MINUTES
or THE
FLINT MIVEU
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION,
CONVENED AT
Mount Pleasant, Monroe County, Geo.
ON THE
19th, 20th, 2 8 st and days of October,
1833.
MACON:
S. ROSE & CO. PRINTERS.
1833.
Library of
Emory University
MIUCJEES, &C.
1. The Introductory Sermon was delivered by brother J. Lang-
ley, from Isaiah, 62d chapter and 1st verse: " For ZiorCs sake
will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake will I not rest%
until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salva¬
tion thereof as a lamp that burneth
2. Received and read Letters from the Churches and minuted
their state.
3. Elected brethren J. S. Callaway, Moderator, and J. Almand,
Clerk; W. Mosely to preach the next Introductory Sermon, R.
M. Stell his alternate, and J. Langley to write the next Circular
Letter.
4. Appointed Committees, viz: J. Chipman, J. H. Milner, M.
Lowrie, W. Mosely and J. Shockley, to unite with the delegation
from the Church, D. Smith and E. Beall, to arrange the preaching
during the meeting; and the brethren R. M* Stell, J. Carter and
W. Mosely, to arrange business to come before the body.
5. The Committee on Preaching reported that the brethren J.
Harris, J. Henderson and S. R. Thornton, preach on Sabbath in
the order of their names. Brother Carter prayed, and the Associ¬
ation adjourned until Monday morning, 9 o'clock.
Sunday, the 20th.
The brethren appointed to preach came forward at the house,
and brethren Z. H. Gordan and J. Hambric at the stand, and
preached with energy to a crowded and attentive auditory, and we
hope to good effect.
Monday, the 21st.
6. Met pursuant to adjournment. Brother Mosely prayed, and
the Association proceeded to business.
7. Called for the report of the Committee on business, which
was read and adopted.
8. Invited ministering brethren present of our order, not of the
body, to seats with us.
9. Read the Decorum.
10. Called for and received correspondence from sister Associa¬
tions, as follows, viz:—From the Ichaconna, a Letter and Min¬
utes, by the brethren May, King, Walker, Trice and Caldwell;
4
from the Georgia, a Letter, (no Minutes) by the brethren Thorn¬
ton, Davis and Dickerson; from the Yellow River, a Letter and
Minutes, by brother L. Robinson; from the Columbus, a Letter
and Minutes, by the brethren Ross and Cox; from the Western, a
Letter and Minutes, by the brethren Leverett, Reath nnd Cul-
well; from the Ocmulgee, a Letter and Minutes, by the brethren
Oxford, Wright, Grier, McGinty and Trice; from the Ebeneier,
a Letter (no Minutes) by brother Hughes; from the Serepta, a
packet of Minutes (no Letter) by brother Harris.
11. Received the New Hope Baptist Church as a component
member of the body, dismissed by letter from our sister the Icha-
conna Association.
12. Called for the report of the Committee appointed at the last
session, which was presented, read and approved ; and appointed
the brethren Mosely, Carter, Beall, J. Milner and Stell, a Com¬
mittee to draw up a resolution in a condensed form, to acsompany
■aid report, which is as follows:
Pursuant to appointment, we, a majority of the Committee of the
Flint River Baptist Association, viz. J. S. Callaway, W. Mosely,
j. Almand, S. Stamper, M. Lowrie, A. B. Reid, E. Beall, A.
Cleveland, A. G. Beckam and R. Burke, who were appointed to
labor with those Churches which are split, and those which have
dissented from the Association, in order to effect a union, conven¬
ed at Indian Creek, Henry County, on Friday before the 5th Sab¬
bath in September, 1833, and after choosing brethren J. S. Calla¬
way, Moderator, and J. Almand, Clerk, received communications
(by their Messengers) from Paran, Monroe, Sardis and Smyrna,
Butts, and Sharon and McDonough, in Henry County, agreed for
deliberation, and with a view to give the best advice to said church-
et, to adjourn until to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock.
Saturday Morning.—Having had the case of said churches, wo
trust, under our prayerful consideration, we submit to them the fol¬
lowing (we think) wholesome advice :
1st. To the McDonough Church, that they go to Ramah, for¬
merly the McDonough Church, and acknowledge their error in se¬
ceding from the Association, rescind the charges contained in the
McDonough Reasons against the Committee and the Association,1'
and endeavor to gain fellowship with said Church, which is a com¬
ponent member of the Flint River Association, and on their thus
acting, and giving full satisfaction, we advise Ramah Church to re¬
ceive them.
2d. As to the Sharon, we conceive that her communication does
not so much as amount to a wish to be in the union, but rather an
indignity; we therefore withhold any advice whatever, and for jus¬
tification refer you (if need be) to said communication.
3d. To the Sardis we return the above as an answer, and refer
you to her communication as before.
4th. To the Smyrna, we say first, that from the conduct of cer¬
tain individuals and publications since the session of the Flint Riv¬
er Association at Bethel, in Butts County, it must appear obvious
to them that it was a matter of faith' and not of discipline; we
therefore give to them the following advice, viz: Return to the As-
3
sociation, acknowledge your error in seceding, rescind the charges
in the McDonough Reasons and the faith published at Sharon, and
hold to original principles and practice.
5th. To the Paran. We are pleased to find that the Church
manifests a becon.ing spirit, and has sent up her Letter and Mes¬
sengers (we trust) in the spirit of the Gospel. We are glad to
meet them in the same spirit, and recommend them to appoint del¬
egates to the next Flint River Association, with instructions that
they wish to be received into the union upon the principles of the
Association, and to cultivate brotherly love and kindness, and to
maintain the orthodox principles of the Baptist Faith and practice.
Signed, J. S. CALLAWAY, Mod. J. ALMAND, Clk.
Having adopted the above satisfactory report of the Committee,
in pursuance called for Letters and Delegates from the above na¬
med Churches, but none came forward.
Resolved, That whereas this Association had indulged a hope,
from the happy and mutual adjustment of ail her difficulties with
her sister Associations, embracing the whole subject matter arising
Out of the secession of several churches and parts of churches with¬
in her bounds, would have proved entitely satisfactory, and lead to
a happy union and reception of said churches, and to this end the
Association was ready and anxiously waiting their return, in the
spirit of the Gospel of Christ, upon the principles of the faith of
the Association, but contrary to the hope and wish of the Associa¬
tion, a determination hag been manifested by the seceding church¬
es, to maintain the grounds of their separation and remain a dis¬
tinct and separate people,—the Flint River Association, therefore,
have lost all hope of reclaiming said churches, and do hereby make
known, for the information of her sister Associations, and the Bap¬
tist denomination throughout the United States, that they are no
longer of our faith and order, but have gone out from us because
they were not of us, or they no doubt would have continued with us.
N. B. There are in the above named churches several ministers,
whose names are the following, viz: B. H. Wilson, J. Travis, J.
H. Campbell, Wm. A. Callaway, Wm. Byers, Wm. Presley, and
John Reaves, who was a member at the time of their ivithdrawment.
13. Called for the Circular Letter, which was presented, read
and approved.
14. Appointed brother Stell to write a friendly letter addressed to
our sister the Western Association, requesting said Association to
reconsider the 14th article of the Minutes of her last session, and
brethren Almand, Mosely, Callaway, J. Milner and Stell, to bear
said letter.
15. Appointed Correspondence to sister Associations, viz :—Al¬
len, Duke, Moselv, Head, Wnldrope and J. S. Callaway, to the
Yellow River ; Lowrie, Si mm?, Pearson, Cleveland, Dunn, Mann
and Chipmau, to the Ocmulgee; agreed to write to the Bephzi-
bah ; D. "Smith, to the Ebenezer; J. Milner, Callaway, E. Beall,
W. MOSELEY,
M. LOWRIE,
E. BEALL,
A. G. BECKAM,
S. STAMPER,
A. B. RE ID,
A. CLEVELAND,
R. BURK.
e
Beckam, Right and Hambric, to the Ichaconna ; J. Chipman and
J. Milner, to the Serepta ; agreed to write to the Washiugton ; J.
S. Callaway, Beckam, Mosely, J. Milner, Stell, Harabric and J.
H. Milner, to the Columbus ; Almand, Stamper and Beall, to the
Georgia.
16. Appointed brother John Carter to write the next Correspond¬
ing Letter.
17. Proceeded to insert times and places for general meetings,
as follows, viz: 1st district, at Hunting Shoal, on Friday before
the 5th Sabbath in June; 2d district, at Sharon, on Friday before
the 5th Sabbath in August; 3d district, at Bethsaida, on Friday be¬
fore the 4th Sabbath in July ; and in the 4th district, at Provi¬
dence, on Friday before the 4th Sabbath in August.
The Moderator prayed, and the Association adjourned until
Tuesday morning, 9 o'clock.
Tuesday, the 22d.
18. Met according to adjournment. Brother M. Lowrie pray¬
ed, and the Association proceeded to business.
19. Adopted the following resolutions, viz:
"Whereas, the state of the churches and religion, within tha
bounds of the Association, requires the efforts of this Association to
resuscitate and revive vital and practical religiou among the church¬
es and the families of our brethren, be it therefore
Resolved, That the ministering brethren are requested to volun¬
teer their services, to travel within the bounds of the Flint River
Association for the next Associational year, and visit all the church¬
es within her bounds and congregations, and as far as practicable,
as instruments in the hands of God, through the instrumentality of
the Gospel, inculcate practical religion and family worship in the
families of the brethren, and that each minister volunteering his
services in accordance with the request of the Association, be at
liberty to choose his colleague to travel in company. And, further
Resolved, That this Association recommend the brethren of the
churches to wait on the ministry of said brethren, and that they
keep up a weekly prayer meeting on every Wednesday night, with
a view to the accomplishment of the above objects.
20. Granted a letter of dismission to the church at Deep Creek,
Campbell County, to join the Western Association, according to
her request.
21. Called for .the letter addressed to our sister the Western As¬
sociation, which was read, amended and adopted.
22. Whereas the caption of the complaints exhibited by our sis¬
ter the Georgia Association, against our body, at her last session,
together with the assurances following said complaints, were not
published in the Minutes of our last session, through a misunder¬
standing on the part of the Clerk, be it therefore resolved, that the
whole exhibition, with the adjustment, be published in the Minutes
of the present session.
23. Called for the Corresponding Letter, which was read and
approved.
7
S4. Thp next Association to be held at Sandy Creek, in Butt*
County, commencing on Saturday before the third Sabbath in Oc¬
tober, 1834.
25. Called for and received contributions for Minutes.
26. Directed the Clerk to superintend the printing and distribu¬
tion of 3000 copies of these Minutes, and receive thirty dollars for
his services.
27. According to the request of the church at Whitewater, we
five notice to the churches of this and the sister Associations, that
tenjamin Moody is excluded, and holds a letter of dismission.
28. Brother John Milner prayed, and the Association adjourned.
JOSHUA S. CAJL&A.WAY, moderator.
JOHN ALMAND, Clerk.
CORRESPONDING LETTER.
The Flint River dissociation to her sister •£!•**»
ciations with whom she corresponds.
Dear Brethren in the Lqrd :
We once more, through the mercies of kind Providence, are
permitted the privilege of assembling ourselves in an associate ca¬
pacity, and though the communications sent us from the churches
within our bounds, have reported in some none, and in others but
fe«r additions, yet in some parts of our bounds, the work of the
Lord seems to be the whole business of the brethren, whilst peace
and good order seems to pervade the whole. Dear brethren, it is
known to you that at our last session a Committee was appointed
to try, if possible, to bring about a reconciliation with some church¬
es which rent off from us three years since, and we have waited
with much anxiety to receive their report, hoping and believing,
from indications exhibited at our last session by some of those very
brethren, that an adjustment of the difficulties might be brought
about. But all our hopes are entirely blasted; our Committee re¬
ports a total failure, and now we despair of ever effecting a union;
indeed, it appears from the communications sent to the Committee
by most of those seceding churches, that they have no disposition
to be again united with us. Dear brethren, we could say a great
deal to you on the subject of union among our denomination, but
we forbear. We have had the Gospel preached to us during the
whole of our meeting in power and truth. The weather has been
extremely disagreeable, yet the congregations have been large, and
we trust that much good seed has been sown, which may be gath¬
ered many days hence. Dear brethren, we hope you will continue
▼our correspondence with us; and may the Lord bless and prosper
▼ou and us in all good works. Yours in the bonds of christian love,
7 * J. S. CALLAWAY, Moderator.
J. ALMAND, Ckrk.
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W. Fuller, E. Callaway.
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M. Lowrie, J. Ponder.*
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Mount Pleasant,
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D. Smith, E. Be-all.
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Sharon,
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J. Harden, Z. Hugley.
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Shilo,
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J. Chipman, P. Milner.
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J. Carter, J. Bvers
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Bethel,
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Ram ah,
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Sharon,
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Beulah,
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L. Martin, L. Thomaston.
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Indian Creek,
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G. Lewis, N. Breed.
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Lebanon,
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W. Mosely, M. Wak!rope.
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D. Herndon, J. Bishop.
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CJ-EOKCrlA EXHIBITION.
"^Piae undersigned delegation from the Georgia Association, Uiiu.
^requested by the Flint River Association to present the complaints
ot their Association in as condensed and in as simple form s>s pos¬
sible, with the specifications on which each is founded, and said
del. gation being willing to adopt any measures that may afford au\
houe of an amicable adjustment of the difficulties between the two.
Associations, do, in compliance with said request, present the com ¬
plaints of their Association in the following form:
1st. We complain of a breach of orderly discipline, in your jus¬
tifying a minority of a church composing a part of your body, over
the majority of said church, before the case is examined into before
the church, or before suitable labor used to reconcile the parties.
The dealing of the Association with Teman Church, we present as
a specification of this error, and appeal to your own Slinutes.
Xld. Our second complaint is against th$ Association for encom-
agingdisorder and division in a church not of their body. Our spe¬
cification of this complaint is the justifying the acts of the Sharon
(Committee, who encouraged a minority of the Sharon Church to
set themselves up in opposition to the majority, and represent:
themselves in the Association.
3d. Our third complaint is your offering to receive into your bo¬
dy churches in disunion, and so promoting a principle of disregard
t.i> fellowship between the churches. Our specification of this com¬
plaint is the tendering of admission to botli the minority and ma¬
jority of Sharon Church.
4th. Our fourth complaint is your receiving members into the
Association by majority only, over the head of the minority. This,
manifests disregard to fellowship. Our specification of this com.*
plaint is the receiving the minority of the Sharon Church over the
head of a part of your body.
5th. Our fifth complaint is of a departure from an acknowledg¬
ed principle of good order in all deliberate bodies ; that an original,
body cannot explain the acts of its committees. Our specification
is the act of your body in attempting to explaie the proceedings ojf
$our Sharon Committee.
In conclusion we beg leave to assure this Association that therje
\?as no design or intention, on the part of our Association, to hurt
any brother's feelings by any harsh expressions in our last year'.s,
letter but only to state our grievances in plain terms. We assure
the Association of the warmest desire, on the part of the Georgia
\<->ociation, to remove as far as we can every hindrance to an am-
ca^ie adjustment of our differences, and in this presentment of our
complaints, have carefully endeavored to avoid every thing harsh
or offensive, and shall rejoice to find the same conciliatory spirit
or. the oart of your body. We can assure the Association that the
Georgia Association has no complaint, of any shape w hatever,
a«"iinst the Articles of Faith of the Flint River Association ; in
ffrese wc most heartily agree with you j nor have we any eonnec-
io
\iou, of any sort whatever, with any of the churches that have sep¬
arated irom you.
JESSE MERCER, JONATHAN DAVIS,
13. M. SANDERS, MALCOMD JOHNSON,
JACK LUMPKIN, V. R. THORNTON,
ENOCH CALLAWAY, THOMAS S TOCKS.
l\ S. We the Messengers of tho Serepta Association accord
with the views of the Georgia brethren, so far as respects Sharon
-:jnd Teman Churches, believing it to be the view of our Associa¬
tion, which mavbe found in their letter.
FRANCIS CALLAWAY,
October 22/7, 1KJ2. JEREMIAH REEVES.
*idji€Stment of the Mffereuces of the Georgia
and Ft mi /liver Associations.
The Joint Committee from the Georgia delegation and the Flint
River Association, to whom was referred the differenc es between
file said bodies, Report: That the cases of the ! eman and Sha¬
ron Churches have been under their serious, and they hope pray¬
erful consideration. The Flint River Association, by their Com¬
mittee, have made many explanations in justification of the course
she has pursue i in relation to her unhappy difficulties, and yet be¬
lieves she has pursued strictly the spirit of her Constitution. The
Georgia Delegation Committee entertain a different view of the
Cases, and think that the Flint River Association ought to have
pursued a different course, but nevertheless are willing to admit,
lliat under all the circumstances she may have endeavored to do
the best she could. The Flint River Association confesses that
she may have departed from the better principles of discipline, anfl
gone too far, and feels sorry that she has given cause of complaint
fo her sister the Georgia Association. The Delegation of the
Georgia Association regret the hasty and unfavorable decision
which she made in relation to the acts of her sister from the view
of her Minutes alone, and particularly that her expressions of com¬
plaint in her last year's letter, which she has now withdrawn, hall
not been in more mild and conciliatory terms.
The Committee therefore recommend mutual forbearance find a.
continuance of that christian communication that has heretofore
existed between those bodies.
B. M. SANDERS, WILLIAM MOSELY,
JACK LUMPKIN, JOSHUA S. CALLAWAY
ELIAS BEALL, THOMAS STOCKS.
CIRCULAR LETTESI.
The Flint River dissociation n to the sever eft
Churches composing the same, greeting.
©ear Brethren :
The time has again rolled round when it becomes our. du¬
ty, according to former custom, to address you by way of a Circu¬
lar. We feel almost at a loss for a subject, knowing there hsfs
been so many used, both doctrinal and practical, and we feel some¬
what discouraged in the performance of this dntv, from the- we!'
Hiowa fact that- <sa little attention is paid to (Circulars, either in..
r« i iitig them,, or endeavoring to reduce the advice! therein contain*
od to practice But as neglect on your part does not relieve us
from duty, we say to you in the first place, that the churches com¬
posing ths body, by their returns, prove most conclusively that <v
•sad declue m matters of religion has taken place, which has led
oar minis to the words of the prophet Jeremiah in his Lamenta¬
tions, chapter and part of the 1st verse: " How is the gold be-
couie <iin> how is the most fine gold changed." The Prophet here
118,.S ms figurative expression with reference to the church, as will
,apj>Air from verse "2d< The term how, as used by him, serves not
i, (fjy t0 caH the attention of the beholder to^ but as an inquiry how
jl|jas happened that such a material change has taken place, not
j/ the nature or real value, but in its lustre or attractive influence,
fle now proceed to ^how that the figure is applicable to the Church,
jst. ,fhe gold is found in the earth; so were and are those that
Christ has chosen, and has and will prepare (for his use and ser¬
vice while here, and for glory hereafter,) in the world, for say? the
Apostle, " and were by nature the children of wrath, even as oth¬
ers."—Eph. 2d chapter and 3d verse: 2d. To prepare the gold
for use, it requires means and instruments ; and in like manner, to
bring sinners to the knowledge of the truth, it requires the Gospe,l
and its subjects as the instruments or organs of communication.—
■3d. Gold is valuable, and so is the Church, both in its nature and
office.. The yalue of the Church of Christ is to be estimated by the
cost;—and now for a moment see what it cost the Redeemer—see
Rim descending and toiling—see him in the garden ofGethsemane
—behold him at the stone pillar—see him crowned with thorns,,
clothed in purple, spit upon and mocked—behold'him ascending
up Calvary's dreary hill—see him nailed to the Cross, reared be¬
tween the heavens and earth—see him bleeding, hear Jiim crying,
•Sfce him dying, while the sun/as though astonished at the price,
withdrew his shining rays, and all nature veils herself in sable
mourhing ; and will you not say great is the value of the Church,
and great her obligations to him that paid the debt 1 Then loo*
around and see if the sold has not become dim or changed, or ;
word, 'the churches failed to comply with the requisition of ^,e''
Lord, where he says, " Let your light so shine before niei)'ig jtlL
they may see' your good works, and glorify your father why*n(,w\
lieaven." We now propose in the second sense of the ter/q[,uvc|,
to assign some reasons how the gold has become dim, ort^jjnuS3 iR *
lost her attractive influence. 1st. A want of practical^inj,jy
their conduct and conversation, and especially in iw t]own en_
prayer. *Oh, how many family tltars are either kroW?^ jiag
tirely, or so seldom sacrificed on, that to our familie^ pVidence
become dim or actually changed. < 2d. Instead of giAy"e jmv(?be_
that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, whi(,h KO"
come conformed to the world, and thereby the s.mplu^ (k _
beautifully adorns the religion ofJesusof Deacons,
3d. The want of information as lespe "-fsoouently the
which alone is derived from the word of God and ^ ^ ^ ^
brother Is made choice of merely because 0flV.e to be worse
i0 a" !,,dh C"SeS c°nSU,erth0 ° ' ,
1©
thati vacant, aud lor the want of the discharge of the duties ofithh
& ce, xv eu carried forward m all as be n the gold become^
dm. 4 ii. Toe want of knowledge as res pi os the v.mWs .,s m
tlie-chu:« 1, together with the lack of a spu of taithlaV.^.v, tn._
queatly causes the brother, wno perhaps only possesses tin ^ j't 0-f
exhortation and prayer, to be licensed to preach, or set apafc ,0 i;1(>
ministry. 5th. The want of a spirit of faithfulness in disiiipme in
tlie (Church of Christ. 6th. The want of brotherly love one tV^rd
another, which alone is calculated to influence us to action iXrhe
discharge of our various duties as ministers and members. ij|„
The fuiiilmfcut of that prophetic expression of the Apostle, \x$
says, " They shall heap up to themselves teachers having iu ii ^
cars, and shall turn away their ears from the truth, and be jot. <><i
unto fables,"—and we really fear that many have not only turned
away their ears from the true doctrines of the Gospel, but. place
more confidence in the fables of the day, which are circulated un¬
der atolor of religion, than they do in the word of God. Cri\ The
divisions among us, in accordance with the words of the Apostle,
which say, " Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking per¬
verse things, to draw away disciples after them." An< now, dear
brethren, we beseech you to recollect the obligation you ar< under
lo Cod and man—think how little von have done for him who h e-
done so much for you—remember the shortness of time, that ui a
'little time more we shall be done meeting in an associate capacity
'here, no more efforts will be made through the medium of a Cir¬
cular to stir up your pure minds byway of remembrance; and
have we not great reason to fear, that when we come to close the
.<>Cene of mortality, we shall then look back on the golden opportu¬
nities that passed away unimproved; and may Cod of his great
mercy grant to stir us up to a lively activity in his cause, and grant
unto us the spirit of faithfulness and brotherly love, that perfect
bond of union, that we may thereby live to the glory of his name,
die in his favor, and find a happy admittance into his kingdom
above, is the prayer of yours in Gospel bonds.
not, J". €ALIiAWAY, *11 tderator,
muf, ALMAND, Clerk.
*®ntinuai
edbt RECAPITULATION
Mif id on Confession of Faith, 3; by Baptism, S8; by Let -
> Dismissed, 269 ; Excommunicated, 67 ; Restored, 21,:
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