by
James A. Kirtley
This document was edited by James R. Duvall, M. A.
A number of brethren and sisters residing in the vicinity of Big Bone Springs, most of whom were members of the Middle Creek [now Belleview] Baptist Church, having thoughtfully and prayerfully considered the matter, and having been encouraged by the hearty concurrence of the mother church and her pastor, were on the 25th of May, 1843, by a large and judicious council convened by request, at the Wallace school house, recognized and solemnly declared to be the Baptist Church of Christ at Big Bone.
The constituent members, numbering forty-four persons, were as follows: Males - Robert Huey, Dr. James R. Hawkins, Thos. Huey, Samuel Huey, John Q. Johnson, John C. Riley, William Mason, Samuel Mason, Richard B. Johnson, Oscar W. Huey, James T. Mason, Henderson Davis, John Mason, G. W. Huey, Jacob Hardisty, Thomas Mason, Robert M. Fowler, George G. Johnson, Elisha Wells, John McHatten and Robert, a colored man.
Females - Matilda Huey, Sarah A, Hawkins, Elizabeth Allen, Jane Huey, Nancy Mason, Caroline McManama, Lucinda Mason, Elvira Huey, Henrietta Huey, Mary Jane Mason, Cynthia Johnson, Sarah Mason, Nancy Mason, Isabella Allen, Martha E. Allen, Elizabeth Davis, Mary Jane Huey, Nancy Keenan, Elvira Johnson, Nancy McHatten, Emily McHatten, Jane and Margaret, colored sisters.
Of this enrolled membership, only about twelve survive: four males and eight females. And of that number only eight continue members of this church, viz., brethren J. C. Riley, Washington Huey, Jas. T. Mason, and sisters Matilda Huey, Caroline McManama, Lucinda Mason, Isabella Allen and Nancy McHatten.
Three sisters uniting in this organization were formerly members of East Bend Baptist Church. The others were from Middle Creek, the most of whom had professed religion during the great revival of 1842.
Middle Creek Baptist Church shared liberally in this gracious revival. Some of her faithful members, whose hearts and homes were ever ready to welcome the minister of the Word, and the worship of God, resided in this vicinity, and having a great care and anxiety for their households, and their neighbors, greatly desired the more frequent publication of the gospel among them. An arm of Middle Creek Baptist Church was extended to this locality, authorizing her pastor, Eld. Robt. Kirtley, and the brethren who should be associated with him in his meetings, to extend the usual opportunity, to receive on a profession of faith and baptize such into her fellowship.
?The word of the Lord grew and multiplied.? A large number in this community professed Christ during the fall and winter of 1842, and Big Bone Baptist Church is properly the fruit of this revival.
The church held her first business meeting immediately after the organization, May 25th, 1843. Appointed Robt. Huey moderator and Dr. James R. Hawkins clerk; and arranged to hold another business meeting on the fourth Saturday in the same month, in connection with worship on the Lord?s day. At which time the church fixed upon the fourth Saturday in the month as the time of her regular business meeting, and extended to Eld. Robert Kirtley an earnest and unanimous invitation to become her pastor.
The invitation was accepted in the spirit in which it was given, and he who had preached to them in the day of their espousal, who had baptized the most of them, and had counseled them in all their undertakings, in the affectionate spirit of a Father in the gospel, entered upon this service, which was continued through a number of years with the manifest blessings of God. At this same meeting sister Adaline Allen was received for baptism. The first after the organization of the church. Brethren Robt. Huey, Dr. J. R. Hawkins, Samuel Mason, Jacob Hardisty and John V. Johnson were appointed trustees; and brother Samuel Mason agreed to act as sexton.
Several Pages Omitted. See below for full text. This remark in the omitted section was interesting:
The year 1849 was signalized by the fearful ravages of cholera through many sections of our country. Our own county suffered much. The church set apart the first Friday in August as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer.
The present associational year has been a very remarkable one in the history of the church. a good interest was manifested in the meetings during the months of September and October. There was one addition by baptism. On the second Lord?s day in November a meeting was commenced. The church seemed in a good degree prepared for it - ready to come together, anxious to hear the Gospel. ?The time to favor Zion had come.? On the day following the commencement of the meeting Brother E. N. Dicken met with us, ?coming in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ.? His preaching during the two weeks of the continuance of the meeting ?was not with enticing words of man?s wisdom,? but certainly seemed to us ?in demonstration of the spirit and power of God.? Never in all the experience of the writer was it more apparent that the Lord was with His people. An earnest spirit of devotion engaged the membership. A cordial Christian sympathy an a spirit of hearty co-operation grew and increased from day to day, until a climax seemed to be reached, when the whole church appeared to be overpowered by a conscious realization of the presence of God, and were melted into one common unity of love, thought and action. Fear came upon all the people, and believers in very considerable numbers, ?were added to the Lord.? During the meeting, which was continued but two weeks, there were forty-four additions, and eight at subsequent meetings, which together with the one in October, make fifty-three additions by baptism during the associational year. Of that number there were twenty-nine males and twenty-four females, eighteen heads of families and two entire households. The influence of this glorious revival has been very marked and salutary, both upon the membership and community. The church has had her faith strengthened, her zeal inflamed, and the growth and activity of her membership greatly stimulated. Through the following months she has kept up with unabated interest two largely attended weekly prayer meetings, one assembling at her regular place of worship and the other in an adjoining neighborhood at the houses of Brethren John Mitchell and John Sebree.
In addition to the regular Sunday School, which is continued during the entire year, and which has been sustained with increased spirit and zeal, two mission schools have been organized, one at Union and the other at Hamilton, and are conducted with hopeful prospects. The year, however, has not passed without sad and afflictive providences. The church has been called to lament the loss of three of her aged and esteemed members - Sister F. Grimsley, on the 19th of March and Sister Nancy McHatten on the 21st of July. Brother John C. Riley, who had participated earnestly, faithfully and joyfully in the late revival, began perceptibly to fail during the closing winter months, and on the 21st of March passed to his reward above. Like Robert Huey, he was identified with the church in all her work from the beginning - was one of her first deacons, and continued to magnify his office till death. He was esteemed very highly among the brethren, and regarded as a pillar in the church. Subsequent to the decrease of Brother Riley, who, also, for many years was Clerk, the church, with singular unanimity, on the fourth Saturday in June chose Brethren B. M. Allen, G. W. Huey and David Clements, who, at the following monthly meeting on the fourth Saturday in July, in the presence of a large assembly, were set apart by ordination to the office of deacon, and Brother T. L. Utz was chosen Clerk.
The benefluence of the church during the past years can not now, with any degree of accuracy, be minutely detailed. She has usually made her annual contributions to the benevolent work of the denomination. During the past year her contributions to the State and Associational Missions, to Foreign Missions, Home and Indian Missions, and to aid in building houses of worship, have amounted to $380. The present state of the church is now characterized by a remarkable measure of peace, activity and spiritual prosperity.
Since 1873, 100 persons have been received by baptism, 21 by letter, 1 by relation; 38 have been dismissed by letter, 26 deceased, and 8 excluded. Present total membership, 187.
Taken from: North Bend Baptist Association Minutes, 1882, 11-15; 1883, 11-16.
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Boone History
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