Unknown County GaArchives Church Records.....Georgia Baptists Western Association Copyright Date 1874
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THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION.

  This body was constituted at LaGrange, Troup county, on the 7th November,
1829, by committees from the Flint River and Yellow River Associations,
consisting of the following ministers, viz.: Joel Colley, R. Gunn, G. Daniel, J.
Milner, William Moseley, William Henderson, J. Carter and J. Nichols. The
introductory discourse was by brother J. Colley. Sixteen churches were found to
be in good order, and acknowledged as the Western Association. James Reeves was
the first moderator, and John Wood, clerk. J. Nichols, William Moseley and A.
Sherwood preached on the Sabbath.

  The second session, 1830, was held at Newnan. J. Bankston, moderator, and J.
Wood, clerk. Sixteen new churches joined. On Sabbath, Jesse Mercer, Moseley and
Nichols preached. The following year Greenville was the seat of the session,
when J. W. Cooper preached the introductory. J. Bankston (who sustained the
office six or seven years) was moderator, and R. M. Stell, clerk. The
Association refused to correspond with the Georgia Convention. Churches
thirty-nine; total, one thousand five hundred and forty-six.

  Query: "What is the duty of a church, when a person applies for membership on
a letter from a church, which had dissented from the Flint River Association?"
Answer: "Recommended the churches to direct the person to seek restoration in
some church of the Association from whence he came, that is known to stand
fair," etc.

  In 1833, the above answer was reconsidered, and the following adopted in lieu
thereof: "We recommend the churches to act discretionally, with an eye single to
the glory of God, and the union and peace of the churches, having due regard to
original principles." The error in the first answer is this: it takes for
granted that, because a church has dissented or seceded from the Association,
therefore, her letters are not valid, which is not true. The Flint River
Association did not like the answer of 1833, and appointed a committee, in
October, to visit the Western with a letter. In 1834, a kind of compromise was
drawn up, which should govern in the reception of members; but as it required
the rebaptism of those who had submitted to the ordinance at the hands of
seceding ministers, James Reeves and James Culberson would not sign it, and the
churches have acted discretionally and received those whom they deemed worthy.
Mount Zion and Emmaus churches had been dealing with LaGrange and Hephzibah
churches for receiving such members; but on the proposal of the adjustment, they
were advised to drop their charges. Several churches were dismissed to form the
Tallapoosa Association.

  In 1835, the session was with Bethlehem church, Meriwether county. Baptized,
six hundred and twenty-nine; churches, forty-four; total, three thousand two
hundred and fourteen. The following year, at Long Cane, some churches declared
non-fellowship with all benevolent institutions, and wished the body to do the
same; but a resolution to this effect was voted down. For the year 1837, the
session was held at Emmaus, in Troup county. The circular letter by Otis Smith
is on the commission. Several churches were still dissatisfied on account of
benevolent institutions, etc. These withdrew and formed a distinct body, still
claiming the old name of "Western Association." With reference to these
churches, the following resolutions were adopted:

  Whereas, It has been repeatedly charged upon this Association by the delegates
of those churches which have separated from our union and declared themselves no
more of us, that we have departed from original principles, that we are
connected with the benevolent institutions of the day, and that we have departed
from the common faith of the denomination; and, whereas, incorrect impressions
in relation to our principles and practice, as an Association, may be produced
by permitting these charges to remain unnoticed; therefore,

  Resolved by this Association, That the faith upon which we were constituted,
and which we believe has ever been the faith of the regular Baptists, is still
the faith of this body; that it has never been changed, and it is the sense of
this body that it should not be changed in any particular.

  Resolved, furthermore, That this Association, as a body, is entirely
disconnected with the benevolent institutions of the day, and ever has been so,
and no act of this body touching the benevolent institutions of the day has ever
been had other than to advise the churches to leave all their members to act
freely in relation to them, according to the dictates of their own consciences.

  Resolved, furthermore, That it is the sense of this body that the patronizing,
or the not patronizing those institutions, should be no test of fellowship.

  Resolved, furthermore, That in the opinion of this body the following
churches, viz: the Hillabahatchy, Hollow Spring, Fellowship, Walnut creek,
Bethlehem, Providence, Mount Zion, Emmaus, Flat Shoal creek and Sardis, have
departed from the principles and practice of the regular members of the Baptist
denomination, by adopting a standard of fellowship and union unknown either to
the denomination or to the constitution of this body, and are therefore in
disorder.

  Resolved, furthermore, That to show our brethren and the world at large the
manifest disorder in which those churches have acted, a copy of the letter of
Emmaus church to this body be incorporated in our minutes, as a specimen of the
whole.

  Resolved, That the above named churches, by their own acts in declaring a
non-fellowship with this body and separating therefrom, because the Association
refused to comply with certain requisitions made in their letters, have deprived
themselves of the privileges of this body.

COPY OF A LETTER  RECEIVED OF EMMAUS CHURCH, TROUP COUNTY, GEORGIA.

The Baptist Church of Christ at Emmaus to the Delegates
and Messengers composing the Western Association :

  Dear Brethren : The time has arrived when, according to our former custom, we
shall meet with you at another annual session as an advisory council to provide
for the union of the churches; and as it is a well known fact to every observer
that wide spread divisions exist among us as a denomination, even from Maine to
Mississippi, and as the gospel has no dividing tendency, we believe it is the
incorporation of the benevolent (so called) institutions of the day with the
churches that has caused the confusion of which we complain—we therefore think
the present crisis calls aloud for something to be done that will restore Zion
to her primitive simplicity and union, which we believe can only be effected by
an entire separation from the present institution system and uniting upon the
principles of the gospel. We therefore request the Association to take the
matter into consideration and provide for the union of the churches, by becoming
disconnected from those human institutions and all who patronize them. "We, as a
church, have resolved to become disconnected from those institutions, both in an
associate and church capacity, and all who support them. Now, dear brethren, if
you in your judgment think we have transcended our limits, and gone into error,
we call upon you to convince us from the authority of the word of God. "When
that is done, we will yield the point; but if you, as an Association, refuse to
grant our request, (painful as it is,) we are constrained to declare unto you
that we are no longer of you, as a body, until you return to original principles
and unite with us upon the gospel system. We therefore design, in the strength
of the Lord, to maintain the doctrine and discipline of the primitive Baptists
and unite with those of our sister churches who thus act, who hold the
constitution of the Association and maintain the same.

  Then follows the scale of the churches and names of delegates.
(Signed)                       HARTFIELD HENDON, Clerk.

  Hebron was the place of meeting in 1839. The spirit of true Christian
liberality was evidently gaining ground rapidly in this body. Correspondence
with several sister Associations had, on some account or other, been suspended
for a time. This correspondence was resumed with the Georgia, Columbus, Sarepta
and Tallapoosa, and opened with Rehoboth and Rock Mountain. Still the body
stands aloof from the Baptist Convention of the State. Churches, thirty;
ministers, eleven; total, two thousand four hundred and eighty-seven.

  "We, as an Association, believing it will be more advantage to the cause of
Christ, and the advantage of the Redeemer's kingdom, and believing it also to be
the true scriptural mode to contribute to the missionary cause through the
medium of the churches, instead of through the medium of the missionary
societies; therefore,

  Resolved, That it is the sense of this body, that all those brethren who
desire to send up their contributions to missionary purposes through the medium
of any society, be recommended to do so through their delegates, to be forwarded
by this body to the destination directed by the donor, believing this to be the
scriptural channel.

  It was not until about 1841-'42 that the body became associated with the
Convention. Perhaps no Association in the •State is now in a more prosperous
condition.


Additional Comments:
From:

GEORGIA BAPTISTS: HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL
BY
J. H. CAMPBELL,
PERRY, GEORGIA.


MACON, GA.: J. W. BURKE & COMPANY. 1874.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by
J. H. CAMPBELL,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.


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