Minutes, Salem Association of Baptists, Ky.

M '

SA.LENI ASSOCIA.'l'ION OF BAP1.,ISTS ,

Held at NOLIN Meeting-House, in Ilarrlin County, ort tbe.ftr•t Friday and Sat1erday in October, 1813-being the I stand Zd of the said rnunth. ·

1st. THE Introductory Sermon wns Prea~hetl by hr'other Juil!:i II. L. MoREMAN.

j'J'()m tl11~ Zcl Epistle of Paul to Timothy-4th chapter, part of the Zd ver5e-" Preach t!te TVORD/'

2d. Received Letters and Messengers from the following Churches, to wit:-

CHURCHES. MESSENGERS.

,

;

- - - -

---=--·---~---

-- --_--a,._--

Cedar Creek, Joshua Morriii,Jas Hacldev. Evan Williams Co:.'s Creek, Moses Pierson, Isaac Tayl;r, Joseph Lewis.

Hardin's Creek, Benjamin Philips. ^{T - - -} Simpson's Creek, W. Stallard, W. Davis, L. Green, A I-hwley_

JJiiU Creek, Tho: Linthicum, S. Summers, T. Hubbard.

Hownt jJloriah, l¥iiliR m .:5 Lll.L'k~

.r

iw~· -W ,,J l•· h '"'" 1 nv i u.

Tf'itson s Creek, Dan!. Walker, Wm: Chinowith, Sam!: Absl.

Bethel, B. C.

J.

I-1 L. Moreman, P. Cummins, J. Bra•hear.

Rock Creek, Wm: Cleaver, Tsaiah Watkins.John Doran.

Rolling Fork, Sam!: Miller, James Ede!in, Ab1·: Sheckles.

CedarCreek.,'S R Rodolphus Bukey. - - - - -Revern's Valley,IAnthony Varnon, Duff Green. - !

Nolin, Alex: M'Dugal, U. Alexander, Cor: Lticas Beaver-dam crk. Robert Sands, Philip Dale. - - Bacon creek, George Coonrod, s,Lmuel Watkins. -

2

Z'i 7 I

8 5 ^{6 2} 3 4 2 · · 2 I 4 I

z

31 5 6 4 2 2 5 l 210 I I 2 3 I 2

3·

Bethel, H. C. War: Cash, Mar: Utterback, R: 'rhompldns

JJJill creek, H. C. Jno: C. Hinton, Beall Dorsey Jn.o: I. Shelton 2 G6 2 15

3 i 5

z

Union, Enos Keith. - - - -

Goshen, John :Moreman. - - -

Little Union, Alexander M·Daniel, Elijrth Wiggington.

Caney crk. G. C. Benjamin Dewees, Noah Harrel. - Pleasa'ltRun,G.C No messenger. - - - -

·'1 Gilead, I. T. No messengei". - - -

&~~k~~2

.

creek, 1. T.

5

James Long, James R1ley. _ , _

·: Forks Rough crk Henry Lampton. John Lloyd. - -

Otter cr·eek. H. C. H Johns. T 1\'I'Carty, S Brown, T. Kendall 4

~Rough eric. 0 C. Massey Thomas, Benjamjn Kellev. _ 52 C,oncJrd, G. C. Daniel Athcraft, H.l\'lathews, A· Vanmeter. 25

7 3 1

5 1 4 6

3 2

I E 16

!2 I 11

5

68 202 :23 150 '65

-16 .

^{43 42} ₄₆

i9 39 )02 4·5 .. 1.00

o:.;

70 32 56 47 30 12 13 32 9 59 72 40 Pi.;t,ah, B. C. Charles Polke, Thom:~.s Polke. - I 26

,,

~tw-Hope,

^{B. C.} Thomas Piety. - - ,

I

¹⁸

^{l6& j~}

^£

^u~

^-!j

^16~:1

3d, Brother Wa.lter Stallard,,chosen ~lJ:loderator, and brother Jo~eph Lewi~, clerk.

4th, A new constitution at the forks of Rough Creek, Breckeuridge c•mnty, reques-

t~~ .admisson into thi~t association, which wa:; gra'!1ted, 1\Iessengcrs Henry Lampton

• d .John Llov<:" •ook their seats.

h.

^.i. new (" l'ititution at Otter Creek, Hardiu euunty' re"qucsted ad! •!SSi n ;•ItO

.•

•

t 1 • .<ssociatJOn. granted, .l'Ht~&e:l{'<~l's, enry J.-hn~, uua Thomson Kehdall, too.~ tbett· Heats.

uth. A 11ew constitution on Rot:.₆h C.e~k, Ol.'io county, requested admission, into this as~;oci<tlion, gra;lterl, .iHe8seu;;er~, .J~absey 'l'homa.., aud. Henjn.min Ke!ley took tl1eir seats.

7th. A new constitution a.t Concord, Grayson County, requested admission into thi~

. ,,ociation, g,raHted, Messengers, D:nucl Athcni.fl, Hopki1,; Matthews, and Abraham

\' au1;1.eter took their beats.

Stll. A a uew con~titution, called Pisgah, Breckenridge county, requested admission iltt..> thio .:.~sociation, gra11tcd, ~.ie~o<lngcro, Cl.aries Pulke anu 'fhomas Poll~e toul:;. thei•·

tm.t,;.

0lh. A new con •titution calledNcw Hope. Breckenridge county, admitted into this a.c;sociJ.tion, 'l'homas ·piety her mc;.;bcuger, took his seat.

l0i b. Rcceiveclletterb &. Mes,.;eugero from i he following Corresponding Associations, (viz.) f';om :ELhcrn, by br.,tl.er Edmund ·waller; Loug·Run, by brotlier William Stout;

Su-.th Jistrict, by bmt!:ct· Jo~;eph 'Vhitehead; Rutisells. creek by breth1·en, Isaac HvdE;iH. Jvohua Taylor, Juel Gorden; Tates creek, by b1·other Durret \Vhite; Greery..

Uiver, by bt·other J Conley ; Silvu creek, by 1.Jrother \Villiam Sands; ·wabash a lel-

•~r, t.c.t no messen£,et·.

11 ti.. Jotspet· Rt v'et· association, requestell a correspondence with us, which wa~ gran- ted, bt•other Benjamin 'l'al~ot tl e l\ie,;~eu!;er, tookhio seat.

12th. 'f,.e ci;·,·,J]ar letter 1ead anJ telerrcd to the brethren appointed to arran;e .he OUoineb~ of t.~;e UbSOCiation.

13th. The ntxt a~;,ociation to be held at Go8hen church, Breckenridge county, on the £rst FrHlny in Octobu next, lnothe1· \V:dter Stallard, to preach the introJuctory Seiinon in ease of fai\u,·e, brothe1· l\luoes Pien;on.

Btb. Adjourned uutil 10 o'duek tu morrow.

J Stll. S<J,lGL'du.y ue:.t pur~uant to U(1jvUll.rr;er.t, and ufler prayer, rroceeced to busi-

lle.~s.

16th. 'I' he brethren appointed to arran;;e tl e Ltcsincss of the association, made theil"

:repurt.

l; th. The Church at Buck cree1.:, and Ir.dian creek, LT. petitioned for leave to join the Sih er creel,. a>sociatiuu, whid• wa~ granted.

lMh. The eJrt:ular letter was real!, awen(!.,~d a!ld approved.

1 S th., 'f,be eonespcnding

letter~

^to

tt

c diil C'J enl ao:ouciations

we~

read...aJld.the Mes-

.

""·'f"l~ ro Gear ll i'm llppnintt•(, (h wort:) or-e1:bTCI•. Joseph Lewis, Robert Thornpldns, Daniel 'Valker, Thomas Jiubbaid, 'l'h<>mas Linthicuw, anJ James H. L. :Moreman, to Elkhorn; JosJJUa :Monis. Alexsncier )l'Daniel, Beail Dorsey, Isaac 'l'aylor to Long Run; Jo:,eph Lewis. Dutl' Green, Walter Stallard. Benjamin l\1eason to South dis- trict; Alexander M'Dugal, Jubeph Lewis, Cornelius Lucas, Jacob Keith to

Russell~

·~reek; Dufr Green to 'l'ates creek; ·walter Slallat·d, Alexander l.Vl"Dugal, :Martin Ul- terbacl:. to Silver creek; William Chinowith, John Doran, Evan Williams. Isaac 'fay-"' lor tv Jasper river; \V R rreu Cash, James II. L. Moreman, A lexandet· M' Dugal, Enos Keith to Green river·; \Yarren Cash, James H. L. :Moreman, Petet· Cummins, Enoi:l Keith, Sha.drach Brown, Charle~ Polke, Thomas Piety, Thomas Pvlke, 1\Ia~:tiu Utter- back. Rodolphus Bul:ey to Wabash.

20Lh. Brother Joseph Lewis appciate:l to superlnted the printing of the Minutes and Circ:ular Letter.

21st. T.he nex.t Elkhorn Associ!l.tion is to be held at Mount-Pl•asa.nt, in Jessamine county, on the :2nd Saturday in AugustneY.t-Long Run, on the first Saturday in Sept.

next, at Fox Run in Shelby c.ouu-ty-South Distric:t, at Stony Point, in Mercer county, the third Saturday in August--'rates Creek. at Hick mans Creek Meeting hou10e. on the four·th Saturday in Augu,;t. Je~·samine connty-Rnssells Ct·eek, on the thit·d Saturday h1 Sepleiilbet·, at. Meadow Cree),, Gr~een Connty-Gr·een River, at Mount Pisgah on the fl>Urtil 8atu1·day in July. B1.nen County-SilY!Jt· Creek, at Mount Pleasant ~leeting lwu~~. Jeffe,-son county, I 'L'. tlte fourth l:<'rillay in August-anJ \Vabash at Patok>l.

~\IceLiug, hou~e irl Kctu.~ Cu .. wty' u;l LflC 8.Hllr.lay befol·e the Lhird Lol'US day in Sept.

Atte.<·t.

\V ALT

1<:1~

Sf ALLARD,

.li1odm1L·t·.

J. L.ZWl5, C,LER".

- -.. -OlD::-:::::.:::::::c..., .. ___ _

\

( CIUCULAR I.ETTER.)

D!~Ar;. ~r.ETHRF.}r,

.

Tr!E design of onr ::~G.dress to you at thi~ time, is to demonstnte, ur ptu\ ~the beill:; .J.;,d perci'-'n"'l.!f of

u •.. '

lluiy-G~o":, 't';~e ..!v~:t1·ine ^.)f the trinity is

s: this ::pr,ear~ to l>e •Le :pr re<.~On wl1y 1t h alto;;e'h- et· by some, and basely hauJled by othet'fi'; nor ueed we \Yonder lit this, when we consider tLe wultipl"city oi' discordant p '1ctplcs \;hi<.:h e:,bt unde!' t!1c gospel, uti- bing from different causes too tediou,; to 1111.->lton.

'We have therefore, contented ourbcl ves w i Lh hying the doctrine Lefo;·c you as'~ e fmd

• revealed in the Bible, without gloss :H· di~gui6e: and we hupe we h:tvc cLJae it without oifcl'ing violence to a single text of scripture, tv wo.ke it speak the seutiwenh of any

party.

I. That there is one eternal and incomprehensible God, i£> reYcaled and f,enerallybe- lieved; that thel'e a;·etlu·ee personb in tb_e Uodl c3d, j, r.J~o t kn-!y t"t t,l.t Jn t1.e bcrip-

~u_t·e; .to each ofw_horn tbe clivi~~ atr!buleti ~;e a,;criled.

1

aud.reli~iou~ !Jot~at-e paid:

tlus wtll appeat• phm, ft·om the tollowmg evJuence 1·eeon.ed HJ1l.e \\ord of God-- These are uot only called by distinct and dill"ecent names; but they are revealed andre- presented 10 us undet· vet·y di1J'e,·entpersonal pl·opet·tie~ anJ cbaracter:;.-'l'lms we re::td of one God the Father·, of whom aee all th in;~s. and we in him ; and one LorJ Jesus Christ, by whom a1·e :ell thing;, and we Ly l>ii~l; an:l oi'une spirit, or Holy-Gho~t, by

•• hom throu~h ClH·ist web:.\ e a.cceo,; to tlH! fatl!el". l Ct•t•. b. 5 6. EpLcsinllti, chaplet•

:2. '18. We t·eaJ aho of Jibtint.Ot atHl difl'Gt~nt bles•iugs, wlti~.:l are iwpartutl to us fnllil each of the oacred three, u.s tlte love ot' GoJ tJ,e [u,ther, the t:t•aee of out· l,•JJ'U Je:;u8 CIH·ist, and tl.ecummuuion of the Holy-Gltt,bt. 2 Co1·. l:.J. 11·. ~\.uJ since lhey arcchus reveded to U5 in scripture under diffc;·eut per·•onai chat·acters, it seems not a.t all im- )Jl'Oper to c~ll them tltree perooi>s; audit n•u~;ta.:,.o be allo\reJ Lbat tl1e word rez·~on, wLcn thus applied, is b.v no u:e,tns to be t<tken in the mobt toomtrtoll anti r1atural ,en~e, fur in tlw.t ~en;,c three l:J0r~oas would ni~nify t.~1ree diotiat:t intelli;;;;,ut beings; as ,lohn, Petct•

and James, are thrc0 p<w:;ouo; ot· :cs applieu tu the Fatl.cr, ~un, and Huly-Gho;,L, would signify three f-l·uds; Lut yet for want uf "orne mol'e prupe1· word, this has long been a- greed upou and vet·y genet·ally u;;eJ l•J li.cnule tlJC cli~tiLJt.Otioa in thctr <Lf[e:cut ope~J.­

tious and agency towanls us iu tlw ~cheu.e ut' our salvation

:~. This '~ill furthet· appeat• uy cun"ide•·ill; that a tlistind and psrsonalrrovince in the work of our salvation, is a"si;;ncd it~ t-ct·ii'tul'c to ea"l. of i.iw h,wreJ 'l'l,ree.-Thus elec;- t.ion is asct·if)ed to Lhe Father·. and redeLHption to the Sou, ab hif.l pt·opot· wol'l;. :.wd pr·c- Yince: and the Holy-Ghost couvert:; and ~ancttlies all lho~e, v\' hum the Fath ... r cle..:ts aud

the Son redeems.

3. Again: the ~cl'iptures represent it as the pPoper act oftl.e Fathet· to pardon sinners:

~f the Son to :1tone for their ~ins, and n:•nt:cr it consiste:>t "·ith ti.e iL sticc r\f!d h·pth.n

Go±·;t-cr fot·give then, ~cumo reLuacil0l ,oth-em;- and iti~ the d~oliuetFet·soual act of the Holy-Ghusttb apply & seal the pardon tu tl.o.-;e happy pe:-~uas, whu ,cf'e t I> us pu,;·tloue;i:

and when the gospel prove;; tl,emcans of converting a sim:et·, itcomcstu LlJ<lfD iu power&.

in the Holy-Ghost. I 'I'hes. l, 5.-To ],in• it beloL;:s tu comfort tl.e ;;ouls of believer~.

and ieal them to the day of redemption: it is he tf.llL "\Yit.IJCb>eth with uut· ~piritsLhat"e are the sons of God. Rom. S. 2o. And it is the rceuliar and I'en;ot.al wod~ of the IIo- 1/-Ghost to qualify. by b:uwLitit.!aLion, ~inful ~ouls for llcnen. J.nd. bring them into mtet- llCSS for that glorious inheritanve.--Tl.ey ure c!Jooen lu ~.d\';::.\lull throu;s!1 ~anctifica­

tion ofth& spirit. The~ 2. 13.

4. It should be remembered also, th:1t whe11 "e arc baptioed, it is done in the name ofthe Father, a11d of lhc Sun, and of the Holy Gi•ost: this implies that we >tre devoted to the faith and service of each of these divine ocrbo:os: and all will allow th:;.t tl;e Jca.

ther and the Son '~re uistinct persons: but wh~t cou!usion TllUbt ;t introduce, to add to them, and join equally with tltem, as to all the <~oncenJ,; of fait.:> a.t,d ohediente the Ho- ly-Ghost, 1f he be not a divine person, but oniy a virtue or quality in God--what seHH)

Cll.ll any man mah:e of the words? Again we arc .;aid to be baptized into lti~ nar:w

and no sense call be fixed to the~c words that doe,; not inciude fllti personality; for the

• words signify out· religiously owning the FalLer, Son, & Hol.) -GLost in uUJ· baptism, faith

"- d obed1ence, as we own tlte one, so we own the otLet·; aud if '\e own tLe F:.tLer a;;

a distinctpersou, so we do the Holy-Ghost.--Now to conceivE' that ally thin;; that 1s nc1t

a divine person, should be jc•ir,eJ witi1 tl>e Fathet·, and tl.e Son, fo•· tJ.e,e pt.l·po&es, without the leatit note of cli1Tenmee, as to dei t..y or pet·sonality, is indeed to er::et·L::.in a.

.notion deetruclive of t·eligioit, a.r:d t(lndin;::; to Pulytheism.

5. Personal properties ate ;,,;cribed to tile Holy-Ghost: L;t, understanding or wis- dom, which is the yropet·ty of an intellig,ent 5ub~tuu~e. i~ ascribed to hilU. l. Cur.

~ I0.-2nd, a will1s asuiLed to l,im, and thi,; i~ the mostdi:;tinguishing ch~· racier of CL

.l!erson: for whn.boever L endiled with an intelligent will is a person.-1-\v-;·; t!,is pro ..

Ferly is aser·ibed to tLe Holy-Ghost. l, Col'. 12, ll. Agaiu, person:..! actions are os- cribed to hi.n, such as cot .. ili.LJ<ling;, fo;·bi,liu;~;, ct,.Hmuniug, cboosiug and ti1e like;

whicltmay oe found as L~l'H\"o: "'rhe IIoly-Gl.o:,t ,;aid SC2~-!'ate me Bam::tbas ttnU Saul,.

')r tL.e ... vor:~ V:J!tere:.tJ:lt0 1 h .. LV~ C-.Ll~eJ th3!n.') ..::.:...;Llj, LJ~ ~- H rrhc lioiy-Ghost \'·.ritne.,-,.

seth in evet•y ·city, s:tying that honds ani1 affiictions abide me.'' Acts, 20, 23.--" Tak _ heed nato your,el ve,, and to all the flock over which the Holy- Ghost hath made you o- verseel'S" Vet·oe 28. '·And were forbidden of the Holy-Ghost. to preach the word in Asia." Acts, 16, 6 --1'i1esc aclions are peculiarly confmcd to personality: & it would . • be absurd, and a contradiction to common sen.;e, and to the i(.horn of scdpture language, -

to apply such act'io.1s and ex:pt'essit'llS to any thing but a pe7son.-Again he is said to be tempted. Acts. 5, 9 and 15, 10. None can be tempted but he who has personal under- standing, to consider the pt•oposals made to him, and a will to determine on them.--In like maunet• he is said to [)e t•esi:;tcd: and the sin a.ga.inst the Holy-Gliost is sucb as can- TiGt he forgiven; although sin\lin,t; a;;ainst the Father, or the Son may be for·givan.

I'lh.th. 1~. 2-t..--Now, if the ~pirit were only the power of God present with Chirst then CIH·ist aud that power could not be distinctly and separately spoken against. >

6 We have the testimony ol thb Apostle .John. lst Epis. 5, 7. \Vho informs us" th-at there are three that b<Jat· re~ot·d in ll~aven, the Father, the Word, and tne Holy-Ghost: aad the,e tht·ee at·e one." 'I'o~i8 text alone is suffi;!ient to prove the being and persona1- ity of r he Holy Ghost; a?d it seern> .stt•an.g,e .that any y~raon, who. owns thil• anthorit,f ofthe Bible, and is willmg to subrmtthe11· fa.;th to d1vme revelatwn,should require a- ny greater pt'oof.--'Vhen we a1·e told lhat tl.ree witnesse.;; appeared in court, and gave thei-r tcc•t.imony ag;a imt 3. cri rninal, we would noL hesitate a moment to believe that they

~we•·e tluee ditferent, or distinct pen;ons. •

'l'hc Apostle in this text, no doubt allutled to the baptism of Christ: when John the baptist bore record," saying, I saw the spirit descending like a dove, and it"abod'e up- on him." 'file 0ther evfcngelistll ailirm the same; and add that a voice came ft·om Hea-· ,,en oaying," this is my beloved ~on, iu whom 1 am well pleabed." Luke says the Ho-•, ly-GlwHt dcsecnded in a bodily slnpe, hkc a dove Luke 3, 22.-ln this passage we have the testimony of the Holy-Ghost in a bodily shape, h6aring joint witness with the voice· of the .Father from Heaven, te,;tifyina; ihe approbation of Jehovah to this action of th"' · Son of Go<l.--.A.t the beginning of .the old c1·eati.o~. t.he spiri~ o1· Holy-Ghost, moved up- on the face of the wate1·s, commun1catmg a v1v1fymg quality to the whole, as a dove gently move~ upon her eggs communicating vital heat. Gen. l, 2. So at the new cre- ation. he comes as a dove upon him who was the author of it. •

7. Hence we conclude, f1·om sct·ipture testimony, that lhe• Holy-Gho~t is a person distinct from the Fathe1· and the Son, so he is said, in scriptUJ;e, -to proceed from both;

.!ill. as sud,, must be di;tinct from both in person and operation: for can it..ha.aaid with

:tny congnuty ot sense, that he Is s oth, and proceeas from

t'io'fli

the Father antl the Son, and yet IJ(It to be a distinct person from both.-ln this way we luve endeavor- ed to prove the being and pe1·~onality of the Holy-Ghost, ft·om which wo may safelv colll~lude. upon the evidence of scripture, that these are three distinct persons in th"e Gou-hen.d, to each of whom the names of God are given; divine attributes and ·distinct personal acts are equally ascribed, and religious wol·ship are equally due.-It will ver,, evidsntly follow, that tl.ese three at·e one God: but the mannet· of their existence· and:

union, we cannot teli you; and ·we suppose it is above the capacity of men or .ano-eJg fully to comprehend it. We who know so little of ourselves, how tbe soul and £'oqy are united in one man, must not expect fully to under~tand the infinite divine nature~

and we think it would argue gt·eat weakness in us to refuse to belieye what God, (who only knows himself) has been pleased to re·J;eal to us, concerning his own nature; merely

?rca use oue nart·ow m in?-s cannot colif.re~Wld.the full meaning of _it, for who by search- 1ng can find out the Alrmgl:ty unto pertcc.wn. Jo?, 11, 7. We desire. therefore₁ humbly and thankfully, to take Crod's word, and to believe whatever he tells us to b'e true though

wear~

not able to

coneeivee~ery

thing about it.-Dear Brethren, in this

shor~ :

letter, you see the aath<Jr of yu•u· electtou, the Father, the author of your redemption, the Son. a!Ho the author of yom· sanctili,·ation-and meetness for glory, the Holy-Ghost.-

'fhen it fo1lows that as these three glorious persons are equally coneerned in our sal- ation, they are eqnal in dignit.y ~nd glory; and w~ are laid under the strongest obliga- tinno to asC'r1be equa.l and undJVHled glory and IDilJesty to each of the sa~;:red three, o_no Gor1 h e

0

^{s01J.~e and uni}ty.-N ow may tht~ grace of onr Lord Je~ns Christ, the lo.ve of God the Fathu, and the communion of the Holy-Ghost, be with you all now and for-

e"·,~ r·.--. 1r,1ttt.

A"',.,,,,

WALTER STALLARD, .!J!oderator.

J . .LEWIS, CLEll.:L

:!j

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~· PnlN'l'ED BY WILLIAM DAilD, :,\'r THE B,ARDSTOWN• REPOSJTORY·OFFICI!: .. §

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