Abstract of Church Letters
Eastern Baptist Association (CA)
June 4 - 5, 1886
Fourteenth Anniversary
First Church of Goose Lake
To the delegates comprising the Eastern Baptist Association; greeting: The past year has been one of spiritual growth of our church. We meet regularly on the second Sunday of each month. Covenant meetings on Saturday before preaching Sunday morning and evening. We are indeed a live church. Have enjoyed the faithful services of our beloved pastor, J. D. Bonner, and assistant pastor, W. E. Adams. Have received two members by baptism since our last Association. Dismissed two by letter. Expelled one. Present membership 47. Paid pastor last year, $450.
First Church of Lakeview
To the Eastern Baptist Association, greeting: Dear brethren. Delegates of the churches of our Association: We welcome you to our homes and to the full enjoyment of such hospitalities as we are able to extend to you. And we hope, by the peace and harmony that shall prevail in you deliberations and on account of the brotherly love that shall mark the spirit of your councils, the people amidst whom we walk may observe your order and joying - and take knowledge of you - and that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him.
The past year has been with us, one of uninterrupted quietude and peace. We have received by baptism, 4. By letter[s], 3. Excluded none. Our present membership is 31. Have collected and forwarded by our delegates $7.50 For foreign Missions. Our subscriptions for Home Missions for the coming year is $50. Paid our pastor last year $900.
First Church of Big Valley
To the Eastern Baptist Association sendeth Christian salutation: Dear brethren. The time has once more arrived (though a kind Providence) that we have the privilege of meeting you in an Associational capacity. We have reasons to rejoice, that the great Head of the churches has watched over us, a small body trying to keep house for the Lord. Have enjoyed the labors of our beloved pastor, Elder H. M. Henderson; the Lord has blessed his labors in our valley. May the Great Moderator preside over your deliberations, that all you do may be done to His honor and glory. Since our last Association we have received by experience and baptism 2. By letter 1. Our present membership is 9. Paid our pastor $300.
First Church of Dorrisville
To the Officers and Delegates of the Eastern Association, greeting: We are glad to be able to meet you again with letters and delegates. We have been without a pastor for the last two years. The Missionary (Bro. Adams) held a meeting here in April, 1885. Received two by baptism. Have called Rev. L. E. Henderson to serve as pastor for the ensuing year. Have received by letter 1. Present membership, 11.
Second Church of Goose Lake
To the members of the Eastern Association, greeting: Dear brethren: We are thankful to our Heavenly Father that we can meet with you again. While we have not increased in numbers, we feel that we have grown stronger spiritually. Bro. L. E. Henderson is still our pastor. Our meeting day is the 3d Sabbath and Saturday before, of each month. Have received by letter, 1. Dismissed by letter, 3. Excluded, four. Died 1. Present membership, 21.
First Church of Honey Lake
To the Eastern Association: Dear brethren: Again we send our letters of statistics and our delegates to represent us in your body. Since you last met we have continued to work in our part of the vineyard of the Lord. We have had the labors of our brother, P. J. Spoon, as pastor for half of his time. Our meetings are generally good, and reasonably well attended. Have preaching on the second and fourth Sundays in each month. Our Sunday School is still moving on with good interest. Have been engaged in building a house of worship during the last year, which is yet uncompleted, but is in use. Have expended about $640, exclusive of labor. Also paid our pastor about $140. For Sabbath School $15. Have received by baptism, 1.
Dismissed by letter (to form a church at Johnstonville) 4. Present membership, 21.
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First Church of Greenville
To the Eastern Baptist Association: We send to you by the hand of our pastor, Rev. W. E. Adams, our statistical report as follows: Received none. Dismissed by letter, 5. Present number, 15. Our pastor being located at Lakeview, Oregon, the distance is so great that he has been unable to preach for us during the present year, excepting on two occasions. We are greatly in need of ministerial assistance. Are the only Baptist church in the county, and too poor to do much. Send a missionary among us - we will do what we can. This country presents an inviting field for the harvest of souls. Can you not come over to Macedonia and help us? Are not the poor to have the gospel preached to them?
Trusting that the blessing of God may rest upon you in your deliberations; that peace and harmony may prevail in your councils, and that whatever you do may redown to God's glory and the good of our common cause.
First Church of Pine Grove
To the Eastern Association, sends greeting: Through the last year we have held our regular meetings with but one exception, sickness and bad weather preventing. We have been without a pastor - had no addition to our church. The brethren take a great interest in our meetings and are very earnest in their devotions. As a church we have dark hours, yet we do not feel like giving up. We have licensed Bro. Wm. Hollenbeck to preach for us. Our membership is 18.
Johnstonville Baptist Church
To the Eastern Baptist Association, greeting: Dear Brethren, we send this letter and also delegates to represent us in your body. We are a small band of soldiers of Jesus. Organized into a church on the 27th of last June, by Bros. W. E. Adams and P. J. Spoon. Have adopted the article of faith published by J. Newton Brown, and we hereby ask to be admitted to membership in your association. We organized with six members, and have since received 5 by baptism and 1 by letter. Have dismissed two by letter. Present membership, 10. Our little church called Rev. P. J. Spoon as pastor for 1 year. Have paid our pastor $23.
First Church of Paisley
To the Eastern Association, greeting: A few persons who have through Christ a like precious hope with you and who have been upon their profession of their faith in the burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, been baptized in the likeness of his death, came together at the town of Paisley, Lake county, Oregon, on the 23rd day of April, 1886, and after adopting the New Hampshire declaration of faith, as given by J. Newton Brown, we entered into covenant relations, one with another, to form what shall be known as the First Baptist Church of Paisley. Rev. W. E. Adams was chosen pastor, and Bro. E. L. Green deacon, and sister M. C. Green, clerk.
We desire to be admitted into your body and become coworkers together with you in the great work of salvation of dying men and women.
Our church consists of 6; there are, however, a number of others whom we expect to unite with us soon.
Dear brethren, this is a very needy and important field, forty miles from Lakeview in the midst of an important agricultural and stock raising country. There has never been any church organization here except the one we represent. Never had any preaching, except by a passing minister.
Bro. Adams visited us for the first time last September, and in October and November. Also, held a ten days meeting in March, when no small degree of interest was manifested. By God's help we intend to hold the fort. We hope and trust that you will strive together with us in our prayers, that when we meet with you next year we shall bear the glad tidings of a great work done for God through our instrumentality.
First Church of Fort Bidwell
To the Eastern Association: Dear Brethren, we send by the hands of our delegates this letter of greeting to you, and desire to be admitted to membership, in your body - that by cooperation we may be enabled to more fully promote the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. We are (as a church) only in our infancy and need help in the way of counsel, encouragement and ministerial work. Rev. W. E. Adams very kindly came among us, about the middle April, and after a ten days meeting we organized a church with seven constituent members. We adopted the New Hampshire confession, and our practices are those usual among the Regular Missionary Baptist churches of America. After having entered into covenant, one with another we elected Bro. W. E. Adams, pastor, John Beaty Sr., deacon and Bro. H. C. Givens, clerk.
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Reports
Missionary Report
Your Missionary begs leave to submit the following report: He has traveled 123 days, preached, 81 sermons, delivered 32 exhortations, organized 3 Sabbath Schools. Expense $4.75. Received $102.00. Balance due $144.00. All of which is respectively submitted.
G. W. Reynolds, Missionary.
Missionary Board Report
We, the missionary board for the Eastern Baptist Association appointed for the year just ended, beg leave to report the following: That for work done by Bro. G. W. Reynolds by the authority of this board, there is a balance now due him of $30, which amount we earnestly recommend that this Association pay.
A. W. Charlton, Chairman.
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[This history was re-typed by Robert Cullifer, Folsom, CA; used with permission. - jrd]