The Elders and Messengers composing the Miami Regular Baptist Association to the churches whom they represent sendeth greeting.DEAR BRETHREN: it is a custom of long standing to have a letter written to be published in our minutes. We present to you a few thoughts on the subject of salvation, which we think all should be interested in, seeing that the whole world of mankind are lost, dead in trespasses and sins. For proof see Ephesians ii:1, also Romans iii:10: "As it is written, there is none righteous; no, not one." The eighteenth verse says: "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Destitute of eternal life, without which no man can see the Kingdom of God; but the God who made him knows exactly what he needs and comes to his rescue. First, He gives a people to His son, and the son accepts them just as they are, and at the appointed time he comes, pays their debt, redeems them from the curse of the law by suffering the penalty of the law which was due to them on the cross, arises from the grave, which shows that he has conquered death, hell and the grave, thus finishing the salvation of his people from the curse of the law, and said: "It is finished." Now, where are they? All this has not changed them from the love of sin; but the good work goes on. Here, now, is how that is done: 1st Thessalonians ii:12: "That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory;" iiii[sic-iv]:7: "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness;" also, 2nd Timothy, i:9: "Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began;" again, Romans i:6, 7: "Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ, to all that be in Rome beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;" Romans viii:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose;" 1st Corinthians i:9: "God is faithful, by whom ye were called to the fellowship of His son, Jesus Christ our Lord;" [1] Corinthians 1:24: "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God;" 26th to 30th verse: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called -- but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence;" Ephesians, iv:1: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called;" 4th and 5th verses: "There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism;" Hebrews ix:15: "They which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance;" 1st Peter, ii:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." All this shows that Christ does all the work: first, redeeming His people from the curse of the law, then regenerating them, and in this He gives them eternal life, which saves them from the love of sin and gives them a true knowledge of themselves, that they are lost sinners, and gives them the knowledge that Christ is their Savior, who puts His (God's) law in their heart and prints it in their mind, then they love God with all their heart and soul. Because we have this treasure in these earthen vessels we go to associations to hear that the good Lord is still carrying on the good work, which revives our souls. Therefore, brethren, being in the right, let us press to the mark of our high calling in Christ Jesus our Lord, leaving the lo-heres and the lo-theres to the world, and strive to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
Finally, brethren, farewell, Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
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The association met at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, (Bullitsville) Boone County, KY for this meeting. There were two northern Kentucky churches in this association; also Salem at Verona. Most of the Baptist churches of northern Kentucky, of this persuasion, were in the Salem Predestinarian Baptist Association.========== [From Miami Regular Baptist Association Minutes, 1897. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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