The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-07-26
RELIGIOUS
MEETING PLACE
Old Rocky River Baptist
Church of Arson
MEETINGS FOR 1884 YEARS

1he Annual Meeting VIII Be Held
Sunday-Event Always Attracts
Great C1owds-An Historical sketch
of Matters Connected With This Old
Church.
Especial to News and Observer.)
W~adesboro, N. c., July 23.-Next
Sunday-the last Sunday in July-is
the time for the July Meeting at old
Rocky River Baptist Church., located
in the northern part Of the county mo
it is to be a great day. For 134 years,
without a break this annual gathering
has been held at this old church and
even during the war The gathering was
largely attended.
Rev. John A. Summey, Of Wades-
boro, is the pastor of the church and
Advance, to preach the annual sermon
this year. There will be two services
with a dinner in the grove and the
services will continue for a week,
twice a day and a basket dinner each
lay. h meeting is noted Zach year
for it's spiritual power and people
come tor many miles and remain
throughout the entire time.
The meeting house, although large.
will not accommodate the people for
the Sunday meeting-it never has be-
fore-but the grove of great oaks is
large and an ideal location and the
people Will gather in little groups be-
meath the trees and exchange their
condolences and experiences. Some Will
be present who went first to the July
Meeting when babes In the arms of
the mother and others who have at
tende will be missed-they nave gone
up higher.
1t will be a great day and many will
be the stories Of olden times that will
be told during the internlission.
Rocky River Church, located in a
wooded hill near Efird's Mil in the
northern part of Arson county, is one
of the landmarks. For almost $50
years this hill has been the regular
meeting place of the organization,
and their record shows that in all
these there has never been a break
and hardly \ service missed. The
church is practically the Mother
Church. of all Baptist organizations
in the counties Of Union Stanly and
Anson
In 1775 a colony of Baptists from
Oquekon, Berkeley county, Virginia,
moved to the South and settled on
Sandy Creek in Randolph county,
North Carolina. They built a house of
worship and organized a church. Their
first pastor was Shubael Stearns, who
came from Boston, Massachusetts, ana
served then as pastor for sixty years.
Rev. Mr.. StearnS died in 1771, SIX
months after the battle of Alamance,
and was buried at old Snay Creek.
During his service as pastor OF TINS
church the organization became an
evangelistic center and one
thousand or more members. IheSe
--l = 49, NJ IN
covering a large area, and established
many arms of the mother church.
In 1850, five years after the crgani-
zation Of Old Sandy Creek church, an
independent church was organized at
the fords Of Little River in MOntgom-
cry county, and IN three years tllhe
this church., ituated five miles from
what is now the town of Troy, had
crown from five members to five hun
dred. and had built five meeting
houses at five different points in the
regions beyond.
beginning of the Ole Rocky River
church in Arson county. Rocky River
church located twenty miles from
WaGesborO, IN the southern Oank OF
Rocky river in the northern part OF
Arson county, was organized IN 100,
been a regular constituted Arm OF
the church at the forks of Little river
as an Independent organization.
In the year 1864. according to the
Baptist history, there were in the state
of North Carolina forty-tWo BaptlSt
churches with 3.276 members. 1t was
in this wear tina the Vestry act was
passed, and the next year the STAMP
act. These acts were saddleo ny
England on the Baptists of Arson
orange, Granville and Halifax coun,
ties, but they would not consent anu
1uoro stirred to q White heat. Persecu-
ton of the worst sort was begun by
William Tryon, lieutenant-goVernor,
and his officers, and this reached the
climax. the battle of AlaHance IN ~.
After this battle only a few BaPIsts
could be seen in all sections. 1hey
80 Fled to the neighboring States of