From this meeting we date the beginning of the sixth period of our history. While the church and her pastor were employed in humble self-examination and prayer, the grace and mercy of God were displayed in awakening sinners and leading them to repentance. On the following Saturday, the regular business meeting of the church, Robert E. Kirtley, who had for some time been greatly concerned for the salvation of his soul, came forward, related a work of grace, and was received for baptism. At a meeting appointed for the third Wednesday in the month, the writer of this history, who had been awakened to a sense of his lost condition, and having realized "peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ," gave "a reason of the hope" within him; was received, and on the first Lord's day in November, both were baptized, in the Ohio river. A large concourse of persons witnessed the baptism, and attended upon the ministration of the Word, which on that day was preached with great earnestness and spirituality. Many were awakened to the concerns of religion; a more diffusive spirit of prayer and supplication, of humility and brotherly love pervaded the churches; a wide-spread seriousness characterized the community. During the following months, up to about the first of July, 1840, fifty-seven persons were received by baptism. In addition to the two already named, we may mention brethren Joseph C. Graves and John E. Botts, together with a considerable number of our present prominent female members; a large number both of males and females, who subsequently emigrated to the west, and others who have fallen asleep in Christ. By this revival the church was greatly reinforced in numbers and more strength. The aged members were comforted and encouraged in their work; the middle-aged and the young were strengthened and their growth was promoted. With but few exceptions, all were enlarged and the better fitted to stand fast in the faith of the gospel, and to "abound in the work of the Lord." While in this church and others, the work of revival was progressing, and the cause of the Master was being advanced, in some others of the churches of the Association the spirit of discontent was being nursed, and the schemes of division were concerted.

     At the meeting of the Association, in August, held with the Sand Run Church, it was apparent, from the large delegation from the Licking Association, and the gathering up of forces from all quarters, together with the spirit displayed by those who, the year previous, had brought into the Association an ungenerous and groundless charge against a corresponding Association, "for unscriptural preaching," that the work of division and disintegration was determined on. The great master spirit in fomenting strife and discord was present, by his well-known style of arrogant assumption, and appeal to the popular prejudice and passion, to intensify the feeling of alienation, and to disseminate more widely the seeds of discord.

     At the regular business meeting of the church, held the first Saturday in September, 1840, twelve members petitioned by letter to be dismissed, for the purpose of uniting with certain members from Sand Run, in the organization of a church. After deliberation, in view of all the peculiar surrounding circumstances, the church, considering it the least evil presenting itself, granted the request; and these members were dismissed, who subsequently, with certain members dismissed from neighboring churches, organized themselves under the title of "the Mount Pleasant Church of Predestination Baptists." At the following business meeting, the first Saturday in October, 1840, Joseph C Graves was appointed was appointed clerk, in the place of James Gaines, who was of the number dismissed.

     Having learned that several churches, formerly belonging to the North-Bend Association, had "in an unusual way," broken off from that body, since its last session; namely, Mud Lick, Forks of Gunpowder, Bethel, Crews' Creek, Four-Mile, and Salem, and had organized themselves into an Association, under the name and title of "the Salem Association of Predestination Baptists." Bullittsburg, at her December meeting for business, invited "a called meeting" of the North-Bend Association, to be held at her place of worship on the first Friday in April, 1841, said called meeting to be composed of messengers appointed by the several churches, the object of which should be to afford to brethren an opportunity of counseling together, for the promotion of the common cause, in view of the late secession, to appoint some place for the next meeting of the body, and some one to prepare the circular letter. It had been agreed to hold the next meeting with one of the seceding churches, and to one of the disaffected brethren had been assigned the writing of the circular. In pursuance of this invitation, the meeting was held at Bullittsburg, and in spirit and action was worthy of the old mother church, and of the North-Bend Association. It was characterized by a dignified demeanor, by a fervent spirit of brotherly love, and by judicious and well tempered counsels; only such allusions being made to the erring churches and brethren as the circumstances of the case compelled.

     In those times of division and trouble, Bullittsburg undeviatingly adhered to the doctrine, faith and practice of the fathers. No aspersion of strangers or misguided acquaintances, no outside pressure could drive her from the great principles and practices which had been the bulwark of her strength and pledge of her prosperity. Her weekly prayer meetings were kept up; her days of fasting, humiliation and prayer were observed, and a faithful discipline maintained. The doctrines of grace, with exhortations to repentance and faith, which had been her glory in the days of Taylor and Deweese, of Graves, Matthews and Dicken, and which the head of the church had so often blessed to her enlargement, constituted the burden of the message of Robert Kirtley. The Lord of the harvest was diligently sought both to send more laborers and to visit "his plantation."

     In December, 1841, Whitfield Early was released from the active duties of the deaconship, and John Duncan, a man of an excellent spirit, was chosen, and on the first Lord's day in March, 1842, was set apart by ordination to the office of deacon.

     On the second day of April, 1842, the writer of this history, who had from the day of his baptism, cherished an ardent desire to preach the gospel, having made it a subject of constant prayer that God would direct him, and who, during the previous winter, had been encouraged at the weekly prayer meetings, and at other times, to take part in the public worship, was licensed by the church to preach the gospel wherever God in his providence should cast his lot. About this time Alfred E. Chambers, who gave promise of usefulness, was also licensed to preach. He continued "to exercise his gift in the bounds of the church," with encouraging prospects for about one year; at which time, influenced by his strong Methodist proclivities, which he had imbibed in early life, he withdrew from the Baptists, and united with the Methodists, in which connection he continued a few years, until removed by death.

     As another fruit of this revival, we introduce here the name of Franklin Graves, who, having the cause at heart, and evincing a desire to be useful, was to some extent encouraged by the church to exercise his gift in exhortation and prayer. He, however, removed to Missouri in October, 1842, where he shortly, in a more public way, commenced preaching, and has, up to the present time, exercised his ministry, and is held in estimation as a good man.

     The irreligious influences surrounding the church at this time, and which as an outside pressure were brought to bear upon some of her wavering members, furnished a cause of much solicitude to the thoughtful and spiritually minded.

     During the spring and summer months of 1842 there was a growing seriousness and prayerfulness among the membership. The associational meeting was to be held with this church in August. The first Friday in June was observed as a day of fasting, humiliation and special prayer to God for the revival of his work. The messengers from the several churches appear to have come together at that meeting in a spirit of humility and brotherly love, of prayer and faith in the promises of God. The Lord was pleased to meet with his people, and to vouchsafe a gracious revival of his work. The preaching of the brethren at this anniversary was "in demonstration of the spirit and power." The meeting was continued for several days together. "The hand of the Lord" was with his people, "and a great many believed and turned unto the Lord." The revival spirit continued in a good degree through several months, was largely shared by the church at Middle Creek, and, to a considerable degree by all the churches of the Association, so that during this revival season "the Lord added to the" churches of the North Bend Association more converts than all who "went out from us." Three hundred and sixty-four converts were added to the churches of the Association, while the six churches, which "went out from us," comprised, in the aggregate, a membership of only two hundred and eighty-three persons. Among those added to Bullittsburg, during this revival, were Albert G. Dicken, Joseph Botts, Robert K. Graves, George R. Kirltey, Joel Garnette, Thomas C. Graves, and others.

     At the instance of brethren residing in Burlington, and in co-operation with the church at Middle Creek, Bullittsburg counseled the organization of a Baptist church in that town, and by a unanimous vote granted liberty to any of her members, residing in that vicinity, who desired, to unite in the organization of said church. Four of her members, united with a goodly number of brethren and sisters of Middle Creek, on the 13th of December, 1842, in the organization of the present Baptist church in Burlington. As a fruit of the two recent revivals, so largely shared by the church at Middle Creek, another flourishing young church was organized on the 25th of May, 1842, in the immediate neighborhood of the Big Bone-Springs, from which place of celebrity the church took the name of "Big Bone." These two young churches were almost exclusively colonies from Middle Creek, and were planted and watered under the ministry of Elder Robert Kirtley.

     A goodly number of members were added to Bullittsburg during the year of 1844; principally, however, gleanings of the two late revivals; among whom were Noah Sebree, one of our present useful brethren.

     In the fall of 1844, the writer of this history, having suspended his course of study at Georgetown, from a temporary loss of sight, and meanwhile having been considerably engaged in preaching, was on the first Lord's day in October, 1844, ordained to the work of the ministry, and from his ordination till the fall of 1847, was associated with Elder Robert Kirtley in the pastoral care of the church. From September, 1847, till the summer of 1854, he labored in the pastoral relation, in the cities of Madison, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. In July, 1854, though, having returned with enfeebled health, to his native county, and to the old church of his first love, at the solicitation of the executive board of the North Bend association, about the beginning of winter, entered upon his labors as a missionary, in the bounds of the Association; which labors he continued till the close of 1856, especially assisting the pastors, and laboring in many meetings of interest, held by various churches.

     After the withering, blighting storm, which swept over the churches of Kentucky during the years 1839 and 1840 had passed, Bullittsburg enjoyed peace, and a good measure of prosperity. She continued steadfast in doctrine, faith and discipline.

     Though her own boundary was greatly diminished by the springing up of churches around her, she took a lively interest in supporting the preaching of the Gospel in the destitute neighborhoods, in the bounds of the Association, and in sending it abroad in foreign fields. From year to year she dismissed large numbers of her members who, emigrating chiefly to Missouri, assisted in building up a number of efficient churches in that State. The old church stood, through long years, decimated in numbers, but faithful to her trust.

     Many of her aged and faithful members were removed by death; among whom we may mention Mrs. Peggy Ann Dicken, the widow of Elder James Dicken, who died July 6th, 1849. Mrs. Felicia Graves, widow of Elder Absalom Graves, deceased February 19th, 1851; and Mrs. Polly Kirtley, wife Elder Robert Kirtley, deceased June 15th, 1851. These were, indeed, mothers in Israel; useful and beloved in their lives, and in their deaths numbered with the "blessed dead, who die in the Lord," who cease from their labors, and whose "works do follow them."

     Edward Graves, who had been a useful and honored member for about a half a century, died September 11th, 1852, truly lamented and missed as well for his cheerful and good spirit, as for his promptness and prudent counsel.

     The church had lost a number of her aged members by death, and a large number of her young and enterprising members by removal. With thinned and serried ranks, she stood, however, panoplied for the conflict, and "shod with a preparation of the Gospel of peace." In the early months of 1853, her weekly prayer meetings began to be more generally attended. A great interest was taken in the Sunday school, not only by the members of the church, but many of the young people in the community, particularly those who came into the Bible classes, evinced a very considerable spirit of inquiry into the teachings of the Word of God, and upon the subject of personal religion.

     The study of the Scriptures by those who became teachers, and those members also who went into the several Bible classes, gave to them a very considerable growth, and prompted in them a greater solicitude for the salvation of the youth in the neighborhood.

     In August, hearing of a very gracious work of revival progressing in the neighboring sister church at Big-Bone, a number of the Bullittsburg members were attracted thither; who seemed on their return home, to have imbibed much of the spirit, and were exercised with a greatly increased spirit of prayer, for a revival of God's work.

     At the regular meeting for business, first Saturday in September, 1853, the church, with great unanimity and with unusual earnestness and solicitude, appointed a meeting to commence on Friday, the 9th of September, the day immediately following the close of the session of the North-Bend Association, which was held that year with the First Baptist Church in Covington.

=============

[James A. Kirtley, History of Bullittsburg Church with Biographies, 1872, pp. 31-37.

---

Period 7
More on Bullittsburg Baptist
Baptist History Homepage