The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-24
TIME FOR JULY MEETING AT
HISTORIC BAPTIST CHURCH
For 1874 Years There Has Not
Been Break in the
Gatherings.
AN ANCIENT LANDMARK
Even Through Bloody Days of
War There Was No
Lapse.

wadesboro. n c.. July 23.-Next
River Baptist Church. historic place
in the northern part of Arson county.
1t is the time for the July meetin'."
been held on the last Sunday In July,
and there has not been a break even
throughout the days Of the war.
1t will be an "all day meeting" and
the preachers will be Rev. John A.
Summey. the pastor OF the church, and
Rey. Roy NJ Davis. OF Advance. Dinner
Will be served under the great spread
Ing oaks OF the grove, where for al
most q century and half dinner has
been served on this day. Men and
women who first attended the July
meetln'" as babies in mothers arms
viii como from far away homes for
this gathering. and they will for the
day be back home and enjoy the
sacred associations and fellowship. The
meeting house. although large, will
be entirely too small for the great
crowd Git always Isl. but the grove
is large. and all about will be gath
cred groups of congenial spirits.
chatting and happy.
The services will continue for a
week. two sermons a day and din
ileE vi tHe kEOuHU each ody, pleuty
for everybody and everybody welcome,
Just as has been the custom during all
the years. 1t will be a great day. and
many will be the stories Of the olden
times that will be told during the in
termlssion.
A landmarks.
Rocky River Church. located in a
wooded hill near Efird's Mill, in the
northern part of Anson county, is one
OF the landmarks. For almost $50
years this hill has been the regular
meeting place of tbs organization, and
their record shows that in ali these
there has never been a break and
hardly a service missed. The church is
practically the Mother Church" OF
all Baptist organizations In the coun-
ties of Union. Stanley and Arson.
In 1855 a colony OF Bapt.sts from
oquekon, Berkely county, Virginia.
moved to the south and settled on
Sandy. in Randolph county, North
Carolina They built house of wor-
ship and organized a church. Their
first pastor was Shubael stearns, who
came from Boston. Mass. Rev. Mr..
stearns died in 177l. six months after
the battle OF Alamance, and was buried
at old sandy Creek. During his SER
vice as pastor OF this church the or.
ganization became an evangelistic
centre. and numbered thousand o,
more members These members lived
in different directions. covering large
area and established many arms o!
the mother church.
AT this point in this history is tins
beginning of the old Rocky Rive,
Church. in Arson county. Rocky
River Church. located twenty mile.
from Wadesboro. on the southern banl
o. Rocky River. In the northern par
of Anson county, was organized IL
ITS, but for several years previous
had been regular constituted arm
of the church at the forks of Little
River as an Independent organization
In the year 1864. according 10 tn,
BAPTIST history. there were in tn,
State OF North Carolina forty-two Bap
list churches with 3.27s members
vas In this year that the vestry ac
was passed. and the next year the
stamp act. These acts were saddlec
by England on the Baptists of Arson
Orange. Granville and Halifax coun.
ties. but they would not consent auc
were stirred to a white heat. Persecu
ton of the worst sort was begun b,
William Tryon. Lieutenant-G Governor
eand his officers, and this reached the
states of Tennessee and South Caro-.
Ina, and number had settled in the