Unknown County GaArchives Church Records.....Georgia Baptists Rehoboth Association Copyright Date 1874
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 26, 2005, 9:53 pm


REHOBOTH ASSOCIATION.

  There had been a division in the Itchaconna Association on the subject of
benevolent institutions, and those churches that were of the liberal party met
at Benevolence church, Crawford county, and constituted the Rehoboth
Association, July 27th, 1838. The names of those churches are as follows: In
Upson county, Harmony, Bethesda, Antioch and Fellowship; in Crawford, Elim,
Benevolence and Liberty Grove; Perry church, Houston; Macon church, Bibb; and
Forsyth church, Monroe— ten churches in all. Among the delegates were Jacob
King, Z. H. Gordon and A. T. Holmes. The visiting ministers present, and
approving of the organization, were Wilson Conner, C. A. Tharp, James Perryman,
Robert Fleming, and S. W. Durham.

  In the dawn of its existence, the Association recognized its obligation to
preach the gospel to every creature, to circulate the scriptures in all lands,
to educate the ministry, and to organize Sunday-schools and temperance
societies. The following ministers have been employed, first and last, as her
domestic missionaries: James Steely, A. Home, Austin Ellis, Jacob King, J. W.
Stephens, A. T. Holmes, C. Peurifoy, H. Garland, M. J. Jackson, E. B. Barrett,
W. Thomas, J. Thomas and W. J. Collins. Scarcely a year has intervened since its
organization but that it has had missionaries in its own bounds or elsewhere
preaching to the destitute.

  In 1852 a colored minister, Rev. Csesar Fraser, a native African, was sent out
by this Association to preach the gospel in his own country. In January of that
year he sailed from Savannah, in company with Rev. Eli Ball, of Virginia, (who
was going out on a visit of inspection to the mission stations in Africa,) and
located near the town of Monrovia, on the St. Paul's river. In the course of the
following year, the Foreign Mission Board having expressed its willingness to
sustain this colored brother, the Rehoboth adopted Rev. J. S. Dennard and wife
as her missionaries to Africa. Mrs. Dennard died within a few months after her
arrival in that dark land, and her husband soon followed her to the grave. In
1857, Rev. T. A. Reid and wife went out to Africa as missionaries of this
Association.

  The efforts of this body at home and in Africa only tended to inflame the zeal
of her churches, and in 1857 it was resolved to attempt to send one or more
missionaries to the Indians of the West; and to ascertain the practicability of
sending others to the Jews in Constantinople or Jerusalem, and also to South
America. The year following, Rev. J. S. Murrow and wife were acting as the
missionaries of this body at Micco, in the Indian Territory, where they still
labor for the salvation of the red men. (The first Mrs. Murrow died, but her
husband found a second wife, "worthy and well qualified," in the person of Miss
Burns, daughter of a missionary to the Choctaws.) Mr. Murrow has proven himself
a most devoted and successful missionary.

  Of course, a body of such intelligence and piety could not refrain from
sending missionaries into the Confederate army during the late war. Rev. B. B.
Barrett was accordingly sent to the army of Virginia, and Rev. B. F. Tharp and
other ministers preached to the soldiers at other places.

  In 1853, the Association resolved to take a more active part in the education
of pious young men preparing for the ministry. Appropriations were made for the
benefit of James F. McLeod and Asa B. Marshall. A valuable library was presented
to each. The latter was sent to Mercer University, where he graduated with
credit in 1860.

  A Baptist bookstore was established by the Association at Fort Valley, A. D.
Kendrick, agent, and was kept in successful operation for several years. Thus,
it would seem, the body was engaged in every good work. It may be considered the
model Association among Georgia Baptists.

  That eminent and gifted man, Jacob King, was moderator from the time of its
organization until his death—twenty-four years. Since then B. F. Tharp, J. H.
Clark, J. M. Wood and Col. T. S. Sharman have presided in turn. Holmes, Wilkes,
Landrum and Holtzclaw have filled the office of clerk. Besides these, there have
been connected with the body, from time to time, many choice spirits: Zack.
Jordon, C. D. Mallary, J. R. Kendrick, H. C. Hornady, T. E. Langley, E. W.
Warren, J. H. Corley and many other able and efficient ministers, besides many
laymen of intelligence and great moral worth.

  For many years past this Association has stood aloof from all connection with
the Boards of the Southern Baptist Convention, preferring to manage her missions
through a committee of her own. The great efficiency of her plans and success of
her efforts is a strong argument in favor of her policy, which is, to have the
relations between the churches and missionaries as intimate as possible.

  The body is still sustaining Rev. J. S. Murrow among the Indians, who is
assisted by two native preachers. Seventeen churches have been organized, an
Association constituted, (in which there are about one thousand members,)
meeting-houses are being built, and the condition of the "Rehoboth Indian
Mission " every way encouraging.


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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