USA > Kentucky > Muhlenberg County > A history of Unity Baptist Church, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky > Part 4
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
6. We believe that salvation is free to all who will accept the Gospel.
7. We believe that, except a man be renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is not qualified or prepared for the kingdom of Christ on earth, or to enjoy His glory here- after.
8. We believe that repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are the duties of every one who hears the Gospel.
9. We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, by which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies and saves sinners.
10. We believe that santification, begun in regenera- tion, and ever progressive, is the process by which we are made to partake of God's holiness.
11. We believe in the preservation of the saints; that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
12. We believe that God's law is the only, the eternal and unchangeable rule of Ilis church and moral govern- ment.
13. We believe that a church of Christ is a congre- gation of baptized believers, united in the faith and fel- lowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances and obeying the laws of Christ; and that its officers are pastors and deacons.
14. We believe that Christian baptism is the immer- sion of a believer, in water, by a properly qualified ad- ministrator, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
15. We believe that only such as have been properly baptized and received into the fellowship of a regularly organized Baptist Church, should partake of the Lord's Supper.
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
16. We believe that the Lord's day or Christian Sab- bath, should be devoutly observed and sacredly devoted to religious services.
17. We believe that civil government is of divine ap- pointment, and that the governors of States and nations should be obeyed, when the laws they seek to enforce are not in conflict with the Gospel.
18. We believe in the future resurrection of the dead.
19. We believe in the final judgment; and that, in that day, the righteous and wicked will be separated forever.
20. We believe that the righteous will be made happy forever in heaven, and the wicked miserable forever in hell.
COVENANT OF UNITY CHURCH AS RECORDED AUGUST 8, 1868
Having been, as we trust, brought by divine grace to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ and to give ourselves wholly to Him, we do now solemnly and joyfully covenant with each other to walk together in Him, with brotherly love, to His glory, as our common Lord. We do, there- fore, in His strength, engage :
That we will exercise a mutual care as members of one another, to promote the growth of the whole body in Christian knowledge, holiness and comfort, to the end that we may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
That to promote and secure this object we will uphold the public worship of God and the ordinances of His house and hold constant communications with each other therein.
That we will cheerfully contribute of our property
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
for the support and maintenance of a faithful ministry of the Gospel among us.
That we will not omit closet and family religion at home, nor allow ourselves in the too common neglect of religious training up of our children and those under our care with a view to the service of Christ and the enjoy- ment of Heaven.
That we will walk circumspectly in the world that we may win their souls, remembering that God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind; that we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and that a city set on a hill can not be hid.
That we will frequently exhort and, if occasion shall require, admonish one another according to Matthew 18th, in the spirit of meekness, considering ourselves lest we also be tempted, and that as in baptism we have been buried with Christ and raised again, so there is on us a special obligation henceforth to walk in newness of life.
And may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of everlasting covenant, make us perfect in every good work to do his will, work- ing in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS
On the front and back pages of the four church books appear the names of many men and women, all of whom, in all probability, were members of Unity. But since a number of these have an unexplained line drawn through them and since, in many cases, there is nothing to in- dicate when they were placed in the book, it is impossible
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
to compile a complete list showing who were members and when they were connected with the church. In this confusion of names and dates appear two lists (1815 and 1840) which seemingly are complete and properly dated. These have been arranged in alphabetical order and are here published, followed by a list of members in 1914.
MEMBERS OF UNITY CHURCH IN 1815
Duren Allcock
William Harris
Peggy Allen
Zacharias Harris
Sarra Allcock
George Hase
Redding Barfield
James Herren
Frederick Burnom
Elizabeth Hibbs
David Campbell
John Hill
Benjamin Clark
Benjamin Hobbs
Theodosia Clark
Susannah Houseman
Esias Earle
Stanley Johnson
Nancy Earle
Jesse Jones
Sally Easom
Lydda Macbee
Nancy Everet
William Macbee
Theodosia Folks
Drucilly Macneel
Benjamin Garris
Clarissy Moore
Elizabeth Garris
Margaret Moore
Lucy Garris Sikes Garris
Fanny Murphy Jesse Murphy
Dolly Goad
Amy Newton
Lewis Goad
Celia Newton
Peter Goad
Jesse Newton
Susy Goad
Elizabeth Oates
Laura Hamel
Jesse Oates
Mary Harris
William Oates
Milly Harris
Zilpha Oates
Sarah Harris
Benjamin Rhoads
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
Bryant Roach
Ely Smith
Samuel Smith
Susana Smith
Clara Stanley
Ben
William Stanley
Charity
Nicholas Thomas
Ester
James Thompson
Fillis
Chella Uzzel
Plato
Nancy Uzzel
Pompey
Famer
MEMBERS OF UNITY CHURCH IN 1840
Lucinda Adkins
Reason Cash
Martha F. Akers
Sarah Cash
Elizabeth Arnett
Archibald Coleman.
James Arnett, Sr.
Beverly Coleman, Sr.
James Arnett, Jr.
Beverly Coleman, Jr.
Nancy Arnett
James E. Coleman
James Bennett
Martha Coleman
Lucy Bennett
Rebecca Coleman
Lydia Bennett
Elizabeth Dillingham
Nancy Bennett
Margaret Dillingham
Ritta Bennett
Barnett Eades
William Bennett
Elizabeth Eades
Franky Bethel
Mary Eades
Samuel Bethel
Mary Ann Eades
William Bethel
Rebecca Eades
Robert Eades
John Bourland Lemuel Brown
Samuel Eades
Nancy Brown
Sarah Ann Eades
John Cash
Thomas Eades
William Eades
Mary Cash
Charity Wilkins Nancy Woolridge
NEGRO MEMBERS.
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
Malinda Ferguson
Jesse Oates
Joseph Forester
Jesse J. B. C. Oates
Rhoda Forester
Mariah M. C. Oates
Mary Garris Sikes Garris
Zilpha Oates
Isaac Groves
Zilpha M. Oates
Casandra Hancock
Sarah L. Pierce
Nancy Hancock
Harriet Randolph
William P. Hancock
Robert M. Randolph
Sarah Harris
Minerva Rice
Stephen Harris
Violet Roark
Kinchen G. Hay
William Roark
Henson Houseman
Isaac Stanley
James Houseman
John Stanley, Sr.
Ome Houseman
John Stanley, Jr.
Priscilla Houseman
Moses Stanley
Susan Jarvis
Nancy Stanley
Margaret Lee
Annareta Stewart
America Lewis
Annis Stewart
Derinda Loving
Barnett Stewart
Joseph Loving
Celia Stewart
Sarah Martin Jacinth Mercer
Duncan Stewart
Lydia Mercer
James Stewart, Sr. James Stewart, Jr.
Sarah Mercer
John Stewart Joshua Stewart
Margaret Moore
Susan Stewart
Zilpha Stewart
Dorcas Morgan Willis Morgan David Oates
Elizabeth Stoboy Ezekial Tyson
Eleanor Oates
Nancy Tyson
Elizabeth Oates
Thomas Tyson
Wiley Tyson
Jane Oates
Frances Ann Stewart
Rachael Mercer
Silas Mercer
Wyatt Oates
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
William Tyson
NEGRO MEMBERS.
Sarah Ann Uzzel
William Uzzel
Fillis Eades
Lemuel W. Vick
Sip. Eaves
William Vick
Caroline Moore
Martha Vincent
Pompey Moore
Benjamin Wickliffe
Henry Oates
Oliver Wilkins
Jennie Oates
Francis Williams
Olive Oates
John Williams
Rebecca Oates
Lucinda Williams
Richard Oates
James Woods
Simon Oates
Elizabeth B. Young
Tener Oates
Hulda Young
MEMBERS OF UNITY CHURCH IN 1914 AND THE YEAR THEIR MEMBERSHIP BEGAN
Mary Arnett, 1882 John Bethel, 1885
Marion Bethel, 1910 Martha Bethel, 1910 Mrs. Vannie Bowen, 1904 J. W. Corzine, 1912 Mrs. Pearl Corzine, 1912
Mrs. Nettie Craig, 1882 Mrs. Zenora Dearing, 1907 Irby Doss, 1913 Mrs. Jennie Doss, 1885 Mrs. Lou Doss, 1913 Mrs. Blanche Earle, 1913 Edna Earle, 1912 Mrs. Eugene Earle, 1904 Eunice Earle, 1904
Henry G. Earle, 1904 Mrs. Icy Earle, 1900 Mrs. Jeanette Earle, 1882 Leslie Earle, 1913 R. W. Earle, 1909 Mrs. Vannie Earle, 1898 Lee Gamble, 1912 Ransom Gamble, 1912 Nona Hunter, 1904 Mrs. Viola Hunter, 1900 George M. Inglehart, 1910 Mrs. Winnie Inglehart, 1900 Mrs. Nannie Jarvis, 1904 Mrs. Norma E. Johnson, 1885
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
Sherman Latham, 1901 Mrs. Frances Matheny, 1889 D. Finis Mercer, 1902 Mrs. Effie Mercer, 1898 Lera Mercer, 1909 Lucy Mercer, 1910
Mrs. Luella Mercer, 1913 Mrs. Matilda Mercer, 1876 Mrs. May Mercer, 1895 Thomas C. Mercer, 1893 Mrs. Viola Mercer, 1912 Woodson Mercer, 1909 Bayless Earle Oates, 1909 Benjamin F. Oates, 1910 Mrs. Bertha Oates, 1902 Mrs. Effie Oates, 1907 Mrs. Estella Oates, 1904 Henry W. Oates, 1903 James Wallace Oates, 1909 J. Chester Oates, 1899 Mrs. L. Bert Oates, 1868 Lewis E. Oates, 1904 Lillian V. Oates, 1909
Lucian F. Oates, 1890 Mrs. Mary Oates, 1895 Mattie Oates, 1909 Orville T. Oates, 1909
Mrs. Sallie E. Oates, 1900 Sue Oates, 1904 Thomas J. Oates, 1882 Victor H. Oates, 1910 Walter Oates, 1909 Mrs. Katherine L. Pitt- man, 1902
Mrs. Myrtle Pittman, 1912 Rufus S. Pittman, 1901 Lorena Prowse, 1909 Mrs. Ella Robinson, 1909 J. Frank Robinson, 1909 Cash Rose, 1910 George Rose, 1910 Nick Rose, 1910 Sidney Rose, 1912 Top Rose, 1910 Mrs. Cordia Shannon, 1886 Mrs. Susan V. Slaton, 1882 Mrs. Lelia Stewart, 1912 Mrs. Flossie Swan, 1909 David Tyson, 1893 Mrs. Hilda Tyson, 1885 Mrs. Georgia Vaughn, 1900 Murrell Vaughn, 1909 Mrs. Dollie Vick, 1909 G. Netter Vick, 1898 Mrs. Pallie Vick, 1882
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
THE MUHLENBERG COUNTY BAPTIST
ASSOCIATION
On October 25, 1906, the various Missionary Baptist churches in Muhlenberg were represented at Hazel Creek Church for the purpose of forming an association with geographical bounds to correspond with those of the county, and a temporary association was effected. This temporary organization, after the churches had procured letters of dismissal from their respective as- sociations, was made a permanent one at a meeting held at Nelson Creek Church on October 15 and 16, 1907. Unity's messengers at this meeting were J. Frank Doss, Henry G. Earle and Lucian F. Oates. The new Associa- tion-The Muhlenberg County Baptist Association-was formed out of parts of Daviess County Baptist Associa- tion, Gasper River Association and Little Bethel As- sociation.
[In addition to the Muhlenberg County Baptist Association, which includes the thirty-nine Missionary Baptist churches now in Muhlenberg (about 5,000 members), there are within the bounds of the county parts of three district associations of General Baptists represented by a total of thirteen churches (about 1,000 members) : Bard's Hill, Green River Chapel, Hillside, Mud River Union, Olive Grove, Richardson's Chapel, Sharon, Union Chapel and Union Ridge of the Long Creek Association (organized 1893) ; Duvall's Chapel, Green's Chapel, and Lone Star of the Union
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
Association (organized 1839), and Green Brier of the New Harmony Association (organized 1890). These three associations with thirty others, most of which are in the Middle West, constitute the General Association of General Baptists which was organized in 1870. The first General Baptist church in the Middle West was organ- ized near Evansville, Indiana, in 1823.]
The following historical table shows :
1. The names of churches belonging to the Muhlen- berg County Baptist Association in 1914.
2. The year each church was organized (as published in the Proceedings of the Association in 1913).
3. To what association the church belonged when the Muhlenberg County Baptist Association was formed in 1906.
4. The year the church entertained its association after the organization of Gasper River in 1812, Little Bethel in 1836, Daviess County in 1844 and Muhlenberg County in 1906.
In this connection it may be well to add that Sugar Grove, established in 1873 and discontinued in 1900, entertained Gasper River Association in 1874 and in 1886; and that four of these churches were organized and discontinued before the organization of the present church took place : Cave Spring was originally organized in 1806, New Hope in 1838, Greenville in 1850, and Paradise in 1869.
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
HISTORICAL TABLE OF CHURCHES BELONGING TO THE MUHLENBERG COUNTY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
Church
Organized Former Association
Entertained Association
1. Hazel Creek
1797
Gasper River
1822, 1831, 1841, 1851,
1863, 1870, 1882, 1897
2. Nelson Creek
1803
Gasper River
1825, 1838, 1869, 1891, 1903, 1907
3. Bethel
1811
Little Bethel
1837, 1849, 1857, 1879, 1889
4. Unity
1812
Little Bethel
1839, 1886, 1914
5. Cave Spring
1833
Little Bethel
6. Mt. Carmel
1839
Gasper River
1845, 1860, 1875, 1906
7. Friendship
1840
Little Bethel
1843, 1861, 1870, 1898
8. New Hebron
1840
Gasper River
1912
9. Oak Grove
1846
Little Bethel
1853, 1866, 1875, 1895, 1908
10. Ebenezer
1851
Gasper River
1854, 1878, 1894
11. East Union
1852
Little Bethel
1883, 1892
12. Bethlehem
1853
Daviess County
1860, 1904, 1910
13. S. Carrollton
1853
Daviess County
1871, 1892
14. New Hope
1854
Daviess County Gasper River
1848
15. Macedonia
1856
1869
Daviess County
1877, 1890, 1902
17. Mt. Pisgah
1869
Little Bethel
1913
18. Pleasant Hill
1873
Little Bethel
19. Central City
1878
Daviess County
20. New Prospect
1881
Little Bethel
21. Belleview
1884
Gasper River
22. Carter's Creek
1887
Gasper River
1904
23. Cherry Hill
1887
Little Bethel
1901
24. Dunmor
1890
Gasper River
1900
25. Riverside
1892
Gasper River
1907
27. Drakesboro
1894
Gasper River
28. Paradise
1900
Gasper River
29. Forest Grove
1900
Gasper River
30. Vernal Grove
1901
Little Bethel
31. Penrod
1904
Gasper River
1909
32. Graham
1906
33. Hillside
1908
34. Arbor
1909
35. Powderly
1910
36. New Cypress 1910
37. Beech Creek 1912
38. Woodland 1912
39. Forest Oak
1913
1889, 1911 1904
26. Cedar Grove
1893
Little Bethel
16. Greenville
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UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
Charles E. Eades was the moderator at the first meet- ing of the Muhlenberg County Baptist Association and also served in that capacity in 1908 and 1909. Reverend William J. Mahoney was the moderator in 1910, and Walker Wilkins in 1911, 1912, and 1913. Reverend N. F. Jones, who preached the first sermon for the Associa- tion, was the first secretary of the organization. In September, 1908, Ed S. Wood was elected secretary, and he has faithfully filled the office ever since.
The annual meetings of the Muhlenberg County Baptist Association were held as follows:
First, at Nelson Creek, 1907, October 15-16.
Second, at Oak Grove, 1908, September, 30-October 1. Third, at Penrod, 1909, August 25-26.
Fourth, at Bethlehem, 1910, August 31-September 1. Fifth, at Central City, 1911, August 30-31.
Sixth, at New Hebron, 1912, August 28-29.
Seventh, at Mt. Pisgah, 1913, August 27-28.
The eighth meeting of the Association has been scheduled to take place at Unity on Wednesday and Thursday, August 26 and 27, 1914.
It was due chiefly to the efforts of Lucian F. Oates, Henry G. Earle, James Wallace Oates, and Benjamin F. Oates, who were the congregation's messengers to the Association in 1913, that Unity was chosen for the meet- ing-place in 1914. For that occasion, and for the future as well as the present members of the congregation, this History of Unity Baptist Church has been written.
A HISTORY OF MUHLENBERG COUNTY
BY
OTTO A. ROTHERT.
This book tells of the wilderness conquered, and of the adventures of the men and women who founded and developed the county up to and since the beginning of the railroad era, and made possible the achievements of to-day. It is the story of the county from the standpoint of its personal and public traditions, which have been arranged in related groups and form an almost con- tinuous narrative.
It was published in 1913. Competent judges have pronounced it the best county history ever published in the United States. The Western Recorder says, "It is more interesting than a good novel; it will interest old and young alike. The Greenville Record says, "Every Muhlenberger and former citizen of the county will value the book far above the price at which it is offered." The American Historical Review says, "The book not only contains much that is of interest to the student of Kentucky history but is written in a pleasing style."
It is a labor of love, offered at cost of production, the author's time and work being contributed. The book contains 500 pages, 240 excellent illustrations and a complete index. It is printed on a superior quality of paper and is handsomely bound in dark red cloth. The price is $5.00. It is for sale in Muhlenberg county by a number of merchants and book agents. Muhlenbergers and others desiring copies to be delivered elsewhere than in Muhlenberg county, can procure the book, postage prepaid, by sending such orders, with remittance, to OTTO A. ROTHERT
132 East Gray Street.
Louisville, Kentucky.
A History of UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
By OTTO A. ROTHERT
The price of this history is thirty cents, by mail thirty-five cents. It is on sale for Unity Baptist Church by Oates Brothers, R. F. D. No. 1, Greenville, Kentucky.
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