The Old Linville Baptist Church.
About 7 miles north of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and about a mile and a half west of the Lincoln Homestead. From Harrisonburg take Kratzer Road to intersection with State Route #260, there turn west (left) on to the Lincoln Homestead and inquire there.
1756.
Rockingham Records do not disclose who furnished the lot upon which the church was built.
Both the original house and what is left of the present house were built of logs. The first building was located about a quarter a mile to the southeast of the present location.
One of the earliest communities in what is now Rockingham County, is that of Linville Creek, and furnished much of historical interest occurring in this part of the county and also of the Valley. It is said to have taken its name from a member of an old "Linville" family of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. One Linville, according to the Orange Court Orders took up land on the creek and was settled "above the ridge: in 1745. In this year he was a Captain of Horse in his company of Militia.
One of the early established churches in Augusta, was the Linville Baptist Church. Before the building of this church, its members and those of Smith’s Creek, were one congregation, worshiping together with the Smith Creek Church at or new the Big Spring or at New Market, alternating with Linville Creek where services were held in private homes, especially in the home of the Lincoln’s, Harrison’s and others. It June 1755, Silas Hart, one of the first justices of the court of Rockingham, was admitted into transient communion. The church was known as the Smith and Linville’s Creek Church, and was the first Baptist Church organized in Augusta County and the second one gathering west of the Blue Ridge. The Smith and Linville’s Creek Church, afterwards called Smith’s Creek Church, is said to have been constituted in 1756, There were some Baptist families at Linville Creek as early as 1745.
This church kept a journal or session book of its meetings and, after several days patient searching, this
Sixth day of August in the Year of our Lord one Thousand, seven hundred and fifty-six, to join together in
A Gospel Church Relation". The book begins with an introduction and prayer, and then, follows a lengthy
"Covenant", closing with the last paragraph as follows: "We therefore hoping and relying upon Almighty
God, for Grace, Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding, Guidance, and Ability, to adorn this our Profession
and covenant Promises; and to perform our Duties, each to the other; and to bless us with Grace, suitable to our Privileges, that He in His Goodness and Mercy hath bestowed upon us in His house; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. To Whom be Glory in the Church, throughout all Ages, World without End. Amen…
Subscribed on the day aforesaid,
John Alderson Jane Alderson
Samuel Newman Martha Newman
John Harrison
William Castle Berry Margaret Castle Berry
…………………………………….
"Which sd. Persons were all that were incorporated in the Church at its first Constitution; but John Thomas having been baptized before the sd. Constitution, and his brother, James Thomas, the day after the
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Constitution; the next day being appointed for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the sd. Persons came under the Solemn Ordinance of Laying on of hands, and were received into full Communion and Fellowship in the church; whose body was then composed of nine Members; and our first Communion consisted but of Eleven Brethren and Sisters. Rees Thomas and Mary States, belonging to other Churches in Pennsylvania, craved transient communion, and were admitted. Immediately after constitution, the church gave her call to Samuel Newman to officiate in the Office of Deacon, which he was to act in upon trial; which call he accordingly accepted of. They then called him to be Clerk of the Church, and diligently to keep the Church Register by her Order; and then appointed the second Sabbath in each month to be the Day of Communion, and the Seventh of the Week before it to be the Day of carrying on Church Business. …… And, likewise Ordered that there should be a Register taken of God’s Mercy towards us, in sending Means here to raise a church, which is as followeth, viz.: *
"SAMUEL NEWMAN and his WIFE, being Members of Montgomery Church, in the county of Philadelphia, was the first Members of any Baptist Church that settled here. But in some small time after he was settled, John Harrison, Senior, being convinced of his Duty, to come to the Holy Ordinance of Baptism, went for it somewhere towards New York, to a place called Oyster-Bay; but was received then a member of no particular Church; but by a Certificate of his Baptism, was recommended to be received, or associated into any Church of that Order, where God in His Providence should show most convenient for him. In all this while, there was no Minister of that Denomination came here. The next family of that Denomination, (whereof the head was a Member) was Rees Thomas, and he settled on Linville Creek.
"The next member was a sister, viz. Mary Newman, the wife of Jonathan Newman, belonging to the Church of Christ in Southampton, in the County of Bucks; as Rees Thomas belonged to the Church of the same Order in Cumry Township, Lancaster County. About this time Mr. Samuel Eaton (the first Baptist Minister in Orders) visited these parts, and preached at old Mr. Harrison, the only Disciple he knew to be in the Place.
"The next in Order was Mr. Benjamin Griffith, who came on purpose to visit the aforesaid Brother Samuel Newman. The next after him was our Reverend Brother who God at last was pleased to send as his Instrument to mettle* this church.
"Then God was pleased to visit the Inhabitants of Smiths Creek, Linville Creek and North River of Shenandoah, (the places where now the church is built) by Mr. John Gano (a faithful servant of His) who was received by the Love and Liking of almost all sorts of People. After him the Rev. Mr. Alderson, visited again his second Time; and then began to conclude to come and settle; and bought land; and then came, and through the Grace of God, was instrumental in gathering the Church, by whom also She was constituted, and the first Pastor of the Church of Christ at Smith's and Linville's Creeks, in Frederick and Augusta County’s, as in the Covenant afore written specified.
"Thus was the labours of those Gentlemen aforenamed for the Space of eleven years, from the First Settler, as above named, and about one year before the Constitution of the Church. William Castle Berry and his wife came and settled on Muddy Creek in August County, being both Members of New Britain Church, and of these were the Church at first built. (Note: It may be assumed from this, that William Castle Berry built the church). And others there were none, till gathered by the preaching of the Word, where of was only two, which were added to the Church at the first Communion, as hath been already related. Our Rev. Pastor Mr. John Alderson, and Mrs. Jane Alderson, his wife, being both Members of New Britain Church in the County of Bucks; moved their residence, and came to us the same Spring before we were constituted &o.
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"Thus have I noted, First, the First comeing here of the Religion of the Baptist, in the First Settlers. Secondly, who they were. Thirdly, the comeing of the Word, by the first Baptist Ministers. Fourthly, who they were. Fifthly, when they were constituted into Church Order. Sixthly, by whom they were constituted. Seventhly, who it was god in his great Mercy and wisdom, chose as his Instrument, to carry on his work in the church for their first Minister. And eighthly, when she actually as a ‘Church of Christ, entered into her Military State.
"And now, Father of Mercies, own us in Christ, for thine, who has purchased up with his own blood. Let us Oh God of Love, rest assured of Thy love, in our righteousness. Let us experience thy Love to us, by a sense of our Love flowing to Three; and to one another, in Christ our Head; who is Love, according to his command given us. John 1, 4 & 21. And this Commandment have we from Him, that he loveth God, loves his Brother also. From which Text I shall conclude with the following Poem on the nature of Love; having briefly shown our Rise here &o…."
It may be noted that, while the above account states that Samuel Newman and his wife were the first members of any Baptist Church that settled in the neighborhood, this does not necessarily mean that John Harrison was not an earlier settler. It is established that Harrison was referred to as an old man at the time of the organization of the church and that at an advanced age he made the long hazardous journey from Augusta county at Oyster Bay, Long Island, for baptism, "some short time" after Newman’s settlement in 1744 and before 1756.
Baptists, like other Christian denominations in the early settlement days, had their difficulties and their sore trials to meet and to overcome, and the Linville Church was no exception. Being on the eastern edge of the frontier west of the "Ridge" their services and their church work were often interfered with and sometimes prevented altogether by Indian raids and warfare and by other causes, and sometimes, too, they were ridiculed and persecuted by others. But as always they were courageous and not easily discouraged and fought their way to the establishment of various other churches in the county.
The Linville Church was compiled of some of the best men and women in the community and of that end of the county. John Lincoln, son of "Virginia" John, was for years clerk of the church, and the services were held in his fathers home and later in his brother, Jacob's’ home, as well as in the home of the Harrison's and others. Old church records and session books are always interesting to read and invariably reveal to a very great degree an accurate history of the times.
Beginning last week, one of the old landmarks in Harrisonburg is being town down--the old stone Presbyterian Church, the first of that denomination to be built in Harrisonburg. Its walls were two feet thick and the masonry of the best. A write-up of this old church was sent in only recently.
Houston Harrison, in his book, Settlers by the Long Grey Trail, and from which the information in this write-up is taken, given on many pages, much historical fact in connection with the old Linville Creek Church and of the community, too. A picture of what is still standing of the old church is attached. The court records at Staunton would, no doubt, reveal who furnished the ground, either as a gift or by sale, upon which the church was built. Architecture is always an interesting study, even though it may be simple and plain in the extreme, but old churches in the very quiet that surrounds them, speak with a thousand tongues and causes one to go back over the pages of history and think along with those old worthies who have long since passed off the stage, but who, nevertheless, made the history of their times.
Photograph
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Houston Harrison in his Settlers by the Long Grey Trail.
Research.
January 10, 1938 Geo. W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, VA