CIRCULAR LETTER, 1822
Salem Baptist Association, kyDEAR BRETHREN:
Our annnual conference having once more, in the course of an indulgent Providence, rolled [a]round, rendering it necessary that we should (according to our usual formalities) address you with a circular. And we can say, as in the presence of the searcher of hearts, that we are not alone influenced by dead formality, for your best interests lie near our heart. Influenced by this high consideration, we exhort you to be on the watch-tower - be diligent in making your calling and election sure, for rest assured brethen, that no one is justified by the precions word of God, in concluding himself a subject of grace, who does not bring forth fruits meet for repentence - for, says the Apostle, "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." Yea, dear brethren, as it respects ourselves and our fellow creatures, the tree can only be known [by] its fruit; for a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, neither a bad tree good fruit.
This important truth appears with superior clearness from the word of our blessed Lord, which is the only infal[l]ible rule of both faith & practice - this every true disciple of the Lord Jesus will readily assent to; but too many, we have reason to fear, do not rightly value their high calling, by fixing their aims too low. O what precious seasons of converse and communion, with our lovely redeemer, do we lose by our criminal negligence and inattention to divine things. Pray always, pray all of prayer, says our great prophet and high priest - and what is the promise annexed to the diligence of his people? "I will dwell in you and you in me." And O! what a glorious companion Jesus is to the poor sinner who is destitute of all self-righteousnes, and has come to him as the end of the law for righteousness. You not only insure to yourself, by this curse, a comfortable passage through this world of tribulation to the heavenly canaan of uninterrupted felicity, but your conduct preaches powerfully to all your acquaintances, seeing that you are, indeed, "as a city set upon a hill, which cannot be hid," but shines resplendently to the declarative glory of your divine master. A few words to the ministers of the gospel and we shall conclude - Dear brethren, be diligent and unwearied in your endeavors to preach the word; be not careful about the concerns of this life, for he who feeds the ravens when they cry will not let you suffer.
Farewell, dear brethren,THOMAS HUBBARD, Mod'r.
JOSEPH LEWIS, Clerk.
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[From Minutes of Salem Association of Baptists, KY 1822; SBTS Archives, Adam Winters, Archivist. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall. Paragraph break inserted.]
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