[JFR]
We continue with the history of the Baptist Churches
in New England and other areas by looking at
Baptists in Pennsylvania and the Jerseys. As before,
we are using A History of the Baptist Churches in the
United States by A. H. Newman, D.D., LL.D.,
Professor of Church History, McMaster University,
Toronto, Canada, copyright 1894.
[Newman]
Baptists in Pennsylvania and the Jerseys
The Jerseys and Pennsylvania from about 1682
onward had a strong attraction for all radical types of
evangelical life. Here the Baptists rooted themselves
more firmly than in almost any other part of America,
and here they attained to a perfection of organization
and to a degree of unity and uniformity in doctrine
and polity that could be found nowhere else on the
continent. The confirmation of England's claim to the
possession of New Jersey in 1674 and of the grants
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of this territory by the crown to the Duke of York and
by him to Sir George Carteret and to Lord John
Berkeley, whose toleration principles had become
well known through their earlier relations to this
territory, and especially the purchase of Lord
Berkeley's interest by the Quakers Fenwicke and
Byllynge, caused a large influx of Quakers and
Baptists from England and elsewhere. The Quakers
had control of West Jersey from 1677 onward. After
the death of Carteret his interests were purchased by
a company of Quakers, of whom William Penn was
the chief (February, 1682, N. S). Thus a large and
attractive region was opened up for settlement on the
most liberal terms. Even more important to the cause
of religious freedom and to the settlement of the
country with radical and primitive types of
Christianity was the purchase of Pennsylvania by
William Penn, the Quaker capitalist, statesman, and
philanthropist, in 1681. It is one of the marvels of
history that such a king as Charles II. should have
sold to such a man as William Penn so large and
valuable, a territory as Pennsylvania on terms so
highly favorable to civil and religious freedom, and
with the certainty that it would be used for the freest
development of what was then regarded as one of the
most radical forms of Christianity. The authority of
Penn in the government of the province was made
practically unlimited. But he had purchased the
territory not for his own sake, but for the
advancement of truth and righteousness. The rapidity
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with which the territory was settled by Quakers from
England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, by
Mennonites, Dunkards, and Pietists from Germany
and the Netherlands, and by Baptists from Wales and
elsewhere, was unprecedented in the history of
American colonization. Many of all classes were
attracted from the older colonies by the civil and
religious freedom and by the advantages of climate
and soil that the new commonwealth offered.
By 1685 the population had reached 7200 and
embraced French, Dutch, Germans, Swedes, Finns,
and Scotch- Irish, besides large numbers of English
and Welsh. The first Baptist church organized in
these Quaker provinces was that at Cold Spring,
Bucks County, Pa. It was founded about 1684 by
Thomas Dungan, an Irish Baptist minister, who had
been for some time a member of the Newport church.
Little is known of the man or his work. He was
already advanced in years. Keach characterized him
as " an ancient disciple and teacher among the
Baptists." The church had become extinct by 1702,
Dungan having died in 1688 and no efficient leader
having appeared to take his place. Dungan's posterity
amounted in 1770, according to Morgan Edwards, to
between six and seven hundred.
The next church to be organized in Pennsylvania was
that at Lower Dublin, or Pennepek. In 1686 several
Baptist families from Radnorshire, Wales, together
with an Irish and an English Baptist, settled on the
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banks of the Pennepek River. At about the same time
Elias Keach, son of Benjamin Keach, the famous
English Baptist minister and author, came as a
youthful adventurer to Pennsylvania. Whether from
mere wantonness or from a desire by fraud to secure
a livelihood, he assumed the clerical dress and passed
himself off as a minister of the gospel, being at the
time an utter stranger to divine grace. As a son of
Benjamin Keach, he found ready access to the little
band of Baptists on the Pennepek, and it was
arranged that he should preach for them. When he
was in the midst of his discourse the enormity of his
sin dawned upon him. He was overcome by remorse,
confessed his imposture, and was soon afterward a
rejoicing believer. He was baptized and ordained to
the ministry by Elder Dungan. A number who had
been converted under his ministry and baptized by
him joined with the original company in organizing
themselves into a church, January, 1688. A number
of scattered Baptists in other parts of the province
and in West Jersey united with them. Through the
earnest evangelistic efforts of young Keach, baptized
believers were soon to be found at the Falls, Cold
Spring, Burlington, Cohansey, Salem, Penn's Neck,
Chester, Philadelphia, and other places. These
continued for some time to be members of the
Pennepek church, where they met from time to time
to break bread, preaching services being held in each
locality as often as convenient, while four quarterly
meetings were held for evangelistic and communion
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purposes at Burlington, Cohansey, Chester, and
Philadelphia, in rotation. Keach's return to England
in 1692 was a severe loss to this widespread Baptist
community. He seems to have resigned the pastorate
of the Pennepek church in 1689 on account of
controversy on the laying on of hands, and to have
spent the two years following as an evangelist. One
effect of the cultivation of so wide a field by the
pastor and members was the development of the gifts
of the brethren. During the pastor's absence from
Pennepek weekly "meetings for conference" were
sustained, and in the out-stations of the church
brethren were raised up who could conduct the
services to edification. Keach was succeeded in the
pastorate by John Watts, one of the constituent
members; and Samuel Jones, another, was appointed
to conduct the home services during the pastor's
absence. Jones and Evan Morgan, who had been for
some time active in church work, were ordained to
the pastorate in 1706. Serious and long-continued
difficulties marred the life of the church during the
last years of the century. The questions causing
trouble were absolute predestination, the laying on of
hands, psalm-singing, and Sabbatarianism.
The church at Piscataqua, N. J., was gathered by
Thomas Killingsworth about 1689. Killingsworth
was one of the most zealous and successful of the
Baptist ministers of this region and was instrumental
in founding a number of churches. He seems to have
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been an ordained minister in England. For some
years he added to his labors as a minister those of
county judge. It has been thought probable that the
nucleus of this church was due to the influence of
Hanserd Knollys, who labored in Piscataqua, N. H.,
1638-41. Knollys was not a Baptist at the time, but
Baptist views appeared in the community a few years
later, possibly through his teachings. It is said further
that those who sympathized with Knollys went to
Long Island, whence they removed to New Jersey.
The name given to their settlement (Piscataqua)
would seem to favor the theory. But we should
beware of building on so slender a basis of fact. The
church when organized consisted of only six
members. After about twenty years the number had
increased to twenty, and by 1746 to one hundred.
About 1701 a member of the church, named
Dunham, admonished a neighbor for working on
Sunday. He was asked to prove the holiness of the
first day. As a result of his examination of the
question he was led to adopt Sabbatarian views.
About seventeen members of the church joined with
him in organizing a Seventh-day Baptist church in
1705. Dunham became the pastor of the church and
in 1734 was succeeded by his son. As an offshoot
from this church another Seventh-day church was
formed at Shiloh, about forty miles south of
Philadelphia, in 1737.
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The church at Middletown, N. J., was probably
organized in 1687 or 1688. A considerable Baptist
community, made up of immigrants from Rhode
Island and Long Island, had been on the ground since
1665. Among the Rhode Islanders was a son of
Obadiah Holmes. Keach and Killingsworth both
bestowed considerable labor on this field. By 1711
the church had become involved in doctrinal
controversy. The two pastors. Brown and Okison,
had been silenced by the contending factions. A
council of sister-churches was called in 1712 to seek
an adjustment of the differences. The decision of the
council was that the members should sign Elias
Reach's Confession of Faith, at least the Covenant
annexed to it. Those who should conform to this
requirement would be recognized as the only regular
Baptist church in those parts. Of the sixty-eight
members forty-two subscribed, while twenty-six
refused. It was further recommended that the
recusants should be tenderly dealt with. There is no
evidence that the minority effected a separate
organization. The two brethren who had been
silenced were ordered by the council to remain silent.
The recommendation " to bury their proceedings in
oblivion and erase the record of them " seems to have
been observed so far as removing from the book the
leaves containing the record is concerned. The
church secured John Burrows as pastor the next year,
who served them till his death. At the close of the
present period Abel Morgan, who was soon to
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become one of the most noted Baptist preachers of
the time, had just entered upon the pastorate of this
church.
The nucleus of the Cohansey, N. J., church was
formed, it would seem, by a small company of
Baptists from Tipperary, Ireland, who settled in the
community about 1687. They were joined two years
later by Obadiah Holmes, Jr., and John Cornelius,
both from Rhode Island. Keach bestowed
considerable labor upon this field also and baptized
a number in 1688. The organization of the church
was effected about 1691. Killingsworth remained
pastor of the church till his death, in 1708, and was
assisted by Holmes, who was judge of the Common
Pleas in Salem Court. A party of Baptists from
Swansea, Mass., had settled in the neighborhood
before the church was organized, and under the
leadership of Timothy Brooks maintained a separate
meeting until after Killingsworth's death. This was
due to differences of opinion on predestination,
psalmsinging, the laying on of hands, etc. The two
bodies now united under the pastorate of Brooks,
who died two years later. During the latter part of this
period the church was served chiefly by Nathaniel
Jenkins, pastor of the Cape May church, who finally
settled at Cohansey.
The formal organization of the First Baptist Church
of Philadelphia did not occur until 1698, although
services had been held in the city under the auspices
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of the Pennepek church from 1687 onward. John
Holmes, who also occupied a high judicial position,
and who as judge on one occasion refused to act with
the Quaker magistrates against the Keithian Quakers,
is the first Baptist known to have settled in
Philadelphia. He seems to have arrived in 1686. A
number of English Baptists took up their residence in
the city in 1696 and 1697. In the latter year Thomas
Killingsworth baptized a considerable number in
Philadelphia, including two Keithian Quakers. From
this time onward the relations of this church to the
Keithians become interesting and important. The
schism in the Quaker body led by George Keith, who
bitterly attacked the body on the ground of its
exaltation of the inner light and its comparative
disparagement of Scripture authority, its neglect of
discipline, its departure from the earlier teaching of
the body with reference to warfare, magistracy, etc.,
led to some gain in numbers by the Baptists, but
involved them in somewhat serious troubles as well.
Keith himself forsook his followers and entered the
Episcopal Church. Some of the Keithians returned to
the regular Quakers, some united with one
denomination, and some with another. Yet several
congregations held together, notably those of Upper
Providence, Philadelphia, Southampton, and Lower
Dublin. According to Morgan Edwards, "These, by
resigning themselves to the guidance of Scripture,
began to find water in the commission; bread and
wine in the command; community of goods, love-
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feast, kiss of charity, right hand of fellowship,
anointing the sick for recovery, and washing the
disciples' feet; and therefore were determined to
practice accordingly. The society of Keithians most
forward in these matters was that kept at the house of
Thomas Powell, in Upper Providence, which
forwardness, it is said, was due to one Abel Noble,
who visited them, and was a Seventh-day Baptist
minister when he arrived in this country. The time
they began to put their designs in practice was Jan.
28, 1697, when the said Abel Noble baptized a public
Friend, whose name was Thomas Martin. . . .
Afterwards Mr. Martin baptized other Quakers, to
the number of 16." Beckingham, a member of the
Cohansey church, joined with them in organizing a
church, of which Martin was chosen pastor by lot.
Fifteen other Quakers soon united with the church. "
But in I 700 a difference arose among them, touching
the Sabbath, which broke up the society. Such as
adhered to the observation of the Seventh day, kept
together at Newtown. . . . The rest lay scattered in the
neighborhood, till Mr. Abel Morgan gathered
together 15 of them, and formed them into a society,
now called the church of Brandywine." This latter
was a regular Baptist church.
The Philadelphia society of Keithians built a
meetinghouse in 1692. Two of their members,
William Davis, and Thomas Rutter, were baptized by
Killingsworth in 1697. The former united with the
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Pennepek church, the latter baptized nine others and
organized them (1698) into a society on the basis of
believers' baptism.
In 1699 the Baptists received an invitation from
Thomas Clayton, rector of Christ Church, to unite
with the Church of England. They replied in a
dignified manner, declining to do so unless he could
prove " that the Church of Christ under the New
Testament may consist ... of a mixed multitude and
their seed, even all the members of a nation, . . .
whether they are godly or ungodly," that " lords,
archbishops, etc., . . . are of divine institution and
appointment," and that their vestments, liturgical
services, use of musical instruments, infant baptism,
sprinkling, " signing with the cross in baptism," etc.,
are warranted by Scripture. In 1707 the Baptists were
invited by the Keithians to unite with them and to
make use of their building. This was the first
meetinghouse owned by the Philadelphia Baptists.
One of the Keithians, not sympathizing with the
union, gave a deed of the property to the
Episcopalians, and the church, to avoid litigation,
paid a sum of money to satisfy the claim. Grave
difficulties were occasioned in the church (1711-12)
by Thomas Selby, an Irish minister, who apart from
these troubles afterward proved unworthy. The
matter was referred to the Association in I712. The
result was that several of Selby's partisans withdrew
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from
the
church
and
united
with
other
denominations.
The independence of the Philadelphia church was not
recognized until 1746. The occasion of the
declaration of independence was the desire of the
mother church to share in certain legacies that had
been left to the Philadelphia body.
The church which came to be known as the Welsh
Tract church was organized in Pembrokeshire,
Wales, in 1701, and emigrated the same year to
Pennsylvania. They first settled in the Pennepek
region, but having their own pastor, Thomas Griffith,
and not agreeing in all points with the Pennepek
church, they continued their separate existence. In
I703 they received a large grant of land on the
Delaware, known as the Welsh Tract, where they
greatly prospered, and were able to furnish to the
denomination some of its ablest ministers and to send
forth a strong colony to South Carolina…According
to Morgan Edwards, this church "was the principal,
if not sole, means of introducing singing, imposition
of hands, church covenant, etc., among the Baptists
in the Middle States." Thomas Griffith, pastor of the
church, labored zealously for the promotion of the
laying on of hands, and by 1712 " all the ministers "
in the Jerseys " had submitted to the ordinance."
Other churches were organized before the close of
this period, as follows; The church at the Great
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Valley, made up chiefly of Welsh Baptists, who had
been supplied with gospel privileges by the Welsh
Tract church, was constituted in 1711, and chose
Hugh Davis, an ordained minister from Wales, to be
their pastor; the Hopewell, N. J., church was
organized in 1715, of those who had been members
of the Middletown, Philadelphia, and Pennepek
churches, and was for some time dependent on the
visits of neighboring pastors; the Brandywine
church, already mentioned, composed chiefly of
those who had been Keithians, was constituted in
I715, and was largely dependent on the Welsh Tract
for gospel privileges; the church at Montgomery,
county of Philadelphia, was made up of Welsh
Baptists, whose numbers were increased through the
labors of Abel Morgan. The organization of this
church was effected in 1719. Benjamin Griffith
became its pastor in 1725.
The antipedobaptist life of Pennsylvania was
augmented by the immigration of large numbers of
Dutch Mennonites, 1692 onward. By 1724 they had
five large congregations and sixteen ministers.
In 1719 about twenty families of Dunkards reached
Pennsylvania. They had originated at Schwartzenau,
Germany, in 1708, under the leadership of Alexander
Mack, and had introduced believers' baptism anew,
after the manner of John Smyth and Roger Williams.
They practiced trine immersion, and attempted to
follow rigidly apostolic precept and example as
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regards refusal to go to law, feet-washing, the kiss of
peace, the love-feast, anointing with oil, refusal to
accept interest on money, etc. The entire body came
to America (1719 and 1729).
About 1730 a schism occurred in the Dunkard body
on the Sabbath question, community of goods, etc.,
the Sabbatarian party forming the Ephrata
community at Lancaster, Pa. It is uncertain to what
extent these bodies influenced the Baptist
movement; but as they were very exclusive and fixed
in their customs it is unlikely that many of them
especially in the earlier time, passed over to the
Baptists, or that many Baptists passed over to them.
All the conditions were present in Pennsylvania and
the Jerseys for the development of strong and well-
ordered Baptist churches. Religious liberty relieved
Baptists of the necessity of being always on the
defensive and spending their strength in the effort to
exist. There was no overshadowing and domineering
church party to cause them to be looked down upon
as sectaries and intruders and to look upon
themselves as martyrs and aliens. While the Quakers
were numerous and in many cases wealthy, they
were for the most part free from arrogance and
intolerance, and Baptists were able to be and feel
themselves citizens in the fullest sense. This was
true, also, of Rhode Island; but Rhode Island Baptists
were for the most part such as had had experience of
New England intolerance, and the materials they
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drew from in the extension of their work were of a
thoroughly heterogeneous character. They were
likely to emphasize liberty and independence at the
expense of organization and interdependence. The
prevailing Welsh element among Pennsylvania
Baptists had come from churches well-grounded in
an evangelical type of Calvinism and in Baptist
principles and practices. They combined evangelical
zeal and fervor with thoroughgoing denominational
self-respect. The slight admixture of Rhode Island
Baptists with the prevailing Welsh element tended to
give to the resultant Baptist type a juster sense of the
importance of emphasizing the doctrine of religious
liberty than might otherwise have found place.
No agency did so much for the solidifying and
extension of the Baptist denomination in the
American colonies as the Philadelphia Association.
That it could be formed and could from the beginning
secure the cooperation of a number of churches in
efforts to promote discipline, right church order,
soundness
of
teaching,
and
aggressive
evangelization, argues the antecedent existence in
the churches concerned of a sense of the importance
of these things and a willingness to limit the exercise
of their independency for the sake of securing these
ends.
Almost from the beginning general meetings had
been held for evangelistic and communion purposes.
These began under the ministry of Keach, when a
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number of widely scattered bands of believers were
still connected with the Pennepek church. After the
organization of these bands into churches it is
probable that such meetings were continued, all who
could gathering and participating. In 1707 the
general meeting assumed in part the character of an
Association. The following account is from the
records of the Pennepek church: " Before our general
meeting, held at Philadelphia, in the seventh month,
1707, it was concluded by the several congregations
of our judgment, to make a choice of some particular
brethren, such as they thought most capable in every
congregation, and those to meet at the yearly meeting
to consult about such things as were wanting in the
churches, and to set them in order; and these brethren
meeting at the said yearly meeting. . . agreed to
continue the meeting till the third day following in
the work of the public ministry. It was then agreed,
that a person that is a stranger, that has neither letter
of recommendation, nor is known to be a person
gifted, and of a good conversation, shall not be
admitted to preach, nor be entertained as a member
in any of the baptized congregations in communion
with each other. It was also concluded, that if any
difference shall happen between any member and the
church he belongs unto, and they cannot agree, then
the person so grieved may, at the general meeting,
appeal to the brethren of the several congregations,
and with such as they shall nominate, to decide the
difference; that the church and the person so grieved
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do fully acquiesce in their determination."
Subsequent records show that this latter arrangement
was carried out with great consistency, wisdom, and
efficiency, and there can be no doubt that churches
were thereby saved from wrecking.
It is recorded that in 1710 and the year following "
several able men, ministers and elders, . . . came over
from South Wales and the West of England—as the
Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Jenkins, Mr. John Burrows, Mr.
Abel Morgan, and some that had been ruling elders
in the churches they came from—all of them men
long concerned in the affairs of churches and
associations in their own countries."
The first important case of discipline seems to have
been that of the Philadelphia church and Thomas
Selby. The finding of the disciplinary committee of
the Association was " that the way and manner of
dealing with each other hath been from the rule of the
Gospel, and unbecoming Christians in many
respects, and in some too shameful here to enumerate
the particulars. And first, we judge it expedient in
point of justice, that Mr. Thomas Selby be paid the
money subscribed to him by the members of this
church, and he be discharged from any further
service in the work of the ministry; he being a person,
in our judgment, not likely for the promotion of the
Gospel in these parts of the country; and considering
his miscarriages, we judge he may not be allowed to
communion. And secondly, as to the members of this
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congregation, we do apprehend the best way is, that
each party offended do freely forgive each other all
personal and other offences that may have arisen on
this occasion, and that they be buried in oblivion; and
that those who shall for future mention or stir up any
of the former differences, so as to tend to contention,
shall be deemed disorderly persons, and be dealt with
as such. And thirdly, that those that exempted
themselves from their communion on this account,
except as above, be allowed to take their places
orderly without contention, and such as refuse, to be
deemed disorderly persons." This action is quoted to
show the nature and spirit of the Associational work
in its early stages.
In 1722 it is decided that the churches shall "make
inquiry among themselves, if they have any young
persons hopeful for the ministry, and inclinable for
learning," such cases to be reported to Mr. Abel
Morgan for education on Mr. Hollis's account.
In 1723 churches without ministers are advised to
meet for devotional exercises, and to " have due
regard to order and decency in the exercise of those
gifts at all times, and not to suffer any to exercise
their gifts in a mixed multitude until tried and
approved of first by the church." It is further " agreed,
that the proposal drawn up by the several ministers,
and signed by many others, in reference to the
examination of all gifted brethren and ministers that
come in here from other places, be duly put in
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practice, we having found the evil of neglecting a
true and previous scrutiny in those affairs."
Several queries were sent into the meeting of 1724.
The first was "concerning the fourth commandment,
whether changed, altered, or diminished." It is
answered by referring to the Confession of Faith of
1689, "owned by us," where the "Lord’s Day" is
declared to be "the Christian Sabbath," "to be
continued to the end of the world," "the observation
of the last day of the week being abolished." A
negative answer is given to the query, "Whether a
believer may marry an unbeliever, without coming
under church censure for it?" It was also "concluded
and agreed, that a church ought to be unanimous in
giving their voice in choosing and setting up, or
deposing one set up, to act in any church office. . . .
Any act of that nature commenced without common
consent, is void, and hath no power in it." As an
indication of the wise care that characterized the
action of this body, it may be mentioned that at the
same session it was decided that in the letters of the
churches
"salutations,
contemplations,
congratulations, etc.," should be given on one page,
to be read in the open meeting, while "complaints,
queries, grievances, etc.," should "be written apart"
and "be opened and read to the Association only."
In 1726 the Association decided that "in case there
might be a division ... in any church in Great Britain,
and each party combining together in church form,
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each being sound in the faith, and during the
separation both parties recommend members unto us
here, as in full communion with them," the churches
should " take no further notice of the letters by such
persons brought here, than to satisfy themselves that
such are baptized persons and of a regular
conversation, and to take such into church covenant
as if they had not been members of any church
before."
It has been noticed that in the early history of the
denomination in Pennsylvania differences of opinion
appeared with respect to the laying on of hands. By
1729 practical unanimity seems to have been reached
in favor of the rite. The following query was
answered in the negative: "Suppose a gifted brother,
who is esteemed an orderly minister by or among
those that are against the laying on of hands in any
respect [even in ordination to the ministry, seems to
be the thought], should happen to come among our
church; whether we may allow such an one to
administer the ordinances ...?"
Sabbatarianism was evidently giving some trouble in
1730. There was a disposition on the part of the
churches to allow full liberty to such as persisted, on
conscientious grounds, in observing the seventh day;
but such as withdrew from the church and associated
themselves actively with the Seventh-day people
should be disowned " in as moderate a way and
manner" as possible.
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In 1731 and 1732 much anxiety was expressed on
account of the dearth of pastors, and in the latter year
a day of fasting and prayer was appointed to be kept
by all the churches " that the Lord may gift some
among ourselves, such as may be serviceable; or
order, in the course of his providence, some such to
come among us from elsewhere."
In 1736 it was voted that a church at a distance
should not receive into membership a person living
in the neighborhood of another church.
The period closes amid prosperity, one hundred and
eleven having been received by baptism during the
year ending with September, 1740. (pp. 200-215)
Conclusion to Chapter Five
[JFR]
We will next look at the first Baptists of Maine,
South Carolina, and others.
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