Please note that I have copied this from a posting to Rowan Co., NC mailing list... I don't know who sent it except email address: caldw@ix.netcom.com Subj: SANDY CREEK CHURCH Date: 97-09-08 00:47:27 EDT From: caldw@ix.netcom.com Resent-from: ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com The first meetings in which an attempt was made to organize the Regulator Movement took place in 1766 at Sandy Creek Baptist Church in what is now northern Randolph County, North Carolina. Salling's store where Regulator petitions were signed was only a few miles to the east of this church, which, according to a state historical marker in front of the present building, is the "mother church of the Southern Baptist Church." It was founded in 1755 By Shubal Stearns (1706-1771)a former member of the Congregational Church, Boston born, who left Connecticut with a few followers. In this venture he was joined by Daniel Marshall who had married Shubal's sister Martha in 1748. It was Daniel Marshall who later went to Georgia to found the Baptist Church in that colony. Daniel Marshall would seem to have come south first but if he did he was soon followed by Stearns. It was at mid-year in 1755 when this group from New England arrived at Sandy Creek in what was then Orange County. They erected a log church on land donated for the purpose by Semore York, a recent immigrant from Maryland. Initially the church consisted of only some sixteen members. These sixteen were Shubal Stearns and his wife, Daniel Breed and his wife, Enos Stinson and his wife, Shubal Stearns Jr. and his wife, Ebenezer Stearns and wife, and Jonathan Polk and his wife. Shubal Stearns was chosen pastor while Daniel Marshall and Joseph Breed were chosen Elders or assistants. Sandy Creek Church was from the beginning a "New Light" Separatist Baptist Church. "Sandy Creek was a church under the spell of Shubal Stearns. Stearns' preaching affected the bodies of people as well as their emotions. Fear, trembling, shouting, weeping, and rejoicing was the spiritual vogue of the Separate Baptists. Much noise and great confusion often prevailed. With a strong, musical voice Stearns had a captivating effect on his hearers. Biblical preaching and fervant pleasding left no room for guessing about the preacher's intention. He wanted a verdict!" (Bowman, STEARNS AND COMPANY, A MUSICAL SAGA, 1975, Nashville, TN: The Broadman Press) Stearns sought a literal interpretation of what he perceived as the offices and rituals found in the New Testament. Thus they celebrated Baptism, Lord's supper, love feast, laying on of hands, foot washing, anointing the sick, right hand of fellowship, kiss of charity, and devotion of children. It was the custom to observe communion on each Sunday if the necessary elements could be procured. "Separate Baptist ministers, formally untrained and refusing to accept pay for dispensing the gospel, fanned out from Sandy Creek to tell the story. By 1779 Separate Baptists had churches as far west as the Mississippi River, southwest to Georgia, eastward toward the Chesapeake Bay, and northward toward the waters of the Potomac......Southern Baptists would be a different people if Separate Baptists had not brought the fire of the Great Awakening to Sandy Creek, North Carolina." (Ibid) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------- When Shubal Stearns died in 1771 Semore York was one of the executors of the will. Semore is buried in the churchyard at Sandy Creek. At one time, less than 20 years ago he had a tiny monument faint but legible. Now that monument is not to be found. Semore York is my 6th great grandfather. And after the part he and his associate Stearns had in the formation of the Baptist Church I am not even a Baptist! Here is an abstract of Shubal Stearns' will. GUILFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA a:0327 - WILL OF SHUBAL STEARNS - 24 Oct 1771 BROTHER: Isaac Stearns, "my wearing clothes, inside and out" WIFE: Sarah, "all my estate during her life." BROTHERS: Peter Starns (sic), Isaac Starns (sic),Ebenezer Starns (sic). SISTERS: Rebecca Polk, Elizabeth Tomson, Martha Marshall To brothers and sisters "estate after death of wife" EXORS: Seymore York, Tidmore Land WITS: Thoms Swift, Jeremiah York, Sarah Cunerood ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------- I decided to post this because of the great importance that Sandy Creek Church had, and still has, really nationwide. It also was involved with the Regulator movement and was one of the targets of Governor Tryon when he came west. caldw@ix.netcom.com