EIGJ4T YEAn5S
OF
Prcsb0 terifa Evaglstio Worf
ID KWETU1KCeY.
BY
COL. BENNETT H. YOUNG,
LouIsvILLE, Ky.
RICHMOND, VA.:
PRESBYTERIAN COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.
1001 MAIN STREET.
1890.
I
PRINTED El
WnITTET SUEPPERSON,
iLICHMOND, VA.
PRESBYTERIAN
ED al)5elis1ic 10P II) 15e]i)fUc
IN 1879, Dr. Stuart Robinson, the leader of
Presbyterianism in Kentucky, suggested
the necessity of more aggressive efforts in be-
half of the church in the State. The painful
fact then presented itself to every candid mind,
that unless a speedy change in general church
work and its methods was inaugurated, the vir-
tual destruction of Presbyterianism in Ken-
tucky was only a question of time.
For more than forty years there had been no
territorial or numerical growth, and the church
in the State was confined by narrower limits in
1880 than in 1840.
The bluegrass region, comprising about ten
thousand square miles, or one-fourth of the
State, was reasonably well supplied with self-
sustaining congregations; but even there, im-
nigration and local causes were decimating
First published in The Union Seminariy Magazine.
4 PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELISTIC WORK
these, and in the Western, Eastern and South-
eastern portions there had been a virtual ex-
tinction of Presbyterianism, and the organiza-
tion of a new church was not only unusual, bLut
practically unknown. The church in Kentucky
had been blessed with great preachers and great
thinkers; on all questions of Joctrine it had con-
tributed an unusual snare of brains, and in every
conflict for the truth the Kentucky contingent
was courageous, earnest, and in the very van-
guard of the contest. The earlier Presbyterian
settler was an evangelist of great merit and sus-
cess. From 1783 down to 1815, the church was
truly militant, and the cause grew, was blessed,
and Presbyterianism spread in Kentucky in
proportion to the rapid increase of popula-
tion.
After the divisions of 1810 and 1837, the day
of conservatism came. The church surrendered
all aggressive operations, and confined the
labors and ministrations of its preachers within
the very narrowest territorial limits, and for the
succeeding forty years seemed content to pos-
sess only the land already obtained.
Looking back over this long period of church
idleness, it is almost impossible to believe that
IN KENTUCKY.
men as earnest, able and consecrated as the
Kentucky Presbyterian ministry should thus
settle down to a state of absolute ecclesiastical
quiescence, and do nothing for the promotion
or spread of the Presbyterian cause.
The war, with its changes, conflicts, divisions
and troubles, consumed ten years of this period.
After its close, four years were required to set-
tle the church's status. When, in 1869, the
Synod of Kentucky united with the Southern
Church, the revolution had spent its force, and
the State and church were prepared for aggres-
sive operations. Twice during this long period
of inaction Dr. Robinson, with his associates,
sought to arouse the Synod, and in 1879 it was
proposed to raise twenty-five cents per member
to commence and carry on a State-mission pro-
ject. This resulted in a failure, and only about
1,200 was secured.
During this year Dr. Robinson first felt the
touch of the malady which, in October, 1881,
was to end his life. For nearly two years he
struggled with his insidious, unknown, but ever
triumphing disease-cancer, of the stomach;
and during this time it was his constant hope,
trust and prayer that a restoration would come
5
6 PRESBYTERiAN EvANGELISTICI WORK
which would enable him to become a State
evangelist,.and devote the last years of his great
life to arousing the Synod of Kentucky to zeal-
ous missionary work in its bounds.
The Master knew better than the servant.
His tremendous intellect, superb attainments,
and wonderful courage and persistence could
not fight off the disease; and with him, appa-
rently, died the last chance for a change in
church work and church plans.
Synod met at Nicholasville a few days after
his death. Nearly all of its members realized
the true condition of the cause in Kentucky,
and were not only saddened by personal grief
at his death, but were depressed by his immense
loss to the church's work in every department.
During the earlier hours of the meeting, refer-
ence was made to synodical missionary efforts,
but the task seemed hopeless, and the subject
was tabled.
As usual, "man's extremity is God` oppor-
tunity." At the very close of the meeting, the
members were startled by the reception of a
telegram, addressed to Dr. E. W. Bedinger, of-
fering, on behalf of two lay members of the
IN KENTUCKY.
Synod,I to double all contributions of the en-
tire church for evangelistic work up to 5,000.
Some members had been praying and work-
ing. Dr. Robinson's dying prayer had been
that God would open up the way to carry on
this work. The entire assemblage was thrilled;
joy and thanksgiving abounded. A new life
was aroused, and despairing despondency was
succeeded by exuberant faith. The message
went back to these donors, "We gratefully ac-
cept your offer," and Synod resolved then to
appeal to the churches, appointed evangelists,
and entered upon what has proved the most
aggressive campaign that Presbyterians have
ever carried on in this country. There were
then about ten thousand members in connection
with the Synod, only five candidates for the
ministry, and many languishing and dying
churches.
Rev. Dr. E. 0. Guerrant and Rev. J. M.
Evans were appointed by the Synod as State
evangelists; an able and representative com-
mnittee was appointed, and named as the Synod's
Evangelistic Committee, comprising not only
ministers and elders, but laymen, thus securing
I The writer and R. S. Veech, Esq.
7
8 PRESBYTERIAN EVANGFELITIC WORIK.
the counsel and cooperation of the entire
church.
The result was amazing. The churches were
aroused as never before. A new zeal and con-
secration was developed, and the first year more
than 11,000 was paid in and expended for this
cause. In 1880 the entire Southern Church,
with its 120,000 members, raised only 15,233
for Evangelistic work, and only 32,000 for Sus-
tentation; and yet, in a single year, under pro-
per impulse and direction, the 9,700 Kentucky
Presbyterians raised 11,000, and expended it
for evangelism in their own bounds, besides
giving to the General Assembly's Sustentation
Fund 3,200, and its full share to the Evange-
listic work.
Many of the wisest men of the church outside
Kentucky prophesied a falling off of these con-
tributions and efforts. Arguing from the past,
they assumed, as a self-evident proposition, that
th'e handful of Presbyterians in Kentucky could
not stand the necessary financial strain to sup-
port such an enterprise on so large a scale, and
that the church could not, for any great length
of time, maintain such vigorous efforts in home
mission fields. One of the greatest leaders of
IN KENTUCKY.
the church said to the writer, "It is only a
spurt; it will die out in a year."
The worst feature of the prevailing situation
was the growing conviction among Presbyte-
rians in Kentucky and elsewhere, that the sys-
tern of our church was not adapted to the gen-
eral missionary effort, and would not and did
not suit evangelistic work among the masses.
Other denominations had charged that our
form of doctrine and government was suited
only to the rich and cultured, and failed to at-
tract and retain the masses at large.
This flaunting lie has been silenced. In
Kentucky, for the past eight years, Presbyte-
rianism in this department has gone in advance
of all others, done the heaviest and hardest
pioneer work, and demonstrated that wherever
the Methodist circuit rider or the Baptist ex-
horter can command attention or carry the
word of the Lord, there Presbyterianism can
find a home, gather congregations, and main-
tain a footing.
For eight years this great work has steadily
developed and strengthened. It passed safely
through the reactionary period, withstood the
assailts of friends and foes, and in 1889 showed
9
10 PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELISTIC WORK
its best results. The last year 13,506 was paid
in and distributed, in addition to the general
work of the Presbytery. of Louisville, where
1,500 was expended, making a total in the
State, for 1889, of 15,000, used solely for this
cause.
Within this eight years 90,631.73 has been
expended by the Kentucky Church in this de-
partment; fifty-nine new churches organized,
half as many more resuscitated; forty new
church buildings erected.; 9,506 members re-
ceived on confession of faith; the number of
candidates increased from five to thirty-six, and
the Presbyterian banner planted in sixteen new
counties.
At the late meeting of Synod, at Henderson,
Kentucky, October 9, 1889, these facts were re-
counted and discussed. The unanimous voice
of the Synod was for still greater efforts, still
larger expenditures, and still wider evangelistic
enterprise. Three men,' two laymen and one
elder, offered to give one dollar for every two
that all the churches and other individuals in
the State would subscribe. It was resolved at
R R. S. Yeech, Esq., A. J. Alexander, Esq., and the
writer.
IN KENTUCKY.
once to make the sum this year 20,000, and
the amount has already been assured. The
Kentucky Synod will alone, after giving its full
subscription for general evangelistic support of
the church at large, carry on and maintain its
own work in Kentucky, and expend for this
alone half as much as all the other members of
the Southern Presbyterian Church give for the
Assembly's Evangelistic cause.
Tbiriy-five ministers and elders are engaged,
in whole or in part, in this behalf. So great
have its needs become that a chairman or sec-
retary has Leen appointed to give all his time
to it, and Dr. E. W. Bedinger, the efficient
chairman of the committee for 1889, has re-
signed his pastoral charge at Anchorage, and
devotes his entire energies and talents to the
supervision of this great work.
The chairman has called mass-meetings in
various parts of the State, to discuss the plans
and give the people full information about the
oparatibns of the committee. One has just
closed its sessions in Louisville, another will as-
semble in February at Paducah, and still later
another at Richmond. The most eloquent men
of the church address these meetings. The
11
12 PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELISTIC WVORK
people listen with wonder and pleasure at how
the Lord has blessed these efforts in his cause,
how the Presbyterian waste places have been
restored, how the church territory has been
enlarged, new congregations gathered, and
churches organized and built; and there are
now few Presbyterians in Kentucky who do
not feel that this evangelistic work is part and
parcel of their Christian life and liberality, and
the greatest mission of the church in Kentucky.
The battle cry is, not only will we win Kentucky
for Christ, but also for the Presbyterian faith.
The change in this Synod in eight years is
simply a marvel. It is from death to life. At
no point has the fire failed to impart heat. A
new impetus has been given to the church; in
every department Christian zeal has been
aroused. In the same period 200,000 has
been given Central University. No cause of
the church at large has suffered. The great
lesson has been taught that liberality in any
one department leads to renewed generosity In
all, and that as men give they desire to give.
Ten years more of such work in the State and
the ministry of the church will be doubled and
its membership quadrupled. The whole Synod
IN KENTUCKY.
is amazed at the blessing that God has so gra-
ciously bestowed. The Inaction and fear caused
by the numerical predominance of other denom-
inations is gone, never to return with the
life of this generation. No Christian enter-
prise is too wide or too great for the Synod
of Kentucky to undertake; and ih,. spirit of
church self-confidence, engendered by the in-
spiration of God's wonderful remembrance, is
simply grand. It elevates the tone of Christian
endeavor, and gives an ecclesiastical esprit de
corps, which energizes and quickens every im-
pulse. It has raised up, educated and prepared
a class of men capable of carrying on such a work.
It has organized and drawn into one channel
the forces and energies of the entire Synod; and
the chief and dominating idea is aggressive and
and persistent conquest for Christ. It has in-
terested the entire membership in the spread
of truth, and the visible results have been such
as to deepen and quicken the confidence of
every Christian heart in the bounty and cer-
tainty of the Lord's blessing upon those who
enter upon his work and go forward in obedi-
ence to his command to " preach the gospel to
every creature." The faith of the church has
13
14 PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELISTIC WORK
been greatly enlarged; they realize that in
their very midst they have the "sign from
heaven," and that without God's immediate
and absolute direction no such results could be
obtained; and this feeling of God's nearness
has given to the churc