An Outline of Baptist History

-19- Baptists helped to secure freedom in the constitution. 'When the fate of the new constitution hung in the balance its destiny seemed to depend on Massachu- setts and Virginia. In both of these states, the Baptist people held the balance of power." "In the Massachusetts convention, James Manning, the President of Rhode Island College, afterwards Brown University, through the weight of his great influence in favor of the constitution, carried with him several Baptist preachers, who were members of the convention, and the approval of the constitution was carried by a majority of 19 states.'' Burroughs, p.65. J. S. Barbour has the following statement to make concerning Baptist influence in the constitution, "The credit of adopting the constitution of the United States properly belongs to a Baptist clergyman formerly of Virginia, by the name of Leland, and he reached his conclusion in this way. He said if Madison had not been in the convention, the constitution would not have been ratified by that state, and as the approval of nine states was required to give effect to this instrument and as Virginia was the 9th state, if it had been rejected by her, the constitution would have failed and that it was by Elder Leland's influence that Madison was elected to the convention.'' Burroughs, p. 65. (2) The Period of Expansion. During this time, there were three strongly marked characteristics. (1) a great increase in missionary furvor; (2) gradual inception of vast missionary enterprises, and (3) an unexampled rapidity of growth in both numbers and spiritual power. As eddies in these great currents we find several controversies caused by sectional and doctrinal differences that at times threatened the very existence of the denomination, As civil liberty came, men saw the shame and tyranny of religious persecution. Virginia led the way and other states followed. Lyman Beecher thought that ''the bottom had dropped out of things'' when his state no longer compelled his unwilling Baptist neighbors to contribute to his support. When persecution was removed the Baptist churches grew rapidly. When coloni- zation extended over the Alleghanies, the missionary zeal kept step with it. There were churches in Tennessee as early as 1765. By 1790 there were 18 churches and 889 members. By 1782 Baptist churches were founded in Kentucky and by 1790, 42 churches were there with 3095 members. Baptists were amongthe first to enter Ohio as settlers and religious workers, A church was organized at Columbia in 1790. This town is located near Cincinnati. The Miami Association was organized in 1797. In Illinois, the Baptists came from Virginia and settled in 1786. The first church formed in 1796 at New Design, St. Clair County, Illinois. (3) The Days of Controversy. a. The Alexander Campbell Controversy. Campbell was born in Ireland, the son of a Presbyterian minister. His father cameto this country and sought affilia- tion with the Presbyterian Synod of Pittsburgh. He arrived in this land about 1807. Campbell was educated in the University of Glasgow. He was a greatly gifted man and a natural born debater. He was a great figure at this time since