Knob Creek Church

(1799?-)

Brethren at Work Sept. 6, 1881 page 541 Vol. 5 Vo. 34

Boon’s Creek

Brethren at Work Sept. 6, 1881 page 541 Vol. 5 Vo. 34

  From F. B. Wine. – About eighty years ago the church of the Brethren was organized at Boon’s Creek, Washington Co., Tenn., with nine members.  The first speakers were Bowman and Crouse.  They held their meetings in their dwelling-house for several years after they were organized. About the year 1834, the first meeting-house was erected on Knob Creek, which is still standing, and has a membership of about seventy or eighty members.  From Knob Creek church eighteen churches of the Brethren have sprung up, and now the East Tennessee District numbers 2,000. Pleasant Hill church (from which I write) was built in the year 1850. They organized with twenty-three members.  John A Bowman was their pastor, who was shot and killed at home during the late war.   The church now only members sixty members, and should be noted for it quietude.  But has we better not be quiet and doing nothing, than judging one another? For when this is laid aside all is in harmony. And if we were to look more inward and pray for the conversion of sinners, would it not be more acceptable in the sight of God?? Our Love-feast will be held at Pleasant Hill, beginning Sept. 17th.  The District Meeting of Tennessee will be held at Knob Creek church November 4th, 5th and 6th. – Blountville, Tenn.

The Gospel Messenger Dec. 2, 1911 page 769 Vol. 50 No. 48

Among the Churches in East Tennessee and North Carolina.

  The Knob Creek church, midway between Jonesboro and Johnson City, Elders S. J. and D. F. Bowman in charge, was the first organized church of the Brethren in Tennessee. Eld. Samuel Garber, of Virginia, came to the State about the year 1800, labored in Word and doctrine and organized the church. In those days meetings were held in the houses of the members, and church buildings were not numerous among our people. The membership was limited. A the first love feast, held in the State, only five communicants were present. From this nucleus grew the State Districts of Tennessee and North and South. In 1834 our first meetinghouse was built in the State, known as the Knob Creek house. It was built of hewn logs, "chinked and daubed," as were most of the houses in those days. In size it was thirty-six by fifty feet, with a kitchen sixteen by eighteen, used to prepare for love feasts. Later a lean-to shed, open at side and ends was constructed for the accommodation of the first Annual Meeting held in Tennessee, Sept. 4, 1846. It was a special Conference and is noted because of a deliverance made on the slavery question.

  A brother had been excelled for selling slaves and wanted to be received into fellowship. Answer, "Such a brother cannot be reinstated until he has used every exertion in his power to liberate them, and make full satisfaction to the church."

  The old house was torn down in 1905 and replaced by a large and well-constructed, modern building. It should have been presided for the good accomplished in it and especially for the witness of the church against slavery here promulgated and as a reminder how we have changed as to church buildings. It is a long look from the old log meetinghouses of the fathers,— slab benches without backs, eight by ten window- lights, tallow-dips for lighting, built at a nominal cost of not over a hundred dollars, outside of the labor, most of which was donated,—to our best houses of worship today. These cost from ten to twenty-five thousand dollars, finished in polished hard wood, large windows with colored or stained glass, the best of modern seals, the building heated with a furnace, lighted with electricity, cushions if you want them, and every possible convenience. It is not wrong to have the very best for God's service. Surely, we ought to give him as good as we use for ourselves, but there is imminent danger of going to extremes, both in our houses of worship and in our homes.

  Several most enjoyable days were spent with the members of the Knob Creek church. The evening meetings were well attended, the interest good, and it is hoped that lasting impressions were made. At the closing meeting three precious souls gave themselves to Christ. It was urged by the brethren that the meetings should continue, but appointments already made prevented a longer stay.

  It was our privilege to meet with the District Mission Board of Tennessee. Included in its territory are four States and part of a fifth,—Tennessee, Kentucky, -Alabama, Mississippi, and part of Virginia. The territory has an area of two hundred thousand square miles, with a population of over eight million souls. The Board has recently inaugurated a new plan for raising money for mission work, and it is sincerely hoped it will result in increased funds, so that the work may not be hindered. The South offers a wide open, fruitful field for mission work,—a field that we have been too slow to occupy. More attention should be given to it in the future than in the past. The Board is made up of men of matured judgment and earnest in their desire to advance the cause of Christ. The writer fully believes that these brethren will do their best to care for the large field placed in their charge by the church of the living God. We ought to have organized congregations all over the South and, under God's blessing, we will have them in the years to come, if energy and proper methods are used. The next stopping place was at Bristol, where our Annual Conference was held in 1905. The memory of that good meeting is still vivid among the people of Bristol, and they would like another of the same kind.

   Pleasant View church is ten miles southwest of Bristol, and here four meetings were held. Brethren John H. Garst and Noah Sherfy are the elders in charge. The house was not large enough to hold all the people the last evening. We had a very pleasant stay with these kind-hearted, generous members, and shall not soon forget it.  In the Pleasant Hill church lived Elder John A. Bowman, a man of marked ability and one of nature’s own orator.  He was a able and powerful preacher and often lifted his voice against slavery and the Civil War. He was shot down at his own home by a Confederate soldier and then struck on the temple with the butt of the gun, and thus put to death.  He was, in the manner of his death, the John Kline of Tennessee.

  The time taken are twenty-one church in the District and then there are the churches of North and South Carolina.  All should have been visited.  It would have been a real pleasure to have spent six instead of one month with them. The brethren were overkind.  If a well beloved father had returned to his home after years of absence, a warmer or more generous welcome could not have been accorded.  God bless our beloved Southern Brethren.  D. L. M.

P.S. – in the first letter of this series reference was made to the arrest and fine of Elder Samuel Garber for preaching against slavery.  His text on that occasion was Isaiah 58:6, :Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every Yoke?”  the text was banded to him by a man not a member of the church, with request that he preach from it.  Afterward this same man was Bro. Garber’s prosecutor. He had laid a trap for him, with the result as already given.  D. L. M.

The Gospel Messenger Dec, 9, 1911 Front page  Vol. 50 No. 49

The Old Knob Creek Meetinghouse

The photogravures herewith presented to our readers will afford an excellent opportunity to study the country style of architecture common in the beginning of the last century. The old Knob Creek meetinghouse, the first of our churchhouses built in Tennessee, has been torn down and will soon pass from

Know Creek Church, Tenn. – Front View

the memory of the living, but the photographer's art has preserved for us the old house as it was and as it still lives in the memory of many of our people. For the photographs the writer expresses obligation and thanks to Bro. O. L. Hensley, of Jonesboro, Tenn: He is a skilled photographer. In a recent letter, published in the Messenger, descriptive of a visit to Knob Creek, this was said about the old meetinghouse: " In 1834 our first meetinghouse was built in the State, known as the Knob Creek house. It was built of hewn logs, ' chunked and daubed,' as were most of the houses in those days. In size it was thirty-six by fifty feet, with a kitchen sixteen by eighteen, used to prepare for love feasts. Later a lean-to shed, open at side and ends was constructed for the accommodation of the first Annual Meeting held in Tennessee, Sept. 4, 5, 6, 1846.  It was a special Conference and is noted because of a deliverance made on the slaves and wanted to be received into fellowship again.  Answer, ‘Such a brother cannot be reinstated until he has used every exertion in his power to liberate them, and make full satisfaction to the church,’

Know Creek Church, Tenn. – Back View

" The old house was torn down in 1905 and replace by a large and well-constructed, modern building. It should have been preserved for the good accomplished in it and especially for the witness of the church against slavery here promulgated and as a reminder how we have changed as to church buildings. It is a long look from the old log meetinghouses of the fathers,—slab benches without backs, eight by ten window-lights, tallow-dips for lighting, built at a nominal cost of not over a hundred dollars, outside of the labor, most of which was donated,—to our best houses of worship today. These cost from ten to twenty-five thousand dollars, finished in polished hard wood, large windows with colored or stained glass, the best of modern seats, the building heated with a furnace, lighted with electricity, cushions if you want them, and every possible convenience.  It is not wrong to have the best of God’s service. Surely, we ought to give him as good as we use for ourselves, but there is imminent danger of going to extremes, both in our houses of worship an in our homes.”   D.  L. M.