| John Harman, author of Annals, refers to the Baptist Valley Church as "the
old mother church" of
Baptists in the area and notes that "divisions arose
over the doctrine of unconditional Election and
Predestination." The
SALEM CHURCH, Primitive
Baptist, was organized by members largely from the Baptist Valley Church.
(Vol. 2, pages 304-305) ORGANIZED:
1863, by Elders John Adkins, John Wallis, and Wm. P. Linkous.
LOCATION: On Dry Fork, about three miles north of Baptist Valley Church.
PREACHERS, 1863-1922: John Wallis
, William P. Linkous, J. E. Linkous (son of Wm. P.), J.
T. Stinson, J. B. Spence, T. W. Osborne, Elder E. S. Stephens,
E. M. Evans. SOME BELIEFS: 1. No fixed salary to the preacher.
"They regard a fixed salary as a lack of faith in God's
promises...and believe that if a preacher can be hired to preach, he can
be hired to quit." (Vol.
2, p. 305) 2. "They
believe in Missions but reject modern methods and machinery."
(Vol. 2, p. 305) 3. "They
hold that the church is the only divine organization on
earth..."(Vol. 2, p. 305) 4.
"They hold that no one can preach the gospel unless he is
divinely called; and if so
called, he can preach whether he has been educated in the colleges or
not." (Vol. 2, p. 305) 5.
Exclusion from the church "for failure to pay debts, for
permitting members of their families to become county charges, for
dancing and other questionable amusements." (Vol. 2, p. 304-305) | |