Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-10-21
SKETCH OF MISSOURI BAPTIST HISTORY,
By j. c. Armstrong, D. D., editor of the
Central Baptist

Central Baptlst
One hundred years ago Missouri
was a part of Spain and had been in
possession of that kingdom for a quar-
ter of a century. Within the present
confines OF the state there was a pop
ulation of about five thousand. One
thousand of them were negroes. st.
Louis was a village of 900 people,
Carondelet It's, St. Charles $50, st.
Ferdinand 176, Ste. Genevieve $50,
New Bourbon $50, Cape Girardeau
$40, and New Madrid IT'S. Besides
these villages there were a few
smaller settlements scattered up and
down the river. The names of these
towns indicate that they wer settled
by French and Spanish Thus, the
whole population of the present state
was not equal to that of the town of
Mexico. In the whole population
there are estimated to have been
twelve Baptists.
The conditions for worship and
growth were not very favorable to
Dissenters. An edict had gone forth
that no such minister should be al
lowed to preach in the territory. and
that the children of Dissenters must
become Romanists.
The war of the Revolution had been
fought through and the liberty of the
American colonies secured; but that
liberty did not reach this territory.
The downtrodden pioneers on this
side could look across the Mississippi
as the Israelites looked across the
Jordan, and see the broad praIries and
proud hills of the land of freedom. In
the situation of Cuba to-day, where a
brave people are struggling desper-
ately to free themselves from Spanish
tyranny in order to enjoy civil and
religious liberty, we may see very
plainly what Missouri might now be
had not the providence of God en-
larged the borders of the Promised
Land. Just when the time came for
our fathers to be set free to the task
of building their free institutions, the
title of this proud commonwealth
passed from the hands of Spanish
despotism, first to the French, and
then, by purchase, to the United
States. This was the beginning of
Baptist progress in Missouri. The field
was open and better for the larger
harvest. These changes were effected
in 1903, and our fathers were redeem
ed from bondage by money out of the
national treasury and were adopted
into the family of the United States.
We were bought with a price. Others
secured with the shedding of blood
that which we obtained by the pay
ment of money.
At this time the population had in
creased to about ten thousand, only a
few of whom were English or Ameri-
cans. The first settlement had begun
under French protection, and compar-
atively few Spaniards had ever come
into the territory. The change of
government not only brought freedom
to the pioneers, but what was more
important for the future, also deter
mined the character of future immi-
grafton. The gate through which
Spain and France had entered by way
of the south was closed, and hence
forth our population came from the
northern countries of Europe, and
was sifted into the west through the
older states and territories. Possibly
we have received too many foreign
ers into our territory for the highest
interests of solidity and uni6cation.
but we have Jared infinitely better
than If this new west had been peo'
pied from the effete countries OF
southern Europe. Immediately after
the purchase, immigrants from the
states further east began to flock into
this favored land. The first Baptist
church was organized in the south.
eastern part of the state, and that
may be considered the ancestral home
of Missouri Baptists. About ninety
years ago the first Baptist church wal
formed west of the Mississippi river.
which is also supposed to have beer
the first nom Catholic church. The
denomination has grown to its present
strength within these ninety years.
According to the latest statistics
available, there were in the state one
year ago 1s4,2e7 Baptists, 2s,254 o.
whom were negroes. The annual
growth of Baptists has been an aver
.sge of about eighteen hundred. The
increase, however, has been much
more rapid during certain periods,
In 1910 the number was about ten
thousand, and the annual increase had
averaged 222. Since that date, the
number has multiplied by about six
teen, which shows an annual increase
of something like $3.50 members. Fol
the past ten years, the growth has
been over 5000 annually. In the past
twenty years, the number baptized ID
just equal to the present total mem
bership, and the annual additions
from baptism are about ten thousand.
To put it in other words, at the end Of
the first forty-ive years, the total
number of members was about equal
to the number baptized last year. AT
present the baptisms per year are
about 6k per cent. of the member
ship, and the net increase about 81
per cent.
It must not be supposed, however,
that there was a lack of conservation
or effective work during the first bali
of the century. Pioneer preachers
travelled forty miles, perhaps on foot,
and certainly through great difficult
ties, to preach in the log cabin home
to two or three families gathered on q
days notice.
Every Missouri Baptist is familiar
with the picture of the log cabin meet
ing house, which used to stand on q
hill o mile and q half south of jackson,
Cape Girardeau county. Before the
poplar logs OF which it was con-
structed have rotted away, that sim
pie building has given place to 1900
Baptist church houses now standing,
to say nothing of the many buildings