Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Shiloh Baptist Church, Shiloh, NC – PART TWO

Thomas E Kresal Admin · 7 hrs March 24, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Shiloh Baptist Church, Shiloh, NC – PART TWO

Since the colonists were scattered and transportation was difficult, the organized church began meeting once a month in the home of William Burges which was located about three miles south of the present location of Shiloh Baptist Church at the head of Raymons/Raymonds Creek. Prior to 1775, present day Camden County was still a part of Pasquotank County requiring that official business be carried across the Pasquotank River to be recorded.

The earliest known existing record of the Shiloh Baptist Church is a petition to the Court of Pasquotank Precinct, requesting that the court record the meeting of the Baptist Congregation. This petition was signed on the bottom right by William Burges; also to the left are the signatures of Paul Palmer, Francis Brocket, Thomas Herenton (modern spelling Harrington), William Jones, Philip Torksey (there are several modern spellings including Toxey and Doxey), Robert Wasson, and Charles Scarborough (once misinterpreted from the script on the original document as “Leutrough”). Shiloh Baptist Church is the oldest continually worshipping Baptist church in North Carolina.

By 1727 people were worshiping in the home of pastor, Rev. William Burges. The number of worshipers grew and in 1736 Reverend Burgess built a small church next to his home. The petition was made by the church to the King’s Court September 5, 1729 for them to continue worshiping as they had been for several years. A photographic copy is available in the church today.

According to Morgan Edwards, an early Baptist Historian, a meeting house was built on the land of the pastor, William Burges in 1736. Edwards gave the membership at that time as about 30. His records also show January 20, 1758, as the date when the constitution of the church changed from the General to the Particular Order. He lists the names of 12 members who had “embraced the particular scheme” and states that “in 13 years they increased from 12 to 192” and that “most of the brethren of the General Persuasion” had rejoined them.

Thomas E. Kresal – From: https://shilohbaptistchurchnc.org/about/