This is the eldest daughter of the Old Elkhorn fraternity, and the fifth association constituted in Kentucky. According to an arrangement made by Elkhorn Association, messengers from 8 churches met at Bracken meetinghouse, near the present site of Minerva, in Mason county, on Saturday, May 28, 1799. A sermon was preached by the venerable David Thomas. James Turner was chosen Moderator, and Donald Holmes, Clerk. After proper consideration, Bracken Association was constituted in due form. Five of the churches, viz: Washington, Mayslick, Bracken (now Minerva), Stone Lick and Locust Creek, had been dismissed from Elkhorn Association. The ministers of the new fraternity were Lewis Craig, David Thomas, Donald Holmes and Philip Drake. William Wood, the first preacher who had settled within the present bounds of Bracken Association, had been excluded from Washington church, the year before the Association was constituted. The venerable and illustrious Lewis Craig was regarded the father of this Association.This fraternity was small at first. At its meeting, in the fall of 1799, it reported 9 churches, with 600 members. It did not share so largely in the fruits of the "Great Revival," as did the other associations in the State. For, while the churches of Elkhorn reported, in 1801, 3,011 baptisms, and those of Tates Creek, 1,148, those of Bracken reported only 139. The body, however, enjoyed a steady, healthful growth, till 1805, when it numbered 19 churches, with 1,865 members.
About this time the subject of slavery began to be much agitated, among its churches. Donald Holmes had established an Emancipation church in 1802, not far from Mayslick. Bracken church had also adopted Emancipation principles. In 1805, these churches, with Elders Donald Holmes, James Thompson and Joseph Morris were dropped from the Association. From this time, the Association decreased in numbers, till 1812, when it reported 15 churches, with only 600 members. This was exactly the number of members that it reported at its first regular meeting. The body became discouraged, and submitted to the churches the question, as to whether the Association should be dissolved. A majority of the churches answered in the negative, and the following year a revival commenced, which continued two years, and during which, 423 converts were baptized into the churches of the Association. About this time, that eminent man of God, Walter Warder, settled at Mayslick, and took charge of that and other churches within the bounds of the Association. A new impulse was given to the cause of religion, and within the next six years, the aggregate membership of the churches was more than doubled; so that, in 1821, the Association numbered 17 churches, with 1,532 members.
In October, 1823, Alexander Campbell held a debate on baptism, with William L, McCalla, a Presbyterian, at Washington, one of the churches in Bracken Association. Mr. Campbell was then a member of a Baptist church; but he had already begun to disseminate his peculiar views, through the Christian Baptist, as well as from the pulpit. His debate with McCalla gave him great popularity among the Baptists of this region, and disposed them to read his periodical with favor. As his teachings were antagonistic to Baptist principles, unhappy disputations were gendered in the churches. The cause of religion languished, and vital piety rapidly decayed. The Association gradually decreased in numbers, till 1827, when it reported an aggregate membership of only 1,103. Meanwhile, many of the members, and some of the ministers, had fully embraced the views of Mr. Campbell. Even the pious and popular Walter Warder appeared to look favorably on the "Reformation," and Jeremiah Vardeman, by far the most popular and successful preacher in Kentucky, so far yielded to the new system, about this time, as to baptize "for the remission of sins," And, although he did not live within the bounds of Bracken Association, he frequently labored with his intimate associate, Walter Warder.
In the Winter of 1827-8, the great religious awakening began, in northern Kentucky; and, within the bounds of Bracken Association, 1,116 persons were baptized, within a single year. The aggregate membership of the Association was a little more than doubled. To what extent these people were formally "baptized for the remission of sins," does not now appear; but it is probable that a majority of them submitted to the ordinance, on that principle. The Association was now numerically stronger than it had ever been before. But instead of that peace and harmony that ought to follow a true revival of religion, the strife and contention had increased in proportion to the growth of the Campbellite element. The "Reformers" were largely in the majority, and were determined to conform the churches to their new doctrines, There was not a preacher in the Association, who was not wanting, either in disposition or courage, to oppose Campbellism, boldly and openly. Even Walter Warder was either inclined to accept the "Reformation," or deemed it imprudent to oppose it.
At this juncture, after the meeting of the Association, in the fall of 1829, William Vaughan returned from Ohio, and again settled within the bounds of Bracken Association. He was probably the ablest theologian then among the Baptists of Kentucky, not even excepting the polished and scholarly Silas M. Noel. Mr. Vaughan at once began, in a masterly manner, to expose the vaguely taught principles of the "Reformation," which had been so obscurely advocated that even Warder and Vardeman seemed not to have understood them. Mr. Vaughan soon made the differences between Baptist principles and Campbellism, manifest to the people. Warder joined him in exposing the heresy, and the lines were speedily drawn between the Baptist and Campbellite parties.
The Association met at Washington, in Mason county, the first Saturday in September, 1830. Although the Campbellites had a popular majority in the churches, a majority of the messengers were Baptists. Mr. Vaughan was elected Moderator. This was a test vote, and exhibited the relative strength of the respective parties, in the body. Two parties from each of Mayslick and Bethel churches, presented letters to the Association. The majority of the former and the minority of the latter were received, on the ground that their rivals had "embraced a system of things called, Reformation, thereby departing from the principles of the United Baptists, in Kentucky, and of the Association." This action was decisive, and led to a formal separation of the Baptists and Campbellites, in the churches composing the body. As in the cases of Tates Creek, North District, and Boones Creek Associations, only a small remnant was left to the Baptists. At the close of the "revival," in 1829, Bracken Association numbered 18 churches, aggregating 2,303 members; in 1831, after the separation from the Campbellites, it numbered 16 churches, with only 890 members.
The Association was greatly reduced, but it now enjoyed internal peace, and soon began to prosper again. Its progress was slow for several years; but in 1838, its churches enjoyed a refreshing from the Lord, under the ministrations of Gilbert Mason and T. J. Fisher. There were reported to the Association 292 baptisms, that fall. From this time till 1847, the Association enjoyed a course of prosperity. At this date it numbered 16 churches, with 1,723 members. But, as if this fraternity was destined to perpetual discord, another grievous schism occurred, at the last named date. Gilbert Mason, the most prominent preacher in the Association, and the pastor of Mayslick, Washington, Bracken, and Maysville churches, had been convicted of grave misdemeanors by a council, called for the investigation of certain charges which had been preferred against him. He refused to submit to the decision of the council, and the matter was now brought before the Association. Washington church, adhering to her pastor, was dropped from the Association. Five other churches sympathized with that at Washington, and, in 1849, the six churches, aggregating 527 members, formed Washington Association. The two Associations continued to occupy the same territory, and rival each other, till 1856, when, Mr. Mason having returned to Virginia, they were happily reunited, under the old name of Bracken Association of United Baptists. The body continued to enjoy peace, and a good degree of prosperity, till 1862, when it numbered 26 churches, with 2,575 members. This is the largest number of members it has ever reported. It lost about 1,000 members by the severance of the colored people from its churches, at the close of the War. From that time to the present, it has moved on prosperously. In 1880 it numbered 25 churches, aggregating 2,523 members. From its constitution in 1799, to 1880, there have been baptized into the fellowship of its churches, according to its official reports, 8,917 professed believers.
This Association has been a missionary body during its entire history, and has contributed liberally to the benevolent enterprises of the denomination. Since the War, it has probably surpassed any other association in the State in its zeal, liberality and efficiency in Home missions and Sunday school enterprises. It has enjoyed the labors of a number of very able ministers, none of whom, it is believed, have been raised up to the ministry, in its churches.
================== [From J. H. Spencer, A History of Kentucky Baptists, Vol. 1, 1886; reprint, 1984, pp. 96-100. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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