Minutes of the Rushing Creek Baptist Church, 1853-1894
Original book at Stewart County Archives

Shared by Betty Clay BCLAY@compuserve.com:

August the 19th, A. D. 1853
Elder Correll Morris and H. B. Sills on Rushing Creek and protracted from day to day.

On Saturday, the 23rd, opende the the (sic) Reception of Members.

On Wensday the 24th open the door for the reception of members at which time came forowed:
Claborn Downs
G. Nution Shaw
P. W. Hicks and wife N. Hicks
Thos. Downs
James Hendon
Wright Rushing
Alford Downs
Thos. G. Downs
James Vinson and wife Henretah Vinson
J. W. Hicks
W. K. Barrow
H. C. Hicks
Isaiais Bateman
R. M. Knight
Loucindia Cahoon
Susan Downs
Carlina Rushing
Susan Hans (Haynes?)

and all was rec’d by expearance but Mr. Bateman & him by Excamniation. All was babetised but Mr. Merdith (note that Mr. Meredith does not appear on the list above!) and was organised in to a free and sepprit Church and named Rushing Creek Church and the Ruglear meting shold commence Saturday befour the 3rd Lord’s day in every monthe.

On the 24th day of Augt. 1853, the Rushing Creek Church was constuted by a presbyter of hoom was the Revernt Correll Morris and H. B. Sills W. C. Hodges and was constieted on the principles of the bible and we the members of sd church do hereby agree to Accept sd. Constitution and fullfill the Commandements of said constitution to the best of understanding of the facts theare in contained. Given under our hands and seal and accepted in the same mannor
Correll Morris, mod.
H. B. Sills
I. G. Hodges

Claborn Downs
F. N.. Shaw
P. W. Hicks and Nancy Hicks his wife
J. W. Hicks
H. L. Downs
James Hendon
Right Rushing
Alford Downs
Thos. J. Downs
James vinson & Henretah his wife
W. K. Barrow
X. C. Hicks
Y. Bateman
R. M. Knight
Lucindia Calhoon
Susan Downs
Carlina Rushing
Susan Hanes

asigened by J. W. Hicks by order of the Church.

Article 1st. We bleve in one only true and living God the father the son and the holy gost and these three are one.

Article 2nd. We bleve the scriptures of the old and new testatemt and to be the word of God and the only rule of our faith and practise.

Article 3rd. We bleve in the doctrin of an Election and that God chose his people in Christ before the foundation of the world.

Article 4th. We bleve in the doctrin of original sin.

Article 5th. We bleve in man man impotency to recover him self from the fauling state he is in by nature by his own free will and abilities.

Article 6th. We blive that siners are justifide in the sight of God only by the imputed Rightness of Christ.

Article 7th. We blive that God elect shall be cald converted regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Article 8th. We bleve that Saints shall Persevere by grace and never ?Pwll? ?finaly? away.

Article 9th. We bleve that babetisam and the Lord supper is the ordinance of Christ ?Jesus? and that bleavers are the subjects theare of and that the true mod of babitisam is a immursion.

Article 10th. We bleve in the resurection of the dead and a General Judgement.

Article 11th. We bleve that the punishment of the wicked and the joys of the Rights will be eternelly.

Article 12th. We bleve that no minister have a right to the administration of the ordances only such as are Regulary babetised, Kall, and Commanded imposition of hands by the ?prsbettey? (presbytery?).

Article 13th. And we further agree by the help of God’s grace to serve and depend on him for instructions in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jeases Christ and our fellowe creature.

Article 14th. We bleve it is our duty to asimbel our selves to together for the worship of God and order therefore of the church and acording to our ?answerability? to Defray the Necessary expenses for mintaning of the worship of God.

Article 15th. We bleve it to be our duty to walk in all the Commandement of the Lord Blamless and strictly to adhere to our duties to the Commonwelth, our Nabors, and our brothers. To bare reproof and to reprove each other in case of visable falttes in Christain Charity and brothly Love as ordered by Christ in the Gospel.

Article 16th. Eney member or members whoo shall be found ornieas or disorderly in any of these perticlars tha or eny of them shall be liable to sensher and in case of obsnant Contuanance thare in entiarly be excluded from our feloweship.

N. B. The above article are always to be understood to stand in strict surbornation to the Will of God as Rivield in the scripture of the Old and New Testiment and may be altered from time to time as it may please the Holy Spirit to cause Light to arise tharefrom.

Froman a long searieas of Exersise we whoo perfess to be the church of Christ on Rushing Creek, Stwart County Tennessee being convinced of the Nesesity of Convening to gether often to hold Conference and discharge our duty in watchen over each other as Christ has commanded agreed thare four that the folowing be a Rule for the Church to Conduct her self by in her futere Confurance. Neh. 10c. 39v.

Article 1st. We are not to forsake the House of God.

Article 2nd. Confurance shal be composed of the members of the church only unless members of the sister churches of the same fath and order being presant ma be invited to take seats with us.

Article 3rd. The Conferance shall be open by Prase or Worship to Almighty God. I tim. 2 = = = I Thes 17...18.

Article 4th. Our preacher shall be our moderator unless sufishant reason be given by himself or the members of the Conference pressant see eney reson that the preacher can not act as moderator one may be chosen by Conferance. Every speach is to be directed to the Church by the application of ?brethren?.

Article 5th. Inquiry shal be mad if the church is in peas when it is thought wise.

Article 6th. A door shal be open for the admision of members ether by Lettor or experience into the Church when suposed to be nessesery but non shall be admitted but by unamness consent those by Expearience shall first visibly relate thare experance or give an acount of the work of God upon thareselves and ?sicherly? of thare fath and princepleles of Religon if the Church thinks neseasry and the Church may make inquiry Respecting thare thare morrel Conduct and when full satisfaction shall be attand the preacher deacon or moderator shall manefest the same by giving the right hand of fellowship and thare by resive them in due form. I Peter 3:1 Gal 2st.

Article 7th No Complaint shall be brought into the church aganst transgresing members for Crimes of a private nature until the agreved members have complide with with direction of our Lord. Matt. 15 16 17.

Article 8th. Every motion made and seconded shall come under the Consideration of the Church unless with drawn by the membeers which mat it. Cor. 14.4

Article 9th. Every quary presented shall be three times read Befour it is recived the moderator shall then put it to vote and if thare be a majority for it it aught to Receive an answer but the member shoo made it may withdraw it pevious to it being acted upon.

Article 10th. If the menarity shal be greaved at any time at the desision of the majarity tha are herby directed to make the same known ameadiatly to the Church and if satisfaction can not be obtain it may be neseary in that Case to call for help from sister churches.

Article 11th. All the bisness of Confurnance shall be farly Recorded by the Church and corrected if nessary.