The Primitive Baptist Library of Carthage, Illinois

Organized June 8, 1988
A Conservative, Old-Line Primitive Baptist Website

Missionary Baptist Claims Regarding
Mt. Pleasant Church

History of the Franklin Association, 1880, by W. P. Throgmorton, pp. 26-29.

Mt. Pleasant Church, of Franklin County. This church was constituted July the 11th, 1829 [names of charter members then follows] . . . . Elders Isaac Herrin and Robert Moore were the presbytery. This church was for several years connected with the Bethel Association, and was one of the number that refused to go off with the Hardshells in 1839. In 1841 there came up a trouble in this church between Elders Robert Moore and John Browning. Elder Coffey says it was between Moore and Vance. See his history, page 75. But in this he is mistaken. A majority of the church was for Moore; a large minority for Browning. The minority also charged Elder Moore with teaching false doctrine. A council was called consisting of brethren from Ten Mile Creek and Benton churches. They decided that in their view, the minority was the church proper and in order, and that the Moore party were in disorder. The minority thus declared to be the church, has grown and prospered and is the Mt. Pleasant Church of today. The "Moore Party" soon went to nothing." (Throgmorton then quotes the articles of faith of the minority party of Mt. Pleasant Church, in 1841, and states that "they have always been so far as we have learned the articles of faith of Mt. Pleasant Church.) "Mt. Pleasant was somewhat tinged with anti-missionism. When she elected delegates to attend the convention which met to organize the Franklin Association, she instructed them to have nothing to do with it, if engaged in missionary effort; or if it held doctrine contrary to that of the United Baptists. The delegates were Elders John Browning and Chester Carpenter, and Bro. Levi Browning."

Comments in Reply

The articles of faith of Mt. Pleasant Church as quoted by W. P. Throgmorton from the minority party's record book, are not the original principles upon which Mt. Pleasant Church was organized, or it would not have been accepted as a member of the Bethel Association. They appear to have been revised or rewritten by Elder John Browning, whom W. P. Throgmorton admits had a tendency toward arminianism. Hence, the conflict between Elder Browning and Elder Moore is not surprising.

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