Liberty Grove Church Records

Submitted and transcribed by Newman Wayne Taylor

This Oct the 8^th 1881:
State of Alabama
Winston County

We the brethren and sisters met in convention Sept 20^th 1881 and agreed to petition the following named minister Charles A. Taylor; Deacons J.R. Whitmire, Calvin Miles, Steaphin McCollum, John W. Curtis and J.N. Curtis met by request of brethren at school house near George Wilsons on Saturday before the second Sabath in Oct 1881 and formed themselves in to a presbah organised by electing Charles A. Taylor Mod., John W. Curtis Clerk, and finding the brethren and sisters sound in the faith constituted them in to a church which was named Liberty Grove.

Rules of decorum adopted by Liberty Grove Church on Saturday before the second Saturday in June 1888.

Art. 1. Conference shall be ruled by a moderator chosen by the church who shall continue until a successor be appointed whos duty it shall be to keep order and he shall have the same liberty of speach that any other member has by appointing some other member to act in his stid while he speaks.

Art. 2. When the church is convened and in order and organised in the first place the doors of the church shall be opened for admission of members.

Art. 3. All matters respecting fellowship shall be attended to those on record first in order.

Art. 4. Reference to other things shall be attended to.

Art. 5. There will be but one member allowed to speak at a time and he shall rise to his feet and address the moderator, he shall not be interupted while speaking unless he departs from the subject or uses personal reflections.

Art. 6. Every motion maid and seconded shall cum under the consideration of the church and when there is more than one motion before the church at the same time and the same subject the first shall be in order first but no motion for a new subject shall be attended to untill the first is dispensed of.

Art. 7. No male member shall departe from the house while sitting in conference without leaf of the moderator.

Art. 8. No member shall speak more than three times on the same subject without leaf from the moderator.

Art. 9. Appellation of brother and sister shall be used in the church.

Art. 10. No member shall be interrupted while speaking.

Art. 11. The choice of pastor shall be governed by a majority of two thirds of the members present the reception of members must be unanimous the exclusion of members must be decided by a majority and all other business.

Art. 12. Upon ordinary occasions three male members with any amount of sisters shall constitute a quorum to transact church business, but when business of extraordinary consequence shall cum before the church, not less than two thirds shall be present of the male members.

Art. 13. Every mail member shall be required to keep a copy of the rules of decorum and it shall be the duty of the clerk to read them and abstract of principle ones in every three months.

Art. 14. Conference shall be opened and closed by prayers by the moderator or some other person whom he may invite.

Art. 15. Resolved that in all matters of dealings the 18 chapter of St. Matthew shall be adhered to and other scripture respecting discipline.

Art. 16. Resolve that any male member failing to fill his seat at conference shall let the church no at the next meeting of his non attendance and for missing these meetings in succession he may be cited to conference to appear before the church.

Art. 17. Resolved that the sisters also shall give this attendance at conference at much as the circumstances will admit or otherwise fellowship will decay.

We the Baptist Church of Christ at Liberty Grove met in conference Saturday before the second Sabath in Oct. 1881

1. Invited visiting members to seats with us
2. Called for the peace and fellowship, all in peace
3. Miscellaneous business - none
4. Called for references - none
5. A general business elected Elder C.A. Taylor pastor, H.K. Oden Clerk, Bros. J.K.P. Taylor, H.K. Oden, and William Simmons delegates to the association
6. Opened the doors of the church for reception of members recieved none
Conference closed
C.A. Taylor Mod.
H.K. Oden Clk.

Those who joined the church at Liberty Grove in the year of 1917 Aug.: