| 1st |
We take the Holy Bible, the Old and New Testament as the only rule of faith and practice in religion, and are united in the belief of the following doctrines, as contained in the scriptures, viz.: That there is one God, and one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Jusus Christ; and in the Godhead, are Father, Son and Holy Ghost. |
| 2nd |
That mankind, without exception, are in their natural state, sinners, totally destitute to holiness, and are entirely helpless in themselves. |
| 3rd |
That faith in Jesus Christ is alone the instrument of justification according to the Scriptures , and is the gift of God and is ordinarilly wrought in the heart by the spirit, by and with the word heard and read. |
| 4th |
That salvation is wholly of the free and soverign grace of God, through the atonement, righteousness and mediation of Jesus Christ by sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, and the belief of the Truth and that the Saines will persevere through grace and glory. |
| 5th |
That there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, and a general judgement; that the righteous shall be received into everlading happiness and that the wicked shall by driven into everlastin gpunishment. |
| 6th |
We hold that the visible Church of Christ is composed of such as profess saving faith and those only who exhibit credible evidence of faith in Jesus Christ should be baptized agreeably to His command by being immersed in water in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghose, and that it is the duty and privelege of such to celebrate the Lord's Supper. |
| 7th |
Notwithstanding children who are not capable of professing faith in Christ are not fit subjects for baptism and the Lord's Supper, according to the Gospel, yet we hold it our duty to bring them up in the nuture and admonition of the Lord. |
| 8th |
We believe in the Divine appointment of the Christian Sabbath, scripturally called the Lord's Day, and that is the duty of Christians to sanctify it to the service of God, according to the example of primitive saints.
We believe the moral law of God is a rule of obedience for all men through faith and that the Gospel should be preached to all men and all that hear are commanded to believe it. |
| 9th |
This Association regards the independence of the churches inviolable and disclaims any right to exercise power in the government of them, and declares her only enourage the propagation of truth and the cultiveation of practical piety. |
| 10th |
No querry shall be brought before the Association from any Church unless the Church has previously investigated the subject matter of it with the aid and help obtained from other churches, without having been able to determine it, should any difficulty arise in the church or between the churches, the same steps shall be taken to settle it as in the above case, as a prerequisite to an appeal to the Association; and should the appeal be taken, the Associatin shall give advise only. |
| 11th |
Each church shall send to the Associatin by her messenger a written statement of her number received on profession of faith and baptism, and by letter or restored, and those dismissed by letter, deceased or ex-communicated. |
| 12th |
The Association shall employ part of her time in free and familiar conversation and about the state of religion in the churches comprising the body. |
| 13th |
Any church applying to join this Association shall present a copy of her covenant, which shall be subject to examination, and, if received, shall be filed among the archives of the Association by the Clerk. |
| 14th |
The number of messengers from any church shall not exceed five. |
| 15th |
This constitution shall be jubject to amendment by two-thirds majority vote of the members present. Any proposition for Amendment shall be made and econded at a preceding meeting. |
