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Life and Travels of William Conrad
Chapter XIII - His Connection with the Licking Association of Particular Baptists
I now will give an extract, a sketch of my connection with the Licking Association of Particular Baptists.
The Church of Christ Particular Baptists at Williams-town, by her delegates and letter containing her faith unto the Licking Association, at their annual meeting in September, 1827; I was one of the messengers, and, of course, present at the time of the church's reception into the Licking Association, and continued every year, when in the State, in company with my brethren, to represent the church in the association, up to their meeting in 1849, held with their sister church at Mt. Carmel Meeting House, Clark county, Kentucky. From that meeting to the present, the church at Williamstown, Forklick, Raysfork, Twin-creek, Stony Point, Friendship and Rock Bridge churches met with Licking Association no more. For it was manifest at that session that the doctrine contained in Thos. P Dudley's circular, published by him in February, 1849, on the origin and nature, of the Christian warfare, was preached by Elder Jordan Walker and others on the stand, which circular we had read and reread, and considered entirely heretical and unauthorized by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and, therefore, Williamstown and the several other churches could not conscientiously meet with Licking Association any more after they had thus publicly committed themselves and the churches whom the delegates represented at the above session. And session after session, the churches composing the Licking Association have, through their delegates made the committal to the above heresy more full, as the documents now in my possession show. And as far as I am posted, up to the present. The churches composing the Licking Association still persist in their committal to the doctrine contained in the circular published in 1849 by Elder Thos. P. Dudley; all which course chilled or cooled down my former wish and will to visit the churches of Licking, as in the days and months that had then fled, amounting to twenty-two years. During which time, in my visiting the churches and brethren; in many instances, I served as an humble guide from my region of country, as well as an unworthy companion of ministering brethren from the West, on their contemplated tour among the churches of Licking; and, on many occasions, met Elder T. P. Dudley and some one of the four churches, (Georgetown, Elizabeth Church, Brian's Station and Mount Carmel) whom he served as their pastor, as well as often together at other churches and associations, and frequently at each other's house had joyfully broke bread together. Several times we met in council together, in the organization of churches, and again and again served together as presbytery in setting apart of brethren to the work of the ministry, and can say I felt at home when among the brethren and sisters, and had not learned of any serious differences in doctrine until the year 1847, on Monday morning after the second Saturday in September, at Salt River Church, with whom Licking Association met that year, in Anderson county, Kentucky. On that morning I, being a member of the committee, as well as present with the rest of the committee on the Saturday evening before, in the new, but unfinished dwelling of Elder Jordan Walker, and, of course knew of the inspection of the circular presented to the association by Elder Matthias Gossett, by the committee of arrangement and with them heard read the circular offered as substitute for the original circular of Elder Gossett, as above. And on its being read to the association, on Monday morning, some opposition was made to its adoption. After considerable debate, a motion to recommit; to a select committee was carried. The select committee reported that they were unable to agree on the circular committed to them, and recommended the republication of the circular, which appears in the minutes of that year; and the association concurred in that recommendation.-Copied from the circular on Warfare.
Elder William Hume, from the Salem Association of Predestinarian Baptists, and Elder Gilbert Beebe, from Warwick Association, were present at that session-the latter brother is he alluded to in Elder Dudley's circular. The ministering brother from abroad, present by invitation, and assisting in the examination of the circular, remarked: "I have seen a circular which I would be gratified to see the association adopt." After which I, in company with Elder Joel Hume, went on a tour of appointments, at Georgetown, Lexington, Bryan's, and I think at Mount Carmel, Goshen, and on to Bald Eagle Church, and some other churches included in our tour.
From Bryan's, after preaching, Elder Hume and myself went home with Elder Thos. Dudley and wife, Sister Dudley, in company with old Brother James Dudley, James Pullen, and, I think, William Anderson, from Leesburgh; tarried all night, and in the morning (quite a cold morning in the last of January or first of February) just before we left to fill an extra, or appointment just published the evening before at Brother E. S. Dudley's, at common time of day, Elder Thos. P. Dudley called our attention to the reading of his circular on the Origin and Nature of the Christian Warfare, saying to us present that the circular was now in manuscript, ready for the press or printer, and that he wished us-Elder Hume and myself especially-to listen to the reading of the manuscript, and see if we could detect any sentiment in the same that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments did not justify. When the Elder finished reading, Elder Hume spoke first, and said it was a strong or well-written piece; but there were some things in it (the manuscript) that, in his judgment, the Scriptures did not justify, or allow. I answered thus: "And so with me," which was all that passed, as far as my memory serves me. We started immediately to E. S. Dudley's, to preach at his house, and tarried with him and family until morning, and then went on to our next, and following appointments.
Brethren Thos. M. Wallace, James Pullen and E. S. Dudley accompanied us to Goshen Church, after preaching. We went on and lodged, after preaching at night, with a Brother Williams. Sister Williams was a daughter of Judge French and a member at Mount Carmel Church. And it seems to me we preached at a meeting house next day at 11 o'clock, this side of Mt. Sterling. Traveling by this time became very bad, as well as the weather grown colder; so that, rough going as it was, we had to hurry our beasts to make our time to a night meeting at a Mr. Jones, who had went, in the forepart of the day, to Mount Sterling, to watch for us as we passed, but, by some means: he failed to see us pass, but afterward found we had passed. Being on a fresh and fast traveling beast, he overtook and piloted us to his house. I think they called his name David Jones. The evening and night was very cold, but few to preach to after resting that night as best we could. Elder Hume's throat became quite sore the over night. In the morning we tried to thank God and take courage, and reached the church at Bald Eagle in good time. We met Elder Samuel Jones and family there. After preaching, we all went to his house, and, if not mistaken, preached there that night. And my recollection is that Brethren Wallace and E. S. Dudley parted with us next morning for their homes, and, in like manner, Elder Hume, Brother James Pullen and myself put out for our respective homes.
It is proper here that I should state that Elder Hume and myself took several tours, first and last; and as I have to write from memory, so that I have not been able to give the names correctly of all the churches and places where we preached on this tour, and may have, on this page, named, in some instances, places or churches where we had on a previous tour preached. The reader cannot fail to see that from my often journeying in person, sometimes alone, and often, as before mentioned, in company with ministering brethren among the churches, mingling and commingling in conversation with the dear children of God, for the long lapse of twenty-two consecutive years, after which, heresy is introduced, by which we are compelled to separate, for aught we know, for all the remnant of time allotted us here in this world of plague and vexation of spirit.
Yes, the reader, as I said before, must see that I with many others, must have seen and felt conscientious in still adhering to the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as the unchangeable record, the sure test by which to determine between truth and error, righteousness and unrighteousness.
O, that the reader did but know the great conflict of parting with those with whom we have lived so long in union and fellowship, and with whom we had so often went up to the house of God in sweet council together, preached together: contending for the same glorious truths of the Bible, the faith once delivered to the Saints. Met so often, as correspondents from the one association; to sit together in council with the associations with whom we corresponded, ever watchful as we thought to observe or notice whatever departure in doctrine or practice might occur. And, if aught in faith or practice was observed, we together labored in love to set right, and in so many instances at intervals we together joined with the dear brethren and sisters to relate to them God's gracious dealings with us in plucking us as brands from the fire, and after he had led us about and instructed us alter being brought to see our wretchedness, woe, and justly condemned state before a just and holy God, who is of purer eyes than to behold sin or look on iniquity, brought to see in us a heart deceitful and desperately wicked. Thus the fountain of the great deep (in our hearts) broken up all our props, our stays, and hopes swept away, our prayers unavailing, our mourning as lonesome doves, and sinking down, justly condemned before a holy God, against whom we had so greatly sinned, and in our extremity our eyes failed us in looking upward, and where there was no standing, no more place for our sinking feet to rest upon. Lo, in an unexpected moment, as well as the way Jesus was revealed in our hearts, our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
The end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth-yes, to our souls, the chiefest among ten thousand, we could but say the way is good, for its just to God and safe to us poor sinners. O, this is the way we long had sought, but found not all this revealed to us poor unworthy worms of earth on account, or for what; Jesus hath done and is doing for us now in our Father's Court above.
And then, in turn we would hear or listen to our dear brethren and sisters, while they would relate in their own words God's gracious dealings with them, that while in the wide and beaten road to serve Satan, they had strayed very far from God while sporting in civil mirth, fond of sins and pastimes, while seeking the company of our cheerful comrades to go to the house of play and pastime; thus, while thoughtless and vain, sporting on the brink of destruction. We trust it was God's good pleasure to call us by his grace to see in a moment, a short moment too to see as we had never seen, and to feel as we had never felt before, our joys had all fled away, our relish for the play-house gone; no more relish for the gaieties of earth. O, what sadness and sorrow then filled our bosom; but deeper sorrow and pain of heart to find ourselves poor, lost sinners, ruined and undone, and the cry lingering in our hearts that of sheer necessity, felt in our souls, came forth God-be merciful to us sinners, or Lord be merciful to me, a poor sinner; we soon felt an aching void the world could not fill. O, said they, our prayers, if prayers we desire call them, seemed to fill to the earth, not at any time to rise as high as our heads while we felt the frown of God was upon us, destruction just before. O, we feared to close our eyes at night for sleep least we should awake in an awful hell with the nations that forget God. O we, the chief of sinners are, says each troubled soul that knows the plague of his or her heart. O whither shall we flee to escape that wrath, so justly due for our great sin and iniquity, and in the place of our getting better or freed from cur sins, which are more in number than the hairs on our heads; they are more and more, and we still farther off from God. O, will the Lord ever hear our plaintive cry, our prayer; the answer seems to reach us quickly-No!!! God will not hear our prayer; we have sinned too long with an high hand and uplifted arm. We searched his word, but all in vain, we found no comfort there; it rang in our ears as we read: "Ye must be born again." And, in view of our guilt and condemnation, so justly due for our great; transgression in the sight of God, what else could we do but in our bitterness of heart cry out guilty. Yet, if there is mercy in store for sinners so vile as we, O Lord, we own that we the chief of sinners are, and when we truly had spent all our strength could do nothing more but cry-Lord, save a sinner condemned to die; and it grew darker and darker; every refuge had failed us when we felt we had no friend on earth and the heavens above was brass and the earth iron. We are shut out from God. Our last plaintive cry: O Lord we are oppressed; undertake thou for us; alas, we knew not what to do, the heavens grew, as we thought, darker, and the voice of words was heard, and while we listened to hear the awful sound from the Judge, depart ye cursed. O, to see God, remove and fix our station where we should never taste his love. O, wonderful to tell, the loving Lamb of God spoke, and peace filled our souls when He said, I have died that you might live; I bear your sins in my body on the tree. It seemed to us that God's frown was turned away; He smiled, our fears fled away. O, what love flowed in our hearts to God; we loved his dear children as we never loved before; the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.
Thus, Thomas P. Dudley and myself in our early days and nights, when together with the dear brethren and sisters, spent the intervening moments that passed between our times for public worship. And, while telling of the gracious dealings of a Covenant God with us, and in turn hearing alike relation from our brethren and sisters in the Lord Jesus, the tears of joy and gladness as freely flowed down our cheeks as flowed from the eyes of the dear brethren and sisters. Hence, there was a manifest oneness of feeling and sentiment in all our religious intercourse as we journeyed among God's dear children from place to place. For so we talked and so we preached; wherever we were together we were open and frank in all our conversation; as the brethren know (notwithstanding what had occurred, as before mentioned, at the Licking Association, held in September, 1857, which their Sister Church, Salt River, Anderson County, Kentucky,) up to the year 1849; since which time Elder Thomas P. Dudley and myself have met but seldom, if at all. The departure from original ground or doctrine in my judgment so manifest in his circular on the "Christian Warfare," still in my possession, and feeling conscientious that there are sentiments or doctrines written in the circular that are not found written in the word of God or any portion of the Scriptures of Old or New Testaments in anywise favoring the sentiments contained in said circular. Hence, we felt that it was better to adhere closely to the word of God-to the law and to the testimony: "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them," and we know that we are cheerful to say with Peter and John to those who would seduce us, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God-judge ye.
The reader will readily see, that, as conscientious men and women, professing to be disciples of the blessed Jesus, unworthy as we then as well as now feel ourselves to be, could go no further with those that adhere to the doctrines contained in the above named circular of Elder Thomas P. Dudley.
Hence a final separation took place from the cause above named. No more meeting together under the influence of the one blessed spirit of the living God, that characterized our happier days that have fled, which are kindly remembered by the writer. Yet he remembers that Jesus said, "Woe unto the world, because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offenses cometh." And besides, all the lapse of time from the year 1847 until September, 1849, during which interval, the matter, in part at least, as sot forth in the circular, was frequently discussed with the Elder and older brethren than myself, during the space above named. The session of Licking Association, in 1848, at and with our sister church at Georgetown, at which time there was a circular presented and finally adopted by the Licking Association, in which circular was incorporated, at least, nearly in substance, if not altogether, the heresies of Elder Dudley's circular on the Origin, Nature and Effects of the Christian Warfare; in the adoption of which, the churches of Licking Association, by their delegates, were committed in its adoption. And in February after, Elder T. P. Dudley published his circular on the Origin and Nature and Effects of the Christian Warfare, which was sent by him to the churches, as well as to individual members of the association, and sent copies abroad, so that the brethren could read, and not only have opportunity to examine and compare its sentiments with the doctrine of the Bible; but to give their decision after reading and rereading of those copies sent them. As in my own case, the Elder sent me three or four copies or his circular, accompanied with a letter of some length, containing a special request that I read carefully and prayerfully, and reread and compare his letter with the Bible, or word of God. Which request I did comply with. Before God, I lie not. After which, I replied as follows: "Brother Dudley: I have compiled with your request, in your letter to me, as fully as I was able to, and now have to say of it that your circular on the Christian Warfare contains the worst heresy I ever read after or heard, the Mormon doctrine not exempted." A copy of which circular is in my possession.
It hath and doth yet seem to me that the occurrences that were so frequent among the brethren about the doctrine contained in the circular, so often the subject of conversation, and under the notice of Elder Dudley from September, 1847, to January, 1850, the date of the printed manifesto of the churches at Stony Point and Friendship, in joint committee, being over two years under and surrounded by all the circumstances attendant, surely makes up and does amount to the first and second admonition, after which reject an heretic.
I here wish to state that of late years I have felt, and yet feel that I have done wrong, in that I ceased to visit and preach to the churches at their option, where I had so often met and tried to preach for over twenty years. I now feel sorrow of hear that I had not went along among the churches of Licking, at least until it was made manifest that; there was no more room for my labor in those parts which, likely, would have been but a few tours. I should not have suffered the above occurrences to hinder me, seeing the commission to preach. Jesus Christ does not justify my failure, for the simple reason for years that to go among those churches where, the sentiments contained in the circular were preached, would be, that far, countenancing the doctrine of the circular, is doubtless an error-one of many of my blunders.
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