The Lexington church, before receiving the colored church as a branch, decided to send the following queries to the Elkhorn Association: "First, Can persons baptized on a profession of faith by an administrator not ordained, be received into our churches under any circumstances whatever, without being again baptized? Second, Is it admissible by the Association to ordain free men of color Ministers of the gospel?"

A committee . . . was appointed by the [Elkhorn] Association to consider the queries and to report to the next Association. the committee then reported "that it is not regular to receive such members" thus baptized, and that there is "no reason why free men of color may not be ordained ministers of the Gospel, the Gosepl [sic] qualifications being possessed by them." According to the ruling of the Association on the second query, London Ferrill was regularly ordained to the ministry by the First Baptist Church of Lexington. Notwithstanding the irregular baptism administered by Old Captain, a compromise was affected by which the colored congregation, having been constituted upon a written covenant, July 1822, was admitted into fellowship by the Lexington First Church.

Elder London Ferrill officially became pastor of the colored church in 1823, which was received into the Elkhorn Association as the First Baptist Church, Lexington, Colored, in 1824.