Minutes of the First Regular Annual Session of the Primitive Baptist Association
Held With New Covenant Church
Wilkes County, N.C.
October 22 and 23, 1869
- Elder Thomas Jones preached the Introductory Sermon.
- After a short intermission the Delegates assembled in the Meeting House and were brought to order by singing and prayer by Elder Jackson Combes.
- Received letters and Delegates from all the Churches belonging to our Association.
- Organized the Association by appointing Elder J. Combes, Moderator and Wm. Myers, Clerk.
- Opened a door for other Churches to join our Association, when Racheal, Bethany and Zion Churches handed in their letters which were read and received, and the right hand of fellowship extended to their Delegates.
- Invited transient Ministers to seats with us, when Brethern Andrew Powers, Thomas Jones, John Adams, J. J. Caudle, D. Caudle, J. Linley and C. Blevins came forward and received the right hand of fellowship.
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Received Fishing Creek Church into our Fellowship upon the statement of Elder S. P Smith.
Brother Smith also produced a letter of dismission from the Lewis Fork Association.
- Appointed a Committee to arrange the preaching on to-morrow.
- Appointed a Committee of Arrangement, to-wit: William Walker, S. P. Smith, Ralph Holdbrook, Elder Hughes, and John Harrell.
- Adjourned until tomorrow, 10 o’clock, after prayer by the Moderator.
Met according to arrangement. Prayer by the Moderator. The Committee to appoint preaching to-day, reported first Brother John Adams, second A. Powers, third J. J. Caudle.
- Called the names of the Delegates.
- Read the Constitution and Rules of Decorum. Called on the Committee of Arrangemnts to report. Report received and Committee discharged.
- Appointed a Committee of Finance, to-wit: J. N. Myers, Austin Gentry and Joel Brewer, who reported six dollars in the hands of the Treasurer, and ten dollars and eighty-eight cents received from the Churches, making in all sixteen dollars and eighty-eight cents. The report received and Committee discharged.
- Considered the propriety of appointing a correspondence. This Association does not feel at liberty to invite correspondence for the present; but cordially invite all our ministering brethern to visit us who may wish to cooperate with us.
- To make some provisions to procure an Associational Book. The Clerk is allowed to use money enough to purchase said book if enough be left in his hands after defraying the expenses of printing the Minutes of the Association.
- Appointed the next Association to be held with the Rachael Church, five or six miles south east of Trap Hill, Wilkes county, to commence on Friday before the fourth Lord’s day in October, 1870.
- The Clerk is appointed to superintend the printing of the Minutes and have three hundred copies printed, and have three dollars for his service.
- Called for Resolutions.
- Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be tendered to the citizens of this vicinity for their kind hospitality through this meeting.
William J. Combes, Moderator
William Myers, Clerk
| Churches | Delegates Names |
Meet | Baptized | Rec by Letter |
Restored | Dis by Letter |
Excluded | Deceased | Total | Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Covenant | Wm. Walker, Singer; William Myers, J. M. Myers J. P. Waters J. N. M. Wiles |
3 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 133 | 2.00 |
| Roaring River | John Gentry Ralph Holdbrook Lewis Holdbrook J. Holdbrook David Hanks |
4 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 114 | 2.00 |
| White Oak | W. G. Combs James Caudle Austin Gentry J. Gentry J. W. Combes A. G. Combes |
2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 56 | 1.88 |
| Rachael | J. Hughes John Bougus Iredell Gentry Thos. Billings Daniel Billings |
3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 2.00 |
| Zion | Hamilton Childers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1.50 | |
| Bethany | John Harald S. H. Brooks |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1.00 | |
| Fishing Creek | J. Blackburn Joel Brewer Daniel Garner John Wood Eli Banner Elder S. P. Smith |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .50 |
Constitution
- This Association shall be known by the name of the Primitive Baptist Association, and shall be composed of members chosen by the different Churches in our union, and duly sent to represent the Association, who on producing letters from their respective Chruches certifying their appointment, shall be entitled to their seats; each Church shall be entitled to five delegates from each Church. In their letter is to be expressed their number in full fellowship. Number baptized–Received by letter, by application with a good recommendation–Dismissed by letter–Excluded and died since the last Association.
- The number thus chosen and convened shall have no power to lord it over God’s heritage, nor shall they have any class power over the Churches, not shall they have any internal right over any Church in the Union.
- This Association when convened shall be governed by regular decorum.
- The Association shall have a Moderator and Secretary who shall be chosen annually by a majority of the votes fo the members present, a majority of the Churches being represented.
- New Churches or any regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, of our faith and order, in good standing, either dismissed by letter from sister Associations, or by application and a good recommendation by sending up letter and delegates shall be admitted into the Union.
- Every Church in the Union shall be entitled to representation in the Association.
- Every motion made and seconded shall come under the consideration of the Association, except it be withdrawn by the member who made it.
- The Association shall endeavor to furnish the Churches with the Minutes of its proceedings. The best method for accomplishing this purpose shall be at the discretion of the future Association.
- We think it necessary to have an Associational fund to defray the expenses of the Association. And it is the duty of each Church in the Union to contribute such sums as they may think proper to the Association, and these moneys shall be deposited in the hands of a Treasurer who shall be accountable to the Association for the same, and the Association shall appropriate the money thus contributed to any purpose they may think proper.
- There shall be an Association Book wherein the proceedings of the Association shall be recorded by a Secretary appointed by the Association who shall receive a reasonable compensation for his service.
- The Minutes of the Association shall be read, and corrected, if necessary, and signed by the Moderator and Clerk before the Association adjourns.
- Amendments to this from of government may be made at any time by a majority of the Association, when they may deem it expedient by giving the Churches twelve months notice.
- The Association shall act as an advisory council and shall endeavor to preserve a general union of the Churches, and also to preserve a chain of communication among the Churches and give advice in matters of difficulty.
- The Association shall inquire into the cause if any Church failes to represent the Association.
- The Association shall have power to withdraw from any Church in her union that shall violate the rules of this constitution or deviate from the orthodox principles of the gospel.
- The Association may correspond with sister Associations, and invite any bother in the ministry in good standing or that can bring a good recommendation of his standing, who may be of our faith and order, to a seat in the Association who may be present at the time of its sitting.
- The Association shall have power to adjourn to any future time or place they may think proper.
- The benevolent institutions of the day shall be no bar nor test of fellowship, but all shall be free to sustain or not sustain the same as they may see proper.
William J. Combes, Moderator
William Myers, Clerk
Articles of Faith
- We believe in one only true and living God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and these three are one.
- We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice.
- We believe in the doctrine of election by grace.
- We believe in the doctrine of original sin, and in man’s impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature, by his own free will and ability.
- We believe that sinners are called, converted, regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and all who are thus regenerated and born again by the spirit of God, shall never fall finally away.
- We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God, only by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
- We believe that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and that true believers are the only subjects of those ordinances, and we believe the true mode of Baptism is by immersion.
- We believe in the resurrection of the dead and a general judgment, and that the joys of the righteous and punishment of the wicked will be eternal.
- We believe that no Minister has a right to administer the ordinances of the gospel, except such as are regularly called and and come under the imposition of hands by the Presbytery.
William J. Combes, Moderator