1. BRASHEAR'S CREEK, is situated near Shelbyville; it is still enjoying the ministerial labor of Elder Wm. Ford, once a month, on the Lord's day after the first Saturday. They enjoy a state of quiet, have some indications of a. revival, with some additions the last year. Their pastor informs us that they sustain him liberally, but nothing is known as to what extent they are laboring to spread the Gospel among the destitute.2. CHENOWETH'S RUN. This small body have removed from Jeffersontown back to their old meeting house. They have been entirely destitute of stated, and nearly of occasional preaching the last year. Elder Carey has however engaged recently to preach for them once a month; no other changes have occurred with them, except the death of one of their members.
3. ELK CHURCH. This church is situated in Spencer county; has the ministerial services of Elder G. Waller, the second Lord's day in each month; they have continued to prosper ever since their emancipation from anti-ism; have been doing well for their pastor, are at peace and doing about as well as their sister churches for the general objects of religion.
4. LONG RUN. This old church which gave name to the Association, is situated on a water-course of the same name in Jefferson county. Elder John Dale preaches to them on the first Lord's day in each month. The revival which commenced there just before our last session, the first fruits of which were reported in our lust years' Minutes, resulted in an unusual ingathering of souls, the amount of which may be seen by a reference to the table. Brother D. Harris is a licentiate of this body. Their pastor gives them credit for liberally sustaining him, and he hopes that they will soon come up to a systematic action in the other departments of labor to spread the gospel.
5. HARROD'S CREEK. This church is in Oldham county, near the Jefferson line; it has experienced a long wintry season from which they seem not yet relieved; and in addition to all this they seem to have had some special difficulties to contend with; they are however cheered with prospects of better times as they have recently secured the services of Elder G. Waller on the fourth Lord's day in each month. They propose to sustain him in the discharge of his duty, but say nothing as to what they are doing for other objects. Brother O. Knowland is an ordained preacher of their body
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6. BURK's BRANCH. This church is in Shelby county; it has experienced a most gracious outpouring of the Spirit the last year, the results of which may be seen by a reference to the table. They have recently obtained the services of brother J. Baker once a month, & engage to sustain him in his labor, but say nothing in their letter as to what they are doing for the general interests of religion.7. BUCK CREEK. This church is also in Shelby county, is still attended on the first Lord's day in each month by Elder G. Waller, and has enjoyed a most delightful season in the past year, and many have been added to its number as may be seen in the table. This church has been in the habit of liberally sustaining its local minister, and has never failed to yield their support to the other objects of the denomination when called upon, but has as yet adopted no regular system in reference to those objects.
8. LITTLE MOUNT, is situated in Spencer county; their letter speaks of the happy state of things in the church, and of a delightful increase the past year. Elder Wm. Stout is still preaching to them once a month. They have generally been friendly to benevolent effort, but we are not aware that they have adopted any uniform system of action in those matters - nor are we aware how far they are sustaining their own pastor.
9. KINGS. This church is located in Bullitt county; has the services of Elder Wm. Barrett once a month, it has experienced a revival the past year, and some have been added to the body. They have heretofore stood upon neutral ground in reference to benevolent effort; we hope, however, that the increasing light which is gathering around them, upon these matters, will soon dissipate their hesitation, and that this church will be found among the foremost to unfurl the Banner of the Cross to a perishing world. We can say nothing as to what they are doing for their Pastor.
10. PLUMB CREEK. This church is in Spencer county. Elder William Stout preaches to them the 2d Lord's day in each month. They enjoyed quite a refreshing in the early part of the year, and considerable additions were made to their number; they are at peace at present - are friendly to effort - but seem not to have any system of action upon these subjects. We can say nothing as to how they discharge their duty to their Pastor.
11. NEW CASTLE, in the town of New-Castle - is preached to by Elder M'Guire - Elder Goodell having been compelled to desist from preaching on account ill health. Nothing of a remarkable character has occurred to change the character of this church the past year. They are friendly to effort, and uniformly lend their assistance when applied to - but have no system to regulate their action; they are able to do much, and generally sustain their own Ministry. Brother Netherton is a licentiate in this church.
12. SHELBYVILLE - is in the town of Shelbyville; it has the ministerial labor of Elder Saml. Baker, two Sabbaths in the month - is in a tolerable prosperous condition, having had a considerable accession of numbers the past year - they are sustaining their preacher for the time appropriated to their service - are friendly to all the objects of benevolence, and contribute liberally to their support, when called upon, but like the majority of churches in this State, they have failed to adopt a uniform system in the distribution of their means; they have, however, a female Missionary Society among their members, and a large Sabbath School. Elder J. P. Rucker is a member here.
13. TAYLORSVILLE, is located in the town of the same name - Elder Wm. Stout preaches to them the third Lord's day in each month. They are in prosperous circumstances, having had considerable accessions the past year. They are friendly to effort, and, as others, contribute occasionally to their support, but without system. We are not authorized to say how they discharge their duty to their preacher-but we hope faithfully.
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14. SIMPSONVILLE, is in the town of that name, in Shelby county. - It has the ministerial services of Elder John Dale, on the second Lord's day in each month. It is in a prosperous condition - has been greatly increased the past year; they are friendly to every good work, but are without any system in their appropriations. Their Pastor, however, gives them credit for doing their duty to him.15. DOVER. This church is in Shelby county - it has recently passed through a serious trial, but is now in a quiet and peaceable condition, with prospects of better times. They are ministered to once a month, by Elder E. G. Berry, whom they propose to sustain in proportion to the time appropriated to their service - but they have not been able to do much for other objects, in consequence of the difficulties alluded to above.
16. FIRST CHURCH OF LOUISVILLE. This church is in a prosperous condition. Elder John Finlay is their Pastor. It has under its care, a large African Church, supplied by an able Minister, a colored man, by the name of - Addams. They have a commodious large brick house, which they have built and paid for themselves - and they pay their Pastor five hundred dollars a year, quarterly in advance; it is useless to say, that this African Church is prospering - their munificence is a standing reproof to many of our churches of another color. The First Church has a large Sabbath School, and in connection with the Second Church, a Female Missionary Society, and a Bible Society is kept up - but she has not yet systematized her action as a church upon these subjects.
17. PLEASANT GROVE. This church is in Jefferson county; it is in It state of comfortable prosperity. It has, this year, the ministerial services of Elder T. M. Rice half his time at a stipulated salary. They have among their members, a Missionary Society, Auxiliary to the Roberts' Fund, and China Mission Society - but the church, as such, though friendly to effort, is as the rest of the churches in this Association.
18. FLOYD'S FORK - is situated on the stream so called; since the spirit of anti-ism has been controlled in this body, its prosperity has exceeded any thing in its past history. Forty-six have been baptized there the past year. Elder Wm. Barnett is preaching to them once a month, and we understand, that they are aiming to sustain him. It is now what all churches should be, a Missionary body.
19. FISH POOL. This little body is in Jefferson county - Elders R. Gailbreath and P. M. Carey, preach here; it is so feeble, that its light seems almost extinguished. May God cause this little one to arise.
20. LITTLE FLOCK, is within three miles of the former - is preached to by Elder R. Gailbreath, statedly, and by Elder Carey occasionally. It is much larger than Fish Pool, but not more active. We are inclined to think, that neither of the above churches are in the habit of doing much for the ministry, among them - and perhaps this is one reason why they are so barren.
21. SECOND CHURCH, IN LOUISVILLE. This young church has gradually increased - it is small, but it contains some active, persevering members, and we hope will flourish. They have finished, in a very neat style, a brick house, on Green, between first and second streets. Elder F. A. Willard is still their Pastor. They have a large Sabbath School, and maintain, in connection with the First Church, a Bible Society, Auxiliary to the Kentucky and Foreign Bible Society, and also a Female Missionary Society.
In conclusion, we hope that the time is not far off when we shall have the pleasure, not only to report that the churches of our Association are friendly to the efforts making to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth - but when we shall have the satisfaction to report what they do in these matters, by a regular system in their church capacity.
========= [From Minutes of the Long Run Baptist Association, September, 1840, pp. 6-8; this brief report on the churches is a substitute for the Circular Letter. From SBTS Archives digital documents. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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