A Letter from N. B. Johnson
The Kentucky Baptist HeritageWaco, Kentucky April 4, 1870
[To] Mrs. Lizzie AlbertaDear Sister in Christ,
This beautiful morning finds me at home again in the middle of my dear family and through the blessings of our father we are all enjoying good health. I arrived home on last evening about sundown having rode from Cow Creek after meeting. I have been absent from home three weeks and four days laboring in the cause of my blessed Saviour in the counties of Estill, Wolfe, and Breathitt. I can truly say that the good Lord has owned and blessed his truth though delivered through a weak servant. I have been permitted to pass through many scenes since I left home. I did not preach longer than three days, no point. My object was to keep up a sort of running fire, or was acting on the skirmish line all the time. I captured from the army of the devil 22 persons and they having sworn allegiance to the cause of Christ they are now enlisted in the cause of Christ and marching under the glorious flag of Jesus. My object in visiting from church to church and from house to house, was to mix with the old anti-breth[r]en and sisters
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and try to get them right upon the subject of missions and S.S. and I am satisfied that my visit among them has proved a great success, and they are fully satisfied now that a Missionary is not such a huge and dangerous animal, as they supposed him to be. I had an appointment in a neighborhood through which a show had passed a few days before. So the morning of my meeting an old lady came in and found her two girls fixing for meeting. She say [sic] to them, where are you going? They replyed [sic], to meeting. That you ain't not a foot do you go today, for it's my time now. You went to the show the other day, and as the missionary has come it's my time to go now, for I never saw one in my life. So she came and was well pleased. She said if that was a sample of a missionary she had no objections to them. So I found the brethren and sisters everywhere willing to receive the truth as it is Christ Jesus. But they have been gulled by ignorant men and those that would be leaders, but where God's truth is presented prejudice and ignorance give way.I will now give you a short sketch of my trip.
I left home on Thursday after the 1st Sat. in March, and reached old Bro. Lowery's six miles above Furnace on Friday. I reached Bro. L. Drake's in Wolfe Co. where I held a few days meeting and left six approved for baptism. I then crossed the North Fork of the Ky. River, (here I had to swim my horse, but I didn't mind that, for you know we Baptist believe going down into the water) and preached at Bro. C. Lutes at night, to a very large congregation. Next morning in company with several brethren and sisters, I passed over to the middle fork and preached Sat. and Sun. I then in company with Judge Strong and Mr. Bailey, a young lawyer, went up within four miles of Jackson, the Co. seat of Breathitt and preached there three days and nights. It being quarterly court, Judge Strong kindly gave me the Courthouse every day at 11 o'clock. I had a large crowd day and night and good attention. It was remarked by many that I had larger congregations and better attention than any man that had ever preached there. They urged me to visit them again as often as possible. There is no Church of any kind in the town. From here, I passed up 10 miles to
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a Church at Quick Sand, and preached two days, from here I passed over on Bloody Creek and then to White Oak and preached at Union Church, I constituted in Jan. last. She has received 17 additions since organized. From here, I passed over Upper Devil's Creek and preached at Mr. Wm. Drake's at night. Next I passed over on lower Devil's Creek and preached at Booth's Mill. Next day Thursday, I laid up at Bro. Drake's, it being to [sic] disagreeable to travel. Friday, I had to start for home, rain or shine, so I set out for home and had to cross Devil's Creek, Walker's Creek and Hell Creek and reach Bro. Wm. Barnes on Cow Creek, Friday, about 5 o'clock, Preached at Cow Creek Sat. and Sun. The people in the mountains are well pleased with the prospect of our S. School celebration. I am fully satisfied my dear sister, that Bro. Little's glorious week of carried out, well proved a grand success and be the means in the hand of God leading many souls to Christ.I sent to Waco today and the box you sent had not come to hand yet. Sister Lizzie I captured by consent of owner while in the mountains two very nice vension [sic] hams, and I shall send you one of them by the stage in a day or two and I want you and Sister McCann to meet at the half way house (Sister Damaby's) and have it cooked to suit your taste. Try and meet on the same day that will suit Bro. Woolfolk. I think if he could get a mess or two of vension [sic] he would be fully able to demolish Campbellism completely and for the sake of manners, don't forget Bro. Alberta and Damaby and Buckner.
My horse (the only one I have) caught his foot in a bridge in the mountains and is very lame, so I am a foot for this, but my motto is trust in the Lord and do good. If two or three of our
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wealthy churches would take this matter in hand 50 cents or 1.00 from each one would enable me to get a horse. I think I aught [sic] to have two so my wife could go to meeting sometimes with me.N.B. Johnson [Born March 5, 1816
Died Nov. 12, 1882](Copy of a letter given to Chester Young, Williamsburg, by Prof. Kenneth Fraught, Cumberland College. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
More on N. B. (Napoleon Bonapart) Johnson
A Circular Letter by N. B. Johnson