The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-05-03
SECOND EDITION
DELAWARE BAPTIST AsSOCIA.
TION.
Elder Rittenhouse's Reply 10 Rev
%. Ii. Cooks Baptist History.

To the Editor o fthe Gazette IL was
shown copy fthe DAILY GAZETTE
of few weeks back, and my atten-
ton called to lengthy editorial in
said paper, commenting history of
the Baptlsts in Delaware, had been
just published "by Rev. r. B. Cook,
A. M" and inserting a lengthy ex.
tract from said history. If Mr.. Cook
had confined himself to writing a
history of his own denomination and
Of the churches with which he was
in fellowship, should have taken
little interest in the matter. But as
he has embraced what is claimed to
be d history of the Delaware Bap-
tist Association, which has no fell
lowship or correspondence with
him, and of the several churches
composing the same; L feel that it is
incumbent upon me to make some
commented statements in justice TO
myself, and to the churches that l
serve. For some reason, but can
not cOnjesture what, you have seen
fit to extract and publish in the GA
zETTE just so much of the said his
tory as refers IN a particularly dis
paraging way to us. L was not anxe
lous to write our history or to have
any body write it for US. But do
feel some aversion TO having the
grossest misrepresentation of my
self and my laDors handed down to
pesterity as faithful history.
Before proceeding further would
ask Mr.. Cook or any other reader,
how far witness comes short of
committing perjury when he tells
not only but small part of the
truth, but avoiding the main points,
| makes his statement IN such shape
as to make up testimony which Is
absolute falsehood2 l am utterly
at a loss to conceive why Mr.. Cook
or any body else should desire to
decry and stigmatize so respectable
end hourlshing body of churches as
| the Delaware Association. II he or
bis people think we are not pros
pering, 1 will only say that we are
satisfied in that respect. We do not
hesitate to claim to have the full
measure OF the fruits of the spirit
among us.
Pursuant to the call of a portion of
the churches, of this, association l
came here and settled with them
twenty-five years ago. As my re-
sponsibility will not 60 back beyond
that time will state a few particulars
since that date. The Welsh Tract
Church, then under the care of Elder
Thomas Barton, one of the most faith
full and gifted gospel ministers have
| ever known, has gradually increased
| in membership over all losses by death
, or removals, until it numbers more
than double what it did then. This
church has received some attention at
the hand of Mr.. Cook, he condescsnd-
ing to favor us with list OF her pas
tors from the first. But instead of a
candid statement of her increasing
numerical strength for more than
twenty years past, he goes back away
beyond the period of the separation
and before Newark, with its numerous
churches, had grown UP, to time
when the membership was large, con-
siderable larger than at present, and
so by comparing statistics then and
now attempt to prove ''that there has
been regular decline for years." &c.
Seventy years ago Welsh Tract was
not surrounded by other denomina-
tions as she is now, and her members
were scattered over a vast extent of
country. The congregation is proba-
bly, about as large now ss it has been
at any time.
OF Bryn Zion and Cow Marsh
Churches but little is said, only as
| they are incidentally referred to. But
| they are included in all these general
and sweeping declarations against
which l AM protesting. There has
been a gradual and regular increase in
in the numbers of communicates in
both these churches, as also in the
congregations. They have within the
past ten years erected a large and
commodious house of worship, about
| double the size the edifices removed,
and paid every dollar for them. And
they are now seeing the new houses
as well filled as the old ones were. In
| my labors with these churches, have
received and enjoyed the highest re-
wards that are allotted to man on
earth. / have seen them built up in
the faith and order of the gospel, in
mutual love and fellowship; and have
enjoyed their united esteem, approval
and confidence e, invariably, for twenty
two years. Ii Mr.. Cook would attend
some of our meetings with me and
witness a house of twelve hundred
square feet crowded to overnowing, he
would never again write that their
congregations have declined to almost
nothing. "One general remark" we
are told, sis true or them all, they
progress backward" /" "there has been
a regular decline for years, even
greater than is exhibited by their re-
turns" &c. After hunting up a curse
from the old jewish Prophet, pro-
nounced upon national Israel, he goes
on to pronounce the same upon us.
"TLey withheld" he informs us,
"from the Lords cause that which He
demands, and the result is the heavens
withheld their blessings" "God has
called for draught upon them in
spitual things, and they are whitening
and fast decaying." He then goes on
to predict our speedy dissolution, &c.
1t is true that several of the churches
have what we call monthly meetings,
but it is Lot true that our meetings
are "but montnly." At our monthly
meetings it is usual to have preaching
on Saturday and twice on Sunday.
At other times the churches have