The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-07
BAPTISTS HOLD
 BIG CELEBRATION

Huntsville, June e-Cspecial) )-The mem- bers of the First Baptist church of this city today celebrated the Tooth anniver- sary of the organization of their church. which Is the second oldest church of the Bap ptist denomination in Alabama The centenary of the first church of the Bap- list denomination was observed six months ago on the site of the old mint River church, 10 miles west of Hunts viilo. The programme of today included the following addresses and papers:
 Review of the Sunday School Work, '' John A. Erwin.
 Our Pioneer Preachers and Teachers, ' Prof. s. R. Butler.
 Our Church Homes." M. B. Neece.
 What the Baptists Have Accomplished in Alabama" pr. W. B. Crumpton.
 Some Things Accomplished by Our Young People" J. c. Jones and J. S. Dunlap.
 'Woman's Work" W. J. Humphrey.
 What the Church Has Done For This Section of the State,' IL F. Rice
 Prominent and Active Members of the Church," E. E. Pettus
 w nat bhpliStS Have Accomplished During the Past Hundred Years" Dr. w. B. Compton.
 There was a special musical programme in which the choir was assisted by some of the leading talent of the city The centenary observance brought a large number of prominent ministers and lay men to Huntsville.
 The history of the church during the century that closed today is absorbing ly interesting, being in fact the history of the denomination in this state. The church was constituted on Flint river, 12 miles north of Huntsville, on June 6, 1909, and the officiating presbytery was composed of Brethren John Nicholson. John McCutcheon and John Canterberry. Just six months before this time the Flint River church. some 10 miles to the south east of that point, had been organized, and for many years the services were held in the homes of the members. The church was known as Enon church. and soon a Baptist association was organized composed of Enon, Flint, Jones Fork and Bethel churches. In 1861 many of sle members of the congregation having moved to Huntsville, and the community in which 1t was located having become sparsely settled, the church was moved to Huntsville, where most of its member ship resided.
 The division of the Baptist churches in this section when the terms Primitive and Missionary began to be applied, came about in 1886, when a communica- ton relating to missions was rejected by the Flint association. Enon church called conference of representatives of other Baptist churches and individual rights were declared. Representatives of the Round Island, Poplar Creek, War ford's section. Liberty, Athens and Enon churches took part in these proceedings and at the following meeting of the Flint association these missionaries" were expelled. Representatives of the same churches then met at Enon church and formed the Liberty Baptist associa- tion, which Is still in existence The rec ord shows the cause for the formation of the Liberty association; that resolu- tions had been adopted by the Flint asso- citation forbidding members from uniting with any society for the promotion of the cause of benevolent or moral reform and a sweeping clause was added embracing the benevolent institutions of that day such as the Missionary. Bible society Tract society, Temperance society and the Sunday school. Members were not even allowed to cast their mites when the box went around in any neighboring congre- sation in which they might be present.