The Covenant

Agreed upon, entered into, and signed by the Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, constituted at Barnesville, in Montgomery County in the State of Maryland on the 24^th day of September 1871

We the subscribers, inhabitants of the County and State aforesaid, being regularly baptized, according to the apostolic order, humbly desirous to be established unto a Regular Church, hoping it may be to the Glory of God, and our own edification,

Do hereby as in presence of God solemnly united as a religious Society, to worship Him, to celebrate His Ordinances, to maintain His Truths, and to endeaver, to promote His glory in the world, and to this we promise by Divine assistance to profess, stand by, and defend the following Doctrines, and observe the rules of Discipline, hereafter named, and always to our lives end.

In general, we humbly declare before God who knows our hearts, that we firmly believe that the sacred Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament are the Word of God, and our certain and infallible guide, both of Truth and Practice, containing every thing needful for us to know, to believe, as to do in the service of salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus, by which we expect to be judged in the last day, and to which our opinion and practices, ought at all times to be conformed, and therefore that all Christians who can read ought to search them diligently and daily, praying to God for the light of his Holy Spirit, without which none can understand them so as to comprehend the Will of God, therein contained.

2^nd. We believe that there is but one living and true God, the Almighty Creator, Preserver, and Disposer of all things invisible and visible.

In whom we live, move, and have our being, and to whom alone all Divine worship and adoration is to be rendered and ascribed in time and eternity both by Angels and and men, as being most worthy thereof, and one that will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to graven images; having strictly forbidden us to worship or adore any but himself.

3^rd. That there are three persons in the Godhead the Father the Son and Holy Spirit the Same in Essence power and eternity and therefore not to be divided although distinguished by several pecular properties and personal relations;

4^th That the son Jesus Christ the Second person in the adorable Trinity did in time take upon him a real human nature in which he fulfilled the Law and died to make an atonement for sin; is the only Savior of sinners; the Prophet, Priest, and King of his church; appointed Heir of all things and Judge of quick and dead in whom alone we have redemption and deliverance from Divine wrath and eternal misery.

5^th. That such as were redeemed by Christ, will be finally saved by his merits; are divining this life, effectually called by his grace, sanctified personally by an actual application of his blood, being first really renewed by his Holy Spirit, and finally preserved by his power unto salvation; and such only shall be saved as thus wrought upon, converted, and changed in time as the Holy Scriptures plainly declare.

6^th That Christ will return from Heaven, where he now reigns in glory, to judge the world; that by his power he will raise the Dead, both just and unjust; that all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and come forth; that he will receive the righteous and reject the wicked forever.

And we further promise and engage to observe the following Rules of Discipline as well as all others warranted by the Word of God.

1^st. Not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but constantly to attend our appointed meetings as far as the Lord shall enable us; whether on the Lords day or another day appointed for that purpose; not neglecting them but upon necessary occasions and for good reason to be given to the Church at her next meeting.

2^nd To bear each his or her proportional part according to our several abilities, of such expenses as necessarily arise from maintaining the worship of God amongst us in a becoming manner, according to his Sacred Word.

3^rd. Not to divulge infirmities of one another or to tell them to such as are not of our Communion if it can be lawfully avoided.

4^th Not to remove our abode to any distant part without advising with our brethren and taking regular discussion from their care, not to live in the neglect of any known duty to our God, our Brethren, our country, or our neighbor; but to endeavor to walk in all the laws and ordinances of the Lord, blameless to hear reproof, or to reprove others, in cases of visible faults, according to the command of Christ in the Gospel, in charity and in brotherly love.

In conclusion it is unanimously agreed upon by the Curch that if any member or members shall be found erroneous or disorderly in any of the particulars above stated; or in any other contrary to the word of God, he, she, or they shall be liable to the censure of the Church, and in case of obstinate continuance therein shall be entirely excommunicated from our communion; and it also is agreed that none shall hereafter be admitted to the Church, but what are willing to Sign this Covenant that disputes may as far as possible be avoided; and Love, Peace, and Harmony be preserved

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names, the day, year and month above written.

Joseph H. Jones Richard T White Wm O. Sellman Samuel Darby Joel H Wolfe F. M. Griffith Wm T Hilton Wm W. Darby Charlie R. Darby Jemima A Griffith Prudence Jones Griffith Mary E. White Mary J Darby

Ann P. Sellman Elizabeth D. Griffith Sarah Harris Anna M. Wolfe F Rebecca Hilton Lizzie Jones Racheal Oden Laura Gott Leah Griffith Chiswell Mary F Murdock Virginia Worthington R. A. Bowie Maggie V. Bowie