ALABAMA EAPTBT HihlORJCAL SOCffTT
minut"e:s
NINETEENTH ANNUAL SESSION
HELD WITH THE
HEPHZIBAH CHURCH, TUSCALOOSA CO., ALA.,
FROM THE 12 TO THE 1 5 OF OCTOBER, 1895.
R. II. Blake,
Modt-rator,
New Mars, Ala.
J. N. Hayes,
Clerk, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The next session will meet with New Hope Church, on vSaturdav t)efore the second Sabbath in October, 1896.
COMMITTEES TO REPORT AT OUR NEXT SESSION.
Temperance — John N. Hayes, Chairman, Vance, Ala. Sabbath Schooi^ — W. P. Keeton, Chairman, Woodstock, Ala. S., H., .\ND FoRiCiGN MissiON.S — J. \V. Smith, Chairman, Blocton.
Burton & Weaihertorcl, Printers, Tuscaloosa. Ala.
MINUXEIS
Saturday, October i3, 1895.
I. The delegates from the churches composing the Nineteenth An- nual Session of the Harmony Baptist Association convened with Heph- zibah Church this day, at 11 o'clock. The Introductory sermon was preached by Rev. J. A. Markham, from Rev 3 :3 — "I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil ; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars."
Adjourned one hour for dinner.
3. At 3 o'clock the delegates assembled in the meeting-house, and were called to order by the former Moderator, Elder P. L. Herring.
3. The roll of churches was called, and the delegates came forward with their letters and voted for Moderator and Clerk pro tem., which resulted in the choice of Eld. R.H.Blake Mod., and Jno. N.Hayes, Clk.
4. The Moderator proceeded with business as follows :
5. Opened the door for the admission of a new or unassociated churches, when Brethren E. D. Herring, D. A. Howton, D. Sandling, C. W. Clifton, E. A. F. Herring, came forward with a letter from Liberty Church, and by motion was received into the Association
6. The Moderator then appointed the following committees to serve during the present session, except the committees on Temperance, Sab- bath Schools, State, Home, and Foreign Missions, and Education, who are to serve the present vear, and report at our next session : Preaching — T. S. L. Carroll, H. Mathews, with the Deacons of this church. Finance— S. Y. Herring, vS. Griffin, E. A. Herring.
Nominations— J. T. Moses, J. W. S:nith, D. A. Howton.
Documents — E. D. Herrin, D. H. Lewis, W. P. Keeton.
Deceased Ministers— A. J. Tibbs, J. N. Goodwin, John Fritts.
Aged and Infirm Ministers— T. h. S. Cirroll, S. W. Hosmer, M. J. Parsons.
Temperance — J. B. Moses, J. A. Markham, J. J. Nickelson.
S., H., and F. Missions— J. W. S:nith, W. P. Keeton, E. D. Herring.
Education— J. R. Sellars, J. T. Lawrence, T. G. Caffee.
7. Called for correspondence.
Mount Moriar — R. R. Kennedy. Birmingham— Rev. W. Rogers. Tuscaloosa — A. C. Riley, Rev. J. E. Wilson. Shelby— C. R. Mills. Mulberry— Rev. J. N. Walker, Rev. W. M. Custer. Liberty — G. W. Townsend.
8. The Committee on Preaching reported : Rev. C. R. Mills to nreach to-night at candle light; Elder R. H. Blake to preach a mis- sionary sermon to-morrow at 11 o'clock.
The Association then adjourned until Monday at 9 o'clock.
SABBATH, OCTOBER I3.
9. The appointments as announced by the Committee on Preaching were attended to as follows : Elder R. H. Blake preached at 1 1 o'clock, from Matthew loth chapter, latter clause of the Sth verse — "Freely ye have received, freely give." After which a collection was taken up for missions to the amount of $4.03.
Elder Wilson preached at candle light, from Exodus 13 :i3 — "When I see the blood I will pass over you."
MONDAY, OCTOBER I4.
10. Pursuant to adjournment, the Association met and was opened with prayer by the Moderator, After which the roll was called and absentees noted. The following is a list of the churches with delegates representing them. (Names of ordained ministers in small capitals:)
FIRST DISTRICT.
Blue Creek — Rev J. A. Markh.\m, J. R. Sellars.
Cedar Grove — John N. Hayes, D. H. Lewis, H. Matthews.
Center Grove — Not represented.
EnterjOTse — Rev. P. L. Herring.
Hephzibah — M. J. Parsons, W. P. Keeton, S. W. Plosmer, S. Y. Herring.
Mount Olive — H. Ray.
Mount Carmel — J. N. Goodwin, John Fritts, Jackson Griffin, S. \V. Smith.
New Hope — J. H. Myers.
Pleasant Grove— J. T. Moses, A. J. Tibbs, J. R. Moses, J. T. Lawrence.
Parker's Grove — Rev. R. H. Blake.
Roup's Valley— T. J. S. Carroll, T. G. Caflfee.
Valley Creek — J. J. Nickelson.
Liberty — D. A. Howton, E. D. Herring, E. A. Y. Herring.
11. The Committee on Deceased Ministers reported :
We find from the minutes that there has been no deceased ministers in our As- sociation since our last session. L. J. Tibbs, Chairman.
12, The Committee on Aged and Infirm Ministers reported :
We finfl one — Rev. N. H. Williams. We recommend that a collection be taken up for him; which was done to the amount of I3.50, and .subscription of fo.oo.
T. L. S. Carroll, Chairman.
13, The Committee on Sabbath Schools reported.
Several churches have Sabbath Schools, but we feel that there is great need of more good and faithful work in that direction. There is a large number of chil- dren in the bounds of our Association that are not in school. We appeal to the ministers and delegates to do all in their power to inspire an interest in their churches and neighborhoods on that subject. While the souls of men are dying, and the Master calls them, let all do their part. R. H. Blake, Chairman.
14, The Committee on Documents reported :
After examining the letters from the different churches, we find some of our churches have their protracted meetings and have had good results, and some have not held their meetings 3'et. We find that some of the churches have had good Sabbath Schools this year. We urge upon our brethren to organize Sabbath schools and prayer meetings and singing schools in the churches. We advocate the read- ing of the Alabama Baptist and other Baptist literature. W. P. KeeTon, Chm.
Adjourned one hour for dinner.
Pursuant to adjournment, the Association met and was opened with prayer by Bro. Mills.
15. The Committee on Temperance reported :
Dear brethren, intoxicating drinks is not in it. We will come to it. Woe to the crown of pride to the drunkards whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which is on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine; the crown of pride, the drunkards shall be trodden under foot; but they also have erred thro' wine, and through strong drink are out of the way. The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they are in visions; they stumble in judgment. Stay yourselves and wonder, cry ye out and cry they are drunken, but not on wine, they stagger but not with strong drink. We think that our people are intemperate
in the way they teach the people. vSoine are so ilrunk they lay evil plans and ex- amples before the people. Be temperate in all things. It is intemperate to offer our neighbor anything that is not right, or act in any way that would lead or teach what is not right. Touch not, taste not, handle ilot any unclean thing whatsoever it may be. J. R. MoSKS, Chairman.
i6. The Committee on Nominations reported :
We recommend the next meeting of the Association be held with New Hope Church, commencing on Saturday before the second Sabbath in October, 1S96 — four miles south of Green Pond, in Bibb county, Ala. Elder R. H. Blake to preach the introductory sermon; Elder J. A. Markham to preach a missionary sermon on Sunday at 11 o'clock.
17. The Committee on S., H. and F. Missions reported :
We call your attention to the work done by the State Board of Missions. It has organized churches in every part of the State, helped to build houses of worship, baptized thousands of converts, helped to support pastors, and weak churches made to grow. The missionary spirit in our churches, by the work of its colporter and evangelist, distributed much religious literature. Its work is not done, but is going on. It needs the help of every Baptist to prosecute the good work. Have you and I done our whole duty? Have we done what we could in this great work? It is our board, let us do our best. Our home board, under the able management of Bro. J. T. Tichenor, continues to grow. In the last fifty years, it has organized 2500 churches, built over 1500 houses of worship, baptized about 25000 converts. Its labors among our foreign popiilation, the Indians in the west, the negro in the south, the destitute among our own people and in the Island of Cuba. Last year we had 385 missionaries employed. They organized 135 churches, built 68 houses of worship, baptized 4475 converts, contributed 191,000, of which Alabama gave less than 14000. We wish to impress all with the importance of co-operation with the Foreign Mission Board. Our object is to present principally some facts. We have missionaries in six countries. In Africa, 7 missionaries, who baptized last year 67 converLs; Brazil, 14 missiouaries, baptized 133; China, 4 missionaries, bap- tized 118; Italy 3 missionaries, baptized 28; Japan 6 missionaries, baptized 9, Mex- ico 20 missionaries, baptized 226 converts. Missionaries in all foreign fields, 91, baptisms last year, 581. These are assisted by 30 native ministers. The Secretary of the Foreign Board says of all the funds received, 92 cents of every dollar goes to the missionaries, 8 cents covering all expenses. W. P. Keeton Chairman.
Adjourned to 9 o'clock to-morrow morning.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15,
18 Pursuant to adjournment, the Association met and was opened with prayer by Bro. Cusba.
19. The Committee on Education reported.
We are living in a progressive age, surrounded by competition of various kinds, and those of us who go forth to battle for a livelihood, from a sinless as well as a spiritual standpoint, unprepared, must necessarily be at the mercy of others, and occupy only a low and servile position. The longer we live and the more closely we observe, just so much more do we become thoroughly convinced of the fact that we must educate or we must perish. The giver of every good and perfect gift has blessed us with offspring which it is our bounden and Christian duty to prop- erly equip for the obligations of life. While volumes may be written on this sub- ject, from several standpoints, we take it that the matter is to be discussed here strictly from a religious standpoint. No well informed person can doubt for a moment, but that Baptist ministers are too poorly educated. Other denominations have excelled us in regard to the education of their preachers. Let us awake, my brethren, from our sleep of lethargy and indifference in regard to ministerial edu- cation, and resolve that at no distant day our pastors shall occupy the Baptist po-
sitioii in the scale of education. While the Baptists own some valuable institutions of learning, among which may be mentioned the Judson, the A. C. F. College, the Howard, and the Seminary at Louisville, Ky., still we need more such institutions. Let our motto be onward, and vi^ward, and Godward. Fill your reading rooms with all kinds of religious literatiire, in order that your children may imbibe prop- er instruction and receive pure, virtuous, and hoble impressions while their minds are tender and susceptible, in order to be a perfect man and a thoroughly devel- oped Christian. Let us not fail to educate the heart, as well as the brain.
John N. Have.s, Chairman.
By motion, adjourned one hour for dinner.
At one o'clock the Association met and was opened with praver by Bro. Walker:
By motion, the Association dropped Union church from the roll.
20. The Committee on Finance reported :
For Foreign Missions, |;6.oo; colleclion for foreign missions, II4.02; State missions |;4.oo; Home missions, 1:3.90; Orp'ian's Home, ^2.61; for Elder N. H. Williams, 1:3.50; subscription, 1^5. 00; Minutes, $g.<)5; Association purposes, |;6.25; Total, 1:41.23.
S. Y. Hkrring, Chairman.
21. By motion the two districts were formed into one.
MINUTES OF THE FIRST DISTRICT MEETING, SEPTEMBER I3, 1895.
The union meeting of the First District met this day at Cedar Grove Church. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. R. H. Blake — after which adjourn- ed for dinner. At 2 o'clock, the delegates assembled in the house, and was called to order by Bro. A. J. Burns. The delegetes came forward and voted for modera- tor and clerk, which resulted in the choice of Rev. R. H. Blake moderator, and John N. Hayes clerk. The ■inoderator then appointed the following committees: Arrangement of Business — -John Ray, J. W. Smith, with the deacons of this church; Queries for next meeting — W. B. Perry, J. H. Mayes, J. C. Champion. The Com- mittee on Arrangement of Business reported: That we take up business as laid down last meeting, wi-h preaching to-morrow at 11 o'clock by Rev. R. H. Blake. Adjourned to 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. vSaturday morning the body met at 9:35 o'clock. Bro. D. H. Lewis conducted the serv-ices, as appointed at last meet- ing; Rev. R. H. Blake preached at 11 o'clock, from Luke, 9:54. Adjourned one hour for dinner. At i :30 the body met and took up the query set for 3'esterday, opened by Bro. D. H. Lewis. After considerable discussion, the query was laid on the table. The next District Meeting will be held with Center Grove Church, commencing on Friday before the third Sabbath in September, 1896; Rev. R. H. Blake to preach the introductory sermon. Query for Friday evening: What was originally the work of District Meetings? Opened by Bro. W. B. Perry. Saturday, Experience and prayer meeting. W. B. PERRY. Chairman.
RESOiyVED, That this Association return its hearty thanks to the members of Hephzibah church, and citizens of this neighborhood and vicinity, for their hearty welcome to us, and their kind entertainment during our stay vsdth them. May the rich blessings of our God rest upon them, and may the labors of our meeting with them be blessed with an abundant harvest for Christ's sake. — Ci,ERK.
Alter sino^ing and taking the partin^)^ hand, the Association adjourn- ed, to meet with the New Hope Church, commencing on Saturday be- fore the second Sabbath in October, 1S96, 4 miles south of Green Pond, in Bibb county, Ala. R. H. BLAKE,
John N. Hayes, Clerk, pro tem. Moderator.
Received of J. N. Hayes I7.50, for 325 of these minutes. — B. & W.
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As.so(;i;itioual Purposes. |
Missions.