year, and attended with a degree of success. The thanks
of the Association, were returned to General Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney, Major Thomas Pinckney, and
VOL. 2. J9
1 46 John Rooker 1 s Mission to the Catawba Indians.
Henry William Desaussure, Esq. for their patriotick ex-
ertions in its behalf.
In 1802, provision was made for the employment of a
missionary to travel and preach in destitute places. The
object failed of accomplishment for the want of a suita-
ble person to undertake it. A mission, however, to the
Catawba Indians, which had for some time been contem-
plated, was now commenced. Rev. John Rooker was
engaged for a year to preach to them, at least once a
month, and to consult the chiefs and other persons of
influence, on their disposition to have a school founded
among them. Mr. Rooker at the next meeting reported,
that " the Indians had given him a very favourable recep-
tion ; were much pleased with the attention the Associa-
tion had shown by appointing a missionary to them ; had
attended very seriously to his preaching, and from the
first expressed an earnest desire that a school might be
established among them for the instruction of their
youth : also, that there appeared the beginning of a work
of grace among the white people, who attended on his
preaching when ministering to the Indians ; and that he
was in hopes the Indians would share in the blessing."
It was, in consequence, determined to continue the mis-
sion, and Mr. Rooker was authorized to employ a teacher
to instruct the youth in the common branches of educa-
tion, and the principles of Christianity. A school was
accordingly established, and has been continued. Sam-
ples of writing done by the Indian youth, have been
exhibited from year to year, evincing considerable pro-
ficiency. Letters also have been repeatedly received from
the chiefs of the nation, requesting a continuance of the
mission and school. At the meeting of 1806, Robert
Marsh, an Indian of the Pomunky tribe, living with the
Catawbas, and a licensed preacher, was present, and
preached with acceptance to a large and affected audience.
Dr. Ramsay, in his history of South-Carolina, lately
published, hath in a note inserted the following obser-
vations on this subject : " It is truly honourable to the
Baptists, that they have done so much for the instruc-
tion of the Indians ; and it is lamentable that the State
lias done so little. The Catawba Indians have, for a long
time, been friendly, and have lived among, or rather
Dr. Rams ay 1 s Plea for the Indians. 147
been surrounded by white people, and yet no one effort
has been made by the State for the civilization and in-
struction of this tribe, nor of any of the Indians. A
century and half has not passed away, since this people
were the sole possessors of the whole of. this extensive
and beautiful country ; but these former lords of the
soil have been driven from river to river from forest
to forest rolled back nation upon nation, till they are
fugitives, vagrants, and strangers in their own land.
Carolinians ! cherish the few that remain, and prevent
their cursing the day that white men landed in the
country of their forefathers."*
In 1 803, Dr. Furman, Mr. Botsford, and Mr. Roberts,
were appointed a committee of correspondence, and in
particular to correspond with the committee of the Phil-
adelphia Association, to aid their design of publishing
general religious information.
This year died the Rev. Evan Pugh ; on which occa-
sion the Association thought it incumbent on them to
express their high sense of his " eminent abilities and
worth, as a man, a scholar, a Christian, and a divine."
Rev. Aaron Tison, David Owen, and Jeremiah Rhame,
" three zealous and much approved preachers of the gos-
pel," died in 18O5; and in 1806, Rev. Lewis Collins,
" an aged and faithful minister, eminent for his piety,
and useful in his day."
In 1 804, the Association petitioned the Legislature for
a law to abolish the practice of duelling.
In 1 808, Dr. Samuel Jones, of Pennsylvania, presented
the Association with 15O copies of his Century Sermon,
preached before the Philadelphia Association, to be ap-
plied to the uses of the Education Fund ; and a vote was
passed expressing gratitude for this instance of his lib-
erality.
A motion was made this year to have the Association
Sermon in future preached on the Saturday of the an-
* "The Cataivba Indians are a small tribe, who have one town called Ca-
tawba, situated on the Catawba river, north lat. 34 49', on the boundary line
between North and South-Carolina, and contains about 450 inhabitants, of
which about 150 are fighting men. They are the only tribe which resides
in the State. 144,000 acres of laud were granted them by the proprietary
government." Morse.
It is said that their territory at present is about 16 miles square ; but they
have been degenerating for many years, and their number and strength hav
probably decreased since the above account was taken.
148 Preparation for Preaching recommended,
nual meeting, and the business then entered on, with a
view to expedite it, but was negatived. It \vas resolved to
continue the usual mode of conducting the business, and
the following reasons were assigned by the Association :
" First, because devotion and the exercise of the best
ministerial gifts at those general meetings are objects, in
our estimation, of the first importance. Secondly, as
the administration of the Lord's Supper is a part of the
solemn service appointed for the Sabbath on these occa-
sions, it is proper and necessary that the exercises of the
Saturday should be preparatory to the sacred transaction
of approaching the table, and that the mind be as little as
possible diverted from the great object, which then claims
its attention. Thirdly, the plan of hurrying through the
business of the Association, we think is wrong ; the sub-
jects which come under consideration, being generally
very serious and important, and requiring time for de-
liberation. In general, they have been too much hur-
ried. It is, therefore, recommended to the ministers
and delegates, in future, to come with an expectation
that the business will not conclude before Wednesday.
And as it too often happens that the ministers meet on
Saturday, without any expectation to preach on that day,
and if called to preach, deliver hasty, indigested discours-
es ; which circumstance has a bad effect on the general
state of the meeting ; it is requested that they in general
endeavour to come prepared to preach, and that on sub-
jects the most useful and important, suited to excite a
fervid, yet rational piety.
The death of Rev. Samuel Eccles, and Mr. Alexander
M'Neal, was noticed with affection and respect for their
memory, as " of men, of whose usefulness in the ministry
the most pleasing hopes were entertained. The first
had been for several years a student under the care of
the general committee ; and the other had lately arrived
from Scotland.'*
In ISO';, Rev. Messrs. Johnson and Collins were ap-
pointed a committee to act with the Missionary to the
Indians, in superintending the school, and occasionally
visiting the nation.
It was recommended to the churches and the publick
to encourage, by subscription, the undertaking of Mr.
General View of the Association. 149
Woodward, of Philadelphia, to republish Dr. Gill's Expo-
sition ; and each church was advised to provide a copy
for the use of its minister.
It was determined also, to encourage the author of this
History in his undertaking, the design of which he had
then announced.
In 181O, this Association determined to patronize the
publication of the Confession of Faith, System of Disci-
cipline, and Catechism, in one volume ; and to address
the other Baptist Associations in the State with a view
of obtaining their concurrence.
From 1773, when the first account of additions, &c.
was taken, till 179O, the following changes took place
nineteen new churches were added to the Association
two joined other Associations and three became ex-
tinct. The whole number of churches being twenty-two.
In this period there were baptized 980 received by letter
284 dismissed by letter 520 excommunicated 105
dead 213. Whole number 19O4.
From 1790 till 181O, twenty new churches were ad-
ded seven were dismissed to the Savannah-river Asso-
ciation ^-two were excluded for not maintaining their
representation and two became extinct. The whole
number of churches remaining, thirty-three. In this
period there were baptized 2874 received by letter
6GO dismmissed 1615 excommunicated 458 restor-
ed 56 dead 525. Whole number of members 29O7.
This account closes with 1810. Since that time,
although but one new church has been added to the
Association, yet it has greatly increased, so that in 1812
it contained 3498 members. 52.5 were added that year.
The foregoing history of this Association contains
most of the information which we shall be able to give
of the churches, which it comprises. Of the few follow-
ing, however, it may be proper to give a few historical
sketches.
Congarec. This church, which has been the mother
of a number of others, now belonging to this Association,
originated from the Separate Baptists, and was gathered
in the following manner. About the year 1764, Philip
Mulky began to preach in this neighbourhood, and so
successful were his labours, that in the course of a year
150 Churches of Congaree, of High-Hills of Santee,
or two the following persons were baptized, viz. Wil-
liam Tucker, Jane Curry, Martha Goodwin, Isaac Ray-
ford, Joseph Reese, Thomas Norris, and Timothy Dargan,
(these three afterwards became ministers) Benjamin Bry-
on, Nathan Ellis, John Gill, and others, to the number
of thirty-three, who, in November 1766, were constitu-
ted into a church, by the help of Rev. Joseph Murphy, of
North-Carolina. Concerning the progress of this church,
from a short time after its formation to the present time,
we have but little information. It soon became very
extensive, and branched out on almost every side ;
of these branches, those at the High-Hills of Santee,
Wateree, Twenty -five-mile Creek, and Amelia township,
have since become distinct churches, and now have a
seat in the Charleston Association.
The first pastor of the Congaree church was the fa-
mous Joseph Reese, of whom we have given a biograph-
ical account. Rev. John Newton was for a time as-
sociated with him in the care of this extensive commu-
nity. I can learn but little more respecting him than
that he was a native of Pennsylvania, and was an excel-
lent man. He preached many years in North-Carolina,
in connexion with the Separates, where his labours were
much blest ; he came to Congaree in 1 765, and three
years after received ordination at the hands of Messrs.
Oliver Hart and Evan Pugh, for which, as they were
Regular Baptists, he was censured and silenced, by the
Sandy Creek Association, which assuming body at that
time claimed the jurisdiction of the Congaree church.
After remaining in this situation for some time, he was
restored to his ministry, but never fully engaged in it,
after this arbitrary occurrence. <,
High-Hills of Santee. This is a church of some ce-
lebrity, and as it is a branch of the last mentioned, we
shall briefly state its origin and progress.
About the year 1769, Mr. Jeremiah Dargan preached
in this place, which was then wild and irreligious. Soon
after, Mr. Joseph Reese visited them, and by his preach-
ing alarmed the whole neighbourhood ; and so success-
ful were the labours of these faithful and zealous men,
and particularly the latter, who is considered as the found-
er of the church, that in a short time a great num-
and of Georgetown. 151
ber were baptized, and among them was Dr. Furman
and his first wife. These new converts joined the Con-
garee church, as has already been suggested, and stood
as a branch of that body, until the Santee church was
constituted in 1772. The number of constituents was
about 70. A few months after the church was organized,
Mr. Furman was by them called to the ministry ; he was
ordained here in 1774, by Messrs. Reese and Pugh. Soon
after his ordination he became the pastor of the church,
and continued in that office until 1787, when he re-
moved to Charleston. After his removal, the church
was without a pastor about ten years, when they had
the happiness to settle among them Rev. John M. Rob-
erts, who remains their worthy and useful pastor.
The seat of the original church is about three miles
north of Statebury, and about a hundred north-west of
Charleston. It has two or three other places of worship,
not many miles distant. The Santee church has been
a mother establishment ; for the churches of Ebenezer,
Lynch's Creek, (2d of that name) Upper Fork of Lynch's
Creek, Swift Creek, Bethel, Camden, and Calvary, all
originated from it. Being in a central situation, it has
frequently been the place of the Association's meeting.
Georgetown. It may be seen in the biography of
Rev. William Screven, that he made Georgetown his
place of residence for a number of years in the latter
part of his life ; but it does not appear that there were
ever many Baptists in the place, until ministers of this
order began to be invited heje by Mr. William Cuttiro.
Mr. Cuttiro was a native of the town, but was a resident
in Charleston, where he was baptized by Rev. Oliver
Hart, in 1767. Two years after, he returned and settled
in Georgetown. From this time, by his solicitation
Baptist ministers began to visit the place, Dr. Furman
was the most frequent visitor, as his labours were the
most acceptable. He, for many years, annually spent
several weeks in visiting and administering to the breth-
ren here ; for Mr. Cuttiro had now a number of his fami-
ly and some others united in profession with him, and
by Drs. Furman and Staughton, they were formed into
a church in 1 794. For one year immediately subsequent
to its constitution, this church was supplied by Dr.
152 Church of Beaufort-.
Staughton, now of Philadelphia, who had then just come
to America. In 1797, Rev. Edmund Botsford removed
from the Welsh-Neck church, and settled in the pastoral
office at Georgetown. Mr. Botsford was born at Wo-
burn, in Bedfordshire, England, November, 1745; he
came to America when he was about 20 years of age,
and soon after was baptized by Mr. Hart, of Charleston ;
and after studying with him between two and three
years, he began to preach at Tuckaseeking in Georgia,
in 1771. In that State he tarried about seven years,
when he travelled and preached abundantly with much
success ; but in the American war he was obliged to fly
from the country, with the loss of most of his estate.
He then settled at the Welsh-Neck, where he continued
until he removed to his present situation. Mr. Botsford
was a very successful labourer in the vineyard in his
more active days ; and although his ministry in George-
town has been highly reputable in the view of all, and
much esteemed by the pious, yet it has not been so suc-
cessful as he and his friends could have wished. Most
of the old members have died, and few others have
succeeded them, so that the church is now in a feeble
state. This church has a handsome and commodious
wooden meeting-house, which was well finished in 18O4-.
It stands on a lot of one acre, which was given in reserve
by the Rev. William Screven, when the town was first
laid out ; but was not occupied until almost a hundred
years after his death. This house, which is about 60 feet
long, is situated on a delightful eminence, directly oppo-
site the market-house, and commands a view of the
whole town from the front of it, and of very extensive
rice fields from its rear.
Beaufort* This town is situated on the island of
Port- Royal, about 70 miles S. W. from Charleston, and
is remarkable for its healthy situation, and the hospitality
and politeness of its inhabitants. The Baptist church
here originated from the division of the ancient one at
Evvhaw, and was formed in 1 804.
The foundation for this church was laid by the labours
of Dr. Holcombe, now of Philadelphia, who resided here
a number of years, while he was pastor of the Ewhaw
church, and by whom many of the constituents of the
Church in Columbia.
church were baptized. While Rev. Joseph B. Cook was
pastor at Ewhaw, he also devoted a part of his labours to
this branch of that body ; and soon after the church was
formed, he became its pastor. In this office he contin-
ued until .1809, when he resigned his charge, and is now
settled at Camden, where a church has lately been form-
ed, About the time of Mr. Cook's resignation, Rev.
James Graham, from Scotland, came to the place, and
had the care of the church a short time ; but his con-
nexion with this people was not altogether happy for
himself nor them, and was therefore soon dissolved.
Rev. William S. Brantly, their present pastor, succeed-
ed Mr. Graham. Mr. Brantly is a native of North-Car-
olina, where he was born in 1786. He received consid-
erable assistance towards his education, from the Charles-
ton Education Fund, and graduated at Columbia College
in 18Oy.
The Beaufort church has a valuable and commodious
house of worship, built of a composition of oyster-shells,
and mortar made of the same marine materials.*
Columbia. Although the church in this town is of
a recent date, yet considering its situation and the cir-
cumstances of its origin, it demands a brief description.
In 1 8O4, Jonathan Maxcy, D.D. a Baptist minister, for-
merly President of Rhode-Island College, settled in this
town in the Presidency of the South-Carolina College,
which had been established here a little while before.
The doctor commenced a course of preaching in connex-
ion with his presidential duties, which, however, on ac-
count of debility, he was obliged to relinquish in about six
months. It does not appear that there was much preach-
ing here by the Baptists from this period until 1808,
when Mr. Brantly, now of Beaufort in this State, then
* There are in Beaufort, and along the sea-coast in that region, many state-
ly edifices built of this composition. Oysters of an interiour quality grow here
in an abundance, of which there are no examples in the northern States. 1'hey
appear to t>e short-lived, and the shells are wafted in vast bodies along the
shore, so th;-.t whatever quantities are desired may be procured with ease. A
sufficient portion of them are reduced to lime, and much mortar is necessary
in this work, with which the shells are intermixed, and with this composition
the wall is made, which, when it is thoroughly dry, is as impregnable as rock,
arid I know not but of equal durability. The nicest structures of this kind are
plastered without and within, and m;:ke an elegant appearance, while stables
and coarser buildings, are left in a rough, unplastered state, and present to the
view of a stranger, a ragged and curious sight.
VOL. 2. 20
154 Account of Baptists formerly called Separates.
a student under President Maxcy, by the request of the
inhabitants of Columbia, preached to them about a year,
during the latter part of his residence in College. Next
to him was Mr. Johnson, now of Savannah, who began
preaching here in the beginning of the year ! 809. Mr.
Johnson removed hither from the church at Ewhaw, of
which he was pastor. He found in the place upwards of
twenty Baptist professors, belonging to different church-
es. He began preaching in the College Chapel, and his
ministry was crowned with success. Under him the
church at Columbia arose ; it was founded in the latter
part of the year 1809, of about 36 members,and has now
increased to upwards of K)0, and has erected a commo-
dious brick meeting-house 4O feet square. Since Mr.
Johnson's removal to Savannah, this church is left desti-
tute of a pastor.
The Baptists, whose history we have thus far related,
were denominated Particular or Regular, when these
terms were in use among our southern brethren. They
are the most ancient, and have always been the most ac-
tive and influential in all matters of publick concern ;
although they have for a number of years, been inferiour
in number to those who originated from the Separates.
The beginning of this people in South-Carolina has been
briefly related in the history of the Separate Baptists of
North-Carolina, Virginia, &c. ; and for the purpose of pre-
serving the thread of our history, we have in the preced-
ing narrative given an account of one of these church-
es, viz. the Congaree, with its numerous branches.
What remains is to give as good an account as we can
collect of the Associations and numerous churches,
which have originated from that zealous people, improp-
erly called Separates, who were devout and successful
almost to a proverb, wherever they began their early and
evangelical exertions.
Mr. Furman's history does not describe this people, as
it is confined to the Charleston Association. Mr. Ed-
wards has left some sketches of their history ; and the
author of this work travelled much among them, and
took much pains in his historical inquiries respecting
them ; yet he will be able to say but little of them, com-
pared with what has been said of their brethren in the
Fairforest Church. 155
lower parts of the State ; partly for the want of histori-
cal facts of any kind, and partly for the want of such, as
would make a diffusive narrative sufficiently interesting
to the reader.
/ ^xAbout the year 1760, a number of the Separate min-
isters of the Sandy Creek connexion in North-Carolina,
began to travel and settle in this State, some a little be-
; fore and others a little after the above-mentioned pe-
riod. Among the ministers, Daniel Marshall and Philip
Mulky appear to have been the most distinguished.
These evangelical adventurers were accompanied by
many of their brethren in their removals. Marshall
settled at Beaver Creek, where he soon gathered a church.
Here he tarried not long before he removed to Stephen's
Creek, where he gathered another, and then crossed
over the Savannah River and settled in Georgia, where
the remainder of his useful life was spent in the service
of his Master.
Mr. Mulky exercised his ministry in different places,
in the upper regions of this State, where he was for
many years a very reputable and successful minister ; but
the latter part of his life was most sadly beclouded. The
Fairforest church, now belonging to the Bethel Associa-
tion, was founded by him, and as it is the oldest of the
Separate Baptists in the State, and became the mother
of many others, we shall relate its early history at large.
In the year 1759, Philip Mulky and wife, Stephen How-
ard and wife, Obadiah Howard and wife, Joseph Breed
and wife, Benjamin Gist and wife, Charles Thompson,
Thomas Thompson, and Rachel Collins, all members of
Deep River church in North-Carolina, arrived in this
State, and settled first at Broad River, where they em-
bodied into a church, and chose Mr. Mulky for their pas-
tor. After tarrying here about two years, and increas-
ing to 1O4, the above-named thirteen persons, (leaving
the rest behind) removed to Fairforest, where they were
again formed into a church in 1762, which, in about ten
years, increased to 167 members. Some of their habi-
tations were a hundred miles from each other ; and be*
sides the main establishment, there were four branches,
which, in process of time, were organized into distinct
churches.
156 Bethel Association.
Mr. Mulky's conversion, as related by Mr. Edwards,
was truly remarkable. His success in the ministry, says
this historian, was so great, that he became exalted
above measure in his own esteem, and in that of his con-
verts ; but at length, to the grief of the friends of Zion,
he began to stumble, and soon fell into many heinous
sins, and remained, when an old man, an outcast from
the church, and a disgrace to that precious cause, of
which he had been such an eminent champion.
In 1771, the following churches, viz. Fairforest,
Stephen's Creek, Congaree, Bush River, Little River of
Broad River, Little River of Saluda, and Mine Creek,
formed an Association, to which they gave the name of
Congaree. This body, by the means of Morgan Edwards,
soon opened a correspondence with the Philadelphia As-
sociation ; other churches united with it soon after it
was formed, and it travelled well for a time. But the
old New-England Pedobaptist policy, which Shubael
Stearns introduced into the Sandy Creek Association,