Taylor County Georgia Ariel Baptist Church Typed by Jackie Hortman Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/taylor.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ARIEL BAPTIST CHURCH As published in They tarried in Taylor by Essie Jones Childs On May 12, 1832 in ‘the Hobbs Settlement’ in Crawford County that was later part of Taylor County, in Land Lot 203 in District 14, ten church members were constituted into a Church by the Brethren Thomas Bloodsworth of New Hope Church in Macon County and John Ross pastor of Antioch Church, who were sent for and came with Church authority. The ten were; Luke & Delilah Brown; Able Windom; Mark Holbs; H(enry) Pinkston; Penellopy Smith; Mary Holbs; Frances Holbs The Church agreed to send a letter of recommendation on the part of Annis Johnson to the sister Church at Little Brier Creek in the County of Warren, Georgia for a letter of dismission. On 7-7-1832 Br. Henry Bell was chosen as Preacher & Allen Jones was chosen as Clerk. On 11-24 1832 Henry Pinkston was chosen Clerk as Allen Jones asked for letters of dismission from the church. On 2-9-1833 Br. William Tune made a confession of intoxication, the church gave him a charge & forgave him. On 4-14-1833 the Church agreed to perform foot washing twice in the year. On 7-13-1833 ‘through the solicitations of Br Bell by reason of affliction, the Church agreed to call Br Ross as a supply for Br Bell. (Br John Ross). On 9-7-1833 the Church took up the case of moving the Church, and building the meating house on Pascal Branham’s Land (on land lot 203 in District 14 of then Crawford Co that in 1854 became Taylor Co in the area, probably where Glover’s or Byrd’s Cemetery now is.) On 1-11-1834 Br William Boughden (Bowden) was chosen Pastor & 5-11-1833 Thomas Little was chosen Clerk. On 7-12-1834 William & Rachel Bowden received by letter. 12-13-1834 Able Windom was chosen a Deacon. On 3-3- 1835 Josiah Knighton was chosen a Deacon. On 9-7-1833 Commissioners chosen to move the Church & build the meating hourse were Henry Pinkston, Abel Windom, John Windom, Gideon Newson, Pascal Branham & Harmon Purvis. On 12-13-1834 Rec’d a Letter from Posey’s meeting house asking for ministerial aid to ordain deacons. On 6-13-1835 Abel Windom was ordained a Deacon & Br Bowden ‘called’ as pastor for balance of year. On 3-12-1836 received a decorum or rule to govern the Church & made it obligatory to read it in church quarterly. It seems the ‘decorum’ was anti-missions, a very controversial issue in the Baptist churches of the day and Ariel in particular as the church clerk, Thomas Little of the pro-missions group, was on 5-15- 1835, arrested and put out of office. He charged a set of rules had been received contrary to the word of God and the constitution of the church and did not allow liberty of conscience and the laws of the country, whereupon Josiah Knighten, Robert F. Miseldine, Ann P. Stuckey, Mary & Susan Ann Little ‘stood opposed to the articles..and therefore they (Wm Bowden & his group) had unchurched themselves by declaring a non-fellowship…with any friendly for missionary Bible tract societys, Sundy Schools & theological siminarys’. ‘Wherefore, we, (Clerk Thomas Little, Josiah Knighten and that group)..’consider ourselves the Church and William Bowden and his party transgressors.’ When Thomas Little’s group met for church later, it was locked. They did meet 5-27-1837 and called Br Henry Bell as their pastor, then passed a resolution that each brother or sister be free to give or not to give to the benevolent institutions…and it shall be no breech of fellowship. 10-21-1837 William Bowden and his party were to be cited to attend next conference and Thomas Little’s group asked Br Perryman from Talbotton, Br Z. Gordon from Harmony (a missionary to the Creek Indians later) & Br Durham from Antioch to aid them at the hearing for William Bowden’s group. T. L.’s group also asked the church at Antioch to ordain Br Sanders W(alker?) Durham to the ministry and asked him to be their pastor as Br Henry Bell was unable to attend them. On 12-2-1837 William Bowden & his party (that dissented with him) being present and the helps from Antioch, H. Bell, H. Pinkston, J. Hatcher & from Harmony J. Davis & J.R. Cox and after much deliberation and brothery forbearance the Church excommunicated Wm Bowden, Abel Windom, Rachel Bowden, Gracy McClamery, Mary & Frances Hobs, Mary (Hobs) Carrel, Mary (Davis?) Tennison, Sarah Boseman & 2 blacks, property of Gidon Newsom. They were excommunicated for their non-attendance when cited and other unchristian conduct. On 9-1-1838 Ariel agreed to remove the meating house to the school house until they could get one. On 1-5-1839 appointed T. Little & J. Knighten to demand William Bowdens credentials & called Br Sanders W. Duriam (Durham) to the pastoral care of the church another year. Later reconsidered calling for the credentials. On 4-6-1839 After hearing Br Robert F. Miseldine at a nite meeting at T. Littles, the church approved of his exercising his gift (of preaching) & next March agreed to license him to preach. On 2-22-1840 Ariel called Br Henry Bell to the care of the church as preacher. On 12-5-1840 Ariel called Br J.B. Deavours as preacher. On 11-6-1841 Br Miseldine charged Br T. Little with unchristian conduct by going before the unjust and not before the saints. The charge was acknowledge by Br Little and his answer not being satisfactory, he was excluded for the same. Sis Mary Little and her dau., Elizabeth, applied to be dismissed and were. On 12-31-1841 Br J.B. Deavours was again chosen pastor & accepted provided he might serve as employed by the board of domestic missionaries & make his own appointments which was granted. R.F. Miseldine chosen clerk. On 12-31-1842 the church agreed to have Br R.F. Miseldine ordained. On 3-3-1844 he was excluded from the church for absconding to evade paying his just debts. On 8-9-1845 Br J.M. Sullivan was elected Clerk. He had been dismissed from Baptist Church at Knoxville. On 12-6-1845 the church elected Br J.C.R. Lockhart as pastor and moved that the Ariel move to Union Church in Macon Co, Ga. Then asked Horeb to ordain Br Lockhart to preach for them and that their church go by the name of Union. Later Br T. Little was restored to fellowship and asked for letters of dismission. 1-22-1848 ‘the meeting house formly occupied by this church in Crawford County (later Taylor co), we have sold at out cry for to pay Bryant Ingram the money he paid for the meeting house when it was sold by the (Sheff) as J(osiah) Nitens propty. (Knightens). 11-17-1849 Hiram Powell chosen pastor. Wm F.E. Ogburn chosen Clerk 9-12-1851 was date of last Minutes that I found. ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============