Almost every denomination of religion is represented in Highland county today, each signifying a certain strength and beauty of purpose and faith that can not be denied. There are the Baptist churches which sprang from the efforts of Baptist emigrants who flocked to the New Market neighborhood about 1837. A small group of Baptist, differentiating themselves from the “Hardshell Baptists,” met at the home of Oliver Harris June 9, 1838, and under an appletree, organized the Little Rocky Fork Baptist Church, now the New Market Baptist Church. The following persons joined that day: William Vance, Rachel Vance, David McConnaughey, Prudence Comfort Arnott, Andrew McConnaughey, Jacob Johnson, Lydia Vance, Margaret Ross, Samuel S. Harris and Mary Wheaton.

 From: Folklore of Highland County, Violet Morgan © 1946 Greenfield Publishing, Page 80

 
In January of 1838, Oliver Harris was called upon to help settle a dispute within the Baptist church he belonged. Oliver called this dispute “benevolent operations.” Oliver concluded that each individual needed to act according the “dictates of their conscience.” Oliver’s decision must not have been a popular one because in April of that year, Oliver separated himself from the church because of church persecution. By June of 1838, Oliver and 16 others began planning the Little Rocky Fork Baptist Church having found that “old brethren have bolted the meeting house against us.”
 
Below are some of the highlights from Oliver Harris’s diary for the building of the new meeting house.

 December 25, 1838: went to father Vances to meeting to fix on a place o build a meeting. concluded to build of brick 45 by 35 one story.

 26. I went to Elies & br Arnetts to see about giting a meeting house lot.

27. I put a new handle in Samls ax & went to Esq Baughs & got a Deed of br Arnett Eli Bereman & David Mcconnaughey one halr acre each for the meeting house lot & burying ground.

 Some of the highlights from Oliver’s diary are below:
 
March, 1839
4. on Mo I went to the new methodis meeting house & took the dementions of it then came home. clear. very cold.

6. on We I halld in a stack of hay & went to New Market with br Vance to see about meeting house lot. clear.
 April, 1839

 30. went yesterday with father Vance & artikled with David Zing to do the wood part of our new meeting house. he is to have 520 dollars.
 
May, 1839
 
27. I went to New Market & got Thos Bereman to lay off the place for our meeting house with his cumpus.

 August, 1839

6. I sot the 3 boys to diging for foundation for meeting house

 12. I workd at meeting house. Absolem Strange & son began to lay stone foundation. clear & very dry.
 
13. I workd at querrying stone & halling lime. clear.

14. I workd at meeting house. clear.

15. I tended masons. clear.

 16. I tended masons. clear.
 
17. qurry stone & counted Thos Purdy 500 brick & soald my shoe. clear.

 18. I was at home. some clouds

 19. I tended mason. clear.
 

20. I tended mason they finisd the stone foundation.
 
23. hunted for a stone for meeting house door
 
30. I halld a stone for meeting house step & 2 lodes of brick
 
September, 1839
 
2. I helpd about meeting house. had 3 bricklayers began the walls.clear.
3. I helpd about halling brick & made a hod & clear north light appeard at night in a red appearence. (aurora borealis)
 4. I helpd about brick sand etc. clear & warm & dry.
 
5. I helpd about the meeting house. clear.
 6. I helpd lode brick & went to town
 
27. the purlines & joice was raisd to day.
 28. the bricklayers finisd the walls of meeting house. I gave them $25.
 
January, 1840
 
1. I went to meeting house & helpd to build a chimney for stove
 pipes. cloudy.

8. I went to meeting house to finis chimneys.
 
11. On Saturday 11. on Sa I went to new meeeting house to church meeting. br Frey preachd from 1 Kings ViII & 29. there was 5 receivd by right hand of fellowship. they was baptizd a few weeks ago.
 
12. on Sunday I went to meeting. br Frey preachd from Solomans Song II & 4 then administerd the Lords supper. the house was nearly filld with people. he preachd again at candle light from Isai LV &
 
7. cloudy. snowd a little at night. Oh that the Lord would fill that house with true worshipers & record his name there.
 
February, 1840
 
10. I prepaird my meeting house account for settlement. the brethren met here in PM to see what each one would have to pay.

 21. I went to meeting. br Frey preachd & again at nihgt he preachd again. brethren came from different churches round but no preachers.
 
May, 1840
 
2. on Saurday I went to New Market to a Whig meeting in our meeting house. ther was a nmmber of able speaches on political affairs. clear.

 3. on Sunday I we detaind at home by hard rain in AM & a severe shower of rain. wind & thunder in PM. at between 3 & 4 oclock in PM a powerfull storm passd over New Market & blew down our new meeting houe in that villige. the ruff was taken off & the two end walls.one o the bottom of the windows & the other to the stone foundation.one stove broke & the pulpit & most of the seats distroyd. I pray the ord to sanctify this callamity to the good of the church & vcinity.
 
5. I went to meeting house to clean off the ruff & brisk so as to save the floor.
 
June, 1840

1. I went to meeting house to fix for repairing the walls but the brick layers did not come as was expected.

8. I went to meeting house expecting the bricklayers. they came in PM & began to rebuild walls

11. went to meeting house & helpd rais plates & timbers.
 
16. to meeting house & built chimney for stove pipe & helpd put up rafters.

 17. Mr Anderson is puting on the shingles.
 
23. Saml in PM went to meeting house to prepair things for the plasterers.
 
30. fixd up the pullys for the chandelears
 
July, 1840
 
1. went to meting house. Robt & James made morter.
 
Sept 24, 1841 “went to meeting to appoartion each mans part to pay for building our meeting house but did nothing to purpose.”
 
Nov. 13, 1841 "went to meeting house at 9 to settle with the church for building meeting house. there remains due me more than 200 dollars.”

While the following passage does not pertain to the repair of the meeting house I thought I would include it here since it represents church dealings with individuals, sin, and celebration.
 
October, 1840
 
2. & went to church meeting. br Ross & wife was excluded for joining the Camilites. father Mcconnaughey for willfully neglecting Gods worship & speaking reproachfully of the church & Elias Hatfield for drunkenness.
 
July, 1843
 
8. on Sa I hoed corn & went to church meeting. br D Vance preachd from 23 Psalm then Eld Frey from luke XXI & 36. Jain McConnaughey was excluded for having an elegitamate child. some clouds.
July, 1844

 4. on Th I wove some & went to the Sunday school celebration. had a march through town to each meeting house. collected the different schools went to baptist meeting house & had 2 lectors on Sun S then marchd in double file to the grove near whare Robt Harris lives & there partook of an exelent diner furnishd gratuoously by the whole neighbourhood. then had 2 lectures at a stand near to the table one on temporance & one on independance then marchd back to town & dispersd all in good order & high glee. the day clear & cool.