Editor's note: The following history was prepared and published at the request of the North Bend Association; it was published in Covington, Printed by Davis, 1872. It is available at the Boone County Public Library, Main Branch, Burlington. - Jim Duvall
HISTORY OF BULLITTSBURG CHURCH
By James A. KirtleyPeriod I
BULLITTSBURG CHURCH was constituted in June 1794, by Joseph Redding and William Cave. Elder John Taylor (as we learn from his history) was present.
The following members, viz: Lewis Deweese, John Hall, Elizabeth Hall, Chicester Matthews, Agnes Matthews, Joseph Smith and Leannah Smith, uniting upon the doctrines of the Gospel set forth in the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, "as received by the Elkhorn Association," were by the brethren present recognized, and duly declared to be "The Baptist Church of Christ at Bullittsburg." The members of this little church at that time were the principal residents of the infant, settlement on the margin of the Ohio river, in what was then called Bullitt's Bottom, now North Bend. Lots had been laid off by a Mr. McClellan for a small town, who, in honor of a Mr. Bullitt, the original military claimant to the tract of land on which the settlement was made, called it Bullittsburg. Hence the name of the church.
This was one of the few scattering settlements in this part of Northern Kentucky, and which for some time was constantly exposed to Indian depredation. Yet this little company of believers were as intent upon honoring their Master in this wilderness place as they were in providing for their personal security and subsistence.
They adopted as the basis of their church government and order the instructions of the Saviour, given in the 18th chapter of Matthew, rigidly confronting to their letter in every instance of private trespass, and to their spirit in all cases when practicable. Love to the Master and to one another was the law of their intercourse.
Two of the members of this little church, Deweese and Matthews, who afterwards became useful ministers of the Gospel, appear to have possessed so much of the spirit of the Gospel, and such a readiness to advance the interests of religion, that the church, even at this time, was not wholly destitute of the means of public instruction and edification. Deweese had already begun to exercise his gifts in a way of preaching, and conducted their public exercises acceptably to the church.
The minutes of their proceedings from the organization of the church till February, 1795, were lost. A subsequent record, however, shows that during the interval five persons were received by letter for membership.
About the time of the organization, Elder John Taylor visited this outpost of civilization, and arranged to remove his family thither, which he did the following spring, and, in company with several others bearing letters, united with this church. The presence of Taylor in this little church and sparse community, so remote from other churches and other communities, gave renewed strength and encouragement to the brethren. They at once invited him to become their preacher and administer the ordinances.
Taylor was, indeed, in many respects, a remarkable man. Of strong native intellect, quick apprehension and independent thought; possessing a sound practical knowledge of the Scriptures, and withal a great deal of firmness and decision of character, he was peculiarly fitted for pioneer life, and for pioneer labor in the vineyard of the Lord. His labors in this church and community, and neighboring communities, which sprang up rapidly under the strong tide of emigration from Virginia and from older settlements in Kentucky, continued until March, 1802, and were greatly blessed.
During the years preceeding the great revival of 1800 and 1801, the church was in a formative state. Her enlargement was almost exclusively from emigration. For six years she had only four additions by baptism. This was a period of toil and trials, of sowing in tears and walking by faith, yet one of the most important periods in her history. Her membership, coming together from different parts of the country, were, in the general, an excellent class of people, chiefly from Culpepper, Orange and Madison counties, Virginia; a few from North and South Carolina, and a few from New York. Many of these brethren possessed a good practical knowledge of Scripture truth, and, as Taylor remarks in his history, "were good old peaceable disciplinarians" in the churches to which they formerly belonged; yet, coming together from so many different communities, and under a new class of circumstances, it was of great importance to the peace, prosperity and existence of the church, that the constantly increasing material should be rightly harmonized, and that all should be moulded into one common mind and spirit.
All needed, therefore, to be more thoroughly instructed in the doctrines, and drilled in the principles and practices of the Gospel. The counsel, public instruction and labors of Taylor were of great service to the church in this important period of her history. That which characterized the church in a remarkable degree in all her acts and the intercourse of her membership was a prevailing spirit of brotherly love, great candor and honesty, and an unwavering adherence to the teachings and spirit of the New Testament. Her discipline was rigid and impartial, and maintained with unshrinking firmness and vigilance. In all cases of private trespass, the parties were required to conform to the rule of the Saviour in the 18th of Matthew, and were publicly dealt with for any departure from this rule. Non-attendance for two meetings in succession of the regular and stated meetings of the church was a ground of dealing. "Harsh and unsavory speeches" of members toward each other or toward the world, "railing and backbiting," "a willful departure from the truth," intoxication, Sabbath-breaking, "immodest conduct between the sexes," a breach of honesty in commercial transactions between members or towards the world, were grounds of dealing. In all such cases, where the church adjudged the member or members to be "guilty of sin" or "wrong-doing," and failing to give satisfaction, they were suspended from church privileges, and further dealing in love and faithfulness was prosecuted until it resulted in restoration or exclusion.
No breach of good order or public scandal was allowed to rest. Immediate steps were taken to rectify and remove them. Called meetings of the church were sometimes appointed, even in the most inclement seasons, and at remote places in her extensive boundary, to remove difficulties and heal disorders. The church, also, in a judicious and affectionate manner, extended her discipline to Baptists settling within her bounds with letters from other churches. Social and Christian intercourse were cultivated toward them. But, upon neglecting "to take membership in the church," one of more brethren were appointed "to treat with them" (as their records express it) and ascertain their reasons for such neglect; if unsatisfactory, and they persisted in neglect, the appellation "brother" and "sister" was denied them. If difficulties with any of the members of the church furnished the grounds of neglect, steps were at once taken to remove the difficulties, and reconcile the parties.
During this period, which Taylor calls a "wintry season," the faithfulness of the church in maintaining a Scriptural discipline greatly promoted the peace, unity and efficiency of her membership. In extending a watchful care over her members who were to be found in all the growing settlements for many miles distant, she entered upon a work of evangelization, the fruits of which were so abundant and encouraging in the following years. The word of the Lord was published in all the surrounding neighborhoods and settlements. To meet the growing demand for preaching, to look after her members and the general interests of the cause in the numerous small settlements which sprang up so rapidly, prompted the church to call into requisition all her gifts of usefulness. Many of her members were encouraged to take part in the public exercises of prayer, exhortation and expounding of the Scriptures. Frequent meetings at private houses furnished suitable occasions.
Taylor was an ordained minister in the church from April 1795 - faithful and laborious. In April, 1797, Elder George Eve, an ordained minister from Virginia, noted chiefly for his warmth and zeal in exhortation, removed to this part of Kentucky, became a member at Bullittsburg, and, in conjunction with Taylor and others, exercised his ministry with much acceptance and usefulness, continuing with this church till February, 1800. James Lee, a very spiritually-minded man and a licentiate, became a member in July, 1796. Deweese had been licensed from the organization of the church. In November following, the subject of the ordination of these brethren was considered, and discussed with a condor and affectionate faithfulness, as is rarely ever displayed on such occasions.
The church unanimously decided to postpone their ordination, and with expressions of love and confidence encouraged them "to excise their gifts as preaching men." These brethren heartily concurred in the wisdom of the church, and from her affectionate faithfulness were stimulated to renewed zeal and industry in the ministry of the Word. In September, 1797, the subject of their ordination was again brought forward for consideration, at which time it was unanimously agreed to ordain them, and brethren Taylor and Eve were appointed a presbytery to carry out the will of the church. Bullittsburg had now four ordained ministers. Lee was located in a remote part of her boundary, where he labored a short time very acceptably; thence removed to the State of Ohio, where for several years previous to his death he was a laborious and useful minister. In June, 1795, Chichester Matthews, a man of unaffected modesty and simplicity and of genuine piety, was ordained a deacon, in which office he served the cause of the Master with great faithfulness and efficiency for a number of years. Philemon Vawter was also ordained a deacon in January, 1797. He was a good man, and continued a beloved and honored officer of the church till his removal in February, 1804.
In 1796, the church considered the subject of eldership as distinct from the ministry. The views of influential brethren, formed from the practice of the churches with which they were connected in Virginia, doubtless led to this. The church decided at that time there was such an office, and William Cave was chosen and ordained an elder. Subsequently Jeremiah Kirtley was ordained to the same office. Their duties were closely allied to those of the minister and deacon. These were the only elders distinct from the ministry ever appointed by the church. The recognition of the office soon passed away. Both of these brethren were shortly licensed to preach. In July, 1795, the church addressed a letter to the Elkhorn Association by the hands of her messengers John Taylor and John Hall, and was received a member of that body. Annually thereafter till 1803, when the North Bend Association was organized, she was represented in the Elkhorn, notwithstanding an intervening wilderness of a hundred miles. Taylor, Kirtley and Cave were usually her messengers. The deacons, besides performing those duties, for which their practical knowledge, soundness in the faith and spirituality of mind peculiarly fitted them, were the acknowledged treasurers and the collecting and disbursing agents of the church. The plan adopted by the church for raising funds was by an equitable apportionment upon the members, on the Scripture principle that "it is required of a man according to that which he hath," and according "as the Lord hath prospered him." A church fund was created, and kept in the hands of the deacons, and from time to time increased, as the demands of worship and the necessities of her poor required.
When the church erected her first house of worship in 1797 at the present place of meeting, it was ordered that the deacons apportion the price of the building upon the members as they thought just, "and that every one come prepared at the next monthly meeting to pay his part." It was also the practice of the church during these years to pay the expenses of her messengers to the Association. From 1795 to 1798 John Conner served the church as clerk. From 1798 to 1801 the elder Absalom Graves served in the same capacity. At the close of 1799, the church had four ordained ministers and one licentiate, (Moses Vicars), two elders, and two deacons, and comprised a membership of seventy-two persons. A large proportion of this number were heads of families - respectable and useful citizens; some of them men of great sobriety and wisdom, and whose numerous posterity have formed important integral portions of many communities throughout the Western country; among whom we mention the names of Thomas Whitaker, John Craig, John Conner, Edmund Garnett, Forrest Webb, William Cave, John Watts, Jeremiah Kirtley, Moses Vicars, Cave Johnson and Absalom Graves. Having imperfectly traced the history of this church to the close of the last century, we will follow her through the next decade - a period of great progress and enlargment.
============= [James A. Kirtley, History of Bullittsburg Church with Biographies, 1872, pp. 3-8. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
Period 2
More on Bullittsburg Baptist
Baptist History Homepage