USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Miami in Logan County > Condensed history of the Old School Miami Baptist Association of Ohio > Part 2
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1823. At this meeting two letters were presented, each purporting to be from the East Fork of Little Miami Association. The letter and mes- sengers from the brethren who met last at Duck Creek was received believ- ing them to be the East .Fork Little Miami Association. At this meeting we find the beginning of the trouble in the Sugar Creek Church, Two let- ters were presented. Resolved, To receive neither of the letters at present. It was requested by both parties from Sugar Creek Church that the Associ- ation advise how they should proceed to settle their difficulty. Answer. We
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advise the majority to go to the minority and acknowledge them to be the Sugar Creek Church and that each party strive for reconciliation in the spirit of love and forbearance.
· 1824. Admitted Dayton ; 13 members ; messenger, Andrew Clark. At this meeting a committee which was appointed to inquire into the standing of the parties of Sugar Creek Church reported, we think it highly improp- er for.this Association to enter into an investigation of the difficulties for- merly existing in Sugar Creek Church for the following reasons : lat. There has been two Councils called from churches composing this As- sociation, and one of them by the united voice of both parties, and it ap- pears that both Councils have pronounced the minority to be the church, although they reprove the minority for manifesting a bad spirit, for which they confessed their fault to the satisfaction of the Association then bold- ing at Mill Creeklast year. 2d. Although the Association did not officially at the first receive the minority owing to some misunderstanding, yet before the Association was dismissed there was a vote carrieu giving advice to the majority to go to the minority and acknowledge them as the church and try for a reconciliation, we conceive by this act they were virtually received in the Association as the Sugar Creek Church. 3d. We think it to be infring. ing on a former act of this Association for us to enter into an investigation of a difficulty which this Association has once decided on. Therefore it is the opinion of your committee that the minority of Sugar Creek Church is a church in good standing in this Association, and that they ought to be re- ceived unless they have forfeited their standing since the last yearly meeting. The report was received and the messengers from the minority, N. E. Dyer, Wm. Kelsey, E. Kellogg and John Allen were invited to a seat with the Association. A circular letter from the Missionary Society of Cincinnati was read and laid aside. . A communication from the Board of Managers of the Baptist General Convention and one from the Publishing Committee were laid on the table. Appointed Elders Mulford, Gard and Thompson a committee to revise the platform and present it to the Association next year. WHEREAS, Elder John Mason has since the commencement of this Association asserted that Elder.W. Thompson has stated a falsehood respecting the diffi- culty in Sugar Creek Church, the Association deem it a duty to state that in her opinion sufficient documents were produced before the Association to prove incontestably the truth of the statement of Elder Thompson.
1825. A circular from the Board of Baptist Missions in the United States was read, together with a request from Elder Rice that our minutes be sent him and the Clerk was directed to forward our minutes accordingly. Received a request from Elder J. Mason requesting an investigation respect- ing a resolution passed by this Association last year against him, which was rejected. The report of the committee appointed last year to revise the platform of the. Association was received and indefinitely postponed. Took
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up a query from Lebanon Church, viz : Are all persons who have been ex- cluded from a church entitled to a certified copy of the charges and proceedings of the church in their case, when such certificate or copy shall be requested by the party so excluded? Answer. We believe it ought to be left to the option of the churches to give such certificates or not. Took up grievances mentioned in the letters from Middle Run and Mercer's Run re . specting the reception of the minorty of Sugar Creek Church as the regular church of that name. Resolved, That this Association recommend the Sugar Creek Church to confer with the majority and endeavor to call such helps as in the opinion of both parties may effect a union among themselves. Resolved, That we concur with the East Fork Association in recommending the first Cincinnati Church to agree with the Enon Church in calling helps to settle the difficulties existing between them. Received a request from the White Water Association requesting any one having charges against Elder John Mason to exhibit them authenticated, at the Elkhorn Church in the White Water Association before a committee to meet at said place on the first Saturday in November, 1825. We recommend that any person 01 persons or churches having charges as above to exhibit them at the time and place above mentioned.
1826. Elder J. Berry agent of the Ohio convention, made a commu- nication on the nature and design of the convention, whereupon the Asso- ciation recommended to the churches in her body to consider the nature and become acquainted with the design of the Baptist convention of this State, and then act as they may think best in the matter. Query from Todd's Fork, viz. : Is the Association justifiable in receiving and continuing in fellowship the minority of Sugar Creek Church to the dissatisfaction of other churches? Answer. That the Association proceed no further in this query. Query from Mercer's Run Church : Is it right for a church or for an association to receive a member of a church into fellowship over the beads of others ? 2d. Does this Association think it right for the minor- ity to join with the majority in calling such helps as should have the authority of inquiring into the cause that had distressed the two churches viz .: The First Cincinnati Church and the Enon Church ?
1827. Admitted Dry Fork ; €0 members; messengers, T. Appleton, Wm. Sater. Correspondence opened with Greenville Association. Took up the complaint of Bethel Church, which is for receiving the minority of Sugar Creek Church as the regular church of that name. Resolved, That this Association request that the churches composing this body hereafter forbear to send letters containing charges against this Assso- ciation or individuals, as she deems ít calculated to stir up the coals of strife and break the peace of the churches in our body, and she disclaims any courtly authority. Took up the complaint of Middle Run Church, viz. : For receiving the minority of Sugar Creek Church as the church of that
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name, in which the Association is charged with receiving said minority without a fair and impartial investigation, which this Association states io be false, and consequently the Middle Run Church is no longer in the fel. lowship of this body. Took up the complaint of Mercer's Run Church ,
whereupon the following resolution was adopted : Resolved, That the Mercers Run Church bas forfeited her seat in this body and the fellowship of the churches of which she is composed on account of the many false and slanderous statements contained in their letter of the present year, which letter is to be kept in the book belonging to this Association.
1828. Admitted Mount Bethel; 27 members ; messengers, R. Morris, Wm. Hinsey, C. Hinsey.
1829. Admitted Ebenezer Chapel; 14 members, messengers, T. Apple ton, L. Dolby. Hamilton admitted ; 39 members ; messengers, D. Bryant, Wm. Bascum, S Fields. Resolved, Tuat this Association request the churches composing her body to consider the propriety of sending forward some money yearly to defray the expenses of our Messengers to distant As sociations.
1830. Nothing particular.
1831. Admitted Sixth Street Cincinnati ; 70 members ; messengera, S. W. Lynd, H. Miller, J. Smith, J Woolley. Admitted Race Street, Cincinnati ; 32 members ; messengers, G. Patterson, W. Brown, C. H. Harwood; J. An- drews. Took up the request of Elk Creek Church. Resolved, That this Association request each church in her body to express the particular items of its faith in her letter to the Association next year. Carpenter's Ruu Church baving lost its visibility the name is dropped from the minutes. The First Church, Cincinnati, having united with the newly constituted un- der the pastoral care of Elder S. W. Lynd, the united church adopting the name "The Sixth Baptist Church in Cincinnati," therefore the name of the First Church is dropped from the minutes. Also the Wilmington Church baving fallen into the practice of mixed communion and the errors of A. Campbell, and have absented themselves for two years, we drop that church from our union.
1832. Resolved, That this Association recommend to all the churches in her body to send forward a delegate to the Baptist Convention for this State to meet at Lebanon, Warren County, on Saturday before the fourth Sabbath in May next, so that each church may become properly acquainted with the object and movements of the Convention and Board of Managers The Association give liberty to Elder Bryant to take a collection to-morrow to aid the convention in supplying the destitute in this State with the preaching of the gospel. Collected $40.
1833. Opened correspondence with Conn's Association, Indiana.
1834. Bethlehem Church having lost her visibility is dropped from the minutes.
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'835. Ebenezer Chapei dissolved. Here begins the tug of war about the worldly institutions Mt. Zion Church applied for admission and was opposed because she had dec'ared non-fellowship with the societies and institutions of the day commonly called benevolent institutions. Resolved, That we lay it over until to-morrow at 10 o'clock, and before deciding with regard to the admission of said church the Association shall proceed to investigate the sub- ject and declare her sentiments with regard to the benevolent institu. tions of the day (so-called.) On Saturday took up the benevolent institu- tions, which was introduced by the following preamble and resolutions : WHEREAS, There is great excitement and division of sentiment in the Baptist denomination relative to the benevolent institutions of the day (so-called) such as Sunday Schools, Bible, Missionary, Tract and Temperance Societies, therefore, Resolved, That this Associatinu regards those said societies and institutions as having no authority, foundation or support in the Sacred Scriptures, but we regard them as having their origin in and belonging to the world, and as such we bave no fellowship for them as being of a religious character. Amendment-But do not hereby declare non-fellowship with those brethren and churches who now advocate them. Votes for the reso- lution, veas 40 nays 21 The foregoing resolution without the amendment was warmly debated from 10 o'clock a. m. until near sun down, during which time the propriety of a split was strongly urged by the anti-mission party as being essential to the peace and happiness of the churches now engaged in controversy through their elders and messengers. The opposite party through Elder Lynd consented to the same, and said they would now go in for a split providing it could be accomplished in a manner satisfactory without such a resolution as would seem to exclude or force out such church- es as might otherwise withdraw.
Thereupon the Clerk proposed the amendment now added to the above resolution, then held in his hands, which was complied with, and the Association passed it as follows : WHEREAS it is believed that there is, relative to Bible, Missionary, Sunday-School, Tract and Temperance Societies, a differance of opinion among the churches of this Association, it is, therefore, Resolved, That this Association grant to the churches, friendly or opposed, the entire liberty of withdrawing and form. ing a new Association according to their own views. Resolved, That the Association advise the churches to grant letters of dismission to all of their members who are known to be of good moral character but are dissatisfied with the doctrine and practice of the church where they now belong and wish to go to the other churches where they can be better suited. Recess until 7 o'clock p. m. Met at 7 o'clock. Resolved, That this Association will now attend to the resolution offered for the reception of Mt. Zion church: . as laid over from yesterday. Resolved, That Mt Zion church is refused ad- mission. Yeas 27, nays 17. Not a two-third majority for reception. Read
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the corresponding letter, which created some debate, but was finally received subject to the following amendment, suggested by Dr. Bryant, to-wit : Re- solved, That we amend the corresponding letter by erasing all that later clause relative to some "old school meetings having been held," and in the room thereof insert the third and fourth resolutions of to-day with their preambles. Resolved, That no church can hereafter be represented in this Association by more than four messengers. On Lord's Day the advocates of the human inventions repaired to the Presbyterian Meeting-house in Lebanon. ( Thus they went out from us .- Ed.)
1836. Admitted Mt. Zion; members, 25, messengers, J. Flint, L. Abrams, J. Bloomfield. Winchester (formerly called Bethlehem) admitted ; members, 10; messengers, J. Ward, S. Poyner. Winchester was dropped from our minutes in 1834 having ceased to do business as a church, but is now reinstated by the present name +On motion of Elder Childers the fol- lowing preamble and resolution was adopted : WHEREAS, A number of the churches composing this body have in their letters requested the Associa- tion to drop from her minutes and fellowship all churches now engaged in advocating or supporting the societies and institutions against which the Association declared non-fellowship last year ; therefore, he it Resolved, That we drop from our minutes the following churches: Sixth street (Cincin- nati), Middletown, Lebanon and Dayton. The messengers from Mad River and East Fork of Little Miami Associations, J. L. Moore, T. Price and Elder J. B. Cook, refused to hand in their letters of correspondence, whereupon this Association dropped correspondence with them. Resolved, To reconsider the preamble and resolution passed yesterday, viz: Erase the word "fellowship" and also add in the proper place the words "as religious institutions, so that when amended it will read as follows : WHEREAS, A num- ber of the churches composing this body have in their letters requested the Association to drop from her minutes all churches now engaged in advocat- ing or supporting as religious institutions any of the societies for which the Association declared non-fellowship at her last session. The three churches already named were dropped. Resoved, That the Association advise such of the brethren in the churches that were dorpped yesterday who do not agree with them concerning the institutions denounced by this Association to embody themselves together and exclude from their fellowship all such as they cannot reclaim by gospel discipline, and at our next session report the result of their labors to the Association. A separation having now taken place, a question arises who were and who still are the original Baptists. The question is not who are right and who are wrong, but who have changed from the old form and practice of the people called Baptists. We think it is abundantly evident that those people who mis-name themselves the reg- ular Baptists are in reality the New School. Although some of them stiil have the old articles of faith, yet it is very well known that they hold and
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preach universal atonement, which all the others deny, with all the other errors to which that error leads as taught by Andrew Fuller and others-a heresy which is denied and detested, and always has been by the true Baptists, and which makes such an impassable gulf between them and us that so long as it remains fellowship is impossible. For the truth of this Jast statement we would refer to the writings of Gill & Booth and Bunyan & Carson, &c.
. We come now to the records of the Miami Association after the innova- ions had left them. The first meeting was held at the Tapscott meeting- house.
. 1837. Admitted West Lebanon; members, 72; messengers, R. R. Coon, Zepheniah Hart, Thompson Lamb. The First Middletown Church restored, they having purged themselves of the errors for which they had been excluded ; members, 8; messenger, D. Taylor. East Fork Little Miami Association dropped from the minutes, a majority of whom having gone off with new things. A letter was presented from Mad River Associ- ation by their messenger, S. Williams. Resolved, That we renew our corres- pondence with them, they having removed the difficulties which caused their exclusion at our last session. Wolf Creek Church requests advice as to what course they should pursue. Resolved, That we recognize them as the Wolf Creek regular Baptist Church, and advise them to move on as a church in gospel order and discipline.
1838. Admitted Indian Creek Church ; members, 48; messengers, A. Lee, A. Jones, G. H. Jones. Correspondence opened with Clover Associa- tion. Appointed the clerk to prepare a history of the rise and progress of this Association, including therein the circular which she published at Sugar Creek in 1829, and that he extract from the old records of the min- ytes such resolutions and decisions from the first organization until the present time as he may deem proper, and that he record the same in the new record for the purpose of reference, &c.
[I cannot find any record of this letter .- W. D.]
1839. Query from Dry Fork of White Water : Is it according to gos- pel order for a+ regular Baptist Church to receive members into her body who have been baptized by immersion by any sectarian denomination not being regular Baptist ? Answer-No, by a small majority. WHEREAS, This Association is much hurt and agrieved with the conduct of one Elder James Osborn, of Baltimore, on account of some publications in the first number of the third volume of the Christian Doctrinal Advocate and Spiritual Monitor, in which he calls us Sabelians, Arians and other kinds of heretics, &c. Resolved, That this Association refers the subject of slander above to the consideration of the churches composing her body, to be dis- posed of by them as they may think proper. This Association deeply
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laments the loss of our much esteemed brother and father in the gospel, Elder Stephen Gard, who departed this life on the 14th of last month, viz : October 14, 1839.)
1840. Mercer's Run restored ; messengers, A. Lambert, J. Shamhaugh, Middle Run Church requested admission into the Association. Appointed T. Lamb, W. Wilkinson, J. Tapscott and A. Lee a committee on the mat- ter to report to-morrow. The messengers withdrew their application. Appointed A. Lee, D. S. Robinson, J. Tapscott, I. T. Saunders, J. H. Flint, J. Mulford and S. Drake a committee to revise the Articles of Faith and Rules of Decorum and report to our next Association. Agreed that a copy of said revision be furnished to each church,, and the churches composing this Association shall signify their approval or disapproval of said revision.
1841. Mt. Bethel Courch restored ; members, 20; messengers, Elder Morris, J. Waldern, Z. Dewitt. Opened correspondence with New Market Association ; messengers, W. Leepers, J. Waller. Middle Run again requested to be restored. Granted. Members, 18; messenger, Wm. Buckles. The Committee of Revision appointed last session reported, which report was uot agreeable to all; therefore, Resolved, That the Association refer the further consideration of the subject to the next session, and that each church be requested to reconsider and alter or amend such parte as they may deem objectionable, a copy of which is to be sent from each church to the former committee, which will meet at Elk Church on the Saturday preceding the fourth Lord's day in April, 1842, at 10 o'clock, for the pur- pose of forming such articles and rules as they may believe will best accord with the mind of the churches. They shall then send a copy of the same to each church of the Association, and that the churches in their next annual letter to the Association signify their approval or disapproval of the same.
1842. Opened correspondence with Muskingum Association. The revision of the articles, &c., indefinitely postponed. Providence Church admitted ; members, 10; messengers, Wm. Codington, T. Tindel.
1843. Admitted Bethlehem ; members, 29; messengers, D. S. Rober- son, W. Brady, O. Thurston. Took up the query from Tapscott Church relative to the propriety of opening correspondence with Salem Association, Ky., which was postponed till next year and requests the churches to report in their letters next year on that subject.
1844. Agreed to take the views of the Association on the second and ninth articles of our faith. . Voted to erase the second article and insert the following Scriptural language :For there are three that bear record in Heaven," etc., Ist John 5:7. Voted to erase the ninth article entirely. Re- fused correspondence with Salem Association, Ky.
1845. Nothing particular.
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1846. Two letters presented from Indian Creek Church. Both read. Thereupon voted unanimously that the letter signed G. W. Jones to te the letter of the true Indian Creek Church. Open correspondence with Salem Association, Ky.
1847. Opened correspondence with Lebanon Association, Indiana.
1848. Nothing particular.
1849. There appears at this time a sad falling off of churches. Five are marked no intelligence, three are marked letter but no messenger. Resolved, That some of our ministering brethren visit them and report their condition at the next Association, whereupon the following brethren offered their services as follows : Wolf Creek and Providence, Elder Stites; Dry Fork of Whitewater, Elder Southard ; Clear Creek, Elder Williams; Middletown Eider Childers.
1850. Took up the reference :f last year regarding absent churches and laid it over till our next session.
1851. The churches called Providence, Wolf Creek and Middletown having lost their visibility are dropped from our minutes.
1852. Two letters presented by the Mill Creek Church. Decided that neither letter be read at this session. About this time a bad state of feel- ing existed among the Associations in Indiana and some in Ohio with whom we correspond about Elder Williams, one of the elders belonging to the Miami Association. They charged him with being disorderly in doctrine and practice. The feeling was so strong that the messengers trom White- water, Conn's Creek, Greenville and Lebanon refused to hand in their letters of correspondence. Voted to continue correspondence with those Associa - tions whose messengers withheld their letters yesterday.
1853. Conn's Creek Association dropped correspondence with us. The following preamble and resolution was presented by Elder S. Williams : WHEREAS, the Whitewater, Lebanon and Greenville Associations did at the last session of the Miami Asociation withhold their correspondence with- out any just cause, and, whereas, we have learned that those Associations have approved of the conduct of the aforesaid messengers, therefore, be it Resolved, That we drop correspondence with the aforesaid Associations, which was, after a lengthy discussion, passed. At this session no person would agree to go as messenger to Clover Association. On motion the As- sociation adjourned sine die. On motion to reconsider the vote of adjourn- ment it was carried. Appointed the next Asssociation to be held with the Lebanon Church. Voted to reconsider the thirteenth item and relieve I. T. Saunders from all further care of the books and papers and money andt distribution of the minutes, etc Lost. Being informed that Clover Asso- ciation has dropped correspondence with us, Resolved, That the name of that Association be dropped from our minutes. At the request of Bro. Howell
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of Millcreek Church that church was dropped from our minutes. Pleasant Run and Muddy Creek Churches having lost their visibility, Resolved, That they be dropped from our minutes. The Bethlehem Church having informed us last year that they would not meet with us any more, Resolved, That ibat church be dropped from our minutes. We are informed that the Mad River and Salem Associations have dropped correspondence with us, Resolved, That we drop their names from our minutes.
1855. Hamilton and Rosville Churches dropped from our minutes at their own request. No intelligence from Muskingum Association. Mercer's Run and Indian Creek Churches having united with the Greenville Asso- ciation are dropped from our minutes.
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