Thank you Douglas, This e-mail mentions a lot of my Turner family , Henry Turner, Lucinda Turner, Sarah Turner, etc., Joseph Byers. wonder what the difficulty existing between David Perason & W. S. Turner was and difficulty between Elizabeth Turner & Nancy Turner? Thank you, Faye -------------------------------------------------- From: "Douglas Cummins" <dcumyns@gmail.com> Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2010 7:43 AM To: <MSATTALA@rootsweb.com> Subject: [MSATTALA] Minutes > Many of our elders migrated from Jefferson County, Alabama to Attala > County, MS. Of those elders who were members of Ruhama Baptist Church > of Christ in Jefferson County. The following are excerpts of Church > Minutes that includes many of their names. > > The excepts are of some my elders and of their friends and neighbors in > AL. > > > Cummins Minutes of the Ruhama Baptist Church of Christ > > William, Emily and their children attended and became members of > Ruhama Baptist Church of God while they lived in Jefferson County, > Alabama. The first Cummins registry and minute’s entry occurred > September 1836, when William M. Cummins, Sr. joined the Church as a > member with experience. > > The following Cummins were registered as joined by baptism or > experience in Ruhama’s Baptist Church from 1836 to 1875: > > Daniel Hosea Cummins, husband of Martha Frances Whitfield > > Emily “Millie” ___?___, wife of William Cummins, Sr > > Frances Malinda Armstrong, wife of William M. Cummins, Jr. > > Lucinda Turner, wife of Willis W. Cummins > > Malinda Cummins, wife of Merritt Ellard > > Martha Whitfield, wife of Daniel Hosea Cummins > > Mary Ann Cummins, wife of Isaac B. Ellard) > > William M. Cummins, Sr., husband of Emily “Millie” ___?___ > > William M. Cummins, Jr., husband of Frances Malinda Armstrong > > Willis Wilburn Cummins, husband of Lucinda Turner > > > 1836 - 1875 Cummins Minutes of Ruhama Baptist Church: > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in September 1836. > > Opened adore for the reception of members. Received brother William > Cummins and G. W. Turner by experience. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lord’s Day in May 1839. > > After divine services by Joseph Byers the church met in peace. > > Opened adore for the reception of members received by experience, > Emily Cummins and Sarah Turner came forward. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lord’s Day in January 1841. > > After divine services by Joseph Byers the church proceeded to business. > > As there is a difficulty existing between Willis Eastis and sister > Milly Cummins. The church appointed Henry Turner and O. W. Wood to go. > Bro. Eastis to see sister Cummins and try to get the difficulty > settled and report our next meeting. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in March 1842. > > Opened adore for the reception of members, Bro. Richard Carlisle came > forward to be restored to the Fellowship of the Church, which was laid > over until next meeting and Brothers Edward Wood, William Cummins to > give notice to Bro. John Goodwin, his wife and Bro. B. Case and sister > Bass to attend. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in September 1842. > > After divine services by Joseph Byers the church proceeded to business. > > Opened adore for the reception of members received by experience > Elizabeth Turner, Mary Ann Cummins, Betsey Turner, I. B. Wood and > Elvoia, slave of E. Wood. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in June 1843. > > After divine services by Joseph Byers the Church proceeded to business. > > Brother Willis Eastis laid in a charge against Bro. W. Cummins and > Sister Cummins for slandering his wife. It was moved and second that > there be a committee to try to settle the difficulty. Assigned E. > Wood, D. Parson, O. W. Wood, D. Ellington, W. Turner, and Joseph Byers > and report in our next meeting. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in July 1843. > > After divine services by J. Byers the Church proceeded to business. > > Call for reference. Took up the case of brother Eastis against brother > Cummins and sister Cummins, when brother Cummins was cleared and > brother Eastis was excluded for his hostility against brother and > sister Cummins. Also for sister Cummins for her hostility in the case. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in January 1844. > > After divine services the Church proceeded to business. > > Received letter from Roupes Valley Church requesting help to settle > difficulty between M. Mc Math and Richard Murphy Friday before the 2nd > Lords Day in February 1844. > > The Friday before the 2nd Lords Day in February 1844. > > To visit Roupes Valley Church: E. Wood, W. Cummins, J. T. Byers and D. > Pearson. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in June 1844. > > After divine services by J. Byers the Church proceeded to Church business. > > Appointed the following delegation to the Union meeting to be held at > Mount Zion Church St. Clair County Friday before the fourth Saturday > in July 1844 to wit: E. Wood, W. Turner, W. Cummins, and D. A. > Ellington, clerk to write. Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in > August 1844. After divine services the Church proceeded to business. > > Elected the delegates to the Association to be held at the Liberty > Church Saturday before the first Sabbath in October 1844, to wit: J. > J. Byers, William Cummins, O. W. Woods and John Goodman in case of > failure, the clerk to write. > > > Tuesday Morning before the 3rd Lords Day in October 1844. > > Tuesday morning singing and prayer and adore for the received of > members. Received: Daniel Cummins, Manuel Bagwell, Malinda Cummins, > Mary Ellard, Frances Byers, and acknowledgement Milly Cummins. Then > Baptizing, evening preaching and exhortation prayer. > > State Baptist Convention of 1844: > > The State Baptist Convention will meet this year at Marion, in the > Hall County. Delegates to attend are Pastor Joseph Byers, Edmund Wood, > William Cummins and O. W. Wood. > > Saturday before the 3rd Lords Day in June 1846. > > After divine services by J. Byers the Church proceeded with business. > > There being difficulty existing between David Pearson and W. S. > Turner, the Church took up the case and appointed committee to labour > with the and report next meeting, to wit: O. W. Wood, J Byers, A. B. > Turner and William Cummins, the committee. > > March Term 1847. > > After divine services the Church proceeded to business. > > There being a difficulty between Elizabeth Turner and Nancy Turner, > the Church appointed a committee to labour with them and report next > meeting, is: T. M. Turner, O. W. Wood, William Cummins, A. B. Turner > and W. H. Wood. > > April Term 1847. > > After divine services the Church proceeded to business. > > There being a difficulty existing between Burrel Balls, J. M. Turner > and E. Wood, the Church appointed a committee to labor with them - > James Massey, H. Turner, William Cummins, J. P. Massey and L. Hodges. > > April Term 1848. > > After divine services the Church proceeded to business. > > Call for references the case of Wm Dunahoo and William Whitfield, the > Church appointed a committee to labour with them and settle the > difficulty between them and report next meeting, to wit: William > Cummins, Samuel Byers, Elias Glenn, O. W. Wood and J. H. Byars. > > May Term 1848. > > After divine services the Church in peace. > > Call to reference the case of William Dunahoo and Wm. Whitfield the > report of the committee, we the committee appointed to labour with the > Brother Dunahoo and Whitfield for union of feeling between them. > Report that Brother Dunahoo has given us full satisfaction by making > to Bro. Whitfield the necessary act acknowledgement for the hurt and > passionate expressions made use by him concerning the difficulty > between them, Brother Whitfield continuing his hostile feelings toward > Brother Dunahoo and refusing to make necessary amends. > > June Term 1852. > > After prayer by brother E. P. Wood the Church met in conference. > > Appointed brother James Massey, senior moderator. Took up the call of > brother and sister Cummins after some discussion called for the report > of the Committee and the Committee discharged and appointed a new > Committee to labor with brother and sister Cummins as recommend a > course to pursue and report when it suits them. Designate L. Hodges, > W. Wood, W. W. Mc Math, Jno. Simmons, M. J. Turner, D. L. Poole, W. H. > Wood, W. W. Ellard and A. B. Turner. Called for the reading of the > letter to the Union meeting. Read and received. > > August Term 1852. > > After religious services the Church met in conference. > > Called for the report of the Committee on the case of brother and > sister Cummins, the report read and received and the Committee > discharged and the report adopted. > > Report of 2nd Committee on the case of brother and sister Cummins > report, that of us met at brother Cummins according to appointment and > after conversation with him, taking into consideration the good Spirit > manifested by him, his long good standing in the church, also believe > some of the reports against him to be false and his making > acknowledgement for others, we are willing and recommend the Church > restore to fellowship. Also recommend that Sister Cummins be restored. > > December Term 1852. > > After divine services the church met in conference. > > Dismissed by letter Lucinda Cummins, Isaac and Mary Ellard. > > April Term 1855. > > After religious exercise the church met in conference. > > Took up a case between brethren Daniel Cummins and Abraham Whitfield > and appointed a committee of three to investigate. Committee: W. > Eastis, W. Jones and John Armstrong > > May Term 1855: > > Cummins and Whitfield’s Report: > > The report was received and Committee discharged, report adopted. We, > your committee appointed to see Brother Cummins and Whitfield beg > leave to report that we have seen and had saw brethren face to face > and find them far apart. Brother Whitfield manifest a Christian > Spirit, said he was willing to do what was right and we find nothing > censurable in him. Brother Cummins did make some acknowledgement, but > we think he was in a bad spirit and from all the charges against him, > we think the Church ought to exclude him. (Signed) W. Eastis, Clerk > > September Term 1856. > > After religious services the Church met in conference. > > Granted Brother and Sister Cummins letters of dismission. > > October Term 1858. > > The Church met in conference and proceeded to business. > > Granted Sister Martha Cummins a letter of dismission. > > November Conference 1862: > > No business before the Church. > > The meeting being protracted for 10 days, the following named persons > joined the Church by letter. > > By letter: William Cummins, A. G. Bates and Sarah Hitt. By experience > and baptism: Mrs. Mary Moore, also Sarah Lathern, Mrs. Margaret > Chambles, Mrs Amanda Massey, Miss Melinda Barton, Miss Margaret Baker, > Miss Mary Jane Byars, Miss Frances Pierson, Jane a slave of George > Barton. > > March Conference 1864: > > The Church having gospel evidence that Sister Martha Cummins had > suffered partys and balls at her residence and where admonished, spoke > contemptibly of the Church. She is excluded from the fellowship of the > Church. > > It having been also reported to the Church that other sisters had been > guilty of attending these partys and balls. The Church appointed > Brothers Willis Eastis, L. Hodges and W. B. Baker to see them and > admonish them and report visit to Association. > > May Conference 1864: > > The Committee appointed to visit and admonish Sisters who had been > attending balls reported as follows, we find that sister Amanda Massey > had attended, but manifest sorrow and repentance, also Sister Nancy > Lathren has attended and will not deny her self the privilege of > attending them, where upon the Church excludes also her from her > fellowship. > > It was also reported to the Church that Sister Malinda Montgomery had > been guilty of dancing and brother Waldrop having letters witness to > him by her acknowledging the sin and begging the pardon of the Church > and promising to indulge no more, the Church for gave her. > > December Term 1867. > > The Church met pursuant through authority. The being Clerk absent, M. > G. Wood was chosen clerk Pro Tem. > > Granted Brother Cummins a letter of dismission. > > Male Registry Spring of 1875: > > William Cummins died in the spring of 1875. > > > Original 1819 Articles Faith of Ruhama Baptist Church of Christ > > * * * * * * * > > Article I: We believe in one only true and living God, the Father, the > Son and the Holy Ghost. > > Article II: We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New > Testament are the word of God and the only rule of faith and practice. > > Article III: We believe in the doctrine of election and that God chose > His people in Christ before the foundation of the world. > > Article IV: We believe in the doctrine of original sin. > > Article V: We believe in man’s impotency to recover him-self from the > fallen state he is in, by nature, by his own free will and ability. > > Article VI: We believe that the sinners are justified in the sight of > God by the imputed righteousness of Christ. > > Article VII: We believe that God’s elect shall call and be called, > regenerated and sanctified by Holy Spirit. > > Article VIII: We believe that the saints shall persevere in Grace and > never fall finally away. > > Article IX: We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are > ordinances of Jesus Christ and that the true believers are the only > subjects and we believe that the true mode of baptism is immersion. > > Article X: We believe in the resurrection of the dead and general > judgment, and that the punishment of the wicked and the joys of the > righteous will be eternal. > > Article XI: We believe that no minister has a right to the > administration of ordinances, only such as are regularly Baptist, > called and come under the imposition of the hands by the presbytery. > > Article XII: We believe none but the regularly Baptist members has the > right to commune at the Lord’s Table. > > The original nine Church members as recorded in the Ruhama’s 1819 > Constitution: > > Hosea and Cassie Holcome, pastor > > Elisha and Frances Lawley > > Richard and Martha Rockett > > Joseph and Phoebe Nations > > Diah, a female black slave belonging to brother Rockett. > > Sources of information: The foregoing excerpts were extracted from > microfilm of the Ruhama Baptist Church of Christ minutes for the > period of 1836 to 1875. The microfilm is housed at Samford > University’s “Special Collection Library” located at 800 Lake Shore > Drive, Birmingham, AL 35229. The minutes was researched and compiled > by Douglas G. Cummins of Pensacola, FL during November 2003 and > January 2004. The minutes were transcribed as originally written. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MSATTALA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >