Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-25

rians.
2. They believed the Bible and it was
the oaly rule of faith and order.
8. They believed in eternal particular
election.
a. They believed in original sin.
s. They denied mans ability to recov-
er himself from his fallen state and
that he had free will.
s. They believed the elect would be
called, converted, regenerated and
sanctified by the holy spirit.
Z. They believed that the saints would
persevere.
g. They believed in baptism by i'm
n1ersion.
g. They believed in the resurrection
of the dead and a general judgment.
10. They believed in everlasting pun
ishment and awards.
IL. They said only ordained preachers
should administer ordinances.
There were only twelve of these arr
ticles and they were formerly believed
and nearly all of them preached in
every sermon. The associations had Is
rules of decorum and among them was
one which forbid any one to laugh
during the sitting, and any whisper
ing when anybody was speaking. All
the members should address each 9TH
er as brother, nor should any one
subject
Having given Sc pages to the affairs
of the denomination, Brother Asplunb
could only give half page to matters
of practical religion. His injunctions
were against inconsistencies. viz.
l. Keeping our fellow creatures in
bondage and misusing them.
2. Neglecting family prayer, children
not taught to work. nor sent to school.
3. Against fine dressing.
4. Against failing to support the
ministry.
5. He urged strict attendance on pub
lie worship and church conference.
The preachers OF the Baptist church
in Georgia in that day nearly all of
them came from Virginia and test of
them would show how many families
in Georgia have sprung from this
stock. The first Baptist preachers in
Georgia came with Mr.. Whiteheld. but
no Baptist church was organized by
them.
The father of General James Screven
was Baptist from Maine who came TO
Savannah before the revolution and
settled in Liberty Daniel Marshall,
who founded the first Baptist church in
Georgia, came from New England
through Virginia to Georgia about
1863. He founded the Keokee church
in 1772. He was the father of a large
family Of Marshalls and one of his
sons succeeded him. His name was
Abraham and he had two sons, Jabey
phades and Jubal Orion. Benjamin
Davis, was the pastor of Bottsford
church and Edmund Byne, of Rocky
Greek. This famous old church. from
which the Waynesboro church sprung,
whose members were at one time
worth millions, still stands. deserted
by its white congregation, the banks
of the crystal brook which gave it its
name John Thomas, the ancestor of
Rev. DIR. A. G. Thomas, of the Chris
tain church, Atlanta, was pastor of
Shoulderbone in Hancock.
LoveIess Savage, who was a chaplain
in the revolution. was pastor of Co
Iumbia. Clubax Davis. who was prob
ably kinsman of Jefferson Davis, was
a pastor in Wilkes.
Sanders Walker who, / think, was
the ancestor of Governor Mcdaniel.
and Peter Smith, whom j think was
the ancestor of Colonel Peter Fran
eo8eo Smith, was also in charge of a
church in Wilkes.
John 1Iilner, an ancestor OF Mrs.
Peel and John Holmes, who had been
an Episcopal chaplain in the revolu-
ton, and who was ordained to the
Baptist ministry, was also in Wilkes
in 1871
Guy Smith, the descendant of an
Episcopal minister in Virginia, and the
ancestor OF large family in each of
which the name Guy is found. was in
charge of Indian Creek in Wilkes.
Dozier Thornton was at Vance Creek
in now Ebert. have heard the story
that this elder was a great revivaIist,
and as was common in Wilkes and
Greene, among the leading church
members, he~ran a still. For conven-
fence. he baptized the converts in his
still pond. and doubtless a little peach
and honey was handed around as re-
freshment for the new brother.
Mathew Talbot. the uncle of the gov
ernor, and a lineal descendant of an
Earl of Shrewsbury. was a Baptist
preacher of General Baptists, but the
men who left the deepest imprint on
their times. were Silas Mercer and
Jesse his son, who were pastors at
Phillips Mill. Silas had come from
Virginia before the revolution and was
a chaplain in the army. His son, a
much greater man, was born in North
Carolina in 1863. He was married at
70. He went to school after he was
married and while he was pastor of
several Baptist churches. He was in
voted to the church of his choice. He
published one of the first large hymn
books and, as far as that is concerned,
the only one in Georgia. 1t was IA
nous book in it's time and there are
few books l prize more than MERGERS
Chorester, with it's fine selections from
Watts and Wesley and the somewhat
unique poems of his own composition
and his own selection-one of these is a
dream which is told in meter. The
first verse is,
''I dreamed was out, to the last cast
and eye
The atmosphere calm and serene was
the sky.
So calm. awful and still; tremendous .
the sight.
I thought the last judgment was dawn
ing to light"
The poetry is not of the highest or
der, but the meaning is at least clear.
which we can't say of many modern
productions.
When a good old brother rose in the
pulpit to sing solo and it ran:
''Let us ask the important question,
Brethren be not too secure:
What is it to be a Christian,
How we may our hearts assure.
Vain is all. our best devotion
If on false foundation built.
True religion more than notion,
Something must be known and felt