HELP: I am trying to collect/save our Old Regular Baptist Heritage. If you have old photos of churches, Baptisms, members I would love to have copies of them. I am interested in in old minutes you might have. Have copy equipment will travel to get the copies! Contact me at [email protected]
Our Baptist heritage in the Colonies and the United States
I am currently revising this section of history
Origins of the Old Regular Baptist
The origins of the Old Regular Baptist can be traced back both directly and indirectly to the original Philadelphia Baptist Association.
Philadelphia Association of Baptist organized September 27, 1707 Originally consisted of 5 Churches with origins in England Charleston Baptist Association organized in 1755 in South Carolinia from the Philadelphia Ketoctin Baptist Association organized August 19, 1766. Located in the north eastern part of Virginia Four churches that were originally in the Philadelphia Association but due to the long distance from Virginia wanted an association established there. (The Philadelphia Association) The accepted view of the time line of Baptist in Kentucky according to Spencer’s History of Kentucky Baptists and Miniutes of the Burning Springs Association 1813-1825 is as follows:
THE ARMS GIVEN OFF FORMING ASSOCIATIONS
THROUGH WHICH THE NEW SALEM ASSOCIATION CAME
1. Philadelphia Association, organized 1707.
2. The Philadelphia Association organized the Katockon Association1766.
3. The Katockon Association organized the Holsten Association 1783.
4. The Holsten Association organized the South Elkhorn Association1784.
5. The South Elkhorn Association organized the South Kentucky Association 1787, which became the South District and North District in 1801.
6. The North District Association organized Burning Springs Association 1813.
7. The Burning Springs Association organized the New Salem Association 1825.
The Philadelphia Association, organized in 1707 is the mother of all Baptist Associations of the United States.
The New Salem Association is the mother of the following Associations:
Mates Creek Association, organized 1849. Union Association, organized 1859. Sandlick Association, organized 1876. Now Primitive baptist Kyova Association, organized 1924. No longer in existance Philadelphia Association, organized 1925. Northern New Salem Association, organized 1957. Three churches withdrew from the Mates Creek Association over the
Doctrine of Election, those 3 churches met and organized the
Sardis Association, August 5, 1893.
The Indian Bottom Association originated from a division in the
Sandlick Association in the year 1896, the churches that later became
Indian Bottom Association held annual union meetings until September
1907, the name was then changed from union meetings to Association.
From 1896 to 1907 they had no correspondence with any other
Associations at this time (Dixon and Akers)
The Old Friendship Association was organized in 1917 from churches that left the Pineville District of Primitive Baptist.
Associations from the above which retain correspondence
New Salem Union Sardis Indian Bottom Old Friendship Philadelphia Northern New Salem There have been splits in associations over the years because of differing views on various points of doctrine. That I did not go into
The origins of the Baptists movement into Kentucky is an area that I am currently researching for a book. I have found original documents that contradict the accepted view of Old Regular Baptist origins. Since my findings have not yet been published I am not quite ready to release my research.
The New Salem Association gave an arm in 1859 consisting of the following churches: Thornton, Bethel, Elkhorn, Sulphur Spring, Pound Fork, Holly Creek, Union, Cloe, and Raccoon to meet at the Union Church the Friday before the second Saturday in November 1859. A presbytery to constitute the new association was chosen consisting of Jordan Ashley, B.E. Caudill, J. A. Caudill and Elders M.T. Lipps and L. Edwards. The new association took the name Union after the oldest church in the arm.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNION OLD REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH
1820-1859
The early history of the Union Church is somewhat vague due to lack of original records. In the book by Rufus Perrigan from 1961 (History of the Regular Baptists and Their Ancestors and Assessors) it is stated that the Union Church was organized in 1806. This date is suspect due to the date of organization of the Union Church in the Paint Union Association of United Baptists is 1806. Information gained from Minutes of the Burning Springs Association 1813-1824 New Salem 1825-1947 by Dixon and Akers shows the following information. In 1820 the New Salem Church dismissed 31 members by letter. Although no records exist it is generally assumed that that these members began holding meeting in the area of the mouth of Indian Creek and organized the Union Church. It wasn’t until 1822 that admission was petitioned and granted for the Union Church to become a member of the Burning Springs Association. At this time the Union Church was represented by delegates James W. Little and Elder William Tackett and reported a membership of 27 members.
The Union Church continued with the Burning Springs Association until 1824 at which time the following churches were dismissed: New Salem, Mud, Stone Coal, Oven Fork, , and Union Churches to organize a new association. In 1825 these churches met at the New Salem Church meeting house and organized the New Salem Association. At this association the Raccoon and Louisa Fork churches were received into the Association. At the meeting of the 1825 association the Union Church was represented by delegate William Tackett and the statistical table shows a membership of 25 members.
The first time that the Union Church hosted the New Salem Association was in 1826. Elder Hammon Williamson preached the introductory sermon from the John 19:5. Letters for the several churches were read and Elder Simeon Justice was chosen as moderator of the association and Alexander Lackey as clerk. The Union church was represented as delegates by Elder Simeon Justice, Elder William Tackett, and Micajah Collier. The Union Church reported a total of 34 members with six received by baptism, one by recantation, and lost one by exclusion. During the work of the association it was ordered that the churches be divided into districts and that the Union Church be assigned to the second district along with the New Salem, Stone Coal, and Mud Churches. The New Salem Association was corresponding with the Burning Springs and Washington Associations. It was also ordered that the constitution be read each year.
The next time the Union Church hosted the New Salem Association was 1835. William Salisbury preached the introductory sermon from Acts 8:22. He was also selected as moderator of the association. The church was represented by William Tackett, James Tackett, and Cornelius Roberts. The statistical table for 1835 shows that the Union Church reported a total membership of 25 with two received by experience and baptism and two dismissed by letter. The association sent letters of correspondence and delegates to the Red Bird, Burning Springs, and Washington Associations. There was a query from the Oven Fork Church that was read “Is it gospel order for a minister and a deacon to constitute a church, or ordain pillars in a church?” The association answered as follows “We advise the churches to obtain as strong a presbytery as they can, but we think one ordained minister in good standing is sufficient.” At this association the contribution from the Union Church was $1.00
The next time that the Union Church hosted the New Salem Association was in 1841. The introductory Sermon was preached by Elder William Salisbury and he was also chosen as moderator of the association. The Union Church sent Elder William Tackett, James Cook and Abner Caudill as delegates. Membership was reported as 16 with two received by experience and baptism, one dismissed by letter and one deceased. Letters of correspondence were prepared and sent to the Washington and Paint Union Associations.
The last time that the New Salem Association was held at the Union Church was in 1851. Elder John Caudill preached the introductory sermon from Hebrews 10:10. After letters were read from the several churches Elder William Salisbury was selected as Moderator. The Union Church was represented by delegates James Roberts, James Branham, and Partwell Newsome. Total membership of the church was reported as 33, with one being dismissed by letter and 2 deceased. A new church by the name of Mount Zion petitioned to become a member of the New Salem Association and it was granted. The Washington, Paint Union and the Burning Springs Associations were in correspondence with the New Salem at this time and a letter of correspondence was sent to the Mates Creek Association. On Saturday of the association the letter from the Balls Fork Church was rejected and the delegates could not be seated at the association. No reason for this was given. The Constitution and Rules of Decorum from the Washington Association was read and adopted as the Constitution of the New Salem Association.
William Tackett continued to be a leader of the Union Church and New Salem Association until his death. He appears as delegate from the Union church to the New Salem association 19 times between 1822 and 1847 and also served the New Salem Association as Moderator 1845. Elder Simeon Justice was also a leader in the Union Church and went to New Salem Association as a delegate many times as well as serving as moderator of the New Salem association for many years. The following brothers went as delegates to the New Salem Association between the years of 1820-1859, Isom Hall, Sherwood Osborn, Micajah Collier, Elder Simeon Justice, William Mullins, Thomas Kind, Phillip Tackett, James Roberts, Cornelius Roberts, Elder William Cook, Abner Caudill, William Branham, James Branham, Fredrick Nusup, Partwell Newsome, William Adkins, John Austin, J. Megee, and William Johnson.
In 1859 a request was sent to the New Salem Association to divide into two separate associations. The following churches would constitute the new association: Thornton, Bethel, Elkhorn, Sulphur Springs, Pound Fork, Holley Creek, Union, Cloe, and Raccoon. A presbytery to constitute the new association was appointed to meet at the Union Church the second Saturday in November, 1859 to organize the new association which would be called the Union Association.
The early history of the Union Church is somewhat vague due to lack of original records. In the book by Rufus Perrigan from 1961 (History of the Regular Baptists and Their Ancestors and Assessors) it is stated that the Union Church was organized in 1806. This date is suspect due to the date of organization of the Union Church in the Paint Union Association of United Baptists is 1806. Information gained from Minutes of the Burning Springs Association 1813-1824 New Salem 1825-1947 by Dixon and Akers shows the following information. In 1820 the New Salem Church dismissed 31 members by letter. Although no records exist it is generally assumed that that these members began holding meeting in the area of the mouth of Indian Creek and organized the Union Church. It wasn’t until 1822 that admission was petitioned and granted for the Union Church to become a member of the Burning Springs Association. At this time the Union Church was represented by delegates James W. Little and Elder William Tackett and reported a membership of 27 members.
The Union Church continued with the Burning Springs Association until 1824 at which time the following churches were dismissed: New Salem, Mud, Stone Coal, Oven Fork, , and Union Churches to organize a new association. In 1825 these churches met at the New Salem Church meeting house and organized the New Salem Association. At this association the Raccoon and Louisa Fork churches were received into the Association. At the meeting of the 1825 association the Union Church was represented by delegate William Tackett and the statistical table shows a membership of 25 members.
The first time that the Union Church hosted the New Salem Association was in 1826. Elder Hammon Williamson preached the introductory sermon from the John 19:5. Letters for the several churches were read and Elder Simeon Justice was chosen as moderator of the association and Alexander Lackey as clerk. The Union church was represented as delegates by Elder Simeon Justice, Elder William Tackett, and Micajah Collier. The Union Church reported a total of 34 members with six received by baptism, one by recantation, and lost one by exclusion. During the work of the association it was ordered that the churches be divided into districts and that the Union Church be assigned to the second district along with the New Salem, Stone Coal, and Mud Churches. The New Salem Association was corresponding with the Burning Springs and Washington Associations. It was also ordered that the constitution be read each year.
The next time the Union Church hosted the New Salem Association was 1835. William Salisbury preached the introductory sermon from Acts 8:22. He was also selected as moderator of the association. The church was represented by William Tackett, James Tackett, and Cornelius Roberts. The statistical table for 1835 shows that the Union Church reported a total membership of 25 with two received by experience and baptism and two dismissed by letter. The association sent letters of correspondence and delegates to the Red Bird, Burning Springs, and Washington Associations. There was a query from the Oven Fork Church that was read “Is it gospel order for a minister and a deacon to constitute a church, or ordain pillars in a church?” The association answered as follows “We advise the churches to obtain as strong a presbytery as they can, but we think one ordained minister in good standing is sufficient.” At this association the contribution from the Union Church was $1.00
The next time that the Union Church hosted the New Salem Association was in 1841. The introductory Sermon was preached by Elder William Salisbury and he was also chosen as moderator of the association. The Union Church sent Elder William Tackett, James Cook and Abner Caudill as delegates. Membership was reported as 16 with two received by experience and baptism, one dismissed by letter and one deceased. Letters of correspondence were prepared and sent to the Washington and Paint Union Associations.
The last time that the New Salem Association was held at the Union Church was in 1851. Elder John Caudill preached the introductory sermon from Hebrews 10:10. After letters were read from the several churches Elder William Salisbury was selected as Moderator. The Union Church was represented by delegates James Roberts, James Branham, and Partwell Newsome. Total membership of the church was reported as 33, with one being dismissed by letter and 2 deceased. A new church by the name of Mount Zion petitioned to become a member of the New Salem Association and it was granted. The Washington, Paint Union and the Burning Springs Associations were in correspondence with the New Salem at this time and a letter of correspondence was sent to the Mates Creek Association. On Saturday of the association the letter from the Balls Fork Church was rejected and the delegates could not be seated at the association. No reason for this was given. The Constitution and Rules of Decorum from the Washington Association was read and adopted as the Constitution of the New Salem Association.
William Tackett continued to be a leader of the Union Church and New Salem Association until his death. He appears as delegate from the Union church to the New Salem association 19 times between 1822 and 1847 and also served the New Salem Association as Moderator 1845. Elder Simeon Justice was also a leader in the Union Church and went to New Salem Association as a delegate many times as well as serving as moderator of the New Salem association for many years. The following brothers went as delegates to the New Salem Association between the years of 1820-1859, Isom Hall, Sherwood Osborn, Micajah Collier, Elder Simeon Justice, William Mullins, Thomas Kind, Phillip Tackett, James Roberts, Cornelius Roberts, Elder William Cook, Abner Caudill, William Branham, James Branham, Fredrick Nusup, Partwell Newsome, William Adkins, John Austin, J. Megee, and William Johnson.
In 1859 a request was sent to the New Salem Association to divide into two separate associations. The following churches would constitute the new association: Thornton, Bethel, Elkhorn, Sulphur Springs, Pound Fork, Holley Creek, Union, Cloe, and Raccoon. A presbytery to constitute the new association was appointed to meet at the Union Church the second Saturday in November, 1859 to organize the new association which would be called the Union Association.