Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
Page 20 Constitution and by-laws
SECTION 2: CHURCH
COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe, by the
Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and on the
profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and
now in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most joyfully enter into
covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage therefore, by the aid of the
Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement
of this church, in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity
and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines;
to give it a sacred pre-eminence over all institutions of human origin; to
contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the
expenses of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel
through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and
secret devotions; to religiously educate
our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to
walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements
and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and
excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a
beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one
another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; and to aid each
other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and
courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation,
and mindful of the rule of our Savior to secure it without delay.
We
moreover, engage that when we remove from this place we will as soon as
possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this
covenant and the principles of God's Word.