The Mother Church of *Mays Lick Baptist was located at Scotch Plains, Essex County, East New Jersey and was constituted in 1747 with fifteen members chiefly from Wales and was the eighth Baptist church established in the state of New Jersey. (Page 1 Mays Lick Baptist Church History 1852) - (History of Kentucky Baptists) - (Spencer’s History of Baptists) - (*Mays Lick Baptist - Early Church records and early members of the Church along with others, including Z. T. Cody in his History of Mays Lick Baptist Church, written in 1889, consistently spelled Mays Lick this way and so I have chosen to use this spelling in this document – JAU)A Seed Planted
Reverend William Wood, pastor of the Baptist Church at Washington, Kentucky visits New Jersey and speaks of the rich and beautiful land of Kentucky. Abraham, Cornelius, and Isaac Drake (brothers), along with two brothers-in-law, John Shotwell, and David Morris are among those who hear these glowing reports. (Page 1 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody)1788 – Spring – The Journey Begins
Abraham, Cornelius, and Isaac Drake (brothers), David Morris, and John Shotwell (most or all of whom had been in the Revolutionary War), they, with their wives, children, and effects, crowded into one "Jersey Wagon”, and began the 400 mile journey across the mountains to Redstone Creek. Redstone being a wide mouthed tributary stream of the Monongahela River which joins together with the Alleghany River at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to form the Ohio River. They, in company with the famous Reverend John Gano, who was then moving his all from the city of New York, joined a flotilla of "flatboats" for the trip down the Ohio River to Limestone landing (now Maysville). ("Mayslick Once Was Emporium, History Shows" by Edith Davis printed in Daily Independent - October 31, 1962) (Page 1 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) (Page 2 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Dr. A. D. Odom)1788 – June 10 Party lands safely at Limestone
Isaac, Abraham, and Cornelius Drake, John Shotwell and David Morris arrive with their families at foot of Limestone Drive. There were many boats being attacked by Indians during this time in history, with many being killed, but their trip was without incident (Historians and biographers of Drake are unanimous in giving this date in reference to his reaching Limestone [page 74 G. Glenn Clift 1936 History of Maysville and Mason County volume one suggests earlier date based on certain records.)1788 – July 15 – *Mays Lick established – 1400 acres purchased; A tract of land containing 1400 acres on the waters of the North Fork of The Licking, lying on the road, ("The Old Buffalo Trail" - now "Old US 68") from Limestone to the lower blue licks; being May's settlement and preemption and includes May's lick (a salt lick). (Page 75 HMMC by Clift also Kentucky Gazette, March 22 1788 page 1) [Later notice on same page states that a bond had been give on or about the 15th of July, 1788 by the purchasers] (*Mays Lick - Early Church records and early members of the Church along with others, including Z. T. Cody in his History of Mays Lick Baptist Church, written in 1889, consistently spelled Mays Lick this way and so I have chosen to use this spelling in this document – JAU)
Mays Lick Named
From the day of the landing of the little colony the older and more intelligent men had been casting about for a tract of land, which they might purchase, and divide among themselves. At length they fixed upon a "settlement & preemption" ... 8 miles from Washington on the Lexington road. Hard by the latter, there was a salt spring, and deer and buffalo were in habit, as at other salt springs, of "licking" the surrounding earth. The tract, 0f 1400 acres they purchased from a man by the name of William May and decided on calling their new home "Mays Lick". (Pages 13, 14 of Pioneer Life in Kentucky by Dr. Daniel Drake)Division of the Land at Mays Lick
“The purchase being made, the next thing was to divide the tract, and give each of the five a portion equal to his means of payment. That of my father (Isaac Drake) was 38 acres! … they decided that every subdivision should have an angle or corner in the salt lick. A brook crossed the road near to it, running west to east and the three brothers built on the north side of the little stream." (Quoted from page 14 of Pioneer Life in Kentucky by Dr. Daniel Drake)1789 – November 28 – Church Constituted – The first page of the first Record Book of the Church opens:
Church of Jesus Christ, at Mays Lick organized according to the Regular order of first-day Baptists constituted on the 28th day of November in the year of our Lord 1789
(Also year George Washington was inaugurated)
"Having met this twenty eighth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred an eighty nine, for the purpose of joining ourselves to the Lord and to one another, in a Church, state: after producing Regular Letters from our respective Church or Churches, We do promise to strive together for the Faith of the Gospel, agreeable to the rule of Gods Word; and in every point of Doctrine and Discipline we do agree with the particular Baptists."We believe – That there is but the One, only living and true God: and"We who Join in this constitution, are David Morris, Cornelius Drake, Ann Shotwell, & Lydia Drake.
That there are three persons in the Godhead; Vis the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in power, and glory to be distinguished only by office: the Father Creator, the Son Redeemer, the Holy Ghost Sanctifier, yet as one God, the only object of religious worship.
That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, of Divine authority, and do contain the whole mind of God, respecting our salvation; as also the only rule of our obedience – that they are to be neither added to or diminished from."
Letters of dismission from the church at Scotch Plains, Essex County, East New Jersey, under the pastoral care of Rev. William Van Horn. Dated, April 12th Dom 1788. This Church constituted by Rev. William Wood and James Garrard.” (Garrard afterward served two terms as Governor)Early Church Meetings
"The church was doubtless constituted in David Morris's barn in which they often met for worship, and soon after united with Elkhorn Association." (Page 3; History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody)More on Early Church Meetings
Church meetings are held house to house or in Deacon David Morris's barn. (Page 4 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody)Elkhorn Association
Mays Lick Baptist united with the Elkhorn Association soon after it was constituted and remained a member until it became one of the founding Churches in the Bracken Association in 1799.March 25, 1792 – First House of Worship
"... Agreed unanimously that we would (build a Meeting House); and the place, on the ridge where the road comes from Mill’s Station as near to the great road (Old US 68), and as near as convenient, on John Shotwell’s land” (The place thus described is about where Walter Warder’s monument now stands). The house they built was 25 x 31 feet, of logs roughly hewn on both sides. The floor was of large thick hand-sawed planks; and there were no nails used in the construction. It was certainly a primitive structure and as certainly in perfect keeping with the times and surroundings. About two acres around the house were enclosed for burying purposes, and Walnut and flowering Locusts were left standing within the enclosure. This house with the addition of galleries a few years later, served their purpose till 1810, when it was displaced by a brick structure 32 x 50. (Page 4; History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) (page 190; Pioneer Life in Kentucky by Daniel Drake)Description of early Sunday worship service at first log church written by Doctor David Drake who attended as a young lad with his parents:
"The scene around this village Temple can never fade from my memory or my heart. Horses hitched along the fence, and men and women on foot or horseback arriving from all quarters; within the enclosure neighbors shaking hands and inquiring about each others families; a little group leaning against the fence in conversation; another seated on a bench ‘talking it over’; another little party strolling among the graves; and squads of children sitting or lying on the grass to rest themselves. The hour of worship arrived, the congregation were seated within and around the cabin church on benches without backs, and there stood Deacon Morris, a short, broad, grave and fleshy man of fifty, beneath the pulpit giving out the hymns, while Old Hundred, by twice as many voices was mingled with the notes of birds in the surrounding trees." (Page 5; History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody and taken from pages 191 and 192 of Pioneer Life in Kentucky by David Drake)Identity of Barn in Old Photos
The logs and floors of the first house (of worship) are still in existence, and are now in the possession of our fellow-townsman, Judge John T. Wilson and make a most excellent barn. (Page 4; History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) *Note by Odom in 1964: The same building remains in a state of excellent preservation due to a shed erected over it….The location is only a few hundred yards from the original site. (Page 4 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Dr. A. D. Odom) Where it was located behind the “old Wilson mansion” which was originally built by John Shotwell for his daughter Mrs. Priscilla Wilson, the very house where Walter Warder visited with Mrs. Priscilla Wilson and in conversation with her said that “It would do as much good to preach to rocks and stumps and trees as to these people.” (Page 4 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Dr. A. D. Odom)That was immediately prior to the meeting that launched the “Great Revival of 1828-29”. (Research by J. A. Ulrich)1797 – First Pastor – Mays Lick Baptist Church secures its first pastor, Rev. Donald Holmes, a Scotchman by birth who had come to America during the war as a soldier. He baptized about 70 by 1801. He sowed anti-slavery seed which took root. [Page 11; HMLBC CODY]
Bracken Association – May 28 – 1799 – Mays Lick Baptist was a founding member and has remained active to the present (2014). "The first association constituted in Kentucky, was the Bracken, which was the eldest daughter of Elkhorn Association. Messengers from eight churches met at Bracken (Minerva) meeting house, near the present site of Minerva, in Mason County.
Five of the churches had been dismissed from Elkhorn Association, viz: Washington, Mays Lick, Bracken (now Minerva), Stone Lick, and Locust Creek."
Famous Mays Lick pastor, Walter Warder, spread the "Great Revival of 1828-29" throughout the association as he traveled and preached in every part of the Association’s territory baptizing over 1000 souls into the churches of the Association! (Spencer Vol II – Page 96) (Page 11 of History of May’s Lick Baptist Church by Dr. A. D. Odom)1810 – Second House of Worship
1810 the log structure was displaced by a brick structure 32 x 50 when the log structure was outgrown. (Page 4; History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) (page 190; Pioneer Life in Kentucky by Daniel Drake)1830 – Third House of Worship
Second House of Worship (brick house) burned soon after the "Great Revival 0f 1928-29" began and Church agreed to proceed at once to build on the opposite side of the road a large brick house 50 feet by 70 or 75 feet. (Page 19 from History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) (Page 2 May’s Lick Baptist Church 200th anniversary 1789 – 1989)Walter Warder – 1813 – 1836
Of the ministers who pastured the Church, one of the most prominent was the Reverend Walter Warder. Under his leadership from 1813 to 1836, the Church grew to the largest and strongest in the state, with an excess of 700 members, 500 of whom came into the church during the “Great Revival of 1828-29”. Soon after Mr. Warder came, the church joined a missionary society constituted at South Elkhorn Church, and began her organized help for the spreading of the gospel among all nations. (Page 2 The History of May’s Lick Baptist Church 200th Anniversary 1789 – 1989)The Great Revival of 1828-29 – As Mr. Warder was coming from his home, then about three miles north east of town where Mr. B. F. Clift now lives (1889) to attend the Church meeting on Saturday, Jan. 12th, 1828, he felt unusually sad and wept as he thought of the spiritual condition of the community. He stopped a few minutes at the home of the late John Shotwell and in conversation with Shotwell’s daughter, Mrs. Priscilla Wilson, said that “It would do as much good to preach to rocks and stumps and trees as to these people.” That day there was no business that came before the Church but we find this record made. “No business done to make a record of. Yet the Clerk would here remark that a proposition was made and unanimously agreed to, for the Church to meet one hour earlier the next day than the usual time and spend that hour in confession of sin before God and earnest supplication to him to save the souls of our children and neighbors.” Saturday, Jan 12th, 1828 “ .... In this way the revival began and continued all the year and until March, 1829. Religion was the topic of conversation at church, in the store, at home, in the field, on the road everywhere. Men, women, children, masters and slaves were interested in seeking their soul’s salvation. The whole pyramid of society was shaken as by an earthquake. It was a revival in which men mourned on account of sin and rejoiced with joy unspeakable in a new found hope. This, the greatest of all Mays Lick’s revivals, was preeminently one of experimental religion. Grace as again overflowing all this mountain of sin, and every part of a large territory of the Church was washed by the precious and cleansing waves."
This Revival flowed from Mays Lick touching every corner of The Bracken Association with over 1000 total baptized, nearly 500 being from Mays Lick alone! (Pages 18, 19 from History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) (Page 11 of History of May’s Lick Baptist Church by Dr. A. D. Odom)1827 – 1830 – CAMPBELLITES SPLIT CHURCH
"When the Great Revival of 1928-29” closed there was not so far as I can learn, a larger or stronger Church in the state than the one at Mays Lick; and a finer field for new religious theories Mr. Campbell never found. The membership was over 700 and 500 of these were recently joined. They were clay for the potter. Mr. Campbell frequently visited the church and no preacher of his day could count for more before a popular audience than he.”(Quoted from page 22 of History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody.)
"Sometime in 1829, Mr. Warder was convinced of the necessity of opposing the new system. For this light he was indebted to William Vaughn. . . . He (William Vaughn) threw himself into the thick of the battle and readily took the lead among the Baptists in this section of the state. (Quoted from page 27 of History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody.)1830 – CAMPBELLITES FORCED OUT – of Mays Lick Baptist Church on
1st Saturday of September during the meeting of Bracken Association held at Washington, Kentucky; "(For) among other things denying the direct influence of the spirit until baptism; contending that persons professing faith in Christ shall be baptized for the purpose of actually receiving forgiveness of sins; denying and rather ridiculing what we call Christian experience, in part at least, viz: a burdened heart on account of sin and a sensible manifestation of God’s pardoning mercy by faith in the blood of Christ;…” (Quoted from page 31 of the History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody which quotes from original document.)MANY CHURCHES WERE ORGANIZED OUT OF MAYS LICK'S MEMBERSHIP
These Churches in whole or part that were organized from its membership: viz: Stone Lick in 1796; anti-Slavery Church in 1805; Bethel [now extinct]; Christian Church 1830; Lewisburg in 1843; Mt. Pisgah in 1850; Second Baptist in 1855; Ewing in 1886; and three others the fact of whose organization is recorded, but whose names are not mentioned. The following remain active today (2014):
1796 – STONE LICK
1830 – MAY'S LICK CHRISTIAN
1843 – LEWISBURG BAPTIST
1850 – MOUNT PISGAH
1855 – SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH MAY'S LICK
1886 – EWING BAPTIST
(Page 27 of History of May's Lick Baptist Church by Dr. A. D. Odom) (Page 11 - First 225 Years May's Lick Baptist Church by Chairman of Deacons, Jim Gruenke)1862 – 1871 – Civil War
Feb., 1862 – May, 1871. "Cleon Keyes's pastorate extended from Feb, 1862, to May 1871. This was a great blessing to the Church. The danger that was imminent was averted and the Church passed through the civil war without leaving a single word of evidence on her record book that there ever was such an event as the war of secession. (Page 47 History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody)1883 – Fourth House of Worship (Or remodeling of Third) –
"Cleon Keyes's pastorate extended from Feb., 1862, to May 1871. . . . During the last years of Bro. Keyes pastorate the house originally built in 1830 and where the Church now worships (written in 1890) was built, being the fourth since its organization.” (Page 47 - History of Mays Lick Baptist Church by Z. T. Cody) The present building was erected in 1830 – 50 x 80 feet – completely remodeled in 1883 – the old slave balcony being dismantled. New wall to wall carpeting – new pews installed. Pulpit of unique design and lends itself to acoustical properties. (Page 2 The History of May's Lick Baptist Church 200th Anniversary 1789 – 1989)
(Also appears with photo in Dr. A. D. Odom's History of May's Lick Baptist)1889 – October 19th – Centennial Celebratio
n Z. T. Cody who wrote The History of Mays Lick Baptist Church covering the first hundred years said: “Such is a meager part of the history of the Baptist church at Mays Lick, Ky. Her full history is written above. She has now completed one hundred years of her existence. They have not been years of uninterrupted peace or absolute purity. Even in the history of a church we see many evidences of human nature. But it has been a century which she need not blush to look back upon.” (Page 27 in Dr. A. D. Odom’s History of May’s Lick Baptist)1921 – Electric lights installed
(Information with photo of Church in Dr. A. D. Odom’s History of May's Lick Baptist)1921 – Parsonage Built Pastor T. U. Fann was first to occupy the new home – Cost $4,500
(Information and photo found in Dr. A. D. Odom's History of May's Lick Baptist)1933 – Full Basement added (Page 2 The History of Mays Lick Baptist Church 200th Anniversary 1789 – 1989)
1953 – In July of 1953, Sunday evening drive-in were inaugurated
The sermon and music were broadcast over a public address system to the many cars parked in front of the Church and overflowing into the cemetery across the street. These services continued each summer for 11 years. Over 500 people attended the opening service and the event was reported in the Courier Journal. These services were attended with enthusiasm.
(Page 2 of "Presentation for May's Lick Baptist Church Bicentennial Celebration August 19, 1989 by Fred Chumbler".)(Page 36 - First 225 Years May's Lick Baptist Church by Chairman of Deacons, Jim Gruenke)1957 – Rest Rooms installed
(Dr. A. D. Odom’s History of May's Lick Baptist)1978 – An addition in the rear (Page 2 The History of May's Lick Baptist Church 200th Anniversary 1789 – 1989)
1989 – Nursery was first occupied (Page 2 The History of May's Lick Baptist Church
200th Anniversary 1789 – 1989)1989 – August 19 – Bicentennial Celebration
Chairman of the Deacons, Fred Chumbler Jr., wrote: "David said in Psalms 122:1 'I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.' I, too, was glad when I came into this particular house of the Lord – May’s Lick Baptist Church – in July 1947. I am even more pleased today to be a member of this church as I have had an opportunity to research her wonderful 200 year history.” (Page 1 of Presentation for May’s Lick Baptist Church Bicentennial Celebration August 19, 1989 by Fred Chumbler, Jr.)1992 – Family Life Center Erected
(Date on Cornerstone)1993 – February 14 – Family Life Center Dedicated
1999 – September 26 – Sanctuary expansion completed and dedicated as “Ms. Virginia Collins Memorial Annex"
2005 – Church Offices – Parsonage remodeled – dedicated 2005
Named Reverend Archie Wesley Allison Memorial Office in honor of Reverend Archie Wesley Allison (Page 37 - First 225 Years May's Lick Baptist Church by Chairman of Deacons, Jim Gruenke)2007 – 2009 Three "Tent Revivals"
These revivals were held on the grounds of the old Jockey Building. The largest crowd was in 2007 when an estimated crowd of 500 attended. (Page 32 - First 225 Years May's Lick Baptist Church by Chairman of Deacons, Jim Gruenke)Bus Garage built 2009
In ConclusionAs we look back over our rich and storied history of 225 years, and ponder our future course, there must be but one question uppermost in out minds.
Should the Lord Jesus Christ address us today as He did the Seven Churches in the last book in the Bible sometimes called The Revelation of John but more properly titled "The Revelation of Jesus Christ", what words would He address to the angel of this church founded 225 years ago? – "To the angel of Church of Jesus Christ at Mays Lick write….?...."
============ [From the church's website.]
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