Iistory of Great (iCrossinys Church.



ginning of the year 1812. Among this number were George Viley, Patsey Viley,
Edgcomb Suggett, Gabriel Long, Kitty Long and Richard Quinn. Not only
was the church now at peace within her own borders, but in August 1811, she
directed her messengersto avoid an old dispute in Elkhorn Association. Indeed
her policy, before and after this period, was to avoid, as far as possible, the dissen-
sions and differences which agitated and distracted the denomination throughout
the State.
     In 1811 there is a curious record, viz.: That James Hammon, Jobn I.
Johnson, and James Johnson were appointed clerks to raise tunes for divine
worship.
     From January 1812 to January 1818, not much of special interest occurred
in the history of the church. Twenty-four, during that period, were added by
experience and baptism. The church had the pastoral labors of James Suggett,
together with Thomas Henderson, to preach on the third Sunday, during a con-
siderable portion of the time. In March, 1814, Thomas Waggoner, one of the
members, was invited to exercise his gift in exhortation and prayer. In Decem-
ber, 1817, a committee was appointed to raise funds for the purpose of building
a meeting-house. which house was completed in 1825, and is the one now occupied.
The year 1818 was marked as one in which the Lord again blessed the church
by a great outpouring of his spirit in the conversion of sinners. Ninety-seven
were added during that year, and among the number were Reuben Long and
Jordon Peak. During 1819, forty-six were received.
    From the beginning of 1820 to the close of the pastoral relations of James
Suggett in the early part of 1825, nothing of especial interest occurred. Eighteen
professed conversion and were added to the church. Among this number were
John T. Johnson, Asa Payne, and Simeon Branham.
    James Suggett, the third pastor of Great Crossings Church, was the oldest
son of John Suggett, one of the members mentioned as being in the original
constitution. He was born May 2, 1775. He professed conversion during the
Great Revival in 1800, and united with the church at Great Crossings in May of
that year, four years before his brother, Wm. Suggett. He soon exhibited
evidence of his power and fitness for the ministry, and on the 31st of October,
1800, was allowed to exercise his gift. On the first Saturday in July he was
licensed to " preach the gospel; " and although his ordination had been called for
at North Fork as early as 1802, from some unexplained cause, he was not or-
dained until October, 1810, at the call of McConnell's Run (now Stamping Ground)
Church. He forthwith assumed the pastorate of McConnell's Run and Great
Crossings churches, and, except a short while during the war of 1812, continued
in that relation with the latter until September, 1825, when he was dismissed by
letter to remove to Missouri. He preached for McConnell's Run Church about
three years, and, " by his labors, the church was put in better condition than he
found it. There were frequent additions, besides other tokens of prosperity."
He preached at Clear Creek in 1824-25-and, in fact, he preached with great
power and force during the earlier years of his ministry, throughout this portion
of Kentucky, and under his preaching many were added to the church. One
particular characteristic of his labors was that sinners seemed to be converted all
along (luring their continuance, as well out of as in great revival seasons, though
not so numerous. At least this was true of his labors at Great Crossings. John
Taylor once said of him: :j When I see Suggett in the pulpit, I think he never
ought to go out of it; and when I see him out of the pulpit. I think he ought never
to go into it." Out of the pulpit he would keep the company in a roar of laughter
over his anecdotes. In the pulpit he was a man of wonderful impulse, and ex-
celled almost anyone at exhortation. Upon his determination to leave Kentucky,
a committee was appointed by Great Crossings Church to induce him to remain,
but to no purpose. He removed to Missouri where he died.
    Jacob Creath, Jr., succeeded James Suggett as pastor in January, 1826, but
only continued in that relation until September of the same year. Thos. Hen-
derson was chosen to preach on the third Sunday.



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