Subject: Cooper-POWG-4 From: gslat Date: December 20, 1999 COOPER, RICHARD - VOL. VI: He and his wife are bur. Dead River Cem., Montgomery Co., Ga. In the third line from the bottom of the page, delete the words "after the war". He stated in his declaration, 10/31/1834, Bulloch Co., Ga. that he resided for 9 years in Duplin Co., N.C. during which time he served in the Revolutionary War. -------------------------------------------- I transcribed the complete set of records of the Piedmont Baptist Association from copies of the originals. This is the Richard Cooper above mentioned. He shows in the records until 1821. In 1831, a Jesse Cooper shows up for only that one year. ------------------------------------------ Constitution of the Piedmont Baptist Association Transcribed by Charles Edward Westberry From a long series of experience we the churches of Jesus Christ being regularly Baptized upon the profession of our faith in Christ and are convinced of the necessity of a combination of Churches to perpetuate a union and communion amongst us, and perserve and maintain a correspondence with each other in our union. We therefore propose to maintain and keep the orders and rules of an Association according to the following plan or form of government. Art 1st The association shall be composed of members chosen by the different churches in our union and duly authorized to represent them in this Association who shall be members whom they judge best qualified for that position and producing letters from their respective churches certifying their appointment shall be entitled to a seat. Art 2nd In the letters from the different churches shall be expressed those members in full fellowship those Baptized, received. Letter dismissal, expelled and dead since the last sitting of the Association. Art 3ed The members thus chosen and convened shall have no power to Lord it over Gods Heritage, nor shall they have any clerical power over the churches nor shall they infringe upon any of the internal rights of any church in the union. Art 4th The Association, when convened shall be governed and ruled by a regular ____ proper decorum. Art 5th The Association shall have a moderator and clerk and shall be chosen by the suffrages of the members present. Art 6th Every church in the union shall be entitled to representation in the Association and no church shall send more than three members. Art 7th New churches may be admitted into this union who show petition by letter and delegates and upon examination if found orthodox and orderly shall be received by the Association and manifested by the moderator giving the right hand of fellowship to the delegates. Art 8th Every query presented by any member in the Association shall be once read and before it be debated the moderator shall put it to a vote and if there be a majority of it's being debated it shall be taken into consideration and be debated, but if there be a majority against, it shall be withdrawn. Art 9th Every motion made and seconded shall come under the consideration of the Association except it be withdrawn by the member who made it. Art 10th The Association shall endeavour to furnish the churches with the minutes of the Association. Art 11th We think it absolutely necessary that we should have an Association fund for defraying the expenses of the same, for the raising and supporting of which we think it to be the duty of each church in the union to contribute such sums as they shall think proper and send by their delegates to the Association and those amounts thus contributed by the churches and received by the Association shall be deposited in the hands of a Treasurer appointed by the Association who shall be accountable to the Association for the same. Art 12th There shall be an association docket kept and the proceedings of every Association shall be regularly recorded by a secretary appointed by the association. Art 13th The minutes of the Association shall be read and corrected if needful and signed by the moderator and clerk before the Association rises. Art 14th [At this point the sentence is split by a page being overlayed and filmed in that position. The page was taken from the first anniversary minutes. It continues thusly.] The Association shall have power to withdraw from a church in this union which shall violate rules of this Association or deviate from the orthodox principles of religion. 8th To admit any of the ministering brethren present [not members of this body] as assistants who may be present at the sitting of the Association whom they may judge necessary. 9th The association shall have power to adjourn to meet at any future time or place they may think most convenient to the churches in the union. Signed and approved at Little Canoochie this ? Saturday ? [Moses Westberry had signed his name there and the day was written over it] of October NR the year of our Lord 1815, Moses Westberry, Senr William Smith, Senr Richard Cooper William Whiddon William Harrell ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |