Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-25

lib ali <AGtO0nl VI NtAC N~h0ANAAC1
their Constitutions, Ministers. Mem
bers, Associations, their Plan and
Sentiments. Rule and Order, Proceed
ings and Correspondence. Also Re-
marks Upon Practical Religion.
Humbly offered to the Public by
JOHN ASPLUMB."
- HIS is the title page of a
pamphlet of seventy pages
which has been loaned me
by that enterprising company
of book collectors, the American Book
Co. 1 see 1t is catalogued at $3.50,
and is cheap at that. doubt whether
there is another copy in Georgia, and
/ know there are few In the United
States. 1t opens up a very interesting
history to Georgians and one not only
interesting but important. The his
torian who fails to recognize the work
that this sturdy folk. the Baptists, have
done for Georgia is sadly blind or
shamefully false to his work as a true
chronicler. This old pamphlet, how
ever, opens a new door to me and set
ties some questions 1 was unable 10
answer when / was writing 1.-The
Story of the Georgia People
1t was published in Southampton
COunlJy Ndss W JUN ASDluilD, u
Sweed." To get the material for it
he says, he travelled 1000 miles in
eighteen months, chiefly on foot. He
was an itinerant Baptist preacher, who
met with many discouragements from
illeberal souls whose illeberal souls
were not concerned for the public well
fare"
'Tn Rhode Island he found the old
est Baptist church on the continent,
which was established in 1882 and had
129 members in 1850. In Virginia there
were one hundred and fifty ordained
preachers in 1880. and one hundred and
twelve licentiates and 20, 443 members.
Among the Virginia preachers I see
the ancestor of Governor and Bishop
Gambler, Joseph Anthony, and the an
cestor of DR.. Bascom Anthony, and
Colonel l. r. Lamar; John Anthony,
the ancestor of Judge Iverson Lewis
Harris and Judge Sampson W. Har-
ris, of Charles r. Pendleton, editor
of the Telegraph, and Of divers others
who, if not in line Of direct descent,
were related to these Virginia Baptist
preachers. In Kentucky / find Squire
Boon, a licensed Baptist preacher.
In South Carolina, Thomas Lamar, an
cestor of Mrs. Judge Erwin and the
Judges Cobb and Henry Holcomb,
afterwards the famous DR.. Holcomb,
ancestor of Senator Bacon.
In Georgia there were 80 ordained
and 80 licensed preachers in. 1890.
where there had been in 1855, only 6.
The churches which were organized
before the revolution were Lower
Briar creek, afterward Battsford,
which was organized in IT73. Kioka.
which the register says was organiz-
ed in 1772. Reeds creek in 1774, all the
others were organized after the war
There were in Georgia in 1880 forty
two Baptist churches organized.
There were probably not ten buildings,
however, for meeting houses. At that
Creek, Dawes Creek, Ebenezer Creek,
Falling Creek, Fishing Creek. Hebron,
Hutton's Fork, Indian Creek, Long
Creek Ogechee, Milestone Creek, Phil
ip's Mill, Providence, Soap Creek, Up
per Briar Greek, Vann's Creek, What
time there were in Burke county Back
Camp, Brushy creek, Buckhead,, Briar
creek and Lower Briar creek. As JEFF
ferson had not been set off from
Burke one Of the churches was in that
county.
In Savannah there was only An
drew Marsha1I's negro congregation.
In Effingham there was Laniers, on
Little Ogechee, and Lowen on the
same river.
In Franklin county, Tugalo, in Greene
Oconee river, Skoil shoals, and Shout.
derbone.
In Richmond, Kioka; this church was
at Appling and had $50 members and
five preachers, besides the pastor and
Reeds creek was in the same county.
In Washington there was William
sons Swamp, Little Ogechee, White
Ponds.
In wilkes-B riar Creek, Fuhfalo Fork,
Long Creek, Clark's Station, Clouds
ley's Mill, Williams Creek.
The membership of each church is
given There were Kiokee. $50; Fish
ing Creek, 100; Long Creek, 226; Phil
ip's Mill, 1879; Whatley's Mill, 1852;
Dawes Creek, 1O6: PowelPs Creek, 12S;
Lower Briar Creek, 10S-an the rest
were under a hundred.
The whole number of members was
1921, at least three times as many as
there were in any denomination in the
state. The Methodists had now come
but there was not half so many in all
their societies as there was in the Bap-
tist churches. Among the Baptists
there was general consensus of be-
lief. The missionary question had not
then been sprung, and there was an