The War of the Regulation Part Four- The Baptists and the War by Jim Curran
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Jim Curran Admin 05/08/21 Facebook
The War of the Regulation Part Four- The Baptists and the War
This is a question that has had some interesting debate through the years. There were certainly many among the regulators as we shall see but they were by no means the only ones that were and to some extent we will never know how many were. Regardless there is one thing that is of absolute certainty- TRYON CERTAINLY PERCEIVED THIS AS A WAR AGAINST THE BAPTISTS! He would encamp at Baptist Churches and decimate the fields of many Baptists. Two of his principle targets were prominent Baptists. One of Tryon’s main goals was the establishment of the Anglican church and the Baptists stood as a principle obstacle to this. “Nor was it accidental that no Baptist community sent soldiers to the aid of Tryon, while after the failure of the Regulation it was especially the Baptist populations that more than any others left the Province, seeking elsewhere the freedom which they despaired of finding here.” Paschel Much has been made of the account that Morgan Edwards disputes that there were few of the regulators that were Baptists. However Edwards was a Tory and actual evidence contradicts his accounts. (Pascal makes note that Edwards often contradicts himself and other sources.) There was some friction with some Baptists and the regulator movement. According to Edwards a resolution was passed in the association in October of 1769 “That if any took up arms against the civil authority he would be excommunicated.” (Manuscript History of a tour of Baptists in NC P 32) I would imagine that some of this might be related to a group of Regulators that came into the Sandy Creek Church- Stearnes urged neutrality and more of a passive resistance. However there is much doubt as to how much this was enforced and there is a fair amount of evidence that points to quite a few Regulators among the Baptists. So is there hard evidence that there were Baptists in the War of the Regulation? Regulator advertisement nine was signed by Nathaniel Powell, a preacher and evangelist of the Deep River branch of Haw River church, and Francis Dorsett, who became pastor of the Rocky River Church soon after. Meetings were held at that church. (Paschal) “Here are found the names of Cheek, Bray, Welch, Culberson, Teague, Dorsett, Emberson (Emmerson), Needom, Edwards, Craven, Brewer, Brooks, Moon, Barber, Brown, Dowdy, Hutson, Murchison, and others, known progenitors of Baptist families, and by tradition, though by no contemporary record, said to have been members of this or that Baptist church. Even one of the exhorters of the Sandy Creek church, James Billingsley, was among the Regulators who assembled at Hillsboro in September, 1768.” Geography also argues for the inclusion of Baptists among them. Although Sandy Creek was less supportive that the others there is no doubt that many of the Regulators came from known Baptist areas. Perhaps the greatest example was the contingent of troops being marched to Alamance by Benjamin Merrill. They would not reach the battle in time but were all raised from the vicinity of Jersey Settlement where Jersey Baptist Church was located (Founded by John Gano.) This was an almost wholly Baptist neighborhood. It is also to be noted that were were many more that were involved in the movement that did not sign the petitions.Regardless if we will ever know the true percentages, there is no doubt that Tryon saw the whole war as against the Baptists. Herman Husband noted that Tryon saw the regulators as “Quakers and Baptists.” Of course the Quakers being pacifistic formed less of a target. This belief would cause Tryon to, after the Battle of Alamance, prosecute a campaign against Baptist Settlements. Tryon would even camp his army first at Sandy Creek. He would also target Jersey Church. The results of this campaign would be devastating upon those churches. Two of Tryon’s primary targets for arrest were prominent Baptists as well.
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