. D. R. Murphy, to whom we are in- debted for the facts in this sketch. LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 439 Mr. Williams was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and in an early day moved to Missouri with Ins fatlicr. The next we know of him, says Mr. Murphy, was in the spring of 1840, when he was both a man of family and a Baptist minister. He lived on a farm, and was a man of industrious and economical habits, and was successful in providing a comfortable living for his fam- ily. He was a co-worker with Eld. T. J. Kelly in organizing churches and then of forming the Sac River Association. In the ninth annual session of the Sac River Association, held at Crisp Prtiirie, Polk County, in September, 1851, messengers were present representing 9 churches, four of which, viz.: Slagle Creek, Liberty Hill, Grassy Hollow and Greenfield, had been received this year. Several of the churches had enjoyed reviv- als, and 98 baptisms were reported to the association. The minutes of 1852 indicate less of prosperity — only 18 bap- tisms and one new church. Prospect, Greene County. In none of the records of this community do we find any references to ministerial education, missions, or any kindred institutions. By the year 1855, when 9 churches sent messengers to Bear Creek Church in Polk County, the numerical strength had in- creased to 628. This year 85 baptisms were reported. This was the last meeting of the vSac River Association, it having received and accepted a proposition from the Liberty Association to form a union of the two bodies. UXION ASSOCIATION. The Union Association was formed in 1855 by the Liberty and the Sac River Associations, both of which occupied the same ter- ritory. The organization was accomplished in a somewhat singu- lar manner. In 1855 Liberty Association adopted the following: "Took into consideration the propriety of making an overture of union with Sac River Association, and appointed the follow- ing brethren, J. B. Callaway, J. E. B. Justice, James Bradley, John Crain and E. M. Campbell as a committee to meet Sac River As- sociation at her next sitting and present to her consideration the following resolves: " Be it Resolved, That the said committee shall set forth the rea- sons why we think Liberty and Sac River Associations ought to unite, making of the two one association, viz.: 1st. That they both occupy a portion of the same territory; 2d. That the boundary of the two is not too large for one ; 3d. And more than all, it will remove the appearance of a difference when in reality there is none. 440 LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. "Beit Furthermore Ri'.iiolrcd, That provided Sac Eiver Association shall accede to said proposition, the said committee is hereby au- thorized to pronounce the union consummated, and to propose the •word 'Union' as the name of the new association." This was in September. In the following month the Sac Eiv- er Association met and responded as follows : " We, the Sac Eiver Association, agree to the proposition made by the Liberty Association, through their committee. Elds. Cal- laway, Bradley and Justice, to unite and form one association of the two, to be called ' Union Association f and further, " It is agreed that the churches of Sac River Association be advised to send their letters and messengers to 'Union Associa- tion,' to be held with the Mt. Pleasant Church, Greene County, the fourth Saturday in September, 1856." Thus was consummated the organization of "Union Association." In harmony with the foregoing agreement the Union Associa- tion held its first annual meeting at Mt. Pleasant, Greene Coun- ty, in September, 1856, when letters and messengers were pres- ent from 35 churches, which reported a membership of 2,102. This was now certainly the largest association in Southwest Mis- souri. Her churches were scattered over the counties of Polk, Greene, Dade, Hickory, Webster, Dallas, Laclede and Lawrence. B. McCord Roberts was elected moderator; 200 baptisms were reported and over $800 for missionary purposes. The associa- tion retained the appellation of "United Baptists." The following ministers were embraced in the new organiza- tion: E. Williams, J. and A. C. Bradley, W. F. Spillman, T. J. Kelley, S. S. Beckley, H. H. Williams, J. H. Tatum, J. Kennon, W. B. Senter, J. F.Wheeler, G. B. Mitchell, and, we think, Burrow Buckner. W. F. Spillman — was an active servant of Christ for several years in the bounds of this association. He was a native of Ten- nessee, the son of Thomas and Frances Spillman, and was born March 5, 1821. From boyhood he spent a number of years in Allen County, Kentucky, where, in 1840, he was converted, uni- ted with the Bethlehem Baptist Church, and was soon after or- dained by Elds. Zechariah Emberson and Thomas Scribner. His removal to and settlement in Polk County, Missouri, oc- curred in the year 1854. He became a member of Mt. View Church, and in Polk and surrounding counties spent seven years of faithful and useful labors in the ministry, and terminated his life June 5/1862. LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 441 Burrow Buckner* — spent some years in Missouri as a gospel builder. He was uncle to Rev. 11. P. Buckner, the missionary to the Indians. Mr. Buckner was born in Lawrence District, South Carolina, in 1796, and under parental care grew up a far- mer's boy in East Tennessee, where his father, Henry Buckner, had moved in an early day. His education was, almost of neces- sity, limited. He was led to the Cross at the age of 19 years, and seven years after entered the ministry and became a mission- ary, under his own appointment, to the Cherokee Indians, in northern Georgia and southern Tennessee. Here he soon gath- ered a church of the natives, preaching mainly at such times as the labors of the farm would permit him. His removal to Missouri occurred in 1840 or '41, occasioned by the emigration of the Cherokee nation from Georgia to their present home. For a time after he came to Missouri, he held what was then called anti-mission views, but was convinced of his error, and was for some 20 years a useful minister of the New Testament in Sac Eiver, Liberty, Spring River and afterwards Union Association. His forte was in exhortation, in which he greatly excelled. In fact, when aroused, he had few equals. He was also regarded as an excellent disciplinarian both in his fam- ily and in his churches. In this he was truly a bishop. In August, 1861, having gone to the blacksmith-shop to get his horse shod for the purpose of going to the association, he was suddenly stricken with apoplexj^ and died before his wife could reach him. The wife of his early life, Mrs. Matilda Buckner, survived him, and was, we think, in 1875, living in Dade County, Mo. Tradition says: "All the Buckners of the United States descended from three English brothers named Benjamin, Jesse and John, who came to America in colonial daj^s. John, the middle brother, moved to Georgia in 1792. They were all large men, having large ears, high cheek bones, large blue eyes and hair black and straight. All of them became Baptists ; Benjamin was a minister, and all became fathers of large families." (Eld. H. F. Buckner, of Muskogee, Indian Territory.) The following is a record of Union Association up to 1860. In 1857 the session was held at Freedom, Polk County; in 1858, at Pisgnh, Dade County; in 1859, at Sinking Creek, Dade County; and in 1860 at Mt. Zion in Polk County. At the meet- ing in 1857 a letter was received from a small Baptist community * From Daniel Buckner, a brother, of Paris, Tex:ie, and II. P. Buckner. 442 LIBERTY* AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. in Kansas Territory, asking that a minister visit and organize them into a church. A committee, appointed thereon, reported that the subject was "worthy of consideration and liberal pa- tronage." The association continued the missionary plan of last year and apjDointed an executive board to employ missionaries. The board consisted of John Grain, Jas. P. Thompson, John Slagle, Charles Bunch and E. M. Campbell, who were instructed to employ two missionaries, instead of one, and send them to the destitute parts of the association. Amount of funds on hand for missions $333.20; baptisms reported, 233; members, 2,320. By the 3'ear 1858 the association had grown to 43 churches, the same number of ministers and 2,646 members. At this session, a committee having been appointed on the subject, reported that it was expedient to divide the association as follows : "Beginning at Springfield, thence to Enon Church in Polk County; thence to Brush Grove Church; thence north to the northern line of said association; the churches on said line to have choice as to which association they will belong to; the western association to retain the name and constitution, and the eastern one to form a constitution for themselves." The division left only 17 churches in Union Association, with 1,048 members. The treasurer's report shows $115.50 as having been expended for all associational missionary purposes. Two new churches were admitted to membership in 1860 — Bolivar and Zion Hill. The entire Southwest being overrun with troops, both Federal and Confederate, no meetings were held in 1861 and '62. A small number of messengers from Mt. Pleasant, Asher Creek, Turkey Creek and Mt. Pisgah Churches met in convention at Turkey Creek, Polk County, August, 1863, and organized an association, calling it " Union," after the old name. " This," says Judge Nel- son McDowell, the moderator of the convention, "was consider- ed a reorganization of old Union Association." The sessions were, however, numbered from 1863. The numerical strength of the association in 1864 was no more than 265, and there were onl}- two ordained ministers — J. E. B. Justice and Thomas J. Kelley. In 1865 the meeting was held at Asher Creek Church, Greene County, at which time the records exhibit a decrease of 14 dur- ing the year. This decline was owing doubtless, in part, 1st. To a spirit of revenge and bloodshed that prevailed at this time LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 443 throughout this section of the state; and, 2d. To the fact that at the meeting in 1863 or '64 the association, under excitement, placed a clause in her constitution in the following language : " Resolved, That we are opposed to secession in every shape and form, and that we will not fellowship an}' church that holds members who are secessionists, and churches should not hold nor admit members who are secessionists." Regular meetings were held in 1866 at Mt. Pleasant Church, G-rcene County, and in 18G7 at Mt. Pisgah, Polk County. The session in 1868 was at Mt. Zion, Polk County. Up to this time, since the war, only 8 churches had been enrolled, having an ag- gregate membership of 690, The ministerial list had been en- larged by the names of M. G. Conn, A. C. Bradley, J. Kennon and Geo. Kline. At this meeting, by a vote of 16 to 6, the fore- going sectional clause in the constitution was abolished, and the following inserted in its stead : "We believe that the Scriptures teach that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscien- tiously honored and obeyed ; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the kings of the earth." A Sunday-school convention was organized this year with Eld. Geo. Kline as president and J. D. Bicknell as secretary, which for a time did a commendable work in promoting Sunday- schools in the bounds of the association. The association met at the First Baptist Church, Springfield, in October, 1869. Received two new churches, viz.: Friendship and Thornhill ; making 10 in all, with a membership of 769 — 85 having been added by baptism. At this meeting the name of the association was changed from " Union" to SPIilNGFIELD ASSOCIATION. This change was made because there were at the time three Union Associations in the state. In 1870 the prefix " United " was dropped. During this and the previous year the asso- ciation raised for its own expenses and missionary purposes nearly 88,000. The minutes from 1870 to 1873 indicate only a moderate degree of prosperity, only one church. Pleasant View, having been received during that time. The aggregate member- ship in 1873 was 817. This year the following was adopted : " Resolved, That the association grant as msLT\y of the churchas of this body as wish to do so, the liberty of going into a county 444 LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. association." After the transaction of one or two other business items, the association adjourned without time, place or preacher for the next meeting. A part of the churches which had com- posed Springfield Association met in the fall of 1873 and formed GEEENE COUNTY ASSOCLiTION. *'The residue of the churches," says Rev. A. C. Bradley, " met in 1874 at Turkey Creek Church, in the name of Springfield As- sociation, and changed to the old name of Sac River Association. This body, in 1876, embraced the following chiirches: Asher Creek and Thornhill in Greene County ; Mt. Zion, Pleasant Ridge and Turkey Creek in Polk County; and Pleasant View in Dade County ; with a membership of 385. This year it was agreed to consolidate with New Prospect Association, whose churches were situated mostly in Greene and Polk Counties. The consol- idation was accomplished in October of the same year through Eld. Geo. Long, at the session of the last named association. For a further account of this transaction see history of Xew Pros- pect Association in Period Seventh of this book. Wg shall follow, as the successor of Springfield and Union As- sociations, the Greene County Association. Its churches are mostly, if not wholly, situated in Greene County. The object in its formation was, if possible, to secure harmony among those churches which were dissatisfied at the change of name from Union to Springfield in 1869. The formal organization of the Greene County Association occurred at Friendship in the fall of 1873. In 1877 this fraternity had grown to 15 churches and an aggregate membership of 1,102. Among the ministers at that time were B. McCord Roberts, J. S. Buckner, G. B. Mitchell, Jas. D. Biggs, J. E. B. Justice, G. W. White and James P. Aikin. Foreign and domestic missions received a hearty support at the hands of the ministers and members of this association. In 1879 there were 17 churches, 12 ministers and 1,380 mem- bers. The meeting was held at Slagle Creek Church, Polk Coun- ty. The eighth annual session was at Prospect Church, Greene County, September 30, 1880. Rock Prairie Church, Polk Coun- ty, was the place of meeting September 29, 1881. Twenty church- es are on the roll, all of which save three sent messengers. To- tal membership 1,497. The oflficers were J. S. Buckner, moder- ator; J. H. Garnett, clerk; and C. F. Corum, treasurer. Number of ordained ministers, 24; licentiates, 11. A Treatise on the Lord's Supper, by Eld. Peter Brown, was appended to the min- utes. It was searching, concise and scriptural. LIBERTY AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 445 Mount Pleasant Church. — This is one of the older churches in the Greene County Association, having been organized in January (third Saturday), 1838, by David Coffman, J. Gilmore and Elijah Williams, with 14 members. Its location is in Greene County, twelve miles northwest of Springfield. The first pastor was AVilliam Tatum, who continued fifteen years, and was suc- ceeded by E. Williams. George Wilson was pastor in 1882, the church numbering 102 members. Greenfield, — the county seat of Dade County, was once a member of Springfield Association. The church here was organ- ized July 1, 1843, with 7 members, by Brantley Wright and S. Liles, the former of whom was elected first pastor. Slagle Creek. — I^^umerically this is the strongest church in Greene County Association, having in 1881 206 members, when B. M. Eoberts was the pastor. The date of the organization was not given. This church gave S20.80 for foreign missions, $25 for home missions, and $60 for pastor's salary. Friendship Church. — This church is also in Greene County, fifteen miles northwest of Springfield. It was founded in July, 1843, with 23 constituent members. Its house of worship, re- built in 1870, was a frame, 36x42 feet, and was valued at SI, 000. Eld. AVm. Tatum was the first pastor. B. M. Eoberts was pastor in 1881. Springfield.* — The Baptist church in this city was organized on the second Saturday in July, 1852, by Eld. B. McCord Eob- erts, one of the pion.cer preachers of Southwest Missouri. Mr. Eoberts was for a time apresidingelderin the Methodist church, but a short time before this had become a Baptist. For furth- er notice of him, see Southwest Missouri Convention. In 1861 the church for the first time entered their new house of worship which they commenced to build in 1853. Only a few months after the soldiers took possession of the house for for- age purposes, and no meetings were held from 1861 to 1866. On the 7th of September, 1866, the church was reorganized with 13 members, by Eev. E. Alward. There were eleven con- stituent members in 1852. From that time until 1861 the pas- tors were B. McCord Eoberts, E. Eaton, Geo. White and James Kennon. Since the reorganization in 1866 the following have filled the pastoral office: E. Alward, Charles Whiting, J. C. Ma- ple, J. F. Howard, J. D. Biggs, M. D. Beavan and J. II. Garnett. In 1882 the numerical strength of the church was 120. * From bketch of J. H. Garoett. CHAPTER II. SPEING EIVEE ASSOCIATION. Its Formation — Location — Luusford Oliver — Customs — First Preachers — Novel Pro- ceedings— Revivals — Plan of Missions — Division of the Association — Institution of Learning — War Period, No Meetings — A Wise Action — Second Division — Shoal Creek Association. THE Spring Eiver is emphatically one of the pioneer associ- ations of Southwest Missouri. Its organization took place at a school-house in what was then Barry County, near the pres- ent Mt. Olivet Church, Lawrence County, July 11, 1840, Abram May was moderator and David Guthrie clerk. "Only ten years before this, the first white man, Lunsford Oli- ver, a native of Tennessee, settled in this part of the state. He located in what is now Newton County and had no neighbor within forty miles." (Campbell's Gazetteer of Mo., p. 399.) Five churches, namely, Liberty, Freedom, Peace, Dripping Spring and Friendship went into the organization. The entire membership was 91. The title was " Spring Eiver Association of United Baptists," and owing to an anti-missionary spirit en- tertained by some of the members, a resolution was adopted, agreeing that the cause of missions should be no bar to fellow- ship, and that the subject should not be stirred in the associa- tion, but that each church be left free to think and act as she pleased. (E. J. Dale, clerk of the association.) The first annual session was held in October, 1840, at Liberty Church in Barry County. Abel Lee was chosen moderator; clerk same as in July. In 1841 the session was at Freedom Church, when Mt. Pisgah and Union Churches were admitted with 32 members. Peace Church was the place of meeting in 1842. Mt. Pleasant, Lost Creek, Prosperity and Bethlehem Churches were received with 87 members. This year Eld. Snelling Johnson, messenger from Concord Association, two hundred miles distant, visited the association and preached a missionary sermon which somewhat allayed the anti-missionary spirit. The fourth annual session was held at Dripping Spring Church in Newton County, in 1843. Eld. Greenville Spencer preached the introductory sermon. This man (though uneducated) was a SPRING RIVER ASSOCIATION. 447 power in the bounds of the association, and was moderator from 1844 until his departure for Texas in 1855. The meeting in 1843 was not much more than an annual reunion, but little business having been transacted. Saturday and Sabbath were wholly de- voted to preaching; Friday and Monday to the hearing of the letters from the churches and receiving messengers from and ap- pointing messengers to corresponding associations. From Con- cord Association three correspondents were present, viz.: Elds. Snelling Johnson, K. Scott and E. Taylor; also one from Liberty — Elijah Burch ; and one from Blue Eiver Association — Eld. John Farmer. ''Agreed to set apart the Fourth of July next as a day of fast- ing and prayer to God." "Well done ! Perhaps it were better the day were spent in like manner in this age. There were at this time (1843) eleven churches located in what are now Newton, Jasper, McDonald, Barry and Lawrence Coun- ties. Churches. — Liberty, Friendship, Peace, Freedom, Dripping Spring, Mt. Pisgah, Union, Mt. Pleasant, Lost Creek, Prosper- ity and Bethlehem. Ministers. — G-reenville Spencer, W. H. Farmer, Gr. J. Endicott, Abram May, J. W. Maxey and Samuel Liles. Aggregate membership, 239; baptisms, 38; contributions, 89. The fifth annual meeting was held at Friendship, in Barry County, the first Saturday in October, 1844. Two new churches were added, viz.: Enon and Crane Creek. There had been 106 baptisms, and the membership had increased to 357. One church (Freedom) more than doubled its membership, having added 46 by baptism. For its novelty, we record here the following action taken by the association at its meeting in 1846: ''Appointed Brethren W. II. Farmer, A. Brite, E. F. Pinson Caleb Martin, W. H. Maxey, Basil Lewis, Ellis Neice, Samuel Liles and T. J. Ilolman, to attend at Union Church on the first Friday in January next, and to dissolve said church, if they think it necessary." This, of course, is something new under the sun in relation to Baptist church polity. If any power on earth can dissolve a Baptist church, save the church itself, we should be pleased to witness the operation. A gospel church is the highest ecclesias- tical power known among men. This principle is as old as the Christian era. 448 SPRING RIVER ASSOCIATION. One new church (Shoal Creek) was admitted in 1846, and two in 1847, viz.: Fellowship and Ramah, The total membership was 511, indicating that the Spring River fraternity was an ag- gressive body, even in its youngest days. Still greater evidence of its evangelic character may be seen in the doings of its ninth annual session, at Friendship Church, Lawrence County, in 1848. At this meeting the following was adopted : "Agreed to open correspondence with the Grcneral Associa- tion of United Baptists of the State of Missouri; and that we send Brethren J. F. Pinson and W. H. Farmer as delegates to said Genei'al Association, and recommend the latter to the pa-' tronage of said association as a preacher to ride and preach in the bounds of this association, and that we send the sum of $13.30 to said General Association by the hands of Eld. D. Stites." And again the following resolution was adopted at the same session : "Eesolved, That we recommend to the churches of this associa- tion to take into consideration the propriety of sending two del- egates each to a meeting to be held with Fellowship Church, commencing Friday before the first Sunday in March, 1849, and that each church take up a contribution as thej^ rnay see fit, and send the same to the above named meeting to be disposed of in loosing the hands of some of our ministers to preach in the bounds of this association ; also that each church take action to know if they are willing that the funds now in the hands of the treasurer be used for the same purpose, and that the said dele- gates be authorized to make choice of any minister they may think best as said preacher." (Minutes Spring River Association, 1848, pp. 3, 4.) The table in this year's minutes shows an increase of three new churches, viz.: Elk River, Ozark and Neosho ; and 50 by baptism. The total membership was now 545. J. F. Pinson and A. Davidson were added to the list of ministers. In 1849 one new church, Shady Grove, made application and was received. The revival influence extended over almost the entire association and was fruitful in the baptism of over 150 converts, all of whom were added to the churches. The meeting was held this j^ear with Prosperity Church in Newton County. The convention arranged for last year met at Fellowship Church, took action, and sent a committee to this meeting, the report of which was received; whereupon, " The association agreed to spend the surplus funds now in the SPRING RIVER ASSOCIATION. 449 hands of the treasurer, also the extra contributions sent up by the churches, in employing some one or more ministers to ride and preach in the bounds of the association." In 1850 New Salem and Buck Prairie Churches were admitted into fellowship. The session was held at Peace Church, Jasper County. The custom of meeting on Friday and adjourning on Monday continued ; Saturday and Sunday being spent in preach- ing and other religious exercises. Another missionary convention was appointed to be held the following December with Buck Prairie Church; said convention being empowered to select one or more ministers to ride as itin- erants. The churches were requested to make collections for said purpose, and sent two messengers to the convention. All the churches report baptisms aggregating 69. In 1851 the association met at Neosho. This year she divided her territory into four districts, and appointed in each an execu- tive committee of five to superintend the missionary work. Said committees had power, each one in its own district, to select a missionary for said district, fix his salary, &c. These commit- tees were required to make an annual report of their work to the association. Prospect and Bethpage Churches were admitted into the union this year. The churches reported 80 baptisms. Ag- gregate membership, 846. The thirteenth anniversary was held in 1852 at Shady G-rove Church in Greene County. Applications for membership pre- sented and accepted from the following new churches, viz.: Enon, Carthage and Mt. Zion. For the first time since 1843 the consti- tution and articles of faith appear in the minutes. In 1853 the session was held at Fellowshi}) in Lawrence Coun- ty. The associational boundary now extended over the counties of Newton, Jasper, McDonald, Christian, Stone and Taney, giv- ing rise to the following action : "Took up the request of the churches in regard to a division of the association, and agreed to divide, the line designated to be as follows: commencing at the northern boundary of the as- sociation, and running due south to Arkansas, so as to leave six miles of Lawrence County to the east of said line. The churches west of said line to retain the name of Spring Eiver Association, and those cast of said line to be given letters of dismission " — six in all. These formed what is now Southwest Bethel Association. At this meeting the foundation of an institution of learning was laid in the following language; 29 450 SPRING RIVER ASSOCIATION. ^^ Resolved, That we as an association will establish an institu- tion of learning of a high character, and appoint Brethren N. C. Hood, Joseph W. Ellis, Henry C. Lawler, George Bright and James F. Herrall a committee, whose duty it shall be to present some plan at the next annual meeting of this association, for car- rying out the above object." The plan of districting the association for missionary work was discontinued and there was appointed an executive committee for the entire bounds, consisting of W. H. Maxey, G-eo. Bright, John McMahan, N. Eutledge and John Colley. The churches had 154 accessions by baptism. Friendship, Lawrence County, was the place of meeting in 1854. By a vote of the association the institution of learning was located at or near Neosho, Newton County, and W. H. Farmer was appointed financial agent to collect funds for erect- ing suitable buildings. This did not succeed, and in 1856 the as- sociation proposed to locate the aforesaid high school in what- ever county in its bounds should give the most money to erect buildings, &c. In 1859 the matter was indefinitely postponed ; at the same time the Spring River Association made this proposi- tion to the Union and Bethel (S. W.) Associations, that the three would unite in the building up of such an institution at some point within their bounds. The Union Association responded fa- vorably and appointed a meeting at Springfield, to be held Octo- ber, 1860, to form a constitution and organize an educational board. Further than this we can get no information from the records about this matter. We may hear of this institution again. The association met in 1855 at Freedom Church, Jasper Coun- ty. Indian Creek, Union, Pineville and Sarcoxie Churches had been added since the division in 1853. The total membership had again reached to upwards of 1,100. During the year there were 132 baptisms. The ministerial force had been increased by the following additions: A. Brown, O. Shirtlifi", T. J. Holman, W. B. Taliaferro, S. L. Beaklcy, W. McReynolds, F. J. Olivei: and J. Eobinson. The following resolution was adopted: ^^ Resolved, That we advise the churches of this association to abandon the practice of receiving members from pedobaptists, on their baptism, or from any other unorthodox denomination," In 1856 Limestone Church, Dade County, entertained the asso- ciation. Corresponding messengers were present from Sac Eiver, Cedar and Mt. Zion Associations. The finance committee re- SPEINQ RIVER ASSOCIATION. 451 ported 8103.71 in the treasury. W. H. Farmer rode as mission- ary. Eevivals prevailed in almost all the churches and were fruitful in 246 baptisms. Aggregate membership, 1,347. In 1857 the association met at Prosperity Church, Newton County. The new churches received were as follows: Bethel, Eock Spring, Washburn, Cassville and Newcite in Barr}^ County, and Center Creek in Lawrence County. The association opened correspondence with the ''Baptist Convention of Southern Mis- souri." Contributions on hand, $131.24. Baptisms, 142. Total membership, 1,708. In 1859 Enon, Jasper County, was the place of meeting. Three new churches — Antioch, Elm Spring and Coon Creek — were ad- mitted into the union ; 98 baptisms were reported ; funds on hand, 8205.45; total membership, 1,816. By 1860 the membership had grown to 2,044. The meeting was held with Bethpage Church, McDonald County. (In 1861 mes- sengers were present from only 5 churches out of 27, and no busi- ness of importance was done. The meeting adjourned indefin- itely.) In 1867, upon the joint call of the Elm Spring and Neosho Churches, the association convened with the last named, Septem- ber, 13,1867. We copy from the records as follows: " The body not having met for five years, an hour was spent in prayer and conference, as to the course to be pursued." The committee on credentials reported the enrollment of delegates, by the following resolution, which was adopted : '^ Besolved, That it is the sense and decision of this committee, that each church here represented, located within the bounds of Spring Eiver Association, be entitled to a seat by delegates, pro- vided it has adopted the articles of faith as found in Brown's En- cyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, and that each church be entitled to three votes." It will be remembered that the war had but recently closed, and there was no little sectional feeling in many places. The members of this association were not all exempt from this rule. This fact was fully demonstrated in a request sent by one of the churches to this meeting. It was doubtless a firebrand, but by the prompt, and, we think, wise and discreet action of the asso- ciation, harmony was preserved, and prosperity followed. We give the facts in the language of the records: "Bethel 'Union Baptist' Church, on Lost Creek, presented her letter with the following request : 452 SPRING RIVER ASSOCIATION. "We ask your body to request the different churches compos- ing your body, to request a scriptural acknowledgment of all its members that went into the rebellion. " Whereupon, Brother Freeman offered the following . ^^ Resolved, That we receive the Bethel Church upon her peti- tionary letter and articles of faith. "Adjourned until 9 o'clock, Saturday. "Saturday morning session opened, &c. " Brother II. Ruark called for a division of the question, which consequently was soon disposed of, as follows : " 1. On motion, the church was unanimously received. "2. Resolved, That we affectionately request the Bethel Church, on Lost Creek, to resume the name she formerly held while a member of this body, viz.: 'United Baptist.' " 3. Resolved, That the request of Bethel Church be returned to her." Thus ended a matter that might have rent the association asunder and produced alienation throughout her borders. The association convened with Washbourne Prairie Church, September 18, 1868. The preceding year was one almost unpre- cedented for ingatherings — it was almost Pentecostal. The im- mediate fruit was 464 conversions and baptisms, and the acces- sion of 9 new churches to the association. In 1869 the meeting was held at Freedom Church, Jasper Coun- ty. Another year of revival ; 368 baptisms and 9 new churches indicate the results. In 1870 the session was appointed to be held at Mount Zion Church in Newton County. In 1871 the association met at Elm Springs. It was again found to be too large for convenience, and divided its territory, making the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad the line of division. The name Spring Eiver was retained for the north division. Of the 42 churches now composing the association 20 were retained in the old organization, and 22 formed the " Shoal Creek Asso- ciation," an account of which will be found in another place. Just prior to the division the Spring River Association number- ed 2,220 members. From 1871 to 1881 the association continued its regular ses- sions. In September of the year last named it met at Avilla in Jasper County, and was presided over by Rev. J. M.Wheeler. Six of the 25 churches failed to give full statistics. The total membership of the 19 that did was 1,049. She then had 18 or- SPRINO RIVER ASSOCIATION. 453 dalncd and 7 licensed ministers. The executive board consisted of J. Tol Miller, J. M. Wheeler, M. Williams, E. J. Dale and Simpson Smith. CHAPTER in. NOETH GEAND EIYEE AND OTHEE ASSOCIATION'S. Organization — A Blunder and How Mended — Voluntary Missions — Great Territory — Family Prayer, Circular Letter On — The Colony of Ten Churches — Endorses the Test Oath — Chesley Woodward — "VV. Herron — J. G. Benson — Trenton, Lin- neus, Union, Pleasant Grove, Mt. Nebo, Providence, Liberty, Parson's Creek, Chil- licothe and Mt. Olive Churches — Likn County Association — Liyingston Couk- TY Association — W. W. Walden. IN February, 1841, messengers from three small churches met at the house of Wm. Mabley in Livingston County (another in- formant says at Mr. Culverson's), and organized the North Grand Eiver Association of United Baptists.* The churches were Lo- cust Creek (now Linneus), Carrollton and Salt Creek, the aggre- gate membership of which was about 100. A. D. Eock of Car- Kollton was the moderator, and John G. Flourney was clerk. One article in the constitution read thus : "We will not be known as a missionary or as an anti-missionary association." This sen- timent was prevalent until about the year 1845. This year the Trenton Church, in its letter to the association, sent the follow- ing query: ** What can be done to supply the destitute portions of the association with the preached gospel ?" The subject was discussed kindly and freely, and the conclusion was finally reach- ed that the constitution forbade any action favorable to missions further than to request Eld. A. F. Martin to travel and preach, while the churches were recommended to sustain him. In 1846 the association met at Yellow Creek Church in Linn County. Such had been the development of the missionary spirit under the labors of Eld. Martin and others, that at this session the messengers contributed liberally and employed Eld. Kemp Scott to ride as an itinerant at a salary of $18 a month. He spent much of the year in preaching, and at the session of 1847, held at Zoar Church, Harrison County, he read his report by permis- sion, giving an account of 97 baptisms during the year. These things gave a decisive turn to matters, the aforesaid article was expunged from the constitution by an overwhelming majority, * The facts pertaining to the organization of this body have been furnished by Eld. A. F. Martin and Bro. W. H. Robertson. NORTH GRAND RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 455 and the association took positive ground on the missionary ques- tion, and has been, from that time on, an aggressive, evangelical body. Among the ministers of this institution may be mentioned the names of A. F. Martin, Elijah Merrill, J. M. Goodson, "W. C. Ligon, John Kurl, Thomas Barbee, Kemp Scott, Jesse Goin, Henry M. Henderson, Edward Benson, Paul McCollum, W. W. Walden, L. L. Wellman, W. S. Huff, Z. Goin and H. H. Turner. Numbered with the active laymen in the early days of the asso- ciation, were John and Augustus Flourney, Thomas Barley, William Burt, Frank Preston, Ephraim Huff, Samuel Benson, Edward Benson, William Benson, James G. Benson, Robert Benson, Isaac Henderson, Henry M. Henderson, James E. Mer- rill, James Cash and W, H. Robertson, a number of whom have crossed over the river and rest from their labors. This association has been a prolific institution, having contri- buted to the formation of five other bodies of the same kind, viz. : West Fork, Missouri Valley, Locust Fork, Livingston County and Linn County Associations. It increased in minis- terial and numerical strength, its territory all the while widen- ing, until, in 1854, its boundary extended from the Missouri Riv- er on the south to the Iowa state line on the north. At this time it was composed of the following Churches. — Big Creek, 75; Carrollton, 63; Chillicothe No. 1, 46; Chillicothe No. 2, 57 ; Deep Sjoring, 59; Fairland, 66; Indian Creek, 28; Liberty, 43; Linneus, 116; Little Ridge, 27; Mount Nebo, 47; Mount Pleasant No. 1, 55; Mount Olive, 57; Mount Pleasant No. 2, 41 ; Parson's Creek, 56; Princeton, 69; Provi- dence, 85; Trenton, 154; Ulica, 60; Wyaconda, 49; Yellow Creek, 60 ; Zoar, 47 ; Hurricane, 17 ; and Mount Zion, 23 ; total membership, 1,316. Brethren Goins, Brashear and Scott had labored as mission- aries, reporting about 16 months of labor and 92 baptisms; also great destitution in the extensive bounds of the association. Amount expended for missions was $419.70. In 1855 the fourteenth annual meeting was held atFairland in Livingston County. Three new churches, New Garden, McCros- ky's Creek and De Witt, were admitted into the union. By au- thority of the body, a public collection, amounting to $17.66, was made on Sunday for missions. This year the churches gave for the same purpose $156.15, and individuals $52.50. In 1856 the association met at Carrollton, Carroll County, and 466 NORTH GRAND RiVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. the custom of writing circular letters was revived. This year it was on the subject of " Prayer." Family prayer was special- ly urged. The following paragraph in the circular is noteworthy j " In the primitive ages of the Christian church, when the peo- ple of God were environed by enemies, sympathy and affection drew them together; and, as a common means of defense, they habitually engaged in united, fervent prayer, in answer to v/hieh they were not only often delivered out of the hands of their en- emies, but God answered their prayers by adding to their num- bers such as should be saved. Alas ! how far short of primitive Christianity many of the churches of the present da}^ have fal- len! Then they statedly met, at least weekly, for social wor- ship ; now, many, very many, are the churches which live habit- ually without so much as an effort to revive that ancient order of things. * * * Even a casual observer will easily detect the dif- ference existing between such churches and those who 'forsake not the assembling of themselves together'." Even now the indifference of churches upon this subject is ut- terly astounding. When will the people of God arise to a pro- per conception of their obligations, and learn to meet every Lord's day to worship Him and to study the Scriptures. We have met with no association in which the churches of North Grand Eiver Association have been surpassed in liberality for the cause of Christ. In 1859 the session was held at Linneus. The association now numbered 34 churches and 1,988 members. Contributions, $494.65. In 1860 a colony of ten churches in Carroll County was sent out to form a new association (see Missouri Yalley Association). This year the meeting was held at Princeton, Mercer County. There having been no session held since 1861, the association met August 26, 1865, at Trenton, Grundy Count}', at the request of the church in that place. 13 of the 24 churches failed to send messengers. The aggregate membership of those that reported was 839. Three messengers, viz.: P. McCollum, A. E. Martin and Wm. Ilildreth, were appointed to attend the meeting of the Missouri Baptist State Convention at Palmyra the following September. The association expressed itself thus on the "Test Oath :" ^'Whereas, Questions have arisen in regard to the position we as an association will take with reference to ministers and dea- cons taking the oath as required by the constitution of the state of Missouri, and to leave no doubt as to our position; therefore; NORTH ORAND RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 457 ^'Resolved, That we as an association advise all ministers, dea- cons and trustees within our bounds to comply with the require- ment of said constitution." In 1866 the session was held at Chillicothe. Here a Sunday- school convention was formed which was two years in advance of the state Sunday-school convention. E. J. Scott was the pres- ident and H. H. Turner secretary. Also at this meeting H. H. Turner was ordained to the ministry by an "ecclesiastical coun- cil" composed of the ministers present. In 1868 the association met again at Linneus, and by resolution declared that all moneys raised by public collections should be for associational missions only. In the session of 1871, held at Trenton, a motion prevailed that brethren be requested to make pledges for their churches for the support of home missions. In such cases it was expect- ed that the messengers would pay the amount if the churches failed to do so. It was, however, generally understood that the church was, in honor, bound to pay the amounts. Between the meetings of 1872 and 1873 the most of the church- es in Livingston and Linn Counties, by permission of the asso- ciation, organized new interests, which left only 14 churches in the Xorth Grand Eiver Association. In 1872 Grand Eiver Col- lege was adopted by the association. This body in 1881 aggre- gated 15 churches and 1,221 members. "Chesley AVoodward, — one of the ministers of North Grand Eiver Association, was born in the state of Kentucky in 1799, where he spent his early life. In 1820 he married Miss Elizabeth Blankenship, a few years after which he removed to Indiana and resided there some 19 years, preaching to four and five churches regularly. Thence he moved to Davis County, Iowa, where ho spent some six years dispensing the gospel. From there he mov- ed to Missouri, settled near Cainsville, Mercer Count}', where he labored several years, and then removed to the centre of the county, near Princeton, preaching for that and surrounding churches for a few years, when he located in the eastern part of the county, near Eavanna, of which church he was the beloved pas- tor, and where he finished his earthly race. " Elder Woodward was a faithful sentinel on the walls of Zion, giving forth no uncertain sound, and never disappointing a con- gregation. He leaves two sons in the ministry. " He died at his residence near Eavanna, Mo., early on the first day of the week February 18, 1877, being in the 79th year of his 458 NORTH ORAXl) RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. age, and the 49lh year of his Christian ministry." (From the Minutes of Xorth Grand River Assoeiation, 1877, p. 8.) George "Washington Herron. — This minister of Jesus Christ was a native of Kentucky, born in Henry County, November 21, 1818, and when six years of age with his parents moved to and settled in Decatur County, Indiana. In July, 1835, he was married to Miss Eliza Ann Smith, who died March 3, 1859. He was again married the 25th of the following September to Miss Catherine Burton, and in the year 1869 removed to Waj^ne Coun- ty, Iowa, and ten years afterwards to Grundy County, Missouri. " He was converted and united with the Baptists in his 18th year, entered the ministry in his 25th year and was regarded a faithful worker in the denomination until his death. "On the 11th day of September, 1880, he died at his home near Spickardsville, Grundy County. This was the first day of the meeting of the North Grand River Association, and when the news was received of his death, business was suspended, and the association united in prayer, led by Eld. H. H. Turner." (From the Minvtes of North Grand River Association, 1880, p. 7.) Deacon James G. Benson — was born in 1813, in Worcester Coun- t3% Maryland, where he spent his early life. In the year 1837 he emigrated to and settled iu Grundy County, Missouri, and in 1840 he united with the Trenton Baptist Church, of which he remained a faithful, devoted and consistent member until his death — thirtj^-eight years — during the mostof which time he fill- ed the office of deacon with universal acceptance with his breth- ren. He possessed the Scripture qualification for the deacon's office, viz. : " Of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wis- dom," " holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." He was twice married and left the widow of his second mar- riage and a number of children, several of whom are members of the church. He fell asleep in Jesus at his residence in Tren- ton, on the seventh day of the week, November 23, 1878. (Min- utes N. G. R. Association, 1879, p. 21.) Trenton Baptist Church. — This church, formerly called Wash- ington Baptist Church, was organized in the spring of 1887, un- der a large elm tree one-half mile south of Trenton, on the bank of North Grand River, in whose waters thousands of willing converts have been baptized. Elijah Merrill was the only min- ister present at the organization. He was formerly from Mary- land. This church held aloof from the association for several years, having heard that it was "not sound in the faith." NORTH GRAND RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 459 Carrollton Church. — (The history of this body will be given in the sketch of Missouri Valley Association.) LiNNEUs Church, — (formerly called Locust Creek), was in the organization of the North Grand River Association in 1841, but how long prior to this date it was formed wo have been un- able to ascertain. Its membership in 1878 was 100. Union Church. — This body now meets some six or eight miles north from Chillicothe. It was organized in that town by Elijah Merrill, in 1840, with 10 constituent members. (From the MS. of W. H. Eobertson.) Eld. Merrill filled the pastoral of- fice until 1845, and was succeeded by H. M. Henderson. Pleasant Grove Church, — is situated in Sullivan Co'unty, and was organized October, 1843, of 9 members, by Eld. A. F. Martin, who became the first minister. In 1867 the church built a frame house of worship, 24x36 feet, at a cost of $800. In 1881 the church numbered only 35 members. Mt. Nebo Church. — Eld. A. F. Martin gathered 9 members into an organization with this name, June 25, 1843. The meet- ing place is in Linn County, twelve miles north of Linneus, the county seat. In 1861 this church was broken up, numbering at the time 59 members. It was reorganized in November, 1870, with 19 of the old members, and two years afterwards formed a Baptist Sunday-school. The first pastor was Alton F. Martin. Providence. — On the 1st of September, 1844, this church was formed by H. M. Henderson, with 9 members. It was at first in Grundy County, but is now in Mercer. Ira Blakely became their first minister, and so continued twelve years. In 1870 it met in a school-house. Liberty Church — was organized by Edward Benson, August 2, 1846, who became at once the pastor. The church worships in a frame house, 35x40 feet, erected in 1856 at a cost of $500, and is situated near Alpha, Grund}" County. Our correspond- ent, W. H. Robertson, is a member of this church. It is among the larger churches in the association, numbering 131 members in 1881. Parson's Creek Church, — ten miles southwest of Linneus, Linn County, first met as a church in June, 1847, having com- menced with 7 members. It has a commodious house of wor- ship, built in 1858, which cost $1,150. This body now belongs to the Linn County Association, Chillicothe. — "What is now called the First Baptist Church, Chillicothe, was organized on the fourth Sunday in March, 1848^ 460 NORTH GRAND RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. by Elds. Kemp Scott and W. W. Walden. 13 members were in the organization. Eld. Walden became their minister, and so continued ten years. His successors have been S. A. Beau- champ, J. B. Fuqua, Wm. ITildreth, Jas. S. Green and Gr. W. Eog- ers. This church is now in the Livingston County Association, and had a membership of 151 at the date of our last inform- ation. Mount Olive.— On the 8th of June, 1849, Eld. Kemp Scott formed this church. Eight persons signed the covenant. The first pastor was Jesse Groin, for nine years, and he was then suc- ceeded by A. F. Martin. In 1871 it had an unfinished frame church edifice, 30x40, then valued at $400. It is in Linn Coun- ty, belongs to the association of that name, and has 190 mem- bers, being the largest in the association. LINN COUNTY ASSOCIATION. The Linn County Baptist Association is an offshoot of the North G-rand Eiver Association, having been organized of church- es dismissed from that body November 2, 1872. The meetingfor this purpose was held at Linneus. The following were the con- stituent churches: Linneus, New Garden, Parson's Creek, Mt. Olive, North Salem, Pleasant Grove and Mt. Nebo. Two others (Ebenezer and Grove Hill) came into the union at the first regu- lar meeting. The entire membership of these churches was 538. The constitution and rules of decorum of the mother association were adopted, after changing the name in Art. 1 of the constitu- tion. As an expression of its faith the association adopted the New Hampshire confession as found in the Encyclopedia of Relig- ious Knowledge. The first anniversary was held at Linneus, commencing Sept. 27, 1873, when Eld. A. F. Martin preached the opening sermon from John 18 ; 36: " My kingdom is not of this world." Eld. A. F. Martin was elected moderator, J. M. Cornett treasurer, and L. E. Martin clerk. The ministers were A. F. Martin, Jesse Goin, Z. Goin, L. Wellman and E. J. Scott. Licentiates: John Walkup, William Burt, S. S. Childers, L. D. Lamkin, J. M. P. Martin and L. E. Martin. At this session, on Sunday, the 28th, a district Sunday-school convention was organized by electing W. D. Crandall, Jr., pres- ident, John Hawlins, secretary, and W. S. McClanahan, treasur- er, and one vice-president in each church. Also, on Monday, the last day of the session, a ministers' and deacons' conference was formed and agreed to meet ou the day preceding the next an- NORTH GRAND RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 461 nual meeting of the association. The object of the conference was the mutual edification of one another, by an interchange of sentiments in essay's, discussions, &c. In 1*^76 the association met at Browning, when one now church (Bethel) was received. The fifth anniversary (1877) was held with New Garden Church, Brookfield. Two churches (White Oak Hill from Mt. Pleasant Association and Meadvillc, organized March 4, 1877) applied for membership and were received at this meeting. This increas- ed the number of churches to 14. Baptisms during the year 134; receipts, $84.70 ; total membership, 1,085. In 1878 the meeting was at Yellow Creek Church, with the us- ual order of business. The strength of the association in 1879 was some less than it was two years before, being 975, but the number of churches was the same — 14. LR^INGSTON COUNTY ASSOCLVTION. Pursuant to an action of the North Grand Eiver Association, and of churches dismissed from that body, the Livingston Coun- ty Baptist Association was organized at Chillicothe in the fall of 1872. Constituent churches: Chillicothe, Mount Pleasant, Har- mony, Zion, Union and Wheeling — all in Livingston County. Aggregate membership, about 650. The third meeting irf 1875 was also held at Chillicothe, when the Fairland, Utica and Dawn Churches withdrew from the Missouri Valley Association and united with this. The ministers in the organization were F. M. Wadley, James Turner and W. W. Walden. The fourth anniversary was held at Utica, commencing Sep- tember 15, 1876. Farmersville Church made application and was received. There were now 11 churches and 905 members. Contributions to the association fund, $173.70. They agreed to adopt Grand Kivcr College, and appointed W. T. Harper a mem- ber of the board of trustees of said institution. The missionary work was committed to an executive board consisting of Robert Filby, W. S. Morgan, A. S. Cloud, J. K. Stone and John S. Har- per, together with an agent in each church. The Mt. Pleasant Church entertained the fifth session in Sep- tember, 1877. Eleven churches sent messengers representing a constituency of 916. Receipts, $98.10. In the minutes of this meeting we find published a permanent order of business in lieu of the annual ap])()intment of a commit- tee of arrangements. This is a method of work desirable in all 462 NORTH GRAND RIVER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. institutions of this kind. This movement was inaugurated by J. J. Felts, a minister then late from Kentucky. In 1878 the association met with the Dawn Church. Officers: "W. W. Walden, moderator; W. T. Harper and I. K. M. Beeson, clerks. Pastors: E. M. Eichardson, J. J. Felts, W. W. AYalden, I. E. M. Beeson, James Turner, B. Eobinson, A. Hunt and N. M. Allen. The seventh annual meeting (1879) was held at Union Church. Only 10 churches reported, the numerical strength of which was 955. Intense earnestness was manifested throughout the proceed- ings in all the objects for which Baptists meet together to pray and labor; such as home missions, foreign missions, Bible cause, Bible schools, denominational literature and schools and colleges. Considering its strength and its facilities, this association is doing a good work in the defense and promotion of a pure faith. William W. Walden. — This brother stands among the oldest native Missouri Baptist ministers, having been born in Howard Countj^, January 19, 1823. He is of Scotch and Welsh ancestry. He was converted in 1838; was married June 1, 1843, and the following 3^ear moved to Livingston County. He and his wife were constituents of the Fairland Baptist Church, Livingston County, in 1847, and the year after, by the same church, was li- censed and then ordained as a gospel minister. He emphatically founded the Baptist church at Chillicothe, and has given his life to the building up of Baptist interests in that section of Missouri, having been pastor of Fairland, Chillicothe, Parson's Creek, Union, Liberty, Linneus, Mt. Olive, Hurricane, Ebenozer, Mead- ville and Chariton Churches, the last named in his native coun- ty. One element in his success has been the keeping of his churches well disciplined and united. Though almost 60 years old his zeal is unabated in his Master's cause. CHAPTER IV MOUNT ZION AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. How Mt. Zion Originated — When Formed — Sweeping Condemnation of the Mission- ar}' Enterprise — Henry Avery, Arrival in Missouri — John Warder, the Pioneer of Lafayette County — Platte Kiver Association of "Regular" Baptists — "Nodaway Association — Osage Association of Baptists. THE origin of Mount Zion Association is due to a division in the Blue River Association on the missionary question in 1841, an account of which has been given in the history of the last named body. Four churches, viz. : Big Sniabar, Mt. Zion, Mt. Pleasant and Bethlehem, and majorities from Big Blue and Little Blue, met at Mt. Zion, the fourth Saturday in March, 1842, formed the Mount Zion Association, and took the name "Regu- lar Baptists." The ministers were John Warder (the moderator), Gr. Fitzhugh and Henry Avery. The association declared non-fellowship for all churches that gave countenance to what they called "benevolent institutions, such as Bible societies, missionary societies and kindred agen- cies." The following is her own language on the subject: "In order that our brethren and the community in general may know what we believe in regard to those modern institutions that now exist — " 1st. This association believes that all societies or combina- tions of men, professing for their object the promotion of God's kingdom and the spiritual good of man (except the church of Christ and civil government) are unauthorized by the word of God and are a fruitful source of contention and strife, — such as foreign and domestic missionary societies, Bible and tract socie- ties, Sabbath schools, state conventions, &c. ; all of which we be- lieve are unscriptural and anti-Christian in their origin, opera- tion and tendency. "2d. As such, we will not fellowship them, nor admit to our church privileges any that belong to them." (Minutes Mt. Zion Association, 1859, p. 12.) Relative to the above we submit two questions: 1st. How docs civil government promote the spiritual good of men? * 464 MT. ZION AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 2d. Is there not as much Bible authority for the existence of missionary societies as there is for Baptist associations? Coming from an association, for which no one can claim any direct Bible authority, are not such denunciations as the forego- ing ill-timed and unaccountable? One by one, such churches as were in sympathy with the non- aggressive and non-fellowshipping policy, united with the asso- ciation, until there had been connected with it in all eighteen churches, situated in the counties of Johnson, Lafayette, Jackson, Cass, Bates, Benton and Henry. Its faith was, in the main, in harmony with the great Baptist family, but its policy was withering and blighting, as may be seen from its records. The minutes of 1859 are upon our table. They are contained in a pamphlet of 12 pages, and give the following summary: Churches. — Big Sniabar, Mt. Zion, Sardis, Bethlehem, Virginia Grove, Walnut Branch, Muddy Fork, Charity, Oak Grove and Freedom. These churches reported no more than three baptisms and a total membership of 171. Contributions, $10.50. Ministers. — Joseph Warder, Wm. C. Garrett, Martin Corder and James Teague. At that time the association corresponded with Fishing Eiver, Mt. Pleasant (Old School), Nodaway and Salem Associations. From the MS. of Eld. Joseph Warder, the moderator, we learn that of the 18 churches once belonging to Mt. Zion Association, two have joined Creek Association; one. Cold Spring, went to Fishing Eiver, subsequently withdrew, and now belongs to no association; Dry Wood united with Turkey Creek Associa- tion ; Bethlehem and Sardis consolidated; Big Blue and Mount Pleasant dissolved; and Mt. Zion was dropped; which leaves nine churches in the association now, with a membership of from three to four hundred, and six ordained and three licensed min- isters. Henry Avery.* — When the Blue Eiver Association was rent asunder in 1841, Henry Avery was one of the three preachers that took ground against missions and went into another organ- ization. He was born in Eoane County, Tenn., October 18, 1793, and was raised a farmer. He married Miss Elizabeth Greene when he was about 21 j'ears old, and raised a family of four sons and two daughters. Messrs. A. C. and J. M. Avery of the First Baptist Church, Clinton, Mo., are sons of his. * Abridged from the Mb. furuiblacd by the uou, A. C. Avery, of Chnton, Mo. MT. ZION AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 465 In 1830 he emigrated to Missouri. Spending a season in St. Louis County, he continued his course westward, raised a crop in Morgan County, and thence moved to what is now Henry Count}^ in the fall of the same year. He was one of the pioneers to this county, being among the first emigrants. He built the first hewed log-house ever erected in the county, in which Hon. Chas. Allen, of Palmyra, held the first circuit court in the coun- ty, in 1834. Henry Avery became a Baptist in 1826, in Tennessee, having united with Big Fork Church. He became one of the constitu- ent members of High Point Church, Johnson County, in 1832, by which church he was ordained a preacher in the following spring, by Elds. J. Warder, J. White, Thos. Ricketts and Wm. Simpson. From this time, until his death, though called an Old School Baptist, he was a great missionary, working hard on his farm most of the time, and spending often from Friday until Monday preaching the gospel in all the surrounding country without fee or reward; going at times as far east as St. Louis, and west, far beyond the state limits, and preaching to the Indians. Through industry and strict economy he gained a competen- cy. His house was the home of many a weary traveler; and in it elections, court and preaching were held for many years. He held a public debate with Eld. Joshua Page, a Campbellite, in Henry Count}', the first, perhaps, held so far out west at that date (1842). He had a good English education, was a very su- perior penman, and when a young man taught school. His preaching was pathetic, persuasive, earnest. The great theme with him was Christ. He dwelt upon this. On the last Sunday next preceding his final illness, this was his theme. He preached at Salem Church, and something very remarkable about the occasion was, that every member of the family was present. His text was, *' Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him, &c." Soon after this he was j^rostratcd with bilious fever, ter- minating in congestion, of which he died September 26, 1845. The scene around his death-bed was truly an affecting one, says an eye-witness. His family were standing around him, and for the last time ho spoke to each of his children and pointed them to the Savior of sinners. He sent a number of affecting messages to his ministerial brethren and others with whom he had been intimate as a colaborer. The last words he was heard to utter were, " I have fought a good fight," and finishing the sentence he sweetly fell asleep. 30 466 MT. ZION AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. John Warder, — a minister of decided strength of character and influence, emigrated to Missouri in the year 1825, settling in Lafayette County, soon after which he united by letter with the Big Sniabar Baptist Church, then a member of the Fishing Eiv- er Association. Here he remained until the organization of the Blue River Association in 1834, when his church became a con- stituent member of that institution. In 1836 he was elected mod- erator of Blue Eiver Association, and so continued by re-elec- tion until the split on missions. When the heated controversy came up on this question in the association last named, Mr. War- der and his church, with three other churches, and parts of two others, withdrew and formed the Mt. Zion Association of Regu- lar Baptists, in 1842. Eld. Warder Was elected moderator of this fraternity and so continued from year to year, as long as he was able to attend its meetings. In June, 1825, he was called to the pastoral office in Big Snia- bar Church, which relation he sustained until his death, which occurred late in the year 1858. This church aided at diflerent times in the formation of three associations : first of Fishing Riv- er in 1823; then of Blue River in 1834; and finally of Mt. Zion in 1842 J and was one of the pioneer churches of Western Mis- souri. Eld. John Warder was the first Baptist minister that settled in Lafayette County. PLATTE KIVEE ASSOCIATION OF "EEGULAR" B.VPTISTS. The Platte River Association of Regular Baptists was organ- ized by a convention composed of messengers from eight church- es formerly belonging to the Fishing River Association, June 7, 1842, at Union Church, Buchanan County. It adopted unani- mously the Fishing River constitution and form of government. The churches of this new interest were situated in Buchanan and Nodaway Counties. The first anniversary was held in the October following its organization, with the First Nodaway Church, when one new church, Flag Spring, was admitted into the Union, which in- creased the number of churches to nine and the constituents to 313. For awhile this association corresponded with the Fishing River, after which we lose sight of it altogether. We think it failed to maintain an existence, and some of the churches went into the organization next to be mentioned. NODAWAY ASSOCIATION. This body was formed in 1849, and by its messengers was *MT. ZION AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 467 present and oifored correspondence with the Fishing Eiver As- sociation in September, 1850. Three of the churches in the Nodaway Association appear on the list of the Platte Eiver com- munity in 1842. Another fact we note is that at the time of which we write (1850) Platte Eiver was not in correspondence, as formerly, with Fishing Eiver. From these two consider- ations our conclusion has been drawn that the Nodaway is a suc- cessor of the Platte Eiver Association. The first annual meeting of this body was held at Nodaway Church, Nodaway County, the first Saturday in October, 1850. In 1870 only six churches of the seven that composed it, sent messengers to the meeting of the association at Mill Creek Church, Holt County. This church was situated in the town of Oregon. This year 7 baptisms were reported, and the aggregate membership of the churches was 183. One of the seven church- es (Liberty) was in the state of Iowa; the rest were scattered over the counties of Northwest Missouri. OSAGE ASSOCIATION OF BAPTISTS. Before us lie the minutes of an association with this title, for the year 1844. The title page does not say whether this was the first, third, fourth or tenth annual meeting; hence we are totally in the dark as to the date of its organization. In 1844 it num- bered ten churches, viz.: Wablau, Bethel, Tebo, Pleasant Grove, Mt. Vernon, New Hope, Fairfield, Pomme de Terre, North Prai- rie and Antioch, located in Polk, Benton and probably some other adjoining counties. The entire membership was 202. Te- bo, with 44 members, was the largest church, and New Hope, with 7 membei\s, was the smallest. Daniel Briggs acted as mod- erator, and H. V. Parker was clerk — both ministers. Other min- isters : Marquis Monroe, Eobert Briggs, C. T. Woodall and M. D. Eobinson. The "VVablau Church presented this query in her let- ter: " Is it gospel order to receive members into our fellowship and union without baptizing them again, that have been received by a missionary church, and baptized by a missionary preacher, or any other church not in union with us." On the last day pf the session, the association took up the query, and after discus- sion, answered, " We think not." This action places this asso- ciation with the anti-missionary Baptists. Further, deponent saith not. CHAPTER Y. CHUECHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OP THE "PLATTE PUECHASE." " Platte Purchase," Where and "What — Phitte Kiver Association — Union Association — Change of Name to " West Union " — The War Cloud — Devastation — Graham Church — Northwest Missouri Association — C. L. Butts — St. Joseph Association- Churches in " Platte Purchase ": Pleasant Grove, ilt. Zion, Nishnabotanj', Sonora and Others — The Mission Band — Jonas D. Wilson — Wm. Harris — E. S. Dulin. THE famous " Platte Purchase " is all that part of Missouri west of a line running from the mouth of the Kaw (Kansas) Eiver due north to the Iowa state line, embracing the counties of Platte, Buchanan, Andrew, Holt, Nodaway and Atchison. The first associational convocation in this section of the state was the PLATTE PvIVEPv ASSOCIATION OF UNITED B^VPTISTS.* "This body was organized in 1842 at Bee Creek meeting-house, Platte County, with three small churches, containing in the ag- gregate about 125 members." {Benedict's Baptist History, p. 841.) By the year 1845 it had increased to 18 churches scattered over a large portion of the six counties aforesaid, two of the churches being far toward the northern limits of the territory, viz.; Flor- ida Creek in Nodaway and Nishnabotany in Atchison County. This association was greatly prospered, and new churches were continually being added to the list, until, in 1854, when the thir- teenth anniversary was held, October 13th, at High Prairie Church in Andrew County, there were on the roll 26 churches, with a total membership of 1,284. The minutes afford no infor- mation as to who were the ministers at this date. " The propri- ety of dividing the associational bounds being conceded, it was agreed that the clerk be authorized to write letters of dismission for all churches wishing to go into a new organization." Six churches got lettei'S and formed the association next to be men- tioned on this list. By the year 1869 this association had been reduced to 13 church- es, containing an aggregate of 482 members. This decrease was occasioned by giving off churches to other associational frater- ■"■ The Platte Kiver Association of Regular Baptists was formed in June of the game year. CHURCHKS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF THE 'Tt.ATTE PURCHASE." 469 nitics. The cluirchcs at this time were Platte Eiver, Vernon, Mt. Vernon, High Prairie, Union Grove, Whitesville, Union, Friendship, Jefferson, Antioch, Lost Creek, Middle Fork and New Hope. The ministers were J. H. Best, Lewis Allen, A. S. Norris, J. S. F. AVood, N". Allen and S. Atterberry; licentiates: M. Agee and Simeon Wood. The board of missions reported that J. S. F. Wood and N. Al- len had labored as itinerants, and that to them they had paid $120 for said services. The cause seemed to be in a moderately prosperous condition at this time. The Platte Eiver Association was very much weakened by the formation of the St. Joseph Association in 1871, some of its churches having gone to that new interest, and others to the Mt. Moriah Association, about the same time. It held one or two more meetings, and in the year 1873 (we think this was the date) it dissolved, granting letters of dismission to the churches, some of which united with the St. Joseph Association and some with the jSTorthwest Missouri. The Bolckow Church united with the latter. (From the MS. of Eld. J. S. F. Wood.) TIXIOX ASSOCLITIOX OF UNITED BAPTISTS. Messengers from six churches dismissed from Platte Eiver Association met with the Nodaway Church, in Holt County, Missouri, November 10, 1854, and organized the " Union Asso- ciation." The churches were: Florida Creek, 22; Nishnabot- any, 30; Nodaway, 70; Freedom, 14; Sidney, 35; and Lebanon, 16; total, 187 members. So soon as the organization was com- pleted, three other churches — Eush Bottom, 14; Linden, 8; and Maryville, 7; total, 29 — were received into the compact. The constitution and abstract of principles adopted were the same as those commonly adopted by the United Baptists generally. In 1857 the name of the association was changed to " West Union." That year it met at Nishnabotany Church, Atchison County, and contained 12 churches, with 311 communicants. The ministers were S. T. Eenfro, D. V. Thomas, Eeuben Alex- ander, E. Lampkins, J. C. Eenfro, A. M. T. Zook, Elias Findley, C. A. Miller, J. G. Bowen and M. Smock. This, too, was a growing institution, and in 1861 16 churches reported, in which was an aggregate of 506 members, and the names of the following ministers present and laboring in the bounds of the association : E. Alexander, E. Lampkins, S. T. Eenfro, A. M. Wallace, Elias Findley, C. A. Miller, W. H. Da- vis, J. C. Eenfro and T. Campbell ; some of whom have been call- 470 CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OF THE '^PLATTE PURCHASE." ed home to be crowned, while others are still standing on the walls and crying aloud. The association met in 1862, but because of the war troubles five churches only were represented; and the following year only four churches sent messengers. Little business was trans- acted at either of these sessions. From its organization a mis- sionary had been kept in the field much of the time, at SI per day. In 1861 the Jacksonville (now Graham) Church had a union house in which to worship ; Nodaway had enclosed a good spa- cious brick edifice; Sidney Church had a brick house; Sonora had raised $4,000 to erect a house of worship. When the war closed, quite a number of the churches of what had been the West Union Association were in confusion, with the membership scattered almost to the four corners of the earth ; but few ministers remained in the field, having been driven out by the Jayhawkers or the Missouri Test Oath. The latest pub- lished list of the churches of West Union was in 1863, when only four sent messengers to the meeting. There were then 13 in all, viz.: Nodaway, Linden, Jacksonville, Bethel, Sonora, ISTishna- botany, Lebanon, Maryville, Union, Quitman, L'ish Grove, Ma- rietta and Forest City. Very few of these churches were in working order at the close of the war. NORTHWEST MISSOUEI ASSOCIATION. This association occupies the territory of the old " West Un- ion " fraternity, embracing the counties of Holt, Nodaway and Atchison, one of the most fertile regions of the commonwealth of Missouri. In the winter of 1865-'66, under the labors of Eld. J. II. Best of the Platte liiver Association, the work of gather- ing together the scattered remnants of the disorganized church- es of these counties commenced. In March, 1866, Eev. G. W. Huntley, under the appointment of the American Baptistllome Mission Society, entered this field and at once gave his influence to the task of rebuilding "the waste places." During the sum- mer of this year, Jacksonville (now Graham), Forest City and Nodaway Churches were reorganized, and the churches of Free- dom and New Hope founded; and on the 2d of August, 1867, messengers from these five churches met at Nodaway Church in Nicholl's Grove, Holt County, and organized an association, adopting the name of "Northwest Missouri Baptist Association." The aggregate membership of the five constituent churches was only 139. Dr. J. S. Backus of A. B. H. S. was present at this CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OF THE "PLATTE PURCHASE." 471 meeting; a collection was made for said society on the second day, and Bros. G. W. Huntley and Gr. Gates were appointed del- egates to the Baptist State Convention, which met that year at Jefferson City. At the first anniversary of the association in 1868 two new churches — Mound City and Sonora — were received into the body, and the following report on "Eeligious Destitution" was adopt- ed : *' While the past year has witnessed the conversion of souls and the organization of new churches in this field, the wide sec- tions remaining entirely destitute, the rapid incoming of new settlers, and the growing importance of the rising towns and vil- lages within our limits call loudly for increased effort. In the opinion of your committee, it is neither wise nor Christian to rely upon foreign aid, but every Baptist should enter the field himself, in humble reliance upon Him who with five loaves sup- plied five thousand." This report was, in some respects, the key-note of future success by the development of a missionary spirit. The committee on "religious destitution" at the next annual meeting — September, 1869 — re-echoed the same sentiments in a full and well prepared report, from which we make the follow- ing extract : " We need a true missionary spirit — a thorough con- secration to Christ. Each church should be a missionary society and each member a missionary, with a heart full of love to the Master and to the souls of men. We need a stronger faith — faith that will bring victery. * * * Only by praying and paying — praying and giving — can the wants of this field be supplied." This year the association numbered eight churches, with a mem- bership of 230. In 1870 the association had increased to eleven churches and 297 members. The Sundaj^-school convention of the association was then in successful operation. By the minutes of the fourth annual meeting, held with Gra- ham Church, September 1, 1871, we see a still increasing interest manifested by the association in the missionary and Sunday- school work of the field; 6 ordained ministers, 13 churches and 451 members are reported. Since the dissolution of the state convention the association has been in active sympathy and co-operation with the General Association of the state, and also with the educational and other interests of the denomination. From the minutes of 1879 we gather the following summary: 472 CHURCHES AND ASSOPTATTONS OF TIIK "PLATTE PURCHASE.'' Churches. — Bctliel, Eolckow, Clcarmoiit, Forest City, Grraham, Grange Hall, Ili^h C'reok, Hope Chapel, Maryvillc, Ml. Vernon, Mt. Zion, Kew Liberty, Nodaway, Xorth Prairie, Tioekport, Sa- lem, Sharp's Grove, Vernon, '\Valkn])'s Grove and "White Cloud; in all, 20 churches, in which there were 1,198 members; bap- tisms, 81. Ministers.— Z . H. Best, P. M. Best, C. L. Butts, N. Barton, Wm. Haw, H. J. Latour, E. M. Ehodes, Jacob Shai-p, A. M. Wallace, J. H. Whipple, J. S. F. Wood and Wm. H. Wood.* SAINT JOSEPH BAPTIST ASSOCLiTIOX. On the 3d of November, 1871, a convention of brethren from fourteen churches met at Easton, Buchanan Count}', for the J3ur- pose of adopting measures to unite the churches in Buchanan County, and in the Platte River and Mt. Moriah Associat-ions, into one organization. After prayerful deliberation, it was agreed unanimously that such a union was highly desirable for the good of the churches and the glory of God. Pursuant to the action of this convention, messengers met at Bethel Church, Andrew County, December 30, 1871, and organized the " St. Jo- seph Baptist Association." Sixteen churches composed this body, viz.: Platte River, Friendship, High Prairie, Union Grove, Whitesville, Bethel, First Baptist of St. Joseph, Second Baptist of St. Joseph, Agency, DeKalb, Bethlehem, Mt. Pleasant, East- on, New Harmon}', Walnut Grove and Missouri Valley. The first five churches named were from the Platte River Associa- tion, and the next, Bethel, from the Mt. Moriah. The second anniversary was held at New Harmony Church, Clinton County, commencing October 3d, 1873, when three new churches, Frazer, Zion Hill and Pleasant Ridge were admitted into the union. This association is active in promoting missions, education, Sunday-schools, and whatever is conducive to the prosperity of the denomination. Numbered among its ministry are men of culture, refinement and consecration. From the minutes of 1879 we are able to present the following summary: Churches. — Bethel, Bethlehem, DeKalb, Frazer, Flag Spring, First St. Joseph, High Prairie, Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Vernon, New Hope, New Harmony, New Prospect, Nodaway, Pleasant Grove, Sugar Lake, Savannah, Taos, Whitesville, Walnut Grove, Zion Hill and Missouri Valley; 21 in all, with an aggregate of 1,719 * liev. ('. L. Butts rcnderod valuable aid iu furnishing many facts in the fore- going sketch. CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OF THE "PLATTE PURCHASE." 473 members. These churches arc located as follows : 11 in Buchan- an Count}', 7 in Andrew and 3 in DeKalb. Ministers. — (Pastors) : B. Clark, D. G. Saunders, Isaiah T. Wil- liams, Wm. Harris, .T. S. F. Wood, E. W. Dunegan, G. W. Ever- ett, B. F. Eice, J. H. Best, J. Clay and L. Farris. Pleasant Grove Church, — now one of the vigorous Baptist institutions of Platte County, was organized at the cabin of Elijah Pumphrey, with 14 members, October 12, 1844, by Peter M. Swain. Two years after a brick house of worship was built, the lumber for the floor, doors, &c., of which, was sawed with the old-time whip-saw. In 1867 the present commodious frame build- ing was erected, 35x50 feet, at a cost of $3,350. This church belongs to the North Liberty Association. Mount Zion Church — was constituted near a village called " Hell Town," about 14 miles northeasterly from Platte City, March 6, 1844, by Elds. Swain and M. Cline, with eleven mem- bers who had been expelled from the anti-mission church near by, for "heresy" (so called). Among the constituents were Isaac Mood}', his wife, a son and three daughters; and Wm. Newman and Avife. A log-house was first built; but now the church wor- ships in a large frame building, 40x60 feet, not far from the old site. NiSHNABOTANY Church. — The first Baptist church in Atchison County, far to the northwest, was the Nishnabotany, organized by the old pioneer preacher, Eichard Miller, in 1844. SoNORA Church, — situated in Atchison County, was formed in 1854, and subsequently merged into High Creek Church. Nodaway Church — dates back to 1845. It is located in Holt County. In 1848 Eld. Jonas D. Wilson, now an old man, visited this church and preached seventeen days and nights. Many were converted and 18 were added to the church by baptism. The race-track and card-table were broken up. This church is not now very prosperous. The last two named churches belong to the Northwest Missouri Association. Walnut Grove Church — is situated some six miles southeast of St. Joseph. It was organized at a meeting held at St. Joseph, February 11, 1871, by Elds. J. T. Wilsoji and J. M. C. Breaker. There were 5 constituent members, and immediately after the organization 9 were added by baptism. J. T. Wilson, by unani- mous consent, became their minister. This body first united with North Liberty Association, and one year after with the St. Joseph fraternity. 474 CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OF THE "PLATTE PURCHASE." Frazer Church. — In January, 1873, 5 persons covenanted to- gether and formed this church, being assisted by J. D. Wilson and G. AV. Pumphrey. The meeting was continued some days and resulted in 30 accessions to the new interest. Among the number was Rev. D. Wood, a Methodist minister; also some five or six of his flock. St. Joseph (formerly called Eobidoux) was founded by Joseph Eobidoux, a French Catholic, and the first settler of Buchanan County. '' In 1843 the town contained only two log houses and a small frame flouring mill, situated on Black Snake Creek." (Campbeirs Gazetteer of Missouri, p. 77.) In June of that year Mr. Eobidoux laid off the town, and at the close of 1845 it con- tained 600 inhabitants. In 1846 the county-seat was moved from Sparta to St. Joseph, when the town took its present name from the proper name, rather than the surname of its founder. First Baptist Church, St. Joseph — was organized as early as 1845, as in August of that year it became a member of the Platte Eiver Association. For a number of years the church used a small log school-house to worship in. In the winter of 1847-'48, the pastor, I. T. Williams, was assisted in a meeting of twelve days by Jonas D. Wilson, resulting in 28 accessions to the church by baptism. At that date large numbers of Indians, from across the river, could be seen in the town dailj', and many of them attended the baptismal scene which took place at the old Eobidoux boat landing. This church is now one of the largest, if not the largest, in North Missouri. Second Baptist Church. — In 1870 J. T. Wilson held meetings in South St. Joseph, baptized about a hundred converts, and or- ganized the Second Baptist Church of the city. In about two years the church dissolved and appointed a committee to sell the house and pay the indebtedness. A few months after this a part of the members formed the Calvary Church, St. Joseph, which dissolved in about three months. Prior to the dissolution first above named, J. T. Wilson had formed the " Mission Band Baptist Church" in the northwestern part of the city, and when the house of worship in South St. Joseph was sold he purchased it and mov- ed the last named church into it, which took the name of the "Second Baptist Church in St. Joseph." On Thursday, February 9, 1882, another Baptist church was organized in South St. Joseph of twenty members. Dr. E. S. Dulin was chosen pastor and accepted. Jonas D. Wilson. — This zealous servant of Christ, who trav- CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS Or THE "PLATTE PURCHASE. 475 eled all over Northwest Missouri as a pioneer preacher of the gospel, and has done a large share in building up the Baptist in- terest, emigrated from Madison County, Kentucky, to Missouri in 1845, and settled in the Platte Purchase. He is now border- ing on fourscore years, having served in the public field a half century, and witnessed, since he came to Missouri, 1,000 con- versions, six or seven of whom have become preachers of the gospel. William Harris, — pastor of the First Baptist Church, St. Jo- seph, Mo., was born in Frankfort, Ky., June 2, 1848, and is a great grandson of Eld. Wm. Hickman, the first Baptist preacher on Kentucky soil. He was reared in Henderson, Ky., where he learned the print- ers' trade. In the year 1868, under the j)reaching of Eev. B. T. Taylor (now ofMissouri), he was converted to Christianity; in August of the same year he was licensed to preach by the Baptist church in Hen- derson, and one month after this entered George- town College, Kentucky, in which institution he graduated in the year 1874. Immediately af- ter this he assumed charge, as pastor, of the East Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky., and continued three years. He then (in 1877) removed to Missouri, and was installed as pastor of the First Baptist Church of St. Joseph, where he is doing a most excellent work in building up and developing the po^\^irs of the body over which he presides. His marriage with Miss Flora I. Johnson occurred in Louis- ville, Ky,, in 1877, the joyful issue of which is a promising son. REV. WM. HARRIS. 476 CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATTOKS OF THK '^PLATTE PURCHASE," As a preacher, Mr, Harris stands in tlie front ranks ; as a pas- tor, he is excelled by none. Elijah Shelton Dulin.* — On his father's side he is descended from the Huguenot family, Dulon. His mother belonged to the English Quaker family, Shelton. E. S. Dulin was born near the banks of the Potomac, Fairfax County, Virginia, January 18, 1821, In 1823 his father moved to Washington, D, C, where he died when the subject of our sketch was nine years old, leaving his family entirely without support or income, his property all having been swept away by his indorsements for others. Thus early the battle of life began with young Dulin. Hard work dur- ing the day J dil- igent study far into the night and at all leisure hours, was the >^^^ rule and practice i^ of his early days. Largely through the influence of a Christian moth- er he was brought to Christ, and in 1839 united with REV. K. s. DuiJN, D.D., LL.D. the Calvcrt St. Baptist Church, Baltimore, and soon after determined to go as a missionary to Burmah. He entered Eichmond College in 1841, where he remained four years, seeing his mother but once during this time, earning the money each vacation to pay his expenses the following term. Upon his graduation, he was elected prin- cipal of St, Bride's Academy. Hero, from overwork amid the malaria from the adjacent Dismal Swamp, his health gave way, and ho accepted the professorship of ancient languages in Hol- lins' Institute, A year in this beautiful mountain region great- ly improved his health, but the hope of strength enough to go * Abridged from a sketch in Commonwealtli, of Missouri, p. 791, CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OF THE "PLATTE PURCHASE." 477 as missionary to Burmah was abandoned. To perfect himself as a teacher, he spent the next year in taking a special course in the University of Virginia. lie was ordained as a minister at Baltimore, in August, 1848, and came to Missouri the following October, settling as pastor of the Baptist church at Lexington in March, 1849. His present most estimable wife was Miss Sarah E. Gilkey, to whom he was married August 28, 1849; this being his first mar- riage. He was the first president of William Jewell College, and organized that institution January 1, 1850. In the spring of 1856 he was recalled to the pastorate at Lex- ington, and in September following he became the president of the Baptist Female College of that city. The previous session had closed with about thirty pupils. At the expiration of Dr. Dulin's second year the number was 286 ; but the labor of secur- ing this result had broken him down, and he resigned the posi- tion. In 1858 he became pastor of the Baptist church in Kansas City, and thence he was called to the pastoral office in the First Baptist Church, St. Joseph, in 1859, where he remained about six years, when he was induced in 1865 to again accept the man- agement of the Female College at Lexington. The college build- ings had been well nigh destroyed during the war and the school closed. Ilis untiring industry soon restored the college to its former prosperity. During all this time. Dr. Dulin's sympa- thies were with William Jewell College, and while at Lexington he conceived, developed and submitted to the General Associa- tion the plan which brought into existence the Board of Minis- terial Education connected with that institution. A wider field of usefulness now seemed open, and in 1870 he took charge of Stephens' College, at Columbia, which flourished with increas- ing patronage during his six years' management. Dr. Dulin removed to St Joseph in 1876, and became the foun- der of St. Joseph Female College, intending to make this the crowning effort of his life work in the mental and moral training of western young women. He possesses rare talent and fitness for his great work. Sound in judgment and scholarship, ele- vated and large minded in his plans and conceptions, with intense enthusiasm, energy and perseverance, he makes the best provis- ion for the culture of his pupils, and inspires them with a hi<^>-h appreciation of life and its uses, and with a laudable ambition to excel. Dr. Dulin ranks among the ablest preachers of the state. His sermons are carefully prepared, with sufficient rhetorical or- 478 CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS OF TUE "PLATTE PURCHASE." nament to interest and please, and delivered with impassioned earnestness. He makes everything subserve in enforcing the sweet truths of the gospel, as they affect the hearts and lives of men. These truths he enforces with the keenest logic, and a fer- vid and fearless eloquence that makes no compromise with error. His literary and theological abilities have been fittingly acknow- ledged by the proper scholastic institutions conferring upon him the degrees of A.M., B.D. and LL.D. Dr. Dulin is a social, cordial, honest, outspoken gentleman. With a strong spice of the facetious in his nature and conversa- tion, and a good, true heart, he makes many friends and retains them. He is, in the best sense of the word, a self-made man, having, by his own ability, energy, perseverance, integrity and usefulness, earned his present enviable position and good name. CHAPTER VI. SALINE ASSOCIATION. How it Orij^inated — First Constitution — Faith of — Sketches of ils Churches: Good IIopo {\i\>r Bottom), High Hill Church (Trouhlo and Settknient), liehoboth, Heath's Creeiv, Zoar, Fish Creeic, County Line, Bethel, Miami, ^larshall, Salt Fond and Others — Revised Constitution — Summary for 1879 — Peyton Nowlin — A. Gwinn— Fv. Y.Thomson— Russel Holman— .J. L. Hampton— W. M. Bell— J. C. 3raple— J. L. Tichenor— W. 11. Fainter. TITE Saline Baptist Association, whose chiirclies are loca- ted in the garden of Central Missouri, was organized from a division of the old Concord, which, in 1842, met at Mt. Gilead meeting-house, Cole County, and, finding that its territory had grown much too large for convenience, passed the followin.g: " Resolved, That we divide this association by striking oif all the churches above and west of the Lamino Eiver to form a new association." On the 1st of October, 1842, in harmony with the foregoing action of Concord, messengers from eight churches met at Zoar Church, Saline County, and formed a new association, and took the name of Saline. Churches. — Good Hope, 53 ; Zoar, 103 ; High Hill, 73 ; Heath's Creek, 60 j Pinnacles, 32 ; Prairie Point, 22; Fish Creek, 48; Providence, at High Grove, 20 ; total, 411 members. After the organization was completed, one new church, Long Grove, from Pettis County, membership 24, was received, which made the entire membership of the association 435. These churches were located in the counties of Saline, Cooper and Pettis. Amount of contributions, SS.fiO. PRINCIPLES OF UNION, Adopted by the Saline Baptist Association. Articlk 1st. "Wo believe in one only true and living God, and that there is a trinity of persons in the Godhead: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 2d. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments are the word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice. 480 SALINE ASSOCIATION. 3d. Wc believe in the fall of Adam, and that, by his transgres- sion, all his })ustei'ity fell and were made sinners. We believe in the corruption of human nature, and the impotency of man to re- cover himself by his own free will or ability. 4th. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God, onl}' by the righteousness of Christ, imputed to them, and that good works are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, and are the evidences of our gracious state. 5th. We believe that the saints shall persevere in grace, and not one of them shall be finally lost. 6th. Wc believe there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a general judgment, and that the happiness of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked will be eternal. 7th. We believe that the visible Church of Christ is a congre- gation of faithful persons, who have given themselves to the Lord, and to one another, having agreed to keep up a godly dis- cipline, according to the plan of the Gospel. 8th. We believe that Jesus Christ is the great Head of the Church, and that the government thereof is with the body. 9th. Wc believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of the Gospel, and are to be continued till His second coming. 10th. We believe that true believers are the only subjects of baptism, and that immersion is the only mode. 11th. We believe that none but regularly baptized members have a right to commune at the Lord's Table. 12th. We believe that the Lord's Day ought to be observed and set apart for the worship of God, and that no work or worldly business ought to be done or transacted thereon — works of piety and necessity alone excepted. The ministers in 1843, one yaar after the organization, were Abner Gwinn, David Anderson and Richard Owen, with the following as licentiates : Ephraim McDaniel, Franklin Graves and John Clark. Good Hope Church. — The first settlement in what is now Sa- line (then Cooper) County, was made near Arrow Rock, in 1810, by emigrants from Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Subse- quently another settlement was made higher wp the river in the Big Bottom, where, on the fourth Saturday in August, 1818, by Luke Williams, at the house of William Job, the first Baptist Church in Saline County, was organized of 10 members, called Big Bottom (now Good Hope Church). News that the Indians SALINE ASSOCIATION. 481 were committing depredations a short distance up the river reach- ed the settlement the same day; consequently no meeting was held on the Sabbath, the brethren having to meet the Indians, while the women and children sought refuge in the fort. Though the records are silent on the subject, Luke Williams is supposed to have preached for the church until 1820. In 1825 the church built a house of worship out on the highlands, and in April of that year, on first assembling in the new house, agreed to be known as the Good Hope Church. This fraternity yet exists, and it is the oldest church in the state, west of old Concord in Cooper County and Mt. Pleasant in Howard County. A remarkable case occurred in this church at an early day, illustrating the strictness of church discipline in those times. We give it in the language of the records. At the July meeting in 1829, "Sister Sarah Fisher appeared before the church and gave full satisfaction for the report against her for playing 'thim- ble.,' " Further details of this church are given in the history of Con- cord Association. See Period Third, Chapter IV. High Hill Church — was organized on an eminence called High Hill, about midway between Cambridge and Miami, in Sa- line County, some two miles from the river. The following is a true copy of the proceedings, from the church book: " To all whom it may concern, know ye, " That Thomas Fristoe and Thomas Rigg, regularly ordained ministers of tlie gospel of the United Baptist order, on the ninth day of August, 1836, did constitute Abel Garrett and Nancy Gar- rett his wife, Thornton Adams and Margaret Adams his wife, Martha McDonald and Robert Y. Thomson and Lucy T. Thom- son his wife, a Baptist church of Jesus Christ, on the following principles." Then follows the preamble, abstract of faith and church covenant, such as were commonly adopted by the Bap- tists. For some years the church prospered. In 1838 A. P. Williams became the pastor and held a number of very successful meet- ings. Ten years after its organization it contributed to the founding of Bethel Church, in the same county; also from it, in part, grew the present Rehoboth Church. The High Hill Church made several unsuccessful attempts to move the place of meet- ing and build a new house of worship, but finally dissolved in June, 1850, empowering Geo. Rhoades and W. W. Field to dis- pose of the property belonging to the church, the proceeds of 482 SALINE ASSOCIATION. which they were instructed to give to Thos. Fristoe, then acting pastor. Prior to 1838, Thomas Fristoe preached for the church once a month on Friday, as he passed to his appointment at Zoar Church in the southern part of the count}'. This church was quite fruit- ful in ministerial gifts, having, in the 14 years of its history, or- dained Richard Owens, Abner G-winn, Daniel Garnett and Eph- raim McDanicl. Several cases of interest came before the church at different periods, some account of which may be of service to the present generation. The first was a rather serious difiiculty between this church and Good Hope. The trouble soon reached the as- sociation, whereupon the churches were advised to call help from sister churches. They agreed to do this, and Elds. Kemp Scott and A. P. Williams were selected as referees, who after investi- gation made the following report : "To the brethren of Good Hope and High Hill Churches is respectfully submitted the following report from your referees : " Whereas, It seems to bo the impression of some of the citi- zens of this vicinity, that the door of High Hill meeting-house should be opened for the teaching of schools, if called for, and as the members of Good Hope Church think accordingly, we rec- ommend the brethren of High Hill, in condescension to these feelings and predilections, and for the sake of peace, which is so essential to the prosperity and happiness of the churches in this vicinity, that they open the door with this proviso, viz.: that the house shall be kept uninjured, and that if schools should ever be taught in said house and any damage be done in consequence thereof, the proprietors of such school shall make it good. This, we, your referees, respectfully submit for your adoption, while we ever pray for your peace and prosperit}'. "Kemp Scott, Kemp Scott, ) r> ^ » A T) ^17 > Jneferees. A. P. Williams, j -' Another case which we will mention : application for member- ship was made by an excluded member from another church of the same faith, when, " On motion, the clerk was instructed to write a letter to Buckingham Church, Virginia, to ascertain wheth- er Julius, a colored man, can be restored again to fellowship." Julius was the applicant for membership. This Avas in July, 1842. The case was continued for more than a year, when the church at High Hill "agreed to receive Julius, the colored man, on his acknowledgment and relating his experience," SALINE ASSOCIATION. 483 Rehoboth Church — was organized by a council consisting of Elds. T. Fristoe and W. C. Ligon, and Deacons R. Latimer, R. E. McDaniel and W. II. Graves, at the house of R. Y. Thomson, in Saline County, Sunday, September 1, 1850. The constituents were 16 in all, viz. : from Bethel Church, R. Y. Thomson, Lucy T. Thomson, Elizabeth B. Thomson and Laura Thomson ; from Zoar Church, James P. Johnson and Martha Johnson; from High Hill, W. W. Field, Lucy A. Field, Daniel Hickerson, Ma- ria Ilickerson, W. E. Thomson, Lucy A. Thomson and Frances A. Hickerson; from Good Hope, Francis Hampton, Ann L. Hampton and Brickey S. Hampton. In 1853 the church erected a brick edifice for worship, 30x50 feet, about fourteen miles northeast from Marshall, and half a mile north of the present town of Slater. In 1879 this house was torn down, moved to Slater, and the material was put into one of the best church buildings in town. In 1882, J. C. Conner was pastor, the church numbering 85 communicants. Thomas Fris- toe was the first pastor of this church. Heath's Creek Church, — Saline County, bears the date of April 5, 1841, having been formed bj^ T. Fristoe, A. Gwinn and T. Rucker. Thirty constituent members signed the covenant. It is located sixteen miles southeast from Marshall, the county seat. Gwinn became their minister, and in 1849 a house of wor- ship was built, a frame 36x44. In 1879 there were 79 members, and L. W. AVhipple was pastor. Zoar Church. — This is one of the old churches of the associ- tion, and was in its organization in 1842. We have been unable to get any records of it. (This church joined Concord Associ- tion in 1826. Eld. Peyton Nowlin was the messenger.) It is lo- ca,tcd at Jonesboro, Saline Count3\ J. L. Tichenor is the pres- ent pastor, and there was a constituency of 120 in 1880. Fish Creek. — This, too, was one of the constituent churches of Saline Association. It was organized at the house of James Crosslin, with 8 members, by David Anderson and A. Gwinn, June 26, 1842. This has been for years a strong church, situ- ated in the eastern part of Saline County. The pastors have been David Anderson, A. Gwinn, Thomas Fristoe, A. Horn and others whose names we are unable to decipher. B. Harl was pastor in 1881. In 1880 this was much the largest church in the association, having 250 members; the next in numerical strength was Good Hope, with 201 communicants; then followed Miami, with 193 members. 484 SALINE ASSOCIATION. County Line, — Pettis County, is located eighteen miles north- west from Sedalia. This church was organized March 1, 1844, with 12 members. Thornton Rucker became the first pastor, then Amos Horn. The church first built a log house in 1845 and '46, and in 1870 replaced it with a frame building, 34x50 feet, worth $2,500. In 1880 it numbered 113 members and had J. G. Burgess for its pastor. Providence Church, — at High G-rove, Pettis County, is loca- ted nine miles northeast from Sedalia, and was constituted by A. P. Williams and J. G. Berkley, 20 members signing the cov- enant, April 4, 1842. Berkley was chosen pastor, served one year, and was succeeded by Elias George. Elias George. — This brother is of Welsh extraction, and re- tains much of the Welsh fire in his preaching. He spent many years in an early day as missionary and pastor in Southwest Missouri, removed thence to Ohio, and returned to Missouri eight or ten years ago, becoming pastor at Maysville, DeKalb County. He is now well stricken in years, yet retains much of the vigor of youth. Bethel Church. — Forty years ago. Saline County was behind many of her sister counties in population and cultivation. Be- fore the era of railroads and telegraphs, and when a letter "from home" cost the receiver twenty-five cents, emigration did not set westward in so rapid a stream as at a later day. And those who first braved-the privations of a frontier life were timid about trusting themselves out of the near vicinity of the wood. The prairie was lovely, when clothed in its summer robe of grass and flowers, but desolate and cheerless in winter. Then, even the stout heart quailed before its solitude and unbroken stillness, and the scattered settlements were found near protecting groves which skirted the small streams. Those pioneers were generally poor. Books and papers were scarce. Schools were confined to a few favored neighborhoods. The population was so sparse that the self-denying Methodist itinerant, and the zealous Cumberland Presbyterian traveled far to feed their starving flocks; and here and there a Baptist min- ister cared for the souls of the people. Across the prairie no bell called the people together to worship, no church spire pointed them to heaven ; nor were they much missed. The only room of the settler, which during the week served the purposes of par- lor, bedroom and kitchen, was sufficiently large to accommodate all who attended divine service on the Sabbath. If the tempO" SALINE ASSOCIATION. 485 I'ary seats made by resting boards on tbe few chairs belonging to the cabin were not enough for all, the beds were a convenient substitute. It was a distinguished providence which drew to the same neighborhood two such men as Eandal Latimer and E. E. Mc- Daniel. Both were decided in character, sound in principle, fearless in speech and action, discriminating in judgment. Both were full of zeal in the Savior's cause and ready for any good work that required their labor. They had hardly finished the task of comfortably settling their families in their new homes before the question of organizing a Baptist church in the neigh- borhood came up for discussion, and was promptly answered in the affirmative by the few brethren who were at hand to aid in the work. In 1846 Elder Tyree Harris was invited to visit the neighbor- hood, to hold a meeting and organize a church. Deacon Mc- Daniel's new barn was selected as the most convenient place. There the gifted young minister preached from the text: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." The little congregation listened, as those to whom the gospel is as bread to the famishing. The simple ser- vice and novel surroundings awakened more serious reflection than the imposing dedicatory rites of a costly city church. The unaffected sincerity of those eleven humble Christians, covenant- ing to live for Christ and to love one another, and their strong faith, which entertained no misgivings of success, stirred the hearts of all who witnessed it with strong emotion. This "church in the wilderness" was called Bethel. Soon after this event Elder A. P. Williams held a protracted meeting at High Hill. The members of Bethel attended. "Their prayers had come up for a memorial before God." Friends, some of them allied by family ties, were found praying, a session of the church was called, and several gladly accepted their invita- tion to unite with them. The interest increased and soon be- came so general that the proposition to continue the meetings and hold them at Deacon McDaniel's house was received with universal favor. All were invited, and all were treated with the open-handed hospitality memorable in those days. Mr. Williams preached with a burning eloquence and convincing argument the sound doctrine of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to an awakened congregation. In the little parlor assembled day after day the i)raying Christians, the rc^joicing 486 SALINE ASSOCIAflON. converts, the trembling penitents and many awakened sinners, who said then to the Lord as Felix replied to Paul : *'Go thy way; when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." Have they called for him yet ? Many went down into the baptismal water, as did the eunuch, and afterwards went on their way rejoicing. It was a happy day when Elder Wm. C. Ligon met the church for the first time as pastor. The church had met at Mr. Lati- mer's. It was rather late, and the congregation had all assem- bled when the preacher arrived. He was met at the door by sev- eral and warmly welcomed. He came into the room in his usual quick, nervous manner, paused an instant, and after casting a searching look around the crowded room, said, ''Let us pray." Every heart went up in the invocation, "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock j thou that dwell- est between the cherubims, shine forth." Then followed that beautifnl hymn, "Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, with all thy quickening power." That was a happy community. They were a blessing and they were blessed. The Lord added many to this fold. The next most important event in the history of Bethel was the erection of a house of worship in 1847. It was not yet fin- ished when the first congregation assembled there for worship. The inconvenience of temporary seats seemed not to affect mate- rially the enjoyment of the congregation, nor the want of an ele- gant pulpit to disturb the preacher. It was a happy meeting to all. As was long the custom at Bethel, a bountiful dinner was spread under the trees, and all were cordially invited to dine and stay for evening service. ("Saline Baptist" in Central Baptist, YolXII,No. 9.) Rev. W. M. Bell was pastor in 1880, when the church numbered 101 communicants. The Miami Baptist Church. — Rev. William M. Bell, at the opening of the new church edifice in Miami, Mo., in the fall of 1866, preached the dedicatory sermon, in which he gave the sub- joined sketch of the First Baptist Church in that town : "In reviewing our past history, I regret exceedingly that our church record for the first five j'ears has been lost, and conse- quently I am compelled to depend almost entirely on memory-. This church was constituted by Elders W. C. Ligon and R. Y. Thompson, November 20, 1849, with eleven members — four males and seven females. Elder W. C. Batchelor, one of the constitu- SALINE ASSOCIATION, 487 ent members, preached for it for a few months, when he and his wife were dismissed by letter to remove to another field of labor. Thus left in its infancy without a pastor, and without the means to obtain one, j^our unworthy speaker (then a licentiate), was in- vited to preach for it, and consented. Some six months subse- quent (at its December meeting) I was elected pastor, having been ordained but a month previous, and in this cajiacity served it for more than seven years. With only eight members, and these poor and uneducated, with a young and inexperienced pas- tor, and surrounded by an ungodly community, its future was anything but promising. Trusting alone in the Almighty for aid and success, we met sometimes in one place and sometimes in another, as opportunity offered, to wait upon Him and to seek his face and favor. It was determined, in July, 1851, to hold a series of meetings, and to invite one or more ministers to assist the pastor. At the appointed time, Elder Isaiah Leake (pastor at Lexington) and Elder Edward Eoth (pastor at Dover) came to our assistance. Our meeting continued for some two weeks, during which time we experienced a gracious 'season of refresh- ing from the presence of the Lord,' and as a result more than forty were added to the little church. From this time on we had our seasons of refreshing and spiritual declension. Numbers were added, and numbers dismissed. Some were excluded, and some called by the Great Ilcad of the church to a higher and ho- lier communion. In 1858 I resigned the pastoral care to become the agent of the Board of Ministerial Education, and was suc- ceeded by Elder A. P. Williams, who sustained this relation from October, 1858, until October, 1861, when ho declined re-election in favor of Elder John II. Luther. Elder Luther preached for the church until October, 1863, wlicn he removed to another field. In December following Elder Williams was again elected, and entered at once upon the discharge of his pastoral duties, and has been, except for a very short period, the pastor ever since. " Soon after our revival and ingathering in 1851, it was decid- ed that a meeting-house was absolutely necessary to our success as a church, and it became a subject of frequent conversations between that excellent man. Deacon E. W. Lewis and myself. How it was to bo accomplished was a most difficult problem. While the church had greatly increased in numbers a majority were poor, and able to contribute but little towards the erection of a house. After taking the matter under prayerful considera- tion the conclusion was reached that we would make an effort. 488 Saline association. To this end a subscription paper was drawn up, headed byE.W. Lewis and myself with SlOO each, and I commenced the canvass. For five consecutive days I rode from house to house, and from neighborhood to neighborhood. At the end of this time, under the blessing of God, I had some fourteen hundred dollars — and a 3'c'arling calf— subscribed. Thus encouraged, we lost no time in ])utting a house under contract; and in 1852 we were permit- ted to take i^ossession of a neat and comfortable meeting-house, which had cost some $1,700. In 1854 and 1855 this house was improved by the addition of blinds and a bell, and the removal of the columns, which greatly obstructed the view inside, and by making the roof self-supporting. In 1857, by replastering, underpinning and repainting — costing, in all, about $1,000 — we had a house of worshij? creditable to the church and the commun- ity. When the war came on, in 1861, the house was in good con- dition, fully meeting our wants. In the summer of 1863 this be- came a milita7-y post, and the site of our meeting-house was se- lected for a stockade. The officer in charge was remonstrated with against taking our meeting-house for military pur2:)0ses, but in vain. Possession was at once taken of it, and on Sunday it was placed at the disposal of the colored people for public wor- ship. Some of us will perhaps never forget with what feelings of mortification and degradation we passed our own meeting- house, thus forcibly and wantonly wrested from us, to worship in the houses of our more fortunate neighbors. In 1864, during the temporary absence of the Federal soldiers quartered here, two desperadoes rode into the town, robbed some of the citizens of several hundred dollars, and applied the torch to our house, and in one short hour all that remained of it was a mass of smol- dering ruins." (From the Manual of the Miami Baptist Church, pp. 29-34.) In June, 1866, the present house of worship was erected at a cost of nearly $4,000, and is a monument to the liberality of the church and community. Eev. G. W. Hatcher was pastor in 1882. Marshall. — This is the county seat of Saline, with from two to three thousand population, located on the C. & A. Railway. "It was founded in 1840, named in honor of Chief-Justice Mar- shall, and incorporated in 1870." (^Campbell's G a zetter of Missouri, p. 584.) The First Baptist Church was organized in this city, Jan- uary 30, 1869, 17 persons having signed the covenant. The ser- vices were participated in by Elds. "W. M. Bell, J. C. Hamner, J. Kingdon, S. W. Marston and C. Ingram, and Deacons N. J. Smith SALINE ASSOCIATION. 489 and J. II. Hewcy. Rev. J. C. Hanincr was chosen pastor. Hov. B. Gr. Tutt served the church efficiently for several j^ears, and possibly succeeded Mr. Hamner. Under Mr. Tutt's ministry the church grew from a beneficiary of the General Association to a self sustaining body, and in 1880 it was one of the efficient insti- tutions of Saline Association, with a constituency of 174. In the fall of 1881 Eev. J. C. Maple became pastor of the church, and has since filled the office in his usually able manner. Salt Pond Church, — near Elmwood, in the southwestern part of Saline County, sixteen miles from Marshall, was founded by Amos Horn and E. Roth, June 19, 1853, having a constituency of 15. This church has had for its ministers E. Roth, E. Allward, E. S. Dulin, R. E. Kirtley, John Kingdon, S. B. Whiting and W. R. Painter. This is one of the strong and vigorous churches of the association. In May, 1881, some members of Salt Pond applied for letters for the purpose of organizing a church at Mount Leonard. Mount Leonard. — This church was organized the second Sat- urday in June, 1881. This left Salt Pond in its old place, with all the property, books, &c., in possession. On the third Sat- urday in June, 1881, the Salt Pond Church resolved to remove the organization and house to Blackburn. The third Sunday in August, 1881, the last session was held on the old ground. The organization now in Blackburn goes by the name of " The First Baptist Church (Salt Pond) in Blackburn." This is by common consent, as no action has been taken with regard to the name. Union Church, — a daughter of Bethel, now twenty-two years old, was constituted by A. P. "Williams and W. M. Bell, August 18, 1860, with 24 members. The meeting was continued, and 16 additions by baptism resulted therefrom. Eld. Bell was chosen to fill the pastoral office, and, save a few short intervals, has so continued. In 1861 a frame building, 36x50 feet, was erected as a house of worship, which was finished after the war, and is val- ued at S2,500. In 1863 this church set apart by ordination R. E. Kirtley to the work of the gospel ministry. The Saline Association made very little progress up to 1848, three small churches. County Line, Union (an older Union than the one just before described) and the first church on Flat Creek, having been added to the original list. This j'ear, however, there began to be signs of a more vigorous and aggressive poli- cy, as may be seen in the following action relative to itinerant work : 490 SALINE ASSOCIATION. ^^ Resolved, by this Associtition, That wo recommend to the differ- ent churches composing the same, to hold during the coming year a protracted meeting, that there maj^ be concert of action for the purpose of advancing the cause of our Lord and Master among us j and that we appoint Brethren Wm. Thornton, Geo. Ehoades, J. W. Barksdale, Oliver Maxwell and Abner Gwinn a committee to procure a suitable preacher to ride within our bounds and assist in conducting said meetings, for the purpose of uniting us more closely in the bonds of Christian fellowship and love." In 1849 five churches — G-ood Hope, Zoar, High Hill, Pinnacles and Pish Creek — requested in their letters a change in the 14th article of the constitution. They asked that the latter clause of said article be expunged, viz.: "Nor shall this association re- ceive any case having the question of missions for its found- ation." After considerable discussion it was decided that the clause be left unchanged. The following year the subject was again brought up, and, a majority of the churches having re- quested it, the clause was expunged, and at the same session the messengers from the churches made voluntary pledges to the amount of $118.20, to sustain an evangelist, who was to devote one-half his time with the churches and the other half in the destitute portions of the association. Brethren Boyer, Scott and I^eff were appointed a committee to employ the missionary. Bethel, Bethlehem and Miami Churches were admitted to membership in 1851. This increased the aggregate membership to 542. The churches were recommended to observe the month- ly concert of prayer for the foreign and home mission cause. At this meeting also the association adopted a revised constitu- tion, leaving out entirely the 14th article of the old constitution, and otherwise changing said instrument. The name of Wm. M. Bell appears in the list of ministers in 1852 when the meeting was at Good Hope Church, of which he was at the time pastor. This year, on the motion of Brother Bell, the Saline Association became auxiliary to the General As- sociation of the state. Monday of this session was a grand day, and will be doubtless long remembered by many who were pres- ent. All constitutional compromises having been repealed, earn- est men now took hold of the missionary enterprise, and church- es and individuals made pledges and cash contributions amount- ing to $500.15, to sustain the itinerancy in the associational bounds, the entire membership of the churches at the time being SALINE ASSOCIATION 491 no more than 752. The leading spirit in this movement was Pastor W. M. Bell, for some years a resident of Miami. G. W. Sands and Elias George had labored 153 days as evangelists during the year preceding. From that time forward the Saline has been one of the leading institutions of the kind in the state in promoting the different denominational interests. At her first meeting after the found- ing of William Jewell College, she recommended that institution to the ])rayers and the patronage of the churches, and otherwise committed herself in language most positive and unmistakable, to the cause of ministerial education. In 1853 over $700 were raised for the associational fund, and nearly all the churches reported baptisms; one, Antioch Church, reporting as many as 23, and two others, Rehoboth and Provi- dence, each 16. Sands, Gwinn and Gentry had traveled as mis- sionaries. County Line Church in 1855 sent up the following query: "Should persons be received into Baptist churches from other denominations upon their former baiJtism?" The matter was referred to the churches, and in 1857 the association gave this answer: " With due deference to the County Line Church, we append to our minutes the following as the decision of the churches on the query of 1855: ' They were about equally divided on the question.' " 3finisters in 18oO.—V^^m. ]\I. Bell, Thornton Euckcr, Wm. Fer- guson, Samuel Driskell, E. H. Burchfield, John F. Clark, W. Clark, J. Spurgeon and A. P. Williams. Members of the Executive Board. — R. E. Kirtley, president, W. M. Bell, corresponding secretary, Geo. Rhoades, treasurer, K. E. McDaniel and J. M. Davis. New churches were admitted into the association as follows: Antioch, Rehoboth, First Baptist Arrow Rock, and New Jerusa- lem, in 1852 ; Georgetown and Salt Pond, in 1853 ; South Fork and Cole Camp, in 1855; Knobnoster and Mt. Pleasant, in 1856; and Union and Mt. Olivet, in 1860. In 1860 the Zoar Church entertained the association. Messen- gers from 18 churches attended. The report of the executive board shows that $719.63 had been expended during the year in itinerating, and that the whole number of days' labor performed was 437, or about one and a half years' work for one man, allow- ing 300 working days for the year. The summary for 1860 was the following: Churches. — Good Hope. 154; Zoar, 120; Heath's Creek, 92; 492 SALINE ASSOCIATION. Fish Creek, 159; County Line, 47; Bethel, 87; Miami, 87 ; An- tioch, 97; Eehoboth, 136; Salt Pond, 33 ; South Fork, 40; Ot- terville, 15; Mt. Pleasant, 30; Knobnoster, 33; Pleasant Grove, 31 J Providence, 95 ; Union, 45 ; Mt. Olivet, 13 ; aggregate, 1,314. Baptisms, 206. The largest number of baptisms in any church was, Fish Creek, 58; Eehoboth next, with 41; then Good Hope, 28. Pastors.— W. M. Bell, J. D. Murphy, A. P. Williams, E. H. Burchfield, E. Eoth, Amos Horn and W. Clark. The associational territory now embraced all of Saline Coun- ty, and i^arts of Cooper, Johnson and Pettis. No meetings of the association were held for the years 1861-1865, on account of the war clouds that hung over the land. In 1866 8 churches sent messengers, and a meeting was held at Zoar Church. In the let- ter to sister associations they say : ''After a sad interval of six years, which we would, as far as possible, forget, as 'tho days wherein the Lord has afflicted us — the years wherein we have seen evil,' we would again commence where we left oiT, and henceforth pray the Lord to ' let his work appear unto his servants, and his glory unto their children.' During these days of intermission and trial the Lord has blessed some of the churches with gracious revivals and many have been gathered into the fold of Christ." In 1868 a Sunday-school convention was organized with Wm. M. Bell as president and W. H. Wheeler as secretary. Marshall and Hansboro Churches made application and were received into the association in 1869, each reporting 31 members. In 1870 the committee on missions, in its report, called atten- tion to Brownsville, Arrow Eock and Marshall as important and promising places, and to the churches at those points as needing aid, none of which had houses of worship at that time. We shall conclude this sketch with the following testimonial. The Saline Association is now one of the strongest institutions of the kind in Missouri. Its territory comprises, if possible, what was once the richest hemp growing district in the state, its churches embracing many well-to-do and wealthy farmers of the district, not to speak of the leading business and profession- al men. A larger proportion of its churches contribute to the support of missions and other denominational enterprises than any other association in Missouri, save, perhaps. North Liberty, and they certainly are not surpassed by the churches of that body. Quite a large proportion of its ministerial force is in the SALINE ASSOCIATION. 493 very prime of life. The following was published in 1879 as the list of Ministers.— ^. M. Bell, D. C. Bolton, J. G. Burgess, I. B. Dot- son, J. F. Clark, E. Ilolman, D.D., G. W. Hatcher, J. S. Nor- dyke, E. M. Eeynolds, J. L. Tichenor, B. G. Tutt, J. S. Conner and W. H. Vardeman. Licentiates. — J. S. Gashwilcr, W. S. Scottj J. D. Thomason and Baldwin Harl. Among the many efficient laymen are T. Garnett, G. E. Mc- Daniel, C. W. Pendleton, A. Gwinn, George Ehoades, W. "W. Field, James Jones, N. J. Smith, W. L. Boyer, Thomas Lyne, C. W. Garnett, O. K. Graves, J. W. Sparks, E. C. Fisher, James H. Iluey, S. H, Kennedy, E. B. Thorp, J. A. Hawkins and a score or more of others equally worthy, some of whom have long held their posts on the battle-field, and others are in the midst of their palmy days. This association is certainly' second to no fraternity of Baptists in the commonwealth of Missouri. Peyton Nowlin. — Although he was never a member of the Sa- line Association, the name of Peyton Nowlin rightfully belongs at the head of this list of ministers. "While Saline County was still a part of Cooper, he settled in the neighborhood of Arrow Eock, where he spent the residue of his days. Peyton Nowlin, whose father and mother, Bryan and Lucy Nowlin, were members of the Baptist denomination in Virginia in the days of persecution, was born May 4, 1767. When 21 years old he passed from under the parental roof and wentto Georgia, where he spent some three years as a school-teacher. He went thence to the state of South Carolina, and the year after (in 1792) he married Miss Luc}^ Townscnd. In 1797 he removed to and settled in the Green Eivcr country, Kentucky, about 12 miles south of Eusselville. Soon after his settlement in Kentucky, he and his wife both professed conversion, were baptized and short- ly afterwards became constituent members of Spring Creek Church. Four or five years after his conversion a very impor- tant event in his life occurred. A difficulty took place in the church of which he was a member, resulting finally in his exclu- sion. Ho continued out of the church seven years, during all of which time he was as regular in his attendance on the wor- ship of the sanctuary as before his expulsion. Having been li- censed to preach, he was also silenced from jireaching. He now turned his attention to civil matters. He first filled the office of magistrate, and with such acceptation that soon he was elected 494 SALINE ASSOCIATION. high sheriff of his county, in which office he gave almost univer- sal satisfaction, and in 1810 he was elected to the Legislature from Logan County. During all this while his walk as a Christ- ian was exemplary. Finally, such had been his unimpeachable life, that the church from which he had been expelled sent a com- mittee to invite him to come back. He went, many made ac- knowledgments to him, and he was again enrolled as a member. This was about the year 1812. Soon after his restoration he was ordained to the ministry • and in the si:)ring of 1818 emigrated to Missouri, settling temporarily in Howard County, and the year following he made his permanent home in what was then Cooper but now Saline Count}", four miles southwesterly from the present site of Arrow Rock. Here he lived until his death. Peyton Nowlin was actively identified with the interests and early history of Old Concord Association. Not long after his settlement on the south side of the river, he, his wife and a num- ber of other emigrants, who had brought their church letters with them, met together and formed a church called Petite Saw (Little Bottom), to which he ministered for a time, but after a few years, the lowlands proving to be very unhealthy, a number of the members moved westward and the church dissolved, Eld. Nowlin joining the Big Bottom Church. He subsequently be- came one of the founders of Zoar Church, which appears as a member of the Concord Association in 1826, and for a number of years he was a messenger of this church to the Concord fra- ternity. He never traveled extensively, but did most of his preaching near his own home, and with neighboring churches. He possessed a vigorous, active and finely cultivated mind, and being a man of excellent business habits he accumulated a hand- some property. His height was 5 feet, 10 inches, and his weight 225 pounds. His death occurred April 1, 1837. Saturday and Sunday were the church meeting days of Zoar, held at his house. Thomas Fristoe was at the time pastor. Eld. Nowlin kept his bed most of the day on Sunda}", but sat by the fire during the sermon, at the close of which the audience sang the hymn com- mencing, "Jesus my all to heaven is gone," in which he joined most heartily. Ho ate his supper that evening sitting at the ta- ble. His wife asked, "Will you not now lie down, Mr. Nowlin?" He bowed his head, but did not speak. He walked to the bed, laid down, but was discovered to be speechless, and never spoke afterwards. He lived until Monday evening, when he expired^ and was buried in his family graveyard. SALINE ASSOCIATION. 496 Mr. Nowlin was a strong predestinarian, and some supposed he would have gone with the anti-missionaries; but he stood firm on the missionary question, which he failed to discover interfer- ed in any way with the sovereignity of God, or with the doctrine of election and predestination, Abner Gwinn, — a son of William and Agnes Gwinn, was born in the state of Tennessee in the year 1801. His parents were Virginians. In 1819, with his father's family, he moved to Mis- souri, making the trip by flat-boat down the Tennessee Eiver and up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, landing in Saline County at the present site of New Frankfort, near which place they set- tlod and devoted themselves to the tilling of the soil. Abner, thus introduced into the backwoods in his boyhood and surroun- ded by such influences as usually characterize frontier life, be- came a wild, thoughtless and profane young man. May 31, 1836, he Avas united in marriage with Diana McMahan. Two or three years prior to this, at the funeral of a beloved sister, he became deeply concerned on the subject of religion. About this time a revival of religion broke out in a prayer meet- ing which was being held in the neighborhood, resulting in the conversion of quite a number of persons, among whom was young Gwinn. He was baptized into the fellowship of Big Bottom Church March 22, 1828, commenced at once exhorting his friends and neighbors to flee the wrath to come, and in May, 1826, was licensed to preach. His ordination occurred at the meeting of the Concord Association in 1837 or '38. He was trained under the ministry of the two veterans. Elders E. Eogers and Peyton Kowlin. He lived to see his ten children members of the denom- ination of his early choice, nine of whom survived him. On Sep- tember 5, 1858, he closed his labors here below for a blessed im- mortality, having for more than twenty years preached Christ and Him crucified, during the whole of which period he support- ed his family by his own labor and the help of his children, re- ceiving little or no remuneration from the churches. His labors were mainly devoted to the churches in Saline Association; j-et he sometimes went on preaching excursions abroad. (From the MS. of Absalom Gwinn, a son.) Says an early acquaintance of Mr. Gwinn: '*! became acquaint- ed with Abner Gwinn in the year 1826. His character was above reproach — a man of undoubted veracity, a thorough Baptist, a strict disciplinarian, and always in his place. A man of good natural mind, not much culture, very zealous, a good exhortcr, 496 SALINE ASSOCIATION. dwelling mostly in his preaching on the mercy of God, the suffi- ciency of the atonement and the suiferings of Christ for a poor lost world. He was a whole team in a protracted meeting. His activity and zeal in the Master's cause sometimes excited the envy of his brethren (I often thought), but he pressed forward to the end, being for some twenty years one of the active builders in the churches of the Saline Association." (From G-eo. Ehoades.) Egbert Y. Thomson. — This brother was a native of Fayette County, Ky., born November 21, 1800, and professed religion when about eleven years old, under the preaching of Jeremiah Yardeman. He was first married February 28, 1822, soon after which he was baptized. He moved to Missouri in the fall of 1825, and the following summer^in June — united by letter with the Big Bottom Church, in which he was for some ten years an effi- cient member. He was one of the constituent members of the High Hill Church in 1836, and again of Eehoboth Church in 1850. His second marriage was April 9, 1826, with Miss Lucy T., daughter of Eld. Peyton Nowlin, late of Kentucky, then a resi- dent of Saline County. She was a woman of sterling worth and survived her husband by a number of years ; in fact is yet living, or was recently. Brother Thomson was licensed and ordained by the High Hill Church, the latter occurring August, 1843, by the hands of A. P. Williams and Eichard Owens. His ministerial life, which was mainly given to the churches in Saline County (though for sev- eral of his latest years he was not active in the ministry) was of about twenty years' duration. He was a man of wonderfully strong prejudices and naturally impulsive, hence he sometimes got into church difficulties, a feature of his life over which he himself greatly grieved. Dr. J. N. Garnett, his family physi- cian, gave the following testimonial of him : "E. Y. Thomson was a devotedly pious Christian and evinced that character in a very marked degree during all my acquaint- ance with him as a member of Eehoboth Church, in the building up of which he took a prominent part." Bro. Thomson died, we have learned, during the war — about 1863 or '64, but the exact date or the circumstances of his death have not been furnished us. EussEL HoLMAN. — This eminent, gifted and devotedly pious servant and minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, having spent tlie remnant of his long life in Missouri, the following tribute to hie memory, written by Dr. "W. H. Mcintosh (published in the Ala- SALINE ASSOCIATION. 497 hama Baptist and republished in the Central Baptist) is cheerfully- accorded a place in this connection. Died, at his residence in Marshall, Mo., in the early morning of December 2(1, 1879, Rev. Russel Holman, D.D., aged about sixty-seven years. Little is known to the writer of his early life, except that he was a native of Massachusetts, and that he graduated at Brown University. Soon after completing his college course he turned his face southward, and settled for awhile at Elizabeth town, Ky. Thence he went to New Orleans and became identified with the Baptists of that city. In his quiet and unobtrusive wa}^, j^et with a heart aglow with love to Christ, and with a fervid zeal, he sowed the seed which in later years has ripened into grateful harvests. By his personal ministrj^ in the early struggles of the Baptists there, and subsequently as Corresponding Secretary of the Domestic Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, he was largely instrumental in the development of the Coliseum Place Baptist Church, whose infancy was fostered by the board, and in whose success he was ever deeply interested. In November, 1845, a few months after the organization of the convention, he was elected corresponding secretary of the board of domestic missions. Here his sound judgment, tact and industry were called into requisition. The results demonstrated the wis- dom of the choice. The Board was soon recognized as a neces- sity in the important work of supplying the gospel to the desti- tute in our own country, and rapidly grew in the affections and confidence of the denomination. In July, 1851, he resigned his position as secretary, leaving the board upon the flood-tide of its f)rosperity and usefulness. Upon his retirement the board expressed their appreciation of his ser- vices in highly complimentary resolutions. He labored successfully in the j^astorate until called again to the secretaryship, by the unanimous vote of the board in 1856. With his usual fidelity he filled the office for six years, when de- clining health demanded a second resignation in 1862. From that time, until within a few years past, he was engaged in pas- toral work in Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri. As a preacher, Dr. Holman was instructive, sometimes elo- quent. Accepting heartily the doctrines of grace, he drew from them the lessons of practical piety which they teach, and enfor- ced them with earnest appeals to the consciences of his hearers. As a Christian his life was in habitual and happy conformity to 498 SALINE ASSOCIATION. tho spirit of the gospel. The most of his Missouri life was spent in the pastoral office in the Bethel and Rehoboth Churches, Sa- line County. J. L. Hampton — was the son of Abel and Sarah Hampton, and was born in Saline County, Missouri, May 15, 1839. He made a profession of religion at G-ood Hope, in the same county, at the age of 13 3'ears, and was baptized by Rev. Wm. M, Bell, under whose preaching he was converted. He was licensed to preach in Liberty, Missouri, while attending William Jewell College, at which institution he graduated in 1874. He was pastor of Salem Church, where he was ordained, in Jackson County, Missouri, for several years, besides filling, temporarily, several other pas- torates while in college, and was, for some time, pastor of the Baptist church at Brownsville, Missouri. Bro. Hampton was eminently successful in revival meetings. Ho understood how to carry the gospel to the hearts of the peo- ple. " The common people heard him gladly." Scores of souls will rise up and call him blessed in the great day. He was a man of strong imjDulses and these sometimes carried him farther than he designed, when in the warmth of discussion j but no man was readier to confess a fault when he saw it was a fault. His attachments were strong. He never betrayed a friend. However he might have sometimes erred in judgment, his asso- ciates always knew that his heart was in the right place. Bro. Hampton had an intense zeal for the salvation of souls and labored earnestly to persuade men to be reconciled to God. In one word, he was faithful — faithful to God, faithful to men. He rests in the Lord. His works follow him. His memory will not perish; it is embalmed in the hearts of those whom, under God, he has blessed by his preaching, and in the lasting regard of associates and college classmates, one of whom craves the privilege of bearing this humble tribute to his worth. Died, at his home in Brownsville, Mo., on November 25, 1878, of pneumonia. Rev. J. L. Hampton, aged 39 years, 6 months and 10 days. ("F," in Central Baptist.) "William M. Bell — is a native of Richmond County, Yirginia. He was born July 23, 1823, and at two years of age, by the death of his parents — Thomas V. and Elizabeth Bell — he became an orphan. Being an only child, and left to the care of others, he grew up to be a wild and — as he expresses it — " a wicked young man." On one occasion after his maturity, he witnessed the baptism of a colored man who shouted as he came out of the wa- SALINE ASSOCIATION. 499 ter. This so wrought upon young Bell that he said to those standing around him: '< I feel like caning that man I" When a youth of fourteen, in company with his guardian, he removed to ]\[issouri and soon after entered one of the private schools in Boonville. From 1839 to 1844 — a period of 5 years — he spent his time as a dry goods' clerk, first with Messrs. B. F. & T. B. Wallace of Clinton, 3Iissouri, and afterward with several other firms. In November, 1844, he was married to Miss Mary N. McDaniel, daughter of Judge R. E. McDaniel of Saline Coun- ty, and soon after entered upon the life of a farmer. In the fall of 1846 he was converted under the preaching of the late Dr. A. P. Williams, by whom he was baptized, after which he became a member of the Old Bethel Church, Saline County. After this, for a time, he was well nigh overwhelmed with doubts as to his acceptance Avith Grod, but betaking himself to prayer, the devil left him, and all was well. In 1848 the Bethel Church licensed him to preach, and two years after — j^^^^^>P^ in November, 1850 — he was ordained by the same body; W.C.LigonandE. Y. Thomson com- posing the presby- tery. The month following this event he was call- ed into the pastoral office of the First Baptist Church at -^ Miami, and in Feb- ruary, 1851, he was elected to assist W. C Ligon in the pastorate at Beth- el, and at the close of the 3'ear, Elder Ligon decliningre- elcction, ho was chosen as his successor. Thus he continued at Miami and Bethel until 1858, when he resigned to become agent of the Board of Ministerial Education of William Jewell College. In the year 1852 ho was first called as pastor of Good Hope REV, WM. M. BKLL. r,oo SALINE ASSOCIATION. Church, Saline County, and, save an interval of six years, has so continued ever since, a period of over twenty-nine years. At Union Church — same county — he has served as pastor, with short intervals, for sixteen years, having aided in the organization of this church in 1860. He was elected as pastor at Fish Creek Church in 1867, and four years after declined re-election to ac- cept a like position at Marshall, the county seat of Saline. Here he continued three years. Eld. Bell has filled many other honorable and useful positions in the denomination, as that of secretary of the General Associ- ation J he was also trustee of William Jewell College for a num- ber of 3"ears. Since 1869 he has presided as moderator over the sessions of the Saline Association; and under his administration as pastor the present church edifices of Good Hope, Fish Creek, Union and Marshall were built. Though approximating very closely the old man's list, the subject of this notice is quite ac- tive in the ministry, and is doing a good work as pastor of sev- eral of the best country churches in the state of Missouri. Joseph C. Maple — was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, November 18, 1833. His father and mother (with the family) moved ed to the state of Illinois in the spring of 1838, and settled in Peoria County. Here he grew up to man- hood, was converted, and by Eld. W. T. Bly was baptized June 18, 1849 — aged 15 1-2 years — after which he became a mem- ber of the La Marsh Church, in said county. He was educated in Shurt- leff College, Alton, Illi- nois, where he complet- ed the course and grad- uated June 25, 1857, and KKv. J. c. MAPLE, D.D. ^ ^ e followlug Octobcr (4th) was ordained and became pastor of the Baptist Church at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. From the point last named he went to Kentucky in September, SALINE ASSOCIATION. 501 1864, and for some months engaged successfully in protracted meetings. On the 1st of January, 1865, he was settled as pastor in Owensboro, Ky., where he continued for over five years. He resigned there April 1, 1870, returned to Missouri, and on the 1st of June of that j^ear settled as pastor in Kansas City. Here he continued for two years, and then went to Chillicothe, where he spent a few months, and moved thence to Springfield, Mo. Here he had been something over a year, when under the most earnest appeal of the Baptist church in Cape Girardeau he visited that city and held a series of meetings resulting in a glorious revival of religion and the accession of twenty persons to the member- ship of the church. The interest was widespread — the commu- nity was moved — the church gave him a call to the pastoral of- fice. Outsiders proposing to help the struggling band liberally, and this help being offered for no one but Mr. Maple, he reluct- antly gave up Springfield and moved to the Cape. His labors continued here three years, when his health broke down, not long after which he accepted the call of the church at Mexico. In 1878 he went to Europe, having been appointed a commis- sioner by the governor of Missouri. After his return he contin- ued his labors successfully at Mexico until the fall of 1881, when he resigned and soon afterwards — November 1st — was settled as pastor of the First Baptist Church at Marshall, Mo. Eld. Maple has for several years very efficiently filled the of- fice of president of the executive board of the G-eneral Associa- tion of Missouri, and at the session of that body in October, 1881, was elected as its assistant moderator. Shurtleff College conferred upon him the degree of A. B. and A.M. in the regular course. And the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him in 1881, both by William Jew- ell College, Missouri, and by Baylor Universit}', Texas; all of which honors he wears with much ease and modesty. Mr. Maple is one of the staunch members of the Missouri Bap- tist ministry. James Lewis Tichenor. — This brother beloved is a native of Spencer County, Kentucky, was born March 27, 1830, and is a younger brother of Dr. I. T. Tichenor of Alabama. He grew up to manhood, was converted, baptized, and commenced preach- ing in his native state. His baptism occurred in October, 1846, by Eld. vSmith Thomas, at Taylorsville. Subsequently he was for a time a member of Calhoun Church, Kentucky, by which he was licensed to jjreach in 1858. While a member of the last 502 SALINE ASSOCIATION. named church, he spent two years in the family of Eev. J. S. Cole- man, who gave him the benefit of his instruction and free access to his extensive library. During these years he taught school as a means of support. He was ordained at Beaver Dam, Ky., after which he spent about eight years in that state in the minis- try, laboring as pastor at Highland, Newport and Lancaster Churches. Mr. Tichenor removed to Missouri in 1868, and was pastor for a season at Westport, and has for several years past been j^as- tor of churches in the Saline Association, among which areZoar and Shackelford. His first marriage was with Miss Eoxie Cooper in December, 1863, while pastor at Newport, Kentucky, where his labors were much blessed. His second marriage was with Mrs. L. E. Melvin, while pastor at Westport, Mo. His j)i'eaching is doctrinal, and "stubbornly logical," in lan- guage clear, though not polished. He is not a "denominational" disputant, but on all proper occasions preaches Baptist senti- ments fully; and while Calvinistic in his views, he takes special pains to develop the spirit of missions in his people. W. R. Painter — was born in Warren County, Virginia, in 1838. Most of his early life was spent near Palmyra, Missouri, In 1856 he was converted, baptized by Eld. Jno. T. Williams, and joined Bethel Church, by which body he was licensed to preach, and by the generous aid of Hon. William Carson was placed at Beth- el College, Palmyra, where he remained nntil the breaking out of the war in 1861. He was ordained at Bethel Church in 1860. He entered the Confederate army and served as chaplain of the 10th Missouri Infantry during the war. Eeturning to Missouri, he engaged with Dr. J. H. Luther in establishing the Missouri Baptist Journal, canvassing a large part of the state on horseback in that work. He became the pastor of Chariton and other churches in Howard County in 1866. In this field of labor (with the exception of one year spent at the Southern Baptist Theo- logical Seminary, and three years of sickness) Jie continued until the year 1880. In 1882 he was pastor of Mt. Leonard and Blackburn Church- es in Saline County, and has been doing a noble work for the Master. In meetings held by him, he has witnessed over 1,100 conversions, and baptized 470 persons, mostly in Howard County. His first marriage was in 1870, to Miss Sarah Hall, who died in 1871. His second wife was Miss Mary Hughes of Howard County, to whom he was married in 1881. CHAPTER "Vn. MACOX ASSOCIATION. Constituent Churches — Euphrates Stringer — Change of Name — Second Change — Pol- icy on Missions — Great Revival at Mt. Salem — Trouble on Open Communion — End of the Controversy — Mt. Pleasant College Adopted — Big Spring and Blanket Grove Churches — .Joseph OliA-cr. THIS body was formed at the house of Deacon Wm. Griffin, Macon County, on the fourth Saturday in November, 1843, of four churches, a part of a colony that came out of the Mount Pleasant Association for this purpose. (For a fuller account of the events connected with the rise of this association see North Union Association.) Churches and 3Iessengers. — Ten Mile : "VVm. Griffin, Henry Math- ews and J. G. Swinney ; Mt. Tabor: Michael Mood}^ Michael and Charles Buster ; Big Spring: Walker Austin and William Eadcliff; Pleasant Hill: Euphrates Stringer, Benjamin Si)eak and Je))tha Hardesty. None of these old pioneers are now liv- ing, save Michael Moody and J. G. Swinney. The elders pres- ent were Euphrates Stringer, William Eadcliff and J. G. Swin- ney. The constitution and articles of faith of the Old Cumber- land Pivcr Association of Kentucky were adopted, and the as- sociation took the name of " Mt. Tabor Association of United Baptists." Michael Buster was elected moderator, and Walker Austin was chosen clerk. Correspondence was solicited from the Bethel and the Mt. Pleasant Associations. In 1844 James Moody was added to the list of ministers as a licentiate. The session this j'ear was cheered by the presence of Wm. Duncan, Benjamin and Jesse Terrill, from Mt. Pleasant Association, and P. N. Haycraft and James F. Smith, from Beth- el Association. In the fall of this year Euphrates Stringer, the leading minister of the association, moved to Texas. His loss was very much felt by the feeble churches of this new interest, among whom he was held in high estimation. Being a man of fine exhortational powers, he was regarded as a revivalist in that day. Not meeting with his expected success in Texas, he moved back to Pulaski County, Kentucky (where he was born and grew up), and died not long afterwards. 504 MACON ASSOCIATION. Messengers from only three churches, Big Spring, Ten Mile and Mt. Tabor, were present at the meeting in 1848. Joseph Oliver appears in the list of preachers. Licentiates: James N". Griffin, Colby Miller and William May. William H. Yardeman from Salt Eiver, Jesse Terrill of Mt. Pleasant, and Wm. Barbec of North Grand Eiver Association, were present as correspond- ing messengers. Mt. Salem Church, from Mt. Pleasant Associ- ation, was received into the association this year. This, too, was the beginning of a new era in what is now the Macon Associa- tion. For the first time, pursuant to a resolution of the body, a public demonstration was made in behalf of missions by mak- ing a collection therefor on the Lord's day, amounting to $12.50. On Monday following the work was continued by the appoint- ment of an executive board of missions, the raising by special pledges from individuals and from churches of $87, and the elec- tion of J. G. Swinney to itinerate in the destitute parts of the association, at a salary of $12.50 per month. At this session al- so the name of the association was changed from Mt. Tabor to "Middle Fork," under which title it continued until the present name " Macon " was adopted in 1866. In 1849 Elder William Eadcliff preached the introductory ser- mon. Says Eld. J. G. Swinney: "My recollection is that this is the last meeting this eccentric minister ever attended. He died some few years after, very suddenly, from apoplexy, having be- come very fleshy and helpless. He was a man of a good mind and of some doctrinal ability, but somewhat speculative, which, doubtless, in a measure impaired his usefulness." Blanket Grove Church, now La Plata, was admitted into the association this year on a letter from North Union Association. The aggressive policy which characterized the meeting in 1848 continued, and by the year 1852 the number of churches had grown to ten, with 327 members. J. G. Swinney, James Moody and Joseph Oliver performed missionary labor during this pe- riod. Eevivals were not unfrequent. From the close of the ses- sion in 1849 at Mt. Salem, the meeting was continued by James Moody and J. G. Swinney, resulting in a large accession to the church, doubling its membership. A case of open communion interrupted the harmony of the as- sociation at its meeting in 1855. James Mood}-, an elder and a member in Blanket Grove Church, avowed open communion sen- timents. The church considered his case and called in his cre- dentials; but he, refusing to give them up, went and united with MACON ASSOCIATION. 505 the Bethlehem Church. In 1854 the association appointed a com- mittee to visit and look into the action of the said Bethlehem Church, but she refused to give them any satisfaction whatever. In 1855 the committee reported the facts in the case, and the Beth- lehem Church was excluded for ''violating the principles on which the association was organized." (J\Hnntes, 1855.) This ac- tion of the association settled the communion question, which had been agitating the churches and creating division. During this discussion, however, brethren had said hard things of one another, and this session of the association closed with very con- siderable excitement, the minority claiming that the association had treated the church and Brother Moody badl}-. The Bethle- hem Church never afterwards enjoyed any prosperity, and in a few years became extinct. Eld. Moody studied the communion question, saw his error, abandoned his position, and subsequently became a landmark Baptist; and the churches generally became more firmly settled on the doctrines of the primitive churches than ever before. This restored quiet in the Macon Associa- tion. The business of this session (1855) was considerably in- creased by the appointment of committees on periodicals, col- leges, temperance, Bible societies and Sunday-schools. The en- tire strength of the association at this time was 9 churches and 427 members. 77 baptisms during the year indicated a good de- gree of interest. In 1860, at Mt. Tabor, letters and messengers were present from all the churches, now increased to 14 in number. Ministers. — James Moody, Joseph Oliver, J. A. Clark, G. C. Sparrow, John Eoan, John Estes, J. G. Svvinney, S. K. Kellum — who afterwards became a wreck — and G. W. Simmons; five of whom only were in any measure active in the ministry. The missionary reported fort3'-nine days' labor and $68.95 collected. At this session some discussion arose on the motion to strike out the sixth article in the constitution, as follows : "Giving or re- fusing to give money for missionary purposes, shall be no bar to fellowship." The motion was lost by a large majority. The association (it took the name of " Macon " this year) met in 1866 at Rock Creek Church, Knox County, September 8th. It consisted of thirteen Churches. — Novelty, 15; Bethlehem, 19; Blanket Grove, 86; Mt. Tabor, 109; Rock Creek ; Chariton Grove, 51; North Fork, 75; New Salem, 41; Union Grove, 16; Macon, 26; Mt. Salem. .167; Chariton Valley, 25; Dover, ; total member- 506 MACON ASSOCIATION. ship, 630; baptisms, 84, The following additions had been made to the ministerial force: J. B. Johnson, B. F. Powers, William Johnson and T. M. Colwell. The latter, an active and efficient preacher, was pastor at Macon City, a railroad junction, and the principal town in the bounds of the association. B}^ way of pro- moting education, the association pledged its support to the Mt. Pleasant Baptist College at Iluntsville. The year preceding the session at Mt. Tabor in 1867 was one of prosperity. Four churches — Pleasant Grove, Richland, Bben- ezer and Bear Creek — formerly belonging to North Union Asso- ciation, were on application added to the list this year. The as- sociation was now somewhat in debt to its missionary, and had to appeal to the churches to contribute to pay off the old claim. This is no uncommon occurrence in the state, and is, we feel con- fident, a bad method of doing business. It very generally hap- pens that while a church or an association is raising funds to j)ay off old debts, but little is accomplished for anything else. We have known church work clogged for years, simply with a debt of a few hundred dollars. This fact of itself indicates very clearly the evil of church debts. We have, however, known glorious exceptions to this rule. Ministers in 1870. — James Mood}-, Jos. Oliver, James Morris, G. C. Sparrow, J. A. Clark, A. R. T. Brown, T. M. Colwell, M. H. Abbott, J. Wood Saunders, G. D. Brock, J. W. Cook, W. John- son, J. Roan, E. W. Wisdom, R. K. Basket and L. D. Lamkin. Whole number of churches, 26 j total members, 1,602. The proposition of Mt. Pleasant Association, inviting the Ma- con Association to consolidate on Mt. Pleasant College — Macon to have half the trustees of said institution — was discussed at this meeting, and finally referred to the churches. The follow- ing 3'ear (1871)the proposition was accepted, whereby the Mount Pleasant College became the school of Macon Association as well as of Mount Pleasant. The following were nominated as trus- tees to fill vacancies as they might occur : Stephen Conner, G. W. Saunders, R. II. Lamkin, Jas. Moody, Sr., John Vansicklc, Geo. D. Brock, John A. Brown, Andrew Baker and G. C. Sparrow, and Rev. T. M. Colwell became financial agent of the college. The churches of Macon Association, 27 in all, are located in Macon, Adair and Shelby Counties. Macon City, the county seat of Macon, and Kirksville, the county seat of Adair and seat of one of the state normal schools, are in this association, both of which are important centres. The largest church in the associa- MACON ASSOCIATTOK. 507 tion in 1879, was Friendship, with 226 members ; the next was Mount Salem, with 215 ; then Union Grove, Shelby County, 178 j and Macon Cit}^ 115. No others exceeded 100. At that session nearly one-half the churches reporting (21) had enjoyed reviv- als, and 179 converts had been added to the churches by baptism. The numerical strength was 1,568. Mhiisters in lS79.—AUon Parks, J. C. Eckle, D. E. Evans, G. C. Sparrow, W. E. Skinner, J. F. McClellan, E. J. Mansfield, J. C. Shipp, Wm. Johnson, John Eoan, G. W. Jones, E. H. Sawyer, D.D., C. N. Eay and J. G. Swinney. In 1881 tlie association was hold at Union Grove, Shclb}' Coun- ty. Jno. II. Thompson, pastor at Macon, had been added to the ministerial corps. The 23 churches reported an aggregate mem- bership of 1,401, and a moderate degree of prosperity for the preceding year. L. P. Wooldridge was moderator, and E. N. Leyde, clerk. Big Spring Church. — The first settlement in what is now Ma- con County was made in 1831, located 4 miles north of Macon City, and was called Moccasinville. The first Baptist church organized in the county was Big Spring, in July, 1839, b}^ Thomas Fristoe, aided by A. T. Hite, a licentiate. It was composed of 8 or 9 members, and located in a neighborhood near the northern limits of the county, west- ward from tlie present town of La Plata. A. T. Ilite was the first minister, having been ordained at the call of the church im- mediately after its formation, by Eld. Fristoe. This church first joined the Mt. Pleasant Association and afterwards (in 1843) became a constituent of the North Union Association. Blanket Grove Church. — The second church organized in Ma- con County was not far from the present town of La Plata, in December, 1840, of eleven members, by A. T. Ilite, called "Blank- et Grove." In 1868 this church built a new house of worship in La Plata, since which time it has been called by the name of the town. A. T. Ilite was for the first ten months pastor, was succeeded by Wm. T. Barnes, and he by O. P. Davis for about two 3'ears, when he joined the "Current Eeformation." Davis was ordained by this church in 1843. Mount Salem Church — bears date from Nov. 13, 1841. It has been a prolific vino. Elds. Wm. Duncan and Benj. Terrill were present and aided in its organization with eleven mem- bers. For a number of years the church met from liouse to house and in the groves, until in 1854 it built a frame structure, 508 MACON ASSOCIATION. 30x50 feet, which was replaced hy a very neat frame building, well proportioned, finished and comfortable, within the last ten years. In all, from the beginning, there have been 304 names on the church roll. In 1882 the church numbered 210 mem- bers, with M. F. Williams as pastor. Benj. Terrill was the first minister. This church has sent forth by ordination two minis- ters— Samuel Mays and G. D. Brock. Bethlehem (now Sue City) Church. — This church was first organized March 3, 1850, of 12 members, and located in the edge of Knox County, near the present town of Sue City. For two or three years it seemed to prosper; then heresies crept in, much wrangling ensued, many left the church, and the rest went into open communion, first abolished one of the leading articles of Baptist faith, then restored it, and finally dissolved. Some time after this a new organization was effected by the same name, which was dissolved in 1869 and organized as the Sue City Bap- tist Church, of 23 members, and in 1882 had 52 members on the list. EocK Creek Church, — once a member of Macon Association, is in Knox County, five miles west of Edina. It originated May, 1857, with 24 members. J. W. Rowe was their minister. Chariton Ridge Church. — On the fifth Saturday in January, 1864, 16 persons covenanted together, formed this church, and chose Wm. Caldwell as their minister. Its present numerical strength is 75, worshiping in a house 25x40 feet, one-half only of which it owns, the other belonging to the Methodists. W. R. Skinner was pastor in 1882. The former name of this commu- nity was Chariton Valley, from the Chariton River, near which it was organized and met for one or more years. Macon City Baptist Church, — though neither the oldest nor the largest in the association, is one of the most etficient. In 1882 J. H. Thompson was pastor, the church numbering 103 members. This church contributes statedly to home and for- eign missions and to Bible and Sunday-school work. KiRKsviLLE Church, — situated in Adair County, numbering 65 membei's in 1879, has struggled for many j-ears, and is in a decidedly improved condition. In 1881 J. C. Shipp was pastor, and it has been gradually gaining in numbers and eflSciency. The time of organization of neither of these last named church- es was furnished us. Second Baptist Church, Better. — This church was organ- ized April 10, 1870, with five members. The same meeting con- MACON ASSOCIATION. 509 tinued fifteen days, resulting in 48 additions to the church. In 1882 it had 64 members. Friendship Church, — once the largest in the association, was organized September 28, 1867, by T. M. Colwell and Joseph Oli- ver, with 55 members, and is located seven miles southeast from Macon. W. P. Elliott was the pastor in 1879. Joseph Oliver was the first pastor who filled this office. Joseph Oliver — was born in Clark County, Kentucky, April 14, 1804. He professed religion and joined the Baptist church called Cave Spring in May, 1823. Wm. Oliver, his father, and all the family moved to Missouri and settled in Howard County in 1825, and united (five members of the family) with Mt. Moriah Church, some four miles from Fayette. In 1828 young Oliver moved to Eandolph County and became a member of Dover Church, soon after which he was elected writing clerk and also singing clerk. When the trouble on missions was agitating the churches of Mt. Pleasant Association, 3Ir. Oliver found himself alone at Dover Church, it having declared non-fcllowshij) for " missions and the institutions of the day." He finally got a let- ter and moved his membership to Iluntsville Church. Here, too, he was made church clerk, and was generally sent as a messen- ger to his association. On the third Saturday in September, 1843, upon the call of Huntsville Baptist Church, he was ordained to preach the gospel by Elds. William Duncan and William Mans- field. The first meeting he held was one in his own neighbor- hood. A revival followed and twenty-five converts were bap- tized. He continued in the field of his early labors for five or six years; Elds. W. Duncan, Jesse, Benjamin and J. W. Terrill and Wm. Mansfield being his colaborcrs. In 1849 he moved to Ma- con County, identified himself with the interests of Macon As- sociation and continued in this field as long as ho lived. Here he labored as pastor of churches, as missionary, in protracted meetings, &c., &c. His gift was mainly exhortational, which classed him among what wo sometimes call revivalists. During his ministry he baptized over 300 persons and married 90 coup- les. He died on the 4th of August, 1877, being 73 years, 3 months and 20 days old. His remains were deposited in the graveyard at Mt. Tabor Church, near Atlanta, Macon County, on Sunday, the 5th of the same month. CHAPTER Tin. NOETH u]^io:n' and noeth missouei associations. Disagreement Between Elds. Hiteand Stringer — "VVbenandb}- Whom N. Union Asso- ciation Was Formed — A. T. Hite, His Early Life, Conversion, Removal to Missouri, and Pioneer Life — Frontier Scenes — The Pet Pig in the IMeeting-house — I^ewis Conner — Growth of the Association — North Missouri Association — First Meet- ing— Successor of North Union — First Constitution — Amended Constitution — Un- associated Churches — Ministerial Destitution. IN 1843 it was found that the territory of the Mt. Pleasant As- sociation extended from the Missouri Eiver on tlie south to the Iowa line on the north, and at the session this year it was thought advisable to make another division, whereupon the churches lying northward were lettered off to form a new asso- ciation. Elds. A. T. Hite of Adair County, and Euphrates String- er of Macon Count}^, two leading ministers, disagreeing about the boundary lines, like Paul and Barnabas, parted asunder; and A. T. Hite, wnth the churches in Adair, Schuyler and a part of Macon County, formed, in October, 1843, at the church on the Fabius, Schuyler County, a new association, called " North Union." The rest of the churches, with Eld. Stringer, organ- ized what is now Macon Association. (See the history of said association for particulars.) In the organization of North Un- ion Association there were 10 or 12 churches. (Four or five of these churches had been dismissed from Bethel Association.) The first Bajjtist church in Adair County was organized in 1838 or '39, by the name of Bear Creek. The founding of this and other early churches in this section of the state will be giv- en somewhat in detail in the sketches which are to follow. Archibald T albert Hite — was the pioneer Baptist preacher of Adair County, being the first to penetrate the forests and hunt up the new settlements of this section of the state for pur- poses of evangelism. And not only did he plant the first church- es that composed it, but was also the father of the North Union Baptist Association. He was born in Clark County, Kentucky, in April, 1803. Be- ing of poor parentage he grew up amidst toil and hardship. "When young his father enlisted as a soldier in the war of 1812, NORTH UNION AND NORTH MISSOURI ASSOCIATIONS. 511 leaving many burdens at home on little Archibald, he being the only son. The close of the war found his father a drunkard, which only increased the son's responsibilities. He was com- pelled to "hire out" to help procure sustenance for the family. Amid all these surroundings he grew up without even the rudi- ments of an education. When 15 years old he could not read, and when listening one day to his employer reading the hymn, " That awful day will surely come," he was struck under convic- tion, and after many struggles and lingering for several years, light fell upon him and he felt the conscious presence and for- giveness of Christ. This was at about the age of 19 years. In 1824 Mr. Hite, now a grown man, was married to a daugh- ter of Peter Scholl, and a grand-niece of the prince of pioneers, Daniel Boone. He moved to Illinois and settled in Morgan County in the fall of 1825. He here first made a public profes- sion of religion and united with the Baptists. The church is now Winchester, Scott County, by which he was licensed to preach. He emigrated to Missouri, settling in Macon Count}-, in 1837, with no Baptist church within less than 40 miles of his home. All this while his heart was burdened with anxiety to preach the gospel ; but so poor had been his early advantages that he re- frained. He had many struggles and heart burnings, but finally silenced all objections and commenced the ministry. But what should he do? There were no Baptist churches nor Baptist preachers in those parts. About this time there came along a Doctor Still, a Methodist circuit preacher. Hite attended his meeting in the neighborhood, made his acquaintance, and agreed to accompany him on a two weeks' circuit up the Chariton to Elm Narrows, thence east to the head of the Pabius, and down this stream to a village called Edinburg, thence south to the head of the north fork of Salt River, thence home. Suon after this Eld. Hite made appointments of his own and crowds of the frontier settlers flocked to hear him. Early in his ministry he held a camp-meeting high up on the Chariton, resulting in some 40 conversions. In the winter of 1838-'9 the seven or eight Bap- tists in his neighborhood came together and agreed to hold reg- ular meetings for worship. In the July following. Eld. Thomas Pristoe visited them and organized them into a church called Big Spring — the first church so far north in this partof Missouri. The meeting was held in the grove near Mr Ilitc's house. The new church called A. T. Hite as pastor, Eld. Fristoc at once or- dained him, and he bai)tized a number of converts at the close 512 NORTH UNION AND NORTH MISSOURI ASSOCIATIONS. of the meeting. Eld. Hite now put his whole heart into the ministry, visiting and preaching in the newly settled districts, gathering together and feeding the scattered sheep of the fold, baptizing young converts and forming new churches. Not long after his ordination he organized the first church in Adair Coun- ty at the house of Lewis Conner, a few miles northwest of Kirks- ville, and called it ''Bear Creek." A number of the converts at the before-mentioned camp-meeting became members of this church. The second church formed was at the house of Dr. Brower, which took the name of "Highland;" and still another during the same season on Salt River, called " Bethel." At this time there was no other Baptist minister near, so that Mr. Hite be- came pastor of these churches, although he continued his itiner- ating. And thus he labored for some years. Some one commu- nicated the facts to the American Baptist Home Missionary So- ciety, it made an appropriation of funds to this field, and Brother Hite became the missionary of the society for two years. An enemy circulated an evil report about him and the society with- drew its help, but he continued his labors as before, and subse- quently received an appointment from the General Association of Missouri, which greatly aided him in his labors. During all these days of toil and devotion to the cause, his efforts were sup- plemented by an industrious and self-sacrificing wife. His labors were extended as far to the northwest as to what is now Putnam County. Over these vast fields he sowed the seed of divine truth, and the day of reckoning alone will reveal the results of A. T. Hite's labors for the Baptist denomination in the country now designated as the counties of Adair, Macon, Scotland, Schuyler, Putnam and Sullivan. He had as cotemporaries Elds. Thomas Fristoe, Benjamin Terrill, P. N, Haycraft, Lewis Conner and others. Quite a number of very interesting incidents in his life might be told, illustrative of the times in which he lived and of which we write. He once made a tour west of the Grand Chariton in compan3% I think, with P. N. Haycraft. The first appointment was at a private house, made at the solicitation of the owner. When they reached the place they found that the family had re- cently moved into a partly finished new hoiise. To this they proceeded — found about a dozen men and women, besides chil- dren, collected together to hear preaching, and the husband and two or three of the boys off" on a bear hunt. Under these circum- NORTH UNION AND NORTH MISSOURI ASSOCIATIONS. 513 stances services were begun and soon their annoyances were greatly increased by a pet pig which could not be kept out of the doorlcss house. On another occasion, up in Putnam County, he filled an ai)pointmont at a private house, where only some half a dozen women had come in to hear the new preacher, and even the man of the house absent and engaged, as his wife said, in making a hog pen. He came in, however, before the services closed, and requested the minister to preach at night, saying there would be a better congregation. This was agreed upon. The audience was dismissed and dispersed, and Eld. Hite remained for dinner. It was now nearly 2 o'clock, P. M. Mr. Hite having traveled from early morning, was very much fatigued and very hungry. See- ing no signs of dinner, he sallied forth into the yard, where he found one of the smaller bo3's turning at a hand-mill fastened to a stump, and on inquiry found that the boy was grinding meal for dinner. He took hold, helped the boy, and soon they sent in a bowl of fresh meal for dinner. We have no account of thc.labors of Eld. Hite after he moved to Howard County, which was about 1851 or '52. In the last named year he was a member of Mt. Pleasant Association as a messenger from Walnut Grove Church, and the year following from Chariton Church, of which, we think, he remained a mem- ber until his death, which occurred March 7, 1864, under very peculiar and sad circumstances. He resided about eight miles northeast from Glasgow. Late in the afternoon of the day preceding his death, his wife (of his second marriage) left home to spend the night with a neighbor, leaving old Brother Allen, of Eoanoke, to spend the evening with the husband. Suddenly they were startled by a noise on the piazza and a shout of, "Surround the house, boys," when a man entered the house with a drawn revolver and demanded Elder Hite's money, which he at once gave him, amounting to about $13. With this the highwayman was not satisfied, and, in cold blood, shot him through and through, from which he died in about eigh- teen hours. By his request Eld. Noah Flood preached a sermon at his burial. He was calm and perfectly resigned, and died in hope of a blessed immortal it}'.* Lewis Conner, — who for some years was numbered among * A. T. Hite was at different times pastor of the follo\ving churches: Big Spring, Ilighhmc], Bear Creeic, Fabius, North Union, Lynn Grove, J'rieiulship, Providence, ]5ethel, Lilx-rty, Long Tlidge, Blani