churches, which have sent forth many preachers. The churches of South Elkhorn, Clear Creek, Bryant's Station, and the Great Crossings, are among those which have been the most distinguished for numbers and prosperity.

2. Salem Association.

This Association was formed of four churches, in 1785. The four churches were Severn Valley, Cedar Creek, Cox's Creek, and Bear Grass. Its first ministers were William Taylor, Joseph Barnet, and John Whita ker. Its first meeting was on Cox's Creek, not far from the place where Bardstown now stands. The four churches did not all contain more than 130 members. And so slow was its progress, that fourteen years after the number of members belonging to the Association was a little less than five hundred-but in the four following years, viz. in 1799-1800, &c. they received the addition of upwards of two thousand members, and the Association became so large that it was necessary to divide it.

These two Associations were from the beginning rigidly Calvinistic, and adopted the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, which was a transcript of the Savoy Confession, England, which was word for word with the Westminster Confession, save in the article of infant baptism.

3. Separate or South Kentucky Association.

This name was given to an Association which was formed on the south side of Kentucky river, and which

remained on its first foundation about sixteen years. Robert Elkin, Joseph Bledsoe, and James Smith, were some of the principal instruments of gathering the churches of which it was composed. The preachers, as well as the first members, emigrated principally from Virginia, and were amongst the earliest Baptist adventurers to the attracting wilderness of Kentucky. The Baptists in Virginia, at the time they began to send forth such populous colonies of their brethren to the western country, were divided into Regulars and Separates, although the Separates were much the most numerous. The Regulars were professedly, and some of them very highly Calvinistic; but the Separates were far from being unanimous in their doctrinal sentiments. A majority of them, however, were Calvinists, and of the rest a part were much inclined to the Arminian side of the controversy; and some of the most distinguished among them, in opposing the high strains of Calvinism, which were incessantly, and, in many instances, dogmatically sounded by their orthodox brethren, had gone nearly the full length of the doctrine of Arminius. Others, with different modications of the objectionable articles of both systems, were endeavouring to pursue a middle course. Such was the state of the Virginia Baptists, with regard to doctrine, at the period under consideration, and some of all these different classes were amongst the early emigrants to the fertile regions of the west; but a majority of them were Separates in their native state. But the same people who had travelled together before their removal, so far at least as it respected their associational connexion, pursued a differ

ent course when settled in Kentucky. The Calvinistic Separates united with the few Regular Baptists amongst them, and established the Elkhorn Association, which, at its commencement, adopted the Philadelphia Confession of Faith; while those, who inclined to the Arminian system, as well as those who adopted some of the Calvinistic creed in a qualified sense, united with the Association whose history we now have under consideration.

Thus the names of Regular and Separaté were transported beyond the mountains, and two separate interests were established in the neighbourhood of each other.

This Association, like the rest in the country, was small in its beginning, but its course was generally prosperous, and no special event occurred until 1789, four years from its commencement, when there was an unsuccessful attempt to abolish the names of Regular and Separate, and effect a union and correspondence betwen this and the Elkhorn Association. This measure was attempted in consequence of recommendations of the United Baptists in Virginia, whose advice the Kentucky brethren were generally inclined to receive, and whose examples they generally imitated. The Regulars and Separates in North and South-Carolina had united before, and in 1787 a happy reconciliation was effected between these two parties in Virginia, both of which had at that time become very numerous, And having found that a reconciliation was practicable and pleasant, the United Baptists in Virginia sent let ters to the Elkhorn and Separate Associations, inform

ing them of the successful steps they had taken, and recommending the same to them, with earnest desires that their endeavours might prove successful. But the set time for this desirable event was not yet come. The union was ardently desired by many individuals of both parties, and the bodies at large appeared favourably disposed towards the attempt; but they knew not by what means to accomplish it, nor could they agree on the terms on which they should unite. The Separates were afraid of being bound and hampered by Articles and Confessions, and the Regulars were unwilling to unite with them without something of the kind. A general convention of delegates met on the business, and overtures were made on both sides; but both parties being too tenacious of their favourite maxims to make sufficient abatements, their endeavours at that time proved unsuccessful.

A similar attempt was made in 1793, which, like the other, terminated without accomplishing the desirable object. In this year, five churches being dissatisfied with the Separate Association, respecting their proceedings in this affair, and also in some other matters, withdrew, and formed the Tate's Creek Association.

But in the time of the great revival, the outpourings of the Divine Spirit, and its softening influence on the minds of the saints, prepared the way for that recónciliation and union, which all their weighty arguments and assiduous endeavours had not been able to accomplish. This astonishing work, in the year 1800, and following, prevailed most powerfully amongst the Separates as well as the Regulars. The churches and

members were now much intermixed. All were visited and refreshed by the copious and abundant rain of righteousness which was poured upon the land; and, regardless of names, they unitedly engaged in enjoying and forwarding the precious and powerful work. By this means, those little party asperities, which had un happily prevailed, were much mollified and diminished, their cold and indifferent charity for each other was inflamed; and with most of them their notions of doctrine were found to be not so different as they had supposed. An union was now. proposed in earnest, and soon effected with ease. Both Associations had become large, containing together between seven and eight thousand members. Committees were appointed by both bodies to confer on the subject of an union, who, after mature deliberation, agreed to the following

terms:

"Terms of Union between the Elkhorn and South Kentucky, or Separate Associations.

"We, the committees of the Elkhorn and South Kentucky Associations, do agree to unite in the following plan..

"1st. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the infallible word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice. 2d. That there is one only true God, and in the Godhead or Divine Essence, there are Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 3d. That by nature we are fallen and depraved creatures. 4th. That salvation, regeneration, sanctification, and justification, are by