D UKE UNIVERSIT Y LIBRARY A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN WORTH CAROLINA BY REV. CHAS. B. mL-UAMS, A.B.. B.D, 1 -^-^ i i^ ^ • RALEIGH -^ PRESSES OF EDIVARDS & BROUGNTON u. PREFACE. -yvj '/:>a. v)uv purpose in produoing' the followiuii- pages is to pnr in vciRlable form the JeeJs of our Baptist fathers in the Old North State. To write the history of the Xorth C'aroliua Baptists is to tread on virgin soil The task has never been undertaken before, so far as the author knows. Consequently, we do not ehiini perfection in details of Baptist history in North Carolina. The records were only }nirtially kept in the early days, so that much of the real liistory of Xorth Carolina Baptists luis nevc-i^ been eonmiitted to paper. Taking into eonsideration the lack of infornuition in some places and superabundance of it in others, we have tried to make a connected history, dealiug with all characters and events with an impartial pen. J\lany heroes hav(> not a place in tliis narrative, ' because scarcely anything- has been preserved from their lives of heroism. We make special acknowledgments to J. W. Bailey, editor of the BihJical Becorderj B. W. Spilman, Sunday School Missionary of the Convention ; J. E. White, Sec- retary of the Convention, who have given us valuable facts. Especially do we acknowledge our indebtedness to the Historical Papers, published at Henderson, X. C., by Dr. Hufham and brother Pittman. We have consulted the following sources for the facts forming the basis of this history: Morgan Edward-i, m an- nscript History of Early "N'orth Carolina Baptists ; Bene- dict, History of the Baptists in tlie United States; Armi- Copyright 1901 C . B . Williams VUl PRKKACH. tfige, History of the JBiqjtists; jSrewman, History of j lio Baptist Chiu'clu's in the United States ; ijackiis, History of the JJaptists in JSJew England; Barrage, History of the Baptists in New England ; Cramp, Baptist History ; Ve J- der, Short History of the Baptists ; Vcdder, History of tlie Baptists in the Middle States ; Biley, History of t he Baptists in the Southern States; Pnrcfov, .] ..l, istor y__of_Jlib Sandy Oroek Association; Bigus... History of the Kehrdv i^i]i- Assoeiation ; Cassell, History of the ivelnikee Association; JIufham . lienioir of J. L. Pritchard; Historical Papers, published at Henderson, N. C. ; Beale-Semple, Histci'y of the llise and Progress of Baptists in Virginia ; Sinitli^ History of Education in Nortli Carolina ; Taylor, Histci'y of English General Baptists ; Standard Histories of ISTorth Carolina; Standard Histories of the United States; ]\Iin- ntes of the State Convpiitjon of 7\ T"rivi1i CnvnllH^- Minutes of the Associations ; White and Ray, Leaflets on State ]!*iis- sions in North Carolina ; Spilman, Leaflet on Sunday "Scliool Work in North Carolina; Dorchester, Christianity in the United States; Tnpper, Foreign j\Iissions of llie Southern Baptist Convention ; Eoreign Mission Jonrnsls ; American Baptist Year Book ; English Baptist Year Book. . CONTENTS. Part I— Pichiou of Persecution. CHAPTEH PAGE. I — Origin of North Carolina Baptists 1 II— The Days Before Uhurclies A-r(jse ... _ (i III — Tiie Motlier Churcli of tiie Denomination 10 IV— Baptists on tlie Yadlcin 10 V — Rise and (irowth of Sandy Creek Association 21 ./ VI— Rise and Growth of the Keliukee Association 27 VII — Conflict witli the State Church. 33 VIII -Baptists Persecuted - - 40 IX— Baptists and Liberty 4() X — Baptists and the Revolution 51 XI — Some Baptist Preacheisof tiie Old Type aG PaKT II — PkRIuI> of OHOANIZ.VTION. XII — Rise and Growth of the State Convention .. . 71- t/- XIII— The Biblical Recorder 78 ./ XIV— Wake Forest College Hov XV — North Carolina Baptists and Foreign ^Missions 100 '\ XVI— North Carolina Baptists and State Missions. lOti '^•■ XVII— Associations Organized ...: 112 XVIII— Work of ani(jn Meetings 135 XIX — North Carolina Baptists and Sunday Seliools 139- XX — The Western Convention. 144 XXI— Baptist Orphanage at Tiioniasville MO Part III— Peiuod of E.yi'ansio.n XXII — Tlie Days of Darkness 155 XXIII— Colored Baptists I(i0 -/ XXIV - Baptists and Popular Education 107-^' v' XXV— Baptists and Higher Education 172 - / XXVI— Baptists and Female Education ... , 170 - XXVII— The Work of Our Baptist Women 1S8 XXVKI— Care for Our Aged Ministers 103 XXIX — The Chautau(]ua Movement - - f ^'i ' XXX— (Jur Heroes Abroad. 200 ■ XX.XI— North Carolina Baptists in Literature . 201 XXXTI — lieview, View and Preview .. 310 \ll ,4 INTRODUCTION. The history of any poo]>lo must be viowod both exten- sively and intonsively-there liiust be a broa.l, philo- sophic treatment of the nuiterial as a whole; there niust dso be exhaustive investigation of the separate parts, ihe Time for writin- the history of the American Baptists ex- tensively has not yet come, but nothing will do^more to hasten its coming than the preparation of such. State his- tories as this vobune on the Baptists of North (^irolina. The author' had excellent precedent for his labors, if he nec-ded any, in the work of our pioneer Ba])tist historian, that able and eccentric divine, ]\rorgan Edwards. .Mr. Ed- wards made many long and venturesome journeys, con- ducted a volmninous correspondence and examined all pudnted material available in his day, in the- preparation of his "Materials Tou-ards a TTistcn-y of the Baptists." 1 h(> presenr-dav writer has the way very mueh smoothed lor hiui; bht if he is. as diligent and aeeurate in proportion, future generations will ])e as grateful to him as we aVi^ To Edwards. There is an obvious propriety in making these separate studies of Baptist history by States. State lines, wholly artificial in the beginning, have become something much more than this in our older commonwealths. This^ sc-p- aration of law corresponds to distinctions of fact. Varia- tions or original immigration, differences of natural con- ditions, and a thousand other things, have given the p<'0- ple of each State a distinct type of physical a])poaranee. / IV INTRODUCTION. ' • ' . spec'C'li and cliavacter. Each generation thus far has rather accentnated than diminished these dift'erences, TJio time may come ^^■llen these different characteristics will become so perfectly blended as to make a physical and moral amalgam, of Avhich the component ])arts A\'ill bo in- distinguishable. There is no prospect, however, that this day will be within the lifetime of any of us, and one nnjy be pardoned perhaps for expressing the opinian that such a residt would be a distinct loss. The present variation* of ty])e add flavor and picturesqueness to American society, and their disa])pearanco would make of the American peo pie as ilat and uninterosting a nation as dwells on the globe. These variations of type have had their influence, often a strongly nnirked influence, u]3on the history of American Christianity. This has been displayed not only in the rise- of sects and instittitions pectiliar to this region or that, btit in the history of each denomination. In the growth of the Baptist denomination this influence is easilj' traced. With a unity in essentials that is the astonishment, and almost the envy, of otluT Christians, our churclies liave always been characterized by a remarkable diversity iii local customs, local ideals, local institutions. State pride, State feeling, whatever we may name it, has also been a modifying force to which our historians have hitherto ascribed too little weight. Thus it happens that the Ba]v tists of Xorth Carolina, while their early history is inti- mately connected with the Baptists of the two nearest colonies, Virginia and South Carolina, while they have always been in fraternal co-operation with their brethren elsewhere, Itave a story of their own that is well w(U'tl\ INTRODUCTION. ^ V telling. Tlie saiiK' is true of the Jiaptists oi' (ivery other State, at least in the older portions of our country. Hence, the importance and value of State histories of the worlc Baptists have accomplished from the beginning until now. I liave been in the habit of advising ni}' students, jf they Ijave a liking for historical investigation, to under- take "a monograph on some local subject, and thus secure the preservation of much valuable material that otherwise will very likely l>e lost to future tiislorians. Whether in consequence of this advice, or of his own inward im- pulse, ]\Ir. Williams undertook his task, 1 do not know. 1 do know, however, that as a student he showed more than usual into'cst and in'oficiency in the work of histor ical reseai'ch, and that he has done this work co)) auiorc T read the manuscript critically some months ago, and liad no hesitation in cordially recommending its publica- tion. T am glad that it is now to be given to the Baptist brotherhood, and to the world at large, and hojie that it will receive the welcome aiul reading that it am])ly merits. May his example stimulate others of our younger scholars to go and do likewise ! IIexry C. Vic DDE r. Crozer THEOLoaiCAL Seminary, June 30, 1901. A HISTORY OF THE Baptists in North Carolina. PART I— PERIOD OF PERSECUTION. CHAPTER I. TIIK OUrUIN' OF Xoirni CAKOLIXA liAI'TIS'l'S. We arc standiiii;' on tlit' hank of a lovely vivcr \vlu)se v'atcrs boar n])(ni their bosom the ships of eomuierce and bring- to ns the breezes of a liealthful eliniate. We natn- rallv wish to know its rise. We would like to know the hill, or mountain, in (he hii;,hlands, which sends forlh the beautiful river of blessin<2,' to nature, beasts antl nuMi. vSo we stand to-day on the bank of anothei" river — the stream of Xoi'th (\irolina na])tist history. On its bosom it has carried tlie gospel of ''Christ Jesus and 11 im ernci- fied" and borne the breezes of heavenly refreshing to thou- sands of sin-sick souls. We ask, Where did this stream take its rise ^ What is the origin of that great host of Christians known as the Xorth Carolina Baptists ? It has been very generally believed that the lirst Bap- tist settlers in the old Albemarle Colony came from Vir- ginia, Bnt recent investigations seem against such an opinion. ^/l)r. Tvlley, in his "History of the Baptists in the Southern States j^ast of the ]\rississippi," says: ''It has beetj assnme't^pionecrs, days in which they must secure a foot- hold and establish themselves as citizens of the new colony. They were busy clearing up the foi-ests and building rude lionses. b A IirSTORV OK THE BAPTISTS Tlic \lvd Mail, loo, was always suspicions oi" the White ^lau and was cvor on the war-path. So tlie early settlers ninst watch their constant foe and shield their nowly- Lnilded homes from tlie ravages of the Eed Man's rage. Thongh nuiny Indians, like J\lanteo of Ivoanoke, embraced the Christian faith and became the White Plan's friend, still the great mass of Red Men hated tlieir white iieigh- bors and were ever la^'ing plots to massacre the settlers and devastate the settlements. . ]\Ioi'eover, onr fathers had political problems to solve. The Lords Prpprietors, who virtnally owned the colony until 172i), were constantly trampling on the rights of the peojde ami emptying their pockets of their hard-earned means. iVltJiough the ])eo])le had set aside the Fundamen- tal (\jnstitntit)ns and asserted theii; rights to govern thcm,.- sclves, yet the Lords Proprietors were planning liow they might tighten the yoke of foreign government u])on the necks of Carolina's i)eo])le. Lord (Marendon, one of these Pr()priet(jrs, was holding out the inducement of lil)erty to the I'efngecs from ihe Noi'tliern (-olonies and from 1-hig- land, but at home lie was forging })olitical chains with which to 'fasten the ])eople. New settlers were pointed to the star of freeiloni witiiin the borders of Carolina, bnt as sfton as they reached the Albemarle, the I^ords Proprie- tors began to tighten tin? reins of a foreign governm.ent. The promise of liberty brought the hunted lierocs frcnn the Nortliern Colonies, but on arriving in Carolina tliey found, not lil)erty bnt op])ression, ' So they mnst rpc^^/i those early years iu struggling for freedom. More tlian ibis, as hinted before, there was a sharper conllict between the Establishment and its opiiononts. We IN NORTH CAROLINA. 9 will trace this conflict in a subsequent chapter. But let us not forget at this point that the ijaptists Avith all the otJier lojal citizens were then shaping the destiny of the grand old State and paving the way for a golden future of political and religious prosperity. But we must not suppose that these pioneers were neg- lectful of religion and oblivious of sacred duties. It is true, they had no churches organized and no meeting- houses built. Still there were preachers of righteousness among them, and they found meeting-houses beneath the beautiful trees of the Carolina forests. Nature's lovely groves along the rivers and beside the lulls were used in- stead of meeting-liouses, where hundreds of these noble- hearted saints of old were gathered to worship "under their own vine and fig\ tree." Here, beneatli the smiling face of a friendly sky, they read tlie Bible, ofl'ered prayer, preached and sang the songs of redeeming grace. But tliese open-air meetings wei-e disagreeable to tlu; Establlslnnont, and so it souglit to prevent such re1igi(Uis gatherings in the groves and by the i-iver baid^s. In tlie law of 1715 a clause was directed against these nu'ctinu'S of the Baptists. It was required that meetings of '"dis- senters" should be public. Bu.t the authorities could not enforce such a law against these meetings. Only once, ac- cording to the record, a Baptist preacher was stopped in his discourse. T]io Establishuumt was too weak to stop tlie preaching of the trutli by those heroic men of God. So on rolled tlio blessed river of Baptist liistory, j/'^Thus in North Carolina, as elscwiiere, it has been the heaven-given ]jrerogative of Ba])tists to sliow the world tliat the gospel, wlion stand lug on its own nu'rit-s, is the lO A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS power of God, but when bolstered by the civil government, is the Aveakness of nicn. Lot us now turn aside and glance for a few pages at the rise and development of the first Baptist church in the State. Here starts the real history of the Baptists in the Old Xorth State. ■i CHAPTER III. THE OLDEST BAPTIST CnUI^Clf IX NORTTI CAKOLIXA. The Episcopalians had built their first house of worship in 1701, in Chowan County; the Quakers had followed in 17Ui with their first church, in Percpiinums County. ^Thc Baptists, who each year had been increasing rapidly and coming into greater imj)ortance, started their first church in 1Y27. The location of this first Baptist church in j^orth Caro- lina has bc'i'H a knolly ])roblein. Some histoi'ians say it was located In l.^iiscjiiotauk, some say on the Chowan, some say in Peniuimans, while still others say it was in Cam- den. Let us sift the facts. In 1727, the year in wliich Sir Jvichard J'^vcrhard came over from England to become Governor of the Colony, Paul Palmer came from Welsh Tract, Delaware, aiid or- ganized the first Baptist church in North Carolina. Pal- mer was a natives of iMaryhmd, was bnjitized at Welsh Tract, Dchuvare, by Thomes Owens, pa.stor at that place, and was ordained in Conuecitieut, lie })rea('hed over a great part of the latter State, in New Jersey, and in^iVlary- land. At last he turned his face southward and met the struggling, scattered Baptists of the Albemarle Colony. IN NORTH CAROLINA. . II Jle was a man of intelligence, and was so attractive tliat lie dj'ew liiindrecls to liis side. His ])0\ver conld not be checked by the Establishment. Governor Ever- hard, in 1729, wrote to the Bishop in London that it was "impossible to stop him." He was a land- owner and a slaveholder and stood high among tlie peojde. Having come in touch with the persecuted Baptists of !New England, and thus having his spirit quickened and his methods formed for a larger work, he settled in Perquim- ans County and organized the first Baptist church in North Carolina. Though tliis church was organized in Porquiin ajjs, its local habitation soon came to be in Camden. In other words, this first church had an "arm" in Perquimans and an ''arm" in Camden. These arms in the early history of Baptist cliurclies consisted of groups of members in any gi\Tn community, or county, as in tlie present instance. The group at Perquimans did not fiourisli, because the Quakers were dominant in Pertpiiuuuis, the home of tlie noted George Durant. Even Xo this day it is a C;^uaker strong- hold.^ The other branch, located in Camden, not far fi'om the Pasquotank lliver, was niore favorably situated. H was •along the line of the old stage route from Edenton to IsTor- folk. This brought tlie ])eo])le of (\im(hni in touch Avdtli Virginia and the iSTortliern Colonies. At any rate, we kriow tJiat the "'anii" in (Jamden ('(mtiiuied to grow in numbers and power and soon became the centre of inOu- encje for Mie early Jhiptists of the iVlbemarle region. Hence tlie cliurch came to be known as the Church in Camden. It lield this name until 1790, Avhen it was styled 12 A HISTORY OF TIIK BAPTISTS "lliG Church at Shiloli." In this year Sinvyor's Creek ■ (Miui'eh was oraanizccl. 'J'liis caused tlie change of name. i From tliese facts we see that Shiloh Chiireli is the mother cluirch of iVorth Carolina Ba])tists, / - Pan! Pahner was the first pastor at Shiloh. Ho was a man of the Apostle Paul's type. Ho was constantly trav- eling from ])]ace to place, organizing clmrches, as the Apostle did. ]\iorgan Edwards tells us that Palmer ex- tended his labors as far south as Soiitli Carolina and on ■the north up to the Virginia line. He was not only pas- tor of Shiloh, but was also tlie missionary of Eastern Caro- lina. After Palmer fIose])li and William Parker became, in succession, ])astors of Shiloh church. 'I'lny were suc- ceeded by William Burgess. He was a man of fervent piety and of wide influence, being beloved by the people. He gave to the world two Baptist preachers, his sons John and William, the formei- of whom was a man of superior abilities. A third sou, J)empsy, was a Lieutenant (\}lo- nel during the Revolution, a member of the Halifax Con- vention of 17T(), and afterward a member of the Congress of the United States, Henry Abbot was the successor of William Burgess, Sr. His fathei", ,]ohn Abbot, was Canon of St. Paul's, in Lon- don. Tn 1705, Henry iVbbot, while quite young, came over to (^arolina and took employment as a teacher. On coming in contact with the Baptists, he cnubraced their views. He was ])opular, and Shiloh floui'ished uTider his ministry. In fact, he was Ihe uiost ])o|)nlar man in tln^ coh)ny in llioso ihiys. lie was a nuMuber of l\\c Ilalilnx Convention of 1770, and was on the committee to ]n'e])aro IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 3 the draught of tJie Constitution, and is said to have pLayed the cliief })ai't in sliaping that clause which guarantees re- ligious liberty in j^orth Carolina. He was a member of the Convention of 1788 to ratify the Constitution of the United States, John Burgess, the younger son of William Burgess, Sr., next became pastor at Sliiloli. Evan Forbes was one of the early pastors. lie was a man strong in character and doc- trine, and his memory is still cherished at Shiloh. Henry Speight, the father of J. A. and T. T. Speight, was also pastor at Shiloh several years. He was a very active jnistor. A]jout the middle of the nineteenth century, Shiloh ex- l)ei'ieneod one of the greatest revivals ever known in Xoi'th Carolina. John 13. Elwell conducted the meeting. The ]jower of the Spirit was in the church, as on the day of Pentecost. Elwell A\'as a spiritual power, and man}'' liv- ing at Shiloh to-day can tell of that gi'cat revival, for they felt its powei' in their own hearts and lives. In later years, Dr. II. 11. Overlay became tlie ]:)astor.' For a third of a century, this revered father in Isrtiel haa been the spiritual counsellor at Shiloh. He has not been ])astor all these years, but all her other j)astors during this period weroyoung men who learned their theology from Dr. Overby, and Avho looked uyjon him as their spiritual father. Among these we mention O, C. Ilorton, a genial sj)irit, wlio ])apti/.ed the author of these chapters, who was pastor about ten years; I^. S. C. lOavis, a man of earnest devotion and cliai'ining manners, wlio was ])astor over two years, and Dennis .11 arris, who is now the pastor. 'I'lie inthieuce of the mother church lias been ffrcat. 14 A HISTORY OF TILE UAPTISTS Through the ]al)ors of those early heroes, Baptist ehurclies wei'e ])hiiireil o\-er all the lovely Alhemarlo section, from the Athmtie to the lioanoke. New "arms" were estab- lished from the mother church at Sawyer's Creek, Cam- den County; at Coinjock, now Shawboro, Currituck Coim- ty ; at Piuioo, uow Oalc Grove, Virginia, which has given rise to IJlackwater and other churches ; at Knobb's Creek, now the prosperous Elizabeth City Church ; and at Ye- opim, six miles from Edenton, where the Establishment was almost irresistible. Even beyond the Chowan rose churches which date their ancestry back to Sliiloli. In 17:iO, Jose])h and William Pai'kei' moved from Canulen and organized a church at Aiehei-rin, near Murfreesboro, Hertford County. From this new centre the Baptists spread to the south and to the west. In,] 7-1-2, William Sojourner brought a colony of Bap- tists from Berkley, Virginia, and settkil at Kehukec, Hal- ifax Coiinly. This church became a new ccnli'e of In- juiencc, and joined luiuds with Shiloh and Meherrin in dotting h^astern (^iroliua with Baptist churches. Sandy Ivun, Bertie (formerly csilled the Church of Bertie), v/as organized in 1750; Fishing Creek, Halifax County, in 1755; Grassy Creek, Granville County, in 1755; Falls of Tar Kiver, Edgecombe, in 1757; lied Banks, Pitt County, in 175S; Lockwood's Folly, Brunswick County, in 1702; Bear J\harsh, IJuplin County, in 1703; Bock Spring, Chatham, County, in J 704; Coleraine, Bertie County, in 1781); Sawyer's (h-eek, t^amden County, in 1700. The work was starled at Shih)h, was carrieil on further by l^Ieherrin, and still furtlier supplemented by the colony of William Sojourner at Ivehukee, IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 5 As to the doctrine and discipline of the mother church, there was no marked diU'ercnce from the polity of Baptist cluirches of to-day. The prototype of the mother chnrch was the General Baptist churches of Eng-land. They held a moderate Calvinism. It was not till later that the higher Calvinism was hrouglit to Carolina from Philadelphia. ''The Court of Union," as it Avas called, was one of the peculiar institutions of these days. It was for several years continued at Shiloh. It consisted of the pastor and six members of the church, and its business was to attend to difficulties arising about the private secular affairs of the meml)ers of the church. In a few years this bo'l}' was discontinued at Shiloli. Sliiloh gave to the world Col Gideon Laml), of Kevo- lutioiiary fame. lie was one of her deacons for several years, lie was nuich honored as a soldier, and was with tlie Continental troops at the battle of Gcrmantown. Shi- ](j1i gave to the ministiy Evan Forbes, Abncr Berry, and riohn L. Priteliard. Pritchard was one of the first stu- dents at Wake Forest College, and nobly gave his life for his |)eoi)lo in Wilmington during the fever of 180:2. Shi- loh has also sent out into the ministr}' A. W. Bnrfoot, Charles S. Burgess, Gideon N. Bray, and Charles B. Wil- liams. l6 A IIISTURV OF THK liAPTlSTS OIIAPTErv IV. BAJ'TISTS ON TILE YAIIKIJST. Now we take a y,laiiee at the first Baptists on tlie Yad- kin. 'i'liG time of settlement on tlie Yadkin and of the organization of the first liaptist ch\irch in that lovely section has been a qnestion of dispute. But it seems more than probable that Baptists settled on tl|e Yadkin before tlie Sandy Creek movement, v So we consider the Baptists on the Yadkin lirst. The attractions of this region are many and great. Law- son, in his History of Xorth Carolina, describes the beatity of that region as follows: "Coming that day about thirty miles, we reached the fertile and pleasant banks of Sapona (Yadkin) Biver, whereon stand the Indian town and fort, nor could all Euro])e afford a pleasanter stream. One side of the river is henuued in by nuumtainy ground, the other side (Jersey lands) as rich a soil, to the eye of a kiidwiiig person witli ns, as any this wi'stern world can af- ford.'" Such were the natural attractions of the Yadkin valley. The exact year in wliicli the rlersey settlement was nuuie on th(> Yadkin is not known. It is probable that this set- tlement left .\ew Jersey and arrived on the Yadkin be- tween 1747 and 1755. Benjamin jMiller ])roachcd thercs as early as 1755, and tlie facts indicate that there were already Ba])tists on the Yadkin when Benjamin Miller visited tlic settlement. Tlie B]iilad(^l])hia Association haa in its records of 1755 the following refo'eiu'c; '"Appointed, that one miTiister from the Jerseys and one from Pcnu- IN NORTH CAROLINA. 1/ sylvaiiia, visit iSlortli Carolina." Jiiit JMiller appears to have g'ono to rlio Jersey settleiuent still earliei" ilian 1755. Foote, in his Sketches of North Carolina, says: "Hero there appears to have been a congregation of some strength that had a nieeting-liouse, bnt had become divided. ALany adhered to tlie Baptists, that before '" * * professed them- selves to be Presbyterians; so that very few at ])resent join heartily with onr nunisters. ■"■ * " One canse of the divisions in this congregation arose from the labors of a Baptist minister among them by the name of Miller." From the date of Foote's reference to this division among the Presbyterians and Baptists on the Yadkin, it appears evident that ^liller was a visitant of the Jersey settlement before 1755, and surely there were Baptists there before tbis date. Another ])reacher who visited the "'Jersey Settlement" was John Gano. Pie had been converted just before this time and was directed by Benjamin Miller, pastor of Scoteli I^lains Churcli, New Jersey, to lake tbe Xcnv '1\'S- (ameiit as liis guide on bai)tisiii. He Iiccamc a bJaptist, and, k'ai'ning of Cai'olina from ^Miller, decided- to visit iho Jersey Settk'iiienl on his way to South (^irolina. 'Tliis be seems to have done in 175G, During" his stay at the set- tlement, he tells US in. his autobiogi-aphy tliat "a Ba])tist church was constituted and additions made to it." lie left the colony early in ■!!(' yoiw 175!), iind so the eliureb must have been (organized between 175(5 and 1758. \Ve are not sure what Jolin Gano meant by saying that a church was '^constituted" while he was tliere. It .seeius evi(U'nt from otlier .sources that tbere were i>aptists on tlie \'adkin before this. Tliey may have been unorganized at the time 2 ■ 1 8 A HISTORY OF TPIl]; BAPTISTS of Aliller's lirst visit, and it may bo that Gano organized the churcli on his arrival. Ihit it is far inoro probable that they were organized before the visit of Gano, and were better organized by him on his arival. Gano left the colony because of war which broke out with the Cherokee Indians. We have no record of any pastor succei^diug him at the .Jersey Settlement. I'roba- bly the organization lasted only a few years. Morgan Edwards, speaking of the formation of Shallow Eord Church, in 177^-'7;3, says: '^'It began with a few from Idttle Tviver and the remains of Jersey Settlement church." Twenty-live 3'ears elapsed after John Gano left them be- fore the constitution of the present church in 1784, styled "The ("hurch of (Mirist at the Jersey Settlement Meeting- house." Jt had a membership of fourteen. i ' The first ])a.st«)r of the new Jersey Settlement Baptist Church was Di-ury Sims, who sei'ved the church for five years, then followed Thomas Durham in 1793. lie con- tiniu>(l till KSli!, then followed A'athan Riley, James B. l^adget, William Dowd, -Josiah Wiscnum, Baul IMiifer, William Tui-ner, Amos Weaver, E. Allison, J. B. Rich- ardson, J. B. lioone, J. II. Boothe, S. II. Tliompson, Henry Sheets and Thomas Carriek. This church reached out to form "arms" in destitute sec- tions ; one at Beed's Cross-Roads, as early as 1795; an- other at Ilolloway's in 179(5, and another at Tom's Greek in 1808. The Jersey Settlement has given us some of the noted names of N(U'th Carolina — the Alelvoys, the Merrills, the jMcCJnires, ihe Smillis, the Moores, the Ellises, the AVisc;- jnans, the ]\Iai'.shes, and others. Our late Governor Ellis traces his ancestry to the Jersey Settlement. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 19 *' Also Oil the IJppc]' Yadkin there were Baptists at an early date, jjerhaps, as carl}' as the middle of tlie eighteenth century. They came from Pennsylvania. In Caldwell settled William Gragg and Ileuben Coffey. Later came Jesse Moore, the ancestor of H. C. and J. D. ]\Ioore. In the same county settled John Durham, who crossed the Blue Ridge from the Shenandoah valley, bringing his old leather trunk lashed to the pack-saddle on the back of his horse. In Wilkes settled the Martins, the Parkses, the Cleavelands. Also, many from the Jersey Settlement found a home in this section of the Upper Yadkin. Among tliese were the Clarks, the Boones, and the Greens. Set- tlers came to this lovely section even from other parts of the State. Prominent auiong these was Elder George McNeil. On coming from Scotland, he first settled in the Cape Fear region, but afterward made his home at Lewis Fork, in Wilkes County, near the site of J^Tew Hope ('liurch. From this early settler has descended the illus- trious McNeil family of Wilkes, of whom Elder James McNeil and Elder j\Liltou AicNeil are worthy of honorable mention. The oldest church on the Upper Yadkin is the Head of the Yadkin Church, often known as the Yadkin, being or- ganized in 17G0, The second church in this region was that at Mulberry Fields, being constituted in 1777, and stood al)out two huudi'od yards from the site of the prcs- out jiajjtist churcJi of Wilkesboro, which was organized about two decades ago. Tji 1779, Kings Creek Church, in ( 'aldwell, and Beaver Creek, in Wilkes, were organized. A few years later Bi-icsr Creek, in Wilkes, was coustiLuled. It had many ^'arms," and from it grew Lewis Fork, in Wilkes, and Old Fields Church, in Ashe County. 20 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS 111 I7i»0, 'i'lircc I'\)rk.s (Uiui'cli, the lirsl in \Vat;myorth (\ir(diua lettei's desci'ibing the great destitution of ju'eaching there. iVt once Stearns (kciik^d to go to North Carolina, and in 1755 he sctiled at Sandy ("lr(>ek, Guilford (noAv llandolph) County. I'h'ght f:imih"es cauu^ with Stearns, among whom were sixteen Ba])tisls, nauu'ly: Shubael Stearns and wife, Peler 2 2 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS Stcanis and wife, Sliubaol Stoanis, Jr., and wife, Daniel Mai'slial and wife, Joseph Breed and wife, Enos Stinson and wife, Jonathan Polk and wife. On arriving at Sandy Creek, these sixteen built a small meeting-house and elected Shubael Stearns as pastor, aud Daniel Marshal and Joseph Breed, lieonsed preachers, as assistants. The inhahitants had been brought up under the inlln- enco of the Established Church, but knew scarcely any essential principles of Christianity. So when Shubael Stearns began to shake the community with the biblical doctrines of conviction, conversion, repentance and regen- eration, the people were astounded at such strange doc- trines. The nuinner, also, of these New Light preachers was cpiite as novel as the doctrines. They had a very warm and pathetic address,' accompanied by strong gestures and a siugular tone of voice. Some of the people mocked, but others believed and ^vere led into the waters of baptism. A powerful revival began, and soon the church at Sandy Creek had groNvn from "1(5 to GOG members." Other preachers were ordained and carried forward the work of the revival, until, in less than three years, there were two "arms" to Sandy Creek Church and a membership of 900, So mai'vellous was the growth, that the formation of an Association was the next step. Elder Shubael Stearns vis- ited all the churches and "arms," requesting them to send delegates to form an Association. This they did, and in January, 17.58, at Sandy Creek, was organized the' Sandy Creek Association. It is the oldest in jSTorth Carolina, ^ and the third oldest among the Baptist churches of the United States. The churches represented in this organi- zation wore Sandy Creek, Shallow Ford, Little l\iver, IN NORTH CAROLINA. 2$ Slow Ivivor, New liiver (Ouslow County), Trent, Jones County, Lockwood's Folly, Briinswiclc County. Tliere were at that time only seven ordained ministera, but thir- teen more licentiates. This old motlier Association embraced an extensive ter- ritory, its churches being scattered over portions of Vir- ginia, JSTorth and South Carolina. Benedict, in his His- tory of tlie Baptists, says : "For twelve years all the sep- arate Baptists in Virginia, ISTorth and South Carolina continued in connection with tliis Association. Its meet- ings were generally at no great distance from the place where it oigiiiated. All who could, traveled from its rensotest extremities to attend its annual sessions, which were conducted with great harmony and afforded suflicient edification to induce them to undertake, with cheerful- ness, these long and laborious journey ings. By the means of these meetings the gospel was carried into many new places, whore tlie fame of the Baptists liad previously spread'. As great crowds attended from distant parts, mostly through curiosity, many became enamored with tliese extraordinary people and petitioned tlie Association to send preachers into their neighborhoods." Elder James Read, a member of this body, says: "At our tirst Association we continued together three or four days, and great cro\vds of people attended. * * * The great power of God was among us ; the preaching every day seemed to be attended with God's blessing. We car- ried on our Association with sweet decorum and fello^\'ship to the end. Then we took leave of one another, with many solemn cliarges from our reverend fatlier, Shubael Stearns, to stand fast unto the end." 24 ■ A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS At ilk' .sL'Coiul session of this body, Joliii Gauo, fi'Oiii tlio Jersoy ISettleiuciit, wus ])i'esent. llo was reeoivcd with great att'cctioii by Ehlor Stearns, but the other brethren were a iittk^ shy of Iiini. Ke M^as invited to jn-eaeh, and, tlioiii.':h he did not preaeh with "New Light" tones and ji,estures, lie ])reaehed "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." in early .years, tliis Assoeiation overrcaehed its ])OW'er and tended toward a eentralized heirarcliy. It admitted tlnit eom])lete power was vested in eaeh ehnreh, but held that it could be transferretl. This mistake the Sandy (.'reek Assoeiation soon reetilied, and reeOi!,nizod its sphere to be that of association and consultation, not of legisla- tion. This Association was also over zealous in the literal perfornnince of many minor suggestions of the New Tes- tament. Henetlict says: "In their huulable zeal to carry out to the letter all the suggestions of the Xew Testament as to (Mu'i^tian dniies, ihey discerned, in their estinnition, the following nine rites, viz: Haptism, the hcu'd's Supper, love feasts, laying on of hands (after baptism), washing of feet, anointing the sick, right hand of fellowslii]), kist- of charity, ^md devoting children. They also retained the oifice of ruling elders,eldresses, deaconesses, and the weekly communion." Still, there was the sweetest fellowship among all the churches. Thus, as ever, the independence of Ija])tist churc-hes has saved tliem from heirarcliy and dogmatism. Vi)V se\'enteen years the Association ])rospered, and, according to Morgan hidwai'ds, spi'cad her gloi-ious work to the east as far as the Atlantic and the Chesajienke, lo the south as far as Cicoruia, and lo the north as far as the To- IN NORTH CAROLINA. 25 touiae. Hut ill 1772, after the battle of Alamance, in wlilcli the eolouists liad been defeated by Governor Tryon, eiui- <2,ration to the west set in, and soon Sandy Creek Church, ^vhich had increased, to 60G members, liad only 14. Says ]\loruan Edwards: "The cause of this dispersion was the ;il)usi\'o power which too much prevailed in the province, and caused the inhaljitants at last to rise up in arms and liiiht for their privilei2;es ; but, beino' routed on May 10, 1771, they desj^aired of seeing better times, and therefore quitted the province. It is said that 1,500 families de- ])artod aftei- the battle of Alamance." Piut emigration was not the only cause of declension in Sandy Creek Church. j\tany of its members had been dismissed to organize other churches, and thus its many ''arms" had grown into strong churches. The smoke and lire of Alamance did not drive all the heroes of the Baptist faith from their liomcs, for many remained at their ])ost of duly, and on moved the advancing lines of Sandy Creclc Association. In ISOO, another great revival broke out and swept over the colony, not only among the Baptists, but also among the ]\iet]iodists and Presbyterians. In this revival, Eldei- George Pope, at Abbot's Creek Chnrcli, baptized 500 per- sons. ITnndreds of others nnder the influence of other ministers were bronght to Clirist and hel])ed to swell tlio ranks of Baplist churclies. Xo records of tliis association have licen ])reserved for the years between 175S and 1S05. During this period it had no Moderatiu', bul ludd informal meelings i'ov consnl- tatii^n and (klibi'valion, as well as for prayi'r, singing and preaching. The de\'Otional (dement preih)minate(| in lliese 26 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS early assoeiatioiuil gat]iC'vi]i<2,'s. lint in 1805, James Eos- tick was appointed tlie rirsc ]\Iodei'ator of the Sandy Creelc Association, and Bryant Borongh was appointed Clerk. Al the session held at Chambers Meeting-house, 1805, it was first ''agreed to print their mirmtes." Elder Shnbael Stearns was the hero of Sandy Creek. He was pastor here as long as he lived, lie did not live to see the great revival at the close of the centurj', A few months after the smoke of Alamance had died away, on iSTovcmber 24, 1771, he fell asleep in Jesus and was buried near the old meeting-house at Sandy Creek. He is not dead, but still lives in the fruits of his labors, and North Carolina Baptists in this region are reaping the golden harvest froni the precious seeds of service scattered by the hands of Shnbael Stearns. IN NORTH CAROLINA. ^ 27 CHAPTER VI. KTSE AXD GEOWTir OF THE KEIIUKEE ASSOCIATION, Back to the Albemarle we turn for a few pages to seo the Baptists of the cast wheeling into line and organizing into an Association. The Tvehnkee Association belonged to Virginia as well as to N^orth Carolina, bnt was organized on iSTorth Carolina soil in 17(i5. It was the fourth in the United States, and the second in ISTorth Carolina. It was constituted by the following seven churches: Toisnot, Edgecombe County; Kehukee, Halifax County; Falls of Tar Itivcr, Edgecombe County ; Fishing Creek, Halifax County ; Sandy Creek, Warren County ; Sandy Run, Ber- tie County; the Church in Camden (now Shiloh). / Thus, \^'ith only seven churches, began that body of early Bap- tists, which became so memorable during the first years of l^orth Carolina Baptist history. This Association grew out of the work of Paul Palmer and the colony planted in Halifax, at Kehidcee. Palmer organized the first church and put the work in motion, while Sojourner established llie second colony of Baptists wliich supplemented the work of the mother church. The majority of these churches at first were followers of the General Baptists of England, from whom they descended. But in 1755, ten years prior to the organiza- tion of the Kehukee Association, the Philadelphia Associa- tion sent into ISTorth Carolina Elders Van Horn and Mil- ler, who brought witli them a stronger Calvinism, After ■, 1 this the most of tlic churches in the Albemarle region were \, cstablislied in the doctrines of the Regular Baptists, and adopted tlie London Articles of Eaith of 1GS9, / 28 A lIlSrORY OF Tllli BAPTIS'l'S ' For ti'U vcnrs, however, tJiere was a .sluii'p coiilliet be- tween llie IJeiinilar.s ami the Se])arates. The Separates lirst arose in Xew luiuhmd and, perhaps, are traceahle to the W'hiteliehl I'evival Shiibael Stearns bronght to the South and to North (J'arolina the striiiii'eut views (jf the Separates. "Die evanij^elieal doctrines of Shidiael Stearns and Daniel Mai'shal fonnd their way into the AlbcMiiarlo section and most of the chnrches esponsed the views of the Separates. I'ho Separates objected to the Regulars for these reasons : 1. Because they did not strictly require an experience ol grace from those who a])i)lied for bajitism. 2. I3ecanse they held nuMubers in their eluirches who ackno\vledged that they were baptized before they were converted. '■]. Becanse they ''indulged too much in supjertluity of a])])arel.''" 'I'he Separates, of course, sought a reformation, and preached to bi'ing the chiirclies up l(» the standard held by themseh'es. 'Idiis gave oit'ense to the llegulars. Con- sequently when the Association met at Falls of Tar lliver, October, 177;"), there was di\'ision. Part of the tlelegates held their session in the woods, tlie others in the h.ouse, both claiming to bo the Xehukee Association. This cou-test was waged iintil August, 1777, when in ])eaee the churches \yci-e united under the name of ''The United Ihiptists." At this time they adopted seventeen Articles of Faith, which have continued to be held by the Kehukee Association down to tlie present time. There were ten churches in the Association when this union took ]dace, foul' of them being in Vii-ginia and six of Ihem in IN NORTH CAROIJNA. 29 ^Xui'lli Carolina. Six of the ten had been Keguhirs, and foiii- liiid been Separates. The new name, ''The United liaptists," never was popnhir, and tlie Association never lust its old name, "Kchukee." At ihe session of 1777 it was agreed also to have two ses- sions each year, one in the spring, the other in the fall, one hi X'irii'inia, the other in North Carolina. Accordingly, in ?\lay, 177ertie County, was reported the glorious revival, begun in the Sandy Creek country, at the close of 1800, which, m ISOl and 1802, rolled its waves of bliss and blessing upon the shores of the Albemarle section. Fif- teen hundred members were added to the churches in these two years. In 1803, tlie session was held at Conoho, Martin County, f;nd Elder Poindextor, so famous as a preacher, was pres- ent and preached on Sunday. This session, however, is specially memorable in Baptist history, because here, for the first time in iS^orth Carolina, was introduced the ques- tion of foreign missions. Martin Poss presented the fol- 32 A HISrURV OF THE BAPTISTS lowiiiii' ()iiLTy for (li.scus.sioij : "is not the Kclnikeo Asso- (.'iiitioii, Avitli all her inimeroiis and respectable friends, called on in Providence, in some way, to step forward in the sujiport of that missionai'j spirit which the ^Teat God is so Wonderfully reviN'in^ii,' anion^ii,-st the diifei'ent denomina- tions of good men in various parts of tlie world V This query Avas referred lo the next session, which met at Par- kei'\s (Aieherrin), JLertford ("'ount3\ Here it was again tak(m up, discussed, and then referred to the following connnittee: J^emuel Burkitt, J\lartin lioss, Aaron Spivey, Jesse liead and John Mc(^d)e. This committee was to meet with (h'legates from the l^ortsmoutli and .Xeuse As- sociations at (.'ashie, Eortie County, June, 1805. At this missionary convention, ]\[ariin Ross preached the introduc- lory sermon. Thus arose the missionary cpiestion which ])er])lexed the Kehukee Association till 1827, when a di- vision was finally made between the missionary and the anti-missionary Ija])tisls. To Martin Ross is due the ]iraise, for he stii'red u]) the siagmint pool of lethargy and ])ur in motion the ri])])ling waves of missions in Xorth Carolina, which ha\'e broken for decades on the distant shores of shunbering continent-s and sleeping isles. The following year, 1S05, there being 3,579 members in the Association, it Avas again divided, and all (ho churches on the north side of the Roanoke lliver witlulrew to form. I he Chowan Association. This body was missionary from the beginning, and helped to roll on the tides of gospel peace and bliss. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 33 CHAPTER VII. CONFLICT WITH THE STATE CHURCH. The union of cluircli and state has ever been disas- trous, ]30lh to religious and political interests. Since Constnntine first made Christianity the religion of the lioman Empire, many States have fallen victims to this fatal union, and hundreds of churches have grown corrupt, laying aside the doctrines of regeneration, converted mem- bership and holy living. Tlie barbarous tribes of Goths, Visigotlis and Vandals are generally charged with the decline and fall of mighty Kome, but the ecclesiastical historian sees stronger reasons for decay within than for destruction from with- out the Empire. As soon as churcli and state were wed- ded Christianity began to wane, morals sank to lowest deptlis, corruption stalked abroad in council lialls, and, like a venomous se]'})ent, cruslied out tho life of tlie glorious Empire. Thus moved the world and church till 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five tlieses on the clnirch door at Wittenburg, Germany, and called from slumber the latent forces of true Christianity. But aft^r the Keformation was effected, even Protestants stoojiod to wed their churches to states. Thus it has been witli the dominant church of England since tho days of Ilcnry VIII. He broke the chains of Roman Catholicism, but at the same time foisted upon England an liierarcliy scarcely less tolerable and tolerant than that of Rome. Although many of the settlers in America were refugees from the tyranny of a State church in England, still the question 3 34 A HISTORY OK THE BAPTISTS of eliiu'cli and state was a probloiu to bo solved by the early inhabitants of this conntry. The J^aptists of jSTorth Carolina simply followed in the ways of the English and Dutch Baptists, from whom they trace their lineal descent. From the lirst, J^aptists have opposed the union of church and state. They always replied to their persecutors in the lanuuage of tlieir Great Teacher, "Kender unto ("*:esar the things that are Ciesar's, and imto God the things that are God's." Bnt J^aptists have never opposed the rights of the State in civil matters. They have never been anarchists. On the contrary, they have advocated obedience to the State in civil matters, but disclaimed the; right of civil magistrates to interfere in relii:i(ms atfairs, or to com})el conformity to a State church. From the Confession of 1G44, we quote the fellowing Article (-fS) : ''A civil magistracy is an ordinance of God, set u]) by llini for the pmiishment of evil-tloers, and for the praise of them that do well ; and that in all lawful things conunanded l)y them, snl)jection ought tc be given ])y us in the Lorch ••' "''" •'" .Vnd concerning tlie worshi]) of God, there is but one Lawgiver, which is Jesus Clirist. So' it is the magistrate's duty to tender the liberty of men's consciences." In this article wo see the decided stand of English Baptists as far back as 1G44. They brought this same gTand principle with them to America, and here in the forests of the ]S^ew Work] tliey must fight the same battles of church and state. Fierce and deadly was the conflict waged in the !N^ow England colonics and in Virginia. But by the side of their Northern neighbors, Carolina's Baptists took their stand against the Church established by tlic State. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 35 Ijotli tliG patents of Charles II, granted by him for the scriiciiiont of iSToith Carolina, had stipnlated that the Church of England should be the Established Church, but for half a century there were no English ministers in till-' colouY. When the colony had grown to importance, the English Church sent over ministers to tighten on her I lie reins oi the Establishment. DAXIEL liKETT. Daniel Brett, the first Episcopal clergyman of Xorth Cni'olina, came over in 1701, or 1702. He brought the Catechism and other books, which he nsed to cmmteract "the pernicious influence" of the Quakers and other dis- senters, lie formed a conspiracy with Plenderson Walker, the Go\'eruor, and other leaders of the Church party. In tins way he succeeded in having a law passed by the Assem.- bly, in 1772, for building a church and establishing the sahiry of an Episcopal minister at thirty pounds ])er an- uum. Of course, everybody couhl see the new law was ])asscd for Ih-ctt's benefit. His character was (jdious. l']\'cii Henderson Walker, the Governor, and Ci-ett's accomplice in ]:)olitical trickery, says of him: '"'For abont half a }ear lie behaved himself in a modest manner, Init after that in a most horrid manner — broke out in such an extrav- agant course that I am ashamed to express his carriage." J)r. Hawks, the Episcopal historian, writes : "For about six months after his arrival he behaved with pro- ju'iety, and then broke out in such gross wickedness that sober-minded men Avho respected Christianity and vener- ated the Church, hung their heads with sorrow and were restrained by very shauie from particularizing his cuor- 36 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS luitic'S. Tlivy wltl- not tic to bo named.'' The people were disgnstcd with snch a religious leader. Bnt the (Jhtti'ch party was ]iot ehecked in its zeal. ]IEI.IG10X ESTABLISHED BY LAW. In 1704 the authorities advaneed a stc}), and })as3ed an aet whieh threw the eolony into confusion and started the stream of suli'eriugs that lasted until the Revolution wiped them out. Governor Daniel, a man of vieioits char- acter,though a bigoted Churchman, through intrigue, had a law passed by "one majority" to disfranchise all "dis- senters" from every office of trust, honor or profit. The severity of this law A\'as aimed at the Quakers, who, hav- ing risen to offices of trust and honor, were forbidden to serve on juries, or give evidence in criminal courts. But Baptists who dissented, like the Quakers, were also suf- ferers under this baneful act. :\[i;. ]iLAiR. The next preacher sent out by the English Chtirch was a Mr. Blair, who tells that there were four classes of peo- ple in i^orth Carolina in 1704. He baptized (or christ- ened) about one hundred children, but says that most of the parents "would not condescend to have their children baptized witli godfathers and godmothers." He says there were three churches built when he left the colony. After Blair came Messrs. Gordon and Adams, \\\iq wgi'G sent out as missionaries by '^The vSociety for the Propa- gation of tlie Gospel in Foreign Parts." Gordon sooi^ returned to England, because of distur])aRces growing out of Governor BanieJ's law of disfrancliiscmont. Adams^^ IN NORTH CAROLINA. 37 likewise, gave up the work, but died before ho sailed for Euglaiid, REV. JOJiX URMSTOXE. Tu 1711, this Episcopal divine was sent over to convert the ''heathen" of jSTorth Carolina — that is, the Quakers, the; ijaptists, and the Presbyterians. lie settled in Cho- wan. He was proud, covetous, untruthful, profane and im- moral. Dr. Hawks says of him: "We are constrained to believe that he had taken orders, as too many of tho Cliurch of England in that day did, rather as a means of su[)port than as a sense of duty to God. Unamiablo in disposition, he was covetous also. * * * The coarseness of his language harmonizes with the malignity of his temper, v.- * ■>:■ 'j'}-^^|s i]jQ province is designated, 'A hell of a hole' ; and he declares that he had rather be the 'curate of Bear Garden than the Bishop of Carolina.' He was perpetu- ally quarreling with his vestrymen, and always without money. Six times in ten years he wrote home to England that he expected himself and family to be laid in tlie tomb for sheer want of food. * '"'' " And yet this man, eternally starving, continued to buy land, negroes and stock, to hire white servants, to procure tools and agricultural imple- jnents, to be proprietor of horses and boats, and, in short, appears to be the only missionary who ever acquired any property in the country." sSuch a man, for 10 years, pre- sumed to intrude himself and his doctrines upon the lib- erty-loving people of iSTorth Carolina, But in 1727, the year in which Paul Palmer founded Shiloh Church, llrm- stojie departed for England. He was succeeded by Rev. "Mr. Blacknall, who came 38 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS (A'l'i- willi Sir Richard Kvcrliard, the new Governor. In cliaraetcr and coiidnet, Rlacknall was scarcely any better tlian IJriastone. Dnrini>,- these years, the Baptists, along with tlie (^)\nd;ers, according to Urnistone's acconnt, 'Svere a very factions, nmtinons and rebellions people, ■■'■ •'■ "' ready to op])ose either chnrcli or state." IJAI'TISTS TAXt:0 TO .SUPPOnT TnE STATE CIIURCir, In 1741, it was enacted that 12 vestrymen should lay a poll tax, not exceeding five shillings (abont $1.25) per poll for building clmrches, buying glebes, and maintaining the clergy. The salary of a clergyman was not to be less than fifty ])onnds ])er annum, afterward increased by law to about $t;00. Anotlier law \vas ])assed at the same time fixing the fee ol a clergyman at ten shillings for performing the marriaga ceremony. In comnninities where the Episcopalians were few and dissenters nniny, snch laws were considered more crnel than the rigid laws of Lycnrgns of Greece. It was taxes like these that excited the resistance vcliich. termi- mited in the Ixevolntion. The vestrymen, being of the peo]:)le, often would not collect tlie taxes. Says William- son, the historian, ''When it was found that tlie majority were not disposed to tax themselves for the convenience of other peo])le, a law was devised for compelling them, under the sanction of an oath, to do what they acconnted wrong." E^^ery vestrynum Avas compelled not to '"'op- pose the doctrine, discipline and liturgy of the Church of Endand." IN NORTH CAROLINA. 39 T}1E VE.STJtY ACT OF 17G4. Tlio stniagle gTcw more bitter until the Vestry Act was passed at AVilmington, Jnuuary, 17G4, while Arthur Dohbs was Governor. This law required every freeliolder of 21 years of age and upward \d vote for 12 vestrymen in Ciieh precinct, and if any freeholder refused to do so, he was lo he fined twenty shillings. Each vestryman elected ]iad to take an oath from the Slieriff for the faithful per- formance of his duties. If the Sheriff refused or failed \o summon the vestryman and administer the oath, he wai^ jo l)c fined twenty shillings for eacli omission. If tJie ves- tryman refused to qualify, he was fined ten shillings, and if lie refused to attend tlio meetings of the vestry, he was {() 1)0 fined ten shillings inore. Fhe minister's fee for performing the marriage cere- mony was increased to twenty shillings, and for a funeral the fee was fixed at forty shillings, about $10.00. If min- isters of other churches ])erformed the marriage ceremony, or ])reached the funeral, the Episcopal ministei' could col- lect the fee by law. Such a conflict between the Establishment and the dis- t(-nters brought its blessings to the Baptists. They were unconsciously stimulated to read and investigate for them- selves. Edward j\Ioscly made large contributions to estab- lish a library for the people of Albemarle. In this way the ]jeople caught the spirit of liberty, which naturally favored the growth of Baptists in the colony. The Establishment ta light the Baptists also to build houses of worship and sup- port their pastors. 40 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS (^IfAPTER VIII. » BAi'TlSTS I'ERSECl'TED, Persecution is the iiaturul cliiitl of a State cliureli. Wherever a State church exists it liohls the riuht to lix the creed of the i)eoph^, and to tax them for its support. ''Dissenters" have resisted this as unjust, sjrd so have l)een the ohjects of the State's shar])est shafts of persecution. The Ba])tists have avoII illustrated the saying of Paul, ''Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suft'er i)erseculion." koinik's 'jmi];kk ckxtukies of pi^ksecutiox. The church as a whole was shamefully persecuted by the Ronniu .I^huperors in the first three centuries of the era. Ilow heart-rending are tlie sutrerings inflicted by Xero in the tirst century! Tacitus, the Roman historntn, says: "The victims who pvudshed also sutl'ered insults, for some were covered with the skins of wild beasts and torn to piect^s by dogs, wdiile others were fixed to crosses and burnt, to light the night when daylight failed." Clement of Pome also writes : ''Let us set before our eyes the holy Ay^ostles. Petei-, by unjust en\-y, not one or two, but nniny sufi'erings endured; and so made a martyr, lie de- parted to the peace of glory due him. ■• ''"' ''■ Paul obtained the reward of ])atience, after he had been seven times in bonds, "■ * '■''' and had Ijeon wlii])}jed and stoned, lie taught the whole world rigliteousuess, and, coming to the extreme west, he sutTered martyrdom. '" '^ '" Unto these men ol holy lives were joined a vast nniltitude of the elect, Avho, IN NORTH CAROLINA. 4I ^ufloriiig iiiiich disgrace and many tornient.s, " ■"'' * woi'C,' a most noble example for ns ; * '^ * women were tormented; iJanaides and Diree, \\'l)en tliey suffered severe and nnjnst punishment, persevered in their constant faith, and, though weak in body, received a glorious reward." Sulpicius Severus writes about A'ero ; ''Then he began to rage against Cliristians, ■"''■ ^'' "' oven made laws forl)id- ding the religion, and published edicts ordering that Christianity should not exist. At this time Paul and Peter were condemned ; one of them was beheaded. Peter was cruciiied." At the close of the first century the per- secutions, begun by Xero, were continued by Emperor DomitiaiT. Dio (J'assius writes: ''In the same year (05) Domitian ])ut to deatli, besides many others, his cousin Flavins Clemens, who was then Consul, and the wife of Flavins, Fhtvia Domitilla, \^'ho was his (the Emperor's) own rehitive. 'I'he crime charged against both was sac- 1 liege. Fhen. followed the cruel persecutions under the Em- peror Marcus Aurelius. Eusebius, the early church liis- torian, gives the following extracts from letters of eye- witnesses of the persecutions at Lyons, Vienna, and other places : "They endured nobly the sufferings heaped upon tbem by. tiie general populace- — clamors, blows, being dragged along, robberies, stonings, imprisonment, and all tluit an enraged mol) loves to inilict on opponents and enemies. * * * Having confessed, they were imprisoned nntil the arrival of the Governor. But the whole rage of tjie pe«])le, Go\'ernor and soldiers was aroused exceedingly against Sanctus, deacon of Vienna, and against T^raturns, a recent convert, but noblo condiatant, and against Allalus, 42 A IlISTORV OF THE J5APTISTS a native ol' l\'ruauio>., who liad always btjoii a pillar and fonndatiou in that place, and against Blandina. "'•' ■'■ " "Sanctns, nuirvellously and beyond all men, endured all liunian outrages, Avliile the wicked hoj)ed, by the dura- tion and se\'erit"y of the toi'tures, to wring from him some- thing which he ought not to utter. "'•' '''■ ■•'• But to all ques- tions he replied in the lionuui tongue, 'I am a Christian.' * "-^ "'■■ He remained unsubdnerl and unshaken. ^' '" '" But his body was witness of his sutlerings, all one wound and scar, shriveled and without hunum apjjearance." "The Idessed Pothinus, who had been entrusted with the oflice of B)isho]) in Lyons, \\'as dragged to the trilmnah lie A\'as over ninety years of ago and weak in body. ■''•' "■'■ ''' (Ju being asked by the Governor who was the God of the Christians, he said, 'If you are wortliy, you shall know.' Then he was dragged off harshly. "^ '"^ * Those near him struck him with their hands and feet in every manner, legardless of his age; those' at a distance threw at him whatever ihey had in their bauds. ■■• '■•■ ■■'" And, scai-cely briathiug, be was ciisr iiiio ])rison and died after two days. '''''' "]\[atnrus, Sanctus, Blandina, and Attains were, there- fore, led to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre, and in order to gi^'e to the heathen a public spectacle of cruelty, a day was especially appointed for our people to fight witli the wild bcast.<5. '^ '" * Then, accordingly, !Maturus and Sanc- tus, after their life had continued a very long time through the great conflict, died at last, after having furnished a spectacle to the world, "^ * ■^ But Blandina, suspended on a stake, was exposed as food to the wild beasts. * * ^ ''But wdien Attains himself was loudly called for by the IN NORTH CAROLINA. 43 rlii'oug' (for he was a distinguished man), he entered as a ready contestant, and as he was led about in the ring in the ampliitheatre, a tablet was borne before him on which was written in lioman, 'This is Attains the Christian/ and the people were exceedingly indignant against him. J^ut wlien tlie Governor learned that this man was a Tio- inan, he ordered him to bo led away to prison again, and to remain with others who were there." Thus continued the persecutions against the Christians, with brief intervals of rest, through the third ccnturv and a few years into the fourth. The names of Paul and Pe- ter, Justin and Cyprian, are so closely allied to persecu- tion that the bare mention of these heroes suggests per- secution. CATHOLIC PEKSECUTTOA^S. Then when the Church at Pome had assumed and estab- lished her authority over all others, the blood of uuirtyrs again began to iiow, and on it flowed even down to the death of Savonarola of Florence, of ,lo]iu TTuss of Bohe- mia, of struggling iS^etheidanders slain by the fiendish Inquisition under Philip II, King of S]")ain, of the thou- sands butchered on St. Bartholomew's Eve to slake the re- venge of a heartless queen. PKOTESTA^N^T PEKSECUTIOXS. Yea, after Alartin Luther had sliakcn the Poman Cath- olic world and broken its galling chains of persecution, L-'rotestants turned the sword against each other. The century ]n'eceding the rise and struggles of Baptists in Carolina may well be designated the age of modern per- 44 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS SL'cutioius. Ill the century before this, the sixteenth, hiid arisen the Anabaptists of Switzerland and Germany, niany of M'lioni, as iiienian, Grebel, jManz, Ilatzer, Hubmaier, Dcnck, suffered either imprisonment or death, or both, in order to testify to the truths which they cherished. At the beginning of the se^^enteenth century arose the Dutch and English Baptists, who endured disfranchise- ment, imprisonment, starvation and death for the truth. Among these arc best known John Smyth and Thomas Helwysse, who established at xVmsterdam the first Bap- tist cliurch compcised of Englishmen. They had been per- secuted in England, and went to Holland to enjoy liberty. The ])ersecutiou in iMigland seems to have become milder in IGIJ, so Helwysse returned and established in London the first Baptist church un English soil. The Baptists grew, and, along with other dissenters, were so sharply persecttted in luigland that many of them emigrated to America, "the asylum for tlu' opju'cssed." In _Xe\v Eng- land some of them settled, l)ut soon the old i)ers(.'Cutions were revived. In IGolJ, Tvoger Williams was chased from Massachusetts and founded Rhode Island, tlio garden in which was planted the religious libert}' of America. As time went on, the persecutions continued in England under Cromwell's Protectorate, and within six months after Charles II was i-cstored, in IGGO, John Biinyan was in Ijcdford jail, and \'avas(U' Powell, "'the Apostle of Wales/' was a "prisoner for conscience sake." Many other Ba])tists, not so prominent, -were in the jails of Eng- land. One of ihe most touching pieces of English litera- ture is a letter written by these heroes in prison to their persecuted brethren in .Inierica. xVlong with ]5aptists. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 45 \\ivvv wore five thousand Quakers in jail in England. In Xew England, tilings were little better. Baptists were wliipped, imprisoned, had holes bored through their tungues with red-hot irons, and were otherwies maltreated, tliuugh none were put to death. In Virginia the Church of England was lirmly estab- lished as the State Church, and granted but little mercy to dissenters. A Quaker woman was publicly whipped until the blood ran down her breast. George Durant was banished from Virginia, and coming to Albemarle, settled on Du rant's jSTeck. He was imin'isoned by one of Caroli- jia's Governors, and part of his estate was confiscated. But he was a devout man, and clung to liis ]^>ible (which still (xists as a curiosityj. Tho Baptists, too, suffered witli the (Quakers. They were disfranchised, taxed to sn])pr)rt (lie ministers of the Churcli of England, in addition to having to ])ay their own pastors by private subscription. In Chowan, a Baj)tist j)rcaclier was foi-bidden to ])rcach. ]u Xew Jjorii, in 17-10, Purefov and Slade were impris- (.ucd for having presented to Court a petition for peruiis- sion to l)uil(l a l^aptist house of worshij) in town. John Tannery, in oifering resistance to the authorities, was shot on the banks of the Roanoke, in 1T77. Yet, amid all these })ersecutions, on moved the mighty .sii'eam of Baptist infiuonce. The persecution only made them greater missionaries. Paul, whipped and stoned by Jews, first turned the stream of salvation txD tho nations. So, in North Carolina, Baptists being outlawed, unjustly taxed, im])risoned, only rose with more glowing zeal to extend the tinith as they lield it. J. ike the oak whoso I'oots ai'c uuule deeper and stroiiger and its branches broader 46 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS iinJ lovelier l)y the winds aiul storms, the early Bap- tists, shaken Ly the Avimls of persecntion, grew in numbers and strength and reaehed forth their branches of blessing fi-oni sea to monntains, and even to Tennessee, Tventncky, South Carolina, and Gein'iiia. CIIAPTEK IX. BAPTISTS A^•U LIBERTY. AVe shall not discriminate between civil and religious liberty. In fact, in the early history of Xorth Carolina the t^vo are as inseparable as the Siamese twins. When the State exerts its authorit_y over civil and religious mat- ters aldvc, it is almost impossible to make a sharp distinc- tion between liberty of State and liberty of conscience. When our fathers struck a blow at the encroaching power oi the State, they were at the same moment wielding the sword against a haughty church witli its cumbrous system of ecclesiasticism. '- The consensus of opinion among historians is that the Ba})ti3ts were the first to teach the world religious liberty. It is true that a small sect in the fourth century, known as the Donutists, advocated religious freedom, and took appeal against Constantiue and the State party. But we see nothing more of them on the pages of history, and so we regard their temporary ap})eal for religious liberty as only a bubble on the stream of history. Then to the Baptists we look for tlie first advocates of complete liberty of conscience. Says Taylor, in liis History of the Eng- lish General Baptists: "Not to the Cliurch of England, IN NORTH CAROLINA. 47 however, not, to the Scottish Prcsbytei-iaiiisni, not to Eng- lirili Puritanism at Jarge, does the honor of the first concep- tion of the fnll principle of liberty of conscience, and its, iirst assertion in English speech, belong. That honor has to be assigned, I l^elieve, to the Independents generally and to the Baptists in particular." In the iirst Confession of Faith })nt forth by the bap- tists of England, in 1011, we find the following declaration for liberty: "The magistrate is not to meddle with relig- ion or matters of conscience, not compel men to this or that form of religion, becanse Christ is the King and LaAV-. giver of the (Jlinrch and of conscience." Again, from Taylor: "JSJow this Ilelwysse (Thomas), returning to Eng- land shorlJj' after ItJll, drew around him the first congrcv gation of General or Arminian BajDtists in London, and. this o])scure Ihtptist congregation seems to have become the (h'pository for all England of the absolute princi]de of libi'rly of conscience, ex]n*esse(l in the Amsterdam Confes- sion" ((]iiot('d al)ove) "as distinct from the more srinted jjrinciple advocatetl by the general body of Tnde])eiuUiits. Not onl_y did Ilelwysse's folk difi'er from the Inde])endents generally on the subject of infant baptism and di])ping ; they differed also on the power of the nmgistrate in mat- tei's of 1)elief and conscience. It was, in sliort, from their little diiigy meeting-hovise, somewhere in old London, that lliere flashed out, first in England, the absolute doctrine of religious liberty.'" It is only natural that Baptists shauld be the beacons rlong the sliores of liistory to point the world to religious liberty, Tlfv have sntTered the bittiTest ])ei"seciitions IV)i- their views, and thus they have been led to advocate Ireedoni of conscience. Says an English historian: "In 4i> A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS vvijvy por?L'curcd c;i\i.se, there was a tlii'oo toward the Ijirtli of tliis great prineiple. Eveiy persecuted cause claimed at least toleration lor itself from the established power; and so, by a kind of accumulation, the cause that had been last persecuted, had more of a tendency of toleration in it, and became ])raetieally more tolerant than the others." I'his is the ])hil(_)S(jp]iy of religious liberty. The perse- cuted have the consciousness of a right to hold certain doc- trines, and this consciousness, growing into conviction, asserts itself m language of religious liberty. ^loreover, it is worthy of note that Baptists have never persecuted others. This is tme of iSTorth Carolina Bap- tists as well as of the Baptists of the world. The early Christians of the Ixojnan Empire were cruelly persecuted. But as soon as Constantine had made Christianity the State religion, then Christians turned and persecuted their enemies. When Lutherans threw off the yoke of Catholi- cism in (JJermany, they ])ursiied to the death, even on the Held ol" battle, princes and peojdi^ who dilTered from them. in Swit/erland, the followers of Zwiiigli and Calvin chafed beneath tlie iron hand of Boman pei'secution, but as soon as they gained their su]n"en.iaey, their enemies fell victims to tlieir perseciuion. Well known are the persecutions of the Anabaptists at Zurich, at which Zwingli connived, and which lie never sought to check, though it was in his power tc do so. Better known for cruelty is the death of Ser- vetus at Geneva by the hands of John Calvin and his fol- lowers. The Church of England struggled hard and long to throw off the galling yoke of Roinan tyranny. But M hen England Avas delivered from Bome by Ilenry VIII, and was more lirmly established under Que(Mi Elizabeth, IN NORTH CAROLINA. 49 ilicti l)(.'i;aii the black stream of persecution issuing from till. Kstabiishcd Cluirch of England, which stream finally fuiuul its way into America and left its Laneful sediments in tlie ilelds of North Carolina. Tlie Baptists of A^orth Carolina were the victims of the pci'sec'uling shafts hurled by the Establishment in Eng- J.iiui. But there is no record that our Baptist fathers turned upon their persecutors and drove back the same yhai'p shafts of persecution. Never did they, in after years, when they had grown into numerical and political iin])(»rtance, advocate the extirpation of Episcopalianism fi'dui the State. They have ever wished to tolerate and be lolerated. In fact, it was religious liberty that brought most of our Baptist fathers to iSTorth Carolina. They were persecuted in Xew hhigland, in Virginia later on, and fled from scenes of wiie to hud a ])\iU'.e of refuge where they miglit worship (bid without molestation. So it is not at all unuahiral that ihi'V should lift ou high tlie torch-light of libci-ly, and i)('ckon t(; their wave-tossed fellows, in New iMiglaud and beyond the waters, to hasten to North Carolina for frec^- doHl. Tiie Ba])tists were among the first who resisted in Caro- lina tlie tyranny of tlie governors under the Lords Pro- |)riet(u\s and the Crown. Six of the Proprietary govern- ors wei'o turned out of oihce by the people because they doniiiioered over tliem. AVhenever the governors enacted unjust measures to grind the faces of the people, the Bap- tists wove tlie first to rise and stand for liberty. The }'.a])tists were among the first to take u]) the cause of lib- erty against the ''mother country." Indeed, according to 4 50 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS some historians, isTortli Carolina was the centre from, wliich lloweJ the silver stream of liberty through all the Southern States. Says liiley, in his History of the Southern Bap- tists, "Under tlie leadership of Shnl)ael Stearns and Dan- iel ^iarslial, Xorth (Carolina hceame the centre of power and iuthienee of the u'reat movement for liberty on the part of th(.' Sonthei-ii liai^tists. This spirit of freedom which came to pervade the ranks of the denomination throughout Sourli Carolimi, Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, emanated from the counties of Guilford, Randol])h and ()ran^t', in Xortli C^irolina, where lived and lal)Oi"ed Daniel .Marsluil antl Shuliael Stearns.'' This is quite a tribute ]nud by a Georgia JJaptist to the Baptists of North Caro- lina. ]]ut there were Innidreds of other Baptist preachers, from the Atlantic to the Blue Bidge, who stood for lil)crt,y and ])reached it as completely as did Shubael Stearns and Daniel J\Larshal. Tiien let us not forget the ether Baptist heroes ^v]luse gi'aves have never l)een known, whose sUunhering aslies are marked I33' no nuirble shafts of lienor, wdiose names no poet has sung. Heroes, heroes, yes, God's heroes tliey were, because they breathed the breath of liberty, fought, bled and died, as well as lived, labored and preached, to wra]i the '\\'orld in liberty's light and soothe the persecuted with soncs of freedom. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 5 1 CHAPTEK X. BAPTISTS AXD TILE DEVOLUTION. riic storm tliat cnlminatcd in tlic lievoludon had been uatheriiig' about one hundred years. All the colonics had felt, almost from the beginuing, that England usurped too iinich authority over them. The sending over of the Eundamental Constitution to become the law of Albemarle incited opposition to royal government. The people resisted when, in 1701, the As- sembly, influenced by Daniel Brett, passed a law to make the Church of England tlie Established Church of the Colour. Further on, dissenters were outlawed, being ex- cluded from voting, from sitting on a jury, or helping to make the laws of the State. More than this, in 17-11, acts Avere ]3assed by the .Issembly to tax the people, dissent- ers as well as clnirchmcn, for the. snp])nrt of the State Chmch. All tliese thiugs and the: Vestry Act of 17(il' ])roA'ok('d .sturdy ]'esistance. THE STAiNri' ACT. The next year aft(u- the Vestry Act, 1705, came news of the iHissage of the odious Stamp Act by the English Par- liament. By this law the English people prepared paper in Enghmd and set on it the English stamp, or seal, and >-ciit it over for the colonists to use in writing their deeds' and other legah documents. This, too, exasperated our pco]de. 52 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS GUVEUNOi; TliVON. Ill the same year of the passage of the Stamp Act, Wil- liam Tryoii eame to Xorth Carolina in the capacity of Governor. He Avas a man of hardly preteii.sioii.s, and lived in princely style, llis wife and her sister, ^liss Estlier Wake, were; im])ortaiit figures in the circles of fashionable society in tliose (hiys. Tryou, in order to support this mag-^ niricent display, sought larger j-eveiines from the ])e(jpie. So lie instrnctcd his sheriii's, especially in Orange, Halifax, Granville and Anson comities, where Baptists were the cliief tax-paj'ers to extort from the people exorbitant fees. Tino iM-:(,iL'LAT()];s. A band of men callod the Kegiilators was formed in the c-ounties where the op])ression was greatest. Among the Kegnhit(n's were nmnbered many of the best and most in- fluential men of the counties above mentioned. These iui>n felt thai they could not snbndt to the bi-ntalities of Kdward I'^mning and other sherills, the tools of Tryou, wdio tried 1o wring from their pockets the las! dime lo support dh'von and his family in their pom])oiis style of living. They were persuaded that Tryon was their greatest enemy. Hajitists were nnmerons and iniinential in the counties, atl'ected by the tyi-anny of Tryon. He said the 'Tiegula- tors are a hand of Quakers and Baptists who aimed at the overturning of the Church of England," Pnrefoy, in llis IHstory of the Sandy Creek Association, denies that. Bajitists were actually nmnbered in the ranks of the lieg- ulators, hnt maintains "that the ]3a])tist.s were, in feeling, and interest, identified with the Begtilators." IN NORTH CAROLINA. 53 r.ATTLE OF AI.AMAXC'K. The foi'ogoiiig' causes were rapidly combining to pro- duce the ontbnrst of the storm — the .Kevobition. On May IG, 1771, the Ilegulators met the forces of Governor Tryon in the Battle of Alamance. The Regulators' anmnmition failed and Tryon put them to rout. This was really the hrst battle of the Revolution. Froui this field of defeat fou tinned the struggle through the battles of J\I(jore's Creek Bridge, Guilford Court-house, Kings Mountain, etc. In all these battles our State stood bravely for freedom, and amoug the heroes of our State there are none that stood higher than did the liberty-loving Baptists. In 177() there wore three classes of ]X'0])le in Xorth Carolina with reference to independence from the mother country. A large number said the ])eople were not capa- Ido of governiug themselves. These _ Rovalists were still loyal to the l\ing or' JMiglaud, thn.igli •Iky.' v.isln-d t!ie gri(A'ances of the ])eo]-)lo I'edresscd. A sccoiul class was conservative, nor lia\'iug full cfuifideuct' in the ])eople's ability to go^'^rJl'tllemsel\'es. liichard Caswell, the newly elected Governor under the Constitution of the State, be- longed to this class. A third class was led by Willie Jones, ol Halifax, who believed that the people were, and of right ^ ought to be, free and independent, and were capable of administering their own government. To this class, by far the largest of the three, the Baptists of the State be- longed. From the beginning, Baptists were of the peo])lo and for the people, and when the time came te draw party lines, the Baptists showed their colors and followed Willie Jones in standing for complete independence. In the Halifax Convention, which framed the Constitution of the 54 A HISTORY OF THIC BAPTISTS / State, Elibhii i^atlli', AVilliaiii Diirgess and Henry Abbof, I distinguished Baptists, \vere delegates. All these cast V their votes for the new government, AA'hen liiehard Caswell was elected Governor in 1770, he asked the deacons of Sliiloh (.'hurch to act as iiuigistrates and conservators of the peace, until the machinery of the new go\'erumcut coulil he pnt in running order. This shows how high was the position held by the Baptists of 177G. Then, when the call came to join the army of Wash- ington and his stdjordinates, there was not a Baptist preacher or laynmn that ever refnsed to go to the front for inde])endence. d'he old .\nabaptists of Switzerland and Gernuiny did not belie\'e in tlie "sword," nor would they take u]) the sword for any canse. A^ot so with tlie Baptists of A'orth (Carolina. I'hey were like the old English Bap- tists in tlic days of Cromwell. It is said that hundreds of ]3a])tlsts in JMigiand took arms at Cromwell's call. So, in X(n-th (''arolimi, they took arms and fought to crush tho encroaching ])ower of (leorge III. Colonel Gi(k'on Lamb was a deacon of Shiloh Baptist Clinrch, and has a brilliant record. He was a member of the Halifax Convention. On the organization of the i^ortli Carolina line in 1776, he was made Major of the Sixth Kegimcnt, Alexander i^illington being Colonel. The lat- ter having resigned, ]\lajor Lamb was promoted and be- came his successor. After serving with distinction Ihronghont the northern campaign. Colonel Lamb was placed by Gen, Jethro Snmner in charge of tho re/^rniting service in Norlli Carolina. Jle was a man not only of tho loftiest patriotism, but of the highest intelligence and IN NORTH CAROLINA. 55 exocutive ability, lie died in the sununer of 17S1, before Cornwallis surrendered, and did not live to see his State and country free, Elisha Battle, William Burgess, Ilemy Abbot and Lem- uel Burkitt upheld the banner of liberty during the ]^cvo- lution, and were champions of a free and independent gov- ernment after the Revolution. Others were probably as active, and deserve as much honor. One Baptist minister was shot down before his family for no other reason than that he was on the side of liberty. When the Convention was called in 178S to ratify the Federal Constitution, Abbot, Battle, Burgess and Burkitt, among other Baptists, were delegates. Some, like Abbot, \uted for the adoption of the Constitution without any amendment. Others, like Burkitt and Burgess, voted against ratification. Though the Constitution was not rati lied at first, IS^orth Carolina hastened to call her peo>- ])le into C(jn vent ion again t*^ adojit the (Constitution and take her stand with tlie sister States. /'Tlie influence of the Baptists on the institutions of both '^State and jSl^ation can not be denied. ' Baptists have sha]')ed llie tlioughts even of republican government in the jSTew World. It is said that Thomas Jefferson got his ideas of free government, Avhich are incorporated in the Constitu- tion of the Ignited States, from the simple, independent govei'nment of a Baptist church. So the world must give pi-aise to the Baptists for being such important actors in the sti'uggles and the aciiievemcnts of liberty. 56 A HISTORY UF THK BAl'TISTS (MIAPTKR XI. SO.M]'; I'RKACMI KKS OK THE Ol.l) 'i'VPE. Many of these, like J*aluuT, vS()j()iini('r and Stearns, have ah'eaJy Ijeeu uieJitioiied, or will be lui'ther on. iJut we deem some of these old herot's Avorrhy of a special chapter. Idle preachers of those days were of <>-reater power than we can iinai;ine to-da}'. ddiey were leaders of the people iti church, in State, in society (to a large extent). JOSEIMI PAJtEKIJ. Joseph J^arker was one of the original se\'en niendjers of kShiloh in Camden. lie remained here only a short time. In 172:* he crossed the Chowan and organized the Me- lierrin Church, in what is now Hertford County. The ]neetingdiouse, -0 by :^5 feet, built of hewn logs, was not erected till 1735. T'or ovei* forty years -Joseph Parker preached al tiiis the second Baptist church in the colony. The church iirew rapidly, and froui it iiranched many of the strongest cliurches iu this section at the present time. In 1773, Parker moved "south of Tar Iii^'er,'' and con- tinued his labors in Dobhs County (now Wayne, Lenoir and Greene cotuitie.s). In the great reformation which took ]")lace among the Baptists, Joseph Parker refused to unite. His followers were known as Frccv\'ill Baptists, of w'lioni there are over three thousand in Xorth Carolina, probably due in ])art to the lalxn-s of Joseph Parker, Pie died in 1791. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 57 LE:^[U£L EURKITT. J.ouniel Jjiirkitt was born in Chowan County, Febru- iivy, 1750; was baptized in Jnlj, 1771, and began to preach in September. At first he simply read the ser- mons of Wliitetield and Williston, but afterward wrote his own sermons, sermons of power. Aithongh he liad a very feeble voice, yet there were few men that preached as often a.-: .Burkitt. lie was a High Calvinist, but he believed in the deeds of men as well as in the decrees of God. For years he was pastor at Sandy Run, then called the Church of Jjcrtio, for some time was pastor at ^leherrin, but he preached over all Eastern Carolina. In 1788 he was elected a delegate to the State Conven- tion for the adoption of the Federal Constitution. In 171)i) there was a spiritual famine in the Chowan region (there being only 72 baptisms in 2d cliurehes), and so Burkitt made a tour through Tennessee and Kentucky. While in the West, lie witnessed a great revival of (5, 000 converts among the chui'ches there. Oii his return home, his church was called together, and with glowing fervor he related the happy scenes of revival in the West. A day of ])rayer and fasting was at once appointed. All the people turned out on this day, which began that mighty revival tliat spread over all the section. It continued three or four years. It reached jMeherrin in 1802, and 1(50 were added to tliis fliurcli by ba])tism in less than two years. Thus Burkitt was God's luunlde instrument to wake up the sleeping cliurclies at the close of the eigh- teen tli century. In 1808, he ])reached his great sermon on ''The Increas- ing Tliver of Sah-ation" (Fzek. 47:5) to 4,000 ])eople iij'.ti. , Jnc'C ..Vlariiii lio.^s, of "'\turtiu Coi.iuiw lie \ 'as In- tei:sc'ly missi'^nnry in sjiirit, and in inissi'jiis fought iiiaiiy battles to lift to the bi'eezc the blood-stained bumier of tlifc cross, lie liegan missions at home, for the records sliow that he was the most sncccssfnl soul-winner in all tlie Albeimirle region, and l)a})t.ized more converts than any olher iJaptist minister in these or any other times. lie was an orator witli a ])eantiful voice. Tims armed by nature as well as by grace, he swayed \'ast audiences of those ])]-imitive peo]:)le. It was Martin Koss wlio led our fathers to dream of missions Ix'vond the seas. At the Ivehnhee Association at ('onoh(», Alarlin Count}', L^Oi], .Mai'tin lloss intro- duced the (luestion of missions. Tlie discussion put tlic brethren to fhi]d>;ing, and a ]nissionary convention v/as called. Ross was a])])ointed on a committee of five to ai'r-auge for this couA'cntion. He jU'eached tlie introduc- tory sernio]) of the missionary convention at Cashie, Jnnc, 1S05. He said, "'Why should it be thought incredible that God should raise u]) among us one of our own number, a num like unto ourselves, to carry tlie light of the glorious gos])el to the nations tliat now sit in darkness and the shadow of death." In J^Tortli Carolina he has left a cher- islied memory, ami a sweet infaiencc on the Baptist his- tory of the Slate. rral ,A in: , ,^ , ihe poor of his counuuii J.y. Elclcj' Spivoy was a line conversarioraliot. .Hu \-. -i,i ;■ popular pastor and an ideal preaclicr in man}- respects. In tlie homes of his people his magnetism and spirituality elevated them to higher planes of living. In the pulpit, liis culture attracted the j^oung people, and die old people regai'Lled him as the worthy successor of Lemuel Burkitt. For years he was Clerk of tlie Association. IIo was one of the committee of "live to arrange for tlie mis- siouarv con\'enrion at Cashie. ' DANIEI. .\rAT?SIlAT,. He Avas horn in 170G, Windsor, Connecticut, was con- verted at 20 years of age, and joined the Prcshyterian c] lurch. He was for eighteen uionths missionary to the jMohawk Hidians, but then uioved to Pennsylvania, thence, in a short time, to Virginia. Hero he became a Baptist, and, with Shiibael Stearns, came to jSTorth Carolina. He and his Avife were among the IG members who organized Sandy Creek Church. He was a great missionary. Ho located at Abbot's Creek, where he planted a Baptist church and was ordained by Henry Ledbetter and Shubaol Stearns, in 175S. From 60 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS this jioint as iR'aLlqiiarters he traveled e.\teiisi\'oly in all chat section of Xortli Carolina and iis far north as \''ir- ginia, where he Iniptized C^ol. Samuel Harris, who after- ward heeame an eminent minister in that State. In later life he did missionary work in South (_^arolina and Geor- gia. In the former he estahlished Beaver (.'reek Church, in the latter Kioke Church, in 1771. While preaching at Horse Creek, in the Parish of St. Paul, he was arrested and forcetl to give hail for appearance at Court in Au- gusta, (leorgia, where his trial was a complete victory over his enemies. lie was also a strong friend of the American cause in the R(n'(dntion, and was once cast into ])rison, hut raised such a siege of prayer that the aurhori- tics had to release him. In 1784, at the good old age of 78, the hero of Ahhot's Creek passed away. His last words were to his son, ''My breath is almost gone. T have Ix^en i)raying that I ma} go home to-night. I had great ha])])iness in our worsliiji this moi'ning, jiarticnlarh' in singing, which will make a part of my blessed exercises in eternity." Gt-:oi;cn-: popk. For a number of years George Pope was pastor of Ab- bot's Creek Church. Xoted for his good judgment, lie was often sought for counsel in matters of weighty importance. He was ^loderator of the S;mdy Creek Association for several years. He was also an important figirre in the great revival of 1800. He was then pastor of Abl)ot's Creek Church, and is said to have ba]^tized ."iOO persons into tlie fellowship of this church dni'inG; this revival. ]\[anv of these con- IN NORTH CAROLINA. 6 1 vL-i'ts became ministers of the gospel, and so when George Pope had hiid aside the gospel sickle, liis work still fol- lowed Iiim. .llis memory has ever been cherished at Ab- bot's (h-eek and throughout the Sandy Creek section. ROliElVr THOMAS UAXIEL. Robert Thomas Daniel was born June iO, 1773, Alid- die.sex ( 'ounty, \'irginia. i3ut soon after the Revolution his fatlier emigrated to _Xorth Carolina and settled in ('hatham County. He was married March, 1, 17UG, to Miss Penelope Cain Flowers, Chatluim County ; was con- vii'ted in , 1832, being GO years of aii'e. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 65 JOI£N CULPEPER. He was born in Auson County in 1764. His fatlier being poor, his son John was in school only tliree months. After his marriage, and after the birtli of his three chil- dren, he studied Latin three months, which was the only schooling he received. He was converted in Georgia at 20 years of age. He embraced religion under the ministry of Elder Silas Mer- cer, and by him was baptized. After he was ordained, he returned to jSTorth Carolina and preached in Sandy Creek Association. He was a great revivalist. He con- tinued holding revivals for years, and became one of the most popular men of the State. His popularity was so great that the people laid hands on him to represent them in tlie Congress of the United States. In Congress he dis- tinguislied liimself for consistency and finnness of charac- ter and for devotion to the interests of liis people. lie was Agent for the Baptist State Convention some- time. His toils were incessant and were crowned with abundant success. The last ten years of his life were spent wholly for the church cs and the Master. After the di- vision of Sandy Creek he was regarded as the leader of the Pee Dee Association. Tn the 70th year of his age, with unwavering faith and cheering hope, he died in South Carolina at the home of his son. s:\riTii .FERGUSoisr. There were many eminent preachers on the Upper Yad- kin in the early years of the nineteenth century. But one, 66 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS Smith I'V'i'guson, is pre-eiiiiiieiitly wurtliy of separate mcii' tiou. He was born just as the 18th century was closing its famous records. Thougli but a youth he was a soldier in the war of 1812. Soon after the victory of ''Old Hickory" at Is'ew Or- leans, 1815, Smith Ferguson having returned home from war, decided to preach. Ho continued in the ministry for more than half a century, and but few were more ac- tive than lie. He was a po[)ular ]n-encher, for his war rec- ord had gi\-en him a phice in the hearts of the ]jeople. His })ower lay mainly in pathos and persuasion. Lovingly ond tenderly he wooed hundreds to the Saviour's side. He was once sent for to preach to an invalid woman. There was not a Christian present, but so tender was his ap])eal to sinners that jnany were converted, and the in- liuenee of ihat one sermon spi-ead throughout the county. •.i\ew i!o|ie church wiis the direct I'esnlt. of (hat sermon. lie ^vas a strong advocate of lemjierance, and sought to save the youths of ^'adk'in N'alley from king alcohol's cruel, cursing dominion. Me was, likewise, imbiu'd Avith the missionary spirit, and like the revered ]\rartin Ross of the Chowan country, Smith Ferguson shed the liglit of the missionary spirit over all that section. He lingered on till late in the nineteenth centu;;y, Avlicn he died the friend of nil. SAMXJEL WATT. Samuel Wait must have a ])lace in this chapter. He was boi'n in Washington County, iNew, York, T3eceml)er 19, 1Y80, professed faith and was ba])tized March 12, IN NORTH CAROLINA. ' 67 ISOO, and united ^vith the Eaptist chui'ch at Middletown, Vermont. That same night he began conducting family prayers in his father's home. Feeling called to preach he began to study tlie Greek and Hebrew languages. His first pastorate was at Sha- ron, Massachusetts, by which church ho was called to ordi- nation, June o, ISIS. A few days afterward he was married to Miss Sarah Merriam. liesigning Sharon he spent some time at Columbian College preparing for a greater work for the future. In all these eiforts his wife saeriticed for him nobly. He was a tutor in Columbian College four years and tlicu was appointed, along with Dr. William Stoughton, to travel "to obtain subscriptions for the relief of the i]i- stitution." On this mission he came to Edenton and jSTew Bern, Plymouth and Washington, jSTorth Carolina. He was caHed to N^csw Bei-n, and in ISTovember, 1827, lie found liiiiiself located in the Old North Stiite. He was llio originator of the iNTorLli (^arolinu Slate Cou- venlioii, and at its organization ])r('ai'lu'd the introduc- loiy serjuoH from ?\latt, '.):3G — 38. He was appointed General Agent of tlio Convention to canvass the Statapti3t Benevolent Society, organized in Grecimlle, Pitt County, February 10, 1829. At the suggestion of T. U. AEason, rules and a constitution were adopted. P. W. Dowd was elected President; W. P. Piddle, Thouias Meredith and W. H. Jordan were elected Vice-presidents; ]-*. P. Lawrence, Corresponding Secretary ; 'R. Blount, Re- cording Secretary, and II, Austin, Treasurer. A Board of Directors was elected consisting of General L. Simp- i'on, ]>. Iioss, Samuel Wait, W. Saunders, Colonel Dunn, Jr., C. Congleton, JT. B. Outlaw, P. Lawrence, W. Clem- ens, J. Roundtree, T. D. ]\Iason, G. Stokes, J. Hartmus, J. Armstrong, P. Bennett, J. Battle, General D. Boone, ■J. Purify, J. Crudup, W. R. Hinton, G. Huckeby, W. R. Ragan, T. Crocker, C. McAllister, J. Manning, E. IIos- kins, H. Merritt, IL Ilamon, iST. G, Smith, J. Llawl, S. Phereby, J. Baxter, E. Phillips, D, Kennedy, B. Bur- roughs, W. Dowd, J. Tenny. In the Constitution wo find the purpose of the Society: "The exclusive object of this 72 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS Society slijill bo to raise funds and appropriate them to the sun])ort of travoliuii' ministei-s, for preaching the g'osjjol and administering its ordinances within tlie bounds of :North Caroh'na." B. ]\Ianly, then pastor in Charleston, South Carolina, on being asked hy Samuel Wait about the expediency of lovjniug a Slate Convention in Xorth Carolina, responded : ''Virginia had her General Association on one side, and South (Jarolina lier Convention on the other, and each was doing mucli to benefit not only her OAvn people, but also to elevate by Ijcr example the churclies of Xorth Caro- lina." Wait talked over the same measure with olher leading preachers. As a result, the North Carolina Be- nevolent Societ}' ^vas formed and from it came the Stata <."onvrniion. At tljc second meeting of the Benevolent Society, Green- ville, North Carolina, March 2G, 1S30, the Baptist State ^ Conveniion was organized. A resolution was passed dis- :?i;)l\ing the BcncAolcnt Society and transferring its fmids tc ilie ('onvciili^m. Thomas Aleredith, of Edcnton, niiticl- patiiig the event, liad drawn up a Constitution, wliich was read and adopted. :n'ticle by article, and tluis the Conven- tion began its memorable career. The birtli))lace of the (Convention is sacred to the hearts of North Carolina Baptists, as is shown by the splendid ]\[emorial Church Building of Greenville. Greenville wai; established in 1771, but the Ba|)tist church there was not organized till 1827. Through the labors of T. "D. Mason the church was built and he was its first pastor. It was received into the Nense Association October, 1827. This was not the oldest Bapiist church in Pitt County. Eed IN NORTH CAROLINA. 73 iJanl^s Baptist eliiirch enjoyed this distinction, being or- ganized abont the middle of the ISth century. Samuel \\\ait was appointed by the Convention as its General Agent, with a salary of $35.00 per month. He Avas to canvass the. State and enlist the sympathy of the ell arches for the ('onvention. The lirst annual meetinii,- of the Convention was at Jaog;- ers' Cross-Eonds, Wake Coimty. There were delegates from churches or missionary societies in sixteen counties: The contributions of the year amounted to $791.70. Dr. Wait reported he had preached 2-1:3 sermons and organ- izi'd 31 missionary societies. These societies, however, were soon to pass away and the chtirchcs to co-operate directly with the (Vjnvention. Because of much opposi- tion to the work of tlie Convention at first, Dr. AVait was somewhat despondent. But, in the main, his report was full of l)ope. Kc said : "The people are ready to take an ac- tive part in the work ]'>ropnsed, * '■' "''^ to scjid the gos]iel to tlie destitute in our o^vn State and also to aid in sending tlie same treasure to distant heathen nations.'' Dr. Wait was reappointed as General .Vgent, and a Board of ^ianagers was appointed to press the work of missions. At this time tlie Board selected four mission- aries and assigned to them fields of labor in sections des- titttte 07 the gospel. The missionaries were J. L. Warren, Eli Phillips, William Dowd and James Dennis, Tlius closed the first session of the Convention, small in its out- ward results, but great in its promises for a brightei* future. Tlte second session was held at Eives' Chapel, Chatliam County, 1832, and, in many respects, was one of the most 74 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS remarkable JBaptist meetings ever held in tlie State. There \vere representatives from thirty counties: Anson,, Bla- den, IJerrie, Burke, Carteret, Craven, Chatham, Chowan, Cund)erland, Davidson, Duplin, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Guilfori!, Iredell, Lenoir, Lincoln, ]\Iontgomery, ]\L()ure, jNIasli, Orange, Pasquotank, Richmond, Bowan, Sainpson, Stokes, Surry, Wake and Wilkes. The [jer- sonnid of tlie Convention represented the best thought and purpose, not only of the Baptists, but also of the best peo- ple of tlie State. J'rom Anson were John Culpcper, the po})ulr, at first to he a monthly. The Convention ordered that its first issue should be in Janmiry, I808, and that the paper should be styled The Inter pre ter, which, in the follow- ing year became Tlie Biblical Recorder. This Convention appointed a committee also to advise .^' The establishment of a '"Manual Labor Institute." This coinmittec having failed, anotlier was appointed by the managers of the Convention in the following December. This comniittee consisted of John Armstrong, Thoraa* ]\Ieredith and Samuel Wait, who planned the founding of Wake Eorest Institute, whicli afterward became tlie glo- rious Wake Eorest College. Dr. William Hooper was chairman of the first committee and he was the first to ad- 76 A IQSTORY OF THE BAPTISTS vise, in otHciai eupacitj', the foundiug of the Baptist Col- leg-e of the State. Moreover, this Couventiou elected an able board of managers to push the work of missions. The blessed re- sults reported by Warren, Phillips, DoAvd and Demiis en- couraged tlie board to undertake still greater things. They reeoninicnded, especially, the building of Baptist churches in growing towns that the Baptist faith might take root and grow apace with advancing civilization. Directions were given for enlarging tlie work in Raleigh, Edenton and Halifax, and $100 were appropriated to aid the church in ^Vihuington. The board directed that special attention should be given to the organization and discip- line of Sunday schools. Tlie spirit of this Convention was lofty and enthusias- tic from beginning to end. The enthusiasm culminated on Sunday. Ueligious exercises commenced at an early liour. Vast crowds had assembled in the grove. i\[ere- dith and Armstrong ascended the stage to preach. At 11 o'clock they were followed by James j\[cDaniel. lie was at his best, and as he rose to the heights of his eloquent fervor the crowds were melted to tears. lie closed with a tender appeal for reconsccration of Christians and hun- dreds responded. At night the venerable John Purefoy and George M. Thompson dispensed the Word. Still the interest grow till on Tuesday noon the delegates gave each other the parting hand and went back to^vard the sea and toward tlie hills to rekindle the fire of enthusiasm in the churches at home. Tn 1S33 the Convention met at Cartledge Creek ]\reet- ing-house, Piichmond County, Avherc forward steps were IN NORTH CAROLINA. 77 tnken iu missions ami education. The permauenee of the Convention was established at Rives' Chapel; and hence- forward oi)position was but a fleeting shadow. Sixty-eight sessions have followed in the same plan of enlarging work. The Convention has always apjjointed some of its best men as general agents, or secretaries. Samuel Wait, John Culpepcr, Yarborough of Milton, B. F. ]\rarable and A. J. Emerson successfully filled the position pi'ior to the Civil War. Since that time the Con- vention has been a])ly represented by J. D. Ilufham, J. B. Itieliardrion, Jolin E. Ray, Columbus Durham, John E. White and Livingston Jolmson. These men have trav- eled over the State from the mountains to the sea, visiting the Associations, preaching the Word, and with their ad- dresses of instruction and power have led the churches up to greater plans and grander results. 78 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS CHAPTER XIII. INSTITUTIOX ANU DEVELOl'MEXT OF THE EECOKDEK. The lirst child of the Baptist State Convention was the Eapti.st paper. \\'hile traveling over the Stato during tlic Conx^entioiial }ear of 1830-31, l)v. Wait was impressed witli the deplorable ignorance of the Baptists concerning the destitntion of their State, the plans of the Convention and the demands of the great commission, "Go ye into all the worhl and make disci})les of all nations." So, in a speech before the Convention at Kogers' Cross-Boads, 1S31, he s])oke of the need of a paper. During the next _)ear lie talked over tlie founding of a Baptist paper witli njany of the leading men of the denomination, and tliere was imanimiiv of opinion as to tlie importance of estab- lishing such an enterprise. During the year 1832, for .sevt'ral mouths before llie Convention met at Bives' Clui]K'l, Dr. AVait \vas taking subscriptions for a Baptist pa])er. lie could not tell whether it Avould l)e a monthly or a weekly, wliat woidd be its name, wliere it would be published, or what would be its price. Still, lie secured about 200 names to bead the subscription list of the con- templated Baptist paper. Tlie formation of a company for its publication w'aa discussed, l)ut all the loading brethren (piniled before the assumjjtion of such a burden. They were not willing to incur a great debt, .and no one was willing to advance tlie necessary capital for the institution and prosecution of tlie enter])rise. When the Convention met at Bives' Chajiel, at last a nobledieartcd, bvoad-minded mail agreed IN NORTH CAROLINA. 79 to undertake the great and glorious work. That man was Thomas Meredith, then pastor of the Baptist chureli of Edenton. The Convention projected the paper and ap^ pointed Thomas ]\Ieredilli as its first editor. The papci- was to bo knoM'u as The Inter [jveier. The man who took into his hands and upon his heart tlie \\'ork of giving the Baptists of Xorth Carolina a peri- odical worthy of the denomination, merits more than passing notice from our pe]i. Thomas jMercdilh was grad- uatc-d fn)iii llu' Uni\'ersity of Pennsylvania, and was odu- ciitcd for tlie hiw. Jjut God liad a higher and nobler \\'ork for him. After he Avas converted, he soon felt im- pressed with the duty of preaching "'the glorious gospel of the blessed God." So he gave up the law. But his legal education was not lost, for it made liim a deeper thinker and a readier speaker. Early in life, in 1820, lie caine to iN'orth Carolina and settled as pastor of tlie Baptist church of Edenton. His eaidy training and thorough course at the famous E^niversity placed him high in rank among tlie Ba])tists of the State, and qualified him for rendering tliom one of the greatest services done by any cue of its early heroes. Edenton was honored as the first home of the Baptist ^' paper, Avhose name became the Biblical Piecorder in 1S33. It also began at this time to be published weelcly. Eden- ton was M'el] w(U'thy of the; hnu.or of giving the Biblical Recorder its first liome. It was long the cajiital of the State, tlie liome of the early governors, and the seat of the State records. So it w'as only fitting that it should give our State the first Baptist records through the columns of tlie first Baptist pa]:)er. 8o A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS Thomas J\Iereditli, I^iliG, Av;is called to the pastorate of tlic Baptist church in JS'ew Beru, and so this antique little towji on the Xeuse by the sea became the second home of the Jiccorder. But JSTew Bern was not a central point, and, in order to increase the paper's circulation and usc-- fulness, ]\lerediih moved to lialeigh in 1S3S. Erom that time our capital city has continued to be the homo of the Biblical Recorder. Thomas j\[eredith was a ready writer, as well as a fluent speaker. He successfully represented the paper in the associations and before the Convention by his clear and forceful speeches on its behalf. But more than this, lie was an able and competent editor. lie was thoroughly informed on all the topics of the day, and hence was ready to nmho a readable })aper and meet any emer»'ency. He had to measure pens with many of ottr leading l']aptists of those days, btit-he was the match of any of his day. Aiore than this, he successfully maintained tlie tcniets of the Bap- tists in the columns of his pai)er when he was assailed by Pedobaptist pens. For nineteen years he was the popular and efficient edi- V tor of the Bihlical Recorder. In this position he proba- bly did more for the Bajitlsts of the State than did any other man during that same time, unless Dr. Wait be ex- cepted. He was one of the greatest of iSTorth Carolina's early Baptist heroes. He closed his usefrJ life in 1851, in Ealeigh, Avhilc still at his post of duty wielding the popular pen as the Recorder s editor. He now sleeps in the cemetery in Baleigh. A moimment, the language of his brethren's love and praise, marks, his resting place. V The two greatest results achieved by the Recorder wera IN NORTH CAROLINA. 8l aii'itiition of iiiissious and the imiticatioii of tlio cburchos. J list a few years before the Itecordcr was instituted, tiie iiaptists of tiie State were agitated over the question of missions. liardshellisni had laid its elutches upon many of the ehurehes, and tliey had folded their hands and sat down to let God save the world in His own good time, without '"human institutions," as they called modern or- ganizations. This baneful "ism"' had tainted the Ivehu- L'ee Association, so that it was wholly given up to the ".Primitive Baptists," as the anti-missionary brethren de- lighted to style themselves. 'I'he missionary churcliea joined the Chowan, Tar lliver and other Associations, and so the \vork of missions moved on, wliile the anti-mission cliurches diminished in ninnbers, power and iniiuencc. The most ])otent agent for missions was tlie JJiblical lie- coi'dcr. Aleredith and the otlier early editors were thor- oughly imbued with the spirit of missions, and from the Recorder s colmnns Hashed the glorious light of missions. Tliey gave information about the destitute portions of the St;iie, and early began to tell the sad story of China, Africa and Mexico, witli their millions of lost and dying souls. <^ The Recorder was also a unifier of the churches and brethren. .By reading the same paper, tlie brethren down by the sea were brought in touch with the brethren on the jnounrains. People of different sections naturally drift apart, unless there is some chain to bind them closer to- getlier. Our State is a large one, stretching 500 miles, fi'oui the Atlantic to the Smoky Kange, with three natur- ally distinct sections — the Tidewater, the Piedmont, and the ALouutainous, But the Recorder has helped to bring 6 82 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS thf cliiu'C'lies of the three seetioiis into oue united body. It has nivL-n tlie Baptists of the whole State the same infor- mation, led them to adopt the same inspiring principles, and indtieed them to adu])t the same effective plans for the extension of the Pilaster's kingdom. It has nnide them oue in faith, one in practice, one in plans and purposes for the glory of God. ^, Another scareely less important service of the JRccordcr ■was its fi'iendly attitttde toward edtication. From its infancy it advocated more light and less darkness, more intelligence and less ignorance.'- Its columns first an- riouiiced the oj)eiiIng of the little seliool on llii' farm of Calvin Jones, iu Wake (^')\lnty. From that day to tliis, the 111!)! teal I'ccora'cr luis been the staunchcst friend of the Colleue, and has ever pushed its interests with unabated de\'otion. Also, the pnhlic school system has received many a friendly lift from the Rccordci-. This i)a])er has always l)i'en on llie side of the ])eo]»lf,and has ad\'ocatcd the (.nliglitennienl (d' the masses of the Stale. .Morc'(»\'e]', the lii'conlrr early began to advocate a more classical ednca- tion in academies and high schools. Wlien death took fi'om Meredith's hand the editor's pen, the Convention hand(;d it over to Dr. J. J. James. lie ])roved his editorial al)ility, and put the ]:ia])er on a surf? iinancial fooling, in addition to extending its circulation and increasing its littn'ary n\erit. He was editor until the Civil War broke out. During the wai', and for some years after its close, the ])apc'i' was very much crijijjled. It was edited iu those days hy Dr. J. I). Ilnfham and J. \L Willis, l)oth men (jf power willi (he pen. ihit the Jiecordcr had not yet found its nnan. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 83 In ISTij, C. T. Bailey became the editor, and in this cripacity ably served the denomination till his death in 18U5. lie was an able preacher, and had served as pas- tor of Edcnton church and many others ; but tlie twenty years which he gave to the Jh'cordcr were his best and briuiitest years. These years told more for the advance- ment of the blaster's kingdom than everything else he did. lie was a deep thinker, a ready writer, and a wise planner, lie made the Becorder the champion of State missions in tliat period when the modern development began. With his flowing pen he extolled the past and painted the future ui Wake Forest College. In short, he made the Recorder the uiu:'om])romisiiig champion of the Convention's every object. In 18SS, it was deemed necessary to put an agent into the lield to increase the circulation of the pa])er. This new agc^nt was J. (\ Caddcll, of A\^ake Forest, lie was an alnnimis of Wako Forest College, and largely increased tlie circulation of the Jlecorde)'. He visited the Associa- tions and Conventions, and so stirred up the Baptists that he put nearly 7,000 names on the subscription list. Edwards & Broughton, Baleigh, became the ju'oprietors of the Piecordo- in 1805, and ])ut the subscription down to $1.50 a year. They \)\\i new life into the }jaj)er, increased irs circulation through the agencv of Caddell and X. L. Shaw, and broadened its efliciency through the editorial tal(Mi)s of J. W. I'ailey, ' At the Ivaleigh Coiiveutioii, Deci'inber, IDOO, it was /■ decided best to ]nit the; Ji\'corder into the hands ol' a stock coiiipimy uiiikM- ilie direct coiilrol of the C^onvention. The Recorder is now pulilished l)y said company. 84 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS Two year.s bol'ovu his father Jiocl, J. W. Bailey began the editorial work. Under the supervision of iiis father, he Avrote the most of the editorials. On the death of his father, Juno 5, 1895, he assumed the responsibility of edi- tor. Though young in years, he has proved old in thought and ripe Avith the pen. liu has enlarged the sphere of the lifcordcr in its relations with the ehurches. He has grappled soeial, eeouomic and educational problems, and usually he has led the Baptists of tlie State wisely. He has extended the horizon of a denominational paper, and ha's nuido the llecordcr the peer of any religious periodical, South or jSTorth. Dr. Kilgo, President of Trinity College (Methodist), says: ''The liccorder talces the lead in this larger sphere, and will^sooncr or hater, revolutionize the idea of religious journalism in these regions. Editor Bailey has a large task before him, but the end is worth the ex])enditure of all his talents. The Baptists Avill lose a su|n-eme (ip|)ortunity, if they do not sustain him in this work." Ntu- iiavc the Baptisis of Xorth Caroliua failed to reeofr- nize and emlorst' the I'Xteuih'd s])here of the BlbJical Rc- curdci: Sa)'s Dr. Hume eoneerniug the young editor: ^'ilorc and more etl'ectivo laymen are rising to meet the demand for jn'actical help and leadership, and one young man of the number (J. W. Bailey) wields an incisive pen and a powerful influence through the leading denomina- tional ]")ai)er, the Jjihlical Ilecorder'' IN NORTH CAROLINA. 85 CHAPTER XIV. ^ WAKE .FO]?EST COLLEGE^ ITS ORTGIA'' AXD GEOWTH. Dr. Wait, in his travels over the State in 1830 and 1S31, was impressed witli the illiteracy of the Baptist preachers. There were only five University gTadnatcs aniong the del- egates at Hives' (Jhapel. So in those days Baptist preach- ers, not attending the University, had no school within the borders of the State. Dr. Wait M'as the first man that planned the fonnding of a scliool for the edncation of Ba])tist preachers in Xorth Carolina, which ^vas at first the sole aim of the contemplated school. It was thonglit by a nmnher of the brethren that a school to give the preachers an English edncation wonld meet the demand. But Dr. Wait saw that a higher school was needed. At first the institntion was to he a mannal labor school. So a large farm of 000 acres in Wake Connty, 1(5 milcd from Raleigh, was boiiglit for $2,000 from l)i'. ('alvin Jones by the Convention at lliv^es' Chapel. The pjoard of the Convention in Ivaleigh, Decend)er, 1832, apptnnted a committee to secnre a principal. Dr. Samuel Wait was elected and accepted the position. It being impossible to si art the school at once, Dr. Wait was asked to continne his agency for the Convention another year and lay the new school before tlie Ba])tists of the State, WAKE FOREST OPEJ'J'ED. At the third session of the State Convention at Cart- lego's Creek, Bichmond (^nnity, arrangements were inaile to open the new school, which was to be called "Wake Eorest j\Iannal Labor Institute." It opened on the first 86 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS .Monday in February, iSo4. 0. 11. ALcrriani, brother of Dr. Wait's wife, took cliarge of the farm. TILE T,0G-CA1JIX J)Ok:mitoi;ies. Wait found seven substantial Jog cabins, bnilt mostly of ^vhite oak, Avitli good doors, iloors, roofs and Avindows (ex- cei)t one). The Principal had these waslied out cleanly, ^vhite^va5hcd, and fnrnished with beds for the new stu- dents. Not a iniirnmr was ever heard from the young men, althongh they knew they were sleeping in log cabins bnilt for colored slaves. TH K DIXING-JIAT.L. The largest room available at first was only eighteen feet sqmire, and in this room about seventy boys must eat three times a day. The table had to be set three times for each meal, and two sets of the boys had to take their turn in waiting at each meal. How hnngry the third-table boys mnst have gotten sometimes! Yet tliey did not com- plain. They were there, not to feast their bodies at costly tables but to feed their brains with intellectual food. THE BUGGY-HOUSE CHAPEL. Dr. Jones had a carriage house IG by 2-i feet. In this the students met Dr. Wait to receive his lectures and to worship, morning and evening. The only lecture-room or chapel for the first year was the carriage house, wdnch had been furnished with benches and desks. In this room tlie consecrated Wait had to classify and teach nearly sev- enty young men of various degrees of advancement, and with different purposes for life. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 8/ ■ THE FIRST CHARTER. ^' Xcxt, tlie Institute must have a charter. This first charter was secured from the Legislature of 1833-34. A respectalile majority in the House of (Commons voted for the charter, but in the Senate there Avas a tie, and ^h'. W. 1). .Closely, worthy of lasting honor, cast the deciding vote in favor of the charter. This charter was very mea- gre in its concessions. It allowed the Institute to have a Board of Trustees, wh6 might perpetuate themselves with cei'tain provisions. It permitted the Institute to acquire funds limited to $50,000, continued the obligation to pay taxes, and limited the time of charter to 20 years. SECOND CHARTER. The Baptists of the State were not satisfied with such a charter. So the Trustees requested another from the Legislature of 1835-36. This new charter was a college charter, and changed the name of the scliool to Wahe For- est College, with full power to confer degi'ces and to enjoy all the prerogatives of other colleges and univeryities. Tlio property was exempt from taxation, and might be in- creased to $250,000. This charter added 50 years to tlic time limit of the original one. FIRST PROFESSORS ELECTED. In ^Fay, 1831, the new charter was accepted by the Board, and the prospects seemed much brighter, Thomas Meredith was elected Professor of iMathematics and jSTat- ural ITistory, and John Armstrong was elected Professor of AiU'ienl Languages.' Ilie former nevei* actually ac- ce])ted tlie ]X)sif,ioii. John Armstnmg was to ent(n" ai; once 88 A HISTORY OK Tllli BAPTISTS ii])()ii ail agency for raisiiii;' funds (Hi l)tilialf of the Colk'^e, and to coiinnence the duties of the professorsliip in tlie followiiiii' i'ebmuuy. SUJiSCKIl'TIOXS VUR THE MMX liL'ILDIXG. At this ^liiy meeting, snbscriptions were opened for the AFain College Build Ing. The little log eahins were far too small for the accommodation of the increasing numbers expected in the near future. It was on this oc- casion that C. ^V, Sh inner and D. S. Williams subscribed each $500, and many others subscribed $250 each, to be ])aid in live annual installments. During the year John Avmstrong obtained subscriptions amounting to $17,000. The success of his agency led the Ti'ustees to let the con- tract for the AFain ihiilding. This building was to contain a chajxd, two lecture rooms, two society halls, and forty- eight dormitories. The contract was let for $15,000. "^Jdie Trustt'es were fired \vith enthusiasm, and Avere con- fident that the subscriptions would bi'iiig tlio cash for the erection of this building. But before it was completed Imndreds of nolJe ami ambitions young men, who, under liim, were fitted for tlie arena of life. lie was a great ])reacher, a loving connselloi', a winning s})eaker, and for twenty-five years wa^j considered the foremost Baptist in the State. He remained at his post of duty as the hon- ored President of the College until Febniary 27, 1879, when he ceased from his toils on earth and went home to his rich reward. TJII-: WAK C'LOTID, The doors of the College were opened during the first year of the Civil War, but in May, 1802, its exercises were suspended. The ])rofessors were scattered ; some liad gone to the war and others to ditferent places of labor ; the young 92 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS iiK'U WH'iir liunio, and many j(jiii(j(l llio rank.-: of J.ce and Jaclcson. Jn l^U-t, tlio aulhoritics of tlio Confcdoniey took possession of the College building and used it as a hosjntal for suH'ering soldiers till the close of the war. It Avas not till ISGG that the College bell again called stu- dents to recitation-rooms and morning prayers. UK. WIT-LIAM liOYALL. We ca]i not write the briefest history of the College Avithont giving a place to the scholarly, saintly, sweet-spir-. ited William IJoyall. In ISGO, just before the Avar crash, he was elected I'mfessor of Latin and Cei'nnm. Xot all the success of the institution must 1)0 atlriljuled to iho wise and able \Vingato, h)V a large part of it belongs to this logical and ]jliiloso])hical teacher. Di'. lioyall ])layed his valuable part in the liistory of tile College in ihe elevation of the standai'd of teaching. Professor L. Tl. Mills, who was a stiulent at the College at this lime, Inis ri'cenrly said: "'.Vt that time the nu'thods of instruction in oui' Cidhige Avere mechanical and unphilo- sophieal in the highest degree. And this Avas especially true in the department of Ancient Languages. Dr. Itoy- all's method of teaching was analytical, logical and philo- so])hical, and created great enthusiasm in his oavu depart- ment. His stimulating and quickening influence was felt by the entire College." It Avas tlii? eleA%ation of the stand- ard of teachino' that ])nt the College in the f]'ont rank of the State's higher institutions of learning, and to which tlie College OAves its highest glory. It Avas Dr. Roy all Avlio. in connection witli his son, W. B. lioyall, I.. R. Mills and W. (!. Simmons, o])ened the College at the close of the IN NORTPI CAROLINA. 93 war. It was Dv. lioyall who organized the course of study al W^ake I'orest into the present tiexible system of scliools, instead of an inJlexible curriculum. In ISbO, having been absent from the College ten years, he was recalled to till the chair of .Modern Languages. A few years later the Trustees i-reated the Chair of English, and Dr. lioyall was elected to occupy this chair. In this position he spent the accuniulated powers of his ripening years. On January 3, l<^9o, his noble spirit suddenly passed away in Savannah, Georgia, being in his 70th year of age. Thus rose from the realm of time to the kingdom of glory one of the sweetest spirits, and thus closed one of the brightest and most jjcautiful lives that our State has eve? kno^vn. PER.\rAXENT ENDOWMENT FUND. Tile endowment of the College was taken up auew in Ib'iV) by the State Convention. Twenty-hve thousand dol- hii's wei'e subscribed for endowment, and J)r. John Alirch- ell collected the tirst payment on these subscri])tions In 1S5T. The work was continued in 1858, and until the outbreak of the Civil AVar, when the total funds of tlie College amounted to $50,167.54. These were invested 2:>rincipally in State and Confederate government bonds, the most of which were swept away by the war. In ISGG, at the close of the war, the endowment amounted to only $11,700, but the friends of the institution laid their heads together and planned for tlie prodigious increase of endowment since secured. By 1S83, it had increased to $50,000. In 18S;], J. A. Eostwick, of Xew York, con- tributed $10,000 and tlio deuomiuation added $40,000, 94 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS wiiieh sux'lloJ the ciiduwiiienl fiiiul to $100,UU0. in IbSG, the "IJostwick Endowment Fund" was added to the orig- inal endowment. ]\Lr. Bostwiek ofFered to give $'J 5,000 il" the Baptists of the State would givo $25,000. The leaders rallied among the ]-5a])tist churches of the State, the amount was secured, and thus the "Bostwiek Endow- ment Fund" was fotmded. On Ma}^ 1, 18S7, the endow- ment of the College had reached $153, 000.44, and the total productive fund of the College, $]72,2Go.04. Mr. Bostwiek ha-' 1)0011 the most liheral henefactor of the institution, and his ])i)rlrait graces the wall of the College Lihrary Hall. In all, he has given to Wake Forest College $70,000. But this great gift is largely due to the ceaseless etforts of President Taylor, who, in the interest of the College, made several trips to the ^ortli and deeply impressed ]\lr. Bost- A\'ick. In late years the endowment has heen further increased, until the College now has $200,000 at its command. The labors of C \V. Blanchard and F. W. Sikcs, in the last few years, have heen marvellously successful in rriising an en- dowment fund for tlie ''Boyall Chair" of English., the Chair of the Bible, and the Gymnasium. FUKSIDKXCY OF DR. PRITCIIARD. On the death of l^resideut Wingate, 1879, liev. Thomas Kenderson Pritchard, D.D., was elected to the Presiden- tial chair. He ^vas an alumnus of the College, and dur- ing the tliree years of liis Presidency reflected credit n])on his Alma dialer. But in 18S2, he retired from the Pres- idency and re-entered the pastorate, lie was one of the ablest preachers of the South. ; ^ IN NORTH CAROLINA. 95 TUi: COLLl'IGE UNDER PKESlDEXT TAYLOK, 18S4-1001. Under Dr. Taylor, the College has made its greatest progress. The covirse of stud\' has been steadily advanc- ing, nntil there are now thirteen distinct schools of stndy, viz: J^atin Langnage and Literatnre; Greek Language iind Literature; Engli.-^li Language and Literature; ]\lod- ern J^aiiguagcs ; Pure ^[atheniatics ; Physics; Applied Mathematics; (.Mieniistry ; JS^atural History; Moral Phi- losophy; Political Science; Law, and tlie Bible. A De- ];:;rtnient of Pechtgogy was added in 11)00; a line gymna- sium is nearing c())ii])letion, and a Depai'tment of Me(L icine is to be added this year. The requirenicnts for en- trance at Wake Forest are about the same as at Chai)cl Hill. LITERARY SOCIETIES. (July two literary societies are allowed at the College, the I'hixelian and the l^hiloniatliesian. They wei'c formed ir; February, ISoo. L'or a nund^er of years tliey oceu- pied liuiircd lialls on the fourth floor of the old College Euilding. Ihit in 1S7S Colonel Heck and -John G. Wil- li an.is, Raleigh, two of the College's greatest friends, pre- sented the College "with the Heck-Williams Building. On the second floor of this building are the commodious and beautifid literary halls, which have been occupied by the societies over since. The old society lil)rarie.s were con- solidated with the College library and placed in "Librar}' Llall," between the two society halls. There are now nearly 15,000 volumes in the library. Tbo J^uzelian and Philomathesian halls arc among the "finest and most handsomelv furnished literary lialls in g6 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS till' ISoiiih. l)i'. Taylor and liis associates ciicouraL^e the work ill tho litcrarv lialls. Ueru young men are taught to ^\■rite with aeeurae}' and sjieak Avilh power, and in after lile to \vield the pen and use the rostrum for the progress of trurli and tlie- advaiieeinent of the ivingdoin of Heaven. WAKI. J-Oi;j-:.sT STUDEXT. Tliis is the College maga/ine, founded in 1SS2. It is second to no periodical of its kind in the country. It is published by the societies conjointly. i:<;.\15 0:K ICDUOA'IMOX. This Board is almost co-extensive with the existence of the College. Jts ol)]ect. is to furnish aid to indigent young ministers \vhil(' ])nrsuiiig their studies at the College. The amount allowed each was $10.00 per month at first, but about ten years ago was cut down to $'J.OO. This amount, formerly given to the young minister, has liC'Mi a loan since 1805, to be repaid by t.he beneficiary without interest. Dr. John ]\litchell has been Secretary of this Board for many years, and has been the best friend that young preachers have had in all the State, Several hundred inlluential ministc^rs, aided by this Board, have gone forth to preach the gospel in N^orth Carolina, through- out the country, and even in lands beyond the seas. NEW UL'inDIXGS. The Wingatc ]\[cmorial Hall was completed in lSy4-'l).') shows 1-J- law students. In lSi>7, TH law students, repre- senting four States, received instruction. Thus we sec; the Law School has l)ecomc more popular each year, and tJie Law Course at AVake Forest is, by some, regarded as equal to two years in any leading ITniversity iSTorth. A respectable library of law books is being gradually col- lected, Judge Walter Clark and Chief Justice Faircloth, INL B. Broughton and others, having contributed 285 val- uable volumes. gS A HISTORY OF TIIIC BAPTISTS "i:a])tists of North (.'arolina weixs refugees, not directly from England, hnt from New Kng- land. Thev had to esrahlish their honies and change the wilderness into a }K'acefnl, ])rosperous State hiefore they conhl cross the seas and k'nd a helping hand to tJie nations. ^Moreover, the Ba]nists were i\ot numerous in those days, anil could not he I'xpeeted to do much for foi-eign mis- sions. TheiH' were only three Associations in the Stale when (\iniwallis surrendered, and only four when W^ish- ingloii took his seal as the lirst President of the rnited States. In ITUU there were only !)4- churches and 7,503 Jhiptists in all North Carolina. ^ But the early Baptists were not anti-mission Baptists. Paul I-*almer was not satisfied to fold his arms over one little church. lie [iressed his way sontliward and ])reached the gospel down lo and even within the herders of South (''arolina. Daniel Marshal and Shubael Stearns did not remain at Abbot's Creek and Sandy Creek, hut ]")enetrated into South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. William Sojouriier sjn-ead out in all the Ilalifa^c section, and sowed the seed that has given us to-day some of our IN NORTH CAROLINA. lOI strongest inissioiuiry ehiu'ches. IJeni'j Done of (.Miowan, Vv'inriekl of Pitt, William Cole of Jlercford, lleni-y Abbot iind W'illiani Eurgess of Camden, Silas Mercer and Jesse Head of Halifax, Robert Nixon of Onslow, Ezekiel oi ]|andol])li, Abi-ani Baker, Xatlianiel Powell and James Turner of Prnnswiek, Lemuel Ijurkiit and Jeremiah Dai'- gan (tf Pertie, besides a host of others— tliesc all traveled over the Colony, ijreaching wherever they conld call tlie people together. j^" Not till the dawn of the nineteentli century did they di'eam, however, that it was their duty to give the Gospel to -t the perishing nations beyond the sea. ' liut this does not ' ])nt them much behind the rest of the Baptist world. It . was not till th6' closing years of tlie eighteenth century that the English Baptists had their attention called to for- eign missions through God's call to William Carey. While nniking and mending shoes at the cobbler's bench, lie had studied the ma]) of the world, and was impresseti with the dark spots re])reseiiting the heathen. 11 is heart was melted, and he decided to go 1i) tlie Past lo help change the ma]) of tlu.^ woidd. In 1702, he said to Andrew Pullei" and other English preachers, "If you will hold the ro]3e, I will go down into the well." At the sa-me time a missionary society was organized by the English Baj)- tists, and' this was their Ix^ginning in foreign missions. The story of the rise of missions by American Baptists I'oads almost like a romance. Adoniram Judsun, his wife find Luther Hice, under the auspices of a Pedobajitist mis- sionary society, set sail for India in 1S1'2. All three were i destined for Calcutta, where they wouhl meet some English Ba]')vists, While crossing the ocean these Congregational I02 A HISTORY OK TlIK IJAPTISTS }iiissioiiarit'.s lji.'i:,;iii Uie ;aLiuly ui' Uie ScripLiircs iiiicw to bo able to defend their doctrines against tlie Baptist mission- aries at Calcutta. This im'estigation ^vas made by them scj^arately, and, though sailing on two diitercnt ships, they ea]ue to the conclusion that they themselves had never been l)aptized. The Judsons arrivt^d first, and were bap- tized by Jiev. William Ward, Septendjcr, ISli'. Later, j\lr. liice arri^'ed and was also l)a])tized. But wdiat sliould these three Baptist jiiissionaries now do in far-away Cal- cutta ^ 'i'bey had severed their connection with the Board sending them fui'tli, and Inul no means of support. They resolved at once that Luther Bice should return to Amer- ica, tell to the Baptists of the United States the story of their C(m\'er.sion to the Baptist faith, and how God wafj calling the lJa])tists, through the voice of Mr. and ]\rrs. Jmlson, to send the Gos])el to India and the world, jlfr. Bice reached Hoston in vSeiJtember, BSBl. When he told Ills st<:)ry, tlie Ihiplists of Boston and vicinity at once as- snnic(l the support of Air. and ALrs. .ludson. Also, the ''Triennial ( 'Onvention'' was organized in Philadelphia, 1614, and ]\Ii'. Bice was advised to visit the churches east, north and south, to lay upon their hearts the mis- sion in India, and to sound the trumpet of God's call to foreign missions. In 1S16, My. Bice visited the Sandy Creek Association, and was inviti>d to a seat as a representative of the "Board y of Foreign IMissions." Fie took an active part in the business of the Association, preached on Sunday and kindled the fire of foreign missions in the hosom of Sandy Creek's rojU'csentative men. ~Mv. Bice also helped to Iniild Columhian College, at Washington, D. (1, and so tlu'ough IN NORTH CAROLINA. IO3 the College and his travels inspired the American Bap- tists with the spirit of missions. \\ But, about a decade before this, the spirit of foreign missions had begun to liro the hearts of Xorth Carolina ^ Jjaptists. Soon after the death-knell of the eighteenth century, with its struggles and persecutions, the Baptists of XortJi (Carolina woke up to their duty to give the Gos- ])el to the heathen. In 1S0I3 ]\Iartin Koss presented this query to the Kehukee Association, "Is not the Xehnkee Association, with all her numerous and respectable friends, , called on in Brovideiice, in some way, to stc}) forward in support of that missionary spirit which the great God is so ^\'ondcrfldly reviving among the different (.k'nomi- nations of good men in various parts of the world ?" Thus we see that ten years before Luther l^iec reached Boston >- and put in motion the waves of missions from the Xorth, Martin Ross, the "Patrick Henry" of tlie Cliowan section, was stirring tlie waters of foreign missions in Norlli ( ^aro- liiia. In 1S04 llio Keliukee Associntiou, at .McIuti-Iu, voted that it was its "duty to engage in the woi-k of send- ing the Gospel to the heathen." In 1S05, Ahu'tin Koss, tlie great apostle of missions, exclaimed in an address, "Why should it l)e tliouulit incredible that God should raise up among us one of our ov/n number, a man like unto ourselves, to carry the light of the glorious Gos])el to nations tliat now sit in darkness and the sluidow of death?" About this time "The General ^Meeting of Cor- respondence of JSTorth C^arolina Ba]itists" -was organi/ed.-(— So ilie foreign missiomtry s|)ii"it \vas swellinii' Ihc liearts oi jSTortli Carolina Baptists some time ])efore tlie movement 1)V Judson and Rico. I04 A inSTORV OK Tllii BAPTISTS ^ JjiU it Wild ]iul till early in Ib'Ji'J that the i^aptlsts of the Statu urganizc'il "Tlio Xui'lli Carolina IJaptist; .BciicvoIlmil Society/' wliicli, as we lia\'e seen, beeame the Ijaptist State Couveution, iSoO. This was the hrst eil'ort at orarts went out not only to (^hina, but also to the jungles of "darkest Africa," to the ])lains and high- huuls of priest-ridden ^lexico. Yea, North Carolina Txi])- tists contributed of their means to su])])ort otliei' mission- ai'ies in -Japan, iJrazil, and in the isles of the sea. In 1!)00 ^ the State Convention rc])orted for foreign missions over $10,000, instead of $120 reported at Eogers' Cross-Eoads, 1S31. Still, not in money but in men is North Cai'olina's greatest contribution to the world's salvation. Since Dr. Yates first laid his life u])on the altar of Cliina, nearly forty men and women, born and reared in the Old Nortlr" State, have crossed the briny dce]^ to lay their lives at Jesus' feet in some distant heathen land. How deep must liave grown the foreign mission spirit in the church life of tlie Baptists of the State that so many sliould break the I06 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS fliaiiis of jiUV'ctioii and as-i-iciariuii at luMiie to li\'t' and die aliroad ! Lonu' may the wa\'e of foreign missions roll out from tlie slioros of the Old Xoi'tli State, and on may it flow till millions of lost and dying sonls in hcatliendoni are borne on the tides of redeeming graec to heaven's peaecd'nl shores. CHAPTER XVI. STATK MISSKjNS I\ XOUTIL CAROLINA. ft is hard to iraci' ilie sti'cam of State missions to its souree. From the days of Palmer, Parker and Sojourner the Baptists were in the field to give the pure Gospel to the State. For one hundred years there was no organization Tfor united cdfoi't. The system of "'Itinerant Preaching" was adoi)ted by the early ehurelies. The Associations appointed ])astors to go out into the destitute fields and ]n'(>aeli in the foi'esls ur nnder brush arbors. In this way on nutrched the ^vork of State missions nntil, in 1S29, there were about 2 70 chnrches, 15,000 members and 14 Associa- . tions in Xorth Carolina. In the preandjle to the Constitution of the Benevolent Society, 1820, we see the spirit of State missions: ''Being concerned for the condition of the mnltitndes "within the borders of our State, who are unhappily destitute of the preaching of the AVord of God, * ^^ ^' we, the subscri- bers, in the name of the Great Head of the Chnrch, * ''^ * do agree to form ourselves into a society to be called the . jSTorth Carolina Benevolent Society." All honor to Wait, Armstrong, !Mason, Poundtree, Crndup, Crocker, AEan- IN NORTH CAROLINA. IO7 niiig, Battle, Ilaniioii, Itoskiiis, Merritt, I)o\vd and tlie rest Avlio thus organized for the work of State missions. *«■ Wiien the Benevolent Soeiety became the State Conven- / tion, the work of saving the State began in real earnest. At its first session the Convention pnt four missionaries into the iield. Their report at the serond session was such a thrilling story of success tliat tweuiy missionaries were put into the field to preach the Gospel from the seashore to the Blue liidge. The voices of these twenty sounded over tlie plains of the east, among the little hills of the ^ Piedmont, and even to the tops of the Blue ]{idge. ^ Eighteen hundred and thirty-foui' was a most prosperous ; year iii State missions. John Culpeper, in his seven- '; tieth year, in his sulky, visited churches in Bichmond, \ Bobeso]!, Brunswick, Xew Hanover, (.'olmubus, Onslow, ]x']ioir, Greene, Edgecombe, Xasli, Johnston, Wayne, Sampson, JMccklenburg, Cabarrus, Itowan, Davidson, J\ioore, Bladen, Chatham, Wake, Granville, Person, Cas- ^\■ell, Rockingham, Stokes, Ashe, Wilkes, Iredell and Anson counties, traveling 350 days, preaching 233 ser- mons, and attending four protracted meetings. iSTineteen Associations that year co-operated with the Convention. During this year James Thomas traveled 4,000 miles, visited most of the towns and villages in 41: counties, and preached 400 sermons. He organized four churches, among them one at Lumber ton, which soon grew from 25 to ^{} members. Ho also baptized G4 persons and distrib- uted 1.20,000 pages of tracts. Humphrey Posey, beyond the Blue Kidge, about this time, preached and labored without pay as the State Mis- sion Agent for the Convention. The ]")eo|)le gave him a loS A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS hearty wl'Icour', and he sowed seed to he harvested in the organization (jf western Assoeiations. Other heroes of early State missions are Uohert T. J)aniel, William Dowd, John Rohertson, Rohei't AleXahh, Klias Dodson, Xoah Richardson, T. I). Armsfrcjni!,', William Richards, Richard dacks, Wade Hill, Lewis Dnpree, R. B. Jones and Alal- rlins l^'reeman. C)ne of the earliest sinus of pro^'ross in State missions was the work of Associational missions. Union Associa- tion in one year em])loyGd 17 missionaries, and cx])cnded $1^,000 for ])lantinu' chnrches in her horders. Cape Fear did a similar work, only aeeom])lishe(l greater I'esnlts, The (diowan, stretchini;' from the Roanoke to the At- lantic, in 1830 to 1850, incrt'ased fi'om 30 to 4.") chnrches, from 3,100 to 7,!)()0 memhers. In the Eenlah a like work was done, with simihir results. , Anotlier wise step taken hy State missions was tlui ]dantinii,' of Ra])tist chnrches in _<;rowini2,- towns, where now chnrcli sti'e]il(\s tower towai'd tlie sky. Seah()ard, ]\lari',aretts\'ilh', Wcddon, Macon, Liuleton, Plymouth, Henderson, Washington, Janiesville, Williamston, Bethel, Greenville, Tlohgood, Scotland I^eck, T:ir])oro, Halifax, Enfield, Eoeky ^Tonnt, iYashvillc, Toisnot, Wilson, Tre- niont, Beaufort, Morehcad City, ISTewport, Kinston, La Granu'c, (Joldshoro, Jacksonville, Wihninuton, Teachey's, AlaL'Uolia, Mt. ()li\'e, l^i'inceton, Pivn^ Level, Kenly, Dnnn, L^onr Oaks, Benson, Smithtield, AVilson's ]\fills, Lnnd)erton, Ahna, ^faxton, Lanrinhni'g, ITandet, Wades- 1,'oro, ALniroe, Charlotte, (Jastonia, Kings Mountain, Aft. riolly, Lincoln ton, j\[aiden. Old Port, Mai'iou, Bridge- watt'i'. Glen Alpiiu', Morgaiiton, Hickory, Lenoir, Mewton, IN NORTH CAROLINA. IO9 Catawba, Slatesvillo, ]\I.ouresville, Ilinitei'villc, (.''le^'e- land, Salisbury, (.-hina Grove, Concord, J.exingtou, TliODiasvillo, High Point, llandlenian, Greensboro, liuf- fin, lieidsville, ALt. Airy, Pilot ]\Ioinitain, Gcrinanton, Walnut Cove, Wilkesboro, Winston, Kernersville, (\'dar Palls, Franklinviile, Lilierty, Siler, Ore Hill, Manly, ('anieron, Cai'thage, Pittsboro, liurliniitoii, Gi'abaiii, Ilills- boro, Pnrbani and Raleigb, leading towns of tlie State, b.ave l.)een aided by the State j\Iission Board. These one hundred churches contribute onc^lialf as much as the whole State Convention to foreign missions. in other towns, villages and hamlets the hand of State missions has erected church buildings. Yea, even in the country places, in many lov(>ly groves beside the road, or u\\ scjine slo])ing hill, there stand most beautiful church ])uildings erected by State missions. In PS08 Secretary ^Vbite re])Oi-tcM] that over 500 Baptist churches (;f (be State luul lu'cu built by State missions. Tlu're was some friction among tbe ihi|^tists, ba])tists caught up the watchword of these ol)solete chnrcbes and howded down the Boards. Ihit in IS-irG, the Convention, in ]-ialeigh, })ut a quietus upon the rising opposition. Tbe overwhelming s])irit of missions ])ermeating this grand meeting at oui- ea])ital city united tbe brethren more closely and gave new impetus to the Board. Idiere has always l)cen a Board for the super^dsion of the mission work. The Benevolent Society called it a "Board of Direc'tors" ; the State Com-ention called its one Board at first the "Board of Aranau'crs." In 1840 no A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS tlio uiit' Iloanl \\'as abulisliod and ilu'ce Uoards osialjlishcd. This rcscduiiuii sihmii.s nut to lia\'e been carried out for IS \ ears. JJetween 1SG2 and 1S(»G the three Uoards took charge of their separate departments. In 1SS7 the three were consolidated into one, located in llaleigh, called "The Ijuai'd of ]\Iissions and Sunday Schools." Tlic Hoard of Alissions was almost ]n'uslrate during the A\ar, and for ii\'e years after there was scarcely a step taken in advance. So, in fact, modern State mission work began in ISTO. A\ this time iJr. J. D. llufham becamo the ellicient Sc-eretary, and a great re\'ival of State mis- sions swept over the State, lie was followed in lb7-l hy Rev. J. 15. Kichardson. From 1S70 to ISsO the white mendx'rship of the chniomimUion was almost doul)led, hav- ing increased fi'om 10,000 to 75,000. In the same time six xVssociations were organized as the result of State mis- sions. Still more phenomenal was tlie gi'owth of State mis- sions from ISSO to ISOO. In 1SS() there were only -I?) missionaries; in IS'JO thci'e were 10b. dohn K. Kay and (,'()hunl)us Duiliam were Secretarit's, and ihuliig these ten years the increase in nitmhers was greater than ever be- fore, there being only 75,000 Avhite Baptists in. the State in ISSO, but 150,000 in 1890. During these years (ISSO- 1890) there were organized 15 Associations, which, in 1S90, numbered 305 churches and 33,209 members. In 1890 there were over 1,100 white Baptist churches in all the State. ISTot only in numbers, but also in financial sti'eugth and benevolence grew the Baptists of the State at this time. In 1890, over $50,000 were contributed by them to all benevolent objects, while less than $800 were given in 1831. IN NORTH CAROIJNA. I I I Fi'uui IS'JO to the present tiiae tlie Jjajjtists of Xordi Carol iim have advanced at a still more incredible rate. The lahors of Columbus Durham^, from 1SS7 till 1^95, were crowned with abundant success. He was succeeded by Jolm E. Wliite, under wliose progressive leadership the cause of State missions readied out to a'rander achieve- ujents stiJl. ''.Xortli Carolina for (Jlhrist,'' was the in- spiring motto of the yonng leader. Tliere are now in jSlorth Carolina over 1,500 white Baptist cliurclies and nearly 1,200 colored Baptist chui'ches, with a member- sliip in botli stretching toward 350,000. l^ivingston Jolm- son succeeded White as Seci'otary in December, 1900. The Voluntary -AJission Corps, begun about five years ago, has done a great work for State missions. In the last two years a great work has been begiin in the factories of the State. There are 200 cotton mills in North Caro- lina, with 25,000 laborers connected with them. The State Board has 14 missionaries at work in these factories. 112 A HISTORY OF TIIK BAPTISTS CILAI^TlvU XVll. ASSOCIA'J'KjNS (JKOAXIZKU. Wlu'ii l\\e Convent ion was forniCHJ, tlicrc wlto only 1-t .\ssociarioiis in llu' Slate. We have eonsideroJ the Sanely Ci'oek and Kelini-:ee. Tlie t'oi'inei' eox'ered nineli more Terriioiy then than now. 'i'lie Ivehukee was the molhei' of llic KasVern Jja])tists, also of tiie Povtsnionth, A^ensc and ("howan Assoeiations. jjiit in 1S27, at lier ljirth-[)lace, -Halifax ("ounty, she? voted to "disearel all missionary s(j(de- ties, IJihle soeieties, tlu-edouieal seminaries," ete. Jlence- f<)rtli she is no Ioniser ranked anajng tlie Alissionary Bap- tists, 'i'he ^'adkin Assoeiation was also eonsideix'd in a former ehapter. it was not strictly '■niissioiuiry" at tlrst, that is, it was against "soeicnics" and "hoards." But thei'e were no Ilardsliells in this Assoeiaticni till ISTO. 'Idle mission prohlem has heen ipiietly solved, and the old "^'adkin has now ;!') elnirehes, with a mend)ei'shi|) of KLA'i' Kn'KK' ASSOCIATION. This is the fourth eldest in tlie State, luiving heen or- ganized in 17t)2 by ehnrclies dismissed from the Roanoke .Association, Vii'giiiia. It was lonii' a stron<2,'liold for the Sejnirate Baptists. Its oldest tdinrcli is Grassy Greek, constituted in 1705, the resnlt of the labors of -Tames Read and Daniel "Alarslial -lames Tiead was its first jnistor. The I^dat Uiver hecame intensely missionary after JS2i), in wlncli year a missionary society was ori;anized al Grassy (^reek. ddie leading' clmrdi to-day is tlia"t at Oxford, sheplfei'ded by ,1, 'S. llardaway. O.xford Female IN NORTH CAROLINA. II3 Seminary is in die bounds of this Association, and has shed its blessed light through all this section by the cul- tured Christian women trained within its walls, in late years J. A. Stradley has been among tJie foremost workers of the Fiat lvi\'er, now containing 34 churches and a Jiiend)ers]ii]) of -I-jJjI'J. It gave to all objects in lt)UO, THE OLD XEUSE ASSOCIATION. This was organized in 1703 by 23 churches from the Ivehukee, and was the first body that went out from that old Association. From the start this Association was mhssv-nary tei'ritory. llev. ,[ohn Thonuis and his two sons^ loiuithan ixud John, were anioiio' the most, useful ]\i\f -rs in its earh' history. In later years the labors of J)a\-^ and Dupree will be long remembered. In 1830 the A\nise was divided on the question of missions, a few of its cliurclies withdrawing to form an anti-mission Asso- ciatiou. Aftc]' the division, the missionary spirit grew in tlie Neuse; but tliis Association did not continue Jong in Uiimc, its chui'clies going out to form other Associati(jns. TUE NEW NEUSE. In October, 1809, a new Association was organized by churches from the Atlantic, and this new body was called the Neuse. It was welcomed into the Convention at Ashe- ville, December, 1890. IJALEIU n ASSOCTATTOX. This is one of the origimil 14 Associations, having been organized in '1805. When the Convention arose, it was formed liy men l)el(mging, in the main, lo the Chowan, 114 ^ HISTORY OK THE BAPTISTS Tar liiver, Suiidy (Jreok and Italeigli Associations. The lialeig-li, occui^ying a central position, was tlic most inllu- ential. Among the ilinstrions names are the Slcinners, Armstrong, ]\Iercditli, Hooper, James, and the Purefoys, ill the early days. Dr. i^ates is also one of the illustrious names of the fialeigh. In 1S4G he went out from this Association as a missionary to China. The spirit of missions has evm* dominated this noble body of Baptists, In later years the Broughtons have been iniiuential. N, B. B rough ton is one of the greatest spirits of this Associa- tion. We can not linger to relate the histor\' of the men of the lialeiijh. In (k'Jineatin'>; tlie work of the " nven- lion, Recorder, (^^olle^'e and ^lissions, we have , • 'rit- ing the history of the Kaleigh. ';/^y . I"^. The leading church is the Tabernacle, Ra' iii\,j > p- ch the Pn'oughtons are members. Its pastors lia 'S. .1. 1). Ihifliam, W. li. Cwaltucy, G. S. Wiiliams, Thomas Dixon, Jr., \V. A. N<>lsoii, J. J. Hall, A. aM. SImms and W. 1). Hubbard. 'Hic Suii(biy School of this church is rlie largest in the State, nitmbering over 1,000. Other strong churches of this Association are Holly Springs, Gary, A])ex, Clayton, ]\Iorrisville and Wakefield. It now has 50 churches, with a membershi-p of 5,150, and con- tribtited in 181U) to benevolence $12,918. CAPE FEAP. ASSOCIATIOIsr. This xVssociation was also organized in 1805, by churches from the Nense in the counties of Cumbei'land, Ivobeson, Cohtmbus, Bladen and Brunswick. It early co- 0])crated with the Convention in missionary and educa- tional enterprises. It possessed a great deal of missionary IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 1 5 territory, and adopted a plan of Associational missions wliicli for several years was more prosperous than that of any other Association, This work was led by Ilaynes Lennon. Through him, aided* by otliei'S whose labors will long be remembered along the Cape Fear, the Association rapidly planted Baptist churches throughout the territory. ]\lan}' of the churches in this body now are weak, and are struggling hard to gain a stronger foothold in their respect- ive communities. Other denominations are strong in this section, especially the Presbyterians. James McDaniel, one of the most eloquent preachers of North Carolina, in an}^ denomination, was born near Fayetteville, and helped to found the Baptist church in this old Scotch town. lie was })astor at Fayetteville thirty-two years, and was Clei-k of the Cape Fear Asso- ciation fourteen years, lie was the leader of this body, and was niso President of the State (Convention ninc'teen _\ears. The Cn])e Feai' now has 51) churches, with a memher- shi]) of 4,r>()'J, and contributed to all objects in 11)00, $3,340.12. THE GIIOWAX ASSOCIATIOX. Ibis body was organized by churches from the Kehukee in 1S05, and held its first session, ISOG, on Xewbegim Creek, Pasquotank County, at the church now known as Salem, From its organization the Chowan was mission- ary in spirit, being led by the gallant and godly ]\fartin Boss during the first years of its history. It was in this Association that the General Meeting of Corres]iondenco was inaugurated, whose object was to enkindle the spirit of missions throu2;hout the State. There were 30 churches Il6 A HISTORY OF Tmi BAPTISTS L'ctst of the Uoaiiuke, that is, in ihc Chowan, when tlic State Convention was organized; there wei'e o,10U nieni- bers. In 1850 tlicre were 45 ehnrehes with 7,U0U mem- bers. Jn 18(50 there were. 5:^ ehnrehes ami 10,800 mem- l)crs;. 'J'liis marvellons g'rowtli was cine to tlie zealou.s missionary worlcers in its ])or(_lers. In Lemnel Ijnrlcilts day the "itinerant" jjreaehers traveled from the Seaboartl to the Jioanoke. Alartin lioss kindled anew this blessed spirit, and after the (J'ojivention was organized this body eon- eentrated its eli'orts to give the Gospel to the State and world. Ill later years the leading wcjrkers were John 1). Elwell, Qninton 11. Trotnnin, J. 1). Jlnfham and \i. II. ()\'crby. llufham, in his yonnger days, did mneli to propagate the gosi)el in this seetion, bnt soon erossed the Koanoke and gave his labors to another seetion. 11. R. Overby, ednca- ted at Riehmond College, eame from \'^irginia and nuide his home in this lovely region. For over half a. eentnry ihis able hero of the eross has j)reaelied, prayed and la- boretl to bring the kingdom of God into Rasqnotank, Cam- den and Cnrritnek eonnties. He has helped to bnild and dedicate a large nnmber of cliurches, and is to-day the lionored ])astor of ehnrehes in Camden and Cnrritnek. Another faithfnl toiler in this section wiis Wells Briggs,. the blind ])reacher. The Baptist ehnrehes in lower (^irri- tnek and on Roanoke Island are monum(>nts of his })raycrs and labors. Another ceaseless worker is ,]osia]\ Elliot. For fifteen years he has been l^nikling cknrclies in destitute neighborhoods. In building one church in Ilydo County, he mortgaged his horse and buggy to pay the debt on the- house of the Lord.. IN NORTH CAROLINA. II 7 Ilariiiony has always jn'cvailed in the Chowan. Ilard- shellisni soon ceased to be an obstacle to the onward march of tlic churches. Campbellisni had hwl little effect on Eastern Carolina, probably Ijecause of the great power of Qninton II, Trotman. The body increased, until in 1SS2 there wei'e o\'ei- 80 churches, and the West Chowan was organized. 'This made the Cliowan liiver, instead of the Koanoke as formerly, the western boundary of the old Chowau. ^Notwithstanding the division, the Chowan now has 55 churches and a membership of 8,379, ]\Iost of its churches are strong,' and uroiiTessive. Amou"" the leading churches are ElizabetluCity, Edenton, Shiloh, Sawyer's CrtH'k, Ilei'tford, etc. Jn 11)00 tlie Chowan contributed to all objects $10,4-41, being the third largest contributiu' in all tlie State. 1''!{FX(:1I UUOAl) A.S.SOCIATIOX. It v\'as formed in ISOS. It is the oldest Association in the west, li;i\'inii' existed eleven years before any otlier w^as organized beyond the Blue liidgc. So it was in these early years the jjreservative force of Baptist ])rineiples in the west. ]\tars Hill College is within its bounds, and in tliese last years has reacted on the churches of the iVssocia- tion by shedding its light on all its territory. This wo conside)' in another connection. The French Broad now lias -28 churches, with a mendjership of -',000. PEE DEE ASSOCIxVTIOX. This was formed from the Sandy Creek in October, 18K;, by chnrches on the southwest of Deep TJivcr. Tlic old riersey Baptist C^hurcli, on tlie Yadkin, was a member Il8 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS oi this body I'roiii ISLS to 1^2^). Tliu leader of tliis Asso- ciiUioii for }cars was John Culpeper, who traveled over all this territory, preached to all its churches, and repre- sented all the objects of the (J'onventioii. It was nils- sioiuiry from its rise. The leading churches are Wades- boro, I\ockinghain and Laurinburg. It has grown to 28 churches, with a menjbershij:! uf 2,oo~, and its contribu- tions in liJOO were $0,194.83. TUCKASEIGEE ASSOCIATIOX. This is the second oldest body of Baptists in the wes^t, having' been founded by Humphrey Posey in 1819. It ^\■as composed of churches from the French Broad, and has increased to 41 churches, with a membership of 4,091. It is now one of the most prosperous xVssociations, with an intelligent minislry and a cultivated laity. In 1899 it took steps for the o})eration of an ^Vssociational High School. liUtER c'1M-;j:k assooiatiux. This Ijody was organized in 1822 by churches in the territory of the Yadkin, in the county of Wilkes. It had a hard struggle with anti-missionism in its early years, hut s(.)i)n its churches espoused tlie cause of missions. It has grown into 31 ehnrches, witli a membership of 3,297. CATAWliA RIVElt ASSOCUATIOX. This is one of the oldest Associations, having been or- ganized in 1830 by churches, in the nmin, from the Broad River .^.ssoeiation, vSouth Carolina. I\[organton is the leading church now. This body has fought its battles against anti-missionisui and intemperance, and is now IN NORTH CAROLINA. II 9 taking its stand in the front line of missions, it now has 28 churches, with a memhership of 2,324, and contributed in 1900, $2,14-4.20. TAli RIVER ASSOCIATION. This body was organized in 1S31 by churches from the Keliukee, lialcigh and Fhat River Associations, nine oi thcra having withdrawn from the Kehukee because of its anti-missionary spirit. From the origin of this Associa- tion, missions were its object, and among the leading Associations of the State none has played a more important part than Tar River, Foremost among the champions of this body has been, and is, tlie aggressive J. J). Ilufliam. For years Jie was pastor at Scotland Xeck ; then, after leaving the xVssocia- tion for a short time, lie returned, and is now the prosper- ous pastor at Henderson. ' He has done the gTcatcst work of liis life within the borders of tliis body. Nearly all the towns in' its territory liave been reached, and in them are now standing Baptist churches. The lovely town of Wasliington has been Uic hardest lield in its borders. For \ears the Baptists were on the point of giving up this field, but now the Baptist church there, under J. S. Corpening^ is growing, and destined to become a credit to the denomi- nation. Thirty thousand dollars have been spent on mis- sions in the Tar River in the last 25 years. In 1900 it pledged $2,500. Among the leading churches arc Scotland iSTeck, Hen- derson, Rocky j\'[ount, Wilson, Weldon, Louisburg and Greenville. Tlic contributions of this Association for 1900 were $19,913, being tlie largest in the State. Its contri- 120 A UISTORV OF THE liAPTISTS [.•lUiuiis to the ()f()liaii;iiii' were* alxniL -^1,200, li('i!i, fcu-med in TS;M- l)y churches in the counties of Davidson, Stokes and Guilford. In its early IN NORTH CAROLINA 121 lii.story this body was an active iiiissiouary organization, but about tlie niicUlio of tlic ninetccntli century lost sonic of its zeal for missions. At its last session, however, it showed a warm spirit for missions, and is now advancing in its contributions to the objects of the Convention. It has grown into ii5 churches, with a membership of -,-37, and contributed in 1900, $3,234.2G. THREE FORKS ASSOCIATION. This body was organized in 1840. Like the Yadkin and (.''atawba, the Three Forks had a sliarp struggle with anti-missionism. Tjut its cliurches are now taking their stand in the regular lines of the Convention's advanced Avork. It nund)ers 33 churches, with a membership o.t 2,728, and contributed in 1900 to all objects, $1,457.00. ciUF':E.N ]mvj:]; association'. This body was organized in 1841, a j)ai't of its churches being fi'om the Jji'oad River Association, Soulh Carolina. It lies ncNt to tlie C'atawba River Association. Dr. Ricli- ard Furman, one of the ilhistrious names of South Caro- lina Ba]:)tists, during a [)art of the Kevolutionary War, preached within its bounds. Ilis labors were productive of Ba])tist churches at a later day. Tn 1825 the minutes of Green River showed 25 churches, but none of them ex- ceeded a membership of 100 at that time. It now has 42 churches, with a member.ship of 4,244, and contributed $4,200 to all objects in 1900. EASTi:];x association. This Association was formed in 1844, and, having much n.iissionai'v ground lu ils territory, spent in one of 122 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS Its oiirly years .1^2,000 and ('m[)lo}'L'J 17 missionaries iii its l)urJers, Its marvellous success in missionary work was (.lue to its leaders. Benjamin Oliver^ Duplin County, was Chairnian of the Board, and bis zeal was bounded only by bis ability. (Japtain Charles D. Ellis, a deacon of the b'ii'st Church, Wilmington, was Secretary and Treasurer of the Board, \vho gave largely of his means and time to Associational missions. The leading church of the Eastern is the First Church, ^^ ilmington, the largest city in A'orth Carolina. The six years of J. L. Pi'itchard's pastorate told mucb for the prog- ress of this church, and of the Association. Through his industry, the cliurch was able to go into iis $10,000 church building. This church and Association suffered mucb from the blighting scenes of ihe Civil War, but since, the labors of T. II. I^-itchard, \V. B. Oliver and C. S. l]lack- M'cll have regaiucHl all that was lost and attained much more. l'\)r sevej-al years ihe clot[nent T. J i. Brileliard was pastor of this cliiirch and leader in iho Associalion. J)r. Pritchard was a scli(.iiar, an orator, a patriot, a philan- thropist. J I is love for orphan children is ^\'ell known to all tlie State. His speeches for the Orplianage have melted the hearts of tliousands, and bis stories of "Uncle Peuius," so happily told to the orphans at Thomasville, will ever be chcrislu;d by them as some of their sweetest reminis- cence's. This beautiful spirit passed away to the land of joy in ^lay, ISO 5. The Eastern now numbers (!! churches and G,379 mem- bers. It u'ave to all objects in lUOO, $1:!, ITT. 24, IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 23 KIXGS MOUiMTAIA' ASSOCIATION. This body was formed in 1852, and from its incipiencj" was devoted to the interests of the Convention. The but- tle of Kings Mountain, fought for liberty, has its field of blood "within this Association. It is the native home ol the Dixon family of preachers. T. Dixon, Sr., is one of the veterans of this section, and the father of Frank Dixon, Thonnis Dixon, Jr., New York City, and of A. C. Dixon, Boston, Mass. The Jvings Mountain now con- tains 33 churches, with a membership of 5,f2'2, and con- tri])uied in 1900 to all objects, $0,584.99. UXIOJf ASSOCIATION. Til is body, organized in 1855, has athliatcd with the ('onvention ever since its formation. Tlie Civil War pi-e- vcnted growth in its early years. j\Ionroe is one of the strongest Baptist churclies in this body, llight C. Moore was for sin'eral yeai's ihe successful pastor of litis chiirrli, (W wliich Di'. A. M. Croxloii is now pasUn-. Tlic Lliiion ii(AV mrmbers 31 churches, with a membcrsliip of 3,1-18. It has acUK'd one clnirch a year for live years, wliich shows a iiealthy condition of the churclies of this .Association. Il contributed for all objects in 1900, $1,107.19. XEW FOUX'D ASSOOTAT10i\\ This body was organized in 1855, and belongs to that beautiful region embraced in the Western (V)nvention of former years. It has not been as active in missionary ope- rations as nuiny of the bodies already considered, but- now tijcre is being manifested a great revival ol missions. At its last session, the N'ew Found elected a missionary i'or 124 A IIISrORV OF TIIIC BAPTISTS its territory, aiiJ sent him out in co-operatiuu with the btate J^iissioii Ijoard. Tlie Xew Foiunl passed a resolu- tion in 18I)*J to alHliato with the Convention and its State Board ^Lost of the ministers (jf this hody are nncdn- eated, InU tliey l(j\'e the iJilde and have doiu.' a great deal of evanii'elistie work, 'idiero are 22 orchiined ministers, 25 ehnrehe.->, and I,."?? members. CKUATJ CREJOK AS.SOCTATIOX. This body was formed in 1858, and, being organized on the brink of the Civil \Var, did not. nndce much ])rogress in the lirst years. .\{ its last session it showed that it was in symi>athy witli the objeets of the Convention, and its |)]'os})eets ai'e briglit foi' a better future. It is only a snuill body, nnndiering IG chnrehes, with a membership of 1,777. ei':Ni'i;AL associatidx. This body was organized in 1800 by ehurchcs from the Haleigh. Like the mother Assoeiation, this Ijody lias ever been in the front line of missions. As intimated before, tlie C'entral helped defray the expenses of Dr. Yates, Slianghai. Tlu> statistics show that tlio Central is next to the largest eonti'ibntor to foreign missions in all the State (West Chowan being the largest). This Associa- tion contains the old Flat Rock Church, Franklin County, from which so many other churches have sprung, and at Avhicli the nobh.' Dr. William "Royall lal>ored so many years. The leading church of the (\'ntral is tlie First (Miureh, of Raleigh. This church was but an infant in 1830, when IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 25 tlie t.'onvention made an appropriation for its support. It soon became independent. Eefore 18(J0 the able and scholarly T. K. Skinner had led the church ont oi the building erected by Amos J. Battle into tlio spacious and iin])Osing editice occupied to-day. IJr. Skinner was con- sidered at the head of the North Carolina Baptist pulpit for several years before he retired from tlie pastorate, lie was a great planner, and some years ago he dreamed of a grand educational enterprise for the Baptist \vomen oi N(jrth Carolina, which is being realized in the Baptist h'emak' Univei'sity. Tlie Central now numbers ^T churches, with a membc'i'ship of ->,44;], and contributed in 11)00, $12,Si)4.5S for all objects. STOXY KOKK ASSOCrATIOX, This hody was organized in 18G2, -amid the struggles of the Civil War, and so it did not make any considerable ])rogr(>ss at lirst. it is still a small hody, with only l-l- churches, and a membership of 1,07G. The last session, L'owever, shows the spirit of progress is heginning to mark this Association, ^!T. ZION ASSOCIATION. The organization of the ]\It. Zion, 1S70, the first aftci the C\v\\ War, was the dnwn of a new era in the work of ]uissions. It has within its hounds the city of Ditrham, wliich, at the close of the war, contained only two or three sloi-es. It rose as if hy nuigic. The Bajitlst faith took root and, like the city itself, has had a nnirvellous gi'owth, there being three Baptist churches in the city. The Aged "Ministers' Ivelief Board was located here, and the ]\rt. Zion 126 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS has berii the lai'gvst contributor to the old soldiers of the cross. It now nuuiljors 4^ churches, with a ineuibership of 5,(J1S, and contributed to all objects in 1900, $17,- 025.51, liKUSlLY MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATION. The rise uf this body has been bound np with tlie growth of two or three other Associations, and was marked by g-reat couHicts. The Lewis Fork Association arose in 1S35, was composed at iirst of 8 churches, but soon increased K) -20. In 1851 it was divided on the Temper- ance {piestion. it expelled the church.es in favor of tem- perance, which united and formed the Taylorsville Asso- ciation. Tlie churclies remaining neutral were formed into Lower Ci'oek .Vssociation. About ISGO, the old ani- mosities died out, and tlie three Associations were merged into one, called the "United Baptist Association." But m 1802 some churches became dissatisfied and reorganized Lewis Fork Association. In lyTl the conllict began gradually to cease, and in 1874 the Brushy Mountain Association was organized by the churches of old Lewis Fork aiul United l>a]:)tist Associations. Tlie churches of this body are becoming more mission- ary, and tlie Tem])erance (juestion, so long a source of trou- l)le, is ceasing lo annoy the cliurches. It now has 19 churches, with a membership of 1,574, SOUTU YADKIN ASSOCIATION. This liody was formed in 1874, and has been an im- portant field for missions, besides it is itself much inter- ested in the work of missions. The "Rowan Mission Field" has brouglit fortli good fruit under the nurture of IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 27 J. JS'. Stallings. The new railroad from Moorc.sville to Mocksville has given vise to important mission points in towns and vilhiges along the lino. The building of the large cotton factory at SiioalS;, Davie County, opens up another iicld. Both fields have already been entered. Stalliiigs, Henry Sheets and (', G. Wells are leaders in this Associatio]!. It now uuud)ers ■2[) churches, with a membership of 2,294, and contributed in 1900, $G,S95.25. LITTLE RIVER ASSOCIATION. It was organized in 187 G, and has grown to 21 churches, with a membership of 2,181. It is not vm-y progressi\'e in missionary work, but contributed in 1900 to all objects, $1,880.09. SOTTil RIVKR ASSOCTATIOX. 1'his body was organized in 1877. It has grown to 31 churches, with a membership of- 2,934, and contribnted in 1900 to all objects, $3,031.18. The South Kiver is coming to the front as an active missionary organization. c AiiOLi.N A AS8OCIAT1 ox . It was also organized in 1877, and belongs to the beau- tiful west. It has made its power felt in that lovely sec- tion, and is becoming a worthy assistant of the French Broad and Tuckasiegce. In 1899, the Carolina decided to establish an Associational High School at Fruitland, Henderson County. A six-room building has been erected, and the school o])ened with loo and soon ran its matriculations to 200. I'he Carolina numbers 34 churches, with a membership of 3,732, and contribnted in 1900, $2,423. 128 A HISTORY OK THK BAPTISTS i;Mv1x Ass(jc]A'rioN. This l)ody \v,i)2\).V>r>. MITCH i:m. (.(H'xty AssocrA'riox. ■'I'lie orgaiii/ation of this body, ISSl, Hrst of the IG new Associations betwcHMi ISSO and ISUO, marks another era m the advancing canso of missiIIX)T JNEOlJATAiy ASSOCIATION. This body was formed in ISSO. S. P. Conrad has been the great missionary of this jVssociation, and many of the strong churches are monuments of his ceaseless labors. He has several times morigaged his property to secure the church houses. The church at Mount Airy was founded by C. C, Haymore. The most successful pastor is II, A. Brown, of the Pirst Chnrch, Winston. He has been here for 22 years^ and has not only made his own church a power for good, but also seiit out the vigorous Broad Street Cliurch. The Pilot ]\[ountain now numbers 42 churches, v\'irh a membersliip of 4,lY0, and gave to all objects in 1900, $13,081.55. 132 A HISTORY OF THU BAPTISTS HAYWOOD COUNTY ASSOCIATION. This body Avas oi'guniyx-d in 18SG. It is a small body, but at tlie session of IS'J'J voted to unite with the Tuckasei- gee in csta])lis]iing a high school. Thus a revival oi' edu- cational interest is seen, it has now 18 chnrehes, ^vitli a membership of 1,!)U(J, and gave to all ohjeets in liJOO, .$2,5J2.!);J. AI,EXAXJ)F.K ASSOCIATION. This bodv was fornu'd in 1887, when a great revival of State inissions was swee])ing over the State. It now has 17 chnrehes, with a mcmbershi]) of 2,437. The Associa- tion is not alive to the work of missions. ALJ.EGHANY AND GliAYSON ASSOCIATION. This body seems to have been organized in ]S87, though not then known by this manie. It lies in the beautiful mountain seelion, and now nmubers 12 weak eliurehes, ^\•ith a mi^nbershi]) of 407. A'ANC'EY COUNTY ASSOCIATION. This body was organized in 1888. In 1881) it took ste])s to establish a Baptist High Sehool in its bounds. This body is one of the extreme western Associations, and now numbers 25 churches, with a membership of 2,574. :\IONTGO:»IEKY' ASSOCIATION. This body was formed in 1SS9, now numbers 15 churches, with a membershi]) of 807, and gave to all ob- jects in inOO, $1,010.4G. IN NORTH CAROLINA. I33 BI.ADEX ASSOCIATIOX, This bod}' was formed in lSi)2, now niim])ers 28 churches, with a membership of 2,1G1, and gave to all ob- jects in VJOO, $1,U54.29. i'ii;n.\r()XT ASS()C'JA'ri()x. This bodv was formed in lc5'.)4, Reidsville, Iligli J.'*oint and Wasliington Street, Greensboro, Ijcing among the lead- ing chnrcJies. Washington Street Chnrcii, Greensboro, though once feel)le, Inis given to the city two otlier Bap- tist churches. i\ A. G. Thonnis put it on its feet about five years ago, and the I->a])tists are i'a])id]y increasing in Greensboro. Tbe Piedmont now numbers IT churc-hes, v.'itli a mend)ersliip of 1,570, and gave to all olijects in 1900, $7,82r).00. niJ!KRTV-l;UCKTUWX ASSOCIATION. This body bcdongs to d'ennessee and Xortli Carolina, puanbering 22 churches in A'^ortli (iirolina, with a mcMuber- slii]) of 1,517. WESTERN NORTH CAROEINA ASSOCIATION. This body has 22 churches, with a mendu'i'ship of 1,000. This Association and the l^ibcrty-Ducktown, lSin», united to establisli a High School at liclle View, vrhich opened with bright i)rospects. TRANSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION. This body now nund)ers 21 churches, with a mendjcr- ship of 1,501. Tn 1800 it voted to aihliate with tbe State ]\[ission Board. 134 A HISTORY OF THK BAPTISTS TEA'XKS.SEE iilVEIi ASSOCIATION. This Assdciaiion is in ilie extreme west, now numbers 37 elnirches, Avitli a merabcvsliip of 2,367, and gave in 1000, $1,01)0. GO. In ISOO it united with the Tuckasiegee to establish a Iligli School at Sylva. S.\NDY UUN ASSOCIATION. This body has 27 churches, witli a membership of 3,S20, and gave to all objects in 1900, $3,550.21. ASIIE COUN'l'Y ASSOCIATION. Excepting the Xeuse, tliis body seems to be the last formed, being only al)out three years old. It now num- bers 25.) churches, with a membership of 1,345. Tlierc are now in the State 55 Associations (white), the most of whicli arc actively engaged in the mission work of the Convention. IN NORTH CAROLINA. I35 CHAPTER XVIII. THE WORK OF UXIOX MEETINGS. The origin of union meetings is a question that can not be ans\\'ere(l witli exactness. It is almost sure, liow- ever, that the organization of Associations did not much antedate the origin of union meetings. That is, about the time when oui* fathers finished solving the problems of church and state, freedom and independence, when the smoke of the lievolution had died away and the State was settling down to peace and prosperity, the Baptists Legan these gatherings ca|led union meetings, held on the hftli Sundaj^s, including the Friday and Saturday before. The union meetings are not so permanent in their or- ganization as are the Convention and Associations, Though the Convention and Associations have theii- defined consti- tutions and rules of decorum, the union mcA'tings are in- 'iorniiil ill their scssicjiis, and not so l;istiiig in organization. Alany unions that once existed liave. dril'i't-d out of exist- ence. This was I'-articularl}' true in early \-ears, Ijut now the unions ai'c more stable in organization. The name of the union usually corresponds to that of ihe Association in whose hounds it is held. This is the case if there is but one union in an xVssociation, except in tiie case of the West Chowan Associatioii, whore the Eertie Union covers exactly the same are;i as that of the xVssocia- tion. In nmny ■ Associations, however, then* arc two unions, a northern nnd a southern, a western and an east- ern. This is true of ihc x\tlantic, Pialcigh, Central and otlier Associations, In still oilier Associalions there are 1 ^6 A HISTORY OF TIIK BAPTISTS o iiLurt' than two unions. This was eminently true in the L'iii'ly days, for I ho Jvehukoo Association had four unions, the Kastorn, the Jjertie, the i'lat Swamp and the Swift Ch'eek. d'he Chowan uow has, and has had for se\'eral years, three unions, the Camden and Cui'rituek, the Seup- pernom: and the ^'copim. These union meetings have always heen better attended hy the eounti'y people than by the town people. E\'en the town ])reaehers have often ignored them and stayed at home \vith their t)wn ehurches on the fifth Sunday. Btit llie eiiuntry ])reachers, from the start, took the l^ei'uest in- tei'i'st in tliem, and the hhiptists of the Stati- being largcdy in tlie Country, the union mcx'tings have jjlayed an im- portant })art in slKt])ing their church life. The nature of the unions is easily seen. 'They exist not for l)usiness, l)ut are t(.) be hap]\y unions for sweet intereours(^ among the ehurches. iiAiM'^' i;i:si-i/rs. First, tlie nungling of the churches and bretliren. \t these gatherings brethren are brought together from two, three or four counties, and here for the first time come to kncnv and lo\'e each other. The spirit of love and har- mony jiervading these assendolies is uplifting and inspir- ing, and moves peo]de to exclaim, as in olden times, ""Be- liold, how they love each other." Second, these unions have help^cd to establish the churches in "faith once delivered to the saints.'" After ]\[ethodists, Presbyterians and Campbcllitcs l^egan to gain a foothohl in the State with their Pedoba]itist vic\vs, po- lemics became a used and uscd'ul art among the Ea])tist IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 37 fatliO]"S. Wlion unions were held in ;i Pedol):iptist eoni- luunity, it was a tine op[)(M-tnnily for Jja])tisrs lo sliow rlieir colors and fire their biji'gest i^uns of ar^uumentatiun. The unions always drew vast congre^i>ations, even of Pedo- ba])tists and non-])rofessors, who came to hear the sjMcy speeches on ''Infant Baptism," "'Diijpini^, S])riid\linii- oi Pouring," ''The Saving EtHcacy of Water Ijajtrisni," or ''Close Coninnuiion.'' These doctrinal discussions are common in unions to-day. We clip the following topics from programs: "Is the Baptist Form of Churcli Gov- ernment Scriptural ^" '"Wliy do na])ti.sts II(dtl and Practice Pesti'ictiHl (\mimunionr' "Is the Administra- tion of the hord's Supper as l.'ractised liy the l]ai)lists Loth Scriptural and Consistent^'" Third, these unions are great educators, and as they ]n(H't ftuir times a year they have a nuich hettei' opportu- ]iity tlian tlie Associations to come in touch with the ])eople. AftcM" tlie rise of the (J'onvention, its objects became the |)ii])uiai' topics lit the union meetings, and so the ]ieo])le were informed as to the needs of the State and the world, and more, were enlightened as to their o\\'n duties and resj)Ousibilities. Fourth, union meetings have often been the occasion of great revivals. There used to l)e at these meetings a great deal more preaching than in these days. As those un- learned but })owerful preachers dispensed the Word, the delegates caught the lire of the Sjui'^it and went home to arouse tJieir churches and begin a gracious revival. The most remarkalde instance is that of the revival following the Pertie Union at .^^eherrin, ISOo. Four thousand ])eo- ple luid gathered on Sumhiy najruing'to hear Lemuel Pur- kitt describe Kzekiel's vision of the inci-easinu' i-iver of ■ 138 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS salvatiou. Scores in the audience were crying for mercy ere tLe sermon closed. Similar scenes were passing in the house under the preaching of Murrell. But the liap- piest results of the tmion revival "vvero to be seen in the cliurches revi^'td and the persons baptized next year. ^; .Fifth, these unions cultivated the spirit of missions. / Ihis was true to some extent prior to ISoO, btit since the birth of the Convention, it has been pre-eminently true. The brethren meet to talk over the missionary plans and lay before the people the objects of tlie Convention. They do not raise the money, but they cultivate the spirit that gives the money. We clip some topics from various union meetings: "State and Foreign ]\[is3ions,''' "Cotmty Mis- sions," "Shoitld we put a ^Missionary to Work in Jackson County for all his time, and can we Support llim ''." '"Cidia as a Mission Field for Southern Baptists,'' 'Ts the ries})onsibility of Christians of the Prcsunt Time as Jiindin^■ as in tlie JJays of tlie A})0stks to Give tlie Gospel to tlio World ■^" '■"The Orphanage — Its ludation to the Church and Sunday Schools." How deep and wide tlic eifects of the union gatherings, can be realized only by those who are present and feel and see their beneficial results. IN NORTH CAROI.INA. 1 39 CHAPTEE XIX. XOKTII CAKOLINA BAPTISTS AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS. Jiobert Itaikes collected some poor and ignorant chil- dren from tlic streets of Grloucester, England, and organ- ized them into a little school, 17S0. It was called a Sunday School, because it was held on Sunday, not be- cause it taught the Bible as we do now in Sunday Schools. Kaikes' chief idea was to give these children the rudiments of an English education. About the beginning of the nineteenth century, Sun- day Schools began to be organized in America, the first being that at Pawtucket, Phode Island, 1S02. Dr. Bene- dict says of this school, ''I foimd a quiet little company of factory children under the care of tlie village school-mas- ter. ■''■■ "■ ■•'■ Tlie main object of this puerile seminary was to impart the rudiments of a coiumon-scliool educarion, but from tlie day on which it was kept it was called a Sun- day Sc'liool. This iK'uevolent uiulevtakiiig was s(,'t in mo- lion ■" ■'•■ ■•'■ by the late Samuel Slater * * •• for tlie benefit of tlio poor, ignorant and neglected children who gathered around liis mill.'" I'hc oldest Baptist Sunday Scliool in the United States is that of Broadway Churcli, Baltimore, 'Md. It was established in ISOI. N'orth Carolina was not far behind the sistei" States Xorth in ado]3ting the Sunday School system. .Vt the Xe- hukee Association, 1S27, Sunday Schools Avere bitterly denounced. About this time the Ohowau and Sandy Creek, with a few others, were forming Sunday Scliools and fratheriuG,' the children into them. But not much was 140 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS (Juiii,' prior to llu,' oi'^auizalioii of the (/ouvcnlitJii, LSIJO. The .ALclieri'iii Clmrcli formed it.s first Smulay ydiool in lS3;j, bcini;' 101- years old before it called together the children to train them in the Word of God. The; early ]ia])tists ohjeet(:'d 10 the Sniulay Seho-2, the Snnday School work of ^Xoi'tli Carolina P>a])tists permanently began. The Con- vention especiadly charged its '20 missionaries to ''organ- ize Snnday Scbools." Dr. IJnfham, in his flashing ac- connt of this Ctmveiition, writes: "S]K'cial attention was given to Snnday Schools.'' "Mnch nniy be made of a Scotchman, if he be can'^ht young." wrote Samuel -lohn- soii years ago. So thos;' heroes at Ui\'cs' Chapcd tliouglit, ''Mnch.nuiy be matle of a North Carolinian, if he be canght yonng." James Thonnis, in his travels for the Conventio]! in 1833, assisted in organizing five Snnday Schools. By other missiomiries of the Board tlie same was done, and so the work was jmshcd until a large nnm- ber of the chnrches maintained Snndiiy Schools. »Sandy Creek .\ssociation, 1R39, recommemled all its chnrches '"'to organize themselves into Sahbath Scliools." On moved the Snnday School work, till it was felt that a reformation M'as needed in the methods of teaching, Tlie first organization for this pnrpose that we can find was in the Samh' Creek Association, when a connnittee was IN NOR'J^H CAROLINA. I4I appointed to draft a "constitution for a Sabbatli School Society.'' Jjut there was not much accomplished by "Sab- - bath School Societies" jjrior to the Civil War, wliich crip- pled all such enterprises. .lust after the war the Sunday School and Publication Jjoard was formed, located in Kaleigh. It was afterward put under tlie direciion ot" John E. Ray, whose labors for the establishment of efhcient Sunday Schools ^vill never be forgotten in North Carolina. In 1887, Avhen he re- signed, the Board of Sunday Schools was merged into the Board of Missions, giving us the "Board of Missions and Sunday Schools." Dr. Durham succeeded brother Ray as Secretary of tliis new Board, and from Currituck to the mountains he stii'red the churches to nobler efi'orts for the Sunday Schools, as well as for missions. Still, at his death, 1895, 532 churches in the State had no Sun- day Schools; that is, 40 ]X'r cent of the churches were without Sunday Schools. Since Durham's death, the Board has deemed the Sun- day School enterprise of sufficient importance to put a special Sunday School missionary into the field to canvass the State in the interest of Sunday Scliools. Rev. B. W. S})ilman was a])pointod to do this work. lie was licensed by Wcldon Church when he was only sixteen years of age, and at once entered Wake Forest, where ho graduated in . 1891. He was a ]^0])ular s])eaker, and, having made the Sunday School woi'k a sj)ecialty, has elevated its standard throughout the State. lie has now been called to do a similar work for the Southern Baptist Convention. .Many of tlie Associations are heginnina' to liold Sunday Selioo] Conventions for the discussion of proper methods 142 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS ui teac'liiiig-. The liea'lio Union devotes ils .siinnncr ses- sion exclusively to Sunday School work. There are in tliG State 35 similar Sunday School Conventions. The Board directed Spilinan also to "hold Sunday School Institutes." These are normal schools for the training' of Sunday School teachers, in 188S, Spihmiu held ^f Sunday School Institutes in various parts of the State. The literature of Sunday Schools has been very greatly improved in recent years. Porty or fifty years ago, our fathers and juothers studied little primers with stories about (^ain ami Abel, Closes, Sampson,. JJaniel, etc. Sometimes the larger ones read over a chapter in the iSIcw Testament, and seldom did an explanation accompany the reading. But in late years the American Baptist Publication Society, and later still the Southern Baptist Convention, have published pajiers with lessons graded for all ages. These arc being Avidely and successfully used in Sun(hiy Schools in Nortli (''ai'olina to-thvy ; 54,;);51l (piar- terlics and papers were used in BaptiAt Sunday Schools in jSTorth Carolimi in 1S!)8. \ Primary departments have become common, and are doing a vast deal of good in making lessons attractive to the little children. The first Primarv Teachers' Meeting in the ^^'orld was hold in Newark, IST. J., Pebruarv, 1S70. The first Primary Teachers' Union was organized in Phil- adelphia, Pa., April, 1879. A .NFational Primary Union was formed in 1884, and an International Primary Unk^n 18SY. These primary unions are composed of teacliers wlio devote themselves to teaching childrcMi 1)et\v(wi tlie ages of three and ten. About fifteen years ago this pri- nniry movement reached N'orfh Carolina. In numy of the IN NORTH CAROLINA. 1 43 elinrelies si)e(;ia] rooms are gi\'en to the little children. They luive their teacher, or teachers, their own nnips, charts and lesson j^ictiires (sometimes an organ and nni- sic director). The inodel Primary Department among the Ba])tists is tliat of Broughton at the Tabernacle of Tia- loigh. .h]ve]i some of our conntry clmrches are bnilding primary rooms. Tliere are two or three in the West Cho- w.an Association. I'he Ea])tist Book Store is nnder the auspices of the Sunday School Board. It was opened in 1881, and has proved to he a mi.^sionary enterprise, its profits going to State missionaries. Another hlessed influence of the Sunday Schools is tlie cultivation of benevolence in the children. Even the smallest child is taught to give his "penny." The Sunday School has ever been the college for the develop- ment of the s])irit of missions. The children are taught to lliiuh of 1]|(' los! hoatlu'ii children in Chimi, Africa, Japan and P)ra/il, and tanghl to feel it their duty to give, them 1I1C Gospel of Christ. Statistics show that clmrches with Sunday Scliools give to objects of 1)enevolence from two to fifteen times as mucli as churches of tlie same slrength, Ijut without Sunday Schools. Also, the Sun- day Scliools are ihc best helpers of the Orphanage, and gave to all objects, 1898, $20,000. There are 1,204 schools in the Baptist chui'ches of the sState, with 7(),;]4-3 ]ni])ils enrolled. Xorth Oarolimi has 122 Baptist Sunday Schools more than any other State in tlie Union. Yet only one Association (Atlantic) has as many schools ;is cliu relies ; 12 Associnlions \\:wr only cnedniif as many; IG have only two-thirds as numy; only 144 '^ HISTORY OK THE BAPTISTS ouf (Pifduiont) has more Sunday Scliools than churfhes. TluM'e arc 3r,0,00i) rhiklren and 1,11;"), 000 adidts in the State who do not lio to Sundav School anywhere. What a worh for Sniuhu' Schools ! (^IIAPTEK XX. rill-: wEs'rKK.v coNV^■:^'TTo^^ For fifteen years the State Convention stretched from Cnrritnek to Cherokee, but in IS-ll- a resulntion \vas passed advising' the organization of the Westei'n (\)nvention, and so the next vear, Ati"'iist ;lO,itwas formed at Ijoilinii- SnriniJ' (\i]n]) Ground, Henderson (\)nnty. Delegates were pres- ent from Salem, rnckaseigee and \^alley Kiver Associa- tions. The leatling spirit of the new movenuMit was James lilyihc, llemh-rspu County, a nnin i)o])ulai' in husiness and politics and a Huent speaker. IJut aho\'e ail he was a nohle repi'cscntative of (Christ and a most distingttished Bajjlist. Thomas Stradley, though not present at the organiza- tion, was for several years one of the most promin.ent iignres in its deliberations. lie and liis two brothers, Peter and James, had coine from England some years be- fore. Peter lived not far from Hendersonvillc, and ^vas sui)erintendent of the Baptist Sunday School there. He often waded through the slug'gish v\^aters of Mud Creek in Hood t(j I'each his school. He was ]iurc in his life, and died at a a])tist cause in Asheville. On the i-esignation of i)r. ]\ntcliell, some yeai-s later. Dr. \V. A. .\elson he- came ])astor. Soon the Baptists thcn-e felt their liouse of Avorship was too small, and so the old property was sold and Dr. A\dson led tliem into tlio nntguiiicent edifice in wliicli tliey worship to-day. The French Broad was built and esta])lished mainly by Dr. J. L. Carroll, who was distin- guished for service and sacrifice, lie tlid a sj:)lendid work in Asheville in putting the French Broad on a i\vn\ footing of growth and prosperity. Tlie Baptists of the Nvest were early interested in edu- cation, and founded Jtuls(ui College, TIenderson\'ille, 1S75, erecting a sul)stanti!d stone building. T]\c iiisli- tute Avas well patroniz(.'d at times, but debts incurred at 10 146 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS buikling cansed it finally to pass out of the bands of the I)a])tists. ]\Iar5 Ilill, 18 miles northeast of Asheville, was more successful. This school has enjoj-'cd a phe- nomenal prosjK'rit.y. For three years it was especially prosperous under tlie leadei'ship of Thomas ITufham and John K. White. It is now under the nuinagement of Rev. J. D. i\[oore, and seems to have a great future be- fore it. ]\Ioore is a scholar and a man of push. The scliool last year had about 300 pupils. A n.VPTlST PAPER IN^ THE WEST. Karly in Us history the Western Convention felt that ii ought to have a medium of communication between the cluirches, and so the Coitafje VisUor, published by X. Bowen, w;is started at Ilendersonville. The Visitor not being a linaucia] success, went down. Some years later, ] )r. Xi'Ison and J. E. Carter undertook the publication of llaptist ))a])ers at different times, but the}' all met the ^anie fate. In 1802, Dr. J. A. Speight began to publish the AshevlIIe Bajjlist, bur, lilce tlie others, it was doomed to die. Later still, the Western Nortli Carolina Baptist was founded, but at the union of the two Conventions it was merged into the Recorder, So the old Recorder has crossed the Blue Ridge and become the welcome cottage visitor in hundreds of Baptist homes in the mountains. In July, 1899, the Sk^^lmhd_j2£Lptist, a monthly, was founded at Mars Hill, and has been edited by W, E. Wil- kins, T. ]\I. IToneycutt and E. Allison. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 1 47 TirE WEST A MISSION EIELD. The west has been deemed an important mission field by many other denominations. The Adventists, Univer- salists and Mormons have done much damage to evangel- ical churches in the west. Particularly dangerous have been the ]\lormon elders sent out from headquarters at Salt Lake City, Utah, to capture this beautiful mountain region for ]Mormonism. The Baptists might have taken this lovely section if at first they had "gone up to possess tlie land." But in 1898 there were only 257 churches in the Western Convention, with a membershij) of 21, SCO. About 100 of these churches had no Suiiday Schools. Yet, their records show progress, there being in 1808, 1,213 baptisms and $20,000 spent at home and abroad. THE ItE-UNIOX. In 1808 it was deemed wise by the ]3aptists of the west to return to the Xortli Carolina State Convention. So a committee^ — A. I. Justice, W. .M. \'ines, A. B. Suiith, W, E. Wilkins, T. Briglit — was sent to Greeuville by the Baptists of the west to seek admission into the State Con- vention. These representatives were welcomed and re- ceived as delegates of the State Convention, and thus the Baptists of the east and the west are united into one great Convention. ?s^EW L'EAXS FOK. TUE WEST. The Convention endorsed the western brethren's propo- sition that the latter hold annual meetings for the dis- cussion of missions, education and other kindred topics, in order to stimulate the missionary spirit and encourage 148 A HISTORY OK THE 15APTISTS cducniional c'iik'rj)ri,s('. Tlie west has its Assistant Treas- urer, who receives funds from the churches and Asso- ciations of the west and forwards them monthly to the State Convention Treasurer, Raleigli, j\\ C. John M. Stouer, Aslieville, was elected Assistant Treasurer. In IS'.iS a jnissionary was appointed to devote all his time i(j the west. Rev. A. E. Brown was tlie appointee to this new field, and for two years has canvassed the Asso- ciations of the west, orH,anizcd new Sunday Schools, streiiutliened old ones, and c^'erywhere aroused the spirit of missiiius and Suuthiy Scliools. 'J'hus the State Board oi North Carolina, with help from the Home Board of Atlanta, has planned to capture the hcautiful west for Clirist and nndvo the Carolina "'Empire of the West" a part of "the Icingxlom of our Lord and His Christ." The Bajjtists, however, will not have an easy time to capture this lovely country for the denomination and for ("hi'isr. The Breshytei'ians ha\'e already entered the ^leld. They luive spent nearly $100,000 for the estah- lislnnent of schools in the west, and are spending more each year, 'i'he wave of education put in motion by the Baptists must be followed up b}^ the breezes of energy and enthusiasm along the lines. ]\rars Hill must he made still greatei-, and new liigh schools must be built in every Association to hasten the coming of flie kingdom of heaven in that lovely "Land of the Sky." IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 49 CHAPTER XXI. BAPTIST Ol^PirANAGE AT TJIO.MASVILLE. Clironologieally, \ve anticipate oiiraelves a little in tak- ing lip this institnticin at this ])oiiit, Imt for logical con- \enic-nce we now consider the (Jrplianage. It was a Bap- tist who first dreamed of bnilding in Xortli Carolina an institution where fatherless and motherless children might be fed, clothed and edncated. Tliis was none other than J. H. ^lills, so popularly known as '-Jack Mills." While President of the Pemale College, Oxford, X. C, he Ik- gan to dream of this institntion of charity and ])hihin- thropy. He founded the Or]jhanage at Oxford in 1872. As -Manager,1ie skillfully aj^plied the money ])ut in his hands for this Asylum. Though the State had not hegmi this philanthropic enterprise, she opened her heart and hands and gave of tlie people's money to care for the peo- ple's hel]dess children. Put soon a storin struck this institution,' started under the auspices of the ]\[asonic Lodge of Xorth (^arolina. Soon it happened that men of one particular denomination seemed preferred on the Board, and after a little while this denomination had a majority on the Board, M'hich made it look like a sectarian asylum. The Baptists, heing the State's greatest tax-payers, thought they ought to have a voice in the management of an asylum supported so liherally by the' State's money. This condition of affairs led the Baptists to originate the Baptist Orphanage at Thomas- ville. Some Baptists, liowever, being conservative, in Paleigh, 1SS4, opposed the resolution to commit tlie Convention to 150 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS rlie establi.sliiiiciit and ,siip|joi't of a Baptist Orphan ago. 'J'lici'c was a s}jirited debate, but no harshness. So tho friends withdrew the resohition and organized a Bap- tist Orphanage Assoeiation to establish a Baptist Or- plmnagc. Two coniinittees were ap])ointed at onee, one to seleet a site, the other to ol>tain a eliarter. LOCATION AISTD CHARTER. The Connnittee on Location, before the end of 1S84, selected a lovely farm near Thomasville as the site of the Orphanage. It is on the Sonthern luiilroad, '22 miles from Greensboro and 102 miles from Baleigh. The soil of the farm is of moderate fertility, and by use of ferti- lizers bountiful crops of wheat, corn, yjease and garden vegetables are made. Loveliest streams of pnrest water run through these grounds, and s])arkling springs of drink- ing water are found. ^ In January, 1885, the Oouunittee on Oharter secured from the Legislature a clurrter for '"'TJie Xorlh Oaroliua Baptist Orphanage Association," which in a few years was changed foi- "'The Board of Trustees of the Thomas- ville Orphanage." This Board consists of IS members, with poAvers of self-per]ietuation. OPK.XIXO OF THE ORrilA^'AGE. The first of the year 1885 being spent in erecting the little brick buildings, ])y the fall the doors of the Orphan- age were thrown open, and on j^Tovembcr 11 the first OTjilian's name was registered on tho Thomasvillo roll. Tho Hrst report on the Orphanage Avas made to the (.Con- vention in Beidsville, 1885, and at once Baptist hands IN NORTH CAROLINA. I5I and hearts were opened to support the Thomasville Or- phanage. MAiSTAGEMEA^T UNDEE J. H. MILES. Of course the man who first conceired the glorious work and ■who was wise enough to have his dreams ciystalized into l)rick l)uiklings and a real institution, must be tlie man to manage it. He had given his heart, his soul and his thoughts entirely to this noble, philanthropic cause. j\Iore than this, he had actually run an Orphanage before, that at Oxford, and by experience was acquainted with tlie work. Xature, too, had qualified him for training and managing little children. She had given him a com-- manding presence and a controlling M'ill ; but, better still, a big and loving heart. He scarcely ever talked of orplianji v/ithout the teai-s stealing to liis eyes. Tie guided the Orphanage onward to higher and broader success till 1S95. Over 400 orphans were fed, clothed and fitted for life by this noble servant of God. Tliongh having retired froni the Orphanage to his little farm four miles away, stiJl his heart beat for the orphan children, and his prayers rose to heaven that God would be the Father of the father- less. In December, 1898, he quietly passed away to Him Avho loved the little children so well as to say, "''Suffer little children to come unto ~Mo., and forbid them not." THE D0Jt:MITOrjES. ^ There were five little Jn'ick_cottages completed at an early date for the children's homes, Eacli of these cot- tages contains a family, with its matron at the head of the domestic department, and its teacher to train the chiklron. 152 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS T1r'>(.' cuttaiies were biiik liiriich' b\' [)riv;ite L'ijiiti'il,)\uions. There is the Bigu's Iluiisc^ the ^Mitchell ILou.^e, the Dur- ham Itoiise, etc. Xoah Ijiiig's, of Scothiiid Xeck, Dr. Fleming, Dr. John ]\Iitchell and J. L. ]\Iarkham werb notal)le eontrihntors in tlio erection of tliese huiMings. THE IXriR^vIAtlY. This is a -separate brick buildirig especially furnished for the care of the sick children. Here they are cared for by gentle hands, and medical attention is given. CIIAPJTY AXD CiriLt)i;EX. This paper Avas started liy Mr. .Mills, and ever since has beeni published in the interest of th.e Orphanage. Its printing work is all done by the larger boys. Some of the or])han boys have learned to be good and pros])erous printers in after life, ddie Orphanage has its ON\'n print- ing [)rcss, at first a small oiie, l')ut now a large one. u'iven largely liy Dr. Fiiiuiug. The prolits of the papei' are appropriated to the general Orphanage Avork. The paper is now the weekly A'isiror of 5,000 homes, and its columns are ravenously read by mothers, fathers and children throughout the State. In IS'JG the Trustees elected Archibald Johnson as edi- 1or of Cnarlhi and Children, to devote his time exclusively lo the paper, lie has run the circtilation up to over 5,000. XA'rUEE OF TRAIXTXG AT TTtO.MASVTT.LI-:. The Trustees are careful to elect instructors of the best character and of the finest teaching ability, ■ .V good kuig- lish education is the goal of the class-room work; besides, IN NORTH CAROLINA. I53 The girls are taught to cook, sew, make beds, sweep, and do general domestic work. The boys are taught to cnlti- vatc the farm, the arts of printing, engineering, etc. But the religious element is not forgotten in training these little ones for life. They have daily services in the ^chajjcl, and on Sunday the children assemble to lieai preaching. 0. A. G. Thomas is now pastor of the or^jhan church. The spiritual condition has always l)ccni good a1 Thomasville, and many sweet revivals have marked its fifteen years of history. Hundreds of children have been baptized, and are ])roving to be consecrated Chris- tians. a[a>;age:\le.vt unt)Er eev. j. b. nooxE. In I'SUu the Trustees decided to elect a new Alanager, IlCv. J. B. Boone. ^Mr. Mills had don(} a great work in these ten years, and had demonstrated the permanency of the Ba]itist Orphanage. But there seemed to be a still grcaici- work for the Orphanage, and a new man was thought l)ctter fitted for tliis \V(U'k of cxiiaiisioii. In lSi)0, the I'rustees decided to build tlie Central School Building, which, with its equipments, cost $G,000. It was finished and opened on June 7, 1897, and is the pride of the children and of the Baptists of the State. In 1897 a committee recommended to the Convention that a suitable home be erected for the General ]\raiiagor. ' A beautiful and commodious residence was completed in 1S98, at a cost of $2,000, and ^Yas paid for by the close of 1899. In 1898 it was felt that another building should be added to the lufinnary. This was finished in 1899 with ]noney bequeathed to the Orphanage by the late Dr. Jl. D, 154 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS Fk'iiiing. This buililinii' will stand as a speaking monu- nicnt of the nnsclfish man \\'ho gave it. MILLS ^lEirOlUAL. ''■ In July, ISOO, the Trustees decided to erect a ]\Ia- chinery IJuilding for tlie lioys to learn trades. It was called the j\I.ills Memorial ]\Iachine Shops, and was com- pleted by the close of 1900. In this year (1900), at Raleigh, the Convention raised $2,200 for a system of water-works and sewerage. INFLUENCE OF THE ORPHANAGE. "Jack Mills" was the father of orphan work in Xorth Carolina. Other denominations in the State have fol- lowed his illustrious example. The Presbyterians have their Orphanage at Barium Springs, the Methodists and Catholics have theirs both in Raleigh, ^'ot only this. Iiut tlic spark of asylum work luis since been struck in the hearts of Christian workers beyond our State line. iCow Vii'ginia and So\nh Carolina can boast of their asy- lums for fatherless childreiL How great the wovk com- menced by ]\lills will never be known on earth. His famo will live as long as orphans are left on earth in need of friends to love and lead them. AVell might Dr. Iluflian' eloquently say: "If there is one place over which God and His angels hover to guide and guard, it is the hill Avhero our homeless children have found a haven." PART 111— PERIOD OF EXPANSION. CHAPTER XXII. TJIE DAYS OF DARKNESS. We consider the Civil War the dividing line between the periods of organization and of expansion, thus making the last thirty-five years the happy years of expansion, in which the denomination has strengthened its stakes and stretched its cords. But ere we begin to tell the daring- deeds of lieroism and the brilliant scenes of progress, we inust stop to paint the days of darkness and of dread as a suitable background from which to view the brighter scenes of broader expansion. When Abraham Lincoln was elected President in the ^ fall of ISdO, the sun never shone on bi'ighter ])ros])Octs for the Tja])tists of Xorth Carolina. In all llic State sweet harmony, like the rich perfume of Arabia, pervaded the air. vXearly thirty Associations liad been organized, the Convention had far exceeded the most sanguine liopes of ^Vait, Meredith, iVrmstrong, IIoo])er, etc. At the session of 1850, Kaleigh, it had overleaped itself in strides of prog- ress. Besides its regular work of State and foreign mis- sions, $2-5,000 had been raised for the permanent endow- ment of Wake Forest College, By Dr. John Mitchell and others these subscriptions had been raised. Dr. Win- gate was the honored President of the College in these sunny da3''S of prosperity. Murfreesboro Institute, under Drs. Hooper and ]\rcDowell had recorded eleven years of prosperous history, Oxford Female College, under the lead- 156 A IIISTORV OF TIIK BAPTISTS ei'bliip of J. 11. 3,lill^, wus receiving a large pairouage. liigh s('li(ji.)ls wore springing np in vai'io\is parts of the State. 'J'lie Jjlhllcal llcconlcr, under i)r. J. J. Janie^, Lad helped tu weld the hearts of the Laptists from sealjoard U) in(juni;iin-;, and ])ru^'ed itself a niigliiy educator of the ])eople. In iJaleigh, Wilmington, Fa\'etteville, Greeusboro, Chaidotte, Asheville, Elizahoth C^itv, Edont<:»n, Xew Bern, Goklshoro, Hertford, Green\'ille, and throughout the State, the denomination's sky Avas hright and ]U'omised sunny days of fairer sueeoss. tut: cn'n. WAi;. When South Carolina and the sister States of the "Sunn}' South" stejiped out c»f the Union Xo form the Confederacy, the' (Ud Xoi'th State, who had been ever brave in batth^ and loyal in peace, seceded from the [Jniori and faccMi rlie ha/.ardons scenes of a ( 'ivil War. ?\'orth ("aroliua furnished the lirst Ijlood that was slied in this war, and gave more meu to the ranks of Lee and .Jackson, Beauregard and Johnston, than any other State in "^Dixie Land.'' ]\Iany of jSTorth Carolina's truest preachers were chajdaius in Confederate lines. Among the Baptist cha]/- lains uniy be mentioned William Tvoyall, X. B. Cobb, W. R. G\\'altuey, and nnany others, who left their ^vork at home and went to tlie front to soothe the wounded and dying in camp and on field. ' DrSCOKD ALO.\C; THE LtXKS. But ]uauy hearts in our State still beat in sympathy M'ith the Union. So among tlie Baptists many church members did not believe in secession. This created dis- IN NORTH CAROLINA. I57 coril at liODio. In tlie west tlio animosity bet^vecn Uuion and Confcdei'ate cliiireh members rose- to tlie highest pitch. In Aslic, Alleghany, Caldwell, Wilkes and Wa- tauga counties the Union mcmbei's in many churches, be- ing in the majority, even organized tliree separate Asso- ciations in sym]ialiiy with the ]Srorth. In such cases tlie Southern sympathizers had to withdraw. AVhere tlie Union- ists were in the ]uinority, in few instances, they were com- ])clled to form separate churches. The churches in the east did not suffer so inucli from Civil War feud. COLLEGE CLOSEJ). iVlthongh t]\v. College had placed itself in the front r;ink of higher educational institutions in the State, its (looi's wore closed by the bloody hands of the Civil War. Ilie old bell that had called so many sturdy and andjitious ])()ys to morning prayers and recitation rooms was hushed and hung in silence, while tlie air was rent with the ]-oar- ing cannon and smoking mnskels. I'oo many oi' our Bap- tist boys had gone to join the ranks of Lee and Jackson to ]neet the honored W'^ingate, the accomplished Simmons, and the noble Roy a lis, at Wake Forest. The Univer- sity, having all classes from wjiich to draw its patronage, kcj)t open its doors, but the enrollment was small and the work unsatisfactory. How dark the night when clouds shut out the moon and stars! So, hoAv dark the night of Baptist churches when the Civil War shut up the College and academies and stopjied the shining of education's luminous lara])s ! nXANCTAL DISTRESS. After the slaughter at Gettysburg, July, 1SG3, which cut down 30,000 of the South's bravest men, the star of 158 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS the Confederacy began to wane and the hopes of "Dixie's" men went out to shine no more. Tlio world saw that tho crisis of the war had been reached, and so lost confidence in the stability of the Confederacy. This meant the deprecia- tion of Confederate money, yea, tlie ruin of Southern cnrrency. The price of corn, Hour, ])ork, shoes, hats and clothes at once advanced, so as to put them beyond tho reach of tlie poorer classes. . This drew the wolf of want to hundreds of unhappy homes in iSTorth Carolina. The father, the husband, the brothers and sons were, off to fight their country's battles, while brave motliers, wives, sisters and daughters were at home, driving back the wolf of want. Oh, how could the people think of giving the bread of heaven to others when all their efforts could not fill the empty mouths of little ones at home! CAIU'ET-BAGGERS AND CGXFUSIOISr IN OUR EANKS. On .'V])ril 9, 1SG5, our loved and lionored Lee laid down his arms to General Grant. Bcfoi'e the close of tho month, Johnston surrendered. Our soldiers then came home to rebuild their fallen fortunes. But what a gloomy time il was in i>[orth Carolina, when soldiers returned to dilapidated farms and destitute families, to deitiolished homes and devastated fields ! How much better it would have been if the strong liand of good government had been extended to help recover the blighted State ! > But, instead of this, our beloved and bleeding" State was cursed with the cruelty of the carpet-baggers. Men wlio did not love the State, or care for her suffering citizens, held the I'oins of government and drove the people on to destitu- tion and despair. It was not till 18G8 that ITorth Caro- IN NORTH CAROLINA. I59 liiui sliook ofi' Uiis blighting reign of terror and once more Avas recognized as a member of the Union. Of conrse tliere could be no progress in religions work while war v/as cursing the State and its consequences blasting it. The I">aptist State Mission Board had been reorganized in 18 GO, but the war had handicapped tliis Board. ]^o new missionaries had been sent out while the sky was red ^vith the tires of war. Not a single Association was organized ^ between 18(]0 and 1870. For eight years, in reality, the whole State was bleeding in the throes of civil war. Its industries ^^■ere crippled and its citizens crushed. So the churches, receiving the touch of the general confusion, jnade no progress, iialeigh, Wilmington, Elizabeth City, Edenton, Goldshoro, New Bern, and othei' leading churches, had scarcely held their own, while man} churches had retrograded, and some had even disinte- grated in the civil feud. CLOUDS DISAPPEAR. The State Convention of 18GG, Baleigh, made desperate etl'orts to recover the lost ground, but it was not till 1S70, at the Convention, likewise held in Baleigh, that new life sprang up in the denomination and put in operation the modern movements for tlie evangelization of tlie State. v-This year the ISlt. Zion Association was organized, and the State Board was re-organized with vd(>vc'd tlic patrols !n ai'i-csf ;nid |)niti-.]i me; but God, on many ocea'^ions, brmiglil almost miracu- lons dtdi\'crancc f"u mc. .My (dd master, coiiviiu'ed of my divine call to tlio ministry, gave, me a boi-se, saddle and bridle to be used on my tours. His overseer was liostile to me, mocked my Ijaptizings, clubbed me, and fed me on . 11 I 62 A HISTORY OF Tliii; BAPTISTS liall' rations. Ilo was, however, forced to beg my pardon i;1k1 dismissed i'rum service. ]\[y 3'ouiig master was con- verted in one of my meetings, and tliereafter freqnently attended our services, and related this experience on iiis deathdied, \A'^ediiesday bef(n'e Jolm Brown ^vas hung at Harper's Ferry. '''After the war the cohjrcd Baptists rapidly ^vithdrcw from white elmrehes and organized independent bodies.V" 1 have oi'ii'anized, er assisteil in organizing, 37 chnrches, bapli/.e([ over UoUU converts, preached 1,000 funerals, and nnirried an equaf numl)er of ])ersons." It is said that Thonnis Ijlackwell, previons to Xat. Tui-ner's insurrection, bought his freedom that he might gi\-e Ills life i(j ])reaching U> his In'othren in bondage; bu.t, ilusheij wiih temporal success, lie bought a nnmber of slaves td serve him. Pleasant Plains Church, Hertford Cnuuty, c(im])(ised cmtirely of free negroes, was organized ill l^o-}. ^The jicriod Immediately after ilie war marks an im- pm'lani ei'xicli in their liisi,ory/r^ Plie work of constructien and reconstruction was pursued with vigor, and colored ministers, though weak and iucHicient, aided by white fi'iends, worked better than tiiey knew.--^Association ;ifter A'ssociation was organized in vaivious parts of the State. The Roanoke Association, organized in 1S()5, on Koanokc Island, by Pev. I'hnmanuel Peyntdcis and others, was ]u'o;)- ably the oldest colored Association in the State. The Paptist State Convention was organizc-d in 18(50, Pevs. 1^. E. Iktgles, ,T. IF. AVashingtou, Z. Ilorlon, Caesar Johnson, T. Parker, S. ]\1. Jones, II. Cowan and L. AV. Pocme participating, The-se men a]:)pointed themselves to IN NORTH CAROLINA. 163 do luissionary work tlirougliout the State, and their work M'ill never be fully known. Crude log churches, and not infrequently bush arbors, were the tabernacles where they met and called the people together to offer service to the Most High. These pioneers, however, were unlettered ruen, could scarcely read a single line intelligently, and were almost entirely dependent on the Holy Spirit for inspiration and mental illumination. And yet some of them were remarkable men. Tliose who had the good for- tune to hear L. W. Boone preach, both Avhit-e and colored, testify that he possessed a gift of oratory and mental abil- ity sehlom excelled by men of the best opportunities. I State mission woi'k was for years but tVe])ly done.yOne missionaiw, j^artly s\i])])orted by the iVmerican Baptist Home ]\Iission Society, kept preaching the Gospel from place to place ; by a similar arrangement with the Ameri- ciiii Pfiiplist Publication Society ;i State Sunday School missionary was employed. , ■ ('()-()!M';K*A'ri().\. '' Hilt in ISiif) a new order of work was inti'odnced, styled (V)-o])('ratioii, M'hicli setnircd the hel]) of the A'orthern and the Southern white Baptists in the em])loyment of mis- sionaries among the colored people. '' Four men have since i\o\)v the work which one man did before. This system lias dop.o iiKH'e to de\'el()j) (lie strenglli of (be colm'ed l)ai)lists than any other mo^'elnent inangnrated. SCHOOLS I'-ouxnion. ^ Immediately after the ce.ssation of hostilities between the lYorth and the South, 'IrTeury M, Tupper, a ^Northern 164 A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS missionary, came to Jtaleigii and began an eJncational \\'urk, ISGj, which lias grown into Shaw Univorsity/^ie best-known colored school in the State. The influence of this great institution lias been felt iu almost every church and community in the State. Hundreds of ministers ha\'c been trained there, and, besides many men of various (jthcr professions, more than a thousand teachers have gone out to uplift the race. ^-^^^s years went by, other schools of high grade were es- tablished in various other parts of tlie Statej'''prominent among Avhicli may be mentioned Waters i^ormal Institute, Winton ; Iioanoke Institute, Elizabeth City; Shiloh Insti- tute, Warrcnton ; Garysburg High School, Garysburg; Wharton High School, Charlotte; Roxbora Academy, Eox- boro ; Bertie Academy, Windsor ; Addie Morris' Mission School, Winston, and Xeuse Txiver Academy, Weldon. To supjiort these schools fully $5,000 a year must be raised among the colored people, j The colored Baptists lead all tlie other dcMiouiination.s in the work of educatioiU ?^ ''XKW EI;a" IXS'J'ITUTES. These constitute a peculiar phase of their State Jiission work. At stated times and places, pastors, deacons and Christian workers are called together in a three-days' meet- ing lo study religious, social and historical subjects — 3G (d' lliese iiieeliugs hciug held ciU'h year. During each in- stitute a dozen different topics are presented by the ablest sj)i'.akers, A\'hite and colored, followed by geiun-al discus- sions. By this plan nearly a hundred white pastors are brought in contact with the colored leaders annually. These white brethren cheerfully aid without compensation V IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1 65 in the work of spreading religious intelligence among these less fortunate people, and thus inspire them to nohle ideals in life. The success of these institutes has exceeded the highest expectations, for their eifect is perceptible through- out the State. y'-- LATER :»ri.ssi(px WOIIK. The work is now so thoroughly organized and developed that, in Raleigh, the State Convention keeps open '^head- quarters," in which is located the Corresponding Secre- tary's office, from which all literature is distributed, the otnce of the Sunday School work, the colored Sunday School Supply Store, and the offices of the varidus mis- sionaries. The work of the (^Corresponding Secretary has grown so extensively that he is now allowed a private secretary to assist him. Six missionaries, including the Sunday School missionaries, are controlled from these offices, besides a number of colporters. Thus it will be I'f seen tliat the colored Baptists of this State are more thor- oughly organized than anywhere else in tliis country. The foreign mission work has not been wholly neglected, but year after year money has been raised for the work in Africa. liev. J. 0. Hayes, now laboring at Brewer- ville, Liberia, was sent out from this State thirty years ago, and is still doing effective work in '■'the dark conti- nt^nt." In harinouy with th(^ flovelopment of State; mis- sions, interest in foreign missions was increased. It was chiefly tlirongli the efforts of i^orth Carolina that the Lot- Cnroy Foreign Mission Conven(,ion was oi-ganized in Washington, D, C, 1S97, the primary object being in- creased activity in evangelizing Africa. l66 A HISTORY OF Till': HAPTISTS SUMMAKY. The work, great and still iucreasing, can not be ade^ quately described in a few pages ; but we conclude witb a brief sunnnary of the work as it now stands. One great College, with many departments, 12 academies and higli schools, 7 regTilar missionaries, 1 foreign missionar^y, 40 Associations, 1 Sunday School Convention, 900 ministers, 1,100 churches, and 100,000 communicants. "What hath God wrouirht !'' IN NORTH CAROl.IMA. 1 67 CHAPTER XXIV. BAPTISTS AND POPULAR EDUCATIO ■S". Tlie public schools have had no staiincher supporters than ihe Baptists of the State. The Constitution of 1776 had said : '"That a school or schools shall be established by the Legislature for the convenient instruction of youth, A\ ith such salaries to the masters, paid by the public, as may enable tliem to instruct at low prices; and all useful learning shall be encouraged in one or more uni- versities." In ]79r> the University at Chapel Hill was opened for the training of the young men of tlie State, l)ut it was not till many yeai-s afterward ihat the State woke up to the importance of scliools iov training the indigent children. In ISKJ (Jovcrnor ]\lill(^r called the Legislature's attention to the need ot" ])nblic schools, and it ap]iointed a coiiiiuillcc, \\'iili lion. Archibald I). Mur- 'l)licy, cliaintiaii, lo rcjiorl iipini llic siibjcd of ";il]V)r(liiig means ol' education lo e\'ervone, liowever indigent.'' l''i'om his great hdiors on this C(»mmillee, -ludge .Mni'jiliey is justly called ''the father of the pnblie school system of Xortli Carolina." It was not till 1825 that the Legisla- ture established "'a fund for the establishment of common schools, consisting of the dividends arising from tlie stocks then lield, or aftei'ward actpiired by the State, in the banks of Xew Bern and Cape Fear, the dividends ai'ising from tbe stocks owned by the State in Ihe Ca])(> VviW Na\'igiilion r*oin]^any, the Boanoke Xavigation CNtnipany, Ihe tax im- posed 1)y law on license to I'otailers of spirituous licpiors and auctioneers, the uuexi)ouded balance of the agricultural l68 A HISTORY OF THK HAPTISTS iuiul, ;ill iiKMU'Vs paid lo the Slale i'or the entries of vaeaiit IuikIs, and all the vacant and unajjprupriated .swamp lands of tlic State, togetlier with sueh sums as the ix'gislature may hcveaftei- find it convenient to appropriate from time to time.'' This was the basis of the Common School Fund, styled "The Literary Fund." In 1837 it was increased, to over $2,000,000 by the transfer of $],4;3;3,757 by the general government to Xorth Carolina, this being her share of the snrplns deposit fund. BATTIST.S AXD THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. In December, IboS, the Directors of the Literary Fund reported to the Legislature and the State wa.s divided into 1,250 school districts, each to have a school-house erected and each to receive its jjvo raid apportionment from the $100,000 income accruing from tlie Literary L'nnd. A vote was taken, and nearly every county in the State \'oted for the system of common schools, and, in islO, ihe Leg'ishitiire ])asse wliiU^ children. lyo A HISTORY OF TIIlv UAl'TISTS J(;I1A' C. SCAKHUIJO AM) I'Ol'L'LAJt EDUCATION. The liisLoi'v of public uducaliou in jS'ortlj Carolina could iiot be u'l'illeu williout i;;i\'lii^' proniiucnce to llic work of r Jloii. John C. Scai'borOj now J'rositlent of Chowan JJap- tist -Female Institute. I'^or r^cveral years he was ilie elii- cient and honored Superintentient of Puhlic Instruction in North Carolina, and he })ushed the Avork of popular education until he almost reached the four months limit in every county in the State. L-IIe traveled from the east to the west of our great State, and his ringing speeches in hehalf of "more education and better education" for the people will ne\'er Ijc forgotten. J;A1''1 ISTS l'I.KAl)l-\G FOIt PUIJI.IC SCHOOLS. The Ba])tists, on seeing the increasing denuuid for more elHcient jmhlic schools, aiul the unwillingni'ss of the Stale to mc'Ct ihal deuuiud, iiavc been for the last \.vv. years ]tl(niding for largei' a])pro]>riations lo public schools^ In 180u, at the Srate Convention iu i^^lizabeth City, a com- mittee was apj)oiuted to mcuiorialize the Legislature. In Ihat memorial occurred this seutence: "That the illiteracy of large numbers of the peojde of North Carolina is a re- proof to the State, is unfavorable to its prosperity, and is a nu'imce 10 its good government; that this illiteracy can be r(Miit)ved on\y llii'ougli the agency of the pidilic scliools, and ihe^e will require all the taxt'S (d' ilu> people which can he expended for educational juirposes.'' Here again we liud (he I'laplist'^ ])leadiug i'o\' the j)e()ple and asking the Slate for larger suius to prosc^cule the noble ca.use of giving lighr to the ])oor and helpless. IN NORTH CAROLINA, 17: J5A1'TISTS A'OT SATISF1J']D YET. But these meagre provisions for the 400,000 children of the State did not satisfy the Baptists. Still they write, still they pray, still they speak, and still they plead for longer terms, which prevail in other States, and for more elhcicnt teachers and for more modern methods of instruc- tion. J. W. Bailey, editor of the Recorder, which speaks the sentiinents of the denomination on this subject, says, 'We Baptists must uphold the cause of the free schools with a view to all sections. By them children will ba I'eached who can not have hope otherwise. So long as present conditions exist, we shall regard it as gravely ^vroug■ for any Baptist to suppoi't any iiublic ofHcer who is not jdedged to appropriate all the money possible and to help in every other worthy way to build up our free school p^'stem. It is not the child's fault that he is uneducated and has no scliools. It is the mau's, not the fatlicr's, i)nr the .citizen's fault, tlio (Jliristian's fault and shame, 'J II deny a human mind the opjiortunily of development is an incomparable wrong. Our whole State needs better free scliools. All denominations need iheui, but we Bap- tists most of all. Our people are ])0or ])eople and plain ]^(^op]e; they live in the country and are in the majority. We do not kno^v of any point tr.at is more vital to our ])i()gres.s t1ui)i litis. Give us ade(pnile free schools, six nionllis each yeai', and we will guaranU'c lo eslablisii acad- emies and endow colleges, to build chui'ches, to educato jU'eachers and send missionaries to foi'cign lands." Vur the sake* of liim \v]\o said, "The poor luu'c (he Clos- ])el ])i'eached unto them,'' and for Llie sake of ( 'hristianity which makes "the poor of this world rich in faith," the Ba])tists stand for longer terms and better schools. 172 A IIISTORV OK Tin; BAPTISTS ClJAPTKriXXV. KAl'TISTS AXl) IIIOIIKU EDUCATION'. .Vltlioiigh the Buplisls fan boast of the earliest ehurchcs ami the iiiag'uitieent stand the\' took i'or liberty and inde- pendence, they must hauii' their heads with regret when we consider classical education in the earlier days of the Colony. In none of the earlier records can we find any reference to even one school established and supported by Baptists dnring- the eighteenth century. How ditferent wonld have been the ediu-ational history of our denonii- nalinn if j\m] i^ibner oi' Shil(jh, Wiliiani Soj(Turnei' of .Kehukee, John (iaiio of Jersey Settlement, and Shubael Stearns of Sandy i'reek, had establislied classical schools and tnrned on tlie liulit of higher education t(j guide the \\'anderiug feet of I->aptisl pioneers! !'i>M:si!>i"ri':i:iA.\s ()iM':.\ ri''i'ni': I'Miu-d, Tlie Ha])tists had the start of tln^ I'resbyierians in |)oint of s(Mll(Mnenl. i^ml Palmer had foundef liigber edticatiou. from State stip]H)rt." This princi])le of voluntary sup]")ort divided the liiglier IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 77 institutions of the State, v/itli the denominational colleges on one side and the State institutions on the other. The Baptists have advocated the principle until the Methodists and Presljyterians have joined tliem in their common cause against the institutions of the State. JJETUEL HILL INSTITUTE. This school was founded in 1888 hy Rev. J. A. Beam. It is for hoth sexes and has reached hundreds of ambi- tious men and women, because of its incredibly low terms. It teaches the hanguages, business, music, elocution and art. In 189S, 27 counties of ISToi-th Carolina and four other States were represented on its student roll. ^Ir. Beam has sent out many bright young men to ])reac]i the Gospel, and lias ])repared a still larger number for Wake Forest College. ASSOCIATION AL ACADEMIES. For about \v.n years JJi'. Tayloi" has been urging the (;stablislimeiit of high schools and academies in all the Assoeiatious as feeders to Walce I'V)rest. ''Tlu; [jumber- loii institute, in Ivobeson Association, Pi'ofessor Bagley's High School at Littletoti, and Buie's Creek vVcademy under !iev. J. A. fjampbell, liave prepared a large num- ber of boys for Wake Forest.\ But about five years ago the question of Associational academies was again revived, since tlse existing iicademies could not meet the demand. In 1898 the Chowan Association took steps to build an Associational Academy m Elizabeth City. Several other Associations in t.ho centrad and west-(>rn j)art of the State are opening similar aeadcmies to swell the ranks of Wake Forest and the Female University at Raleigh. 12 178 A HISTORY OF TllU. BAPTISTS HIGHER EDUCATION FOlt PREACHERS. At the first session of the State Couveution only five college graduates were nimibered among the ministers present. When the Convention met at Greenville, 1898, several liundred graduates were present to discuss the living questions pertaining to the kingdom of God. More- over, the numljer of Seminary preachers is increasing every year. ]\rany of our pulpits are filled by young men from theological seminaries. '-'The State sends each year about ten or twelve young men to Louisville Semi- nary, and contributes annually about $G00 for their su]j- port. / IN NORTH CAROLINA. 1 79 CHAPTER XXVI. BAPTISTS AND FEMALE EDUCATIOX, Xapoleon once said, "Give me the women and the chil- dren under ten years of age and I will rule the world." Yes, he might have said, "Give me the women and I will rule the world," for the women shape the thoughts of cliildrcn and mould their lives for weal or woe. But dur- ing the quarter of a century this same iSTapoleon was drenching the once peaceful fields of Europe with crim- son streams of human blood, our educators in Xorth Caro- lina were letting the girls grow up in ignorance, instead of })olishing their rude but promising minds for usefulness in society, State and church. Although Davie, Caldwell, Spencer, Willie Jones, Samuel Johnston, Iredell, Aslie and o(]iers intorjireted the Constitution to provide for highc)' education for young men, they never dreamed that tlie stune Constitution migb.t bo made tlie basis of higher education for women. The University at Chapel Hill had educated the boys of nearly a century before it dawned upon the State to found a school for its girls. ITie State had founded its second institution for young men in Italeigh, and it had been in o])eration for three years be- fore (^harles I). ^Fclver induced the Stiitc to make a])pro- prinlion to f(Uind the OrccMisboi'o Industrial School foi- young ladies. Bui the cliurches look u]) the mattei' of female educii- tion, un.d willi llie ninelecnlli century began the lii'sl. fe- male school of the Stat^', the Salem h'emale Academy, located in Salem, founded by the American ]\loravian Church, and opened by Rev. Samuel Ivronach, a cultured l80 A HISTORY OF TIIK BAPTISTS scholar, OetobcM-, 180j1. Saloiii was for years tlui only foitialo seliool oi" liiu'li ;L;'radc! iu the South. Tile next denomination to found a school for the ti'ain- ing' of its girls in the higher branehes was die Metliodist ]<]j)is('()pal, S(jntli. Cii'censboro Fenmle College, tlieir vas one of the gveatesr iinancial friends of the Institnle, Once, when it was in a financial strait, he gave $5,000 to relieve tlie embarrassment of tlie Institute. DK. ]LOOIM':U AT VVS HEAD. In 1854 the Trustees elected l\cv. William Hooper I). D., LL.D., as Principal. Dr. Hooper is. well known r82 A HISTORY OF TIIK BAPTISTS ns uiK- (»[' [\iv chief aclurs in the esUiblishnieiit of tho State Convention and of Wake Forest College, but his nieniory is dear to Eastern Baptists rather because of his sneeessful work at ^lurfreesboro. For eight years he guided the Institute ^viscly' and well, extending its cur- iieuluni and increasing its patronage. ,sl•:co^'I) pitEsiDExcY OF m'dowell. In 1SG2 Dr. Hooper resigned and was succeeded by .Dr. Archibald ^iIcDowell. For seven years before this he had been Professor of ^lathematics and Xaturai Science. AVhen he became President, he soon won the largest ])lace in the hearts of the people, and his name became a household word in Baptist homes tliroughout the east. Jle did not suil'er the school to he closed by tlio war, but bravely pushed its work to higher achievements, until May -27, IS.Sl, when he ])eaccfull>' passed away from scenes of toil. in ISTS the joint stock com])any gave the Institute to the l-taptist dcnouiinalion. It was the only fenuile scliool ow)ied by the Baptists of tlu^ State until the rise of tiie Baptist Penuile University. ntoFESsoR brewer's presidexcy. Prof, John B. Brewer nssiuncd the duties of President of tho Institute in Octolx'r, ISSl. Tie was n graduato of Wake Forest (^oUege and one of the foremost educators of the State. Ihit toward ilie close of his presidency tJu- ])ali'(iuage was much diminished, aury ."lVEK.SlTy ASSOCIATIONS. As soon as the Baptist Female University began to be erected, the hearts of our noble women began to beat with pride and respond with liberality. In 1S9S the Woman's Committee began the organization of Univer- sity Associations to raise funds for the Female Univer- sity. l\rany such societies were formed, and several liun- dred d(jllars have been conti'ibuted by the \vomen for the establishment of the long-wished for University for Bap- tist girls. T?KsuT/r OF Tilt': woAfKN^'s woin^:. As t.hc (Jrocian and Asiatic women of old cowi'cd ibi; temple (jf J)iana in b^i^hcsus with jirccious stones, so the ]jaj)tist women of the Old North State have given their jewels and money to advance the enterprises of the de- nomination. Besides instructing the people as to the needs of the State and of the world, the Central Committee in fourteen years contributed $G2,000 to tlie various Boards, averaging over $4-, 000 ])er annum. The avo- meu's coutribuliou in 11)00 was .$',), 710. S-1-, by far the largest amount ever given, and over double their average for the past years. The denomination should "receive those womeii in the Lord '^' '^' * and assist them in what- ever business they have need of it." 192 A HISTORY OF TIIK IJAPTISTS CllAPTEJI XXVIll. CAIMO volt VVil ACiKD AIl.N 1.STEJ^S. ^ ''God luitli eliosL'ii the ^veak things of the world to con- fciuiul the things th;it arc niigiiiy." Wlien (.mr ^Master \vuiihl scdect His Apostles to \vitness His niiracdes and testify to His death and re'siirrcetion, Ho walked down by the sea of (Jalih'e and called the humble tLshcnnen from their nets antl lishing boats. So in tliese latter days the ^last(-r calls the puur of earth to declare the "unseareliable riches (if (Jiiidst'' to tiu; wui'ld. J Le steps into some quiet cotlage home al^ng ihe coast, or nestling amid the c(j\'es of the mountains, lays J lis hand \ipun a ])oor boy and calls him to preach '"the glorious Gospel of the blessed God." Tliis has been God's usual course among the Bap- tists of A' Ixjttoiii hanl and ih'ipciicd th(; channel for llio sniiHiili sailing of Maptists lu-ihiy. The dredging-boa.t first goes np tlic si ream, digs out tlie cliannel and })reparcs the way for the beantiful palace steamer. So these old min- isters have done foi' ns. 'Idiey have hUed up the valleys, (lug down the hills, and made i! possible foi- us to aehie\'e the wondi'ou.-^ ihiiigs of llie present day. Presideni Tyree, of the Pjoard, in 1S1)S, pays them the following tribute oi' pi'aise: "'riiese lathers in Israel deserve onr res])ect, lionor and gratitude, because they were pioneers in many sections of our State, preaching the Gospel in destitute sections, laying the foundations of many of our strong jind llourishing ehiirclies, * "''' •• with ImU, little if itny com- ]>ensatI(Ui. ■'•■ ■■'■ ■''■ IJnscltishly, bravely and faithfully they labored, and we have entei'cd into their ]a1)ors." How can the Jlajjtists of to-day let these heroes siiU'er for want (")t' bread or s])end their twiliglil of life benealh (lie Ihickening shadows of ffloom ! IN NORTH CAROIJNA. 1 95 TIIEIll CONDITION. They are iu poverty, but above reproach, and held in. esteem. J. F. McDuiBe says: ''To live in poverty, and yet to live honorably and above reproach, * * * and then to bo turned down amid despondeneey and gloom and left on tiie cold charities of the world, often neglected and sometimes forgotten by those whom he loves, is enough to make any one feel dejected in afflictions and old age. This is the condition of some of onr beneiiciaries," :\[0m'] OF APPLICATION. Eacli applicant i.s furnislied with a blank l)y the Board, and this he must IllJ out satisfactorily, to l.)e endorsed by the j\toderator and l^xecutive (Committee of liis Associa- tion. This bnsiness-like metliod has made it safe for the Board and easy for tlio applicant. Bev. Jesse Howell, a pioneer of the denomination, had the honor to be tlie iirsi i'(>('ci\'(M! on (his Uonrii. l!a\'iug recciN'cd aid live vt'ai's, he ])assfd away iu ix'ace, ISDG. Al)eut tliirly old ministers and the saiiu> numbcsr of \\'i(h)ws of these vetei"- ans luivo bcH'u helped. viuginia's stimulus and the eoaiid's expansion, ••'' iS^orth Carolina taught Virgiu.ia to care for her oi'pliaus, ])Ul V^ii'ginia taught North (-aroliua to can' Cor her aged miuistcrs. ; Iu JSiin Virginia I'aised about $o,()0U for aged ministers, and ai(hMl 52 beneiiciaries, Norlli (^arolina contribnling oidy .$r)Ot> and aiding 10 b(!ueHciaries. ' This Wiis used as a hisloi'ical stiuiuhis for cnlai-gemciU. of the work iu our State. In 11)00 the Board rereived $1,009.72, and ihe prosDcets are brigliter for the Belief Work, igG A HISTORY OF TllU. BAPTISTS (MiAPTEU XXIX. THE CHAUTAUQUA ,^IOVJ■;^[ENT. X. \l. 15i'i>ugliLi)u })ui iliis iiiu\'L'iiiL'iii into opcTMtion ;in al)lest missionaries in the (\destiiil Knipire. 'riiK siFAXOiiAr .\[rssi(>"x. ^'ates and his wife, Se]ilemlter 12, lS-17, arrived in Sliaiighai, ("iiiiia, and made llial. popnlons healhen (diy the scene of llieii' li['edit\', and llie deiKMninational eoUeges. He is now Professor in William -li'Well College, ^Miss(juri. J. I). nUI'MIA^M. In LSG7 Ivev. J. I). Hufham, 1X1)., published a ]\remoir of Ivev. rl. L. Pritchard. This l)o<)k was written in Huf- ham's characteristic liowing style. With graphic deline- ations he takes the sn]>ject i:)f his niemoir from his humble liome in Pasquotank, through his struggles in youth. Ids attainme]its at College, his incessant labors for the Master, ami his beautiful life of devotion to Christ, closing it all with his ])eaceful and trium])hant death at the hands of yello^\' fevei', 1SG2. With his skilful ]^en he lays bare the private life of sweet communion with God and his IN NORTH CAROUNA. 207 public life of glorious sacrifice for men. But Iluflium's greiilcsL service has been the gathering of Baptist histor}' in connection with the Baptist Historical Papers^ begim at Henderson, N. C, 1S9G. AVith a patriotic soul and a tenacious niemory he has been well qualified to gather up form the shores of the past the broken bits of early history among tlie i^Torth Carolina Baptists. CJIAIILES E. TAYLOR. liev. C. E. Taylor, D.D., LL.D., was graduated from tJie University of Virginia, and is one of the most accom- plished scholars in Xorth Carolina. His letters in the llccordcr about tlie work of tlie College and the cause of general education, are written in an easy, simple and en- thusiastic style. In 1SU5 he wrote "How Far Should a State Undertake to Educate?'^ — an able and scholarly pam])]ilet advocating the voluntary principle in higher education, and denying the I'iglit of the State to a])iu'o- priate the ]ie<)j)le\s money to higher edu.cation. This pam- jjhlct ^v;^s popular, and wielded a powerful influence for denominational colleges. Life and Laliors of .Matthew T. Yates, published about tlirec years ago, is an inspiration to every Baptist that reads it. With holy pride and power he recites the scenes of Yates' life and labors. It is now placed in all the Ba])tist libraries, Xorth and South, and ',\']ierever read is an impetus to missions. THOMAS E. SKINNER. Eor years Kev. T. K. Skinner, D.D., was pastor of the First Baptist Church, Kaleigh. About tliree years ago The Addresses and Sermons of Dr. Thomas E. Skinner were ]uiblislied, and found extensive sale among the Bap- tists of the State. . •' 208 A IIISTOKY OF Tlili BAPTISTS ^'I•:l•:l)IlA.M n. loiui. Tilt' Jja[)tist AliiKiuae was sUirtccl by Ivov. \. JJ. Cobb, ]).!)., scN'cral years a^(j, and has been published by liim aiimially till liu; present. It lias contained valuable bits of ]Ja]>tist history each year, and the biographies of emi- uent Ihiprisls in ihe Staie. lie also wrote the Tlistory of the (Ailonial lja])tisls, from their origin tu the Batlle of .Mainanci'. As statistician of the State Convention, 1 )i". ("ol)b lias rendered g'reat service in preserving the figures and facts of Baptist history in Xorth Carolina. T IK) .MAS II [J Ml':. One tif the tliiest iMiglish .seholai'S in A'^orth (Carolina is iiev. 'i'hoinas Hume, I).!)., Lh.I)., Professor of the fhig- lish Language and Literature in the University at Cha[)el Ililh His literary jU'oductious are fine, but few. With his I'liylhmic pen he bears th(^ reader gently on, as if U])on the i)hieid bosom of some (piiet rix'er. ilis a.rlicles to \';irioiis ))erio(lie:ils are bright and precious pearls of ])UiH'si Luglish. Ilis eonli'ibiilions to tlu^ Xorth. (^p.'olina liajilisl Historical Papers ai'c sch.olariy and valmible, his "-lohii Alilton and the !]a])tists" bein.g one of the best ])a])ers. Atlv'S. .tAMK 1'. nUCCAN. Mrs. hiiugan is the sisier of .Mrs. 1 )i'. Tayloi-, \\'al'h four of them had been si)ent in civil war and four more in recon- structi()n, the churches had l)ecn more than doitbled and till,' membershi]) abnost trelded. Of course, we include the coloi'etl churches in tlie last fi;2,'ures. Tn iSSd there were 2.2M5 eliurebes, with a iiieuri'crsldp of 238,000; that is, we had iiicr(\ised in churches nearly (JO per cent and in membership almost doubh'd, in ten years. By iSDIi lliere wei'e nearly 2,S0() ehurclies and about 325,000 members, an incrt'ase of -10 per cent in ten years. ]''or the last twenty years the inci'ease has been 125 jicr cent; for the twenty years before, that is, bacrk to 185G, the in- IN NORTH CAROLINA. 211 crease was about tlie same. For tlie t^venty-five years be- fore, that is, back to 1831, the increase was a little over 125 per cent. This gives ns the numerical review. ' Since 1832, that is, in sixty-eight years, the Baptists of JS^orth Carolina have founded a State paper that stands / among the first of the South or North. They have founded a College that ranks among the first denominational col- leges of the United States. In the west they have built Judson and j\rars Hill Colleges. They have established Murfreesboro, Oxford and the Female University to edu- cate tlieir daughters. They have given China, Africa and Mexico nearly forty men and women as foreign mis- sionaries, besides filling witli useful and nolde preachers liundreds of pulpits in Soutli Carolina, Virginia, Geor- gia, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, ^lissoiiri, Iventucky, Maryland, Fennsylvania, Ist'w JcH-sey, iVTew York, Connecticut, ]\[as- sachusetts, Illinois, Indiana, Colorado, Washington and California. They have taught Virginia and South Caro- lina liow to care for their orphans, and the otlier denom- inations of I^orth Carolina to build orphanages for their helpless children. They liave taught tlie world that Ba])- tist principles need only to be preaclied in their purity and simplicity in order to be believed and cherished. They liave taught Christendom by example how to lay upon tlu! nllnr of missions (ho promising lives uf (heir besL and brightest young inen and women. 'J'^his is the review, (!(lncationally and religionsly. ■ri\B VIEW TO-DAY. The Baptists of the State are a host stretching on toward 350,000 conmiunicants. There arc only a little over 212 A lilSTURV OF TIIK iSAPTISTS 7(<0,(H)U i-liiircli lueiuber.s uf all dcnuiiiinarious in llie StaU', so llial al)()iu (JiK'-liall' tliu actual church incnibcrs uf tJi(_' Stale hi'loiii;- lu the I>a]>tist Cliurch. The regular ]\[i.ssiouary iJaptists are juure than thirty-five times as strong- as all the J^[)iscupalians, nearly ten times as numer- ous as all kiud.T of J^reshyterians, and nuinher nearly iiO,()(.)0 more than all sorts of .Methodists in the State. North Carolina is fotirth among the Southern States in numerical strength. Texas, Georgia and \''irginia out- ntimher North Carolina, Init in Virginia and Georgia their large numbers are due to the colored Baptists. Xorth (\ii'(dina llajjiists nuud)er one-eighth of all the I]a])tists in the South, oiie-tw'elflh of all llie IJaptists in llie rnited Slales, and oue-l'our(eeu(h of all the Jhiptisls in the windd. In education the liaptisUs of Noi'th Garolina are at theii' best. Nearly (JOO young men are at Wake l^^)i'est and Mars Hill. Aboul ^>()i) Iniplist girls are (pialfing ihe stream of higher educnlion al Murfreesbdi'o, Oxford loiil the iJajMisI j'^emale I 'lii\'ei-^ily, besides hiindi'eds and e\'en tin/usauds of iJapli.-,! boys and girls are leai'iiing at scoi'cs ol' high schools and academies. l)i\ Kilgo, I'resi- di'ut (d' Trinity Gollege (Methodist), says of tlie Noi'lh Carolina l]aj)lisis: '"The N^ortli C^arolina Ba])tists ar(> a mighty host, tilling all sections of the State, and exercis- ing themsel\'(s e^'ery\vh(U•e to extend tlie kingdom of God. They are full of euei'u'y, and bold in belie\dng and declar- ing their faith. ••" ■" '^' They ]nit emphasis on 'Go ye into all the world,' and they have gone everywhere, except whei'e tliey ha\'e not gone, and they are on th(> way to those re- gions. In education your ])e0])le are A\isely aggressiA'e. Wake Forest, with Dr. Taylor, stands at the head of your IN NORTH CAROLINA. 213 schools. Past decades have brought from this centre the life and foree of the Jjaptist churches, and given to the State much of its strength. Under Dr. Taylor the work continues, and Baptist people increase in numbers and in grace. l^o\v the University for women is ready to begin. Tliese Baptist folk arc blessed with a great paper. * '■•■ ''' For all these good things among the Baptists I presume to say to them, a great responsibility for the right use of those things is- u])on them." PEEVIEW. It is not the historian's business to touch tlie future. Tlic past is his realm. Bat can we not see the light from the lamp of the past reliected on the first years of tlie fu- ture 'i' We have seen how >[orth (Carolina Baptists ha^'e more tlian doui)lod thcur liuudKU's every twenty years. If t]ic_y sliould do the same for the next twcuty years, in ]1)20 050,000 Baplisls would he found in the Slale; in ll»10, l,;]00,000; in l!)(;0, i^,(iOO,()00 ; in ItiSO^ r.,-JOO,000 ; in tlie yoai- ^2000 there would be over 10,000,000 Jhiplists in the 01(1 iSIorlli Slate. The iigur(\s of llii' jiast wai-rant this ])rediction, and, althougli the Ba[)(ists of the State may not roach this strength in numbers in one hundred 3^ears, yet in educational, moral and religious [)owcr it is reasonable to suppose that i^orth Carolina Baptists can double themselves every tweiity years, 'i'heir glorious past, their illustrious present, and their promising pros- pects will warrant such a ]M'evie\\' for ilu^ Ba])tists ol" Xorth Cai'olina. But there are obstacles to meet. The ]\lormons have 45 missionaries in tlic State, nearly half as numy as the 2 14 A HISTORY OF TIIL- EAPTISTvS. iJapiist State iJoard. Tliey have made GoldsLoro their licadquarter.s. Accordiu- to Presiding Elder Swenson, ol the iionnou Church, there are in their Soiuhern States Mission 11 States and 500 missionaries, and ]\^orth Caro- lina is regarded as tdie ]nost fertile soil for Mormon seed. iVlso, the Presbyterians, lYorth, are spending several tTion- sand dollars in AVestern iN^orth Carolina, building schools and preparing to capture the young people of the moun- tains. Still, the Baptists, witJi their present position in the Avest, can hold the field and make the ^vest a strong- hold for Baptists. John E. TJay represented 'North Carolina Baptists in llie Jubilee of Missions in the Southern States, in 1000. AVilli their past to cheer them, with their present to iiispire thorn, and Jehovali to lead them, the Baptists of the Old North^ State will nndce the entii'o twentieth century a glo- rious jubilee of progress for the kingdom of God on earth. So may it bo, to the glory of the ITeav(Milv Kin-! DATE DUE APR 1^ J:; . A^ JUL 12 f§t-- 1 DEMCO 38-29 7 HECKMAN BINDERY INC. } JUN 86 N. manche! INDIANA 4t