Church and Family History Research Assistance for Lafayette County, Missouri
CHURCHES:BIG SNI-A-BAR
We present the following account of the history of this church:
"Dear Brother Goodson:- Feeling a deep interest in the "Messenger of Peace," I feel like trying to furnish something to help start it, and will give a sketch of the Big Sniabar church, which is the mother church, in the southwest portion of the state of Missouri. In giving her history, I will try to show to all, who want to know, who it is that is occupying the ground, or doctrine, held by the first Baptists, in upper Missouri. I cannot get the date of her constitution, as her first records were burned before they were transcribed in the second book. The first records I find on the church book, was the first Saturday in July, 1823.
From the best information I can get, she was constituted in the year 1819, or 1820, which will make her fifty-four or fifty-five years old (in 1874). She was constituted by Elders William Thorp and Luke Williams. The latter was her moderator in July, 1823. She was constituted on five members, to-wit: Robert Smith and wife, Violet Wallace, Con. Ewing's wife, (Sallie), and old sister Jennings. She had no regular pastor until 1825; but was supplied by William Thorp, Williams, Fristoe, and Turnage. Those ministers are all well known by all the old settlers of this State, and known to be just what the old Baptists now are; holding the doctrines of election and predestination, according as God chose us in him, before the foundation of the world. Special atonement, salvation by grace, without works, and good works following after regeneration. It is well known that they stood opposed to all men made institutions, for the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Then it will not be claimed by our missionary friends that the Baptists in the south-west part of the State were Missionary Baptists, but were just what the Old School Baptists today are in the State. I find she had extended an arm five miles east of the body, on the Little Sni, before the year 1823. In the year 1825, Elder John Warder united with her on the third Saturday in June, and was chosen her Pastor the first Saturday in August, 1825; and remained her Pastor, without a change, until November 17, 1857, thirty-two years. The arm was constituted into a Church, by Elder John Warder, Robert Fristoe, and, I think, William Thorp, in August 1825, and was called Little Sni Church, which is now called the First Baptist Church, in Lexington; which held the same faith then as the mother church. Salem Church, in Jackson County, was the next, if I recollect right, (I speak of that church from what I have heard Elder John Warder say,) and I see where some of them drew their letters, to go into the constitution. The next church that was gathered in under Elder John Warder's ministry, was called Six Mile; he served them about twenty years. The next was Black Water, in Johnson county. The next, was LIberty Church, the most of them were from Big Sni. The next that I see on record, are Pleasant Garden, on Big Creek; Little Blue, Big Blue, Mount Pleasant, Bethlehem, Camp Branch, Mount Zion, and Virginia Grove. All of the last, except two at Virginia Grove, were from Big Sni Church. All of them were organized by her first Pastor, Elder John Warder, in connection with other ministers. I find it would take a great deal of time to examine all the records for fifty-five years, I have examined thirty years of her records.
The Big Sni Church was in the constitution of the Fishing River Association, remaining there until September, 1834, when she drew out, to form a new association, called Blue River; remained in her until the year 1841, when the Bethlehem Church sent in a query to her, to know whether or not, she had fellowship for the institution of the day, home and foreign Missionary Societies, Bible, and Tract Societies, etc., which query, she failed to answer; but advised the church not to make them a bar of fellowship; this was September, 1841. The second Saturday in November, 1841, the Big Sni Church withdrew from the Blue River Association. She was the first to set up her bars against them, declaring non-fellowship to all that belonged to any of the above societies. She has stood firm upon her resolution, receiving none of them into her church privileges to this day.
There were eight churches that withdrew from the Blue River Association, and formed the Mount Zion Association, on the fourth Saturday in March, 1841. This church, never was a strong church at any time; although, she has had a great many additions, from time to time, and truly the Lord has added to her daily, such as should be saved, relying on the promise made, that God would not leave himself without witnesses. She has always carried her own keys, locking or barring her own doors. She never has called in help to settle any matter, by an act of her own; but is always ready to hear the advice of her brethren, and then decide for herself. She never had a serious difficulty in her, until the winter of 1871, which, she has outlived, and today holds one faith, one Lord, and one baptism; peace, and love abounds in her, and we are made to say, how good it is, for brethren to dwell together in love.
Our number is 41 (in 1874), though there are four or five of our members that have moved away from us, without letters, who are reported.
As the church at Jerusalem was the mother church, in the beginning of the gospel kingdom, so the Big Sni-a-Bar is the mother church of the Baptists in Southwest Missouri.
In the split that took place, on the modern Missionary question, she lost two members. She has never had an unsound preacher to serve her. She has never had but two pastors, Elder John Warder served until the year 1857; she then chose Elder Joseph Warder, who has served her ever since.
Elder Enoch Finch, joined her in September, 1833, and remained a member, until his death, which occurred the 6th of August, 1835; he was a sound man on all points of doctrine, and practice, giving no ground to the enemy.
Elder Elijah Merrell joined, August 1835, was ordained to the work of the ministry, the 17th of August 1837. Martin Corder joined about the year 1839, was ordained to the work of the ministry about the year 1843. Joseph Warder was ordained on the 15th day of April, 1855, he is serving as pastor now, and is well known to many persons in Missouri, Kansas, and other states. Elder T. B. Wright was ordained to the work of the ministry in March 1868. Seven preachers have been members of her body, four have been ordained in her body. I find by records that the church has excluded nine members, in fifty-one years; she has kept up a rigid discipline, until twelve year back; but she has now gotten back to the old landmarks; that is, to live by the laws given her, by her lawgiver, and to know no one after the flesh, holding her own keys, asking for advice whenever she feels at a loss to know how to proceed, as in the case of the church of Antioch. Neither did the church at Jerusalem think of going down to Antioch to ask her to send for help to settle their matters of trouble; but this old church has never come to that point as yet, though she gave up, in one case, for others to settle a case outside of her body, which was a digression, after she had taken the case in hand, which she sees, was not the best for her, and the cause of God. She has never received into her body, upon their baptism, anyone that was baptized by any other order, since she declared non-fellowship for men-made institutions.
She has always been very careful in the reception of members. Since the writer has been a member, she has rejected several who have asked for membership. That is one reason why so few have been excluded from her body. She and her pastors have taken heed to themselves, and the doctrine, and have continued in them, and so fellowship and breaking of bread have continued, and I hope and pray they will continue in them, and prayer also continued. Whenever it occurs that their pastor is not present, the brethren go forward in reading God's word, singing, and prayer to God for the welfare of Zion everywhere. She has not forgotten the exhortation, "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is."
Since I have been a member I see no blank records as far as I have examined. For one, I have never missed even one meeting, only when I have been at some other meeting. Each one tries to encourage each other to good works. Whenever she finds that her members will be called off, she adjourns to some day in the week. The members meet as promptly as they do on Saturday. This is the way she has traveled up to this date. We are made to feel thankful to God for his protecting care, that he has been over her for fifty years. The writer of this feels that he is the least of all that belongs to her body. Compiled by Elder Joseph Warder."
LITTLE SNI-A-BAR
Little Sni-a-Bar Church was organized first as an arm of Big Sni-a-Bar Church, about three miles from Lexington, (before 1823), and then as a distinct church in August 1825, with twenty charter members, by Elders John Warder, Robert Fristoe, and William Thorp. This church joined the Fishing River Association, and then the Blue River Association. In about 1840, the church, or at least the part of the church which favored the mission system, moved into Lexington, and became known as the First Baptist Church of Lexington.
MT. VERNON
MT. GILEAD
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