The North Carolina General Baptists of the 18th century would eventually evolve into the Free Will Baptists of the 19th century, but the earlier group almost met its demise before the transformation could take place. In 1752, the General Baptists could list 20 settled churches, but at about that time most of those congregations became victims of an invasion of Particular (Calvinistic) Baptist missionaries from the Philadelphia Baptist Association.
Grieving for the misguided Baptists in North Carolina, the Association voted to send messengers to “rescue” them from their error. By 1772, the missionary task was complete, and all but four of the General Baptist churches—Little Contentnea, Pungo, Meherrin, and Bear River—defected to the Particular Baptist camp.
Though John Gano, Benjamin Miller and Peter Vanhorn from the Philadelphia Association are usually given credit for the North Carolina victory, James Smart and Henry Ledbetter, two General Baptist ministers, had been preaching Calvinistic doctrine in their churches three years before the “missionaries” from Philadelphia had arrived. Smart, as pastor of a large General Baptist church at Upper Fishing Creek, exercised a significant amount of influence on the other, smaller churches. In other words, the stage already was set for invasion long before Particular Baptists intervened.
Four churches, four pastors—not much of a legacy to pass on to your descendants. Only Joseph and William Parker, William Fulsher, and John Winfield remained loyal to their General Baptist heritage. But the movement was not dead. By 1794, the Parkers extended their ministry to include congregations at Grimsley, Wheat Swamp, Louson Swamp, and Gum Swamp and these, along with Little Contentnea, served as the nucleus of the new Free Will Baptist denomination. In fact, by the end of the 19th century, the churches were using the new name interchangeably with the old.
About the Writer: William F. Davidson was professor of Church History at Columbia International University, in Columbia, South Carolina. Dr. Davidson is an alumnus of Peabody College, Welch College, Columbia Bible College, Northern Baptist Seminary, and New Orleans Baptist Seminary. The Ayden, North Carolina, native also served as pastor of Free Will Baptist churches in Kentucky and Virginia.
