Dumplin Baptist Church Minutes, 1797-1860

Part 15 of 24 Parts

Transcribed from the WPA Typescript and Submitted by Al Baumbach
Research Tip: This is posted (with extraordinary thanks to Al) as a finding aid.  It is a transcription of a transcription.
Even the most diligent transcriber is subject to error, so it is imperative that you consult the original document.

January 14th, 1837 - The Church met and on account of the inclemency of the wether but few members met and unanimously agreed to lay the refference over till next meeting. Elisha Cate, Clk.

February 11th, 1837 - The Church met and after devine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - took up or reconcidered the Nov. proceedings of the Church concerning the Temperance Society & Baptist State Convention (p.117) Finely Resolved that no member of this Church shall join either of those Society's without leave of the Church but contribute as they please. E. Cate, Clk.

March 11, 1837 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Br. John N. Lockhert and his wife Sarah requested letters of Dismission & granted - 2nd. - Sister Isabel Rankin also requested letter of Dismission and granted - E. Cate, Clk.

May 12 & 13, 1837 - days - the Church met & no business - came to a dismission. E. Cate, Clerk.

June 10th, 1837 - The Church met & after divine Service no business recorded and dismissed. E. Cate, Clerk.

July, 1837 - The Church met and no business & dismissed. E. Cate, Clerk.

August 11th, 1837 - the Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Chose Bro. Michael Cate & Obediah Gibbs deligates to the next Association to commence on Fryday before the 1st. Saturday in October next to be held with the Church in Bethel, Sevier County, Tennessee.

September 8th, 1837 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - the Church Read the letter to the Association - 2nd. - Br. James Carmon request a letter of dismission & granted. Elisha Cate, Clk.

October 14th, 1837 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - took up the cause of Brother Carmon refered from last meeting and after some investigation upon the matter the Church agreed to forgive him. James Langston for E. Cate, Clerk.

November 11th, 1837 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to the reception of members - 1st. - Rec'd John Linsey by letter - 2nd. - Rec'd Nancy Langston, Lottia Cate and Elizabeth Manard by experience. Resolved by the Church that the Clerk give Br. H. Mount Jr. .......

December 2nd, Saturday, 1837 - The Church met & after Worship opened a door for the reception of members and rec'd Hiram Travillion and Ruthy Rollens by Expr. And the meeting being protracted till Monday the door being still open Rec'd Jane Hickman also by Experience and then dismissed - E. Cate, Clk.

January 13th, 1838 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to the reception of members & rec'd Cinthy Cate, Martha Underwood & Ahaz Bryan by expr. Also rec'd by expr. Mary Hickman. E. Cate, Clk.

February 10, 1838 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to choose Fr. Knatcher - Moderator - as Elder Kimbrough is absent - 2nd. - Br. Samuel Newman's resignation of deaconship. E. Cate, Clk.

March 10, 1838 - The Church met after divine Service to business - 1st. - Chose Br. Jas. Moderator - as Elder Kimbrough was absent. E. Cate, Clk.

(p.120)

April 13th, 1838 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - appointed Elijah & Elisha Cate to labour with Br. Moses French & invited to attend to our next meeting &c. - E. Cate, Clk.

May 12th, 1838 - The Church met and after divine service proceeded to business - 1st. - took up the reference of last meeting concerning Br. French and the Brn. having labored with him and still is absent the Church concluded to bare with him no longer. E. Cate, Clk.

June 9th, 1838 - No business done - E. Cate, Clk.

July 14th, 1838 - No business done - E. Cate, Clk.

August 12th, 1838 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - the request of the Association respecting the paying of our corresponding delegate and the appointment of our delegates put off till next meeting but the Clerk to prepare a letter against next meeting - 2nd. - Pricilla Walker requested a letter of dismission and granted. E. Cate, Clerk.

September 8, 1838 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - appointed Br. Samuel Newman & James Langston deligates to attend our next Association to be held at Bever Dam Church Knox County Tennessee - 2nd. - In answer to the request of the Association about paying the corresponding deligates we say pay them if there is money in the treasury but object to the paying of the Assistant Clerk. E. Cate, Clerk.

October 13th, 1838 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Rec'd Edy Joiner by experience. Elisha Cate, Clk. The above meeting being protracted till Tuesday the 14th - the Church set for the reception of members and Millison Haddick and Anny French was rec'd by expr. - E. Cate, Clk.

(p.121)

November, 1838 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Br. George W. Campbell & wife Ellener request letters of dismission and Granted - Elisha Cate, Clk.

December 8th, 1838 - The Church met & no business done & dismissed. Elisha Cate, Clk.

January, 1839 - The Church met & no business & Dismissed. Elisha Cate, Clk.

February 9th, 1839 - The Church met & after Worship proceeded to business. - 1st. - James Langston & wife Levicy request letters of dismission & granted. Elisha Cate, Clk.

March 9th, 1839 - The Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Chose Br. Michael Cate Moderator - as Br. Kimbrough was absent - 2nd. - The Church took up the home Mission cause and all the Societies of the day to concider of till next meeting - Elisha Cate, Clk.

April 12th, 1839 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - On further consideration furrin Mission is protected against as home Mission and other Societies of the day - 2nd. - Took up the reference of last meeting with the amendment as above and after some investigation the majority protests against home & furrin Missions and all the Societies of the day and all those that do fellowship then. Elisha Cate, Clk.

(p.122)

4th Saturday of April, 1839 - State of Tennessee, Jefferson County - At Dumplin Creek meeting house - Whereas there has much difficulty existed in the baptist Church at Dumplin about Missionary Conference & other Societies of the day and at March meeting a large number of our Brn. took into consideration the propriety of those institutions but laid them over till next meeting in Course at which time they made & the Societies of the day meening the Baptist State Convention temperance Societies, including furrin Missions Societies &c. and in their zeal extended their declaration to those that had fellowship with them. And we, the undersigned being part of sd. Church could not in all good conscience submit to any such principals - Therefore having met and after divine Service proceeded as follows. - 1st. - Entered into a protest & remonstance against the Act of our said Brethren - 2nd. - Resolved to meet them with it at the next meeting in Course, and offer them terms of Compromise - 1st. - petitioned them to receive their Act - 2nd. - to open the Church doors to all orderly Members whether Missionary Baptist or otherwise meening baptist Ministers which was all respectfully Submitted to them on the 2nd Saturday of May 1839 - But all to no effect - they call father Kimbrough to act as Moderator to which he consented hoping that a compromise would be effected but they moved to appoint a new Clerk saying the old one had left them & gave to others - then father Kimbrough refused to serve as Moderator but they persistered in their Course & chose one of their own party as Moderator (p.123) and would not here us - Therefore on Constitutional principals we consider ourselves to be the Church and resolved in future to hold Church meeting on the 4th Saturday of the month at sd. meeting house - Signed: Elisha Cate, Michael Cate, Charles Elder, Samuel Langston, Ahaz Bryan, Mary Cate, Elizabeth Elder, Frances Langston, Martha Underwood, Nancy Langston, Sarah Cate & Jane Hodges.

List of Members on a separate page

(p.133)

May 4th, Saturday, 1839 - In persuance to the fourgoing arrangement the Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Chose Br. Elijah Rogers Moderator - 2nd. - took up the case of our opposing Bro. we can only say they have withdrawn from us - 1st. - because they have set up a new test of fellowship that our Constitution knows nothing of - 2nd. - they have Rejected the advice of our Association (see number of 1837 Article 5th) - We advise our Churches to not make the joining or not joining of such institutions any test of fellowship (meaning Baptist State Convention's Temperance Societies) but in all cases of discipline to adhere strictly to our Constitutional principals and the word of God - 3rd. - Whereas owing to the division in Dumplin Church - Father Kimbrough has declined being Pastor for either party & believing he in principle with us as touching Missionary & other Societies of the day we can be consistent in inviting him to be our pastor - therefore Resolved that for the respect & love that we have for him - we invite him still to be our paster if it can anyway met his approbation & can change his meeting at French Broad Church so as to attend us, if not to visit us as often as possible - 4th. - Ordered that the Clerk forward a copy of the forgoying preamble & resolution to Father Kimbrough - 5th. - Enrold John Newman as his request - 6th. - resolved that the Clerk have till next meeting to make a record. Elisha Cate - Church Clk.

(p.134)

June 5th, Saturday, 1839 - According to appointment the Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - chose Br. Rogers Moderator - 2nd. - Opened the doors for the reception of Members - none offered - 3rd. - having not heard directly form father Kimbrough the Church concluded to wait further - 4th - Sunday - Opened the doors for the reception of Members & enrold Mary Thomas & Dorcas Sutliph at their request again Enrold Anna French, Hannah Travillian, Katharine McCormack & Elizabeth Barns at the request of her son Moses and a request also for a letter of dismission and granted her. Elisha Cate - Clk.

July 4th, Saturday, 1839 - The Churchmet & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Chose Br. Rogers Moderator - 2nd. - Opened a door for the reception of members & received by experience John Douglass, Margaret Douglass and Sarah A. Cate & enrold Hiram Travillian & John Lindsay Sr. and on Sunday Rec'd Nancy Cate by letter & enrold Ruthy Rollens. Elisha Cate - Clk.

August 4th, Saturday, 1839 - The Church met & after divine Service proceded to business. - 1st. - Chose Br. Rogers Moderator - 2nd. - Opened a door for the reception of members - 3rd. - Rec'd Br. John Sellers and wife by letter - 4th - enrolded Sarah Bishop - 5th. - Appointed Bro. Charles Elder & Samuel Langston (p.135) deligates to our next Association to be held with the Church at Ellijoy, Blount County, Tennessee commencing on fryday before the 1st. Saturday in October, 1839 - 6th. - Enrold Lottitia Hickman - 7th. - enrold Delila Manard - 8th. - Sister Lotttitia Hickman requested a letter of dismission & granted. - 9th. - The meeting being protracted & on Monday the Church opened the door for the reception of members - 1st. - Rec'd Mary Underwood by experience - 2nd. - Rec'd John Cate Jr. by recantation - 3rd. - enrold Cassinda French - on Tuesday - the Church opened her door for the reception of members and Rec'd Thomas Bryan & wife Nancy, William R. Underwood, Rody Langston, Mary Henry, Margaret Calihan by experence - 2nd. - Enrold Penny Haddick & Millison Haddick - on Wednesday now rec'd - on Thursday - the meeting still being protracted the Church opened her door for the reception of members - 1st. - Rec'd Joseph Carmon by expr. and on fryday enrold Winney Carter - 2nd. - Rec'd Nancy B. Newman, Carline Reneau & Wm. Dotson Jr. & John Pain by Expr. also on Saturday rec'd by expr. Wm. Langston Jr., Allen F. Cate, Jesse Ballard, Mary Pain, Hugh V. Hoozer, Rebecca V. Hoozer, Elizabeth Davis, Mary Calihan, Robt. R. Bryan, R. & John W. Davis & Martha Allen. E. Cate - Clk.

(p.136)

September 11th 1839 - According to appointment the Church met & opened a door for the reception of members & rec'd Martha Sutliff and Lea Cate by experience - then on the 26th - the Church met again it being meeting in Course & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - Opened a door for the reception of members & rec'd Mary K. Cate, Hugh L. W. Henry, Jesse Douglass by expr. - 2nd. - Enrold Alzira Mount - 3rd. - Called Rev. James Langford to the pastoral care of our Church & Br. Langford being present concented, should it be the unanimous voice of the Church & the questions being taken the Church was unanimous - At night meeting the doors for the reception of members being opened and rec'd Elizabeth C. Bryan, Penelope & T. A. Moppin & Jacob Thomas by Expr. & on the 27th - Rec'd John Haddock by Expr. & at night Rec'd Wm. Callihan, Young W. Moore, Lydia Manard & Winny Carter Jr. E. Cate - Clk.

October, 1839 - At a call meeting the Church dismissed - William Callihan by letter - E. Cate - Clk.

October 17, 1839 - The Church met and after Service proceeded to business - 1st. - opened the door for the reception of members. (p.137) - 2nd. - Rec'd Wm. Langston Sr., John W. Elder, Emily Lincey & Dialphy Cate by expr. - 3rd. - Dismissed Carline Reneau by letter again at night after divine Service Rec'd Robt. H. Newman, Cely Manard & Nancy Elder an on that succeeding day the Church met and after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - resolved by the Church that she alter her time of meeting to the 1st. Saturday in the month. - 2nd. - appointed Elisha Cate the Church treasury - 3rd. - enrold Nancy Jones & Dismissed her by letter and at night Rec'd Sarah French by experience. E. Cate - Clk.

November 2nd 1839 - The Church met & after divine Service proceeded to business - 1st. - opened the door for the reception of members & rec'd James McCammis by expr. & at night Rec'd Mary Douglass Jr. & Wm. Rollens also by experience. E. Cate - Clk.

November 10th 1839 - At a meeting at Samuel Langston - Sister Sarah Bishop requests a letter of dismission & considerable members of the Church being present ordered that the Clerk give her a letter of dismission. E. Cate - Clk.

(p.138)

December 7th 1839 - The Church met - nothing done - Elder E. Cate - Clk.