According to Dr. Spencer in his History of Kentucky Baptists (Vol. 1, page 581), "The Baptist denomination of Kentucky was never more prosperous than in the year 1820, (just before Boone's Creek Association was constituted). The churches and associations were enjoying great peace, if we except one or two slight interruptions. The spirit of missions had been greatly revived and the churches were contributing more liberally to foreign missions than those of any other portion of the United States; they had at this period a corps of ministers, who in all the elements of success ranked favorably with any on the continent." Among the list of the eight preachers named by Dr. Spencer is one that Boone's Creek Association loves to honor, namely, Dr. William Vaughan, for he was a product of that Association. He was a noted infidel at Winchester, Kentucky, before his conversion, after which he became a great preacher and theologian, of 1820, the ante-mission spirit began to develop, and elder Alexander Campbell began his preaching in Kentucky, although the doctrine which he preached had preceded him to the State, and he soon had many followers, even from the Baptist churches.
It was during this period that Boone's Creek Association was constituted, and even as early as that we can see the efforts of Campbell bearing fruit within the territory of Boone's Creek Association, for in one of the preliminary meetings looking toward the constitution of that Association there was inserted in the proposed constitution a clause that the Lord's Supper be observed on the second day of the Association. As a result of the firm stand taken by Boone's creek Church opposing that objectionable clause, it was eliminated from the constitution. (See Boone's Creek Church.)
A short account of the origin of Boone's Creek Association is found in the first record book of that Association, which reads in part as follows: "The churches now comprising this Association (meaning the constituent churches), were formerly members of Elkhorn, Tate's Creek and North District Associations. These Bodies being large and unwieldy, and the geographical bounds very large, it was thought by members now comprising this Association that to form a new association would be for the happiness of the members **** and more convenient as to distance. With reference to the above views Mt. Gilead Church of Fayette County, Kentucky, took the subject into consideration on the 17th of November, 1821 and on the 15th day of December following, appointed messengers to visit the neighboring churches and solicit their co-operation. The result of this was that on the 1st day of May 1822, messengers from Mt. Gilead, Bogg's Fork, Boone's Creek, Mt. Union and the First Baptist Church of Lexington, Kentucky, met at Cross Plains (now Athens), Fayette County. James Fishback was chosen moderator and William Boone clerk of this meeting. The messengers agreed that it was desirable to organize a new association, but adjourned to meet again on the 2nd day of October 1822, at Boone's Station in relation to the same business. (See account of this meeting under Boone's Creek church.) According to appointment the messengers convened at Boone's Station on the 2nd day of October. A committee was appointed to draft a constitution and report next day. On the next day, October 3rd, the committee reported a form of Constitution and rules of decorum. The convention adjourned to meet again at Bogg's Fork Church on the 25th day of April, 1823. The prepared constitution was sent to the several churches which underwent considerable alteration in all the churches, except the First Baptist of Lexington, who wished it to stand unaltered. The messengers from four churches (the First Church of Lexington not represented), met at Boggs' Fork Church on the time appointed, and a constitution was agreed upon on the second day of the convention, Aprl 26th, 1823. The convention then appointed the 28th day of May, 1823 as the day to be constituted. On that day messengers from Mt. Gilead, Bogg's Fork, Hickman and Boone's Creek Churches met at Mt. Gilead Church, Fayette County, and elected Jacob Creath moderator and William Steerman, Clerk. Other ministers present were J. Vardeman, John Smith, J. Collins, Thomas Boone and James Quisenberry. The constitution, as previously adopted by the churches was read and again sanctioned by the messengers as their constitution. This constitution has never been altered during the hundred years existence as an association, except one slight change in Article 15, made at the annual session of the Association in the year 1922.
"Certificate of organization, May 28th, 1823: This is to certify that having been called upon by the churches of Boggs' Fork, Boone's Creek, Mt. Gilead and Hickman to officiate as a presbytery in the constitution of an association composed of their mmebers whom they have chosen for that purpose, in pursuance therewith we have this day met at Mt. Gilead, in Fayette County, Kentucky, and after the necessary inquiry and examination, proceeded to constitute an association called Boone's Creek. Given under our hands this day and date above, Jacob Creath, William Steerman."
The association then elected ELder George G. Boone moderator and Elder B.W. Riley Clerk, Rules of decorum were agreed upon and correspondence opened with Elkhorn, Tate' Creek, North District and South District Associations. The membership of the Association was 400.
The next meeting was in September, 1823, Elder Richard Morton moderator, B.W. Riley clerk. Providence, Mt. Union and Hind's Creek were received a this meeting. No further mention will be made in the body of this article of the names of officers of the Association or preachers who delivered the introductory sermon, except, n a few instances, as this information will be found in the Historical Statistical Table at the end of thi article.
At the next meeting in 1824, Mt. Moriah and Lower Bethel Churches were received into the Association. At the next annual meeting in 1825, Friendship and Nicholasville Churches were added to the membership. Mt. Zion and Liberty Churches joined the Association in 1826, and Indian Creek was received in 1827. At the latter session the membership was 985.
The Association met with Friendship Church at Winchester Kentucky, in 1823, and at this time it was composed of thirteen churches, with a membrship of 1,835. It seems that nearly all the churches had large ingatherings during that year, as the minutes show that there were 869 baptisms. This large increase in numbers was also very noticable in other associations, especially in the northern and middle portions of the state, particularly where the followers of Mr. Campbell preached "baptism for the remission of sins". Dr. Spencer says: "It is to be feared that a majority of those baptized during this revival were not converted in the Baptism of that term." It only hastened the day of separation between the Baptists and Reformers, many of the latter having membership in Baptist churches and affiliating with the Baptist Associations.
At the Session of Boone's Creek Association held with Friendship Church in 1828, there began a movement that terminated in the separation of the Baptists and Reformers at the session in 1829. (See Friendship Church). A resolutin was adopted in 1828, in part as follows: "That the Association is decidedly of the opinion that the word of God does not authorize or prescribe any form of that constitution for an association in our present organized state **** we therefore recommend to the churches an abolition of this resolution, viz.:
Resolved, That we the churches of Jesus Christ believing the Scriptures of the Old and new Testament to be the word of God, and the only rule of faith and obedience given by the great head of the churches for its government, do agree to meet annually on the 3rd Saturday Lord's Day and Monday in September of each year for the worship of God and on such various occasions voluntarily communicate the state of religion amongst us by letter and messengers."
This resolution was brought about the influence of Elders "Raccoon" John Smith, Jacob Creath, Jr. and William Morton, all three of whom had reached at this session of the Association and were strong advocates of the doctrine of Elder Campbell, yet affiliatin gwith Baptist churches and associations. Likewise through their influence was the following motion carried: On motion agreed after preaching of the Lord's Day to unite with the church at the place and our brethren generally in participation of the Lord's Supper. This is the on ly recorded instance of the Lord's Supper being observed at a session of Boone's Creek Association.
Little by little the storm grew, until it became of such magnitude that it swept down upon Hind's Creek, in Madison County, in September 1829, where the Association was in session, and sank six out of the thirteen battle ships of Boone's Creek Association in the sea of baptismal regeneration. When the resolution referred to above was put to a vote, the churches of Friendship, Nicholasville, Lower Bethel, Mt. Zion and Mt. Union voted to abolish the constitution of the Association. |
