"Dear Sir - We have now the second volume of your history before us, and it is with regret we see a number of statements in it respecting our association which are incorrect. We feel it a duty we owe to the cause of God, ourselves and to you, as a historian, to transmit you the true statement of our association, as well as correct you in your improper statements"

      "Your history states that shortly after the friendly division took place in the Separate Baptist Association that 'south division experienced great trails and changes and was most miserably torn to pieces by religious discords.' We here remark that we know not of one solitary instance of any religious discord in our association or in the society from the time friendly division took place until the day you refer to in 1803, when Mr. John Rice and Jeremiah Vardeman declared themselves no more of the association - not on the account of any religious discord, for there had none existed; the cause of the breaking off, as stated by themselves, was on account of the association refusing to unite with Tate's Creek Association. Messrs. Rice nor Vardeman never mentioned to us any other cause for their breaking off at the time they did. We are authorized from truth and impelled by justice to inform you that the expressions of discord was made known on the morning of the association when those men above referred to broke off, with whom their churches (or parts of them) went.

      "It may be that you consider all doctrines in point of religion 'error' but the doctrine of Calvin and Calvinists. If so, and you had let the world know why you considered us an erroneous party, to wit: that we differ from the Calvinists, and, of course, from you, we think your inference would have been more justifiable. You state 'you have taken much pains to learn the history of our association, and that you have written many letters.' Of the truth of this statement we are not to judge, but one thing we know: there as never come a single letter to our association from you, nor do we know of any one individual preacher in our society that you have written to. You state ' that when in Kentucky you did not visit those parts where our society is situated,' which is in the counties of Madison, Lincoln, Garrard, Casey, Adair, Green, Cumberland, Wayne, Pulaski, Hardin, and several others. But after all your exertions to obtain intelligence, you state 'nothing has been communicate.' If that be true we could not have censued you as an author had you passed us by unnoticed, or as a body from whom you had received no communication; but, to the contrary, you have stated to th world in your history things concerning us we know to be unjust and ungenerous."

      "The last account you state 'you had of us was in 1804.' You then conclude by bringing in view Mr. Elias Smith and his followers, and, after liking our churches to his, you state 'we would have done much better with better leaders, or less leading.' But, sir, had you in lieu of the above conclusion said, they, the Separate Baptist Churches, would have done much better if they had guarded more against the designs and intriquies of the leaders and the authors of the Calvinistic party, or had been less lead by them. You last remark to the public: 'You know not but what our association has by this time become extinct:' Sir, as a man of sense, you can not help supposing to yourself what must be our feelings when, in order, the representatives of between forty and fifty churches, which are composed of about 1,700 members, sit and hear you preach their supposed funeral! Justice is all we want; 'tis all we ask from you as an historian."

      "The South Kentucky Association of Separate Baptists was constituted in 1785, and since that time a number of associations have been constituted partly of her churches."

      "We hope in your next number we shall see our association impartially spoken of, or, at least, former errors corrected."

      "We are, sir, yours with due respect, etc."

      "Signed by order of association."
      "Attest: Michael Dillingham, Mod.
      William Downs, Clerk."
      "August, 1816. By Elder T.J. Chilton."

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[From The Baptist Library, via R.L. Vaughn Blog. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]