Historical sketches of the Baptists of Southeast Missouri

Front matter

CalumWa (Hnitimftp

THE LIBRARIES

Bequest of

Preface

The sketches comprising this volume were written at the solicitations of many brethren and friends of Southeast Missouri, this being the empire ground, or district, from which the great Baptist family (now numbering nearly one hundred thousand in the State) started forth ; having first planted here the standard of gospel truth and soul-liberty, which finally struck the last blow to Papal power in these American States and Territories. Feeling it but a just pride of the Baptists, of Southeast Missouri, to preserve, as a memorial, a combination of historic sketches in book form ; thereby preserving their high appreciation of the labors, (oils and sacrifices of the fathersy who were the first instruments, under God, in the establishment of the great cause of Christ and soul-liberty in the wilderness of the great West, A fact to be transmitted to their children and the generations to come, reminding them that it was here, in Southeast Missouri, that fhis great work first began : the first sermons were preached ; the first house of worship was built ;

11 PREFACE.

the first refusal to comply with Roman edicts west of the great river ; the first churches were established, and the first Baptist Association was organized.

These facts are not gathered from tradition, but from written testimony preserved by individuals, church records, and Minutes of associations. They furnish a continuous train of dates in connection with the events and circumstances mentioned in the sketches, which the writer,- after two years of the most assiduous labor and toil, has sought to gather and compile at the request of brethren whose hearts seem to be knit together with those who have gone before.

He disclaims any merit for discharging a dut}' so full of interest and pleasure, and desires here to tender his sincere thanks to the many brethren and friends who have aided him by their writings, manuscripts preserved, and Minutes of associations sent or handed him. In particular, he would mention Eld. William Polk, of fronton ; Eld. Pinkney Graham, of Castor Church, Madison county ; E. L. Graham, Esq., of Twelve Mile Church, with many others, too numerous to mention. Also, he acknowledges much aid from sketches gathered by Bro. R. S. Duncan, in the History of Missouri Baptists, and from Minutes

PREFACE. Ill

furnished by Miss Rachel Adams, of Mt. Carmel Church.

Hoping that all will remember that he submits this with affectionate consideration for their labors, and praying that God's blessings may go with this little volume and give it a welcome reception with all ; and that it may accomplish good, he sends it forth.

Introduction

The history of the Southeast Missouri Baptists is as important to them as the history of Great Britain is to the English. No man can write that history except he be one of the actors in it. Such is truly the case in the one whose pen has compiled the facts contained in this book. God calls men to do work, and, I believe, God called Bro. Tong to do this work ; because He led him through a long series of events, for over a third of a century, and filled his fertile mind with facts that must be recorded. Bro. Tong is a minister of the gospel of Christ, true and tried. The writer of this note has been intimately connected with him for twenty years. Through all this time I have seen him stand up for God and the right. Religion, good morals, higher education of heart and head, an honest, upright life on Sunday and all the rest of the week, have been fully exemplified in this brother's life and labors.

Bro. H. F. Tong was born in Mine La Motte, Madison county, Mo., Nov. 6th, 1836, and raised in that county. His father, Henry D. Tong,

VI INTRODUCTIOX.

a native of Kentucky, was the eleventh of thh'- teen sons of Wm. Tong, who was a soldier of the Revolution and a native of Maryland. In the year 1820, his grandfather came to Missouri. His mother was Miss Minerva Allen, of Madison county, Mo. They were both members of the Baptist church. His father Avas a zealous Christian worker in prayer and exhortation. The Tong family before this were Episcopalians. Bro. Tong only received a common school education — only spent three months in college at Arcadia, ]\Io. , near Ironton. His father being a farmer, naturally taught his boy to work, which, by the way, is one of the most important lessons of a secular nature.

He found Christ precious to his soul in June, 1849, at the age of 14 years. He often says: "I never shall forget the day that Jesus washed my sins away," Four years later he was baptized into the fellowship of Pendleton Baptist church, St. Francois county. Mo., by the beloved Elder Wm. Polk, and began preaching in March, 1855. In March, 1858, he was married to Miss Christiana H. Jones, of Madison count}^ Mo. For seven years he endured great affliction and many sore trials in consequence of his sickness and inabilitv. On this account he refused

INTRODUCTION. Vll

to be ordained to the ministry, but gave all his spare time to the acquisition of knowledge and study of the grand principles of the Bible. In November, 1867, he was set apart to the ministry by the order of Bethel Baptist church, by Elder Robert C. Mortin, the pastor, and others. In 1869, he removed to Bollinger county. Mo., and, in June of the same year, organized the Mt. Carmel Baptist church, assisted by Elder Pinkney Graliam. He has resided near there most of the time since. Out of these seventeen years he has served this church as pastor thirteen years ; two of the remaining years he served as District Missionary of St. Francois Association, and one year as General Financial Agent for the May field-Smith Academy. In 1880 he organized the Little White Water church at Mayfield, Mo. ; also Bethel church, Patton, Mo., and aided in ordaining ten ministers, and helped organize several other churches, and helped to set apart a number of deacons. He has served as pastor of the followingchurches : Castor (now First Baptist church of Marquand), Shady Grove, Marble Hill, Mosley, Trace Creek and Mt. Zion (now New Salem.) He has been honored as Moderator of the St. Francois Baptist Association at different times. In the midst of political confusion, or religious

Vlll INTRODUCTIOX.

strife, he has always held the pul)lic confidence ; has always drawn large crowds of people, and his labors have been greatly blessed. Patience, forbearance, and a strong love for souls, are characteristics of our beloved H. F. Toug.

I esteem it an honor to give you this brief sketch of the life and labors of my former pastor. He has brought forth the memory of many of God's noble servants, who have long since gone home, and, but for this book, would be known no more. We here have their blessed example. This ought to stimulate each of us to higher aims and more active work for the Lord. You are making a history. How do you want it to read in the sight of your fellows ? God knows it all. May He give you grace, grit and go-aheadativeness enough to act your part of the future in such a way as will honor God and benefit your fellowman.

Mrs. Christiana H. Tong, wife of the author of these sketches, daughter of Thomas and Delila Jones, was a native of Madison county, this state. She was born Jan. 20th, 1837 ; was converted and baptized into the fellowship of the Bethany Baptist church, under the ministry of the beloved Wm. Polk, in the year 1855. From this time forward she was faithful and true to her

INTRODUCTION. IX

•

church, as well as to her famil}^, and all who needed befriending, who called at her gate, were never turned away without proffered aid, at least. She made the doctrines, precepts and examples of Christ the ornaments of her beautiful and impressive life. By her remembrances she aided much in these sketches. She died April 27th, 1888, saying, among her last words: *^ Oh, that I could be at rest ; " to which she soon w^ent with the smiles of beauty and peace resting on her face. When asked if she had anything to submit to these sketches, she produced the following, which is here given, saying: **This, sir, is all ; this is for you and me."

THEY ARE GROWING OLD TOGETHER.

Spring and summer time have fled, Fled with bud and bloom forever,

As the autumn tints are shed.

They have wreathed the May-day blossoms.

They have plucked the flowers of June, They have seen the last sheaves gathered

They are fading side by side ; There are seams they cannot cover,

There are scars they cannot hide ; And they bear the silent record

Of many a care and loss ;

IXTKODUCTIOX.

Of many a toilsome day's march, And many a weighty cross.

They have counted many a mile ; They have cheered and helped each other,

Over many a broken stile.

In their stricken hearts sank deep, They have stifled each other's sorrows

That the other might not weep.

As they journey down the hill, Soon their feet must near the river,

With the waters deep and chill ; Where the phantom ship will anchor,

To embark her spirit freight ; And one of them will sail with her,

And the other have to wait.

But soon the day will come,

When the other has to go, And then they hope to meet.

Where beloved part no more.

W. H. IVIayfield,

THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS OF MISSOURI.

Some two hundred and four years ago, the great valley of the Mississippi was formerly taken possession of by Robert Cavelier De la Salle, a Frenchman, who, in 1G82, took formal possession of the country near the mouth of the great river, Mississippi. By this act the King of France claimed dominion of almost the whole of the great valley of the Mississippi, Avhich was called the Province of Louisiana; and so continued his claim until, in 1763, eighty-one years after the country was first claimed, France relinquished her claim to all the country east of the great river. Forty years after this act in 1803, France ceded the province of Louisiana to the United States, and in March, 1804, all of upper Louisiana; after which all this vast Territory north of the Southern boundary of Arkansas and west of the Mississippi, was called, by Congress, the District of Louisiana. It was afterwards called the Territory of Louisiana, and still later the Territory of Missouri, which, last name was given in 1812. It included in its bounds

I THE BAPTISTS OF

the jiresent States and Territories of Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oregon, and the larger parts of Kansas and Minnesota; also Washington, Montana, Idaho, Dakota, and many parts of Wyoming, Colorado and Indian Territory.

The Capitol of the Territory of Missouri, which had been called Upper Louisiana, was St. Louis. In the year 1820, the State of Missouri was organized, and was admitted into the Union in 1821. From November 1st of that year, the Capitol was at St. Louis; at St. Charles from 1821 to October 1, 1826; since which time it has been at Jefferson City. In the year 1836, by an act of Congress, the Western boundary was extended to include what was called the Plate Purchase, when the State of Missouri was established in its present geographical limits and bounds.

Originally, the State was divided into five Districts; First, New Madrid, including all the territory between the Southern boundary of the State, and a place called Tywappity Bottom; second, Cape Girardeau, including all the territory between Tywappity Bottom and Apple Creek ; third, St. Genevieve, including the territory between Apple Creek and the Meremac

River; fourth, St. Louis, including the territory ])et\veen the Meremac and Missouri Rivers ; fifth, St. Charles, including all the territory north of the Missouri River.

That part of the State known as the first three divisions, or parts, which is now called Southeast Missouri, is the part to be identified in the Baptist History, of which I am now about to write.

The first actual settlement of white inhabitants in Southeast Missouri, so far back as tradition can fix the date, was in the county of St. Genevieve, in the j^ear 1735. Su])sequently, in the year 1763, several French families came from Kaskaskia and St. Philip, and settled in this part of the country. The next settlement was made where St. Louis now stands, in the year 1764. The settlement of St. Louis was established by a French merchant, named M. Liguest, who called it St. Louis in honor of Louis, the fourteenth king of France, not knowing that the King had already ceded the territory to their old enem3% Spain, and that it then belonged to her ; afterw^ards ruled by her authority, until ceded to the United States.

From these statements, the reader may have a view of the first settlements west of the great river, and especially Southeast Missouri ; from which field the following historical sketches of Baptist history are gathered : Their first settlements, the lirst Baptist preacher, the first church, the first association organized, followed by a review of the labors, toils and sacrifices, made for the establishment, success and progress of the cause of truth and liberty.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

Chapter I, The First Association

Beginning in 179(3, the first Baptist settlement, the first minister, the first convert, the first baptism, the first chnrch, the first Baptist association were established west of the great Mississippi River; and these were the first Christians, other than Roman Catholics, to set foot on the land of Missouri.

This was many years before Missouri became a state, and while, as yet, her territory was controlled by foreign kings. A few Baptists came and settled in her borders, and, as, at this time, Romanism was the established religion, no freedom of conscience was allowed; consequently, those wdio met to worship God in the simplicity of gospel faith, did so at their peril. The few Baptists, who w^ere here prior to the close of the eighteenth century, w^ere frequently threatened by the emissaries of the Pope. But they counted not their lives dear unto themselves, and thus went forward, not fearing those who could kill the body, but trusting in Him who had power to h THE BAPTISTS OF

destroy both soul and body in hell. With this Divine trust they seemed to become emboldened by the threats of the Papal power, and therefore raised their voices in opposition to the superstitions, corruptions and innovations of the Romish Church. In defending the doctrine of salvation, by a personal and living faith in Christ (as the Head of the Church), certainly those were noble spirits that first planted the standard of a pure Gospel west of the great river, maintaining at the same time the right of soul liberty. They were Baptists, and the first of whom we have any account (as they were the first Christians other than Catholics that ever set foot on the soil of Missouri) w-ere Thomas Bull, his wife and her mother, Mrs. Lee. They settled in what is now Cape Girardeau county, in the 3^ear 1796. Mrs. Bull and Mrs. Lee died before the first church w^as organized. The next that came to this part of Missouri were Mr. Enos Randol and wife, and Mrs. Abernathy, the wife of Mr. John Abernath}^ in 1797. They settled a few miles south of Jackson, the present county-seat, on Randol's Creek, so called in honor of Enos Randol, the first settler near it. These families lived, for several years, in the midst of forest wilds, with Indians on almost every hand, entirely des=

SOUTHEAST ^IISSOtJRI. 7

titute of even ordinary church privileges, though they occasionally met together, not publicly, to sing, and pray, and worship God in this wilderness, this great wilderness, doubtless the greatest on the American continent, embracing, first and last, all the country west of the great river, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the British possessions on the north, and westward to the Pacific Ocean, a territory suflScient for the planting and establishment of more than twenty of the grandest States of the American Republic. Such was the county in which our Baptist fathers first settled. But they were not destined to live long in this way, as, in the year 1799, they were encouraged by a visit from Elder Thomas Johnson, an aged Baptist minister from Georgia, who was probably the first Baptist preacher of the regular order who ever came west of the great river. Elder John Clark, who was a Baptist in principle, though not a member, preceded him one year. We will here mention, of Elder John Clark, that he was a Methodist preacher, who, after visiting this part of the Territory, finally became identified with what is called the St. Louis District or settlement, in which he became a member of the regular order of Baptists, with whom he spent the remainder of his loui? and useful life.

Of Thomas Johnson's life we have but limited information. He was doubtless a native of the State of Georgia, where he resided at the time of his missionary tour west of the great river. And right here we mention him as a missionary. The first Baptist of the regular order that ever preached in Missouri was a missionary. It is said of him that most of his ministerial life was spent as missionary to the Cherokee Indians in his native State. His visit to Missouri was a great l)lessing to the scattered sheep of this great wilderness, and, though contrary to the law of Romanism, he preached the blessed gospel to them, not in stately houses like we have to-day, with large public gatherings of the people, but in the log cabins, and out-of-the-way places, to small companies of eager hearers with honest purposes and warm hearts. They made no great parade about their meetings, lest they should be interrupted by the agents of the Pope.

The preaching of this old pioneer missionary was fruitful of good, during his stay, even beyond the encouragement it gave to the children of God in the wilderness, as, under his preaching, Mrs. Ballon, the wife of one of the oldest settlers, was converted and baptized by him in Randol's Creek. This, without doubt, was the first baptism ever administered in Missouri ; and, as there was not a church in the Territory, Mr. Johnson, following an old custom, gave Mrs. Bullou a certificate of baptism, which, in a practical way, answered all the purposes of a church-letter of dismission.

Eld. Johnson died in his native State about the year 1830. The year 1805 constituted a new era among Baptists in this wilderness land. One year before, France had ceded Upper Louisiana to the United States, which event brought with it the enjoyment of religious liberty. Another fact also contributed this year to the prosperity of the Baptist cause — the coming to the territory of Eld. David Green, whom God seemed to have chosen as His instrument to permanently plant the gospel seed in this great wilderness.

David Green was a native of Virginia. He spent most of his life in North and South Carolina, preaching the gospel to the poor. During the early settlement of that State, he moved to Kentucky, where he resided till 1805, when he came to Missouri. A few Baptist families had moved and settled in Tywappity Bottom, some ten or twelve miles south of Cape Girardeau. Several others had also settled in the neighbor- . hood of Jackson. To these families Brother

10 THE BAI»T1STS OF

Green preached for a ^vhile, and then returned to his home in Kentucky. The condition of his brethren in the Missouri Territory rested so heavily upon his mind that he could not remain away from them, and the next spring he came with his family and fixed his home in Cape Girardeau county. He continued his labors in that district, organized the first two churches in the Territory, and on the 9th of December, 1809, was taken home to his rest, in Heaven.

The first Baptist Church ever formed in the Missouri Territory was in the Tywappity Bottom. As there has been some doubt about the date of this church, and as the honor of its being the first has been claimed for another, we give the testimony entire on which this statement is made.

In this vicinity, the first Baptist church, called Tywappity, was organized in 1805, of some eight or ten members. This was the first religious congregation, other than Koman Catholic, that was gathered west of the great river.

The next year, 1806, the second, called Bethel, was organized in the vicinity of the present site of Jackson, about twelve miles northwest of Cape Girardeau. In this vicinity, quite a colony of Americans from Kentucky and other States, in eluding several Baptist families, had settled. A preacher by the name of Green otliciated witli these churches in their early formation.

Tywappity Church was a feeble body from the first, and became defunct after a few years, but was reorganized in 1809, or another church occupied its place, to which Mr. Edwards ministered in 1817. The meetings were held at Ross Point, or near the present site of Commerce, in Scott county. \_Peck's Reminiscences of Missouri, Westeini Watchman, volume 8.]

Hardshijjs of These First Families. — Even ten or twelve years after the date last named, they were sometimes reduced almost to starvation. We give the following description by an eye witness :

On Saturday, November 15, 1817, we were circumnavigating the great bend — the flood of the Ohio checking the current. When we left Shawneetown, there was not half a barrel of flour in the place, and it was only by a special favor that we got two loaves of bread. We had laid in a supply of fresh beef, and the captain had a small stock of hard sea-biscuit, so a supply of eatables of some sort must be had at the first settlement, which proved to be Tywappity Bottom. On Sunday, at 12 o'clock, I found here two Baptist families and learned some important facts about the state of religion and schools in this part of the territory. No milk and no meal could be had, but we obtained a few ears of damp corn from the field, and a bushel of potatoes. The mills, such as then existed, were out of repair, and no family enjoyed the benefit of corn dodgers. Hominy w^as the substitute for bread. Our progress, by the setting poles, the coi'delle, and the bushivhacking , from this time until we reached St. Louis, was at the rate of eight or ten miles each day. On the 17th, we reached Ross Point, where bluffs set in, or jut out into the river, and where resided John Baldwin, a Baptist of some prominence. Here, also, I found and made the acquaintance of Eld. James P. Edwards, who subsequently died in the western part of Kentucky. Such was life in this early settlement. Ibid.

We have already seen that the Bethel Church was the second gathered in the Territory. It was organized .July 19, 1800, a short distance south of the present site of Jackson, the County-seat of Cape Girardeau county. I am writing with the old book of records before me. David Green, the minister, and Deacons George Lawrence and Henry Cockerham officiated in the constitution.

The constituent members were Eld. David

Green, Thomas English, AYilliam Matthews, Lena Green, William Smith, Jane English, Agnes Ballon, Thomas Bull, Clara Abernathy, Edward Spears, Catherine Anderson, Anderson Rogers, Rebekah Randol, John Hitt and Frances Hitt ; in all, fifteen. Thomas Bull was chosen Writing Clerk, and William Matthews as Singing Clerk.

Eld. David Green ministered to this flock in the wilderness for a few years and then died.

Bethel Church, though the second organized, may be regarded as the first permanent church organization in Missouri. The first, Tywappity, havini? become defunct not lons^ after it was organized. And from Bethel Church, directly or indirectly, sprang all the churches that composed the first Association ever organized west of the ti^reat river.

The first house of worship ever erected in Missouri, save those built by Catholics, was built by the Bethel Baptist Church above mentioned not long after its organization. It was constructed mainly of very large yellow poplar logs, well hewn; it was about twenty by thirty feet, and located about one and a half miles south of Jackson.

In honor to, and in memory of this house of worship, built by these first pioneer Christians of th(3 great West, we submit the following highly complimentary address, by Rev. J. C. Maple, which accompanied a handsomely mounted gavel — made of wood from one of the sills of the old Bethel Church House — presented to the Moderator of the General Association of Missouri, at its Session held at St. Joseph, in October, 1875:

ADDRESS OF KEV. J. C. MAPLE, D. D.

Brother Moderator and Brethren:

I have a pleasant duty which I desire, by your permission, to perform. It is known, my brethren, that, as in other States, the Baptists were among the first to erect the standard of the cross in Missouri; and though we are not of those who have faith in the preserving power of relics or amulets, we do believe in guarding with care our records ; and both duty and affection require us to treasure some of the mementoes of the men and their work, who were the pioneers in this great State.

From 1731 to 1803, the condition of the Government affairs of the province of Louisiana, which then included what is now the State of Missouri, was far from being settled. The question of Spanish or French rule was not arranged to the satisfaction of the people, yet for years the upper territory was under the control of a Spanish Governor, whose headquarters were at Cape Girardeau. Here he ruled with the pomp and severity of an oriental prince. He was never without his retinue of priestly advisors. Inliuenced by these vassals of the Pope, he, at one time, issued an order that all the people who resided within a distance of fifteen miles from his mansion, should, on a certain day, attend mass at Cape Girardeau. The few Baptists then in the province, and residing within the district named in the order, dared to disobey the command, and it was only by what the pi-iest termed the neglect of the Governor, that they narrowly escaped the penalties of their heretical insubordination.

In 1806, the Bethel Baptist church was organized, and soon afterward a house was built, in which they met to worship God. This was the first house of worship built by anti-Catholics, w^est of the Mississippi River. From the great river to the Pacific Ocean this log house was the only building devoted to the service of the living God. The membership of the church was not large, but formed an active, consecrated band. When visited by those remarkable pioneers. Peck and Welch, they found her an earnest, liberal, working missionary body. Even the amount of money contributed for missions has been kept upon the records by the unwearied chronicler, Kev. John M. Peck.

But, in a few years, a portion of the church withdrew and formed a new organization, in the vilhige of Jackson, one mile north of the old Bethel meeting-house. This was not the first, but the fourth colony which had gone out from the mother church. But those who remained after the formation of the Jackson church, unfortunately, became anti-Missionary, and, of course, the Bethel ceased to exist with the death of those who were the members. The church in Jackson is, therefore, the proper representative of this first Baptist church of Missouri. At the suggestion of Kev. W. J. Patrick to the pastor of that church. Rev. James Reid, I had this gavel made. It is composed entirely, except the mounting, of wood taken from one of the sills of this first temple erected in the western wilderness. The old house has been torn down. The hand of time and the ruder hand of man have accomplished the work of demolition. But that spiritual temple, of which every truly regenerated man or woman forms a part, will never feel the weight of years, nor yield to the wasting force of time;

but, sustained by the Almighty Hand, this more glorious structure, which ^\e labor to erect, will endure with the Kock upon which it is founded, not only through ages, but its existence is absolute and eternal. This little piece of wood may serve to remind us of the small beo^inninoj of the Baptist denomination in Missouri, sixty-nine years aoro. In less than seven decades the one church has increased to 1,292, and the little band, that then stood alone in this vast region, has become nearly 90,000, to say nothing of the large number and the glorious work now being accomplished in other States and Territories west of the Mississippi River.

To-day, we may well exclaim: *'What hath God wrought?" And while we should carefully avoid all vain glorying over our numbers, let us, to-day, take fresh courage from this little memento of the past, and seek an increase of consecration to the Master's work, commensurate with our numbers and our opportunities. We have not now, as then, a single log house in the wilderness, but many elegant houses of worship ; and what is still better, a noble band of able and consecrated ministers, who preach the Word of life in these well built temples.