Fort Ogden and Josh Creek--The Baptist Association

Edited by Spessard Stone from Charles B. Pendleton's article in the Sunland Tribune (Tampa, Fla.) of November 17, 1877



Leaving the quiet, thriving village of Fort Ogden, we steered our course northward for Josh Creek, where the Baptist Association was in session. The citizens had built an extensive arbor and when gathered beneath its shade, there were at least nine hundred souls listening to the words of eternal life as they fell from the preacher's lips.

The scene at our arrival was picturesque and beautiful, the white tents of the worshipers were scattered promiscuously over the camp ground; here and there could be seen crowds which had recently arrived--wending their way to the arbor which occupied nearly a central position. As we neared the stand all seemed still and hushed.

The minister's voice could be heard loud and clear, asking the Maker's blessing upon the assembled multitude, and we involuntarily bowed our head as we heard the gray haired veteran of his Master's service pray for the friends and loved ones in distant states, and pray that the aliens here might never give the inmates of the old homestead cause for sorrow and regret.

After prayer the minister--H. Y. Scales, who by the way has been a missionary to the Creeks and Choctaws of the far west, delivered an impressive sermon from the text--"The wages of sin is death." He was followed by exhortation by Rev. John W. Hendry. At the close of the services, Mr. Scales sang an Indian hymn in the Choctaw tongue.

The meeting was closed till night and then in the sombre gloaming beneath the starry canopy of heaven, words of eloquence
fraught with the great blessing to mankind were delivered from the text, "by faith," convincing some and to the more sceptical opening questions in the heart which we may hope may lead to their nearer approach to God.

The speaker--John W. Hendry--seemed to hold the minds of his hearers spellbound, and members crowded the mourners' bench.

It was truly a solemn occasion, and it did not take a great stretch of the imagination to carry one back to the early apostolic days and the sacred occasions around the "Holy City."

I was sorry that I was not present during the entire meeting but it happened to be impossible. It was on Saturday that I reached the ground and I had to leave early Sunday, so I lost a greater part of the meeting and the associations connected with it.

There were nine ministers at the association and everything passed off quietly, except a few of the courting scenes--some I expect rivalled Major Jones--of the young gents and young ladies-- some of the Fort Ogden belles and Pine Level boys. I would like to exonerate myself in these affairs, but I am afraid I would not be just, since I shall have to say that my boon companion and friend- Ed. C.--lost his heart, I expect mine would have gone also, but fortune favored, it having gone long ago.

But to leave these digressions and return to more sensible subjects, Josh Creek is a thriving farming settlement, which the numerous places along the creek indicate. Health is good and all things look promising. The orange trees are full of fruit and the barns are well stocked with corn. Sugar making will soon begin and then for the 'lasses biling--well hold the minute; I can hardly go on thinking of the sweet times coming.

This county is rapidly settling up and in a few years will present the appearance of older settlements. This is encouraging to us who live further down, the trade goes to Ogden.

Speaking of the health of this country reminds me again that I found some of the oldest men here I had met in any place--four, seventy-eight years old, fifteen or twenty, over sixty. One of these--Daniel W. Carlton--is a veritable patriarch. He has 48 children and grandchildren, and has never lost a member of his family. Counting his sons' wives, there were fifty-six and all on the ground. The old gentleman was a little troubled to get his family together, as he wanted to have their picture taken.

It is strange that nearly all of these old hale and hearty men are "tarheels," the old North State having lost many of her best sons and daughters in her early days by emigration.

Our return to Ogden was hardly so pleasant as we anticipated and to use a common expression, we began to think that sometimes "Jordan is a hard road to travel." Meaning no disrespect to Christianity or to you, we will leave you where we started--at Fort Ogden.


This was published in The Herald Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of December 1, 1988.



February 28, 2001 & links = October 16, 2001& May 4, 2002 midi = "Amazing Grace," Taylor's Traditional Tunes.