Information Sheet

 

 

R         Old Path Association of Baptist Churches (Mo.).

646                  Minutes of annual meetings, 1896-1949.

                                    Four folders (forty booklets).

 

MICROFILM

 

 

 

These are minutes of annual sessions of the Old Path Association of Baptist Churches in Benton, Hickory, Polk, and St. Clair counties in Missouri.  Included are minutes of the meetings, the articles of faith, rules of decorum, lists of churches, officers, and representatives, statistical in­formation, and correspondence with other associations.

 

Baptist associations are voluntary organizations of churches of the same faith and order.  They are formed regionally and sometimes include churches from several contiguous counties.  Churches maintain independence, but convene annually with representatives from each church in the association.  The annual meetings last two or three days, usually in late summer or fall, and are hosted by member churches on a rotating basis.  Moderators preside over associational meetings, whose delegates discuss doctrinal matters and the state of churches in the association, and prepare correspondence for exchange with other associations.  Minutes of the annual sessions are printed for distribution to churches and corresponding associations.  The printed booklets include the arti­cles of faith, bylaws, and rules of decorum, proceedings of the annual association, statistical in­formation on constituent churches and Sunday schools, lists of ministers and officers, death no­tices, statements of contributions and expenses, and the doctrinal letters prepared for exchange.

 

The Old Path Association of Baptist Churches was composed of churches in Benton, Hick­ory, and Polk counties in Missouri.  The church at Wright’s Creek in Saint Clair County was a member through 1918.  Twelve to fifteen churches made up the association during the period rep­resented by the minutes, with a combined membership of about 1,500 individuals.  The largest churches were those at Bethel, Beshears Valley, Hogles Creek, Linly Creek, Olive Point, and Weaubleau.  The smallest church was Hopewell, with only twenty-five members recorded.

 

The records of the Old Path Association consist of thirty-seven booklets beginning with minutes of the 1896 session and continuing through that of 1949.  There are no minutes for 1935-1943.  Included with the records from Old Path are booklets, probably received by exchange, from the Benton County (1904), Mount Zion (1928), and Saint Clair County (1927) associations.

 

 

Shelf List for this collection
Index cards for this collection
Questions? Use our Researcher Registration Form
Return to WHMC-Rolla's home page.