The latest issue of Reflections has several pages of minutes from Big Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Claiborne County (1826-1836). Can anyone tell me what it means that they accepted members "by experience"? People were either admitted by letter or by experience. Thanks, Margaret

If I understand correctly, typically Baptist churches accept members through four methods: Baptism, letter, experience, and restoration. "By letter" is literally that, that the person comes with a letter from a "sister church in good fellowship" with the new church transferring the membership. "Restoration" happens when someone previously excluded is readmitted, generally by vote of a the membership of the church. "By Experience" means that the person was previously a church member somewhere but either the membership had been lost for some reason or records were not available to prove it. Typically back then, I think, people who were accepted "by experience" were generally those who were already baptised but lost their letter, didn't get a letter from a church now far away, had not gone to church in a long while, or belonged to churches that the new church didn't like. Just as you see in many old records members being excluded and restored on a regular basis, many churches also fell in and out of fellowship with other entire churches at times. On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 09:31:03 -0500, Margaret Treece <[email protected]> wrote: > The latest issue of Reflections has several pages of minutes from Big > Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Claiborne County (1826-1836). Can > anyone tell me what it means that they accepted members "by experience"? > People were either admitted by letter or by experience. > > Thanks, > Margaret > > ==== TNCLAIBO Mailing List ==== > If you are having any difficulties with the list please contact the list owner Pamela Burnette at: [email protected] > Visit the CLAIBORNE COUNTY PIONEER PROJECT at: http//freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ccpp/pioneer/index.htm > we have over 95,000 folks from the county identified and waiting for you to find them. > > -- -- Phillip A. Walker [email protected]

I can't resist writing. I know what it means to be admitted "by experience." I was saved, born again, when I was 15 years old. The 'experience' completely changed my life, my desires, etc. I have never doubted that it was God who spoke to my heart that night with unbearable conviction (the power of the Holy Spirit showing me that I was lost and doomed forever without God). After I prayed, repented of my sins, asked for forgiveness, by faith I accepted that I was saved. And I was!!!! Praise the Lord!!! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Margaret Treece" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 8:31 AM Subject: [TNCLAIBO-L] Big Spring Church article > The latest issue of Reflections has several pages of minutes from Big > Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Claiborne County (1826-1836). Can > anyone tell me what it means that they accepted members "by experience"? > People were either admitted by letter or by experience. > > Thanks, > Margaret > > > > ==== TNCLAIBO Mailing List ==== > If you are having any difficulties with the list please contact the list owner Pamela Burnette at: [email protected] > Visit the CLAIBORNE COUNTY PIONEER PROJECT at: http//freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ccpp/pioneer/index.htm > we have over 95,000 folks from the county identified and waiting for you to find them. > > > >