The History of Liberty Christian Church

Brooks Major

The author has a Ph.D in history from Vanderbilt, where he wrote a dissertation on the role of periodicals in the Disciples of Christ. Having been born in Beverly and raised in the congregation of Liberty Christan Church, Dr. Major began filling the pulpit in 1948 while substituting for the regular minister. He served as Liberty's minister himself between 1951 and 1956, and again from 1967 until his retirement in 1993. He has also served as the minister of several other Christian County churches, and as professor of history and academic dean of Hopkinsville Community College (in the University of Kentucky system). The following is an abridged version of a 1957 privately-published volume bearing the same title.

On November 19, 1814, Deputy Clerk John Reynolds registered the deed for a tract of two acres, to be used for the erection of a public schoolhouse. The deed, written on November 7, was granted by Hugh Fulton to twelve recipients who obligated themselves to erect on said lot "a large and convenient house, to be known as Liberty Meeting House, free for any congregation of Christians (Shakers excepted) to worship in on Saturday and the Sabbath and on any other day of the week when school is in vacation." This lot was located "near said Fulton's house," which was about one mile south of Little River on LaFayette Road, near the house presently (as of 1998) occupied by Gene Atkins.

The Liberty Meeting House thus erected undoubtedly was used as a preaching point for the widely scattered visits of all preachers of the gospel (except Shakers) in the community until sometime prior to 1842, for in that year it was deeded by James Thomson to the congregation of the Christian Church which had been meeting there, and thus it became the first house of worship of Liberty as well as the source of its name. One of the later members of Liberty Christian Church was Edgar Cayce (joined October 13, 1888), whose profound spiritual insight and totally unselfish dedication to God and suffering humanity made him justly the most famous of Liberty's sons.

I. Background of the Christian Church

In order to appreciate the history of Liberty Christian Church, something should be known of the background of the movement of which it has been a part since its organization as a congregation in 1840.

The movement which resulted in the establishment of the Christian Church in Kentucky was led by Barton W. Stone. Educated as a Presbyterian minister in North Carolina, Stone migrated West and settled as minister of the Cane Ridge Presbyterian Church in Bourbon County. The Presbyterians as a group were strongly Calvinistic, adhering strictly to the doctrine of predestination. The tenets of this doctrine, in brief, were that from the beginning God had ordained (or predestined) some to eternal salvation and some to eternal damnation. One became aware that he was one of the "elect" as a result of a special religious experience, for which all who desired to become Christians agonized and must testify of before being admitted to the church. This experience did not effect one's salvation but rather served as a public and personal sign that one had been, from the beginning, chosen by God for salvation. When the Great Revival of the early 1800's swept over western Kentucky, there was a strong element in the Presbyterian Church that was opposed to it on the Calvinistic grounds that salvation is not "free" in the sense that just anybody, regardless of election, can partake of it.

The nature of Stone's own religious experience led him to discount this doctrine and to support the revival wholeheartedly. Stone visited and observed the great revival in progress in Logan County, which was the beginning of the camp-meeting type of revival, and determined to organize a similar revival at Cane Ridge. He did so, and in 1804 thousands came by buggy, wagon, foot, and on horseback to hear the message of salvation freely proclaimed by Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian preachers, who were often preaching simultaneosly in the big grove. As a result of the preaching there, which was predominently a "free-will" type of salvation, Stone and several other Presbyterians were called to task by the Synod of Kentucky.

Following this disagreement, Stone and four others withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Synod and formed the independent Springfield Presbytery. They later issued one of the classic documents of the Christian Church, "The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery," dissolving themselves "into the body of Christ at large."

Stone and his associates adopted the name "Christian" for their movement and the Christian churches rapidly spread over Kentucky and neighboring states. The principal reasons for leaving the Presbyterians were:

1. Belief that Christ died for all who will freely accept him, rather than just the "elect."
2. Belief that conversion was simply acknowledgement and acceptance of God's love, not a sign of election.
3. Acceptance of the Bible alone as full and final authority, with rejection of all man-made creeds.
4. Approval of the revival movement then in progress as consistent with free salvation.

Stone and the Christians were called many names by their opponents, the more printable being: Arians, Socinians, "New Lights," and Stoneites. They were called Arians because of their rejection of Calvinism; Socinians because of their Unitarian tendency; "New Lights" because they drew membership primarily from the Presbyterians; and Stoneites after their leader.

The Christian Church was characterized by:

1. An abiding and consuming zeal for unity within the body of Christ, and a belief that it not only could but must become in reality "one that the world may believe..."
2. Congregational church polity, with general oversight by the elders of the church as a whole over ordination of ministers and the common affairs of the church.
3. Belief that only an ordained minister should preside over the Lord's Table.
4. Baptism by sprinkling or immersion.
5. Emphasis upon the unity of the Godhead.
6. Rejection of creeds, taking the Bible alone.
7. Almost complete freedom in doctrinal belief.

The Christian Church dates from 1804 and was already well-established and generally socially acceptable (i.e. no longer regarded as a new, and thus suspicious, sect) with thousands of members when the followers of Alexander Campbell began to be active in the state. Christian County had at least two congregations prior to the union of that movement with the followers of Campbell in 1832. They called themselves "Unitarians," much to the distress of Stone. One congregation was in Hopkinsville and shared ownership of a meeting-house with the Cumberland Presbyterians (which became the first home of Ninth Street Christian Church) and another congregation met at Means' Schoolhouse, in the southwestern section of the county. This congregation, organized in 1816, later (1840) became the nucleus of Liberty Christian (Disciples) Church.

The second stream, which merged with the followers of Stone to form the present Christian Church in Kentucky, was led by Alexander Campbell. Cambell had begun as a Presbyterian, but left that denomination early in life, before joining his father in America. The Campbell movement, first organized as a church in 1811, existed independently until 1813, then became a part of the Redstone Baptist Association, sharing a common belief in congregational independence and immersion as the only proper form of baptism. This uneasy alliance with the Baptists continued until 1830, at which time the Baptists finally decided Campbell was a heretic (not a Baptist) and "withdrew" from him. In doing so, they alienated thousands of Baptists who agreed with Campbell. Many congregations were bitterly divided. In some, the "regular" Baptists were voted out; in others, the "Campbellites."

The Campbells and their many followers were known as Reformed Baptists, or Reformers. They were characterized by:

1. Acceptance of the Scriptures alone as full and final authority with "no creed but Christ."
2. Congregational church government with antagonism toward a professional ministry.
3. Belief that immersion was the only scriptural or proper form of baptism.
4. An ardent desire for the restoration of the New Testament church in all its purity and simplicity. For this reason, the movement is sometimes called the Nineteenth-Century Restoration. There was a firm belief that the form and practices of the New Testament church were uniform, easily discernible, and should be restored as the basis of Christian unity.

While unity was a central theme with both the Christians and the Reformers, there was a subtle difference. To Campbell, restoration of the New Testament church was of basic and uncompromising importance and unity would be a by-product of this. To Stone, unity was basic and adherence to the Scriptural pattern seemed to be the best way to achieve it. For Stone, the New Testament Restoration was a less-developed theme; unity was his "polar star."

Lexington, Kentucky contained both a Reformed and a Christian church. Noting the similarity of purpose and method, leaders of both churches held union services on January 1 1832, with the blessing and presence of Stone. The two congregations voted to unite and sent delegates over the state to persuade other local congregations to do likewise. Apprized of this action, Campbell gave his blessing with some reluctance and hesitation, fearful for the Scriptural purity of the union. The differences between the two groups, though numerous, were gradually composed and most of the churches, including Liberty, of our section of the state were organized after this union was completed. (Thomas Sugrue, in his biography of Edgar Cayce, erroneously states that Stone and Campbell first met at Liberty. Actually they first met in 1824, sixteen years before Liberty was organized.)

The main differences between the two groups and the solutions by which they were resolved were:

1. Form of Christian baptism. Immersion was universally adopted and in a few years, practically all of the members had been immersed.
2. Priesthood of the believer. The Stone movement yielded in its insistence that only ordained ministers should officiate at the Lord's Table. There was general agreement from the first that this ordinance should be observed every Lord's Day.
3. Name. Stone and his followers insisted upon the name "Christian"; Campbell preferred "Disciples." The local congregation could adopt either name and in Kentucky, "Christian" was almost universally adopted.
4. Governance. A completely congregational church government was adopted.

Some of the followers of Stone still felt that the movement was jeopardized by the union, and many of the followers of Campbell felt they had compromised too much; but to their eternal credit, this feeling subsided and the two were merged with complete organic unity--the two became one and the causes of Christian unity and New Testament Christianity were the victors.

The movement spread rapidly in Christian County. The first congregation organized in the county was at Hopkinsville in November of 1832. The next was Liberty, in 1840. By 1852, in just twenty years, there were nine churches in the county, with a total membership of 494.

II. Organization and early years (1840-1860)

The earliest information concerning the congregation at Liberty is found in the following letter to Alexander Campbell (printed in the Millenial Harbinger, vol III p. 95). The letter is dated in 1839, one year before the organization of the church. Addressed from Christian County, the letter states:

The cause we plead is progressing slowly in this vicinity. In the last three months there have been 35 or 40 immersions by Brother McBride and myself at Salem, Mt. Zion and West Fork, and by Bro. Black at Liberty, some three or four. On Saturday, before the third Lord's Day instant, we expect to have a convention of the churches, the Lord willing, at Oikiadelphia, to elect and send out an evangelist; but whether we shall succeed is doubtful. May the Lord bless you and prosper your labor. J.B. Radford

Some of the churches Radford mentions seem to have been Baptist churches, but in the early years, this was not too unusual. There were many communities which didn't have a Christian church but had people who were followers of the movement and sympathetic toward its preachers. It should be noted that in our area this was particularly true in the Baptist Church. Some of our strongest preachers in western Kentucky were formerly Baptists, and local Baptist opposition did not crystalize until several years later when it became apparent that the vigorous new movement was making heavy inroads on their membership.

From the nucleus of followers of Christ garnered by such servants of the Lord as Brother Black and the few members of the Stoneite Christian church first organized at Means' Schoolhouse, the congregation at Liberty was organized in the year 1840, and began to worship in the Liberty Meeting House. On June 7, 1842, the congregation became the owner of the property when James Thomson deeded it to Liberty's trustees for one dollar.

In October of the next year, Evangelist J.B. Ferguson wrote "...within the last 12 months, 13 immersions at Liberty in Christian County." Shortly afterward, in November 1843, Ferguson wrote in The Christian Messenger: "During the past year, in Todd, Logan, Christian, and Trigg, over 400 additions; myself, H.T. Anderson, Day, Rice & Elley laboring" (as evangelists). The initial growth of the movement and its vitality were amazing! From 1840 to 1860, an average of one congregation a year was organized in the area mentioned.

John R. Howard, in August 1847, wrote in The Christian Messenger and Bible Advocate (which he edited):

On the next (1st Lord's day in July) had one [meeting] at Liberty. Bros. Day and Callaway promised to be with me there, but failed to come. So I had all the preaching to do on Saturday and the Lord's Day. Had eleven additions to the congregation and cause--five immersions, two of them from the Methodists--one united from the Baptists. Prospects, we think, good for more additions.

Howard, one of the most versatile and prominent leaders of the Restoration movement, was editor of several religious papers, practiced medicine, taught school, and also preached. He moved about rather frequently, but for several years in the late 1840's lived near Garrettsburg. On September 21, 1852 he wrote to Alexander Campbell:

The brethren at Liberty, south of Hopkinsville, are about to erect themselves a new and commodious house. They are a worthy band, and have some most estimable brothers among them, as Bros. Howard Major, H.P. Owsley, Carter Bradshaw, &c. Bro. Campbell also preaches for them. I preached for them myself two years, ad they are endeared to me by many tender recollections.

The building plans about which Howard wrote became a reality when, four years later (in 1856), the congregation purchased a new site: the one on which the church and parsonage now stand. The church erected upon it, having been repaired in 1871, 1911, 1934, 1939, and 1944, remained in use until it was sold to Boyd Hutchison in the fall of 1952 to make way for the present ediface.
In a letter to The Christian Messenger dated September 25, 1847, John R. McCall wrote:

I have visited and spoken to two churches in Christian County, Kentucky--Salem & Liberty. We had nine confessions and immersions--all young people in the morning of life. Liberty congregation, though in the country, has a fine Sunday School. The disciples who worship in these places are warm & zealous, also liberal in sustaining the evangelists. May they go on in their labors of love until the whole country is converted tp the Lord....

Something should be said concerning the ministry during the years from 1840 to 1860. The search for a definite, chronological succession of ministries such as we have now was fruitless until it became apparent that the congregation did not have a minister in the presently accepted sense during this period. While the larger congregations, such as that at Hopkinsville, had one settled minister who served the congregation regularly if not full-time, many of the smaller rural congregations--including Liberty--had no such office. Liberty was served regularly, faithfully, and well by her own elders, who made it a custom to expound the Scripture following the weekly Communion service.

In addition to this, the congregation was visited occasionally by evangelists who lived and labored in the area such as Brothers Black, J.B. Ferguson, C.M. Day, H.T. Anderson, H.C. Rice, and S.E. Jones. Elders Day, W.E. Mobley and Robert Dulin served the congregation in their capacity as Green River evangelists from 1849 to 1860. In 1854 Brother Sewall preached regularly for about five months, while John R. Howard also preached in the 1850's. Elder Enos Campbell, who served the church at Hopkinsville in the 1850's, also preached occasionally at Liberty. While the list of preachers is impressive, it should be borne in mind that the service of these men consisted of an occasional visit. The first "regular" ministry was that of W.E. Mobley who served Liberty quarter-time from 1860 to 1868.

Of these men, little is known about Bros. Black, Rice, and Jones. Howard, as noted earlier, was a prominent figure. His life is the subject of a thesis on file in the archives of the Disciples Historical Society in Nashville. H.T. Anderson and Enos Campbell came out from the church at Hopkinsville, while Robert Dulin was an elder of the Harmony Grove Christian Church in the Church Hill Neighborhood. The following are sketches of the others:

Jessie B. Ferguson: One of the earliest evangelists in this area, Ferguson was a native of Virginia and was educated at the College of William & Mary. Coming to this section at the age of twenty-two, his unusual eloquence soon made him the idol of every community. As he rose in prominence, he drifted toward Spiritualism, finally becoming a Spiritualist in 1855. Ferguson then became a "black sheep" and was rigorously denounced and disavowed. Little is known about his later life.

Charles M. Day: Born in Virginia in 1808 and educated for the ministry in Richmond, Day became interested in the Reform and entered into the work in this area around 1842. His work was a labor of love, and done without pecuniary reward. He supported himself and an invalid wife by teaching school at Trenton. He was eminent as an organizer, and aided by G.W. Elley and John D. Ferguson, he established churches at Trenton, Elkton, Daysville, and Allensville in Todd County. He held the pastorate of the Trenton and Allensville churches until his death in 1879, a period of about 38 years. He served Liberty as Green River area evangelist in 1850 and 1851, and held a meeting there prior to that in the year 1843.

William Ellison Mobley: Born in Todd County, Kentucky on march 2, 1824, Elder Mobley always retained his residence there. He was married in 1849 to Mary E. Burrus. They had two sons and three daughters, one of which (Mary) was the mother of Roy Kenner. In 1851 he became a member of the Christian Church and in the following year he began preaching. He served as evangelist for the Green River Christian Cooperation from 1853 to 1855. Elder Mobley served as minister of the Elkton church from 1857 to 1908, a period of fifty-one years, probably the longest ministry in our brotherhood's history. During his long and active ministry in western Kentucky he served: Elkton, Macedonia, Phillipi, and Bethlehem in Todd County; Roaring Springs in Trigg, Berea in Logan; and Pembroke and Liberty in Christian. He served Liberty from 1860 through 1867, preaching one Sunday a month. He travelled the distance from his home in Todd County by buggy. He also conducted a revival at Liberty in 1852 and another in 1854.

III. The Green River Christian Cooperation (1849-1859)

The Green River Christian Cooperation was organized at a meeting in the Hopkinsville church on Saturday, December 1, 1849. The Cooperation, which included the churches of Logan, Todd, Christian, and Trigg Counties, served the same general function later done for the state as a whole by the State Society. A constitution was adopted and B.S. Campbell of Hopkinsville was elected the first president. The purpose of the organization is set forth in the following resolutions:

Resolved, that it is the deliberate and firm conviction of the brethren here assembled that it is the duty of Christians both in their congregation [sic] and individual capacity to do all in their power to extend a knowledge of the Gospel of salvation. Resolved that in order to concentrate and combine our efforts in the discharge of this important and paramount duty we do hereby associate ourselves together...

In addition to selecting and supporting an evangelist for the area, the participating churches supported the State Society, the Kentucky Female Orphan School at Midway, the American Christian Bible Society, the American Christian Missionary Society, aged and infirm ministers (there was one) within the bounds of the Cooperation, the education of "likely and pious" young men for the ministry, the Baptist Revision, and the Liberian Mission.

The Baptist Revision was an edition of the Bible in which the most prominent feature was the use of the word "immerse" wherever "baptize" appeared in the King James Version. Needless to say, this effort was "heartily approved" by the Cooperation, which extended financial as well as moral support.

The sending of a former slave, Alexander Cross, to Liberia as a missionary is testimony to the Cooperation's fulfillment of its purpose. In 1853 Cross was purchased from a Todd County farmer, and subsequently educated by Elder Enos Campbell of Hopkinsville. After his education was completed, Cross became the second foreign missionary to be sponsored by the Christian Church.

The Cooperation was also interested in education. In 1852 a resolution recommended "the propriety of establishing a female school of a high order within the limits of the Cooperation, to be built by the brotherhood." Nothing much was done, however, until 1854, when it was reported that the church in Hopkinsville "has a high school in successful operation, the South Kentucky Institute, conducted by brethren T.H. Trice and Enos Campbell, with suitable assistants in every department." Some six or seven thousand dollars had already been spent "erecting a boarding establishment" but the principals lacked funds to erect buildings for school purposes. A.L. Johnson presented a resolution that "the brethren be requested to raise funds for the erection of suitable buildings for the same in Hopkinsville, as soon as possible." Nothing more is recorded of this ambitious venture until 1859, at which time the South Kentucky Institute was tendered to the Cooperation.

At the 1850 meeting Liberty reported 67 members, 5 of which had joined that year. For several years the church was referred to as "Little River Church," possibly to prevent confusion with the Liberty in Todd County. In the 1851 meeting, there were 2 additions during the year and the total membership was 59. The 1852 meeting reports 55 members, including 20 males and 30 females (one cannot help wondering what the other five were), with an increase of 9 and a decrease of 5 from the previous year. There was one Sunday school class, with eight or ten scholars. Contribution to the Cooperation: $25.00. The 1852 minutes show that Beverly Caldwell (who kept a store at the present site of Beverly and for whom that community is named) represented Liberty and served as vice-president of the Cooperation.

In 1853 Liberty added $50.00 to its regular contribution for the purchase and education of Alexander Cross, the missionary to Liberia. The average weekly attendance was 25, with Sunday school held during the four summer months. In 1854 Liberty reported regular preaching by Brother Sewall for five months that year, this being the first regular ministry aside from the efforts of the local elders and evangelists. About one-third of the 71 members attended the weekly meetings regularly and Sunday school was held for about three months. Brother Mobley held a revival with seven additions. Liberty contributed $25.00 to the Cooperation, $5.00 to the Orphan's School, and $5.00 for the Baptist Revision.

The annual meetings of the Cooperation continued to be held through 1859, with Liberty being represented at all except the 1858 meeting held at the Corinth (now Trenton) church. It was reported in 1859 that the meetings had been sparsely attended for several years, and there are no records extant after that. It is surmised that the conflict of the times, together with the development of the State Society, ended this remarkable example of Christian cooperation.

IV. The years of mystery (1860-1878)

There are two large gaps in the history of Liberty. The first is the period between 1860 and 1878, the latter date being the year of the first record book available. This thirty-year gap is followed by another from 1900 until 1916, during which apparently few records were kept. These two gaps in information available are regrettable and what occurred can only be surmised from the subsequent recollections of the older members of the church. It is said that the membership record books, doubtless containing the names of the original members and the accretions prior to 1878, were destroyed when the home of one of the church clerks burned.

The membership of Liberty grew from 71 in 1854 to 85 by 1878. This information, though scant, indicates the progress of the church during this period.

Besides Brother Mobley, another minister serving the church during this period was V.M. "Uncle Minor" Metcalf. Elder Metcalf was born on November 5, 1832 near Athens, Tennessee. He attended Forest Hill Academy at Athens, Alabama Military Institute and Burret College (Spencer, Tennessee). In 1855 he married Ellen Killebrew of Clarksville. Prior to the Civil War he successfully operated cotton factories with his brother. At the close of the war he moved to Nashville and engaged in the distribution of supplies to the needy, together with David Lipscomb and Phillip Fall, prominent Reform leaders. Elder Metcalf moved to Hopkinsville in 1869 and often walked out to Liberty from there in order to preach. His main forte was telling children's stories, which led him to write the book Sunshine, or Uncle Minor's Stories. Metcalf was "anti-organ" inbelief and protested against the installation of one at the Hopkinsville church in 1887. He died on March 12, 1896.

An interesting chapter in the history of Liberty was written by the Adelphian Society. Intimately connected with the church, though not directly a part of it, the Society met in the church building throughout the year 1873, the regular meeting place (Owsley's Schoolhouse) being unavailable. The Adelphian Society was a literary and debating society embracing the community in its membership and affiliated with other such societies throughout the country. The Society was organized in a very formal manner, complete with extensive constitution and by-laws and a marshall to enforce the rules. At each meeting, after the opening formalities, several of the members were chosen to represent each side in the debate of the evening. The subjects of these debates give evidence of the erudition and seriousness of the participants. The following is a list of the subjects for 1873:

1. Affirmed that the Hope of Reward is a Greater Incentive to Action than the Fear of Punishment.
2. Affirmed that War is a Greater Evil than Intemperance.
3. Affirmed that Limited Monarchy is the Best Form of Government.
4. Affirmed that the Pursuit affords more Happiness than the Possession of Objects.
5. Is there Anything to be Feared from the Growth of Catholicism in America?
6. Should Females be Equally Educated with Males?
7. Should Capital Punishment be Abolished?

These last three were all decided in the negative. The "affirmative" side won the remaining propositions:

8. Affirmed that the Government and People of America are Justifiable in their Treatment of the Indians.
9. Affirmed that the French Revolution of 1792 was a Blessing to Mankind.
10. Affirmed that Oliver Cromwell was Justifiable in Beheading Charles I of England.

The cultural depth of these meetings was further enhanced by the presentation of several essays or addresses. Random titles from these are "Truth," by I.P. Davie; "The Importance of the Proper Application of Time," by B.A. Seay; "Woman," by W.J. Davie; "Things Passing Away," by Annie Major; "The Voice of Nature," by Maggie Major; "The Present State and Progress of Astronomy" and "The Origin and Advancement of the Arts and Sciences" by W.J. Davie.

An interesting footnote to the history of the time is furnished by the last several pages of the minute book, which the secretary (W.T. Smith of Beverly) used to keep a record of his accounts. Some of the current prices shown by these accounts were:

One day's labor $.75
One pair of shoes 2.00
2 bushels meal .80
Bacon, per pound .14
Beef, per pound .06
Coffee, per pound .20
Ham, per pound .10
Navy beans, per bushel 1.50
Whiskey, per quart 1.00
Cotton cloth, per yard .20
Sugar, per pound .10
Flour, per pound .05

V. The years of growth (1878-1900)

The first actual record of the membership now available is a roll book begun in 1878. This account shows 85 members in 1878, a total growth of 18 since 1850.

There was a general religious revival which swept over the country during the 1880's and 1890's, and Liberty seems to have been affected by that revival. In each of the two decades, 96 people were added to the membership of Liberty. The largest single year of growth was 1890, when (under the ministry of T.D. Moore) 39 members were added. The year 1894 brought 29 additions. Total membership has ranged from 145 to 170 ever since then.

Preachers during this period of growth was in the capable hands of R.C. Cave, Granville Lipscomb, Higby and T.D. Moore. Elder J.T. Hawkins, who was later (1917-1921) to serve as minister of Liberty, held a revival in October of 1887 with 10 additions.

While the exact dates of his ministry at Liberty aren't available, R.C. Cave served as minister of the Hopkinsville church in 1877 and during this general period also served as president of South Kentucky College.

Granville Lipscomb, who served the congregation at Liberty in the 1880's, was a brother of David Lipscomb, a leader of the conservative wing of the brotherhood, now the Church of Christ. He attended Franklin College, where he studied under Tolbert Fanning, a prominent Reform leader in Tennessee. Born in Franklin County, Tennessee on June 18, 1845, Granville Lipscomb began to preach in 1869 at the age of 24. For five years he wrote the Sunday school quarterlies published by the Gospel Advocate, and for many years was associate editor of that paper (serving under his brother David). He also owned and farmed land near Nashville. Apparently Lipscomb did not live in this community, but commuted in order to preach at Liberty. He died on February 10, 1910.

By 1891, with the growth of the church and its support, those members who lived in the Church Hill and Newstead neighborhoods, because of the difficulties of travel over the roads (then practically all unimproved stretches of mud) withdrew their membership and established Rich Church. An attractive white frame church building was erected on land donated by Ed Jones. From 1891 to 1966 Rich and Liberty existed in the closest cooperation as sister churches, usually sharing the services of the same minister. From 1944 to 1955 the women of the two churches were associated in the Liberty-Rich Missionary Society. Rich closed in 1966, and the building was razed.

VI. A new generation (1900-1937)

Liberty Church had enjoyed an unprecedented period of growth in the 1890's. However, the latter part of that decade and the early part of the twentieth century saw the death of many of the older stalwarts of the church: Jim Bradshaw, who was accustomed to leading the singing; Howard Major, who presided over the Communion Table; Roy Cayce, who generally handled the business of the church; and several others.

A great improvement in the building was the addition of an acetylene gas lighting system in 1902. Prior to that time, the church was lighted with coal oil lamps.
From 1900 to 1905 the pulpit was occupied by A.M. Growden, J.W. Mitchell (who was minister at Hopkinsville from 1892 to 1896), and Brother Humpries. During Humphries' ministry, J.T. Hawkins conducted a revival in the church. During this period Jim Cayce's pond was used for baptismal services. While some distance from the church, it was the deepest and clearest pond in the neighborhood.

T.E. Tomerlin, then a student at Potter Bible College, was minister of the church in 1906. It was during his ministry that the organ, a gift of Mrs. Roy (Pearl Cayce) Kenner, was installed. There was considerable opposition on the part of many members of Christian churches to the introduction of the instrument. By 1906, churches were divided into Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, the latter rejecting the use of musical instruments in worship. The organ was not altogether without opposition at Liberty. While Brother Tomerlin's logic and Mrs. Kenner's generosity carried the day, Elder Jim Cayce opposed it and refused to attend services for some time. However, he later became reconciled and resumed his rightful place in the congregation.

Tomerlin's ministry was followed by that of Brother Nance, then a student at McLean College in Hopkinsville, and the ministry of T.T. Roberts. Roberts served as president of McLean (South Kentucky) College from 1905 to 1911. It was during the latter period of his administration that he preached at Liberty.

In 1913, H.E. Stevens became minister of the church, serving for two years. Stevens was followed by R.O. Wickham, who also served for two years (1915-16). In 1916, Brother Tomerlin returned for a revival, in which there were eight additions.

Howard Major became superintendent of the Sunday school in 1914. By that time, with the death of many of the older leaders, attendance was at a low ebb. Between then and 1919, however, interest grew and attendance rose to around 70. The church was remodeled, a choir loft was installed, and curtains were put up so the one-room church could be divided into classrooms. In 1916 the organ was replaced with a piano. The organist (and later, pianist) was Anna Adams, who became Mrs. Howard Major in 1916. She was followed around 1920 by Mrs. Roy Cayce, who in turn was followed by her daughter Mary.

Grafton Cayce became Sunday school superintendent in 1919 and served until 1923. He was followed by Ike Cayce. Then a few years later, Herbert Cayce became superintendent and served until 1949, a record of over twenty years.

Until the 1950's the task of custodian was performed by some member of the church. The duties, besides keeping the building clean (and heated in the winter), consisted of preparing the Communion. Around 1900, this duty was performed by Zephie Childress, who lived on the Swallow Springs place just north of the church. She took personal pride in the dazzling whiteness of the tablecloth, and regularly baked two loaves of unleavened bread for each Lord's day. She was followed in 1911 by Howard Major, who was succeeded by Robert Howard Major. From the 1920's Herbert Cayce served in this capacity, assisted by his wife Mary.

From 1913 on, the name of the minister and the general statistics of the church are listed in the Yearbooks of the Disciples of Christ.

During this period, the Sam Jones Tabernacle at Hopkinsville was often used by evangelists of some note as a preaching station. One of these men, Charles Raines Scoville, attracted capacity crowds at the Tabernacle. During his revival he came out to Liberty for an all-day meeting with dinner on the grounds. However, despite his tremendous plea, no additions were made that day.

Membership during the period from 1900 through 1936 varied little (from 132 to 145), though interest and attendance fluctuated from around 70 to as low as eight or ten. The church had preaching two Sundays a month during most of this period; however this was sporadically reduced to one-quarter time. According to the Yearbook, contributions averaged approximately $600 a year. Edward Cayce, who was Sunday school treasurer, seldom showed expenditures of more than ten dollars a month. Some of the items were: stove polish, gasoline (for the lights), matches, mantles, and dye for the curtains.

During the late 1920's and early 1930's, Liberty participated in a County Convention of Christian churches. Among the papers of the church there is a poster containing the resolutions of one of these conventions. An undated report indicates that the convention was held in the churches in rotation. David M. Walker, the minister at Hopkinsville (1930-36) who came out to Liberty to preach in the afternoons, seems to have been one of the main supporters of the convention in the 1930's.

In 1878 the members of Liberty were listed separately as "male" or "female"; however, this distinction in membership was soon forgotten and women have played an important role in the church. The Liberty Women's Circle was organized on October 10, 1935. Mrs. Roy Mobley was made chairwoman and Jennie Major, secretary. "To the Work" was the theme song of the group, and their motto was "Do all the good you can, to all of the people you can, in all the ways you can, whenever you can." The purpose of the circle was:

1st, To study the Bible
2nd, To urge church attendance
3rd, To help with the needs of the church
4th, To help the needy of this community
5th, To help the Orphans' Home

Some of the activites were: quilting and the collection of foodstuffs for the Orphans' Home, and the keeping of one of the children from the Home during the summer. Brother P.L. Stone met with the group and encouraged them to support the Stinnett Settlement School and community in eastern Kentucky, which they did. The group also helped two local families with gifts of food and clothing. Attendance at the meetings varied from seven to twenty-five.

VII. The war years and after

A comprehensive report was presented to the congregation by Mrs. Roy Mobler in September of 1937. She reported preaching on the first and third Sundays by E.L. Young, who was paid $20 a Sunday. Average Sunday school attendance was 47. The fifth Sunday offering, approximately $100 a year, was sent (along with canned goods and eggs) to the Widow's and Orphan's Home in Louisville.

Edward L. Young, minister in 1937, was educated at Culver-Stockton College and Vanderbilt University. He was a student at Vanderbilt while serving Liberty. Later, in 1951, he became president of the Missouri Convention of Christian Churches.

Young was succeeded by two other Vanderbilt students: R.E. DeLoach (1938-41) and John Faust (1941-42). These men preached full-time at Liberty, commuting from Nashville on the weekends. DeLoach, who was especially interested in working with young people, spent the summer in this community, boarding at E.B. Major's.

Holding revivals during this period were: E.L. Young (1937), D.M. Walker (1938), Brother Lallis (1938), Brother Gray (1940), and Edward Cayce (1941). One of two ministers produced by Liberty (along with the present writer), Edward Cayce was educated at Transylvania and the College of the Bible in Lexington, and became the minister of First Christian Church of Shelbyville, Kentucky.
In April of 1939 the church was papered, the roof was painted, and evergreens were planted. Shortly afterward, electricity replaced the old gas lighting system (to the everlasting relief of the custodian) and in 1945, two gas heaters were installed, replacing the wood stoves.

After the graduation of Brother Faust, the church had difficulty securing a minister. Monroe G. Shuster (then at Hopkinsville) prevailed upon E.C. Lacy, who had retired from a long and successful ministry, to undertake the ministry at Liberty and several other county churches. Lacy served the congregation faithfully from 1943 until the latter part of 1947, when sickness prevented him from continuing. During Brother Lacy's ministry. he conducted the revival in 1943 and Melvin Baker was evangelist in 1945. The war years were extremely difficult years for the church and Brother Lacy's generous willingness to come out of retirement to guide the church will not be soon forgotten. During this period the average attendance reflected wartime difficulties of transportation by dropping to 28.

In 1949 the decision was made to build a parsonage. At this time the old church building was still in use and it stood on exactly the same location as the present building. The south side of the lot was amply provided with shade from the tall hickory trees and it was necessary to remove one or two of these amd clear out the brush in order to provide an ideal location for the parsonage. The century-old church building was in bad shape by this time. Termites had weakened the structure, which was so open that despite the valiant efforts of the heaters, the temperature often dropped to near-freezing on wintry Sunday mornings. On Sunday morning, April 6, 1952 the congregation voted to construct a new building. Services were held in the parsonage basement during the construction of the new building. The old building was moved by the members and later sold.

The first meeting in the present building was on February 8, 1953. It is 34 by 60 feet in size and contains, besides the sanctuary, baptistry, and study, a full basement in which there are four Sunday school rooms and a large assembly room. The larger stained-glass windows were a gift from the Roaring Springs Christian Church.

In 1950, the church participated in the reorganization of the Christian Convention. That same year, Sunday night services were inaugurated and, congregational meetings having replaced board meetings for the conduct of church business, S.A. Stroube was elected chairman of the congregation.

In 1952, an annual Vacation Bible School was begun. For the first two years it was held in cooperation with Locust Grove Baptist Church, but since then it has been conducted by Liberty alone. That same year, a homecoming was held and it proved such a success that it has become an annual affair. The writer recalls his own ministry there (1951-56, also 1967-93) as extremely happy years.

Over the last fifty years, the church has enjoyed a growth in interest and activity. All things considered, Liberty Christian Church is both spiritually and physically stronger now than ever before in her history. It is the writer's prayer that if a new history is written every year, the same statement may conclude each one.