Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia
Publication No. 23 - 1989

STONEY CREEK PRIMITIVE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
By Omer C. Addington

We do not know when people of the Baptist faith first came to present day Scott County. We do know the first Baptist preacher in what is now Scott County was Squire Boone, a brother of Daniel Boone. These two brothers spent the winter of 1773-74 in the vicinity of Castlewood in present day Russell County, VA. The brothers traveled the Clinch River Valley as far west as Rye Cove. Daniel was in command of all the forts in the Clinch River Valley, while the militiamen were engaged in the Point Pleasant campaign of Dunmore's War.

The oldest Primitive Baptist Church was organized in the late 1700's on Stoney Creek north of Blackmore. We have minutes of this church, going back thirteen years before Scott County was formed in 1814.

The second oldest Primitive Baptist Church was located just east of Nickelsville, VA, on Copper Creek. We have minutes of this church going back to 1808. Robert Kilgore was pastor of this church for 40 years. At one time, he was also pastor of the Stoney Creek Church.

The Stoney Creek Primitive Baptist Church may have been built on the land grant that Captain John Blackmore got in 1773. David Cox bought the Blackmore property in 1817 when it was sold for delinquent taxes. In 1835, David Cox deeded one-half acre of land and building to William Addington and Thomas Strong, trustees of the Stoney Creek Church (Deed book No. 5 - Page 176).

Ten years after the Stoney Creek Church was organized, it became a member of the Washington Association. At the 1849 Washington Association meeting, it was suggested that the association be divided for the sake of more convenient attendance. At this meeting, the following churches requested dismission to form a new association: Big Glade, Blue Springs, Copper Creek, Cranesnest, Red Hill, Moccasin Creek, Stoney Creek, Three Fork of Powell River and Tom's Creek. They met by agreement with the Stoney Creek Church in Scott County for organizational purposes on Friday, before the fourth Saturday in October of 1851. The new body became the Regular Primitive Baptist Stoney Creek Association.

Elder Thomas Colley was elected to preach the introductory sermon, and Elder John Wallis was elected to be his alternate.

Anyone who said he had a calling to preach the Gospel in the Primitive Baptist Church was not asked what college he was graduated from, or what seminary he attended. He was allowed by the church to exhort and expound on the scripture for months, and sometimes years. Before he could be ordained, he was examined by the brethren and ministers of his faith and order. They determined his orthodox beliefs, that is they found his opinion of religious doctrine of the Primitive Baptist Church by asking him the following questions:

1. What view have you of God?
2. What view have you of the Trinity?
3. What think you of the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament?
4. What views have you of man in his first recitude?
5. What think you of man in his present state?
6. How can a God of infinite power or purity be just, and yet the justifier of the ungodly?
7. How is the sinner justified before God from the guilt of sin?
8. Is the act of faith that justifies from the guilt of sin?
9. What view have you of the intermediate state of the soul and body?

After his ordination, he had to comply with a state law.

Elias Colier this day (June 12, 1877) produced credentials of his ordination, and also of his being in regular communion with the Primitive Baptist Church, took the oath of allegiance to this Commonwealth, and with J. S. Addington, C. C. Addington, J. M. Easterling and H. M. McConnell, his securities, entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of ($1,500) fifteen hundred dollars conditioned according to law. Where upon, his motion, a testimonial is granted him in due form (Minute Book No. 18 - Page 58).

Abstract of Principle of the Stoney Creek Primitive Baptist Association are as follows:

1. We believe in one true and living God as revealed in the Bible by the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
2. We believe the Old and New Testament are the work of God, and the only rule of all saving knowledge and obedience.
3. We believe that man was created upright, but has ruined himself by the fallen state he is in, and that it is possible for him to recover himself by his own free will and ability.
4. We believe that we are justified by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, and we are generated and sanctified by the Spirit of God.
5. We believe in the doctrine of election, according to foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
6. We believe of a truth that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted of Him.
7. We believe the saints will preserve through grace and never finally fall away.
8. We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and believers are the subjects proper, and that the apostolic mode of baptism is immersion, and that no person is a proper subject to take the Lord's Supper, but such as have been legally baptized by a legal administrator of our faith and order, and have entered the church legally, and are in full fellowship in the church. We believe in charity according to the Scriptures, and also believe that feet washing is an example of Christ, and should be kept by the churches.
9. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, of a general judgement, and that the punishment of the wicked is everlasting and the joy of the righteous is eternal.
10. Any member who shall willingly, knowingly violate any of these abstracts shall be reproved by the Association as she may think proper.

Some of the texts used by preachers of the Stoney Creek Association were: William Robinette, Exodus Chapter 28, Verse 34, "A golden bell and a pomegranate;" Elder Thomas Grimsley, Isaiah Chapter 27, Verse 13, "And it shall come to pass in that day that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria;" Elder George Edens, Acts Chapter 12, Verse 26, "Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham;" Elder Billy Robinette, Songs of Solomon Chapter 8, Verse 5, "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved."

The churches received members by relation, by letter, and experience and baptism. When the pastor gave an invitation for anyone wishing to join the church he would say, "The church door is now open for anyone wishing to join the church."

In the church minutes an invitation reads as follows: After preaching the church door being opened, Ann Kilgore come forward and was received by experience and was baptized (1850).

If a member had been excluded from the church, he could be restored to his seat in the church by coming to church and confessing his sins, asking the church to forgive him (recantation). The association was very strict on their churches and members, as evidenced in the recording of the minutes.

The following are some of the disciplinary actions taken by the churches going back one hundred and eighty years. Brother Giles Lee acknowledged his fault for drinking too much of the spiritous fluid (whiskey). David Gibson, a backslider, received on a relation of the work of God upon his soul. Henry Leath excluded for getting drunk and fighting. George Gibson excluded for a disorderly walk. Thomas Alley excluded from membership for denying the name of a Baptist and the final perseverance of the saints in grace. Sarah Flanary excommunicated for dancing. Sister Rebedy Russell excommunicated for telling lies on her sisters and not confessing her faults to the church.

Brother Hall came forward and acknowledged his fault for getting angry by hearing some news that disturbed his mind. The church forgave him. Then Brother Riggs came forward and acknowledged he had sinned in going to see a bee tree taken on Sunday. The church forgave him. Brother E. Harris came forward and acknowledged his fault for being at a frolic. The church forgave him. James Nickels and Jane, his wife, are excluded from the church for acting out of Christian character in separating from each other. The church appoints Brother Kitzer assistant pastor.

Charles Kilgore charged with keeping a distillery and selling ardent spirits. Kilgore came to church and refuses to acknowledge that he was doing wrong for distilling and selling ardent spirits. The church excludes him. R. H. Kilgore be notified to attend our next conference to answer the complaints of the church. 1. For failing to attend church meetings. 2. For hunting stock on the Sabbath. 3. For dram drinking and that to excess.

Sister Polly Salyer is excluded for imposing herself upon the church when pregnant (husband, Samuel).

Nancy Kilgore died June 13, 1839.

December 10, 1853, the church door being open. Feeby Moore came forward and was baptized. Feeby Moore was a black woman who lived in the community.

No meeting at this time on account of the smallpox (1858).

During the autumn of 1864, the people of Southwest Virginia were suffering from hunger and for the need of clothing and shoes, because the Confederate Congress had a law that people had to give a percentage of their provisions to the Confederate government to feed the army. Marauders came through the country raiding and stealing from the people. This left residents in Southwest Virginia destitute.

There was no association held in the Stoney Creek district this year (1864) on account of there are no provisions to feed the people.

The church, being grieved with Brother Dillon for drinking too much spiritous liquor, at the next meeting Brother Dillon came to the church and acknowledged his fault for drinking too much stimulus fluid. The church forgave him.

In 1865, the Stoney Creek Association sent letters to its churches which read: We advise our churches that if any of their members shall aid or assist the Federal Government in any way contrary to the laws of the Confederate States of America, that they be dealt with for disorder, unless full satisfaction be given, and that the same be excluded from the church.

The Copper Creek Church (Addington Frame) sent the following reply to the Stoney Creek Association: To be loyal to the Federal Government and the Union of the United states is just and right, that to support and defend the Federal Government against foreign enemies and domestic traitors is a moral obligation binding upon all good citizens, and it has received sanctions of the only true God of heaven and earth by bringing the so-called Southern Confederate Government to nothingness. Therefore, to be loyal to the Federal Government does not bring any member of our churches into disorder.

The Copper Creek Church passed the following resolution: that no minister of the Gospel of our faith and order be allowed to preach in this church without consent of the church who has aided in the rebellion against the United States.

The original Primitive Baptist Churches became divided over foreign missions and parted ways in 1847. The foreign mission group joined the Missionary Church.

In 1887 a new controversy arose, this time over predestination. That is, the purpose or decree of God from eternity respecting all events of man, especially the preordination of men to everlasting happiness or to everlasting misery.

In the late 1930's, another controversy arose over eternal punishment. One group said there was no eternal hell for man regardless of how wicked he had lived. This group was called the "No Hellers." Those that believed in an eternal hell and punishment of the wicked were called "Hellers."

With all the controversy, arguments and wrangling, the association became a very small and helpless congregation. The last churches of the association were two or three churches in Tennessee, and it is doubtful that they are still in existence today. The Stoney Creek Primitive Baptist Association will, in a few years, pass into history.