Baptist Church of Meads Creek records, 1837-1857.
Collection Number: 6073
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Baptist Church of Meads Creek records, 1837-1857.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
6073
Abstract:
Two volumes conference, covenant, and special meeting minutes which record church
membership, discipline, elections, appointments and finances.
Creator:
Baptist Church of Mead\'s Creek (Monterey, N.Y.)
Quanitities:
1 microfilm reels.
Language:
Collection material in English
The Mead's Creek Baptist Church formed in Monterey village, Orange township, on July
15, 1837, as an off-shoot of the Baptist Church of Hornby(see Record #6074), at a
conference of local Baptist churches including those of Hornby, Catlin, Campbell,
Jersey, Bath, Dix, Orange and Reading. The Mead Creek's church adopted the Articles
of Faith of the Hornby Baptist Church, and at a Council of Baptist churches (including
those above plus others) convened on August 26, 1840, it was declared an independent
church. A Covenant and Declaration of Faith were adopted, and the church's goverance
structure was altered slightly. Funds for preaching services were raised by a Home
Missionary Society (established June 19, 1841) subscriptions by "Equality," and grants
from the Steuben Baptist Association. Membership fluctuated between 100 to 60 members
during the 13 years covered in this collection.
This collection contains two covenant meeting minute books (1837-1843, and item 1850-1857).
Both include erratic (and often undated) entries that appear to be from the 1860's
through 1890's. The first book is paginated through page 113, and the second has few
page numbers.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Baptist Church of Mead's Creek records, #6073. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections,
Cornell University Library.
Names:
Home Missionary Society of Mead\'s Creek (Monterey, N.Y.)
Steuben Baptist Association (N.Y.)
Places:
Monterey (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Schuyler County (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Subjects:
Church discipline.
Church records and registers -- New York (State) -- Monterey.
Baptists -- New York (State) -- Monterey.
Form and Genre Terms:
Minutes (administrative records)
CONTAINER LIST
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Container
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Description
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Date
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Minute Book,
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1837-1843 | ||
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Scope and Contents
Until 1840 when the church was legally recognized as a separate church, minutes are
of conference meetings. Their contents are the same as the covenant meeting minutes
which begin on page 48. They record baptisms, confessions of faith, receiving new
members, election of clerks and choice of moderators, granting letters of dismission,
appointments to committees, election of deacons, the "lead of minds" of the members,
synopses of brief sermons given a communions and baptisms, and invitations from other
churches regarding council meetings. In addition to regular covenant meetings, special
meetings are recorded with unfinished business concerning finances, conflicts between
members, confessions of transgressions, exclusions, and committee reports. All entries
are signed by the church clerk.
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Covenant meeting minutes, entry for year 1866 .
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1866 | ||
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"(Brethren) Names." A membership list,
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n.d. | ||
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Title page.
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"Articles of Faith of the Baptist Church of Hornby."
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Page 1. Conference Meeting Minutes begin July 15, 1837 .
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July 15, 1837 | ||
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July 15, 1837 : formation of Baptist Church at Mead's Creek.
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July 15, 1837 | ||
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September 9, 1837 : Temperance resolution adopted.
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September 9, 1837 | ||
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July 18, 1840 : Baptist Church of Hornby gives power to Mead's Creek Baptist Church
to exclude members.
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July 18, 1840 | ||
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p. 36: copy of letter granting above power.
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August 8, 1840 : council of churches called to make Mead's Creek a separate church
in "sister relation" to others.
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August 8, 1840 | ||
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pp. 43-4: Church Covenant (on loose sheets).
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p. 44: Declaration of Faith.
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p. 45: Church Covenant (written in book).
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p. 48: Membership list, n.d.
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September 19, 1840 : Special meeting records new rules in church.
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September 19, 1840 | ||
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November 15, 1840 : Protracted meeting held and conducted by visiting Elder (J.)H.
Stebbins, lasting fifteen days. The meeting is recorded three entries.
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November 15, 1840 | ||
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June 19, 1841 : Home Missionary Society established.
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June 19, 1841 | ||
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March 5, 1842 : Discussion regarding the church's right to prohibit the licensing
of preachers.
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March 5, 1842 | ||
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p. 96: Membership list updated to 1853.
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pp. 98-100: List of members received by baptisms, 1841.
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At the end of the book: membership lists and possibly attendance lists, upside down;
covenant meeting entries for the 1870's; mission contributions list; more membership
lists, upside down.
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Minute Meeting Book,
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1850-1857 | ||
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Scope and Contents
The minutes in this book contain the same information as item #1, including mention
of council meetings; also records deaths, number of members at the time of associational
conference meetings, undated entries (from 1860-1890's?), and setting the pastor's
salary.
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Many confused entries including dismissions for 1868, membership lists, and meeting
minutes for unspecified years.
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Membership list, 1850 .
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1850 | ||
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Membership list,
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n.d. | ||
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Covenant meeting minutes begin September 28, 1850 .
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September 28, 1850 | ||
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October 4, 1856 : a member excluded for joining the "primitive" church.
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October 4, 1856 | ||
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November 8, 1857 : Minutes end
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November 8, 1857 | ||
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At the end of the book: a subscription list (?), n.d., and four covenant meeting entries
(one upside down) dated 1894, 1892, 1892, and 1866.
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