A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN AMERICA, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. BY DAVID BENEDICT, A. M. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every IN TWO VOLUMES. BOSTON: PRINTED BY LINCOLN & EDmands, no. 53, CORNHILL, FOR THE AUTHOR. 1813. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit: District Clerk's Office. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twenty second day of April, A. D. 1813, and in the thirty seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America, DAVID BENEDICT, of the said District, has deposited in this Office the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as Author in the words following, to wit: “ A GeneraL HISTORY OF the Baptist DENOMINATION IN AMERICA, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. By David Benedict. A. M. Pastor of the Baptist Church in Pawtucket, R. I. And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned...........Mark xvi. 15, 16. And the eunuch said, See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized ?..... If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.....I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God... And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him......And when they were come up out of the water, &c......Acts viii. 36-39." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, intitled, "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned;" and also to an Act intitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, intitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical, and other Prints." PREFACE. I CAN hardly inform the reader how I came to engage in this work. According to the best of my recollection, I first conceived the design of the laborious task I have since pursued, in the summer of 1802, and in a short time I found myself travelling in Kentucky, Georgia, and the other States, asking questions, searching records, and collecting materials. From this time, the history of the Baptists, both at home and abroad, became the subject of my interested attention. For between seven and eight years from this period, I was so much engaged in classical and professional studies, that I did but little more towards perfecting my plan, than read what books I could find, which, in any manner related to it, collect pamphlets, minutes of Associations, &c. and inquire of all, who, I thought, could give me any of the information I wanted. I soon became convinced, that if ever I pursued the undertaking to any considerable extent, I must travel for it; and accordingly in the autumn of 1809, I set out on a journey, in which I was gone almost nine months. I went into Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and then crossed over into the southern States, and explored the Carolinas and Georgia, first in the back regions, and then along the sea coast, I next went and returned through Virginia, Maryland, and so on. eastward beyond the Penobscot river in the District of Maine. After that I went into the northern parts of the State of New-York, and in the course of about thirteen months, travelled about five thousand miles. Since then I have travelled between one and two thousand miles in different parts of New-England on the business of this history. Most of these journies have been performed on horse back and alone. And I consider it a peculiar favour of Divine Providence, that amidst all my excursions in some of the most rugged and dreary parts of the country, I have been preserved from every kind of accident and harm. Notwithstanding I was often lodged and refreshed by hospitable brethren and friends, yet my journies were unavoidably attended with expenses, which I was not well able to hear; and, indeed, I know not what I should have done, had it not been, that a number of churches and individuals made me very liberal contributions, for the purpose of aiding my undertaking. |