Happy New Year greetings too! RED RIVER CHURCH AND THE REVIVAL OF 1800. Abstracted from: Adairville Enterprise, August 14, 1969, page 2] It was prepared as a research paper by Rev. Hughlan P. Richey, pastor of the Adairville Baptist Church. "The Old Red River Presbyterian Church was located near Red River, near Maulding Fort, and about three miles northeast of Adairville, Kentucky. Maulding's Fort was built in 1780 by early Scotch-Irish settlers for protection against the Indiana. This church was established between 1785 and 1789. The county, Logan, in which it is located became a county in 1792. Among the earliest ministers to serve Red River were Rev. Thomas Craighead, Rev. Samuel Finley, and Hezekiah Balch. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church as early as 1789 began to send out missionaries on the frontier. The Great Revival in the West is known as the Kentucky Revival or the Revival of 1800." Rev. Richey stated that Peter Cartwright, who lived near Adairville as a boy, tells that when his father moved the family into Logan County it was known as "Rogue's Harbor." Bernard A. Weisberger said, "the revival was no passively received blessing. It was weapon aimed at sin, and it was meant to be used to hit hard." He references Rev. James McGready who was born in Pennsylvania about 1760, and came to Kentucky in 1796 by the way of North Carolina. His ministry was not too well received in North Carolina. There was opposition, and this is evident because his pulpit was burned and he received a threatening letter written in blood. When he arrived in Logan Co, he settled in the Red River Community and his churches included Red River, Gasper River and Muddy River - Rogue's Harbor. By July 1799, "McGready's power over audiences began to be witnessed visibly. Here at Red River the signs of renewal began. the spirit of animation was felt at a sacramental meeting. These services were participated in by McGready, Mr. Rankin, Mr. Hodge and William McGee, Presbyterian preachers, and John McGee, brother of William, a Methodist preacher." ""In June (1800) the sacrament was administered at Red River. This was the greatest time we had ever seen before. As multitudes were struck down under awful conviction; the cries of the distressed filled the whole house. There you might see profane swearers, and sabbath breakers pricked to the heart, and crying out, "what shall we do to be saved?" There frolickers, and dancers crying for mercy. There you might see little children of 10, 11 and 12 years of age praying and crying for redemption, in the blood of Jesus, in agonies of distress. During this sacrament, and until the Tuesday following, 10 persons we believe, were savingly brought home to Christ." It is said that at the services people came in covered wagons and brought food with them. And, by the end of 1800, much of Southwestern Kentucky and part of Tennessee were in a revival fire and it was spreading northward. Barton W. Stone was a pastor of the Presbyterian societies--at Concord and Cain Ridge, Bourbon County, Kentucky. He came to Logan County in 1801 to investigate the excitement. He had been converted by the McGready's in North Carolina. These extended services gave rise to what became camp meetings. Through the distant visitors to these camp meetings the revival was spread, not only throughout Kentucky and Tennessee, but many other states. Foote's History of North Carolina and his History of Virginia give us thrilling accounts of revivals started in these two states by people just returned from McGready's meetings. But it also stirred up controversy. Rev. Balch of McGready's own presbytery, visited McGready's churches for the special purpose of preaching against the revival, and ridiculing what McGready had taught about faith, repentance, and regeneration. Thus, the Red River church was locked against the revival party, and McGready stood on the door steps and preached. "One day while he or some other revival preacher stood there gesticulating violently, a backward stroke broke the lock, and the house was never locked against the revival party afterward." The spirit of revival moved to the central region of Kentucky around Cane Ridge. On August 6, 1801, a large crowd gathered at the church. It was a Presbyterian meeting, but Baptist and Methodist preachers came to join in. It seems that Baptists did not take the active part that others did during these days, but nevertheless were blessed greatly by the impact of revival. The revival affected three major churches - Presbyterian and Baptist. In 1810, the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination was formed. The "New Lights," dissolved their organization, and proclaimed a new church, giving it the simple name of "Christian." Barton Stone, one of the leaders in this movement, remained for some time in the Christian Church. But in time he became interested in the teachings of the Campbellites, or Disciples of Christ. In 1832 he led some of his fellow Christians over to union with Thomas and Alexander Campbell, and "became, at last, a patriarch among the Disciples." The New Light schism also prepared the ground for the development of Shakerism in the West. In 1805, some of the "revivalists" went over to the Shakers, the small sect which had a colony in Logan County, not far from Red River. And, also very important, the influence upon slavery in this country was involved. Even the thinkings on liquor was affected. The Red River Cemetery contains the graves of a number of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans, including the grave of General Robert Ewing, a hero of both wars. Captain Robert Paisley, Revolutionary soldier, was buried in Red River Cemetery Octoer 24, 1828. William McPherson, born in Scotland, died in the hills of Kentucky and was buried at Red River. Sources recommended by and used by Rev. Richey included the following: Cleveland, Catherine C. "The Great Revival in the West 1797-1805." Chicago: The University of Chicago, 1916. Christian, John T. "A History of Baptist." Vol. 2. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1916. Coffman, Edward. "The Story of Logan County." Nashville: The Parthenon Press, 1962. Davidson, Robert. "History of the Presbyterian Church in the State of Kentucky." New York: Carter, 1847. Finley's "History of Logan County." McDonnold, B.W. "History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church." Nashville: Board of Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1888. McGlothin, W. J. (ed.). "Kentucky Baptist Historical Society." Louisville: Baptist Book Concern, 1911. Smith, James (ed.). "Posthumous Works of James McGready." Louisville: Worsley, 1831. Strickland, W.P. (ed.). "Autobiography of Peter Cartwright: The Backwood Preacher." New York, 1856. Weisberger, Bernard A "They Gathered at the River." Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1958. (c) Copyright 27 Dec 2001, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved. sgorin@glasgow-ky.com Col. Sandi Gorin, 205 Clements, Glasgow, KY 42141 (270) 651-9114 Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ SCKY resource links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html < >< God Bless America ><>