Guide to the First Baptist Church Of Covert Records,
1803-1849.

Collection Number: 6038

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3530
Fax: (607) 255-9524
rareref@cornell.edu
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
Date completed:
EAD encoding:
Andrea Hektor, June 2004

© 2004 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
First Baptist Church of Covert records, 1803-1849.
Collection Number:
6038
Creator:
First Baptist Church of Covert (Covert, N.Y.)
Quantity:
1 reel microfilm.
Forms of Material:
Microfilm
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Contains one volume of covenant meeting minutes recording cases of church discipline, subscribtion policy, anti-Masonry, temperance, heresy and the mission controversy, with a membership list in the back.
Language:
Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

This church was organized as the Baptist Church of Ovid adn Hector on February 16, 1803 with 29 members. A meeting house was constructed. The church membership grew steadily with regular revivals. In 1820 the church left the Cayuga Baptist Association and joined the Seneca Baptist Association. Groups of members broke off at different times to form churches at Peach Orchard (Collection #6059) and other locations.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

This collection consists of one volume of covenant meeting minutes which record many cases of chtrch discipline, the selection of new ministers and deacons, discussion of subscription policy, am reports of church activities. Other issues in this church record are anti-masonry, temperance, heresy, and the mission controversy. At the end of the volume is a membership list dating from 1803 indicating how each member was received into and left the church.
SUBJECTS

Names:
First Baptist Church of Covert (Covert, N.Y.)
Cayuga Baptist Association.
Seneca Baptist Association.

Subjects:
Baptists--New York (State)--Covert.
Temperance and religion--New York (State)--Covert.
Church discipline.
Revivals--New York (State)--Covert.
Freemasonry--Religious aspects--Baptists.

Places:
Schuyler County (N.Y.)--Religious life and customs.
Covert (N.Y.)--Religious life and customs.

Form and Genre Terms:
Minutes.
INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:
First Baptist Church of Covert records, #6038. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
CONTAINER LIST

Description
Container
Record Book, 1803-1849.
The volume opens with a preface written on April 26, 1804 (pp. 1-4) and a Confession of Faith (p. 5). On p. 11 are minutes of the council called upon to constitute the Baptist Church of Ovid and Hector on February 16, 1803. On p. 1$ begin the minutes of the church's monthly covenant meetings. These minutes record the name of the moderator appointed, the state of the church, the appointment of ministers, members received by baptism or letter, and many instances of church discipline. The minutes are good documentation of the church's development. Most of the bottom lines are illegible.
Page 6-10
Missing.
Page 15, Mar. 1803
Minutes commence.
Page 18
Missing.
Page 20-21, Feb. 11, 1804
Bro. is excluded for fornication with one woman and proposing to another.
Page 27, Aug. 11, 1804
Representatives are sent to constitute the First Baptist Church of Romulus.
Page 28, Aug. 11, 1804
Members from Peach Orchard request permission to meet separately.
Page 36, May 17, 1805
Decision on how cases of public and private morality are to be handled.
Page 37, June 2, 1805
Case of incest?
Page 53, Mar. 14, 1807
Member charges the church with holding the doctrine of election.
Page 54, Mar. 19, 1807
Family problems continued from p. 37.
Page 55-56, Apr. 10-11/07
Bro. is excluded for desiring open communion.
Page 59, Oct. 10, 1807
One brother confesses intoxication. Many confessions and charges follow.
Page 69, Jan. 14, 1809
Doctrine of equality discussed.
Page 84, Feb. 11, 1811
Doctrinal disagreement, heresy charges, minister expelled.
Page 92-93, Oct. 5, 1811
Members charged vith holding Universalist views.
Page 109, Mar. 13, 1813
Discussion of a fixed minister's salary.
Page 109, Apr. 3, 1813
A brother who has joined the Masons agreed not to attend often, but the congregation is not satisfied. Another confesses.
Page 119-125, Nov. 1813
Two elders have a disagreement. Other churches are called in to confer. The church is censured
Page 133-141, Mar. 28, 1814-Oct. 8, 1814
Discussion continues over the problem with the elders.
Page 142-157, Dec. 1814 -Mar. 1815
Many new members; possible revival.
Page 162, Aug. 25, 1815
The church cannot spare Elder Thomas to go on a missionary tour.
Page 163, Sep. 9, 1815
Subscription collectors get 5% for "the trouble of" collecting.
Page 179, Oct. 21, 1816
Church members dispute about land.
Page 195, Oct. 17, 1817
Bro. is excluded after joining the Methodists.
Page 196, Nov. 22, 1817
Sister is excluded for charging pn another's account.
Page 204, May 9, 1818
Voted to establish an Act of Equality in the Church. (See the 5th page from the end)
Page 211, Dec. 12, 1818
Bro. joins the Methodists.
Page 227, Mar. 11, 1820
Sister embraces the Unitarian heresy.
Page 231, July 8, 1820
The church cares for a destitute woman.
Page 232, Sept. 9, 1820
The church requests dismission from the Cayuga Associate to join the Seneca Association.
Page 236, Jan. 13, 1821
Continued from p. 227. The sister is rejected for heresy adopted the "Smithite Doctrine" and Unitarian annihilatin doctrine.
Page 240, Aug. 11, 1821
The church joins the Seneca Association.
Page 249-250, Sept. 1822
Pages missing or misnumbered.
Page 256, July 5, 1823
Sister excluded for joining the Methodist church and embracing Arminian and Unitarian sentiments.
Page 280-285, 1827
Masonry /anti-Masonry discussed.
Page 296, Nov. 1830
"The Church in union with enlarged desires for a revival."
Page 297-299, Nov. 1830 -May 14, 1831
Protracted revival with many new members.
Page 303, Dec. 10, 1831
Voted to receive the brothers dropped from the Farmerville Church. (Interlaken, N.Y.)
Page 303, Jan. 7, 1832
Voted to solicit subscriptions for the foreign missionary society.
Page 305, Mar. 10, 1832
Voted to postpone forming a missionary Society until May.
Page 307, May 12, 1832
Missionary Society issue resolved.
Page 309, Dec. 8, 1832
Pregnant, unmarried woman expelled.
Page 331-332, Mar. 12, 1836
Bro. takes issue with the Act of Equality, and is excluded for refusing to pay.
Page 349, Mar. 16, 1839-Mar. 27, 1839
A "meeting of days" is going on.
Page 350, Apr. 27, 1839
Sr. joined the "Christians" [Disciples of Christ?]
Page 352, Feb. 8, 1840
A revival cancelled due to bad weather.
Page 356, Feb. 13, 1841
Voted to attend meeting at Farmerville where there is a great "work of the Lord."
Page 356, Mar. 1841
24 new members.
Page 357, Apr. 10, 1841
Report of a two week long revival.
Page 363, Dec. - Jan. 1842-43
Revival.
Page 365, Apr. 1, 1843
Resolved not to allow non-religious meetings in the church
Page 366, May 13, 1843
Two people excluded for joining the Methodists.
Page 368, Feb. 24, 1843
Revival
Page 370, Mar. 9
Page 375, Feb. 22, 1845
Voted to have a season of protracted worship = Mar. 8.
Page 378, Feb. 1846
Revival
Page 383, Oct. 24, 1846
The church adopts the Articles of Faith and Covenant of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan.
Page 385, June 2, 1848
Representatives asked to sit at the formation of the 2nd Baptist Church in Ithaca.
Page 392-3, Feb. - Mar. 1849
Possible revival.
Page 394, Apr. 9, 1849
Last minutes.