The centennial record of Freewill Baptists, 1780-1880 . d, and the bordersof Zion were enlarged. This period, especially the last half of it, was not-ed for revivals. The year 1840, and those whichimmediately followed it, surpassed, in this particu-lar, anything which had been previously witnessedin the American churches of all denominations. Itseemed that the kingdom of God had really, andeven literally, come ; and there was a pressing intoit; but such was the nature of some of the influenc-es which operated, that it was not strange that therewas a subsequent reaction. In addition to the caus
The centennial record of Freewill Baptists, 1780-1880 . d, and the bordersof Zion were enlarged. This period, especially the last half of it, was not-ed for revivals. The year 1840, and those whichimmediately followed it, surpassed, in this particu-lar, anything which had been previously witnessedin the American churches of all denominations. Itseemed that the kingdom of God had really, andeven literally, come ; and there was a pressing intoit; but such was the nature of some of the influenc-es which operated, that it was not strange that therewas a subsequent reaction. In addition to the causes of numerical increasealready indicated, there was considerable gain fromorganic accessions. The first of these to receiveattention were those in Rhode Island. They wereindividual churches and ministers, and were mostlyof the spiritual progeny, of which Roger Williamswas the sire. Foremost among them in characterwas the church in Olneyville with its pastor, Mar-tin Cheney. Organized in 1828 as a Baptistchurch and remaining independent until 1830, it. ^?^Cfl,.~.^._,^^>«^ /)///C^.^c^^- l^-e^^-i^-*^- i The Free-will Baptists. 31 then united with the denomination and has, eversince, occupied a leading position. The pastor,ardent, strong and influential, was a leader in allmoral and spiritual reforms. He did a grateful andabiding work. The Roger Williams church fol-lowed in 1837. It was originally Six PrincipleBaptist in name, and soon became large andstrong. There were others which came in duetime; and, to-day, of the twenty-five churches,of which the Rhode Island Association is com-posed, nine were not organized as Freewill second of these accessions was that of theFree Communion Baptists of New York who unit-ed with the Freewill Baptists as a body in membership was a little more than two thou-sand and five hundred, embraced in fifty-fivechurches. This people had an interesting his-tory. Previous to 1783 emigrants from a churchin Westerly, R. I., conne
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