Association. The Reformers, because what they had
102 The Association divides.
done, was exactly congenial to the original plan upon
which the Association was organized. The other party,
being most numerous, insisted that a majority ought to
retain the power, and consequently the name of the
Association. They moreover argued, that, whatever
might be their principles, it was well known at the time
of the constitution of the Association, that this evil ex-
isted in greater force than it did at that time ; seeing
none had been baptized in known unbelief, since the
constitution ; that, therefore, it was virtually agreed,
that such as were then in orderly standing might retain
their membership, le.->t more mischief should ensue by
being too rigorous, than by submitting to small incon-
veniences for the sake of peace; that the Association
having been in existence for eight or nine years, all of
which time they had s-ufFered the inconvenience, it was
now rather .strange, that they at this late period should
attempt a revolution so likely to disturb the peace and
harmony of the churches. To all these arguments it
was answered, that to them it was a matter of conscience,
which they could not relinquish without wounding their
own souls. As neither side would give way, things
came to extremities. Each party organized a distinct
Association. The Reformers kept possession of the
meeting-house, whilst the opposite party retired, first
to the woods, and on the second day procured a private
house in the neighbourhood. All attempts at reconcil-
iation proved ineffectual during this session. Each party
transacted their own business, of which, however, very
little was done. These party broils were exceedingly af-
flicting to the pious on both sides. It would appear
from the arguments on the old side, that many of them
did not deny the principles of this reformation, so much
as the necessity, seeing it would unavoidably produce
much confusion, and if let alone, the evil would of it-
self, in time, vanish. Those who had undertaken to ef-
fect the reformation, persevered, arid finally accomplish-
ed their wishes.*
In August, 1777, they held their first undisputed As-
sociation, at elder Bell's meeting-house, in Sussex coun*
* The Regular Asscvhtion dwimik-d, arcl finally came to nothing; partly
by falling in with the Separates, and partly by other causes.
Portsmouth Association formed. 103
ty, Virginia. They found, on assembling, that their
strength had very much increased. Ten churches had
sent letters and delegates, of which it appeared that
six were Regulars, or the old side, and four were Sepa-
rates ; who, finding their former obstacles removing,
and it being convenient, were incorporated with this As-
sociation. Of these ten churches, four were in Virgin-
ia, and six in North-Carolina. The whole number of
members was one thousand five hundred and ninety.
They agreed now upon an abstract of principles, which
was afterwards printed and published. In doctrine and
discipline it did not substantially differ from the confes-
sion of faith generally received among the baptists.
They agreed to hold two Associations annually, and ap-
pointed the next atBurkitt's meeting-hou.se,the next May.
The Kehukee Association continued to meet regular-
ly, and to increase rapidly, until the year 179O. At
their October session for that year, it was found that
there were no less than sixty-one churches, having more
than five thousand members. Several ineffectual at-
tempts, previous to this, had been made to divide it,
and the number of churches was now so large* that a
division was almost indispensable. They accordingly
agreed to divide by the State line, leaving forty-two
churches in North-Carolina, and nineteen in Virginia.
The Virginia churches met by their delegates for the
first time, May 1791, at Portsmouth ; and on that ac-
count their body took the name of the Virginia Ports-
mouth Association. Their time of meeting has been,
from the first, on the fourth Saturday of May, annually.
Their business has been transacted in peace and pru-
dence. The number of churches has increased, but
not so rapidly as in other Associations. While elder
Meglamre lived, and attended the Associations, he gen-
erally acted as moderator. After his death, or when he
was absent, the duties of moderator most commonly de-
volved upon Rev. David Barrow, until his removal to
Kentucky.*
Only four years from the time that the Portsmouth
Association was taken off, viz. in the year 1794, this
* This account of the Kehukee Association has been taken almost verba-
tim from Semple's History of the Virginia Baptists
1(M> Neuse Association formed*
mother body had again become so extensive, that anoth-
er division was thought expedient, and was accordingly
amicably effected ; and Tar-river was fixed on as the di-
viding line. All the churches above this river, and be-
tween it and the State of Virginia, remained with the
old establishment, while those to the south of it were
dismibsed to form the Neuse Association.
The Kehukee Association, by this last division, was
reduced to twenty-six churches ; from this time it trav-
elled on, without any special occurrence, until about
1801, when it began to enjoy a refreshing season, and
for a few years following, was blessed with a share in
that remarkable revival, which prevailed most power-
fully and extensively through North-Carolina and many
other States ; so that in the course of two years from
the commencement of the revival, there were 150O per-
sons baptized in the churches belonging to this Associa-
tion.
NEUSE ASSOCIATION.
IT has already been related, that this body originated
by a division of the Kehukee Association, in 1794. It
contained, at the time of its organization, 23 churches,
which were situated on both sides of the Neuse-river,
from which circumstance it received its name ; and
they extended from Tar-river nearly to the southern
boundary of North-Carolina. This Association com-
prized a number of the oldest churches in the country,
and particularly the Tosniot church, in Edgecombe coun-
ty, which was gathered by the General baptists, in the
early part of their settlement in the country ; but it was
reformed and constituted on the Calvinistick plan in
1758, at which time it contained three very worthy
preachers, viz. John Thomas, and his two sons Jona-
than and John. Jonathan is said to have been a man of
considerable eminence in his day. This community
was much refreshed and enlarged by that glorious revi-
val which prevailed in the Kehukee Association.
CAPE FEAR ASSOCIATION.
THIS Association is situated towards the southeast cor-
ner of the State. It took its name from the river on
Raleigh. Chowan, and Flat-River Associations. 105
whose eastern branch the town of Wilmington is situa-
ted. It was formed in 1805, of churches which were
dismissed from the Neuse Association.
RAJLEIOH ASSOCIATION.
THIS body takes its name from the town which is now
the seat of government, near to which the churches are
situated. It was formed in 1 805 of only four churches*
which were dismissed from the Neuse Association. It
has been a flourishing little body, and in 181* had in-
creased to ten churches and almost a thousand members.
There has lately been a very happy revival within the
bounds of this Association. In 1812, Elder Robert T.
Daniel, one of their ministers, wrote me, that upwards
of a hundred members had been added by baptism to
the church which he serves, in a little more than a year.
THIS Association receives its name from a river which
rises in Virginia and empties into the Albemarle sound.
It is situated on the northern borders of the state and
near its northeast corner. It began in 1 806, when eigh*
teen churches, containing upwards of eighteen hundred
members, were dismissed from the Kehukee Association,
for the purpose of forming it. These churches were all
on the east side of the Roanoke-river. Several hun-
dreds have been added to the Chowan Association since
it was formed, and yet it is not now so large as it was at
first. The reason is, that multitudes from this region
have emigrated to the western and more southern States.
FLAT-RIVER ASSOCIATION.
THIS body was formed by a division of the Roanoke
Association, in Virginia, in 1794. As a number of
churches in that Association were situated in North-
Carolina, they were all, by their request, dismissed at
the time above mentioned, for the purpose of forming
the one whose history we are now relating. I have not
VOL. 2. 14
1O6 County-Line and Sandy-Creek Associations.
been able exactly to ascertain of how many churches it
was at first composed, but the number was probably ten
or twelve ; nor have I learnt any thing of its proceedings,
until the year 1806, when it was divided by a line run-
ning north and south, and the western division of
churches united in forming the
CoUNTRY-LlNE ASSOCIATION.
THIS body took its name from a creek on which the
churches are situated, which runs in a northern direc-
tion, and empties into Dan-river, near the line between
the two States of Virginia and North-Carolina.
These two small Associations lie on the northern side
of North-Carolina, and the churches in the Country.
Line are in the counties of Rockingham, Caswell, Per-
son, and Orange.
The churches in these Associations originated from the
Separate Baptists, and some of the oldest of them were
gathered by Samuel Harris, James Read, Thomas Mul-
8ns, and Dutton Lane.
SANDY-CREEK ASSOCIATION.
AN account of the origin and progress of the Sandy-
Creek church and Association, and of the Baptist cause
in this part of North-Carolina, up to the year 177O, has
already been given in the general history of the Sepa-
rate Baptists, under the Virginia head
Shubael Stearns died at Sandy-Creek, in 1771, in the
66th year of his age. The Sandy-Creek Association,
notwithstanding the embarrassments in which it had in-
volved itself, by interfering too much in the concerns
of the churches, still continued to hold its usual anni-
versary sessions,
In 1772, after its division, which is related in the gen-
eral history of the Separates, it contained the nine fol-
lowing churches, viz. Sandy-Creek, Little-River, Shal-
low Fords, Slow-River, New- River, Southwest, Grassy-
Creek, Trent, and Lockwood's Folly. To these church-
es appertained ten branches, most of which were, in
process of time, organized into district churches. The
Nine Christian Rites. 1O7
number of ministers at this time was twenty, only seven
of whom were ordained. This Association held many
sentiments formerly, and it also holds some now, which
are of a peculiar nature, and which do not prevail among
their brethren elsewhere. Many of its members were
formerly thought to lean considerably towards the Ar-
minian system ; but they have now become generally,
and some of them strenuously Calvinistick. They now
hold that ministers ought not to be ordained until they
are called to exercise the pastoral office. The practice
of ordaining them as Evangelists, which by the Baptists
js generally adopted, they reject. 1 hey formerly held
nine Christian rites, viz. baptism, the Lord's supper, love-
fcasts, laying-on-of -hands, 'washing feet, anointing the sick,
right hand of fellowship, kiss of chanty, and devoting children.
They also held to ruling elders, eldresses, deaconesses,
and weekly communion.
The nature and design of all the above enumerated
rites and offices will be easily comprehended, except that
of devoting children. This rite they founded on the cir-
cumstance of parents bringing little children to Christ,
&c. It was thus performed : As soon as circumstances
would permit, after the birth of the child, the mother
carried it to meeting, when the minister either took it
in his arms, or laid his hands on it, thanked God for his
mercy, and invoked a blessing on the child, at which
time it received its name. This rite, which was by many
satirically called a dry christening,* prevailed not only in
the Sandy-Creek Association, but in many parts of Vir-
ginia.
It must not be understood, that all the churches in
(his body were strenuous, or even uniform, in the ob-
servance of this long list of rites, all of which, however,
appear to be suggested by the Scriptures ; nor did those
who maintained the whole of them, refuse communion
with their brethren, who neglected a part -, and this in,
difference in some has been succeeded by a general neg-
lect in all, so that the greatest part of the nine Christian
rites, and especially those of them which were of a pe-
culiar nature, together with the offices of eldresses ancl
* Virginia Chronicle, p. 4?.
208 Revival amongst the Baptists and others.
deaconesses have fallen into disuse. But the ordi-
nance, as they esteem it, of laying-on-of-hands, and the
office of ruling elders they still maintain.
This Association has also altered its mode as to the
frequency of administering the Lord's Supper, and has
adopted that which is generally pursued by other breth-
ren elsewhere.
It will be recollected, that when the great body of the
Separate Baptists was divided, in the year 177O, that the
Sandy- Creek Association became one of the three grand
divisions ; but it has not prospered so largely, nor
branched out so extensively, as the other two. The
only Association which has been formed from it, and
that but in part, was the Holston, in the State of Ten-
nessee. But it has been the nursery of many worthy
ministers and brethren, who have emigrated to the
western country and more southern States ; and al-
though it has, at times, been reduced almost to the low-
est ebb of religious enjoyment, yet it has, at other times,
been blessed with the outpourings of the Divine Spirit,
and the joyful enlargement of its borders. Two very
comfortable and extensive revivals had been experienced
in this Association, since the death of Mr. Stearns, before
the one about to be mentioned. But by deaths and re-
movals it was, at the close of the eighteenth century, in
every respect much reduced. The ministers had become
few in number, and the churches small and languid ;
iniquity greatly abounded in the land, and the love of
xnany had waxen cold. But towards the close of the
year 1 SOO, that astonishing work which had been pre-
vailing a short time in Kentucky and other parts, made
a sudden and unexpected entrance amongst them, and
was attended with most of the new and unusual appear-
ances, which in many places it assumed. This work
was not confined to the Baptists, but prevailed, at the
same time, amongst the Methodists and Presbyterians,
both of which denominations were considerably nume-
rous in the parts. These two last denominations, soon
after the commencement of the revival, united in their
communion and camp-meetings. The Baptists were
strongly solicited to embark in the general communion
scheme 5 but they, pursuant to their consistent (many
Camp-Meetings instituted. 109
call them rigid) principles, declined a compliance. But
they had camp or field-meetings amongst themselves,
and many individuals of them united with the Method-
ists and Presbyterians in theirs. The Baptists estab-
lished camp-meetings from motives of convenience and
necessity, and relinquished them as soon as they were
no longer needful. Their meeting-houses are generally
small, and surrounded with groves of wood, which they
carefully preserve, for the advantage of the cooling
shade, which they afford in the heat of summer. In
these groves the stages were erected, around which the
numerous congregation encamped ; and wh^en they could
be accommodated in the meeting-houses, to them they
repaired. A circumstance which led the people to come
prepared to encamp on the ground was, that those who
lived adjacent to the place of meeting, although willing
to provide for the refreshment, as far as they were able,
of the numerous congregations which assembled ; yet, in
most cases, they would have found it impracticable j
and furthermore, they wished to be at the meetings
themselves, what time they must have stayed at home
for the purpose. The people, therefore, would be ad-
vised by their ministers and others, at the first camp-
rneetings, to come to the next and all succeeding ones,
prepared to accommodate and refresh themselves. In
this way, camp-meetings were instituted amongst the
Baptists.
In nearly the same way, meetings of a similar nature
were established by the united body of Methodists and
Presbyterians in these parts j but like many other things
produced on extraordinary occasions, they continued af-
ter the call for them had ceased. Their efficacy was by
many too highly estimated. They had witnessed at
them, besides much confusion and disorder, many evi-
dent and remarkable displays of divine power; and their
ardour in promoting them, after the zeal which insti-
tuted them had abated, indicated that they considered
them the most probable means of effecting a revival.
From these motives (I am induced to think) camp-meet-
ings have been, and are still, industriously kept up by
the Methodists throughout the United States. It is well
known that they take much pains, by giving lengthy
1 1O Remarkable Appearances in the Revival.
notice of their approach, by advertising them in news
papers, &c. to collect as large an assemblage of people as
possible, and then, by preconcerted and artful manoeu-
vres, and by a mechanical play upon the passions, to pro-
duce that animation and zeal, which, at the times above-
mentioned, were spontaneous and unaffected.
In the progress of the revival among the Baptists, and,
especially, at their camp-meetings, there were exhibited
scenes of the most solemn and affecting nature ; and in
many instances there was heard at the same time,
throughout the vast congregation, a mingled sound of
prayer, exhortation, groans, and praise. The fantastick
exercise of jerking, dancing, &c. in a religious way, pre-
vailed much with the united body of Methodists and
Presbyterians, towards the close of the revival ; but they
were not introduced at all among the Baptists in these
parts. But falling down under religious impressions was
frequent among them. Many were taken with these
religious epilepsies, if we may so call them, not only at
the great meetings, where those scenes were exhibited,
which were calculated to move the sympathetick affec-
tions ; but also about their daily employments, some in
the fields, some in their houses, and some when hunting
their cattle in the woods. And in some 'cases, people
were thus strangely affected when alone ; so that if some
played the hypocrite, with others the exercise must have
been involuntary and unaffected. And besides falling
down, there were many other expressions of zeal, which
in more moderate people would be considered enthusi-
astick and wild.
The above relation was given me by Rev. George
Pope, the pastor of the church at Abbot's Creek, who is
3. man of sense and moderation, and who, with many of
his brethren, was much tried in his mind, and stood
aloof from the work at its commencement ; but it spread
so rapidly and powerfully, that they soon discovered
such evident marks of its being a genuine work of grace 5
notwithstanding its new and unusual appearances, that
their doubts subsided, and they cordially and zealously
engaged in forwarding and promoting it. Mr. Pope, in
the course of the revival, baptized about 500 persons.
Large numbers were also baptised by John Culpepper^
Tadkin Association. Ill
William M'Gregore, and many others. But as the
Minutes of the Association were not printed at this time,
the total number of members cannot be now ascertained,
yet it must have been very large. But a spirit of emi-
gration has since much possessed the Baptists in these
parts, so that the Association is now reduced to the num-
ber of members, which is stated in the table.
YADKIN ASSOCIATION.
THE Yadkin-river rises in the Alleghany mountains,
a"nd unites with the Rocky-river, in Anson county,
North-Carolina, and from their junction the stream as-
sumes the name of the Great Pedee.
The Yadkin Association received its name from that
of the river above mentioned, and lies to the westward
of the Sandy-Creek, and originated in the following man-
ner. In the year 1786, eleven churches, which had been
previously gathered about the head of the Yadkin and
its waters, began to hold yearly conferences, as a branch
of the Strawberry Association in Virginia. The proceed-
ings of this conference were annually submitted to the
Association to which it had attached itself, for their
inspection, and were borne thither by delegates appoint-
ed for the purpose. But in 1 79O, the churches, com-
posing this conference, were, upon their request, dismiss-
ed, and formed a distinct Association. The ministers
belonging to this body at its commencement, were
George M'Neal, John Cleaveland, William Petty, Wil-
liam Hammond, Cleaveland Caffee, Andrew Baker, and
John Stone. This Association, like Sandy-Creek, trans-
acted its business, or at least, held its sessions, for a num-
ber of years, without a moderator. Some of their scru-
pulous brethren, it seems, were opposed to order, or for-
mality, as they esteemed it, in their religious proceedings,
and pleaded that it was an infringement of Christian lib-
erty, and too much like worldly assemblies, to have a
moderator at their head, whom they must address when
they spoke, and whose liberty they must request, &c.
In 17<J3, Mr. John Gano, who then lived in Kentucky,
visited this Association, and found many difficulties
among them on account of these things. But he knew
112 Joseph and William Murphy, distinguished Preachers.
very well how to manage prejudices so whimsical and
absurd, and prevailed on them to choose a moderator and
establish rules, by which their business was afterwards
conducted with much decorum.*
The church in the Jersey settlements in Rowan coun-
ty is the oldest in the Yadkin Association, and was
gathered by Mr. Gano in 1 7-58, three years after the
Sandy-Creek church was established. Mr. Gano resided
there about two years, when the church was broken
up by the incursions of the Indians, and he returned to
New- Jersey, from whence he had removed hither. But
the church was re-gathered after the Indian war was
over.
Dr. Richard Furman, now of Charleston, South-
Carolina, resided and preached in the bounds of this
Association, during a part of the revolutionary war.
Joseph Murphy, the pastor of the church on Deep
Creek, in the county of Surry, has been, in most respects,
the most distinguished minister among the churches in
this body. He and William Murphy, whose name fre-
quently occurs in the history of the Virginia Baptists,
were brothers. They were both baptized by Shubael
Stearns, and began to preach while very young, and were
called, by way of derision, Murphy 1 s beys. William, who
had the most conspicuous talents, removed to Tennessee
about 17SO, and was one of the most active ministers in
the Holston Association, which he assisted in raising up,
and in which he was very useful and much esteemed un-
til his death, the exact time of which is not known, but
it is believed to have been about 180O.
Joseph was altogether illiterate when he became relig-
ious, for he then knew not how to read, and had never
learned to write. But being possessed of a strong mind,
ready wit, a bold and fearless spirit, and with all, a heart
filled with the love of God and man, notwithstanding
all the disadvantages of his education, he has been a very
useful and much respected preacher throughout an ex-
tensive circle of churches. He was once taken up in
Virginia for preaching, and carried before a magistrate,
where he defended himself so expertly, that his accusers
* Mr. Gano's Life, p. 124,
Anecdote cf Mr. Murphy. 113
retired with shame, and the magistrate bade him go
about his business.
Mr. Murphy had many verbal rencounters in his more
active days, with opposers of different characters, whom
he always abashed and foiled. His feats of this kind he
row relates with much pleasantry, and with a self-com-
placency which is altogether excusable in a man who is
about 80 years old. He was once opposed by a fanatick
of more effrontery than argument, who contended that
Adam, before his fall, had not a mortal body, but was a
pure spiritual being. A woman was sitting by, careless-
ly nursing her child, whose name was Frost, who said to