CONCORD ASSOCIATION
The first Baptist Church in what is now known as Middle Tennessee was constituted on Sulphur
Fork, one of the branches of Red River, in 1786 A. D., with John Gramar as pastor. This church
was soon dissolved on account of the unsettled state of its members. However, about the year
1790, the following ministers began operations in this same section of country, viz.: Daniel
Brown, Joshua White, Nathan Arnott and Patrick Moony. Through the labors of these brethren,
assisted by occasional visits by ministers from Kentucky, in 1796 five churches had been gathered,
to wit, Mouth Sulphur Fork, Head Sulphur Fork, Middle Fork, West Fork and Station Camp.
These five churches were constituted into an Association known as Mero District Association,
which is but another name for the territory now known as Middle Tennessee. This union was not
destined to long life. Internal dissensions brought about a dissolution of this Association in 1803,
and the Cumberland Association was constituted in that same year to take its place, with a
constituency of fifteen churches. This Association still exists, and is a small anti-mission body
lying principally in Williamson County. This is the mother of all the Associations in Middle
Tennessee, and at one time included all the older churches in this entire territory.
During the first decade of the 19th century three Associations were formed from the Cumberland, viz., Elk River, Red River and Concord. The two former of these are also anti-mission bodies, while the latter is a progressive missionary body, and is the oldest missionary Association in this division of the State. The division in Cumberland Association for the purpose of forming Concord took place in 1809 at Old Spring Creek Church, a few miles east of Lebanon, Wilson County, which was at that time known as Jones' Meeting House. At this meeting the line of division was agreed upon and designated, and in accordance with this arrangement the Concord Association was constituted September 25, 1810, in Smith's Fork Baptist Church, Statesville, Tenn., then known as Hodges' Meeting House, with a constituency of twenty-one churches reporting a membership of 893. The Articles of faith upon which Concord Association was constituted is a strong Calvinistic document. (See Bond's History Concord Association, pp. 13, 14.)
ABSTRACT OF PRINCIPLES OF CONCORD ASSOCIATION
Article I. we believe in one only true and living God, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost.
Art. 2. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, and the only rule
of faith and practice.
Art. 3. We believe in the doctrine of Election, and that God chose his people in Christ before the
foundation of the world.
Art. 4. We believe in the doctrine of original sin and man's impotency to recover himself from the
fallen state he is in by nature, by his own free will and ability.
Art. 5. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God, only by the righteousness of Christ
imparted to them.
Art. 6. We believe that God's elect shall be called, converted, regenerated, and sanctified by the
Holy Ghost.
Art. 7. We believe that the saints shall persevere in Grace, and never finally fall away, and that
good works are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification.
Art. 8. We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and that
true believers are the only proper subjects, and that the only proper mode of Baptism is
immersion.
Art. 9. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the general judgment, and that the
punishment of the wicked and the joy of the righteous shall be eternal.
Art. 10. We believe that ministers have no right to administer the ordinances, only such as are
regularly baptized and come under the imposition of hands by the presbytery.
This is the oldest Association in Middle Tennessee that practices missions. Her history is full of exciting and interesting events. Concord Association is an offspring of Cumberland Association, which became an anti-mission body in the division during the thirties, and still exists. Concord Association was constituted September 25, 1810 in Smith's Fork Baptist Church, Statesville, Tenn., known at that time as "Hodge's Meeting House." Thomas Durham, who was at that time pastor of Round Lick Church, acted as Moderator, and R. C. Foster, of Nashville, acted as Clerk. Among the leading ministers of this body we note: James Whitsitt, Moore Stevenson, Cantrel Bethel, Wm. Flowers, Thomas Durham, John Wiseman, Joshua Lester, with others too tedious to mention. Perhaps Tennessee has never known a body of more powerful ministers.
At the time of the organization this Association covered all the territory in this division of the State between Nashville and the Cumberland range of mountains.
It is not the purpose of this sketch to do more than refer to some leading events in the history of
this body. When Alexander Campbell became prominent as a pulpit orator and advocate of
reformation, his plea soon took hold on many in this Association, and ministers of some
prominence took sides with his new-fangled notions, Elder Peyton Smith taking the lead. This
state of affairs soon developed a strong Arminian element in the Association, and they began to
wage war against the Articles of Faith on which the Association was constituted, as
follows:
Article 3. We believe in the doctrine of election and that God chose his people in Christ before the
foundation of the world.
Art. 4. We believe in the doctrine of original sin, and man's impotency to recover himself from the
fallen state he is in by nature, of his own free will and ability.
Art. 6. We believe that God's elect shall be called, converted, regenerated and sanctified by the
Holy Ghost.
It was against these Articles that the war was waged, and at last they succeeded in gaining sufficient strength to carry the Association by a vote of about three to one.
From a constituency of forty-nine members, twenty ordained ministers and 3,399 members, there
were left only eleven churches, five ordained ministers and 805 members. The majority took the
Articles of Faith
and expunged every vestige of Calvinism, and then proceeded to form an Association of Separate
Baptists, known as Concord No.2. In a circular letter, Elder Whitsitt describes the doctrine of this
new departure as follows:
"(I) Christ died for every individual of the human race, for Pharaoh and Judas as much as for
Abraham and Paul; that sinners wade through the blood of Christ to hell, and that, although he
died for all alike, yet only some of the ransomed return and come to Zion. (2) That the Almighty
by his Spirit operates on every individual, and perchance some become regenerated. Universalism
ill its premise, Calvinism in its conclusion."
This division occurred in 1827, and it will be remembered that it was at this date that Campbellism took shape, and one need not be surprised that soon another should take place in this new Association and a good large slice should go off to Campbellism.
The small minority came and took up the old Constitution that had been so abused by this Arminian faction, and declared themselves in favor of limited atonement and unconditional election, and went on with the old organization to do the Master's business. For this, Elder James Whitsitt says, "We were again attacked. The doctrine of personal, particular and unconditional election was stated to be the doctrine of men and devils." But, nothing daunted at these attacks from this new faction, this staid old body moved forward to preach the gospel of salvation by grace. (For the above facts see Bond's History of Concord Association, pp. 34 to 42.)
Prosperity attended the above minority, and in 1834, they had fairly recovered from the shock of 1827; but it was not for them to enjoy this state of peace longer. This time, however, it was not a doctrinal difference which disturbed their peace, but that of methods practiced. In 1834, R. B. C. Howell came from Virginia and became pastor of the First Baptist Church, Nashville, and, being full of the mission spirit, he with other brethren, apart from any church or associational action, formatted themselves into "a missionary body called the Tennessee Baptist Convention."
This was the signal for action, which terminated in the bitterest contest which has ever disrupted the Baptist hosts of Tennessee. The fight continued for two years in the Concord Association, when by a majority vote dissolved the Constitution and then proceeded to form a new Association on anti-mission principles, and gave to it the name of Stone's River Association of Primitive Baptists. In this fight there was no doctrinal contention, as both parties stood firmly fixed on Calvinistic principles. The minority, which again was thrown out in the cold, returned to the old original constitution and began business as the old original Concord Association, and under the blessings of God have grown to a great host, while Concord No. 2 is no more and Stone's River is struggling for existence.
From the above it will be seen that Concord Association has been twice disbanded by a majority vote, and yet as often preserved by the minority, which is now largely in the majority.
It is now (1900) ninety years since Concord Association launched her bark and unfurled her sails to the breeze. During this time, it has often seemed that she would founder and go down amid the breakers of error. Arminianism, with all the inveterate hate of genuine Ishmaelites, has planted the battery of works upon her citadel; Antimissionism has sought to strangle her zeal; but with a defiance born of him who said the gates of hell should not prevail against his church, she marshaled her depleted forces and with a shout of triumph cried, "On to victory." She has again and again sent away groups of churches to form other Associations and now she is a grand old body, numbering thirty-three churches with a membership of 4,604. In another place, we give a sketch of some of her older churches.
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