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THEOLOCICAL SEMINARY LIBRARY IHJ
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. . . .MINUTES
OJ' THE
WARTY/CK BAPTIST ASSOCIATION;
HELl) AT MOUNT-PLEASANT, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, STATE OP NEW-YORK, ON THE
_0.0_
~5th AND 26th OF MAY, laotoTUE.SDAY, MAY 25, 1802.
t. AT t1to o'doc:k P. M. Brothe .. JOHN CATON, by appointment last year, preached the Introductory DilCOune, from Psalm csnili. I. B~lwld, MtP good turd 11_ /lkeaN it i.fOr ~ to dwtIl 1.",1In
m
"";ty !2. Afte .. Sermon, proceecled to buaiaa .... Brothe .. EBENEZER FEWS
was
dIoIea . ._ruOl',
JOHN ST.ANFORDCIert.3. The letters &om the Ineral Churches
or
this AMOCiatiOll were then reid.N.
B. .MiIfi./~_*.
in capitals; Ikmted /lrYt#Mr in italics.nc-..,.W.,,;u _
au-.... [eJ_
fftJItw-t. , , - , .
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lJfltAn ( - ] tkMt~". '~tlkd mini"ff.
MwQ,"..u.t
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t\wNriwr.t
{ - - - - ,
John M;Fopt, James Burt.REUBEN GARRISON.
SSILAS SOUTHWORTH,·
l
Humphrey Martin.{
- -
JOHN DODGE,·Joim M. Thurston, Joeeph Tilyu.
- -
S
EBEN. EZER FERRIS,l
l'rtdnWt " " . {- -
EZRA 'fOUNTAIN,SiI ... ReynoIdI, .1oImLyoa.
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2
o o o
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28
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23 50 2.
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Fa'ltt tt~trttt,
Ai-til· York.
Brool;fitld.
Dttr·Parlc.
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Pka,anr. J'ullrlj.
Puk·,·Kill.
Fair~'trut,
Am· }"o/·k.
IJ't',t. TOfun.
T01Igort'.t York· Town,
Croton.
Coram.
DI'ollght io:,.,.:.nl,
{
JOH~ Thomas Gamiss, WILLB.MS.Francis 'Va)'lanJ, Ezeldc1 Arcber, Jacob Smith.
{ JOHN CATON,
Silvanus SoUthWOrtll, Uriah Hull.
DENJ:\!\UN MONT.\NYE.·
~
<.;ilhen Knifell. LEVI 11.\1.1., JOliN P.\L:'IIEH, DANIEL 11.\1.1.. j'1I1.l
lhnid Ihll, Sell.John ncttt'~\·,
John Conkli,;.
Elihu
en, ... -,
{ - - '
Sila~ HO.· ..,lIl, j'lIl.
SJOHN ST.\~!:OHIJ,
~ John Willis.
~ THO~I~::'\D,.
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ISAAC Hmr'l Chadick,HHom:S.·
John Tompkins.
~i~~on,
John Hammond.
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Tot.lI" 6Z' 40' 50' ." 12 J LJ
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1041 4. The last registered Church, by the name of" Coram," Long.bland, was admitted into the union this seuion.5. Read an afl'ectionate letter from the Church at ~lount.Ple:lSant, giving this :\ssociation an
hearty welcome to this place. ..
6. Unanimol,lsly resolved, to invite the Church at :\fount.Pleuant to a &e4t lItth U5 in our present seuiori_Elder FutCH, Ehh:r N}:LSON, and Elder HOPKIU; with Br.:lhr.:n i '. G. S!'IITH, D. COLE, and JOSEPH COLE, being present, were imitc:d to " seat with us.
7. Brother JOliN WILLIAMS prt'Senled his Circular Letter, appointed for this )"car, and Wl&~
committed to JOHlf STANFORD, E. Ft:llaI5,JoHN CATON, LY.VIII.\LI.. J.UIU DtlHT, and CUM!.
HtlLL, with the author u ncomrnittce of rcyi.ion, and to report to-morrow.
8. Adjourned till to-morrow momin& eight o·c1ock.-Closed \With Pr .. yer by Dlo:.her J. Wu..
I.IAM ••
f. 8cnDGD iQ the nCDiDg by Brother Jon ~Vllr .urs, rrom PuIm, ii. 12.
~ ______________ .... __ ~'W· . . . It~' .. ·
( 3 )
-:--;':,DNE~'DA)', JIL1}" 25.
10. Met according to :1djournml;ht.-Dusiness opened \;'i:h Prayer by nrother REI:BI':If GAa.
aISON.
II. Received a letter from the New·York A~sociat:on, oy tl\(: hant! or Elder JOII:; \"ILlIA)lS, an,d Elder!',h:r,soN. Appointed our n~dhrt.:ll JUlES BUR,T, anci J0H'" \VILLI.DIS to prcpare a letter in answer.
1:1. Hectoi"ed a letter lind min\ltc~ from the Renssc1b'\'·Vilh.: :'.r,soci:1ti.m, \1\' Ehlers "'II,LUM STEWART and JOHN 'VI)lA:\,<, \\ho were affectionately recci"cd hy tile riiht hand of fellow- ship from the Mod:!tator. Appointed Brothcr F. "'" YU,~ J) to wrilc to thcln, lind Li:V1 HALL and 1'lIo~IAs STEvurs to be ollr l\fesscn~crs.
13. The committce app'-linled to revisl: the ri ITlliar letter for thc pr~~cllt ~'ear, rcported ; and the letta ordered to be printed.
14. Received letters and minute, from thc Philatl:lphi;\ ,\ssoriation. Appointed Brother PALMER to write to that a3sociatioll, and that Broth~r J:)U): STASHI}(D and JOIi~ l' .. u~lIta Ue our mel>senl;crs.
IS. RelOhed, That our Brethren JAMB BntT and JeHs !\f. FOGHT, of the Church at \Var- wick, be, lind an: hereby appointed to take l;hal'~e l': all records and papers relative to this association.
16. The Cirrular Letter prepared hy Broth~:' ,'e:l:; STASFO:ID, was rcceiH~d and approYed, to lay OYer for the next ycar.
17. Brother JA!IIr.S BURT be requested to \lTi:c a Circular Letter for the yeoar following.
18. Brother JOHN \VILLIAIoIS r"ported, ill till" name of the Church in Fayette,~treet, that they, with the Church in Hose-street, hitherto denominatect Second Baptist Church in New- York, had procured an act of the LegiMlatUl'e for tht:ir re.incorporation ; and that the Church in Fayette.street, desired, in future, to be known on our :\Iinu.tes b)" the naln!: of ., 1M &/lli.t Church of ChrUt in FQy~II~"'lrul.
19. The Letter prepared by JAMES BeRT and JOIlS 'VILLIAMS, in answer to the New-York Association,was read and appl'm'ed; Ilppointed our Brethren JOHN \V1LJ,.IAXS and ELI]I ••
HUNTER to present the same, at their next session. . . J " ,
20. Suppliel (or the Church at COr-olOl.
Brother FOUNTAIN, 1st and 2d Lord's Day in September.
Brother CATON, 2d and 3d Lord's DolY in NO\'embH.
Brother PALMER, 1st and 2d Lord's day in Jul~', and 1st and 2d in April, 1803.
Business closed with prayer.
.1FTER.YOO.'·.
21. At three o'clock, met with a full as,,:mbly for public wor.;hip--Serv;ce conducted u follows:
Brother lIoPltlllS began by prayer.-Hymn. ,
Brother I. PAL!III!:Il preached ' from Gen. xiii.
s.
Ln t"~r~ 6~ no .(ri/r, It-ray Ihu,/or 'IV~6~ 6rrlhrm_Hymn.
:Brother I. \VILLIAMS preached from John i. 16 • • 1"d of /Ii, /ulln~" hln·~ Gil 'fU rcctilltd, and grau for grau_Hymn.
Brother I. STANFollDpreachedfl'OmJudgcs viii. , • .fi'.nntyn'lur.uing. And ancr making luitable IIddtC1lsel to the ministers, Inessengers and congregation, he conclulied in prayer.
Proceeded to bUline ...
22. Thil allOCiation to meet next year at Brookfidd. lntrocluctory Sermon by Jo . . ' ST,uwoaJ), in QUe of failure, Joa.
P.u.u.
( " )
23. Our aged ancl worthy brotherJ4M! ~ PHil, Lin of Fi~hk.il1. clit!cI this year. B~!I~ oUo rrod!l ! 2~. Drother JOliN S . T~FORD to 8uperil.ltencl the printinr, of the minutes, and to forward them to the churches.
!B. Concluding prayer v brother THO~!.H "Tf.Vf. ... ~.
P. S. We are undt:r obli~ation to e':lrc~s O'lr grutitude to the AIIIG 0" ZIO., for ~e ~at nnanimity and brotherly love that atL'nticd us in all the (luties of this :liiocioltion. Th'e1.ord h~sten the time, whcn showers of grace ma~ (all UPOIl the churches we reprellent. alld upon Zion uni\'ersaJly! We should be inexcusal.lc, did we 1I0t acknowledge the very affectionate and hospitable entertainment \Ye received from the chUl'Ch, and many ..
r
the inhabitants of Mount-Pleasal)l, In return, we pray, the MOllnt Dlay be rendered more nbund.lIltly plt'Rs':nt and precious by the copious blessing of God in tlle cOll",:rsion of sirulcr~, and tbe lriumplior
the righteous! Amen.
CIRCULAR LETTER,
By JOHN WILLIA:\IS.
The WAlI.WICZ: ASSOCIATION, rl)lIvCII~d at MOUl'>'T-Pr.EASANT. WtstcMIUr County, in tht State
oj
NEW'YOIllt, May 2S and 26, 1802.To the CHl1&CHES tl:~ repreltnt, UndCHRISTIAN SALUTATION.
DEAlt BItETRlI.EN,
\~,
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TaaouGB the goodness of our kind Father, we ,re pennitted once more to pied t.ogethet', to eonsult the Welfare. of Zion. Every inrormation rclatin~ to the churches
.l'
'hrill in the world mUlt be in~eresting to all t~e \vho haye the cause or the dear Redeemer 1 heart.We shall embrace tbis opportunity to addresa you upon that interelllinl{ su jecl TaE EVI- DEweES or All INTEal:ST I. C.aIST, AND THE DLESSINGS COliNECTI:D WITH IT. Not one of the followers of the Lamb can doubt, for a moment, the importance of this 1I1bject. Fnr, if we are strangers to lelua, all our prorellsion will not anil in the gl'nt day of trial; wben notlUng then sball help UI but genuine religion. Dut if ti,is is 'iCCllre. all shall cud weU. AU true believers are equally interested in the prccious Sa\"jour; Lut all hue not attained the same degree of knowledge and ... urance, of their s:ate. Some are weak in the faith, baht-s in grace, others Itrong, younS men, and fatbers. But it is the dul)' anti privi\(:ge of all be- lievers to press for the mark. of their high calling oi God in Christ Jesul our Lord. Full usur- aDee of faith is a blessing, 11' hicb in this life, il atuLinabJe by the Mints of God. Let til pray for it, and preIS towards it, in the usc of all clivine appointments; the apirit may bear witne ..
with our spirits that we are the children of God.
All the subjects of regenerating grace, and wbo are tIom of God by the Holy Spirit. are not
ClIfty
convinced of SiD, the evil nature and the consequences of it; tbeir helpleu and ruiMd Mate by nature and practice: but they are also enlightened to ICe the Slory and lu8kieocy of lena Cilriit. God, who in the first creation commanded the light to abine out of darknelS, batb Ihincd into our he:uu, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in tile IKeor
Jaus Chrilt. 'rhe new creation reaemblel the' old: the saint. an: the the childre .. of the Iicbt, called out of darknea into hil marvcUoul ligbt; while tbe blind sinner perceives .itMr IIcuity DOl' glory in the DiTiac SaTioW'. The rene~d IOUl behold. Clllill'l ,1011, .. lM IIorJ( 5 )
of thf' only be~tten of the Father, full of grace and tnlth; the chief among ten thousand the altogt It,'lon:ly; knel, for the excellency oi the knowledge oi Christ JCbllS, he count. all thine- bu' dro~s ill comparison of hinl, who is ~Il I>lId in all.
Faith in Christ IS ... ccomp'UJicd with red knowl<d~e of him, ill ~11 his people interested in him. The unbelie'-er is ~':po~ed to di,;IIt.: wrath :IS trnn~:~T~%Or of (;od'" holy law, and is con-
?c:mned alreadybe~a,u~e he 1Jt·llcveth no~ (,~ the SOil 01 (;~. Faith is '.he gift ~f God, wrought
III the 50ul by hIs Sl'lI1t, lly the nw;U1s 01 lou word; I;V willch the cOllnnccd mtnd Aies to Jesus for refuge, and rCll"Ullce~ all d~ptndallcC I'jl(ln I.ls own rigllteousness. He belic\'es in Christ
"'ith all his heart; he rc~ts 1.1$ c'era~1 all Upul. the rock 01-a~es; he sets his Ileal that God is true by believing God's rtLord (ollcCl"llill;) hi~ ~n. -I/.'S f~ith is the evidence of thing. which arc not .een with our bodily cye~; and ill the 1I;,ture of it, is b01y, purifyiag the heart, and ,,'orking by Im'e.
The image of God is implanted in the sot.l~ of those who have an interest in Jesus. Chri~t
in you, (he hope of glory; being chllnged i~IlO tnt ~:UJIe image from glory to glory, e'-en by the spirit of God. )..O\-e, holiness, hUllliiity, p:llience, mu:lmess, forbearance, forgiyo:neu which dwell in Jesus, dwells also in his Eaints. Lr~ce in lhe membtrs, resembles that in the head; it is of the aame nature, thon;;h dilicr<:nt in degrees, a. a IImail quantity of water is of the same quality with tbe ,,'aters in the bour.dk~s ocean. It ill the d&ily desire of tbe true chri.tian to be more conformed to the image of Jesull hil giorioul Saviour; and it is bis bur- den that he is not more like him \thorn he loves aoove all. Giorioull union of the aainta
ur
God! Neither life, nor death, can break the bond.
Obedience to the commands of Jesus will e\'idenee an union with him. If ye love me, keep my commandments. Ye are my friends, if re do whlLtBOCver I command you. This il the
"Joice of Jelus to all his followers. Thill is the motive to all uangdical obedience, which M ten thousand timel,tronger than all the terrors of the law, or the dread of punishment. Tbe llave obeyl from fear, but the child is inAuenced by love to his father. The word of God i. our only rule, and not the inventions of men. To worship God contrary to his word, i. to inlult the wisdom and power of tbe King of Zion. The Spirit of God in itloperations on the aouJ, cannot lead any to discard the commands of Christ in hi. word, wbich were written by tiivinc iospiration. The lpirit within, teltifies the word of God in the Bible. The precepts of Gud are not grievous to the aou1 that is created anew in ChriM Jesu. :-his burden i. light. These are the only bleated one .. who Ihall enter in through the gatel into the boly dty.
The glorl of God iSllear and clear to the hearts of all who are iIItereaed in the Lamb. When the name 0 their dear Sl>yiour is reproached by men, or bis cause lutren ill the worid, they are pieved ; but when sucuss attends the gos~l, it affOrdl them real joy and aatiar.ction. ,What II the victory of an army to the splendor of lungdo~s, to th~ '\Kceu o~ the truth of Chnst, OT
the victory of hia grace over the, !lOuis of m~n,' which end ,m tbe happ~DCls. ~f the c~nque~, and the eternal glory God 1 At tillS, allgel~ rejOICe ;-and 11'111 not the IIIlnts JOIO them m praise
r
The glory of God is the end of their cr~tion ; , and not the ~raise of men. Their hap~n il connected with, and 80ws from th~ m;uufeat:tuon of the diVIDe: glory, they are bought With the blood ofthe gloriou. Immanuel, there lore they !lhall glorify God in their bodiea and s~s wbicA are his. To glorify God is their duire on eal"th, and to glorify and enjoy him io heaven, Iball be their eternal employment and dc:light with the ,~hole family, the Church of the fint-bom, whose names are written in heaven, wbo shall unite in one cLeraalaoog of praise to God a.nd the Lamb.
Tbe BEJlt:rITS relulting from an interest in Christ, are many and yaluable.
Christ i. youn; your Ulrd "'lid )"our God; y~ur Prophet, I'.riest and. King, in wh~m you are called torejoic:e. He .. SUllied your nature to raise you from Iln and misery ;-he dIed fOl' you, and rose again for your jUltilic,:tion. He ~Cilt lx:ror~ to prepare a pllce f~)I" you,in K.loIT' Iii.
ri,btcwIDe.., aDd promises, With all the ncbca uC bis (rl.\;e are Y0\U'l. (·brillt lifel 10 glory as
( , ) JI;. T I •• ,~
your
interccs~or;
:lndh~
liresur
faith inYOIi:f~eart..
Your li\es are hiJ"i[~
el,l;.t II ..cc:d' ,
Glorious union! the ctem:!1 wonder of s;;.ints
~nd
angel. !~,.'
, If interestt;d in Jd we arc entitled to, all the privilege! of his chlJrc'h onelif.(
All theGrdinanccs of Chri'j[ The hr.lelltcs who wer.: horn of Ihc seed of Ab.Il'~ IICCOrd.
ing to the flesh, had, to all the
po
\'ilegc~ of thc Jcwish church; Lut being born a~ .. in of*,
the Spil-it of God, a title to "II the institutions of the g<>5;J:I. I ''lith in Christ cnlitlel sinncrs cf all ""ti among the Lord's family in IllS hOllsc hdow. lien: th~ &wnts lo\'c to dwell. sen'iccs, pro\'i~ions, and inheritllllcc are t1dightlul, .nd I.ere God hath 1 " ' > ' l I i " c d ; l I l d his bks,ing for e\'er mflrc.
\'ollli\'c in < l n i n f i d c l i t y ~hOUllds, our Hedeemer hath fUMli~htd you "jlh Ihe Lest e\'idcnce of the alit that rtligioll you profess. ',our ~venari.es !>BY. tilat, the t .. rr()I'i of the law is a'fictloll, you know th"t the fruit of sill hi a realit),. lor )"U 1.:1\'c fdt i,s pOWtr
in your aw"l;.elled constience.-Do thq c~lI the gospcl human invention and illll'0stun:.-You know that it is the, power of God unto Soli vat ion, ha\'ing (cIt it. .. cnergy in your own hl'arl~.-Do
they chargl: the gospel with having an irnmur.ll tenden('y ?-Consult your own t'xpnit-'KC : you knuw that the blood of Christ purgcth the ccmci~nce from dcad works to sen'e the li"inl-; and th.: true God. This remedy remo'·cs the guilt from the soul; and where S'OIfe n:i~:ns ~j,.
lhoJI not h:.,·c dominion; it le"d~ to true h<JlilH:ss and inlb,'nns all its posscs'\Ors to do bood to :.11 men as they haYe opjXlrlullity.-The advoct'.tcs <Jf infld":iry also assert, that rdi~ion <lcstl'O)'S the happiness of m~n? But you know frolTl Wlll,t you i;~\c tasted, that nothing can be more false; for in the gospd ther.: is the sum of true and pU'lllanent fdicit)'; aud from this source all who believe have joy unspeakable and full of glory:
A sense of your intl:rest in Christ will support you under ~II the trial~ of life. Thouhh many sorrows attend you, and tbe It:mptat!~.ns of the ;:~\·crs,II'Y arc powerlill. ~ ct, in Chriat )OU ha\e
~
' , Ilrength equal to your day. From Christ you have riches in \Xl\'en,.; comfort in lorrow, lind Jlleaaurel in the midst of pain. All powu in hc;tvcn ancl on earth is in the hand of )'0\11' Re- , deemer, and ncry neces~a7 support is pro\'ided by him, for all his ptople. He will supplyall your need accordinJ t') his r;(.hes in (;lory. ..\flIictions are sanctificd on purpose to work together for good, to ;til who love God. He hath declared" he will nen~r lea\·c nor forsake his vcople." Death the lUng of terrors is di~anned of its Ming; and when ~u\lr nidence of interest in Jesus is clear, death is considcred as a messenger scnt to ('Qnwy ~ ou to ~'our he~
.enly Father's ho:ne. You neYer hc:uu of lUI instance of one soul. who truMed in Christ,
Mii repented of it in II d~':n@.' hour; but you know of m;&ny who bitterl~' lamenteu in that peri- od, the \~aQt of that n;igicn ,,"hieh they dispisl',1 through their life.
Let m'! only add, you arc entit1l-d to ;1 gloriou~ inhcritance in ht-a\cn. It is resen·cd in Ilean!n lor YO'I, in Christ. Ii childl'l'n then hcirs, IIml joint hl'i"" \\ ilh Jesli. Chri~l. The inheritallcl' i~ in\'aluable beyond;tl\ ('oDl,t·ption, and the litlt' is ,ccurcd in I ht, ('O\'('lIallt. promises
;,nd oath 01 th~t God who cannot lie. Your prospects 'He illde('c1 glOl'iolls! I:rc long, the
sai,,~s 111lI1I enter into the joy of their Lord, fn:e from all t:\'ils. and in full po~session of all good.
Then let ollr fcet walk ill the commandments of our Lon:!, let our tongues speak his praises, Illld aliI' ,ves more dnott'd to his f.:lory ! thlls when d(,,,tll shall rome, we shall dcpaI1 ill peat'e according to God'~ most h(.ly word, ;1I1c1 our l yes behold his c"erillsting aah·ation.
Bn:thn.-n rar~well.
:Sis-ned by onll'r of tht Association.
EBENEZER FERRIS, JlOO"",o,., JOHN ST.\~DJ-'ORn. ('IrrL