A History of Kentucky Baptists From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 
800 Biographical Sketches, J. H. Spencer, Manuscript Revised and 
Corrected by Mrs. Burilla B. Spencer, In Two Volumes.  Printed For the 
Author.  1886.  Republished By Church History Research & Archives 1976 
Lafayette, Tennessee. Vol. 2, pp. 24-25  [Todd County]

ABSALOM BAINBRIDGE, of whose early life we have no account, but who is 
supposed to have been a native of Maryland, was raised up to the 
ministry in Town Fork church, in Fayette county, Ky.  He was a licensed 
preacher in that church as early as 1798, and three years later he was 
ordained minister in the same church.  Soon afterwards he became a 
member of Boone's Creek church, in the same county.  In 1806, he 
preached the introductory sermon before Elkhorn Association.  When 
Elkhorn Association split, in 1809, he adhered to the party that formed 
Licking Association, and was for some years a prominent member of the 
latter fraternity, acting as its Clerk, from 1814 to 1817, and preaching 
the introductory sermon before it in 1813, 1815 and 1817.  About the last 
named date, he moved to Todd county.  In becoming identified with 
Licking Association, he had left the general union of Baptists in 
Kentucky.  However, he succeeded in getting into West Fork church, in 
Todd county, this church being a member of Red River Association, which 
was, at that time, in the general union.  Mr. Bainbridge soon began to 
forment strife among the churches, about certain abstruse points of 
doctrine.  The breach continued to widen, till the Association divided, 
in 1824.  Bethel Association was formed of the minority, the next year.  
Mr. Bainbridge is doubtless referred to among others, in the following 
extract, from an account of the origin of that Association, published in 
its minutes of 1826:
	"The nature and extent of the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
then became a matter of controversy, though not serious, until certain 
Baptists from the upper counties of this State, settled among us.  At 
first, they manifested an appearance of friendship and fellowship 
towards our churches and ministers, which led us to suppose they were 
desirous to return into the general union again.  We therefore, upon 
their application, received them into our churches.  But, alas! some of 
them, so soon as they obtained a standing among us, manifested a party 
spirit, which soon found its way into the Association.  Things now 
became serious; a want of brotherly love and Christian forbearance was 
soon manifested in the deportment of a number of preachers and lay 
members, especially at the Associations, held from year to year.  
Instead of meeting in love, for the mutual edification and comfort of 
each other, and to preach the glorious gospel to sinners, it became a 
scene of contention, which reflected on us, as a religious society, and 
greatly injured the cause of God among us."
	Mr. Bainbridge, of course, adhered to Red River Association, which 
soon left the general union, and has since continued to wither.  After 
this, we find no further mention of Mr. Bainbridge.  He is believed to 
have been a man of fair abilities and a good moral character.  But it is 
feared that, on account of his contentious disposition, he did the cause 
of Christ more harm than good.

Bainbridge
=
MD Fayette-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/todd/bainbridge.a.txt