Period VII
At the appointed time, almost the whole church came together; and with such evident tokens of humility, prayer, confession, brotherly love and trust in God, it was evident that the Spirit of the Lord was with his people. Elder Robert Kirtley having been requested to remain a few days with the First Church in Covington, where there seemed to be considerable interest, it devolved upon the writer to conduct the meeting. After the morning sermon, several young persons, who, in the Bible classes, had evinced a considerable interest in studying the Scriptures, came forward and gave a most interesting and satisfactory account of their faith and hope in Christ, and were received for baptism.A meeting for prayer and religious inquiry was appointed, to be held at night at the residence of the writer, and all who were interested on the subject of religion were invited to attend. While a number of the brethren and sisters were present, greatly to the surprise of all, a large number of young men and ladies attended. With all of them we had personal conversation and prayer. There was not, perhaps, an uninterested person in that meeting; and all of them afterwards made a public profession of religion.
During the progress of the meeting, which continued about two weeks, services were held in the morning and afternoon of each day, and also at night. So great was the religious interest that in the intermissions which were allowed for refreshments the people seemed less inclined "for the meat that perisheth" than "for that which endureth unto life eternal." They seemed but little interested in anything else than praising and serving God, and talking of those "things which make for their peace." Elders Robert Kirtley, William Whitaker and Robert Vicars labored during the meeting with manifest tokens of the divine favor and blessing. By a sort of common consent, however, among the ministers, the chief burden of the preaching was laid upon the writer; and it may be said with humble confidence that "the Word of the Lord" was attended with "the demonstration of the Spirit and power of God."
During the gracious revival season, "the Lord added to the church," fifty-four souls, who at the close of the meeting were "buried with Christ in baptism," in the Ohio river. Among those added to the church, were Alfred C. Graves, John Winston, jr., James Grant, Wm. Walton, Samuel Pangburn, Wm. Grant, Marcus Kirtley, Sthreshly Allen, Junius Graves, Thomas Stephens, John Garnette and Charles C. Graves. By this visitation of grace and mercy from the Lord, the church was greatly strengthened and encouraged.
During the remainder of this year, and the following, quite a number of members, as the gleanings of this gracious harvest, were added to the church by baptism. The restless tide of emigration, however, swept on, and in the coming years up to 1861, led many of the promising young members to "the far west." The stream of death also moved on apace, bearing on its resistless current many of our dear kindred in Christ, and especially some of our aged and valued members, whose history linked us with that of the pioneer fathers.
On the third of March, 1855, Albert G. Willis, an amiable and excellent young men, who about the beginning of the late revival, was received by letter, from the Baptist Church of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was licensed to preach, and for some time, was a most commendable zeal, and exemplary deportment, exercised in a way of exhortation, prayer, and conversation. He subsequently returned to Virginia, where he was usefully employed in the ministry, and in the work of colportage, until he fell a victim to the demon fury of the late war. At the same time Alfred C. Graves, then quite a youth, was encouraged to exercise his gift, publicly in the bounds of the church. That encouragement was renewed by a unanimous vote of the church in January, 1858.
In September, 1859, during his college course, the church fully licensed him "to preach the Gospel wherever God in his providence should cast his lot;" and in September, 1860, on the second day of the session of the North-Bend Association, held at Bullittsburg, at the request of the church and the council, consisting of the messengers of the churches to the association, he was by the ministers in attendance, ordained to the work of the ministry. Since then he has been usefully employed in the Master's service, for a time as pastor; then editor of our State paper, and pastor of the First Baptist Church in Manchester, New Hampshire.
On the first Saturday in December, 1856, Joseph C. Graves was, at his request, released from the duties of clerk; and Thomas Graves, the present clerk, was appointed in his stead. About this time, the writer of this history, declining to labor longer as a missionary, in the bounds of the Association, was by the united request of the church, and of Elder Robert Kirtley, more fully associated with him, in the pastoral care of the church. Indeed, it was the expressed wish and purpose of Elder Robert Kirtley, now about seventy years of age, and feeling the weight of growing infirmities, to withdraw altogether from the pastoral relation; which he did in 1859, yet continued to preach to the church as health and opportunity afforded, till his death.
In 1858 the church remodeled her house of worship, at a cost of fifteen hundred and ninety-four dollars; and in February, 1859, received it at the hands of her building committee.
On the second Lord's day in September, 1860, Robert K. Graves, who had been unanimously chosen by the church, was set apart by ordination to the office of deacon. In this office, he served the cause with efficiency for several years, haivng attained to a considerable growth in knowledge, grace, and active usefulness. Subsequently removing to the town of Burlingron, he became a member of the church in that place, where he was licensed to preach, and in February last was ordained; and now exercises his ministry profitably among the churches, and in destitute places.
In the closing months of 1860 the church enjoyed a refreshing season. Some nineteen converts were added to her number, a considerable proportion of whom were young ladies, and some indeed are ornaments of piety.
Roland Botts, who had been a member of this church since 1811, a man of prudence and exemplary deportment, and who from many years "had used the office of a deacon well," died on the 28th of April, 1862, in his seventy-seventh year, beloved and honored in life and lamented in death.
About the 1st of March, 1865, Elder Robert E. Kirtley, who had entered the ministry in the State of Missouri, having in the providence of God returned to this vicinity, and for a time cast in his lot with the old church where he had professed Christ, was invited to preach one Sabbath in the month, and for some time very profitably and acceptably exercised his ministry in the church.
From the rapidly declining health of brethren Absalom Graves and John Duncan, two of the deacons, the church made choice of brother Thomas Graves, who, on the first Lord's Day in June, 1865, was ordained to the office of deacon, and who continues to serve in that capacity.
In August of this year, from the manifestations of interest to hear the Gospel in an adjacent neighborhood, "an arm of the church" was extended to the school on Woolper Creek, some five miles distant from her house of worship, where frequent meetings were held, and where, during the fall months, including a few received at the regular place of worship, seventeen persons were added by baptism. Among those received into the fellowship of the church at that time were brethren Reuben Jerrold, Samuel Hensley, Richard Wilson, William Akin and our young brother J. J. Sebree, of whose usefulness in the Master's service we entertain encouraging hopes.
In the closing month of the year and early in the next, the church was called to lament the loss of two of her honored and useful members - brethren John H. Walton, who died in December, 1865, and John Duncan, who died in January, 1866. The latter had been a useful deacon for twenty-three years, a man of meek and quiet spirit, of exemplary deportment and sound in the faith. On the 5th of November, 1866, Absalom Graves, the last of our aged deacons, whose long and increasing debility had admonished his friends of the near approach of death, passed away. He had been a member for many years, and since May, 1836, an active and useful deacon. He was much esteemed by his brethren, at home and abroad.
In the next three or four years following, the church was called to mourn the loss of several of her aged members, both male and female, among whom was brother John Winston, sr., who died September, 9th, 1869, beloved and honored by his brethren.
On the first Saturday in June, 1867, James T. Grant was ordained to the office of deacon, in which capacity he continues to serve the church with efficiency and acceptance. John Winston, jr., had recently been chosen by the church to fill that office, and will shortly be set apart by ordination.
During the months of September and October, 1871, the Lord again visited this church, and vouchsafed the presence of his Holy Spirit in the revival of his work. The church was much united in prayer, "in works of faith" and "labors of love." Brethen were stirred up to a greater diligence and faithfulness in the maintenance of discipline and withal, there was a considerable travail of soul for the salvation of sinners. The pastor was greatly assisted in the labors of the meeting by the able and efficient ministry of Elder W. H. Felix, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Covington, by the ministry of Elder R. E. Kirtley, and by an occasional sermon or exhortation from Elder Robert Kirtley, sr., who, though feeble, continued to attend the meetings, usually during the day.
As a fruit of this revival meeting, sixteen souls were added to the church, several of whom are young men, and of whom the church entertains encouraging hopes of usefulness.
This revival, though not apparently extensive in its immediate fruits, has been a very profitable one to the church and its fruits may yet be seen in days to come.
On the 9th of April, 1872, Eld. Robert Kirtley closed his earthly course, in his eighty-sixth year. He had been over sixty years a member of this church, and identified with all her interests, had "gone in and out" among the brethren, as "a minister of the Word," for a half century; and now full of years, full of love, and full of faith, he was ready to depart.
During the spring and summer months, the church has kept up an interesting prayer meeting and Bible class. On the two Sabbaths on which the church has no preaching, the brethren alternately conduct the exercises of the Bible class, and lead the prayer meeting; and we may say, that the younger brethren, especially, alternate in these interesting exercises. An excellent opportunity is thereby furnished for drawing out and developing the gifts of usefulness in the church. The pastor conducts the Bible class on the Sabbaths on which he preaches to the church. Other classes are conducted by the sisters.
Besides this, one of our energetic and devoted sisters, aided by several of the younger brethren and sisters, has organized, and they are conducting, with encouraging success, on Sabbath evenings, a Mission Sunday School, in an adjoining neighborhood, which is well attended and promises to be useful.
At the regular business meeting, first Sunday in August, 1872, the Church, with great unanimity and with an affectionate solicitude, encouraged three young brethren, namely: John Sebree, Eusebius Kirtley and James S. Kirtley, to exercise their gifts in a way of exhortation and preaching. She still prays that the Lord of the harvest would raise up "more laborers" for the harvest. She still clings to "the faith which was once delivered to the saints," and which was so nobly maintained by the pioneer fathers. She has not lost the spirit of evangelism, but is less faithful in the maintenance of a scriptural discipline than in former years.
The record during seventy-eight years sums up the following results: Received by baptism, nine hundred and seventy-four persons; colonized eight churches; licensed twenty-seven of her membership to preach the gospel; ordained fourteen ministers, three having died without ordination, seven having been ordained in other churches and three being still retained as licentiates. Five others of her members who were to some extent encouraged to preach, having removed into other communities, were licensed and ordained elsewhere, making, in all, thirty-two laborers reared up in this church who have engaged in the work of the ministry. During this same period the church has had eighteen deacons and twelve clerks.
In conclusion, the writer of this imperfect sketch of history will take it upon himself to say, that the dear old church, the mother of churches and ministers, which, "by the grace of God, continues till this day," acknowledges with profound gratitude the wonderful dealings of God toward her in the past. And now that she is permitted to welcome the messengers of the churches, and many of her kindred in Christ, to this her own place of worship, on this happy anniversary, she craves their prayers, that she may renew her strength as in former day. And to God be all the glory. Amen!
J. A. Kirtley
Note: - The principal data on which this history is based has been carefully drawn from the church records, which have been preserved with great care. For many interesting facts the writer is indebted to Taylor's history; and for many others to the personal recollection of Eld. Robert Kirtley: who died in April last, who had a distinct recollection of the church, its ministers and members for seventy-six years; he had been a member of this church for sixty-one years, and had preached to the church for more than a half century. - jak
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[James A. Kirtley, History of Bullittsburg Church with Biographies, 1872, pp. 26-31. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]More on Bullittsburg Baptist
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