The "f"s have been changed to "s"s for easier reading.
Circular Letter, 1807
Elkhorn Baptist Association (KY)To the Churches with whom we are in union, composing the Elkhorn Association.
BELOVED BRETHREN IN THE LORD,
FROM the information we have received through the medium of your letters, as well as what we have collected from our own observations, since we have organized as a body, we are strongly impressed with the opinion, that judgment has begun, at the house of God. What the event will be, is only known to the Lord; but if we could all realize that solemn truth, that the Lord God, omnipotent, reigneth, it might induce us to stand still, and see his salvation. The present complexion of things seems to be gloomy and dark, as if it was midnight with the church of Christ. And as darkness and night season is auspicious to the enemies of Zion in general, we think our adversaries have availed themselves of our present situation, which is truly lamentable, to revile and reproach the holy religion of Jesus our Saviour; and by way of contempt, say, where is the promise of his coming. But, dear brethren let us hold fast our profession, and adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, and remember the foundation of God standeth sure. Notwithstanding it is our duty to examine ourselves, and search for the cause that we are in heaviness through manifold temptations, we would suggest what we think is the prime cause - Alas! we have sinned in departing from the spirit and rules of the gospel; we fear there is a lack of that fundamental principle, which may be considered as the soul of Christianity, amongst many of the professors of religion, and its benign influence too little felt among all, that is, charity, which is a grace highly spoken of in the scripture, as being the very essence of true religion; it is called, by St. Paul, the bond of perfectness, which not only unites the soul of the believer to Christ, but likewise is the bond of union amongst brethren. The want of this divine and supernatural principle, in too many of the professors of religion, together with the narrow bounds of its exercise and operations among all, forms a constituent part of our present distresses in society. O! dear brethren, does it not seem as if we had lost sight of the excellency and utility of this cardinal principle, Charity, which is explained by our Saviour, as consisting
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of loving God, with all our hearts, and our neighbour as ourselves. To lack charity, is to lack the key stone of the Christian fabrick. St. Paul speaks of this grace, with high encomiums, to the church at Corinth, as being a prinicple that never dies, which, of course, must be of immmotal duration. Qualities of this prinicple are detailed in the thriteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Corinthians; there, it is stated, that it suffers long, and that it is kind. Wherever this prinicple dwells, it makes a soft heart and lieral hand; it hopes all things, and believes all things, and envies not. Dear brethren, we fear this vital prinicple lies dormant in our souls. If we had more charity, both in principle and practice, it would destroy those jealousies and envyings which ar so hostile to our peace, union, and edification. The scriptures inform us, that where envy and strife are, thre is confusion and every evil work. Is there not reasons for us to fear, that too many professors of religion are under the influence of those angry and savage passions which lead to strife and contention? O! brethren, when we take an extensive survey of our society at present, that once seemed to be united as the heart of one man, both in faith and practice, as was as terrible as an army with banners, for the purity of their doctrine, and strictness of discipline; and flourished as a well waterd garden in whom the Lord elighted; but, O! what gloomy prospect is now before us. With weeping eyes and bleeding hearts, have we to survey the present state of things. We are afraid the crown is fallen from our heads, and the glory departed from Israel. It is with deep distress we view our society as convulsed and mutilated by intestine broils and contentions, which appears to us to be more the wrath of man than the righteousness of God. These things ought not to be. You have not so learned in the school of Christ. Call a halt, and go into the duty of self-examination, and say is it I, is it I; woe unto our souls for we have rewarded evil unto ourselves. Pray, brethren, let us all join and say, O that it was with us as in days past, when the candle of the Lord shone round about us. We have sinned, we have sinned; and let us cry and say, against thee, and thee only, O Lord, have we sinned, but thou art righteous; and pray, brethren, let us, like the king of Ninevah, proclaim a Fast, and lie in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily unto the Lord, lest he cut us off and none remain. Who knows but the Lord that is merciful, may turn from the fierceness of his wrath, that we perish not. Pray, brethren, let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord, and unite our cries, and not hold our peace, nor rest, until righteousness go forth as brightness, and salvation as a lamp that burneth, that we may be a crown of glory in the hands of the Lord, and a royal diadem; in the hands of our God; that we may be no more termed forsaken or desolate, but that the Lord may delight in us; that the Lord may rejoice over us; as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride; that the watchmen that are set upon the walls of Zion, may never hold their peace, day nor night, and those that make mention of the name of the Lord keep not silence, until the Lord restore Zion, and make her a praise in the earth, that we may be called a holy people, the redeemed of the Lord, a city not forsaken; that the Lord may command the south wind to blow upon his garden, that those cold nipping winter winds may cease; that the spring may come, and that the voice of the turtle and singing of birds may be heard in our land; and that the flowers may appear, and that Zion may again put on her beautiful garments of praise and salvation unto her God; that the time may come when the iniquity of Israel, if sought for, there shall be none, for the Lord has pardoned them; that the righteous may see it and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth; that the Lord may be our everlasting light, and that the days of our mourning may be ended; that we may be all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be sympathetic, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; let us eschew evil and do good; let us seek peace and ensue it, for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears open to their prayers; that our walls may be salvation, and the God of Jacob our glory; that we may be all righteous; that we may be a branch of the Lord's planting; that we may glorify him forever and ever. Amen.
GEORGE S. SMITH, Moderator
WILLIAM E. BOSWELL, Clerk.============ [From Elkhorn Bapitst Association Minutes, 1807, pp. 3-4. The document is from SBHL&A, Nashville, TN and was provided by Stephen duBarry. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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