Newspapers / The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, … / April 23, 1890, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The Biblical Jiecordek lUV -vw uoi PCBIJSIIED EVERY WEDNESDAY ' office Come Hargett and Salisbury 8fec, Raleigh, JS) C. Tjciimb or BUBSCTUPTIOirt W-1t I a.od 1.00 20.00 Oot copy, one year, i . ( ' if' i (me copy, umi ............. t... . , -. Clubs oi ten (copy extra to render) Anoriynrotis " communication 1 will alwwjirfititj their way to the wants basket, ;. Noeecptions. , Itt lending letter of business, it fs absolutely nee esgary that you give your postofllce address In full,.. fflien writing to discontinue your paper, square account, and your request will be promptly conn . pUed wlth,i',n i-;!'.; j;;;;.:.: i yrh'(uH The date on the label of your paper: Indicates when your subscription expires, and also serves as a receipt for your money,' j t Obituaries, sixty words ioni."are itaserted free Of charge. When they exceed tills length, one cent for each word must be paid In advance. , 4 t, ; When writing to have your paper cbanfr, please stats the poutoilice at which you receive the paper, U well as the one to Which you wish it changed, t Remittances must be sent by Registered Letter, Postofflee Order, Postal Note. Express or Draft, payable to the ortler of the Publisher. 1 Do not send Mtamps, as your subscription will not be marked up until they are, sold.; . , ,t. ';v, Short Sketches of Some of the Baptist Pioneers ' of Eastern Carolina. , j. . ' t . V t t j ' , APreNDlI TO NUMBER 8KVEN CONCLUDED, r : The reader wilt please accept ' this as a continuation of appendix to number seven. I promised to write about one of tho old est churches in the; State and one of the ' most useful and influential "ministers of the olden time, whfsO long connection with th . church as member and pastor has led me jtoi . consider the two. together, ' v,y.: f '-' My search for data has been almost fruit less. The records I was most eager to find were destroyed by fire at the time the resi- ' dence of Bro." Benjamin Oliver, deceased,' was burned up a few years ago. The. only sources of information' left to me are the early records of Island Creek church, Duplin county, the old History of Burkitt & Read, and a few old Associations! minutes that ..have escaped destruction. . - r ; , The records of Island Creek church, now in the keeping of John M. Wallace, one of the most faithful clerks in the State,' run as far back as 1802, and show that that old church was at that time a branch of the old Muddy Creek church, in the same county. Muddy Creek was the outcome of the minis terial labors of Job Thlgpen,' who settled in that portion of Duplin in the year 1781. She was organized Into a regular Baptist church of thirty members on the 25th of February, 1703, and received Into the Kehukee Asso ciation the same year. In May, 1793, Job Thlgpen was ordained to ,the pastorate of the church by . '.Robert; Nixon," John Dilla hunty and Francis Oliver, , . O t " " V Island Creek and the parent body kept UP fraternal correspondence until about 1830, when Muddy Creek went off with the Anti mission party, while Island Creek continued with the great Baptist brotherhood; rAniong her early pastors were Job Thlgpen and Hi ram Stalllngs, the father of Rev. J.lN. Stal lings, President of Higk Point Female Col lege, Elders Francis Oliver, Wm. Wells, Lu ther Rice, Wm. P. Biddle, Robert T. Dan iel, Wm. J,"Findlay and- many others have preached occasionally for this old church, The old records . of psland , Creek , have served the double purpose of preserving her own history and that of other, churches, in part at least, with which she kept up corre spondence.: ' I learned, on examining1 the records, that the statement found in the records, of Concord church, Duplin' county, to the effect that that church was organized in 1825, ia certainly incorrect. The Island Creek records speak of correspondence with Concord church as far lack as 1807, This brings to my mind the Wilmington church. A year or inore ago, it, was stated that the Wilmington church was organized about 1833. I had ft minute of the Cape Fear Association, which showed that the Wilmington church was represented in that body in 1823, ' I have recently ascertained that the Wilmington church was in exist ence in 1811, for Benedict mentions her among the churches belonging to Cape Fear Association" at that date. - W' " But I started ,out' to speak of a church much older than any of the foregoing. - u On a commanding eminence in Duplin County, about five; niiles southeast ..'of lt. Olive, stands the church known as ; ! : ' . ' ''' BEAR kARSH BAPTIST CHURCH, ,( ' ' ! so called from the little stream near .which it is located. It is the oldest Baptist church in this part of. the State, excepting Wells' Chapel and Rowan, the former established jn 175(1 and the latter in 1759, and both located in .Sampson ounty-'';::.!.:-, In the year 1763, John Nobles' and Jere miah Rhame (the same name probably that is now spelled Rhem). both ministers of the Kospol and the latter pastor of Red Banks church. Pitt county, came into 'the Bear Marsh ' section, found a' few' Baptists five males and fivfi tpmnlox and orcanized them into a Baptist church pn thol 55th of Febru ary of that year, Rhame becoming their first '"Pastor; . . 1 t':'.ih . i. i' . ; William Goodman succeeded ( Rhame in ihe pastorate,' in which he continued from 1 773 to LU removal southward in 1781. '" Qoodmnn was followed by Charles Hines, who? ,!c? heTchurch mh-m at which date Francis Oliver was ord.iiT.fifl to the; gospel ministry and Installed tor of the church. lie until his death in 1808, it.. -I.... .. ,. .... .7 . r f'-' served the church But more of him hereafteri-rT'--' - From 1808 to the rrRmttlmttoni AfuToK has had several pastors, among whom were nuuw m me aDiest ministers In the denomi nation,. 'Although 1 he numerical Strength uuu rmuiiuai conaiiion. nave- been verv fluc tuating, sho has never, so far as I can Iearn,i teastHi to maintain the ordinances of reu gion at any time smco her constitution. ..... .fiLfc wne ,iirar inrner" eariy-niswrjr.-tt ! 8auL She had but seven mom tors. Tn 1Rf5a she Bad 299 members. Her present mem '.bershlts 'Is 'ab6Ut"l30T?r Her neat and commodions hnniw nf wnr. ship was destroyed by fire about 1832 or '33.; in uctooer, 1834, the Uoshen Association met wnn jsear larsn cnurcn in their new house. J find in the minutes of that session the following entry concerning Bear Marsh i: It is cause of gratitude that information, from this church leads to the sool-cheerine iconclusioh that during the last year the Lord una txinunuea to revive nis gracious woric amongst tnem so that it may truly be said by, them, Instead of bitterness we are made to enjoy great peace Their once beautiful house, it Is true; was burned op f but God naa enauiea them to erect another on the srround thereof, in which we now have th happiness of-taking meet counsel together m an associations! capacity. The Lord seems to favor; this meeting .with his presence, which. is felt in an runusual degree. The ouiiaer oi tne new meetmg-hoyse is the hrst that has been received to membership since its erection." w-rs , The builder referred to was Mr. Giles Lof tin, the father of Messrs. Giles T, Lof tin and Joel Loftin (deceased), both of whom were members of Bear Marsh. 1 ' J s- !; The new ? house mentioned was subse quently torn' down and worked up? in the larger and more costly building in which the brethren now worship. . , .,'" " At the session of 1834, the Association ap- pointea on the committee of Arrangements brethren John Carr, Henry Swinson, Henry Moore, George Fennell and John Oliver (son Of Francis Oliver), wm. J. . Findlay was Moderator, and ueo. w. lulham, Uerlc The ministers who preached on Sunday were Wm. J. xindley, George ITennell and Wm. P. Biddle. .The large congregation seemed so much interested that preaching was con tinued on Monday. I mention thee. things because there are a few living witnesses of them who will read them with great pleasure. ' Bear Harsh has held membership in five Associations Kehukee! flfeuse, Cape Fear, Goshen and Union (now called Lastern). Two of these Were organized at Bear Marsh the Neuse, in October, 1794, and the Cape Fear, in October, 1806. The Neuse began with twenty-five churches Whose member ship aggregated 1,663 souls, f Among her prominent ministers were W illiam. Wwls, William and Fleet Cooper, and Franns Oli ver, who was' several times chosen to ore- side over her deliberations. The Cape Fear began with fourteen churches whose mem bership reached l.ows. t Burkitt & Read, in their History published in 1803, stated that the time of meeting at Bear Marsh Was the third Sunday and Sat- uroay oeiorw. iuo cuuxvu buuu wunuupsuu these davs. havinsr never in all her exist ence changed the time,' so far as I can learn, Much more might be. written about this venerable body but 1 now wish to say some thing more of one of her leading ministers, ' who came from Virginia to On9low county in this State in early life. He married soon after coming into North Carolina, and moYed into Duplin county, settling upon, a plantar tion near to Bear Marsh church, the same lands upon which bis son, Benjamin Oliver; UyU UU Ulcu, uu ujwu niuvu aio jgi ami SOn, Joseph B. Oliver; now resides. I know not at what date Francis Oliver settled in Duplin, but. it was several, years before his ordination id the " gospel ministry and his entrance upon the pastorate of Bear Jiarsn church, both of which took place May 17t$, 1792. ; : Burkitt & Road state that he had, for soine time prior to that date,, been exercising his ministerial gifts, and they add tha ?the labors of Elder Oliver have been greatly DIUaaUU, nuu ouvcitM uioututa gavuvivu, One of the branches gathered Under Elder Oliver's labors is the church called Pleasant Plains in Wayne county. .This church still exists, but now afliliates with the-antA-mis-sion- faction. 'M'f y 4 fNahunga is "another branch gathered by Elder Oliver. This church from, her. con stitution till 1834,, and perhaps for a longer period, worshipped : at the meeting-house which stood near Cooper's Mill, about five miles from Kenansvule,f , Duplin county. The Cape Fear , Association met , with, this Church in 18U.v; I am told that the church, several years ago, changed both: her name and place of meetings . She is ,no,w kpown as Johnson's church, and her house, of, worship is one or vtwo miles east pf Warsaw , , Her present membership is about 120. -r ( v: : iy Burkitt & Read speak pf other, branches built up by brother Oljver, but does not specify them, Several colonies have gone out from the i( mother church during the mother church i during the nearly.130 years of her existence,':-::?i--,;? rrnn fftxthvr. t Francis Oliver served Bear, Marsh church until his death in 1808. .The minuses of the Cape Fear Association for the year 1808 cgn-. tain an obituary notice of .Elders Baker and Oliver, who had died during the' year, in which is expressed the high regard in which those ministerial brethren were held. Klder Oliver was taken sick while in Gebr gia, whithet he had gone ott a visit to one of hiS sons. V His sickness terminated in '.his death and consequently he never. returned W-ortn trojina. .- ti x Among the children he left behind him? Were John and Benjamin Oliver, the former horn in 1790; and the lattebr in 1803.. j : I have been told that John Oliver, was for many years clerk of Bear Marsh church, and aitiough his home w?s iseveral, miles away. or about four miles from Kenansville hei was prompt and regular-in hia attendance! upon the meetings , of, his church and faith ful in the performance of his clerical and other; Christian duties. ; "Among1 his children were twd daughters both of whom married Cant. John A. Brvan and the first of whom is the-mother of Rob ert T. Bryan, our noble, consecrated mis Sionary to China. Benjamin Oliver was, through the creater; part of his life, a ' member and , deacon of Pear Marsh church,) which he dearly loved I and faithfully served unta his death in 1880 He was several times chosen Moderator of the Eastern -Association1 and was chairman of the Executive Committee until a short time before his death, his age and iafirmi ties 'having compelled him to desist from the arduous labors to which' his Official po- siiion suDjectea mm.. -.....' ...:..;.::.,... John B. Oliver one of his' sons, having been educated at ( Wake Forest, entered the eosoel ministry in early Me. In which tush calling he toiled to the best of his abilitv until his death in: 1883. '4 The writers of bis obituary said of him, in the minutes of .the jsastern Association for issaj : . Through Ufe our brother was an invalid, and his afflictions were of such sv character as almost to disqualify him for any duty in. life " yet, after he entered the public ministry, he la bored a great deal in the vineyard of the Lord. ; . In fact, it was a surprise to many how he accomplished the amount of travel ling and preaching that he did ' Aside from his deep afflictions of body, which pressed heavily: upon his mind, he was a man of fine qualities both of head and heart. He de scended frem a family that loved and feared the Lord: and professing the religion of Christ in his youth, he led a life of strict morality and integrity until the day of bis death." : r - W. B. Oliver, son of J. F. Oliver and grandson of Beniamin uiiver, is the ac-. complished and eloquent 'pastor of the Fax etteville Baptist church, m He is moving grandly forward in his high calling,, and already stands abreast with . tne foremost Baptist ministers of the State. From Francis Oliver, it will be seen, have sprung one grandson, J. R. Oliver, deceased, and two irreat-grandsons. R. T, Bryan and ... .r. -vi . , . 0 1,., a ait y , a. uuver, wno nave nueu anu are uuiug the ministerial othce. Being dead, there fore, he yet speaketh to the world, through his exeat-grandsons, the words of life and salvation.. . Jno. T. ALBRrrroN. Mt. Olive, N. C. , . - -t Am I Eight or ro'ng? Bro. Editors: I' have been absent in i meetings, and part of the time very unwell, which is cause of delay in replying to an ar ticle In the KKCORDKR ot .March, luth. When, I .asked the questions of February 19th, 1 had no Intention of writing any mOre but I really fear my good brother Cade will not be satisfied, and think it rude and disrespectful not to notice his article at . I must be permitted to say just here that no one has as yet given me satisfactory an swers to my questions asked.. V The fact is, I do not consider' them answered at all, but there is some consolation in knowing that the pessimism contained in them, if nothing else, was sufficient to put one great mind" to thinking, and then, to writing. ? And another thing having been informed of the fact that what I have been doings and prac ticing for a long time is for th& worse," I have found it out in time to correct it, if necessary.' Thanxs tor this mucn. . Allow me here to state that i snouia nave made 'one exception m the reception : of members into our churches of other denomi- nationsf i e., that of our Primitive (or Eard shell) brethren, on conditions that they en ter with their whole heart into the Sabbath- school, work, and give, of their means for the support, or the gospel, with this agreement, On their part, ftake themv ' ' Again,, the brother misundorstooa my meaning as to, the expression, 'Not what change has taken place in the mind or heart of the applicant," &c I had no "reference to the new birth." and I thought all Bap tists would take ; it for granted he was a 'M believer," for we baptize none other. I meant what change might be on the subject of ''baptism in mind or heart of applicant. And even then, if he had ,become couvfavced immersion alone, was baptism, what did he, at whose hands he had received .the oi li- nance. believe t If I said one word against preachers ;.or preaching, by young or old, I .did it innocently, for the young, preachers, specially , of ithe present day, have no stronger friend than myself, and I am ever ready to the best Of ray ability to aid and God-speed them in ' their work. All who know me are doubtless ready to give their jverdict thus. ;? So I disclaim, all intention to wrong In this way any minister. : , I make ho pretentions to infallibility, but there are some things I hold dear, and I just ' i A II " 1 .. 1 - .1 Iflil- cannot noip it tnin js mat may ue oi uiua Consequence to others. I find even Riptists sometimes that claim and hold, for instance, that we make too much ado; about the little " schisms " which occur among the disciples of Christ, and the word is, " let them alone, for we will all land at the same point at last. ? h But I cannot help thinking if it be true that we have all started right, and may all come out right, We are travelling more like a herd of cattle through' a lane than anything else. ; This is not like a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariot. This is not being all of one mind and one accord. This is not the peace and order Of the gospel; conceive A y cry! great jtfference between an obedient and a disobedient Christian. Tlie one like a sheep that remains near the fold, sustained . by proper food, enjoying the shepherd's tender care, is kept fat and in a healthy condition; while the othejr is like a sheep : that , wanders Tar .from the ; fold, through barren and unwholesome pastures, and. amongst briers and thorns, at length, poor' thine, it" comes- un. weakly and lank. and almost dead, its wool all torn off, and its skm dreadfully mangled. . There is, too, a spurious sort of liberality sometimes hierhlv extolled bv nrofessors of relicrion. sometimes Baptists), just like a number setting' out on a journey. ; ' Come," says one, (possibly with less means than any), if let us have but pne pusej all; expenses be paid out of common stock." it would be illiberal tQ do otherwise,' Thus, they with little, fare as those! with . much. ' So in re gard to religious! thmir;. in opinions, &c. Let all differences be- waived, all commune together, and no matter what inconsistencies exist amongst them, they are; chargeable to the whoiet and they that have'the least of truth on their side, and are most inconsis tent In practice, are. generally most clamor ous for liberality.. . And as Baptists we have our all to surrender to this end, while other denominations have' nothing' atJ all, and I, for one, am not willing to do this, especially wnen I have to surrender the principle of truth as Baptists have and.hold'itM "Call me what you may,"T am perfectly willing to go with other Christians so long as i do not have to compromise and sacrifice princi plethe truth in Christ as we Baptists hold It But. when I am called on to do this for policy, or to pander to the wishes and views of others; please excuse me. - It is too dear to me and cost too much to part with so very cheaply. And 1 am so constituted and settled in my views as to really question the acts of those who do.. . I cannot help it. ., My good brother propounds ten questions in the Kkcorder of March 18th, to which refer you. - And I must confess that I fear I do not fnlly understand them. They, some- wnat surprise and startle me as coming from a "Baptist," and a highly cultivated "Baptist minister " at that And in order to answer them as a ? Baptist,? it may be best for me to define what a l minister is." Who makes, qualifies, and sends, him forth .. ..,, i , wri . ' . -a . m m ior ms wotk i wnat is. ordination, ana what olace does it occuny in the premises? What is baptism, and who. is benehtted by . . . . . K" - .. . . . it, and who is authorized to administer it t I fear this article wiIL. from, us length, weary the editors, readers, and may be Brdi Cade, but I cannot well avoid its length. I do not expect to trouble any of you on this line again, so please bear with. me. ?: ;i -- 4 I ; understand a.mmister as one who naa two important functions, i. e., to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. The first is a prerogative peculiar to himself. In.ooe sense it is true that all church members are in duty bound to tell to others all they know about Christ' As every man hath receiv ed the gifteven so minister the same,1 &c But whilet tins is true, God in his wisdom has set apart a special body of, men to the work of the ministry as preachers, (teachers.) Then a minister is one whose duty in part is to teach the word. I will admit that some few Baptist professors believe;; that any church member is authorized to administer the ordinances. ' But the great Baptist fam ily ' with y err general unanimity and con sent hold that only ordained ministers, and they, alone, are duly authorized to do so, tnd I can very safely say tins has been the sage .commonly and universally practiced by Baptists in this conntry for hundreds of years, i nave never witnessed it done Dy others than, those in Baptist churches. Then the answer WO give, to.' Whb is a minister?'; is one who preaches thw" gospel and adminr sters the ordinances, '; uod, and not a pres bytery; qualifies and gives-authority to the minister. v Men, are not ordained that ,th y may become preachers, but because they a: p already such,, God calls them, bestows-tbo fifts and qualifications, and; rolls on their earts the burden of souls, and r ally com pels them to cry, V Woe is me if I preach not ; the t cospeL" . Paul . says,. 1 thanK Chiist Jesus our Lord who hath, enabled me for that he counted me faithful, ""putting me into the ministry.' ' The Baptist John received his' authority from; the God of heaven. Christ gave to his r apostles - the command to preach and baptize. ,We do not read it that Christ bestowed this author ity upon all who believed on him, but " cer tain chosen ones,'' not only the twelve but other seventy : and so on. Our, opinion is that all ministers not thus made,- are poorly marto Until rpientlv I thought this was one'thing that well-informed Baptists were agreed upon,1 that Baptist preachers held that they werO the true expounders and ad ministrators of the truth- an ordinances as delivered to the saints. What is ordination t ' AVhat is it as to the ministry t --We . claim that it does not im part any grace, intellectual or-spmtufu qualifications, no visible gift imparted by it. It is not designed to authorize one to preach. It is when proven to be preachers tlio pres bytery lays hands on them, because they be lieve tney are. raui was called to bo a preacher, and it was so announced to Ana nias before his baptism- God bestows the gifts.' - A presbytery is necessary because we take' it to keep, if possible, unworthy and ' incompetent men from entering the ministry,- and to-' endorse the worthy and Competent, so that they may be received with confidence by others who in ay be strangers. The presbytery, acting within proper bcnptural bounds and tenchmg, try to ""examine into the applicant's work of grace in the heart, his reasons for believing God has called him, his- motives for the work, and his views of Scripture doctrine. If in all these they are satisfied, they then, in concert with the church, declare to all people whom it may concern that, in their judgment and . opinion, God has called this man to minister in holy things. This they submit to writing and place in his hands as a testimony for him among strangers. Thus he is endorsed as one worthy to be received as a minister everywhere, and qualified to be the pastor of any church that may as such wish his services. . Ami yet some dotilt their own. t As to the subject of" baptism, I believe thero is no difference amofcg Baptists. All hold it is a covering, up, plunging under, complete immersion in water. Thero is, however, quite a difference in views enter tained as to the validity of the administra tor; WTe think; it; matters much a3 to by whom the rite is performed. And yet when we read and re-read Bro. Cade's position, we are forced to conclude that it is of no conse quence as to who performs the act, if it is to a believer V right one time,' whether even he.be a believer himself or not, or has ever been baptized or not, , just so the subject is trat under the" water. This is certainly a long way from the line I have been taught, and as I understand the; word of God on the subject ; I shall say more of this further on. ; , Answer to Bro. Cade's first question : We hold nO baptism is mentioned in the Scrip ture but that' performed by those directly commanded . to preach; the gospel, or com manded by and in, accordance with God's direction, . , - , V; 2. Baptism is in obedience to God's com mand to believers, and is the answer of a good conscience toward. God, 3. It might be; but not in this country where the facilities" for churches, preachers (Baptist), and much water are so plent if uL 4.. Yes ; provided: they were baptized bo fore the commission of.. act: disqualifying him. ... 5. Do not see how anything can be v;Ji J or not before it is clones No-u holding and practicing three baptisms, however pious, can make it valid at all for me. 6. In the very same way that others and yourself know that you are ordained. " v "7. By the certificate Of brethren in the ministry; given every one, - , .... - 8. if such men as Urs. ilell, uibson and lyey's signatures to a fact is to be believed, I know I am ordained; and I take it they were and are men of Christand acted with in Christ's teaching, and I- trust Christ put mo into the ministry, ;: 1 1 . 0. l have known minds you could prove nothing to that they did not want to bulievo. To such I might fail to prove it, but to no reasonable mind, would there be difficulty. 10,, Taking it, that you are a believer, 1 know of no such teaching by the Saviour as wait." Not what 'wo may tlnnK, but what does he say to a believer? : ; My dear-brother; If I. have not answered yopr questions satisfactorily,, I have dona the very best I could, having never seen anything liko them before. Neither did I everOXpect such coming from a Baptist, for if I must be plain with you, I can see but very little of, any consequence m them any way, answered or unanswered. But your closing remark certainly does "cap the cli max."-: Are : you a; fulf- iKHioa iamist i What ; did you ask those questions for ?. You certainly do not wish to split the grand old Baptist family, and form a now one, ao you I know ' you will not object to my asking questions. ? ' . ..'..-:" My brother and, bretnren, mere is somo- thinc in this .matter.- My brother may allude to Philip and, the' Eunuch baptism, but this is po Philip, and Eunuch case or conntry. Again, : he may refer to Roger Williams and. Ezeldel Uolliman, and their baptism.' But that, has nothing to do 'with ' us, for Roger Williams baptism died with him any way- - But I "pay there is sometlnr,- in. this matter, and that of vital jropQitanc- to us as Baptists.-'". '..'Administrator nas noi a- ing to do with itl"; : Tliis reminds mo of u a ; instance a brother called my 'attention t) .i few days since, which I refer to wit '.i all u . reverence,.;i Tbe story was this ;;T!'.'?. w.x " a good Baptist parent, whi!') off at sr ' ! i Pedobapust meeting, was convciv , . would not receive baptism' only Iy i sion. un hw return nome no ion i : what he had done.-JlWelV -John," t.:ii father, "I bad just, as soon 1 ' ' thrown from a log by a yellow d Water and call it baptisvi Ms to r tho hands of a-man who...! ' ways of baptizing,, ami h. i v. ' 'I ani much'lilvOLli il ..m thatany denoi!:!n"' such.'.a;jy.n.":..a3 C ' '' - ' others mny cirx: will be i! I
The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 23, 1890, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75