USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Shrewsbury > A history of Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia : including the Woodbridgetown and Salemville churches in Pennsylvania and the Shrewsbury church in New Jersey > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > Salemville > A history of Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia : including the Woodbridgetown and Salemville churches in Pennsylvania and the Shrewsbury church in New Jersey > Part 13
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May II, 1794. REV. ISAAC MORRIS was given a letter of recommen- dation to join the West Fork River Church. The church also settled business affairs involving JACOB DAVIS, SIMEON MAXSON, WILLIAM DAVIS, JAMES MAXSON, and THOMAS BABCOCK.
September 14, 1794. JOHN DAVIS, SAMUEL FITZ RANDOLPH, and SIMEON MAXSON were appointed to represent the church at a business meeting of the West Fork River Church.
December 20, 1794. JOSEPH DAVIS (son of James), and AMY LIPPINCOTT (wife of Samuel Lippincott), were received into the church.
January 11, 1795. JOHN PATTERSON and his wife, SARAH, were received into the church, by letter from the church at Georges Creek, (the Woodbridgetown, Pennsylvania, Church).
March 12, 1797. The names of CORNELIUS SUTTON and BENJAMIN THORP are recorded as members of the church.
August 14, 1797. The name of GEORGE MAXSON appears as a mem- ber of the church.
September 10, 1797. JAMES DAVIS and REBEKAH, his wife, are recorded as members of the church.
-
FRANKLIN FITZ RANDOLPH. ( From a photograph taken in 1888).
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THE NEW SALEM CHURCH
October 14, 1797. JOHN DAVIS, JONATHAN DAVIS, and ELISABETH BALL, were all baptized.
January 14, 1798. JOEL DAVIS, son of William, was baptized and received into the church.
July 8, 1798. THOMAS MAXSON, JESSE MAXSON and JAMES MAXSON are recorded as members of the church.
March 24, 1799. JOHN BERTLY was baptized.
June 8, 1800. JOHN MAXSON and MARY FITZ RANDOLPH were received into the church.
May 10, 1801. MARGARET DAVIS, wife of Philip Davis; and NANCY DAVIS, wife of Samuel Davis, were baptized and received into the church.
June 14, 1801. The following were baptized and received into the church :-
PETER HALL,
JOSHUA DAVIS,
GEORGE DAVIS,
CONTENT DAVIS, ELISABETH DAVIS,
SALLY DAVIS,
HANNAH DAVIS.
July 19, 1801. The following were baptized and received into the church :-
SAMUEL LIPPINCOTT,
MARY MAXSON,
HANNAH DAVIS, wife of Joseph Davis.
August 16, 1801. The following were received into the church :- THOMAS CLAYTON,
ELISABETH CLAYTON, wife of Thomas Clayton,
DAVID FITZ RANDOLPH,
MARY FITZ RANDOLPH, wife of David Fitz Randolph,
CHARITY MAXSON,
AMY DAVIS.
October 15, 1802. JAMES HILL was baptized and received into the church.
May 9, 1803. On this date, the following named members were all present at a church meeting, and had their names affixed to a certificate of licence to preach, granted by. the church to Joseph Davis :-
Rev. JOHN DAVIS,
ZEBULON MAXSON,
NATHAN DAVIS, Senior, NATHAN DAVIS, Junior, SAMUEL FITZ RANDOLPH, THOMAS CLAYTON, JAMES DAVIS, REBEKAH DAVIS, GEORGE DAVIS,
I26
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
JOSEPH DAVIS,
JOSEPH DAVIS AND WIFE,
JESSE F. RANDOLPH,
RICHARD BOND, Senior, MARY BOND,
RICHARD BOND, Junior,
PETER HALL,
SAMUEL DAVIS,
ELISABETH CLAYTON,
DELILAH FITZ RANDOLPH,
MARGARET FITZ RANDOLPH,
NANCY DAVIS,
SIMEON MAXSON,
ELISABETH MAXSON, WILLIAM DAVIS, Clerk.
October 5, 1805. MARY BOND was baptized and received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
Oct. 5, 1805-May 11, 1806. At some time between these two dates, the following joined the newly organised Lost Creek Church :--
RICHARD BOND, Senior,
RICHARD BOND, Junior,
GEORGE DAVIS,
MARVEL DAVIS, MARY BOND.
August 16, 1807-December 28, 1815. At some time between these two dates, PETER DAVIS was received into the church by the laying on of hands.
January 4, 1817. JACOB DAVIS, SARAH DAVIS, and ELISABETH DAVIS were received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
May 15, 1818. The following were received into the church by Rev. John Davis :-
MARY DAVIS, daughter of Rev. John Davis,
MARY MAXSON, daughter of Simeon Maxson,
MARVEL MAXSON, daughter of Zebulon Maxson, PARMELIA MAXSON, daughter of Zebulon Maxson.
April 17, 1819. The following were received into the church by Rev. John Davis :-
GEORGE J. DAVIS, son of William, of Greenbrier,
ASENATH HUGHES,
LEAH HUGHES,
HANNAH HUGHES,
RACHEL SUTTON.
April 18, 1819. The following were received into the church :- DUDLEY HUGHES, son of Jonathan, WILLIAM HUGHES, son of Jonathan, JONATHAN HOWELL,
127
THE NEW SALEM CHURCH
CATHARINE DAVIS, wife of George J. Davis, ANNA DAVIS.
May 14, 1819. ABIGAIL HUGHES, wife of Jonathan Hughes, was received into the church.
May 15, 1819. The following were received into the church :-
JONATHAN HUGHES,
MARTIN HUGHES, son of Jonathan,
WILLIAM F. RANDOLPH, son of Jonathan,
ELISABETH HUGHES, daughter of Jonathan Hughes.
June 20, 1819. The following were received into the church by Rev. John Davis :-
PHINEAS DAVIS,
RHULANAH DAVIS,
STEPHEN DAVIS,
JESSE DAVIS,
GAMBLE SHANNON.
July 18, 1819. The following were received into the church by Rev. John Davis :-
ELISABETH DAVIS, wife of William Davis, of Greenbrier,
JOHN SUTTON,
WILLIAM DAVIS, son of "Bottom William,"
RACHEL DAVIS,
VIENNA DAVIS,
CHARITY LEVENSTON (LIVINGSTON ?).
August 21, IS19. The following were received into the church by Rev. John Davis :-
BETSEY DAVIS, wife of James Davis,
SYLVESTER DAVIS,
LYDIA DAVIS,
JEPTHAH DAVIS,
ELISABETH HOWELL,
KEZIAH DAVIS,
LYDIA BROWN,
EXPERIENCE DAVIS,
JANE DAVIS,
JACOB MAXSON, son of Simeon,
REBEKAH MAXSON,
JOSHUA DAVIS, son of William,
CATHARINE DAVIS, wife of Joshua,
SAMUEL F. RANDOLPH, (son of Jesse ?),
JOHN LOOFBORO,
LEWIS DAVIS.
September 19, 1819. The following were received into the church :-
EZEKIEL BROWN, TACY BROWN, ELISABETH DAVIS, wife of "Bottom William,"
ELISABETH DAVIS, wife of William, son of Nathan.
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128 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
November 20, 1819. CONTENT DAVIS was received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
March 19, 1820. JOHN DAVIS, son of Rev. John Davis, was bap- tized and received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
August 18, 1820. LEAH STUTTLER is recorded as a member of the church.
October 21, 1820. TACY DAVIS was received into the church.
May 17, 1821. JAMES JARVIS was received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
May 17, 1822. EPHRAIM BEE was received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
May 15, 1824. EXPERIENCE BROWN was baptized by Lewis A. Davis and received into the church by Rev. John Davis.
1829-1830. The following is "a list of those received into this church from the Quarterly Meeting, November, 1829, until the February [Quarterly] Meeting, 1830" :-
REUBEN D. SUTTON,
DRUSILLA SUTTON,
ABSOLOM A. DAVIS,
POLINA DAVIS,
JOSHUA S. DAVIS,
HANNAH DAVIS,
WILLIAM BABCOCK,
DAVID HUGHES,
JANE FITZ RANDOLPH,
JESSE J. DAVIS,
AMOS DAVIS,
ZIBA DAVIS,
JOHN MAXSON,
MARY MAXSON,
GIDEON MAXSON,
ELISABETH MAXSON,
LEVI B. MATTHEW,
JOHN W. MATTHEW,
LEVI DAVIS,
JANE ELIZA DAVIS,
DEBORAH SUTTON,
LEVI SUTTON,
DAVIS SUTTON,
ASA BEE,
JOSIAH BEE,
JOHN D. BEE,
PRISCILLA DAVIS,
HULDA DAVIS,
EHUD DAVIS,
GEORGE J. SUTTON,
ELEANOR SUTTON, ELIONA DAVIS, (8)
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THE NEW SALEM CHURCH
SOPHIA DAVIS, JOHN KELLEY, SOPHIA KELLEY, AMAZIAH BEE, RHODA BEE, EZEKIEL BEE, JONATHAN FITZ RANDOLPH, Senior,
ELISABETH FITZ RANDOLPH, LURANA DAVIS,
WILLIAM B. DAVIS, MARTHA DAVIS,
CHARLOTTE DAVIS,
MARY JOSEPHINE DAVIS,
DAVID DAVIS, Senior,
LYDIA DAVIS, ELIAS B. DAVIS,
DELILAH DAVIS,
ROBERT ALEXANDER,
LYDIA MAXSON, JAMES MAXSON,
LUCINDA HOWELL,
MARIA ANN HOWELL,
WASHINGTON HOWELL,
CONTENT SHANNON,
WILLIAM J. DAVIS, JOHN S. DAVIS,
ESTHER DAVIS,
CALVIN DAVIS,
JAMES DAVIS, Senior,
LUTHER DAVIS,
MADISON DAVIS,
PHIATHATA DAVIS,
JOHN KNIGHT,
SOLOMON SAYRES,
WILLIAM S. DAVIS,
SOPHIA DAVIS, MARY DAVIS,
LEWIS DAVIS, EDITH DAVIS, ASENATH DAVIS.
1830. The following were received into the church in this year, after the Quarterly Meeting in February :-
"SQUIRE" DAVIS, JAMES SHANNON, JEPTHAH FITZ RANDOLPH, MARY HUGHES, LABAN DAVIS.
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SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
1831. The following were received into the church during this year :- LODOWICK H. DAVIS, PETER W. DAVIS,
ANN DAVIS.
August 19, 1831. On this date, the Middle Island Church pre- sented a letter containing the names of those members of the New Salem Church who had joined the recently organised Middle Island Church. They were as follows :
WILLIAM G. DAVIS,
ELIAS L. DAVIS,
EPHRAIM BEE,
JAMES DAVIS,
GAMBLE SHANNON,
JONATHAN HOWELL,
SIMEON MAXSON,
JACOB MAXSON,
GEORGE W. HOWELL,
CALVIN DAVIS,
JAMES M. DAVIS,
JAMES MAXSON,
ELISABETH HOWELL,
LYDIA DAVIS,
PHIATHATA DAVIS,
MARY HOWELL,
MARIA A. HOWELL,
WILLIAM J. DAVIS,
JAMES SHANNON,
CONTENT SHANNON,
ELISABETH DAVIS,
SOLOMON SAYRES,
EXPERIENCE DAVIS,
JOHN KNIGHT,
MARY KNIGHT,
WILLIAM S. DAVIS,
LEWIS BOND,
ELISABETH DAVIS,
KEZIAH DAVIS.
August 19, 1831. On this date, letters of dismissal were granted the following :-
ROBERT ALEXANDER,
LUTHER DAVIS, SYLVESTER DAVIS.
February 12, 1832. Letters of dismissal were granted the following :- NATHAN DAVIS, JANE DAVIS, LEWIS DAVIS,
I3I
THE NEW SALEM CHURCH
MARY DAVIS, EDITH DAVIS,
SAPPHIRA DAVIS, wife of William S. Davis,
MARY MAXSON,
- JOSHUA DAVIS, CATHARINE DAVIS, WILLIAM BABCOCK,
ASENETH BABCOCK, MARY HUGHES.
August 16, 1833. Letters of dismissal were granted REV. LEWIS A. DAVIS, and his wife, REBECCA, to join the church at Pike, Ohio. On the same date, the following were also received into membership in the church :-
NANCY BROWN, CHARLOTTE DAVIS, HENRY JONES, HESTER JONES, JANE SUTTON.
August 9, 1835. A letter of dismissal was granted to ASA BEE.
April 20, 1838. The name of ELISABETH FRASURE appears in the minutes of the church meeting of this date.
May 17, 1839. The name of BENJAMIN DAVIS appears in the min- utes of the business meeting of this date.
August 21, 1841. MARTHA BEE, wife of Jonathan Bee, was bap- tized, and on the following day was received into the church.
April 16, 1842. MARY ANN KELLEY, daughter of John Kelley, was baptized and received into the church.
May 21, 1842. LUCINDA DAVIS, daughter of Rev. Peter Davis, was received into the church. She had been baptized some years previously.
November 18, 1843. ABIGAIL KELLEY and JEMIMA DAVIS were received into membership in the church.
August 15, 1844. A letter of recommendation was granted JOSEPH JEFFREY and his wife, TACY, to join the Middle Island Church. 1845. The following were received into membership in the church :-
GEORGE FORD, POLINA FORD, RICHARD FORD,
EMILY FORD, JOEL H. DAVIS, CHARLES G. DAVIS,
MARGARET DAVIS, JESSE D. DAVIS.
January II, 1845. The following were received into the church on this date :-
ZEBULON DAVIS, CATHARINE MAXSON,
132 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
SARAH DAVIS, CHARLOTTA DAVIS.
March 30, 1845. DEBORAH F. RANDOLPH, wife of Jepthah F. Ran- dolph, received a letter to join some other church of the same faith and order. The letter was not used, however.
May 15, 1845. The name of INGABY BEE appears in the minutes of a business meeting held on this date.
August 9, 1845. The following were received into the church on this date :-
JAMES HYATT, THEODORE DAVIS, DORINDA DAVIS.
December 15, 1845. The following is a list of members received into the New Salem church on this date, at a meeting held on Buckeye Run :-
THOMAS FORD,
MARGARET DAVIS,
JOEL DAVIS,
CHARLES G. DAVIS,
GEORGE FORD,
RICHARD FORD,
IRA C. DAVIS,
EHUD DAVIS, «
EMILY FORD,
EMILY DAVIS,
POLINA A. DAVIS,
ELISABETH FORD,
ELISABETH DAVIS,
JANE DAVIS,
PHOEBE DAVIS.
BAPTIZED.
June 24, 1843. Mary Ann F. Randolph, Esther F. Randolph, and Ezra F. Randolph were all baptized at New Salem.
July 1, 1843. Harriet, wife of Isaac F. Randolph, was baptized.
October 14, 1843. Catharine, wife of Gideon Maxson; Sally Hughes, and Jemima Davis were all baptized by Joshua Hill, at New Salem.
December 9, 1844. Charles G. Davis, Richard Ford, Elisabeth Randolph, Mary Randolph, and Elisabeth Davis were all baptized by Richard C. Bond. On the following day Emily Davis was baptized also.
December 14, 1844. Phoebe Davis, Ira Davis, and Ehud Davis were baptized at New Salem by Richard C. Bond.
December 15, 1844. George Ford, Emily Ford, Elizabeth F. Davis, Joel Davis, Jane Davis, Polina Davis (daughter of William B. Davis), Charlotte Davis (daughter of Absolom Davis), were all baptized on Buckeye Run, by Richard C. Bond.
I33
THE NEW SALEM CHURCH
December 22, 1841. Zebulon Davis was baptized on Greenbrier Run.
December 29, 1844. Lemuel Davis was baptized on Meat House Fork.
January 4, 1845. Elisabeth Sutton was baptized at New Salem.
January 4, 1845. Annetta Maxson was baptized on Greenbrier Run.
January 25, 1845. Stephen Davis, Neely Jeffrey, Isaiah Bee, and Rhoda Davis were baptized on Middle Island Creek.
February 2, 1845. Theodore Davi and Jesse Davis were baptized at New Salem.
DEATHS.
"This is a list of the names of them that have been removed out of the world by death :-
"Brother WILLIAM DAVIS departed this life at White Day, July 15, 1791.
"Our dearly beloved brother and elder, JACOB DAVIS, departed this life, July the 17th, 1793.
"Sister TAYSEY (TACY) DAVIS, the widow of William Davis, departed this life, the Ist of June 1795.
"Brother EPHRAIM MAXSON departed this life, September 10, 1795, at Salem.
"Sister EXPERIENCE MAXSON departed this life, October the 20th, 1795.
"Brother JOEL DAVIS, the son of William, departed this life, June 1, 1798.
"Our aged brother, SIMEON MAXSON, departed this life, February 26, 1802, at Salem.
"BENJAMIN THORP departed this life, April 15, 1804.
"Brother NATHAN DAVIS departed this life on-[date wanting].
"Brother DUDLEY HUGHES departed this life, May the 14, 1820.
"Sister AMY DAVIS departed this life, October the 14, 1820.
"Brother JESSE DAVIS, departed this life, December 22, 1824.
"Brother WILLIAM DAVIS, called "JARSEY" BILLY, departed this life, April 10, 1840.
"Sister CONTENT, consort of Joshua G. Davis, departed this life, July 27, 1840.
"Sister SALLY, consort of Elder Peter Davis, departed this life, January 10, 1842.
"Sister MARY JOSEPHINE, consort of Ziba Davis, departed this life, March 1, 1842.
"Brother Elder JOHN DAVIS, pastor of this church, departed this life, June 22, 1842.
"Sister ABIGAIL, consort of Jonathan Hughes, departed this life, July 1, 1842.
"Sister JANE, consort of Jonathan F. Randolph, departed this life, April 24, 1843.
134 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
"Sister RACHEL, consort of William F. Davis, departed this life, May 21, 1843.
"WILLIAM DAVIS, known as "GREENBRIER BILLY," departed this life, January 6, 1845.
"Sister BETSEY, consort of William Davis ["Greenbrier Billy"], departed this life, January 6, 1845.
VII.
THE WEST FORK RIVER CHURCH.
T
.HE records of this church have long since disappeared. The only docu- mentary sources of information now available are the records of the New Salem Church; a single letter addressed to the General Conference under date of July 23, 1808, by the hand of Thomas Maxson, clerk of the church; and the reply of the General Conference
to the church.
The West Fork River Church was located at or near the mouth of Lamberts Run, a small stream which flows into the West Fork of the Monongahela River from the west, some six or eight miles north of Clarksburg, and but a short distance south of the junction of Ten Mile Creek with the West Fork of the Monongahela River. Here there settled Thomas Max- son, a prosperous farmer from Shrewsbury, New Jersey. He rapidly improved his farm, built a brick dwelling house with brick out buildings, and gathered around him a small company, consisting of his son Timothy, with his wife, Anna; William Vanhorn, and his wife, Virginia, and perhaps others.
On June 25, 1793, these settlers presented a petition to the New Salem Church to send delegates to attend the organi- sation of a church on the West Fork of the Monongahela. The petition was granted and Isaac Morris and Ephraim Maxson were sent as such delegates, and the organisation was effected with a membership of five souls.
The membership, which was never large, had in 1808
136 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
increased to a total enrollment of sixteen, since the organisa- tion of the church, of whom one had been excommunicated, two dismissed to other churches, and one deceased, leaving an actual membership at that time of but twelve. Although they then had hope of growth, the church soon went into a decline and gradually became extinct.
On May II, 1794, Rev. Isaac Morris received a letter of dismissal from the New Salem Church to join the West Fork River Church, and on December 14, following, the New Salem Church received a request from the West Fork River Church for assistance to excommunicate Isaac Morris. The New Salem Church replied by letter, directing the West Fork River Church to follow the gospel rule as laid down in their articles of faith and practise.
Presumably, however, the West Fork River Church, for some unexplained reason, found itself unable to take final action without further advice and assistance, for on September 14, 1794, there was a special business meeting of the New Salem Church to consider the propriety of sending delegates to a church meeting of the West Fork River Church. It was decided to send such delegates, and three were appointed ; vis., Rev. John Davis, Samuel Fitz Randolph, and Simeon Maxson. The purpose of sending these delegates to the church meeting at West Fork River, is not specifically stated, but it may be assumed fairly, that it related to the matter presented to the New Salem Church by the West Fork River Church, only four months before.
On June 13, 1795, the New Salem Church received a request from the West Fork River Church to send the pastor of the New Salem Church to ordain an elder and deacon. The New Salem Church granted the request, but stipulated that the West Fork River Church should secure other assistance, pre- sumably from the Woodbridgetown Church, as that church, next after the New Salem Church, was the nearest Seventh Day Baptist church.
On September 9, 1798, James Maxson received a letter of dismissal from the New Salem Church to join the West Fork River Church; and on November 10, 1799, Joseph Davis, Sr., was granted a letter of dismissal by the New Salem Church to join the West Fork River Church.
I37
THE WEST FORK RIVER CHURCH
On February 14, 1802, the New Salem Church voted to ask the West Fork River Church to send Rev. William Davis to assist in ordaining two deacons, and if he were not available, to ask for Deacon Thomas Maxson of that church. These deacons were ordained on April 10, following, by Rev. John Davis of the New Salem Church, and Deacon Thomas Maxson of the West Fork River Church.
On May 9, 1803, after having debarred Rev. John Patter- son and his wife, Sarah, from communion "for joining fellow- ship with the First Day Baptist Church" of which he had assumed charge, the New Salem Church took the following significant action :-
"We do renounce communion with all Seventh Day [ Baptist] Churches that do give toleration and full fellowship with First Day Churches, and we appoint James Davis and Samuel Davis as messengers to the West Fork [ River] Church."
The records of the New Salem Church contain nothing further concerning the West Fork River Church, and all fra- ternal intercourse between the West Fork River Church and other Seventh Day Baptists appears to have lapsed until in 1808, the New Salem, Lost Creek, and West Fork River churches all applied for membership in the Seventh Day Bap- tist General Conference and sent Rev. John Davis jointly, as a delegate to the annual session of the General Conference, held in September of that year, at Hopkinton, Rhode Island.
The applications of the New Salem and Lost Creek Churches were acted upon favourably, but that of the West Fork River Church was denied because it held open com- munion with First Day Baptists.
The correspondence is as follows :-
"JULY 23d, 1808.
"We, the Seventh Day Baptist Church who reside on the West Fork of the Monongahela [ River], Harrison County, State of Vir- ginia, received a request from the Eastern Churches to obtain the knowledge of the number of [Seventh Day] Baptists [here], and further to join in a Conference with them.
"We rejoice to learn that the work of God is a-carrying on amongst you. We do send our christian salutation to all our brethren and sisters in the bonds of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We join you in your motion. If we can be accepted, we shall acquaint you of our faith and order.
138 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
"We believe in the doctrine of election, of the final perseverence of the saints, of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
"Further, we do hold a full fellowship with the First Day Bap- tists, and send these lines as children to our father in the gospel, looking for an answer; as in the multitude of counsel, there is safety.1
"This Church was constituted in the year of our Lord, 1793, of five members. At the present time [there are] twelve members; one excommunicated; two dismissed; one deceased.
"Religion appears to be [at a] low ebb at present, though we have hopes of an addition to this church.
"So we bid you farewell. Though we should never see each others' faces, in time may we be prepared by grace to meet in the world above.
"By order of the Church, "THOMAS MAXSON, Clerk."
To this the General Conference made reply :-
"To the Seventh Day Baptist Church residing on the West Fork of the Monongahela River :---
The Elders, Messengers, and Brethren, composing the Sabbatarian General Conference, now sitting at Hopkinton, State of Rhode Island, to the Seventh Day Baptist Church, on the West Fork of the Monongahela River, Harrison County, State of Virginia, Sendeth Greeting :---
DEAR BRETHREN : We feel ourselves under the greatest obligation imaginable, to adore and praise the name of our God, for his unbounded love and goodness manifested to a sinful world, that he has not left us to perish in our iniquities, he being not willing that any should perish, not willing that the numerous posterity of Adam, who were made sinners by his transgressions, and who were not active in that transgression, should thereby inevitably and eternally perish; therefore He sent his only begotten Son into the world to seek and to save that which was lost, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, who through the Eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot unto God, a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour, acceptable unto the father, whereby we are redeemed from under the curse of the law; so that we are no more to be condemned for Adam's transgressions, for as by the offence of one, many were made sinners, even so by the righteousness of one. many were made righteous; as likewise saith the Prophet, "this proverb shall no more be heard in Israel, that the fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge, but the soul that sinneth, shall die,"-thus we behold the loving kindness of the Lord: notwithstanding we were all included under sin, yet He had mercy upon all.
"But behold, the goodness of God did not stop here, for Christ
1. Benedict says that the West Fork River Church admitted First Day Baptists to membership. General History of the Baptist Denomination in America. Benedict. Boston 1813. Vol. II, p. 421.
139
THE WEST FORK RIVER CHURCH
came into the world not only to make an atonement for sin, but He came a light into the world, to lighten every man that cometh into the world, to preach the Gospel to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord; and likewise the day of vengeance of our God, wherein He will pour out his fury upon all them that will not have this man to reign over them-and further, He has burst the bars of the grave, and risen a victorious conqueror over all our enemies, and is now seated at the right hand of God, making intercession for us ; and has laid a foundation of eternal salvation, and has left exceeding great and precious promises, even eternal life, for all that believe in and obey him-He has likewise sent the Holy Spirit into the world, not only to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judg- ment, but likewise to lead and guide us into all truth, even into the ways of Holiness; and now dearly beloved, may not these contempla- tions stimulate our hearts to love him supremely, above all other objects, and lead us to true and swift obedience to all his Holy requirements.
"O, dear Brethren, let us lift up our heads and rejoice, because we know that our Redeemer liveth, and shall be alive for ever more; we know that He liveth because he is yet inspiring his servants to lisp forth the sound of his glorious Gospel; we know that He liveth because He has been refreshing our souls as with the dews of heaven, while we have been sitting down together in our present annual meeting-we rejoice, dear Brethren, that the Lord has given us this one opportunity more of meeting with our beloved Brethren from foreign lands, to sit down together to commemorate the dying love of a Saviour; we sit down under His banner with great delight, and His fruit is sweet to our taste; we rejoice that the Lord has put into the heart of our beloved brother, John Davis, from your country, and has enabled him to travel seven hundred miles, to join with us in so good a cause, whose coming was to us like the coming of Titus, and we pray God to return him, as well as all the rest of our brethren, safe in His own due time, and we hope if it may be consistent with the will of God, that the coming of some of you may in a future time, give us the like cause to rejoice.
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