Zion Baptist Church Organizational Statement

From Page One, Minutes of Zion Baptist Church, San Francisco, California, Volume One
This is the organizational statement of Zion Baptist Church. These articles were adopted by the founding members on February 7, 1881. They met in the parlor of Captain G. W. Schroeder (Swedish Merchant Marine), 1812 Geary Street, SF, California.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>First-We agree to the “articles of faith” as generally accepted by the regular Baptist Churches of the United States.

Second-We agree to remain free from all ecclesiastical combinations such as alliances, conferences, associations or conventions. No change shall take place in this respect, except by unanimous vote of the church.

Third-We agree to keep out of debt, whether for current expenses, pastor’s salary or place of worship, and not to make any contracts for which we have not the funds to provide payment when due.

Fourth-We agree to support a pastor and maintain public worship as long as we are able, by voluntary contributions, according to Scriptural rule.

Fifth-We agree wherever we may have a place of worship, to have it free to all who choose to come, so as to thereby encourage especially the poor, and never to adopt the pew-rent system.

Sixth-We that in all matters of discipline the Church, and the Church alone, is competent authority to decide questions of differences. Unless by unanimous wish of the Church, the case be referred to a council of odd numbers of sister churches, whose decision by majority of churches in such event, shall be accepted as satisfactory and final.

Seventh-The above Rules of Practice being the essential thing in which we differ from most other Baptist churches, we agree in all other matters to conform to the general rules governing sister churches, reserving to ourselves the freedom to make such exceptions as we may consider best for the spiritual and temporal prosperity of the Church.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Weaver:
Would you have access to these "Articles of Faith"? And if you do, would you post them?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The "articles of faith" referred to in the First Article do not appear in the church archives. It is reasonable to consider this statement a reference to the "common law" positions of the Northern Baptist churches of the period. I would also refer you to the Baptist distinctives as delineated by Brother Weeks and posted earlier by myself.

I hope this is clearer than mud,
Rob't Fall

[ October 30, 2001: Message edited by: Rob Fall ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Weaver:
Dear Sir


The reason for the inquiry was a genuine curisoity about it.....my father's family were Regular Baptists, or more commonly Mountain Union Baptists, and was curious whether your group and these shared any ground, other than the distinctives.

Warm regards
Jeff<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not wanting the death of a cat on my conscence, as best I can, I'll try to answer your question.

1. <LI>Except for Brother Schroeder, the other six founding memebers were Northerners. The brethren you mention were/are centered in Kentucky, IIRC from other discussions here on the Board.<LI>Zion Baptist was not a "daughter" of any particular church. In 1881, there were six senior churches. ZBC drew her founding membership from these bodies.<LI>ZBC considered herself (and still does as Hamilton Square Baptist Church, more on the name change in another post) a Gospel lighthouse. I would refer you to the Fifth Article. Hence, a Sunday School was started almost immediately to reach the children and young people of the nieghborhood. On the Calvinist/Arminian scale, I'd place ZBC firmly on the C side. With evangelistic zeal, keeping her orthodoxy warm and inviting. Remember this is San Francisco, if a person wanted a little more of an Arminian/Wesleyan atmosphere, the Methodist-Episcopal Church was open for business. The same would hold true for a person of a more Reformed mind; There was more than one Presbyterian Church for their needs.

Trying not to be too obscure,
Rob't Fall

 

On February 8, 1881, the above articles were published in the San Francisco Call newspaper under this heading: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
ORGANIZATION of "ZION BAPTIST CHURCH"

A new church, Zion Baptist Church, was duly organized yesterday evening in the Western Addition, to worship for the present in Hamilton Hall, corner of Geary and Steiner Streets. Rev. Joseph S. Bromley was unanimously chosen Pastor. Other officers were also duly elected. The church adopted as "articles of agreement", the following rules:

We whose names are hereby given, being members in good standing of the Baptist denomination, holding the faith of the regular Baptist Churches of the United States as generally accepted, do hereby form ourselves into an independent Baptist Church, to be located in the upper part of the City of San Francisco, commonly known as the "Western Addition." The church formed by us will be call "Zion Baptist Church," and constituted on the following principles and practices:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>which see above.

[ November 01, 2001: Message edited by: Rob Fall ]