CENTENNIAL STORY, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, TYLER, SMITH CO, TEXAS, 1848-1948

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Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

Used with the permission of Dr. Michael Massar, Pastor
First Baptist Church, Tyler, TX
Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
7 March 2001
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ORIGINAL CHURCH COVENANT

WHEREAS, It is the incumbent duty of those who are favor­ed with the 
dispensation of the grace of God, to embrace his covenant, acknowledge 
his government, profess his name, and unite together in the faith and 
fellowship of the Gospel: We, whose assent is hereunto given, do now, 
as in the presence of the GREAT ETERNAL GOD, who knows the secrets of 
all hearts, and in the presence of Angels and Men, acknowledge our-
selves to be under the most solemn obligations to be the Lord's; and we 
do solemnly covenant and agree:

1.	That we will take the ONLY LIVING and TRUE GOD revealed to us as 
      FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT to be our God.

2.	We unreaservedly and solemly give up ourselves, both soul and  
      body and all we possess, to Almighty God, to he ordered, directed 
      and disposed of by him, according to the counsel of His holy will: 
      And this we do in an humble de­pendence on the grace of the Holy 
      Spirit to aid and support us in these sacred engagements; and 
      hoping for acceptance and salvation, through the merit and 
      mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3.	We take the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa­ment to be our 
      rule of faith and practice, both in the great concerns of religion 
      and in the general affairs of life; and particularly for 
      transacting the business of the Church.

4.	We promise to maintain communion and fellowship with each other, 
      in the public worship of God, according to the various ordinances 
      of the Gospel; "not forsaking the assembling of oursclves together, 
      as the manner of some is." but embracing all regular, convenient 
      seasons for this purpose as the providence of God shall permit.  
      And that we will exercise Christian forebearance and love, one 
      towards another, praying for and sympathizing with each other, in 
      the various circumstances or life, and using every laudable 
      endeavor to provoke to love and good works.

5.	We promise to pay a respectful regard to the advice and 
      admonitions of the Church, and to be subject to its discipline, 
      as directed by the word of God, and conducted in the spirit of the 
      Gospel.

6.	We promise to contribute in a reasonable manner, according to our 
      ability, for the support of public worship, and the relief of the 
      poor in the Church; and to use our means and influence to promote 
      the interests of the Re­deemer's kingdom in the world.  That we 
      will be careful to conduct ourselves with uprightness and integrity, 
      and in a peaceful and friendly manner, toward mankind in general, 
      and towards Christians of all descriptions in particular. That we 
      will also pay a conscientious regard to civil government, and give 
      it our support as an ordinance of God.

And in making this covenant we hope, through rich, free and boundless 
grace we shall therein be accepted of God, unto eternal life, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord.  To whom he the glory and majesty, power and 
dominion, everlasting.

Amen.