Flagg Spring Baptist Church was constituted on the 7th of December, 1833, at the Flagg Spring meeting house, about one mile from the Ohio river, and but a few feet from the place where the present house stands. The following are the names of those who were constituted, to-wit: W. J. Morin, Con. Beagle, Ferguson German, James Beagle, Richard Nelson, J. J. Thomas, Alexander Thompson, William Thompson, Thomas Beagle, Mary Ellis, Cicelia Beagle, Juliet O. Morin, Frances Beagle, Cynthia German, Agnes Miller, Assme Lewis, Elizabeth Newkirk, Nancy Armstrong, Mary Hogencamp, Eliza Johnson, Elizabeth Beagle - twenty-one in all. Of this number there are five surviving; one male, to-wit: F. German, who has been for thirty years, a successful minister of the Gospel, and four females, to-wit: Mary Ellis (now Logan), Cynthia German, Franky Beagle and Juliet G. Morin.On the day the church was constituted Elder John Stevens was chosen pastor, and W. J. Morin clerk.
Elder Stevens continued the pastor of the church for about six and a half years. During this time there were one hundred and forty-eight persons added to the church by experience and baptism.
During the first year after the church was constituted, there were some received by experience at nearly every church meeting, so that it is said there was a constant revival during the entire year, and a large portion of those thus received became active members of the church.
Another fact worthy of notice is the observance of feet washing. We see from the minutes, that on the llth of October, 1835, the day of the church meeting, it was agreed to have a prayer meeting and attend to feet washing. It was occasionally observed by Baptist churches in that day.
On the 14th of October, 1835, the church called elder James Vickers to preach on the third Sunday in each month; this was not to interfere with the regular pastor.
Another fact may here be observed. A custom prevailed in some of the churches of appointing a committee of members to visit and worship with all the church members and such other families as might request to be visited.
As the committee went on their way, sometimes large crowds of people would follow them, so that sometimes, and in fact, generally, at every house
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there would be a large congregation. These were called traveling meetings, and generally resulted in a revival of the churches and many conversions. This was a substitute for pastoral visiting.August 13, 1836, the church called Elder James Spilman to preach on the fourth Sunday in each month.
In the fall of 1838, Elder Mason Owens held a meeting with the church, which resulted in about eighty accessions, by experience and baptism.
In January, 1840, the church again was blessed with a revival, under the labors of Elders T. W. Haynes and Mason Owens. This year the church reported 79 added by experience and baptism, principally the result of this meeting.
April 25th, 1840, Elder W. J. Morin was chosen pastor of the church, and continued this relation eighteen years. During his pastorate there were one hundred and seventy-four added by experience and baptism. The church numbered at this time two hundred and fifteen members.
The church, at her November meeting, 1841, appointed a committee, as she had been accustomed to do for many years, to visit and sing and pray with the members. At the December meeting it was agreed to change the contemplated traveling meeting into a protracted meeting, and invite Mason Owens and the ministers of Campbell County Association, to attend it. Owens, Vickers, and Graden were present at the meeting. The result was five or six added by experience and baptism, and some from other churches.
For many years the church held a regular weekly prayer meeting, in the winter time of evenings and in summer time afternoons. There were some who would walk from two to four miles, and attend these meetings weekly. There are but few of our country churches that have regular weekly prayer meetings now.
It is our opinion that members of churches in those days, whether more really and deeply pious or not, attended their meetings, especially Church ami prayer meetings, better than now. They seemed to attach more importance to the meetings of the church than our members now do generally.
A fact here strikes me forcibly - the brief manner in which the minutes of the Church meetings were gotten up. For example: "December 24th, 1844. The Church met. No business." Again, "September 23rd, after prayer proceeded to business, and did nothing."
If I am not mistaken neither the moderator's nor clerk's name was signed to the minutes for a period of thirty years.
May 24th, 1845, the Church called Elder James Spilman and George Graden, to preach once a month alternately, a month about.
April 23d, 1851, the Church agreed to build a new house of worship. And on the 27th of ____ 1853, the new house was dedicated. The sermon waa preached by Rev. A Drury, of Covington, Ky.
The house cost $2675 80-100.
The summer of 1835, was held the first Sabbath School ever held in the
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Church. There was a Sunday School held at the old school house, and had been at times for several years. This summer the Church invited it to be held in the meeting house.March 25th, 1854, Elder N. C. Peitit was called to preach for the Church on the 4th Sunday in each month for 9 months.
May 27th, 1854. - Eld. J. M. Jolly was invited to preach for the Church one Sabbath in each month. He, being present, declined for reasons not given.
January 27th, 1855. - The Church again called Eld. J. M. Jolly to preach on the third Sunday in each month. He, being present, accepted the call.
February 24th. 1855. - The Church voted unanimously to ordain J. M. Jolly to the ministry. The officiating ministers were Elder James Vickers, Elder Jesse Beagle and Rev. J. W. [W. J.] Morin, Elder James Vickers preached the ordaining sermon; Jesse Beagle offered the ordaining prayer. Presentation of the Bible by W. J. Morin; charge to the Church by James Vickers.
On the 25th of June, 1857, J. M. Jolley was called to the patoral care of the Church; but for reasons which, to him seemed good, he did not accept the call. December following, Elder W. J. Morin was again called to be pastor and continued this relation until his death. These eighteen years he served the church without any compensation, and did an equal part in defraying expenses of the church. Some individuals gave him small presents; but perhaps not to the amount of twenty-five dollars in the eighteen years.
June 25th, 1859, Eld. J. M. Jolly was called to be pastor, which relation he sustained with acceptance and success to the present time, 1865, a period of of six years.
At the same meeting at which J. M. Jolly was called pastor, and to preach on the first and fourth Sundays, T. W. Beagle was called to preach on the second, and G. W. Nelson on the third, and by general consent, but not by an act of the church, Deacon Con Beagle was to preach on the fifth. During the six years pastorate there were added to the church about one hundred by baptism.
The whole number of persons baptized during this period of thirty-two years, is 422.
This church has, from its constitution, been regarded as among the most prosperous and efficient churches in the Association, and now numerically the largest.
=============== [Part two of this history is here.]
[Campbell County Baptist Association Minutes, 1871, pp. 10-12. This document is from the Northern Kentucky Baptist Association office, Erlanger. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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