History
Twelve miles from Paris at the junction of the Silas and Collins Roads stands the Silas Baptist Church. Organized August 30, 1800, by twenty members as an orthodox church and has held services continuing without interruption, making it the oldest church in Bourbon County, as shown by the marker erected by the State Historic Society.
In September of 1781, the Rev. Lewis Craig with his congregation of between 500 and 600 men, women, and children led by Captain William Ellis, left Spottsylvania, Virginia for the wilderness of Kentucky, because they had been persecuted for expressing their Baptist belief. The Rev. Craig had been imprisoned several times, once for three months.
Members of the church, not only brought with them their personal belongings, but also their official book of records, communion service, and most treasured Bible. Each night upon making camp, the weary travelers would conduct religious services.
Once during bad weather, according to old records, the group halted for three weeks at Holton River, somewhere in Virginia and held services. Many more were converted and baptized.
By the middle of December they had reached their destination, now known as Craig's Station on Gilbert's Creek near Lancaster, Kentucky. After traveling 600 miles in covered wagons, the group built the first Baptist church west of the Alleghenies in 1781.
The Rev. Craig and his workers organized other churches, among them the Bryan Station Baptist Church in 1786, of which the Cooper's Run Baptist Church is a "daughter" church. Though it had only twenty membrs, it was admitted to the Elkhorn Baptist Association in 1787. Five of its members were lost during the first year by cruelty of the Indians. It prospered until 1795 when it had a membership of 119, and then gradually declined until 1803 when it was dropped from the Association.
In 1796, twenty of its members withdrew and on August 30, 1800 with the assistance of Eve and August Eastin and Ambrose Dudley, who were members of Rev. Craig's party, drew up a separate constitution and organized a separate churc with George Eve as their first pastor. This church received into the Elkhorn Baptist Association in August 1802 as an orthodox Baptist Church under the name of Silas.
A deed was received in 1799 from Charles Smith, stipulating that the ground by used by regular Baptists, upon which the first building, a small log church was erected in 1801 at the forks of Silas Creek in Bourbon County. The church had a balcony for slaves, a window at the rear pulpit and a closet beneath the pulpit where important papers were kept.
The present brick structure was built in 1850 at a cost of $3,000. This was during the pastorate of the Rev. James D. Black. The Rev. J. R. Barbee ministered as pastor to the Silas Baptist Church from 1855-59 and during this period a Sunday School was established.
In 1902 the old churc building was remodeled and enlarged: eight stain-glass windows were installed and the baptistry was added. In the early 1940's additional space was added for Sunday School rooms. In 1967 a new wing was added for additional Sunday School rooms, this new wing was dedicated to the memory of Sp. 4 Donald I Rankin, October 22, 1967 at a cost of $14,000. Donald I Rankin was killed in Vietnam November 14, 1966. Donald, a 26-year old serviceman left 10% of his GI insurance to the church, thus adding $2,500 to a building fund already in progress. This was a most commendable acy by a young Christian. This young man loved the Lord and His church, it is an act worth emulating by all of us.
Silas Baptist Church has continued to restore and remodel this beautiful historic structure. In 2000, the members voted to build a Community Life Center on donated land next to the church. Around 2005, enough money had been raised to start constructing the structure. Today Silas is proud to say they have been blessed with a Life Center that is completely paid for that the community can enjoy and use to praise the Lord.
In September of 1781, the Rev. Lewis Craig with his congregation of between 500 and 600 men, women, and children led by Captain William Ellis, left Spottsylvania, Virginia for the wilderness of Kentucky, because they had been persecuted for expressing their Baptist belief. The Rev. Craig had been imprisoned several times, once for three months.
Members of the church, not only brought with them their personal belongings, but also their official book of records, communion service, and most treasured Bible. Each night upon making camp, the weary travelers would conduct religious services.
Once during bad weather, according to old records, the group halted for three weeks at Holton River, somewhere in Virginia and held services. Many more were converted and baptized.
By the middle of December they had reached their destination, now known as Craig's Station on Gilbert's Creek near Lancaster, Kentucky. After traveling 600 miles in covered wagons, the group built the first Baptist church west of the Alleghenies in 1781.
The Rev. Craig and his workers organized other churches, among them the Bryan Station Baptist Church in 1786, of which the Cooper's Run Baptist Church is a "daughter" church. Though it had only twenty membrs, it was admitted to the Elkhorn Baptist Association in 1787. Five of its members were lost during the first year by cruelty of the Indians. It prospered until 1795 when it had a membership of 119, and then gradually declined until 1803 when it was dropped from the Association.
In 1796, twenty of its members withdrew and on August 30, 1800 with the assistance of Eve and August Eastin and Ambrose Dudley, who were members of Rev. Craig's party, drew up a separate constitution and organized a separate churc with George Eve as their first pastor. This church received into the Elkhorn Baptist Association in August 1802 as an orthodox Baptist Church under the name of Silas.
A deed was received in 1799 from Charles Smith, stipulating that the ground by used by regular Baptists, upon which the first building, a small log church was erected in 1801 at the forks of Silas Creek in Bourbon County. The church had a balcony for slaves, a window at the rear pulpit and a closet beneath the pulpit where important papers were kept.
The present brick structure was built in 1850 at a cost of $3,000. This was during the pastorate of the Rev. James D. Black. The Rev. J. R. Barbee ministered as pastor to the Silas Baptist Church from 1855-59 and during this period a Sunday School was established.
In 1902 the old churc building was remodeled and enlarged: eight stain-glass windows were installed and the baptistry was added. In the early 1940's additional space was added for Sunday School rooms. In 1967 a new wing was added for additional Sunday School rooms, this new wing was dedicated to the memory of Sp. 4 Donald I Rankin, October 22, 1967 at a cost of $14,000. Donald I Rankin was killed in Vietnam November 14, 1966. Donald, a 26-year old serviceman left 10% of his GI insurance to the church, thus adding $2,500 to a building fund already in progress. This was a most commendable acy by a young Christian. This young man loved the Lord and His church, it is an act worth emulating by all of us.
Silas Baptist Church has continued to restore and remodel this beautiful historic structure. In 2000, the members voted to build a Community Life Center on donated land next to the church. Around 2005, enough money had been raised to start constructing the structure. Today Silas is proud to say they have been blessed with a Life Center that is completely paid for that the community can enjoy and use to praise the Lord.