Mt. Gilead Church, page 1, Lowndes, Alabama

http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/lowndes/church/mtgilead001.txt
================================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE:
All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the 
contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws 
and Regulations.

In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these 
documents may be used by anyone for their personal research.  They may be used 
by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is 
included.

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit.

Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from 
the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites.

The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file 
permanently for free access.

This file was contributed and copyrighted by:
Michael V. Sims
<msims750@aol.com>
================================================================================
May 1999

Transcribed by Michael V. Sims on May 1999


Cover Page
[page pasted inside front cover]


Mt Gilead Baptist Church

	Was Foundered [sic] in the year 1820 in Lowndes Co. Ala. Five miles south 
east of Benton.  With a membership of twelve  Rev Wm. May was the first pastor.  
He & his wife beaing [sic] members also.  The other ten members was
	
      Johnathan Mealing & Wife
      John Browning     &  "
      Mr. Hudson        &  "
       "  Allen         &  "
       "  Ansley        &  "

They first built a little log house in which they worship[pe]d for two years.  
Taking their guns to church with them for protection against wild beast of which 
the country at that time abounded.  In 1822 they purchased a track [sic] of land 
and built another  & better house  And s[t]ill later they and other erected on 
the same spot the present church house.
                 

Page 1

                                                        COPY

State of Alabama Montgomery (now Lowndes) County the 17th Day of October 1822.

	This is to certify that the Brethren on Big swamp Creek in the settlement 
of Brother John Browning gave the ministers of the Gospel a call to form them 
into a constitution and after a strict examination we found them sound in the 
faith and sufficient to keep house and was constituted with the following 
members.  John Browning, Nancy Browning, Isaac Hudson, Ann Hudson, James Allen, 
Isaac Smith, John Sessions, Samuel Ansley, Celia Ansley, Jonathan Mealing, Nancy 
Mealing, Ann Bostwick, Henry Bryan.

On the following Faith

1st	We believe in one only true and living God the Father, the word, and Holy 
      Gost [sic].

2nd	We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word 
      of God and the only rule of Faith and Practice.

3rd	We believe in the doctrine of Election, and that God chose his people in 
      Christ before the foundation of the world.

4th	We believe in the doctrine of original sin.

5th	We believe in mans incompetency to recover himself from the fallen state 
      he is in by nature by his own free will and ability.

6th 	We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the 
      imputed righteous help of Jesus Christ.

7th	The believe that God's elect shall be called [continued on page 2]


Page 2

	regenerated and sanctified by the Holy spirit

8th	We believe that the Saints shall persevere in Grace and never fall finally 
      away.

9th 	We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of Jesus 
      Christ, and that true believers are the subjects and that the true mode of 
      Baptism is by immersion.

10th 	We believe in the resurection [sic] of the dead and general Judgement and 
      that the punishment of the wicked and the joys of the righteous will be 
      eternal

11th	We believe that no minister has a right to the administration of the 
      ordinances, only such as are regularly Baptized, called, and come under 
      the imposition of hands by the Presbytery.

12th 	We believe that none but regular Baptized members have a right to commune  
      at the Lords table.

Done by the following Presbytery, and is known by the name of Mount Gilead, 
having all the rights if a Gospel Church.

		Signed      Wm Harrod			
                        Thos Trowel           Presbytery
                        Saml Ray
                        Presley Dodson