Unknown County GaArchives Church Records.....Georgia Baptists Division on Missions Copyright Date 1874
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DIVISION ON MISSIONS.

   By carefully noticing the preceding pages, the reader will learn why and when
the division among the Baptists of Georgia occurred, which resulted in the
withdrawal of the anti-missionaries (or "Hard-shells" as they are sometimes
designated,) from the body of the denomination. Yet, it is thought "best to
devote a short chapter to this subject. These brethren prefer to call themselves
the "Old-side or Primitive Baptists" and there is no doubt many of them believe
they have a just claim to such designation. But in this they are doubtless
mistaken. All history shows that the Baptists, far back into the remotest ages,
have ever been active and zealous in spreading abroad the "glorious gospel of
the blessed God." In perfect accord with their history in this respect, the
foregoing pages show, that among the first preachers that entered the State, (if
not the very first) were Daniel Marshall and Edmund Botsford, the former of whom
had been a volunteer missionary to the Mohawk Indians, and whose missionary zeal
impelled him to plant the standard of the cross in South Carolina and Georgia,
and the latter of whom was sent into this State by a missionary society in
Charleston, South Carolina. It will be noticed that in 1801, the Georgia
Association entertained a proposition to form a missionary society, to send the
gospel to the Indians, "which was unanimously and cordially approbated." In
1804, an address from "the General Committee of the Missionary Conference at
Powelton," was read before said Association, which heartily concurred in its
leading objects. In 1814, Jesse Mercer read the circular and constitution of the
"Savannah Baptist Society for Foreign Missions," which was approved by the
Association "most willingly and unanimously," and a time appointed to form a
society to aid in the glorious effort "to evangelize the poor heathen in
idolatrous lands" Thus did the pioneer Baptists of Georgia act and speak on the
subject of missions.

  In 1822, the General Association, (now the State Convention,) was organized in
Powelton, for the purpose, among other things, not only of promoting missions,
but also ministerial education. For several years, the only Associations
connected with it were the Georgia, the Ocmulgee and the Sunbury—those who were
decided missionaries in the other Associations representing themselves therein
through missionary societies. In 1827, at Antioch church, Morgan county, several
churches of the Ocmulgee Association petitioned that body to withdraw from the
General Association, on account of their opposition to missions and ministerial
education, which petitions were laid over till the next session, when the
question of withdrawal was again discussed. But it was not till 1830, at Harmony
church, Putnam county, that the step was taken. This was followed by years of
dissension and strife. In 1835, the body passed a resolution of "non-fellowship
with all benevolent societies, so called," and, in 1837, she declares such
societies "unscriptural."

  And so the work of opposition went on. Several churches withdrew from the
Ocmulgee and joined others from the Flint river in forming the Central
Association. The churches and Associations were thrown into great confusion,
many being at a loss what to do. The Ebenezer was exceedingly vacillating for
several years, and did not decide in favor of "the Institutions of the day" till
1836, upon which seven churches withdrew, and set up as "The true Ebenezer
Association." The Yellow river Association passed resolutions of non-fellowship
with all in favor of missions, etc., in 1836. This subject had agitated the
sessions of the Flint river Association for years, till in 1837, at Holly Grove
church, Monroe county, the body refused to pass resolutions of non-fellowship ;
whereupon fifteen churches withdrew, and organized an anti-mission Association,
the Towalagi, which adopted "The 13th Article" as a part of their creed. (There
were twelve articles in the confession of Faith usually adopted by the churches
and Associations of those days, and this 13th article became notorious as
expressing the opposition of the Hard-shells to all kinds of benevolent
institutions.) The regular missionary churches never declared non-fellowship
with their anti-missionary brethren. Such declarations invariably came from the
other side. And this is the attitude of the parties now.

  Thus it may be seen, that the opposition to missions, Bible societies,
Sunday-schools, ministerial education, etc., began to show itself several years
before it culminated in the actual division of the churches and Associations,
which occurred mostly from 1836 to 1838.

  The most prominent and influential preachers among the anti-missionaries in
those days were James Henderson, Joel Colley, John Blackstone, William Moseley
and Thomas C. Trice. The three former have been dead many years, and it is
worthy of special notice that the two-latter, who moved to Alabama since or near
the close of the war, identified themselves fully with the Missionary Baptists
of that State; Mr. Trice having joined a missionary church and Association.
They, too, have both gone to their long home.


Additional Comments:
From:

GEORGIA BAPTISTS: HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL
BY
J. H. CAMPBELL,
PERRY, GEORGIA.


MACON, GA.: J. W. BURKE & COMPANY. 1874.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by
J. H. CAMPBELL,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

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