Minutes of the Fourth Annual Session of the Mountain District Baptist Association

held with

Fox Creek Church, Grayson County, Virginia

The Fourth Saturday in August and the two days thereafter, 1800

The next session convenes with the Head of Yadkin Church on the fourth Saturday in August 1801 and the two days thereafter.

Officers

Andrew Baker…………….Moderator

John Holland Owen……….Clerk

Minutes of the Mountain Ason. Began & held the 4th Saturday in August 1800 at Fox Creek in Grayson County, Virginia. The Introductory Sermon was delivered by Bro. James McCaleb from Psalms 133 & first verse. Then after Devine service proceeded to business then rec’d the letters from 14 churches & Inrolled the Delegates.

After the letters was read the Asson. Proceeded to choose a Moderator & Clerk & Bro. Andrew Baker chosen Moderator & Bro. Jno. Hd. Owen, Clerk —- Then came forward 3 churches by their letters & delegates & made application for Union which was granted. [It is not stated who these three churches were]. Then received a corresponding letter from Holston Asson, also a corresponding letter from the Yadkin Asson. Brother Lazarus Whitehead & Jno. Holland Owen the Delegates tho Bro. Whitehead did not attend.

The letters was received with joy & comfort. Then proceed to appoint a select committee to arrange the business of the Asson. To wit Brethren James McCaleb, George McNeil, Geo. Brown & Wm. Wilson with the Moderator and Clerk & that they report on Monday morning then appointed Bro. Jas. McCaleb to write a circular letter. Also appointed Bro. Thos. Johnson to prepare a corresponding letter to the Yadkin Asson. & also Bro. Jno. Hd. Own to prepare a corresponding letter to the Holston Asson. & that they make report on Monday 12 o’clock then adjourned Monday 9 o’clock

The Lord’s day was spent in public worship.

Met agreeable to appointment & after Divine Service procceded to business.

1st. The delegates names were called over

2nd. Called on the committee to make report which they did and was discharged.

3rd., The case of Sinclair’s Bottom Church considered on whether the delegates from Sinclairs Bottom should have a seat Ansd. No. The Asson agrees to send them helps & appointed the following brethren: Jas. McCaleb, George McNeil, George Brown, Sam’l Vanderpool, Wm. Sparks, Elisha Bauldin. The members agrees to attend the church the 1st Friday in October 1800.

4th. The Brethren that was appointed to write letters of correspondence reports there is but one prepared which was to the Holston Asson & approved. The others had not been prepared they letters they was appoint to do for Certain reasons & was discharged then appointed Bro. Jas. McCaleb & James Chambers to write a circular letter on the subject of prayer & the same brethren to write another Circular letter for the next Asson. & the subject keeping the Union of the Churches. Then appointed Bro. Jno. Hd. Own to write a corresponding letter to the Yadkin Asson & to have the same [illegible]. Then appointed Bros. Andw. Baker & George Brown as messengers to the Holston Asson. Also appointed the next Asson the 4th Sat. in August 1801 at the Head of Yadkin. Then agreed to adjourn till next Asson., in course, then ordered to be assigned.

Andrew Baker, Mod.
Jno. Holland Owen, Clerk

Circular Letter Brethren Dearly Beloved from a true sense of our own & your Dependence upon Almighty God, it seemed good unto us to address you on the subject of prayer, that you as Children of the most High may discharge your duty & improve your privilege & adorn the example of Christ you are under obligation to pray from our own necessities as well as God’s command Eph. 6:18 & many other places. To neglect is sin against God & refusing the sweets of Religion that you are called to Enjoy Micah7:7, John 16:24. Shall it ever be said of us that neglect a duty in the performance of which oue communion is kept with God & our souls comforted, our conscious clear to receive grace to help in time of need, & the method we ought to pray in is to be taken from the examples of ancient followers of the Lord, as recorded in his word & almost universally received by all denominations to be three fold [illegible] mental of the kind speaks of the Apostle Rom. 8:26.

2nd. Private which is performed in secret by expressing word with the voice or the organs of speech forming the words yet not pronouncing them. 1st Saml. 1:13; Math 6:[illegible]

3rd. Publick in the presents of a Congregation. Or Family & Family words appears to be the duty of the head of a family from Joshua 21:15. Prayer which the Lord taught is in Luke 11th Chapter it is not right to be seen of men, that we by them may be said to be [illegible] men, but it is right to set a Godly example before families & fellow men; that they may see & know that to fear and depend on the Lord to have our Godly examples in his hand to make use of it for their good & His glory. Math. 5:16. We trust you are willing to serve the Lord in every known duty but perhaps may meet with some difficulty in the performance of these & especially in that of prayer, we would offer you a few words for your help, stating some of the hindrances that perhaps you meet with in your attempts & endeavors to remove them. Is it so that your heart is out of frame if it is none but God can set it right pray God to pour on you a spirit of prayer as he promised in Zach. 12:10. Is it so that your desire is cold & languid & are afraid that the Lord won’t hear you. To neglect won’t increase them. Pour out your whole complaints in prayer before the Lord. We look for good desire to rise in yourselves ask the Lord to increase them more out of the frame the more need to pray. A word or two on hinderance that stand in the way of family prayer is it any of your complaints that you as stammering one that can’t make language of your ideas so express your desire in prayer & are almost ready to conclude that it would be more for the House of God not to try. O don’t thus conclude God only requires the Improvement of the gift. He gave (remember the widows mite) do the best you can & at any rate, show a willing mind by making the attempt & the Lord will sweeten the crops by giving you the comforts of His grace & the answers of a good conscience & your fellow men will excuse weakness but neither God nor man your neglect.

If it is your complaint that when you try you have no words to say & what little you have to say is such a formal manner almost saying the same words over and over again that you are almost weary of yourself for you help resembles that your wants are nearby the same day by day & if your words are so, let it not discourage you, only don’t return to indulge in slothfulness but before you pray study a moment on the mercies you have received & you will have enough to thank the Lord for is like manner on yourself, servants of your family & fellow men & from such an immensity the mercys that you & they have received you with. Job 23:4. [Something appears to have been left out] Fill your mouth with arguments & order your duty before Hm & Duty becomes pleasant work & dear brethren let our earnest endeavors be to serve the Lord & we may be enabled to do it exceptably & surmount all difficulty that we meet. Let us pray all prayer, watchful there unto & take encouragement it won’t be long before we all cease from our labor & be at our desired home & Almighty God our Heavenly Father guide us by His spirit & keep us safe on our way till he shall call us home. Amen.