This Union shall be known by the name of BETHANY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION. 1845

CONSTITUTION

Article 1. This Union shall be known by the name of BETHANY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION.

Article 2. This Association shall be composed of members chosen annually by their respective churches, and each church shall be entitled to three delegates, who, on producing letters certifying their appointment, shall be entitled to seats.

Article 3. This Association shall have a Moderator and Clerk, who shall be chosen immediately after the organization of each session.

Article 4. This Association shall hold regular annual sessions, at such places as from time to time shall be agreed upon, and where convened shall only sit as an advisory council.

Article 5. This Association shall never possess or arrogate authority or power to lord it over God’s heritage, but forever disclaim all right to interfere with the internal concerns of any church, and decides each church to be independent in all matters of internal government.

Article 6. This Association may withdraw from any church that shall become heterodox or disorderly.

Article 7. This Association forever disclaims all connection with every modern missionary society, by whatever name called.

Article 8. No church shall hereafter be admitted into this Union until she shall have first produced satisfactory evidence of her being composed of all modern missionary schemes; neither shall there be any newly constituted churches admitted into this Union, until they shall have first produced copies of their Faith, and by whom constituted.

Article 9. This Association shall have power to adopt such rules for her government while in session, as she may deem proper, subject to alteration or amendment; provided, however, the same shall not conflict with this Constitution.

Article 10. This Association may hold correspondence with such Associations as she may deem orthodox, which shall be done by letter and messengers.

Article 11. This Constitution shall not be altered or amended until two-thirds of the churches composing this Union shall require the same.
ARTICLES OF FAITH

Article 1. We believe in one God, and the trinity of persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Article 2. We believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the revealed word of God, and are the only rule of Faith and Practice.

Article 3. We believe in the fall of Adam and consequent depravity of human nature, and that all men by nature are in a state of wrath, and utterly unable to recover themselves by their own free will ability into the favor of God.

Article 4. We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, chose a definite number of the human race in Christ Jesus to salvation, and they in particular are redeemed.

Article 5. We believe that sinners are justified through the merits and efficacy of the obedience, death, and resurrection of Christ imputed to them.

Article 6. We believe that the whole number of the eternal purposes of God, do not set aside the necessity of second causes; but the means by which the purposes of God are accomplished, are also a part of the decrees; and as it respects the salvation of the elect, they are made effectual through the agency of the Holy Ghost, to the calling, quickening, regenerating, and making them meet for the kingdom of heaven.



Article 7. We believe that all those who were called, quickened, regenerated and justified, are preserved in Christ and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, and can never fall away and finally be lost.

Article 8. We believe Jesus Christ, who is the Head and Lawgiver of the church, has instituted the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are to be perpetually observed by the church to the end of the world.

Article 9. We believe that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and that true believers are the only proper subjects, and that the proper mode of baptism is immersion.

Article 10. We believe in the resurrection both of the just and the unjust, and the happiness of the righteous and punishment of the wicked will be eternal.
REASONS AND APPEAL

When, in view of passing events, conscience points out the necessity of breaking asunder the bonds of Union that have hitherto bound together those who profess to be of the same sentiments, and to be governed by the same laws and rules: it becomes those who dissent or separate themselves from others, to set forth their reasons for such separation.

Therefore, we, who have heretofore been members of the Mount Pisgah Baptist Association, hereby make known our reasons for separating ourselves from those brethren who still choose to remain in that body.

First—Because they hold and publish to the world that there are now more gospel ministers than there is money to send out. [See Minutes of the Baptist State Convention of Iowa 4, 1838, page 8.]

Second—Because they hold and publish to the world that embarrassments in pecuniary matters have obstructed some of the honest enterprises, for the advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom.—[See Third annual Report of American and Foreign Bible Society.]

Third—Because they use in the practice of buying and selling life-membership in societies, under the protection of spreading the gospel, thereby placing the gospel side by side with common merchandise, and placing the poor brother on an unequal footing with the rich hypocrite.—[See Constitution of American Baptist Home Mission Society, Article 3.]

Fourth—Because they employ men at high stipulated wages to go out, preach, and act as agents in collecting money, and laying the claims of education before the churches.—[See Minutes of Baptist State Convention, 1843; Appendix A, page 8.]

Fifth—Because they hold and publish to the world, that large sums of money can be spent with prudence, economy and profit, in advancing Christ’s kingdom; if such sums can be obtained, and if such uses cannot be obtained, such profits cannot be effected: thereby laying such stress upon money, as to make the advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom entirely dependent on the amount of money that can be raised, thereby placing the salvation of God’s church on human aid and contingency, which is in direct violation of God’s system of salvation, as revealed in his written and infallible word, which he has given us for the rule of our faith and practice.—[See Tenth Annual Report of Baptist Home Missionary Society, page 18, April 26, 1842.]

These are some of the reasons that impel us to the course that we are now pursuing. We do not wish to be understood as saying, that all the brethren from whom we have separated, are in the direct and immediate practice of all the unscriptural and newly invented schemes against which we here complain, or that all of them directly favor or uphold the monstrosities common of the present day societies, which were never participated in by the Baptists until within our recollection. But we hold such brethren to be in an untenable position, for countenancing and continuing in fellowship with those who are practising and endeavoring to carry out such worldly and unscriptural measures as we have herein set forth, for we are unwilling to give up the long-cherished doctrine and sentiments upon which the Baptists have relied, ever since the Lord Jesus Christ established his church on earth. Finally, brethren, addressing ourselves to you who profess to be peculiar Baptists of the Old School, but who are suffering such things to be practised and practised amongst you, as are learned from man and not from the word of God, it is for you to say, not us, whether we can longer walk in union with you. We regret, and so must you, to see brethren, professing the same faith, severing themselves from each other: but brethren, if you compel us either to sanction the traditions and inventions of men as religious obligations, or to separate ourselves from you, the sin lieth at your own door.

Thus, brethren, our appeal is to you—you may treat it with contempt, if you can despise the cause for which we contend, in conformity to the word of God.

[Title unclear]

South-Hill, Bradford co., Pa., Nov. 26, ’43.

That God has led man to believe that religion is an improvable science, is fully demonstrated from a variety of circumstances: among which are here.

1st. [The establishment of] Schools, Academies, and Colleges, are the inexhaustible fountains of true piety, morality, and literature, proves to us with the light of a sunbeam, that the host of them that believe that men can by study acquire the qualifications necessary to be gospel ministers, believe that religion is an improvable science, and lies within the reach of mortal men, blinded by the god of this world, and corrupted by satan at his will.

2d. All the popular, professed benevolent societies, from the mammoth American Bible Society, Foreign and Domestic Missionary Societies, and so on down to the Rag Bag, Doll Baby, and Pin-cushion societies, with all their concomitants and collaterals, show beyond room for a doubt that such as are engaged in them, believe that religion is an advancing, improvable science, and may be improved by such as are in darkness, and under the power of a carnal mind, which is enmity against God—not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

3d. The whole is based upon the doctrine of free-will, Free-agency, &c., as is proved to a demonstration by their zeal, the efforts they make, and their great success in leading such as are able in the flesh to engage in pursuing a fleshy religion. They seek religion, they get religion, and they live after the flesh according to their religion; and in their religious zeal show what their religion is, and what it is not.

That it is not relying on the Spirit of God, they show themselves; for they say it depends on the means of practice, exertion, acceptance of the gospel, and money given on prayer, on set exercises, and the like.

That it is not spiritual religion they show, for while the system of human operation in doctrine of regeneration, [unclear], for if spiritual men have power to see or hear before God acts effectually, there can be no difference of being born of the Spirit, in that way, from that which the natural man can do.

That they have not a spiritual religion, is clear from the fact that they believe not in the necessity of the Father’s revealing the Son to men, for them to know him; but believe they by searching (seeking) can find him themselves; and by their study can qualify themselves for the work of an Apostle. That their religion is not spiritual appears from their being sensual, and not having the Spirit of God.

That their religion is not a spiritual religion, is fully shown by themselves in their numerous complaints against the preaching of the cross, where they declare it is foolishness to them; and they stumble at the word, being disobedient, &c.

That their religion is not the religion of Jesus Christ, is plain, because “no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to


whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” And their own testimony shows that they get their religion themselves,—how different the two religions are! One is fleshly, the other, spiritual; one is declared to depend upon the creature’s will, the other, upon the will of God. One is according to the creature’s choice—the other, according to the choice of God. One is natural, the other is spiritual. Such as are only born of the flesh can, and do obtain and enjoy one: none can enjoy the other, but such as are born of the Spirit. One leads its devotees to trust in an arm of flesh, means, or money: the other leads its possessor to trust alone on the almighty arm of God. The one leads its possessor [continues].to fear if he is not faithful to keep his religion, that he shall lose it and be damned at last: the other knows if his religion does not keep him, he shall surely perish; for he has no power to keep himself, or his religion. The possessor of the one talks much of what he has done, and is still determined to do: the other, of what God by grace has done for him. One religion leads men to be proud, self-sufficient, boasters; while the other makes its possessor humble, dependent in his feelings, and submissive. The possessor of this one wrangles with God, disputes his will, and hates his ways: the other, scorched to God, loves his precepts, and enjoys peace in believing. One leads men to despise the righteousness of Christ, and seek to establish their own, and adorn themselves with the work of their own hands: the other, to rejoice in this, that the Lord is their righteousness, and that he adorns them from the fulness of his grace. One tells men with vain glorying; the other teaches them to glory in the cross of Christ. One teaches men that though it is said in the scriptures that “they are dead, yet they are alive, and can work their passage to heaven;” the other teaches men that “the Bible is true, and that Christ must be their life, and their salvation, [unclear] from sin to holiness, and from earth to heaven.” One, or they shall never [unclear]. One teaches men that by performing the duties, [unclear] may escape the sentence [unclear], and obtain gospel liberty: the other [unclear], only by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that they can be liberated from the law of sin and death. One religion makes men believe that they can and do see, when they are blind; hear, when they are deaf; and feel, or move, when they are dead; while the religion of Jesus makes the dead, gives them life and sensation, eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand and love the truth.

The religion of one is real bondage, under the law, and under its curse: the religion of the other is the gospel liberty, being made free by the Son of God, and blessed with the enjoyment of his fulness. The one religion leads its victims the way to hell, to no miserable forever: the other to Christ, the way to glory, to live and reign with him in eternal bliss. The possessors of the one inherit lies, and shame shall be their everlasting inheritance: the other have in Christ an unfading and unswerving inheritance, as heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, and shall dwell with him forever in the mansion he has gone to prepare for them.

Yours in hope of an inheritance among the blessed, 

H. I. WEST. 

FOR THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.