SECTION VII.SOUTHWESTERN ASSOCIATION.
Most of the churches embraced in this confederacy are of recent origin. Many of them occupy highly advantageous situations in the broad, the bright, the glorious West, and give every promise of rising to future eminence and usefulness.
The history of this church, the oldest one in this Association, is highly interesting. It appears that in 1745, a company of Sabbath-keepers, including one John Davis, removed from Rhode Island, to a place called Square, in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Here they organized a church, and sent said Davis back to Westerly to be ordained, which was done in 1746. They remained here nearly forty years, when the whole church, men, women, and children, emigrated to the place that their descendants now inhabit in Virginia. They went in wagons, drove their cattle, and the cavalcade was many days in performing their journey. Their venerable minister continued with them for many years. He was also assisted by one Jacob Davis, who was esteemed as a very amiable man and worthy minister.
Rev. John Davis his son and successor, was installed about 1800, and continued to serve the church for a number of years. Zebulon Maxson, Peter Davis, and Lewis A. Davis, were likewise associated with him in the ministry at different times, and
Rev. Peter Davis finally succeeded him in 1834, in which relation he still continues.
Ezekiel Bee is a licentiate in connexion with this church.
This church was constituted in 1805, and the large and respectable family of Bonds—its first originators—appear to be still its principal supporters. Richard Bond, while a resident in Maryland, became convinced of the sacred character of the seventh day, from reading the Bible alone. Once convinced of his duty he was not slow in performing it; but embracing the Sabbath, he instituted weekly religious meetings in his family, and was, for a long time, the priest of his household. Subsequently he emigrated to Virginia, and became the founder of the Lost Creek Church. This church has never been large, and for a great proportion of the time it has been without the services of a stated pastor, but the fact of its steady and uniform course amidst these privations, affords conclusive evidence of the valuable materials of which it is composed.
Richard C. Bond, the present incumbent, was installed in 1843.
This church, a branch of the former, was organized in 1833. It is in a very weak and depressed condition, containing only seven members.
This church, another branch of the eldest fraternity, was constituted in 1842. It contains only nineteen members, and was served by Asa Bee and Joshua S. Davis, as licentiates.
This church originated from a division, on the temperance question, in the Sabbatarian church at Pike, in the same county. It was organized with seventeen of the seceding members, in 1837. In 1840, it was blessed with a precious revival, and received many additions.
Rev. Samuel Babcock is the present pastor, assisted by L. Lippencott as licentiate.
This church was constituted in 1824, although Sabbatarians had for some time previous resided in that region.
Rev. Simeon Babcock and Rev. Samuel F. Randolph, were for several years connected with these churches, under whose ministry they were greatly blessed, and the fraternity under consideration numbered 102 members. Subsequently, however, it fell into a decline. The secession of a part of its members, the death and removal of others, combined with other causes, left it in a very weak condition. In 1842, James B. Davis was a licentiate in its connexion. At present it has no stated pastor.
This church was organized in 1840, and contained nineteen members. It is in a very pleasant situation, and gives great promise of future usefulness.
Rev. Lewis A. Davis has been the father, and is the pastor of this church.
This church was organized in 1842, by emigrant membersfrom Scott and Brookfield. It is situated in a very pleasant country, and will probably become, in time, a large and efficient body.
It is occupied as missionary ground, but has no stated pastor.
This church was organized in the same year as the former, and is much in the same condition. It is blessed with the services of Rev. Joshua Hill, as pastor.
This church was organized in 1840, and embraced thirty-eight members, most of whom had removed from Pike, Clarke County, to this place. For some time it appeared quite flourishing, and received several additions, but it is at present in a very low and depressed condition, owing to the want of ministerial assistance.
This church was gathered through the exertions of Rev. Samuel Woodbridge, and was organized about 1790. All the knowledge that I have been able to obtain of Elder Woodbridge is, that he was a First-day Baptist minister, who became convinced of the sacred character of the seventh day, and embraced it accordingly. Subsequently he removed to this place with his family, where his preaching was blessed to the conversion of many, a church organized, and a meeting-house erected, whose pulpit he occupied until his death. This church likewise received several additions from an emigration of the members of the Nottingham and Pennapack fraternities, among whom we may mentionthe children of Rev. Enoch David. But the death of Elder Woodbridge was the commencement of its decline, as no one arose to take his place. Its ancient and venerable meeting-house, being without a pastor, soon became almost deserted. Some of its members removed to other parts, and others of them went to receive their reward for loving the law and keeping the commandments of God. In 1843, they numbered sixteen, and Lewis Sammons served the church as licentiate. Since that period its decline has been gradual, and it is a moral certainty that but a very short time will elapse before we shall have to announce the disappearance of another star from our constellation, the extinction of another luminary in the moral world.
This small company of Sabbath-keepers was organized into a church in 1848, since which period it has received few additions, and has been in a low and depressed condition for the want of pastoral services.