Clay County Georgia Archives Mt. Zion Church Church Constitution ****************************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profitor for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Lindy Lee Hard ****************************************************************************************** The original church was constitued 28 June 1856 as a "Missionary Baptist" church. MOUNT ZION CHURCH Clay County, GA [PAGES 3-12 FROM ORIGINAL RECORD BOOK] p3-4 Church Constitution Georgia Clay county June 28th 1856. We whose names are recorded below, and of the order of the Missionary Baptist, and believe in the following confession of principals as professed members of the mystical body of Christ. We propose to become a visible church by uniting ourselves in a Holy covenant and first give ourselves wholly to the Lord, and renouncing the vanities of the world. And secondly, in a spiritual sense, give ourselves to one another to live together in a church capacity according to the order of the gospel and agree in faithfullness to watch over each other for love and good works, and will endeaver to glorify God, with our bodies and with our substance. 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 the everlasting covenant, make us perfect in every good work to do his will, that we may not only enjoy a name and a place in His church on earth, but finally unite with the Glorious church of the first borned in heaven, in ascribing blessings and honor might magesty, and domination to him who sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb forever, Amen. We the following presbytery do hereby certify that we this day met together and after a minute examination did constitute the following brethren and sisters (to wit) Robert Jones [,] John Newberry [,] John W Bradly [,] Mary A Land [,] Harriet Million [,] Martha A P Lofton [,] Elizabeth Henderson [,] Mary Ann Jones [,] Elizabeth Jones [,] and Winnie Truett to a Baptist church of Christ which shall be known and distinguished by the name of Little Sisters Church. Witness our hands the day and date above written. Presbytery { John Martin { Richard Y Lofton { W W Odom p5-9 Articles of Faith 1st We believe in only one true and living God, and that there are three persons in the God head, the Father Son & Holy ghost. 2nd We believe the scriptures of the old and the new testament are the words of god, and the only rule of faith and practice. 3rd We believe in the doctrines of eternal particular election. 4th We believe in the doctrine of original sin. 5th We believe in man’s impotency to recover himself from the falling 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 righteousness of Christ. 7th We believe that Gods elect shall be called regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 8th We believe that the saints shall persevere in grace and never finally fall away. 9th We believe that baptism and the Lords supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and that true believers are the only subjects of these ordinances, and we believe the true mode of baptism is by immersion. 10th We believe in the resurrection of the dead and general judgement. 11th We believe the punishment of wicked will be everlasting and the joys of righteous will be eternal. 12th We believe that no ministers have a right to the administration of the ordinances only such as are regularly called and comes under the impotition? Of hands by the presbytery &c. Rules of Decurum. [Decorum] To be observed in the church at Little Sister [Little Sister marked out] 1st It shall be the duty of every free [free marked out] male member to attend each conference if circumstances permit, if any free [free marked out] male member be absent he shall render his excuse at the next conference for the same. he shall be subject to reproof for same, from the church if the case require it and if absent three conferences in sucession [sic] shall be liable to be delt with by church for same, and it shall be the duty of any member knowing same to report it to the church in conference. 2nd The pastor shall be moderator when present, and in case of absence the church shall appoint a moderator and proceed to business in the usual way, first invite visiting brethren to seats with us. Secondly, Call for fellowship existing among the brethren. Thirdly. Open a door for the reception of members by experience [,] letter or recantation. Fourthly. Call for references in order. Fifthly. Call for new cases in gospel order & sixth Call for general business. 3rd If the moderator wish to speak to any case, he shall first fill his seat with some other bro. but in no case shall he be allowed to vote unless in case of a tie exist, also there shall be a clerk elected by the church whose duty it shall be to keep a record of the proceedings of the church. 4th It shall be the duty of the church to call her pastor annually at her meeting in October. 5th Any brother wishing to speak in conference shall rise from his seat, and address the moderator, and he shall not be interrupted while speaking unless he depart from the subject or use improper language in either of which cases, it shall be the duty of the moderator to call to order, no member shall be allowed to speak more than thrice to the same subject without leave of the conference. 6th There shall be no whispering when a brother is speaking, no male member shall be allowed to absent himself without the leave of the conference no motion shall claim the attention of the moderator unless it be seconded. 7th A majority shall rule in all cases except in receiving, dismissing and restoring a member in such cases there must be a concurrence of all the members present. 8th It shall be the duty of the deacons to notice those who do not take their seats at the communion table, who sit off or were mixed with the multitude in the yard, and report the same to the next conference, at which time they shall make excuse for same if any they have if they fail to give their reasons for so doing, they shall be considered as under the censure of the church and shall be delt [sic] with according to the magnitude of the crime. 9th These rules may be altered or amended at any regular conference by the concurance [sic]of two thirds of the members present it shall be the duty of the clerk to read the articles of faith together with the church covenant and rules of decorum at each quarterly meeting or when called upon. 10th If any member should be guilty of drinking too much intoxicating liquors or playing at any gaiming [sic] table shall be considered as under the censure of the church and shall be dealt with for the same. 11th It shall be the duty of each male member to contribute liberally of the means with which the Lord has blessed him for the support of the pastor in charge & other necessary expenses of the church. 12th It shall be the duty of all the members present to take their seats at the communion table but the receiving of the elements shall be left with themselves. p11-12 Covenant 1st In as much as the son of God Jesus Christ our saviour hath set up a kingdom and his churches compose that kingdom and regenerated men and women compose his churches and having ben [sic] as we hope regenerated by the spirit of God the Lord Jesus Christ and we do give ourselves unto him 2nd We do now solemnly and prayerfully and joyfully covanant [sic] with each other to work together in him with brotherly love 3rd We further agree that we will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together for public worship of God and the ordinances of his church 4th That we will not omit to pray with and for each other 5th Nor neglect the moral training of our children as we are the light of the world and salt of the earth 6th That as God has prospered us we will cheerfully give to the poor and the spread of the Gospel Poor. 7th That we will in all conditions even until death strive to live in the glory of him who both called us out of darkness into his marvelous light 8th And May the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shephard [sic] of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make us perfect in every good work to do his will working in as that which is wellpleasing [sic] in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom we Gory forever and forever. Amen. We the members of Mount Zion Church Cheerfully Agree A few years ago Original Record Book was at the the Clay county public library in Fort Gaines, and to my knowledge is still there, but has never been microfilmed. I have never seen any microfilm of it at at GA archives or listed in any of the Baptist repository holdings. Lindy Hard 3rd great granddaughter of Richard Y Loftin [named above] photos of this church can be seen at http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/clay/photos/mtzion.html The deed to this church can be seen at http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/clay/deeds/mtzion.txt