San Pedro Church, Beginning Minutes, Washington Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Bonnie M.Dier, Prepared by Carolyn Brumfield Henderson (The transcription is as close as possible to the original document. No spelling or punctuation has been changed or added to) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ State of LA Parish of Washington September 26 A.D. 1897 San Pedro Church Constitution We the undersigned Brethren and Sisters of the regular Baptist Denomination having been Baptised upon a profession of our faith in Christ and holding letters of dismision from the several churches and seeing the necesity and utility of a church State and being desirous of living as becometh the followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we have mutually agreed to our Beloved Brethren (to wit) J. R. Passman, J. M. Fussell and B. A. Lea Regular ordaned ministers of the regular Baptist denomination to aid us in organizing a visihle church of Jesus Christ. We the above named ministers having asembled by the request of Said Bretheren and Sisters formed ourselves into a corum By electing Elder J. R. Passman Mod. and J. C. Corkern reading clerk and Secrytary having _____met their letters and Standing and finding them orthodox and in order. We have organised into a church State upon the articles of faith Gospel order and rules decorum of the West Pearl River Baptist assocsiation after extinding the right had of fellowship. We declared them legaly organized into a church to be known by the name of Sanpedro. The names of the Brethren and Sisters that went into the organization H. Sheffield and wife from Pleasant Hill Jeatha A. McClendon Canaan J. R. Passman and wife W. S. Givings Friendship Joshua Passman and wife Canaan ?. M. Wallice and wife Bonner Creek Sarah ?Ellen Wallice Benjaman Passman Canaan W. H. Jenkins and wife After giving and receiving the right hand of fellowship taken a few minutes intermition then reasemble and elected Brother H. Sheffield and wife Deacon and Deaconess and called for their ordination with elder J. R. Passman J. M. Fussell B. A. Lea acting as ____ then dismissed to meet again Monday. the above named Bretheren and sisters met again Monday Sept. 27 1897 Bro. Alex Passman led in the opning services and Bro John Passman Preached and closed By extinding the Privlidge of the church for the acception of members, no applicants, By motion went into conferance By motion went into the call of a dupty??? com church clerk and delegates to the assosiation which resulted as follows. Bic John Passman dupty?? and Joseph R. Passman ch clk and Joseph R. Passman and W. H. Jenkins delegates and H. Sheffield alternate By Motion dismissed for a few minit to Prepare the assosiational letter Reasembled and selected the West Pearl River assosiation to unite with then read and aprooved the assosiational letter there Being no other Business dismissed in order John R. Passman Mod. Joseph R. Passman ch clk A comitty was apointed to select a Place to Build a church house and arangement for the lumber and to carry the subscription for the church house Names of the comitty H. Sheffield Joseph R. Passman W. H. Jenkins dismisson in order John R. Passman mod. Joseph R. Passman ch clk Amount of lumber for Building Sanpedro Church house 5614 feet Cost of lumber $4480 Amount of Boards 4000 Value of Boards $1000 Value of Nail $ 525 Hinges 80 total cost $6085 Received by contribution 2845 this is our final report Your comitty on Building Church house H. Sheffield Joseph R. Passman and W. H. Jenkins comitty June 25th 1898 Articles of Faith of the West Pearl River Baptist Assosiation 1 We believe in the triane?? God the father, the Son and the Holy Ghost the same in essence equal in power and glory 2 We believe that the old and new testament were given By the inspiration of God and are the only rule of faith and Practise 3 We believe in the fall of Adam from his original rectitude in the emputation of his sin to all his Posterity in the total depravity of human nature and in mans inability to restore himself into the favor of God 4 We believe that God has loved his people with an ever lasting love that he chose them in Christ Before the foundation of the World that he called them with a holy and efectual calling and justification through the righteousness imputed to them are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 5 We Believe there is one Mediator Between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus Who by the sanctification he made to law and justice in Decomisn?? an offering for Sin by his most precious Blood Redeemed the elect from under the the cause of the lam that they might be hold and without blame before him in love. 6 We Belive that good works are the fruits of faith and followers after justification and are the evidences of a gracious state and that all Believers are bound to a ___ God from a Principle of love. 7 We believe in the reserection of the dead and a genarl judgment that the happiness of the righeous and the punishment of the wicked Will Be everlasting. Gospel Order 1 We believe that visible church of Christ congregation of faithful persons Who have given themselves tot he Lord and to one andother in Brotherly Covnant to keep up a Godly deciplen agrlble to the ruls of the new testament 2 We believe that Jesus Christ is the head and lawgiver of his Church that the govenment is with the Body of the church and is equaly the right and privlidge each member therof 3 We believe that Baptism and the lords supper is gospel ordanances appointed By Jesus Christ and are to be continued untill his second coming 4 We Believe that immersion only is Baptism and that Believers in Christ are the only proper ____ ____ 5 We believe that none but regulare Baptised church members have a right to Partake of the lords supper 6 We Believe that it is the duty and Priviledge of all Believers to make Publck Profession of their faith to submit to the ordinances of the gospel and give themselves as members to the _______church 7 We Believe it to Be the duty of every church to expell from her communion every member in that is imoral in conduct or that holds doctrine that is contrary to the scriptures Rules of decorum We the Baptist Church of Jesus Christ having benn Baptised upon a Profession of our faith and constituted into a church upon the gospel Plan Being desirous to ___ the Worship of God and to walk according to rules of the gospel we therefore adopt and agree to conform to the following Rules of decorum 1 We Promise to fill our seats in the house of God Whenever in our Power to do so and not neglect our conferance meeting 2 there shall Be a Moderator and Clerk who shall Be chosen anualy By suffrage of the church 3 Our meetings shall open and close with Prayer 4 Every Person who may speak in conferance shall rise from his seat and adress the Moderator and sahll not Be interupted While speaking unless he shall depart from the subject Properly in debate or cast reflections on a member of the church 5 the moderator shall Be alowed to speak on any subject in debate his seat Being Previously filled 6 No person shall Be alowed to speak on the same subject more than 3 times without leave from the moderator 7 no appellation shall used in conferance except that of Brother or sister 8 every motion and second shall be put to a vote unless it is withdrawn By the mover 9 No member shall Be sufferd to make remarks on the observation of a member in time of conferance 10 All cases shall Be desided By a majority except that of receiving member which shall Be unanimous 11 We individualy agree to contribute according to our sevral abillity in supporting the church and Worship of God in decendy and in order 12 We Promise to watch over one another in love to reproove and take reproof and not not suffer sin upon a Brother But cases in the deciplin of the Gospel for good to edfication 13 We agree that we speak But one at a time and every person speaking who shall depart from the subject shall be imediately called to order By the moderator 14 the moderator shall rise fro put the question to the Boddy 15 these Rules shall Be subject to chang whenever a majority of the church think Proper 16 all church letters shall be limited for six months 17 the rules of decorum shall be read quarterly