MINUTES
OF THE
OCMULGEE ASSOCIATION,
* • * }
CONVENED WITH THE
ROOT* CREEK CHURCH,
PUTNAM COUNTY,
On the 12th and 14th days of September, 1863.
:o: —
1st, The introductory sermon was delivered by bro. D.
L. Hitchcock, from Revelations, 2d chapter and 11th verse:
•"He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith un¬
to the churches."
After 45 minutes, the messengers repaired to the house.
Preaching at the staud by bro. Almond, from the Yellow
River, followed by bro. Rogers, from the Primitive Ebene-
zer.
. The Association was opened with prayer by bro. J. L. .
Purington, from the Yellow River.
Received letters from IS churches and minuted their state.'
Elected James H. Montgomery, Moderator; H. Patter¬
son, Clerk ; Z. Edmondson, to preach the next introducto¬
ry §ersom ; bro. J. W. Simmons, his alternate ; bro. James
Stewart, to write the next circular letter.
On motion, the following committees were appointed :
On arranging preaching, brethren James Stewart, J. H.
Montgomery, Hutchinson, \Y. S. Montgomery, J. W: Sim¬
mons, from the body ; from the church, Z. Edmondson, D.
L. Hitchcock. 1 . ^
On arranging business to come before the body, brethren
H. Patterson, W. S. Montgomery, M. H. Hutchinson.
.To write corresponding letters to sister Associations, Pat-
' terson, Montgomery, Hutchinson".
' To examine corresponding minutes, Stewart, Hitchcock,
and Simmons.
Called for correspondence from sister Associations, and
received as follows:
From the Primitive Ebenezer, W. F. Rogers, E. F. Grier3
and Ryala, with letter and minutes.
<0
From tlie Yellow River, J. L. Purington, 13. F. Montgom¬
ery, W. D. Almond, with minutes.
From the Primitive Western, W. II. Morgan, letter and
minutes.
From the Oconee, D. W. Pattman, with letter and mi¬
nutes.
From the Itchaconna, J- M. Fiekl^-with letter and mi¬
nutes.
The committee on arranging preachiug, report that bro.
J. L. Puringtpn, jfrom the Yellow. JRivert commence preach¬
ing at 10 o'clock to-morrow mornifig^ followed by bro. J.
M. Field, from the Itchaconna ; in the evening, bro. D. W.
Pattrnan, from the Oconee, followed by bro. Morgan, from
the Primitive Western.
The Association then adjourned until Si o'clock Monday
morning. Praypr by D. W. Pattrnan.
Sunday Morning, 10 O'clock.
Met at the stand according to appointment, and tbe breth¬
ren appointed to preach; yesterday evening, came forward
and preached to an attentive congregation, and We hope to
good effect.
Monday Morning, Si O'clock. ,
The Association met pursuant to adjournment, and was
opened with prayer sby bro. W. D. Almond.
1. Received, read and adopted th« report of the commit1
tee on, business. ■ ^
2. Called the roll.;
3. Read the decorum.
Called for, read and adopted the circular letter prepared
by bro. William S. Montgomery. .
Appointed brethren to sister Associations as follows :
• 'To the Itchaconna, bro, D. L. Hitchcock, -K* Branaii, J.
Jarrellto> the Yellow River, M. II. Hutchinson, J. Stew¬
art, Z. Edmondson ; to the Primitive Ebeuezer, H. Patter¬
son, J. Jarrell, K. Branan, Simmons, Ilitchcbck; to\the
Oconee, D. L. Hitchcock, H. Patterson, J. Stewart, Z. Ed-
mondson; to the Primitive Western; J. W. Simmons, J.
Stewart. ; ...
Appointed general meetings as follows :
' First District, New Salem, Putnam county, fifth .Sunday
in May and Friday before.
< Second District, Falling Creek,'Jasper, county, second
Sunday in July and Friday before.
Third District, Walnut Creek, iiffcli Sunday in July and
Friday before. •
3
The committee appointed to-examine corresponding mi¬
nutes, report that they find nothing that concerns this body.
' Called for, read and adopted corresponding letters.' . i
The next session of this body will - fee; held withrShoal
Creek'Church, Newton county, nine rniles' south of Social
Circle, commencing Saturday before the second Sabbath in
September^ISO4. • \ " ■ :./
; Called for and received contribution fronr the Churches,
and distributed corresponding' minutes, and agreed to have
800 copies'of these minutes printed', and'that the Clerk at¬
tend to printing aiid distributing the same; that he deliver
the minutes for the churches at their respective court hou¬
ses with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and receive for.
his services 25 dollars. . .<
Exhortation and prayer by bro. J.H. Montgomery. The
Association then adjourned sine die. • -'*
JAMES H. MONTGOMERY, Moderator.
Hearndon Patterson, Clerk.
CIRCULAR LETTER.
The. Elders and Messengers composing the Ocmulgee Association,
to the churches we 'represent, sends christian salutation:
Dear Brethren in the Lord :
This is truly a time of great darkness and barrenness qf
soul spiritually ; the most so, perhaps, of any period since
the organization of our body. Nor is this darkness confin¬
ed ;to any one church, or to any particular gifts in the house
of God, but all seem to be under its influence.' As a na^
tion struggling for our rights aud independence, we are
called upon to pass through more intense sufferings, anct
greater,privations and hardships, and tjje most refined cru¬
elty of any nation in modern times, and it is questionable
whether even savage warfare can, under all the circumstan¬
ces, show a parallel. Our young men,'the pride of our na¬
tion, reared in the period of our greatest prosperity and
under the highest moral culture, often in the inidst of opu¬
lence designed for the peaceable and'quiet pursuits of civil
life, have been obliged, in self-defense, to buckle on the ar¬
mor of the warrior, rush to the tented field, and thousands
have watered Southern soil with the best blood of our na¬
tion ; thousands more have languished in her hospitals, and
far away from the loved ones at home, have yielded up
their noble spirits in defense of their nation's:rights ana
honor. Not only the young men, but those of middle age,
with young, responsible, dependent families, have patrioti¬
cally responded to the calls of their outraged country-—many
to fill a soldier's grave, leaving their loving wives and helpless
babes a rich legacy of the noble deeds of the departed husband
I
and sire, but lilling our land with broken-hearted widows
and helpless orphans. All around us we witness the hor¬
rors of war; eveiy countenance is sad ; every heart is filled
with sorrow, and yet the tide of blood and carnage rolls'on
and is almost daily approaching nearer and nearer our own
homes. Property of whatever kind is appropriated by our
unscrupulous foes, or else wantonly destroyed* Many are"
reduced from affluence to want and even beggary. But it
is a vain task to attempt to describe in all its horrid reali¬
ties the miseries of war. The heart sickens at its contem¬
plation. Before the war we boasted of the invincibility of
our arms, and gloried in our great name. We spoke in de¬
fiance to other nations, and made invidious comparisons in
relation to our peculiar, fixed and happy form of govern¬
ment. We were marching on with the giant's tread in our
path to fame. The arts and sciences and all the accompa¬
niments that attend a state of enlightenment and refine^
ment wTere in a high degree of development. We Were a
proud, haughty, stiff-necked people, and trusted in our own
might.
It is worthy of remark, that while this was our condition
as a nation, religion, so to speak, became popular, and had
parted with much that was unfashionable. It was made to
harmonize with the refinement of the age.. The human
heart, which was "deceitful above all things and desperate¬
ly wicked" (Jer. xvii, 0), was, according to this popular re¬
ligion, much improved naturally, so that a very little effort
was necessary in order for its purity and grafting into the
church. The .churches became wealthy and influential,
owned large property in money and stocks, and they be¬
came so arrogant as to dictate to Congress what laws to
pass, and on its refusal, pronounced their ecclesiastical
curse. Universal love for the whole human race (or at least
for those who were at the greatest distance) seemed to en¬
gross the religious wrorld, .and plans and means were inven¬
ted, unauthorized by the Scriptures, for their relief and ame¬
lioration—the gospel must be sent to the heathen, else they
would perish, and their blood would be upon our skirts.
The bondman, who was commanded by Christ and his apQs-
tles to be obedient to his own master, was free, according
to this refined system of false religion, the declarations of
Christ to the contrary notwithstanding.
Is it to be wondered at that a nation or people whose
government however good in itself, but Which had become
corrupt in practice so that its corruption reached from its
centre and ramified through the entire body politic, who
disregarded in many vital parts the plain letter and spirit of
their .own chosen form of government, who were so arro¬
gant to others and false to. their own principles, should be in
war, a war so bloody and against own brothers? The won-
o
der is, that we enjoyed peace so long. Whenever a people,
claiming to be religious, institute and set up &iy system of
faith or practice, contrary to the teaching of Christ and
presume to improve upon some parts, and to abate others,
and bend the d'octrine, discipline, and ordinances of his house
to their depraved carnal inclinations, they may expect noth¬
ing but the vengeance of the' ever jealous God to overtake
them. And to-day, notwithstanding our sufferings are so
great, and yet deserved, , we stand "not so much an object of
. God's great displeasure, as we do of his long-suffering and
tender mercies, and we should bow in the dust in sincere
gratitude, that we have not long since been destroyed, and
that our condition is not even worse than it is. And yet it
is our duty as citizens to obey magistrates, to be subject to
the higher powers, to fight against a common foe, to stand
by our beloved country in this hour, or time of extreme ne¬
cessity, keeping in view as our polar star the constitution
of our choice, and us christians, the scriptures of truth, as
the only infallible guide. As the floodgates of every vice
are now opened, as a bloody and cruel foe is intending to
rivet the chains that shall manacle our limbs, as trials sore
and unusual are-being borne by ns, it becomes lis to be
doubly on our guard, to be more prayerful, and to cultivate
the spirit of patience and submission to the will' of high
heaven., lest we wound the cause of Christ.
Turning our minds away from war and all its cruelties,
there is much to buoy up the christian in his pilgrimage.
The Psalmist said, "ii' the foundations be destroyed, what
Can the righteous do" y .Thank God the foundations can
never be destroyed, but are'as immovable as the eternal
throne of God. This bloody ordeal through which we are
now passing has not in one jot or tittle diminished the
strength and security of the foundations of Zion, nor the
• purpose that was purposed in Christ Jesus before the world
began. Armies may perish, sword and famine may do their
work of destruction, whole nations may be blotted out,
our purposes and plans may be crushed, but God is not
disappointed, it was all settled iand immutably fixed in his
counsel in eternity before the highest dust of the hills was
made. His chosen shall be saved in the Lord with an ever¬
lasting salvation ; not one left behind, whether they fall by
the missiles of death in the bloody conflict, or live until old
age in the rpiiet walks of life and fall asleep, their days are
alike numbered. All our sorrows, of whatever kind are
meted out to us in mercy, and were before ordained in his
purpose ; and in vjevv of this, we are told to endure hard¬
ness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, without complaining
. or repining over our present condition, as he • is the great
Captain of our salvation, who never lost a battle, and who
always leads to victory. The history of the ancient saints-
r
in th^ir sufferings and persecutions, ;and, the patience \yirli
which they bore theni all should be profitable to us in our
present trial's, their courage and fortitude should -nerve us
To suffer on. Paul and. Sil'as were happy while their - feet
were made fast in the stocks, because the love of God was
iu their hearts, a.nd;they were reconciled to God. , The fiery
furnace and ihe lion's den were pleasant places because G.od
was there. . Job would still bless (rod though all his chil¬
dren were slain, and all his goods stolen, and shall we bo
unworthy of relationship with the faithful anciently ? Je-'
sus knowing that all our sufferings would come warned us
beforehand not to be afraid of them who had power only to
kill the body. Our property if not taken by Northern van-"
dais may take wings and fly away, but if not it is certain
we can stay'but a short time with it, for we hasten to thd
tomb. If we should be so unfortunate as to have the seat
of war transferred to our midst il,ni we shall only suffer
what others have long since endured. If we should be slain
in'battle, it will only be the gate to endless joys, or. if we
should' be deprived of worshipping God according ; to the
dictates of our. own consciences, many noble martyrs have al¬
ready yielded up' their lives for^ conscience's sake. What
are all our sufferings present or prospective, con-jpared to
the bless'ed Jesus? Yet he was holy, harmless, undefiled;
separate from sinners', and higher than the heavens. 'We
claim-to have done as little as any towards bringing on this
war, and' y^t Have we not been too much conformed to this
World f have we not sought for its friendship by making our
doctrine as palatable* to them as possible by smoothing
down what was so Very objectionable to carnal depraved
nature?' AVe must expect and ought to suffer in common
with our'fellows,'but if we belong to that kingdom which
cannot be moved, if we have peace iu Christ, none of. these
things •.should'm ove us, nei ther should we count'our lives
dear unto'lis. -Our greatest object should be to live holy
and unbl'anVeably lielore him in the midst of war no less
than in'peace,? io'administer to the necessities of the saints,
many of whom' are now m great want, to relieve as far as
in lis lies, the sufferings in the land, to aid in directing the
footsteps of helpless orphanage, to support the bereaved
and stricken widow, to cheer and sustain our suffering sol¬
diery, 'who have bared their breasts in defending the in¬
alienable rights of" man.
Arid now, dear brethren, as we have^still been blessed iu
ourSody.with the privilege of this session, and as it may
not lie our happy lot soon to meet again under even as fa4
vorable circumstances, as many of our brethren are now de¬
nied this opportunity in some portions of our" country, as
we have long lived together iu peace and unity, being uni¬
ted professedly in the doctrine of God our Savior, as wo
7
have always set our face against every ism: and innovation
of man, let us still look to Jesus- the authoi: and finisher of
•fcur faitli, the Captain of our salvation,; let us obey implicit¬
ly all hi;s commands and show forth his praise in all we say
and do. Let us give the adversary ..no occasion to speak
evil of us, let us cultivate brotherly love, i gentleness, and
every fruit:of the Spirit. Our cause as a nation,we, and
all we have are in the hands of God, and lie will "do right.
Let us huirible ourselves, therefore, under his mighty hand
and in due time he will exalt us. God governs,.it is: all
right, ill his hands are the issues of life, he commands and
it stands fast forever. If the fortunes of war shdfiM m the
future interrupt ou r agreeable assemblages Sand wjfe:bg iso¬
lated, with an humble reliance -on the divine protection^
with his love in'our hearts we can bid.defiance to- all thai
man can do and rejoice in God with joy unspeakable; vi I
Finally brethren, be of one heart, be of good comfort,;
weeping may endure for a ■night:but :joy cometh in the
morning. Our light affliction' which^ is but for a moments
worketh for us a, far more exceeding and Eternal weight oi
glory, while Ave behold by faith the things which are notl
seerif'by mortal vision. We^are strangers and pilgrims her|'
assail our fathers were ; but there remaiiLetjhi a rest to tile
people of God far removed from the! din , of battle and the
clfisn of arms, a rest for the weary tried saihts where sigh-j
ing and sorrow is known no more, a rest with Jesus our El-i
der brother, who has ascended far above all heavens that hg
might fill all things. : The grace of. our !Loijd Jesus Christ!
be with you all. Ameri.
ST-A.TE! OF THE CHURCHES.
p-. '
3 F.non,
'■Rooty Creek.
Mount Giiiad,
Now Salem,
Tirzalv
Crooked C're?kf-
,Fishing Creek.-
2 Falling1 Creek,
jFeilowsbip,
Hebron,
• (Murder Creek,
jShoal Creek,
New Fellowship.
-3 Chapel Hill,
(Walnut Creek,
jCounty Line,
Nevr Hope,
Mount Zion,
Union,
Ephesus,
Counties.
Putnam,
MESSENGERS' NAMES.
J. B. round, R. Buckner
Z.umariau Edmondson, D. L.Hitchcock ".
CaRjV Cox, B. W. Purifay,* J. Barnett,*.. ....••
B.Leverett. E. J. Harvey ............
J. W. West: A. Reed. . 1..... .... ,
! 5i 2
fi
J
Bal-Jw in
Jasper. -
Newton,
Monroe,
Jones,
Monroe,
f\. Era-nan, J. B. Wright......
T. W. Tmk, S. W. Powell....
Wra, Philips,* J. H. Niblit*
Ko representation i ;... - —
M. H Hutchinson. B. Bryant* i. Ij.
P.I> ; ia, J. M. Gilstrap,. ! J;.
jj .^es H. Montgomery, W. S. Montgomery
!.J. """^ebb, J. Castleburyi ;
jRobert Woodall — '
I Larkin Smi they -
[James Stewart, W. G. Lane,* W. Johnson*..
iJohn Jarrell, Wm. R. Richey,* B. Hearndon*
IHearndon Patterson, Caswell Haddock
No representation
J. W..Simmons, A. MiddlebrooKs,* J; W. Green"
■37
tri ft
I i; Is
# s'l » s
'B'CI H
I:;:;
4: 1;
o >
> 1
II
5
51i 2
501
14 1
15 1
35! 1
47: 2
57; • 1
1
14
r 2!
14
24
39
1 25
] .0(1
2 50
j 0c
50
7fi
1 2-
2 50
1 00
I 50
Note.—Absentees marked thus *'; Ordained Preachers in Small Capitals ; Licentiates in Italics.
f3F" Received of H. Patterson $50 for printing 800 copies of these Minutes.—Printers.
►xjo
a n.
2 00
3 25
3 75
2 75
2 50
2 00
3 00
2 50
2 00i
1
2 50j
4
1" 00!
4
2 (Mii *
o
2 25
4
4 75i
. ]
2 50| •
o
2 50j
o
1 50|
1
45 50|