A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 325 pie; Their numbers annually increased in a surprising degree. Every month, new places were found by the preachers, whereon to plant the Redeemer's ftan- dard. In these places, although but few might become Baptifts, yet the majority would.be favourable. Many that had expressed great hostility to them, upon forming a more close acquaintance with them, professed to be undeceived. We have already seen, that the firft Separate Baptift Church, North of James River, was formed in 1?67, and the second iii I769j So that, at the commencement of the year 1770, there were but two Separate Churches in all Virginia, North of James Rivertextit{; and we may add, there were (not more than about four, on the South side* In 1774, by referring to the history of the general association, we find, that there were 30 on the South, and 24 on the North fide, thatfentletters, and c. to the afibciation; besides a probability of several that did not associate. This rnuft be considered a very rapid increase, for so short a time. The Baptift intereft increased in a much greater proportion. So favourable did their prospecls appear, that towards the close of the year 1774, they began to entertain serious hopes, not only of obtaining liberty of conscience, but, of actually overturning the church eftablifhment, from whence, all their oppressions had arisen. Petitions for this pur- pofe were accordingly drawn, and circulated with great induftry. Vast numbers readily, and indeed eagerly, subscribed to them. The great success and rapid increase of the Baptifts in Virginia, muft be af- cribed primarily, to the power of God working with therm Yet it cannot be denied, but, that there were subordinate and co-operating causestextit{; one of which, and the main one, was the loose and immoral deportment of the eftablifhed clergy, by which, the peop...