Minutes of the Second Black Rock Meeting
The Elders and Brethren of the Old School Baptists, met agreeable to appointment with the Church at Black Rock, on Monday the 19th day of May 1834, at 9 o'clock a.m.
1. Preaching introductory to business by Brother Beebe, from Rev. 22:11, and also by Brother T.P. Dudley, of Ky. from Acts 20:24.
2. Appointed Brother Thomas Poteet, chairman, and Wm. Wilson, Clerk.
3. It was moved that the Brethren of the Old School who are with us in heart, and who wish to be publicly known as sustaining our views, as published in a former Address, be invited to come forward and subscribe their names, whereupon the following Brethren subscribe:
Elders: Edmond J. Reis, Edward Choat, William Wilson, Thomas Poteet, James B. Bowen, Samuel Trott, Wm. K. Robertson, Eli Scott, Thomas Barton, Thomas P. Dudley, Gabriel Conklin, Charles Polkenhorn, Gilbert Beebe.
Brethren: James W. Allen, Wm. Sellman, Joseph Perigoy, Edward Norwood, Nathan S. White, James M. Dawson, John H. Worthington, John De Voe, Samuel Shawl, Bazel Kelley, David Lowe, Lewis R. Cole, John Griffiths, Luke Ensor, Edward Grice, James L. Pearse, Abel Alderson, James Harrison, Herod Choat, Clement T. Coote, John Ensor.
4. On motion resolved, That all our proceedings be done unanimously.
5. Received letters approving of our views, from the church of Old Seneca, the church of Welsh Tract, Del. the Church called Mount Zion, in Hampshire Co., Va. and the Church of Mount Hope, in Chester Co., Pa.
6. Resolved, That we advise our Brethren, generally of the Old School, who may be disposed of address communications, to any future meeting, which as at this time been, or may hereafter be called, expressing their accordance with us, in the stand we have taken relative to the schemes of the day, as declared in the Address we have formerly published, whether these communications be addressed by individuals, by several brethren uniting or by churches as such, that we rejoice to hear from them, by letter when they cannot attend personally, that they stand fast with us, striving together for the faith and order of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But, dear Brethren, permit us to request, that in addressing any such meeting you will avoid those forms used in your letters to Associations, such as appointing Messengers to sit with us in council &c. for we disclaim being an Association of churches or an organized body of any kind; We simply meet as Brethren of one faith, one order and one heart, those brethren who are thus with us, are one with us when we meet; others cannot be invited to a seat with us though sent by churches.
7. Appointed a committee consisting of Brethren Barton, Trott, and Wilson, to prepare an Address.
8. Resolved, That we recommend another meeting of the Baptists of the Old School, to be held with the Ebenezer Baptist church in the City of Baltimore, on the Monday after the 3d Lord's day in May 1835, to commence at 10 o'clock A. M. and that Brother Barton, preach the introductory sermon, and in case of failure Brother Trott.
9. Resolved, That Brother Beebe, be requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting, in the Signs of the Times.
The following Address reported by the committee, was adopted, after which our meeting was closed with prayer and praise.
CONCLUDING ADDRESS
The Elders and Brethren, convened at Black Rock, to the Old School Baptists throughout the United States, send Christian salutation.
Dear Brethren:
We have pursuant to appointment again met, through the kind providence of God, and our hearts have been warmed and our spirits cheered by communications both written and verbal from various parts of our beloved country, in relation to God's Zion. With regard to our views of Gospel faith and order as expressed in a former address we still stand fast with increased encouragement and zeal, believing that the various institutions of men, dubbed with the appellation benevolent, and which are the order of the day, will, if not checked, result in any thing other than the real peace and prosperity of Zion. We should profit from the history of past ages, and guard against Priest-craft or the corruptions of that order of men wishing to be distinguished as the Clergy; which order now wield all the machinery, and have a governing influence over all the funds and movements of the various institutions of the day. As they are in a great measure irresponsible, in the appointing of their Agents, and in the expenditure of the vast sums of money collected from a liberal but misguided public, it requires but little knowledge of human nature to divine the consequence. It lays a strong temptation for speculation, and will in the hands of selfish men become a political engine to subvert our civil rights, and the dearer rights of conscience. As the church of Christ is merely an administrative body entrusted along with the application of the laws of her King, it is an arrogant assumption of power to set up any standard of religious action or test of religious obedience not sanctioned by his word; she has not the authority in herself to enact rules for the government or direction of Zion's children, much less, can she delegate this power to others. Has it, Brethren, come to this that our Lord will not or cannot accomplish the purposes of his grace without his people's exerting all their powers to obtain money? Is it so, that there is a necessity for those whom he has called into the gospel ministry, to leave the preaching of the word and the care of the churches over which they have been made overseers, to ravage the country and in the language of the horse leech's daughters to cry give, give, without ever being satisfied? Could not He who once turned water into wine prevent the necessity of this perversion of the ministerial office, and at the same time provide at once the means, pretendedly so necessary for accomplishing his purpose, by transmuting the native granite of our mountains into gold?
Beloved Brethren, may we ever be kept from imbibing notions so reproachful of the God of our salvation, as these which suspend the purpose of God the efficacy of a Savior's blood and the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost, in relation to a great proportion of the human family, upon money, the love of which is the root of all evil.
Brethren, while we rejoice in the glorious truth that salvation is of the Lord, may it be manifested by our lives that we are under the influence of that grace which teacheth that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.
Thomas Poteet, Chairman William Wilson, Clerk
Footnotes:
In reference to the epithet "Old School," which we have used as a discriminating term, we beg leave to say that we were led to adopt it from it having been applied to us by others; and that in our use of it we have reference to the school of Christ, in distinction from all other schools which have sprung up since the apostles' days.
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