Time of their Settlement at Sandy-Creek, North-Carolina,
1 755, to the Division of their extensive Connexion, in 1 77O.
THE appellation of Separates first began to be given to
a set of Pedobaptist reformers, whose evangelical zeal \vas
produced by the instrumentality of the famous George
Whitefield, and other eminent itinerant preachers of that
day, and who began their extraordinary career about the
year 1740. Soon after these reformers, who were at
first called New-Lights, and afterwards Separates, were
organized into distinct Societies, they were joined by Shu-
bael Stearns, a native of Boston, (Mass.) who, becoming
a. preacher, laboured among them until 17-51, when he
embraced the sentiments of the Baptists, as many others
of the Pedobaptist Separates did about this time, and soon
after was baptized by Rev. Wait Palmer. Mr. Stearns
was ordained the same year in Tolland, (Conn.) the town
in which he was baptized, by the said Wait Palmer and
Joshua Morse, the former being pastor of the church in
Stonington, and the latter of New-London, in Connec-
ticut.
Mr. Stearns and most of the Separates had strong faith
in the immediate teachings of the Spirit. They believ-
ed, that to those who sought him earnestly, God often
gave evident tokens of his will. That such indications
of the divine pleasure, partaking of the nature of inspira-
tion, were above, though not contrary to reason, and that
following these, still leaning in every step upon the same
wisdom and power by which they were first actuated,
they would inevitably be led to the accomplishment of the
two great objects of a Christian's life, the glory of God
and the salvation of men. Mr. Stearns, listening to
some of these instructions of Heaven, as he esteemed
them, conceived himself called upon by the Almighty to
move far to the westward, to execute a great and exten-
sive work. Incited by his impressions, in the year 17-54.
he and a few of his members, took their leave of Nev-
'33 Shubael Stearns and others form a Church.
England. He halted first at Opeckon, in Berkley
county, Virginia, where he found a Baptist church under
the care of the Rev. John Garrard, \vho received him
kindly. Here also he met his brother-in-law, the Rev.
Daniel Marshall, who was also a Separate, and of whom
much will be said in the history of the southern Baptists,
just returned from his mission among the Indians, and
who, after his arrival at this place, had become a Baptist.
They joined companies, and settled for a while on Caca-
pou, in Hampshire county, about SO miles from Winches-
ter. Here, Stearns not meeting with his expected suc-
cess, felt restless. Some of his friends had moved to
North- Carolina ; he received letters from these, informing
him, that preaching was greatly desired by the people of
that country ; that in some instances they had rode 4O
miles to hear one sermon. He and his party once more
got under way, and, travelling about '2OO miles, came to San-
dy-creek, in Guilford county, North-Carolina. Here he
took up his permanent residence. The number of families
in Stearns's company were 8, and the number of communi-
cants 16, viz. Shubael Stearns and wife, Peter Stearns
and wife, Ebenezer Stearns and wife, Shubael Stearns, jun.
and wife, Daniel Marshall and wife, Joseph Breed and
wife, Enos Stimson and wife, Jonathan Polk and wife.
As soon as they arrived, they built them a little meeting-
house, and these 1 6 persons formed themselves into a
church, and chose Shubael Stearns for their pastor, who
had, for his assistants at that time, Daniel Marshall and
Joseph Breed, neither of whom were ordained.
The inhabitants about this little colony of Baptists, al-
though brought up in the Christian religion, were grossly
ignorant of its essential principles. Having the form of
godliness, they knew nothing of its power. Stearns and
his party, of course, brought strange things to their ears.
To be born again, appeared to them as absurd as it did to
the Jewish doctor, when he asked, if he must enter the
second time into his mother's womb and be born. Hav-
ing always supposed that religion consisted in nothing more
than the practice of its outward duties, they could not
comprehend how it should be necessary to feel conviction
and conversion ; and to be able to ascertain the time and
place of one's conversion, was, in their estimation, won-
Difficulty about Marshall's Ordination. S ( J
derful indeed. These points were all strenuously contend-
ed for by the new preachers. But their manner of preach-
ing was, if possible, much more novel than their doctrines.
The Separates in New-England had acquired a very warm
and pathetic address, accompanied by strong gestures and
a singular tone of voice. Being often deeply affected
themselves when preaching, correspondent affections were
felt by their pious hearers, which were frequently express-
ed by tears, trembling, screams, and acclamations of grief
and joy. All these they brought with them into their
new habitation, at which the people were greatly astonish-
ed, having never seen things on this wise before. Many
mocked, but the power of God attending them, many also
trembled. In process of time, some of the inhabitants be-
came converts, and bowed obedience to the Redeemer's
sceptre. These uniting their labours with the others, a
powerful and extensive work commenced, and Sandy-
creek church soon swelled from 16 to 606 members.
Daniel Marshall, though not possessed of great talents,
was indefatigable in his labours. He sallied out into the
adjacent neighbourhoods, and planted the Redeemer's
standard in many of the strong holds of Satan. At Ab-
bot's-creek, about thirty miles from, Sandy-creek, the
gospel prospered so largely, that they petitioned the moth-
er church for a constitution, and for the ordination of
Mr. Marshall as their pastor. The church was constitu-
ted ; Mr. Marshall accepted the call, and went to live
among them. His ordination, however, was a matter of
some difficulty. It required, upon their principles, a plu-
rality of elders to constitute a presbytery. Mr. Stearns
was the only ordained minister among them. In this di-
lemma, they were informed, that there were some Regu-
lar Baptist preachers living on Pedee river, (S. C.) To
one* of these, Mr. Stearns applied, and requested him to
assist him in the ordination of Mr. Marshall. This re-
quest lie sternly refused, declaring that he held no fellow-
ship with Stearns's party j that he be'ieved them to be a
disorderly set j suffering women to pray in public, and
permitting every ignorant man to preach that chose ; and
that they encouraged noise and confusion in their meet-
* This minister was, probably, Rev. Nicholas Btx'.gegocd, n* Jmt time pas-
tor ot" the church at \\>hh Tract.
4-0 Marshall's, Lane's and Harris's successful Labours.
ings. Application was then made to Mr. Leadbetter, who
was then pastor of the church on Lynch's-creek, Craven
county, South-Carolina, and who was a brother-in-law of
Mr. Marshall. He and Mr. Stearns ordained Mr. Mar-
shall to the care of this new church. The work of grace
continued to spread, and several preachers were raised in
North-Carolina. Among others was James Read, who
was afterwards very successful in Virginia. When he
first began to preach he was very illiterate, not knowing
how to read or write. His wife became his instructor,
and he soon acquired learning sufficient to enable him to
read the Scriptures.
The gospel was carried by Mr. Marshall into the
parts of Virginia, adjacent to the residence of this re-
ligious colony, soon after their settlement. He baptized
several persons in some of his first visits. Among them
was Button Lane, who, shortly after his baptism, began
to preach. A revival succeeded, and Mr. Marshall at
one time baptized 4'2 persons. In August, 1760, a church
was constituted, and Mr. Lane became their pastor. This
was the first Separate Baptist church in Virginia, and in
some sense the mother of all the rest. The church pros-
pered much under the ministry of Mr. Lane, aided by the
occasional visits of Mr. Marshall and Mr. Stearns. They
endured much persecution, but God prospered them, and
delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies.
Soon after Mr. Lane's conversion, the power of God
was effectual in the conversion of Samuel Harris, a man
of great distinction in those parts. But upon being hon-
oured of God, he laid aside all worldly honours, and be-
came a labourer in the Lord's vineyard. In 1 759, he was
ordained a ruling elder. From the commencement of his
ministry, for about seven years, his labours were devoted
chiefly to his own and the adjacent counties. Being oft-
en with Mr. Marshall in his ministerial journies, he caught
the zeal, diligence, and indeed the manners of this zeal-
ous evangelist. His labours were crowned with the bless-
ing of Heaven wherever he went. Stearns, though not
as laborious as Marshall, was not idle. He seems to have,
possessed the talent of arranging the materials when col-
lected, and well understood discipline and church gov-
ernment.
Marshall travels south. 4 1
Marshall's impressions led him to travel farther south*
Accordingly, after prosecuting his successful ministry a
few years in North-Carolina, and the neighbouring parts
of Virginia, he took an affectionate leave of the church
over which he presided, and of his friends in that re-
gion, and settled on Beaver-Creek, in South-Carolina,
not far from 2OO miles to the north-west of Charles-
ton. Marshall, after tarrying a few years at different
places in South-Carolina, and having been the instru-
ment of raising up a number of churches, and laying
the foundation for many others, in 1771 removed to
Georgia, and settled on the Hioka-creek, about 18 miles
to the west of Augusta, where a church was soon gather-
ed by his means, as some of his brethren had removed
into that place before him. Mr. Marshall was accom-
panied by a few of the North-Carolina Separates, on his
removal from them, and was soon followed by others.)
among whom were some ministers^ particularly Joseph
Breed and Philip Mulky, the last of whom was, for ma-
ny years, a very famous and successful preacher in
South- Carolina ; and by the labours of those preachers
and some others, who were soon raised up in the parts,
seven churches were gathered by the year 1770, some
of which were very large, and consisted of a num-
ber of branches, which were shortly after formed into
distinct churches*
While Marshall was sojourning southward, and plant-
ing churches in the various places where he pitched his
frequent habitations, Harris bent his course to the north-
ward, amongst his rude and insolent countrymen the
Virginians ; and while his brethren were thus engaged
to the north and south of him, Stearns maintained his
station at Sandy-creek, where his labours were greatly
blessed ; he however often travelled a*considerable dis-
tance in the country around, to assist in organizing and
regulating the churches which he and his associates were
instrumental in raising up. Thus the Separate Baptists "
were headed by three most distinguished men ; distin-
guished not for human acquirements, but for purity of
life, and godly simplicity, which they, amidst the ship-
wrecks of many, maintained to the end ; and for a pious
ardour and invincible boldness and perseverance in their
VOL. 2. 6
42 Remarkable Things of the Sandy-creek Church.
Master's service. Other preachers were soon raised up
under their ministry, whose zealous and abundant la-
bours were crowned with great success, so that the Sep-
arates, in a few years became truly a great people, and
their churches were scattered over a country whose
whole extent from north to south, was about 50O miles ;
and Sandy-creek church, the mother of them all, was
not far from the centre of the two extremes.
" Very remarkable things (said Morgan Edwards, in
1775) may be said of this church, worthy a place in Gil-
lis's book, and inferior to no instance he gives of the
modern success of the gospel in different parts of the
world. It began with 16 souls, and in a short time in-
creased to 606, spreading its branches to Deep-river and
Abbot's-creek, which branches are gone to other prov-
inces, and most of the members of this church have fol-
lowed them ; insomuch, that in 17 years it is reduced
from 606 to 1 4 souls. The cause of this dispersion was
the abuse of power which too much prevailed in the
province, and caused the inhabitants at last to rise up in
arms, and fight for their privileges ; but being routed,
. May 16, 1771, they despaired of seeing better times, and
therefore quitted the province. It is said 150O families
departed since the battle of Almance, and, to my knowl-
edge, a great many more are only waiting to dispose of
their plantations, in order to follow them. This is to
me an argument, that their grievances were real, and
their oppression great, notwithstanding all that has been
said to the contrary.
" The church at Little-river was no less remarkable
than the one already mentioned ; for this was constitut-
ed in 1760, five years after the Sandy-creek, and in
three years it increased from 5 to 500, and built five
meeting-houses ; but this church was also reduced by
the provincial troubles and consequent dispersion of the
inhabitants, mentioned above.
vl " But to return. Sandy-creek church is the mother of
all the Separate Baptists. From this Zion went forth the
word, and great was the company of them who published
it. This church, in seventeen years, has spread her branch-
es westward as far as the great river Missisippi ; south-
ward as far as Georgia; eastward to the sea and Chesapeak
Samuel Harris's Labours in Virginia. 4*3
Bay j and northward to the waters of Potomack ; it, in
seventeen years, is become mother, grandmother, and
great-grandmother, to 42 churches, from which sprang
125 ministers, many of which are ordained and support
the sacred character, as well as any set of clergy in
America ; and if some have turned out bad, where is
there a set of clergy that can throw the first stone, and
say, " We all are good ?" As for the outcries, epilepsies,
and ecstasies attending their ministry, they are not pe-
culiar to them ; the New-England Presbyterians had
these long before ; and in Virginia it is well known,
that the same effects attend the ministry of some clergy-
men of the church of England, particularly Rev. Messrs.
Derreaux Garret, and Archibald M'Roberts. The en-
chantment of sounds, attended with corresponding ac-
tions, have produced greater effects than these ; though
I believe a preternatural and invisible hand works in the
assemblies of the Separate Baptists, bearing down the hu-
man mind, as was the case in primitive churches. 1
Cor. xiv. 25."
But Virginia, in about ten years after their settle-
ment, became, to the Separates, their principal scene of
action, of suffering, and success. Their movements
here, we shall now proceed to state ; being prepared,
from Semple's History, to give a more extensive and
circumstantial account of them, in this, than in the oth-
er States.
Harris seemed destined of God to labour more ex-
tensively in Virginia, than in any other State. And
having done much good in his own neighbourhood,
in the year 1765, the time arrived for him to extend
his labours. In January of this year, Allen Wyley, an
inhabitant of Culpepper, and who had been baptized by
David Thomas, hearing of the Separate Baptist preach-
ers, travelled as far as Pittsylvania, in order to get one
or more of them to come and preach in his own county.
He travelled on, scarcely knowing whither he went ;
but an unseen hand directed his course. He providen-
tially fell in with one of Mr. Harris's meetings. When he
came into the meeting-house, Mr. H. fixed his eyes upon
him, being impressed previously, that he had some ex-
traordinary message. He asked him whence he came, &c.
Mr. W. told him his errand. Upon which, after some
44- Samuel Harris's Success in Preaching.
deliberation, believing him to be sent of God, Mr. H.
agreed to go. Taking three days to prepare, he set out
with Wyley, having no meetings on the way, yet ex-
horting and praying at every house where he went.
Arriving in Culpepper, his first meeting was at Wy-
ley's own house. He preached the first day without in-
terruption, and made appointments for the next. But
when he began his meeting, such violent opposition was
made by a company, who appeared with whips, sticks,
clubs, and other rustick weapons, as to hinder his la-
bours ; in consequence of which, he went, that night,
over to Orange county, and preached with much effect.
He continued many days preaching from place to place,
atrended by great crowds, and followed throughout his
meetings by several persons who had been either lately
converted, or seriously awakened, under the ministry of
the Regular Baptists, and also by many who had been
alarmed by his own labours. When Mr. Harris left
them, he exhorted them to be stedfast, and advised
some in whom he discovered talents, to commence the
exercise of their gifts, and to hold meetings among
themselves. In this ministerial journey, Mr. Harris
sowed much good seed, which yielded afterwards great
increase. The young converts took his advice, and be-
gan to hold meetings every Sabbath, and almost every
night in the week, taking a tobacco-house for their
meeting-house. After proceeding in this way for some
time, they applied to Mr. David Thomas, who lived
somewhere north of the Rappahannock, to come and
preach for them, and teach them the ways of God more
perfectly ; he came, but in his preaching expressed some
disapprobation of the preaching of sucli weak and illite-
rate persons. This was like throwing cold water upon
their flaming zeal ; they took umbrage, and resolved to
send once more for Mr. Harris. Some time in the year
1766, and a short time after Mr. Thomas's preaching,
three of the party, viz. Elijah Craig and two others,
travelled to Mr. Harris's house, in order to procure his
services in Orange and the adjacent parts, to preach and
baptize the new converts. They found, to their sur-
prise, that he had not been ordained to the administra-
tion of the ordinances. To remedy this inconve^
James Read, of North-Carolina. 4s
liience, he carried them about 60 miles into North-Car-
olina to get James Read, who was ordained.
There is something singular in the exercise of Mr.
Read about this time. He was impressed with au
opinion that he had frequent teachings from God ; and
indeed, from the account given by himself, we musr
either doubt his veracity, or admit that his impressions
were supernatural. He declares that respecting his
preaching in Virginia, for many weeks, he had no rest
in his spirit. Asleep or awake, he felt his soul earn-
estly impressed with strong desires to go to Virginia, to
preach the gospel. In his dreams he thought that God
would often shew him large congregations of Virginians
assembled to hear preaching. He was sometimes heard
by his family to cry out in his sleep, " O Virginia ! Vir-
ginia ! Virginia 1" Mr. Graves, a member of his
church, a good man, discovering his anxiety, and believ-
ing his impressions to be from God, offered to accom-
pany him. Just as they were preparing to set out,
Mr. Harris and the three messengers mentioned above,
came for him to go with them. The circumstances so
much resemble Peter's call from Joppa to Caesarea,
that we can hardly for a moment hesitate in placing
implicit confidence in its being a contrivance of Di-
vine Wisdom.
Mr. Read agreed to go, without much hesitation.
One of the messengers from Spottsylvania went on to
appoint meetings on the way. The two preachers, after
filling up some appointments in their own parts, pursued
their contemplated journey, accompanied by Mr. Graves
and the other two. In about two weeks they arrived
in Orange, within the bounds of Blue-Run Church, as
it now stands. When they came in sight, and saw a
very large congregation, they were greatly affected.
After a few minutes of prayer and reflection, they re-
covered their courage, and entered upon their great
work. They preached with much effect on that day.
The next day they preached at Elijah Craig's, where ii
vast crowd attended. David Thomas and John Garrard.
both preachers of the Regular Order, were at this
meeting. The ministers on both sides seemed desirous
to unite, but the people were against it ; the larger par;
46 Revivals of Religion 'under ReaC and Harris.
siding with the Separates. As they could not unite,
the next day being Sabbath, both parties held meetings
but a small distance from each other. Baptism was ad-
ministered by both. These things widened the breach.
Messrs. Read and Harris, however, continued their
ministrations. Mr. Read baptized 19 the first day, and
more on the days following. They went through Spott-
sylyania into the upper parts of Caroline, Hanover, and
Goochland, sowing the seeds of grace and peace in many
places. So much were they inspirited by these meet-
ing*, that they made appointments to come again the
next year. In their second visit, they were accompa-
nied by the Rev. Dutton Lane, who assisted them in
constituting and organizing the first Separate Baptist
church between the Rappahannock and James-river.
This took place on the 20th of November, 1767. The
church was called Upper Spottsylvania, and consisted of
25 members, including all the Separate Baptists north of
James-river. This was a mother to many other
churches.
Read and Harris continued to visit these parts for
about three years, with wonderful effect. In one of
their visits, they baptized 75 at one time, and in the
course of one of their journies, which generally lasted
several weeks, they baptized upwards of 20O. It was
not uncommon, at their great meetings, for many hun-
dreds of men to encamp on the ground, in order to be
present the next day. The night meetings, through the
great work of God, continued very late j the ministers
would scarcely have an opportunity to sleep. Some-
times the floor would be covered with persons struck
down under the conviction of sin. It frequently hap-
pened, that when they would retire to rest at a late
hour, they would be under the necessity of arising
again, through the earnest cries of the penitent. There
were instances of persons travelling more than one hun-
dred miles to one of these meetings ; to go forty or
fifty was not uncommon.
On account of the great increase of members, through
the labours of Messrs. Read and Harris, aided by a num-
ber of young preachers, it was found necessary to con-
stitute several other churches.
Great Success of the Separates in Virginia. 47
Read and Harris, particularly the latter, were men of
great zeal and indefatigable diligence and perseverance
in their Master's cause. Their spirit was caught by-
many of the young prophets in Orange and Spottsylva-
nia. Lewis and Elijah Craig, John Waller, James
Childs, John Burrus, and others, animated by an ardent
desire for the advancement of their Master's kingdom,
sallied forth in every direction, spreading the tidings of
peace and salvation wherever they went. Most of them
illiterate, yet illumined by the wisdom from above, they
would defend and maintain the cause of truth, against
the arguments of the most profound. Without visible
sword or buckler, they moved on steady to their pur-
pose, undismayed by the terrifick hosts of Satan, which
were backed by the strong arm of civil authority. Magis-
trates and mobs, priests and sheriffs, courts and prisons,
all vainly combined to divert them from their object.
Their labours were not limited to their own counties.
In Goochland, Messrs. Harris and Read had baptized
several ; among whom was Reuben Ford, who had pro-
fessed vital faith about seven years before, under the
ministry of the renowned Whitefield and Davis. Mr.
Ford was baptized in the year 1769, by James Read.
These plants were watered by the labours of the Spott-
sylvania preachers, particularly J. Waller, who, early in
his visits to Goochland, baptized William Webber anc'
Joseph Anthony, who, with Reuben Ford, had been ex-
horting, &c. previous to their being baptized. By the
united labours of these several servants of God, the
work of godliness progressed in Goochland and round
about. These young preachers were no sooner capti-
vated by the King of Zion, than they immediately be-
gan to fight under his banner. Their success was equal
to their diligence ; many believed, and were baptized in