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Aldridge Road church of Christ
Kingdom Courier
Volume 4 Issue 30 July 25, 2010
Aldridge Road Church Meets for Bible Study: 9:30 AM, Sun.; Worship: 10:30 AM, Sun.
Worship: 5:00 PM Sun.; Bible Study: 7:00 PM, Wed.
326 Aldridge Rd., Pearcy, AR ~~~ Office: 501-760-2884
website: www.churchofchristspa.com
Barton Warren Stone (Part 2 of 4)
Via "Forthright Magazine" by Michael D. (Mike) Greene (August 7, 2008)
http://www.forthright.net/restoration_history/barton_warren_stone_2.html
Barton Stone, as did millions of others who migrated to the west in search of fame, fortune, land and destiny, found himself in the sometimes harsh surroundings of the American frontier. Only recently had the Indians been driven out of Kentucky by such pioneers as Daniel Boone. In 1796, the luxuries of genteel living were yet to arrive in Bourbon County, Kentucky.
Stone's early ministry with the Concord and Cane Ridge Presbyterian churches was as a licentiate of the Presbytery. In 1798, the matter of ordination was raised. In order to be ordained, Stone would have to acknowledge the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Doubts about the doctrine of the Trinity and Calvinism in the Confession caused Stone no little concern. These concerns were expressed to two members of the Presbytery. He was asked how far he was willing to accept the Confession. Stone replied he was willing to accept it as far as he saw it consistent with the word of God. He was told that would be sufficient.
At the ordination he was asked if he received the Confession as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Bible. He answered in a voice loud enough to be heard by all, "I do, as far as I see it consistent with the word of God." No objection was expressed to his response and he was ordained a preacher for the Presbyterian Church by the Transylvania Presbytery in the fall of 1798. That his reply was not recorded would later cause Stone no little consternation.
In 1787, the Constitution of the United States had been ratified. The new republic was finding its legs and pressing the frontier ever westward. Kentucky had become the 15th state in 1792.
In the realm of religion, the established, state supported churches which had dominated the colonial days were losing ground. One after another, state churches were disestablished and many of the clergymen who were sympathetic to the British cause fled to the safety of England and the Old World. For a time interest in religion waned, but the Second Great Awakening changed the religious landscape as it swept through the country in the late 1790's and early 1800's.
That great awakening was characterized by camp meeting revivals throughout Kentucky and Tennessee that in Stone's own words "baffled description."/1 In 1801, Stone attended the Logan County Revival near the banks of the Red River at a small Presbyterian church in southwest Kentucky./2 Preachers from various denominations participated, including James McGready. Thousands of people were present and hundreds "got religion" and were baptized in the muddy waters of the Red River. It was a remarkable display of co-operation among the followers of Jesus.
Stone returned to Bourbon County with renewed enthusiasm. As a result, the Cane Ridge Revival broke out the third Lord's Day in August, 1801. Thousands of people were present. Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian preachers literally
took to the stumps and preached to the multitudes. According to Stone's words, military men estimated the crowds to number between twenty and thirty thousand.
Stone recalled:
"Four or five preachers were frequently speaking at the same time, in different parts of the encampment, without confusion...all appeared cordially united in it-of one mind and one soul, and the salvation of sinners seemed to be the great object of all. We all engaged in singing the same songs of praise - all united in prayer - all preached the same things - free salvation urged upon all by faith and repentance. A particular description of this meeting would fill a large volume, and then the half would not be told. The numbers converted will be known only in eternity. Many things transpired there, which were much like miracles, that if they were not, they had the same effects as miracles on infidels and unbelievers; for many of them by these were convinced that Jesus was the Christ, and bowed in submission to him. This meeting continued six or seven days and nights, and would have continued longer, but provisions for such a multitude failed in the neighborhood."/3
These miracles were what Stone called the "bodily agitations or exercises." He identified them as the falling exercise, the jerks, the dancing exercise, the barking exercise, the running exercise and the singing exercise. When affected with the jerks, a person would stand in one place and jerk backward and forward so quickly that the features of the face could not be distinguished. The barking exercise was the jerks accompanied by a grunt or bark as they jerked back and forward. Some would swoon and fall and remain in a trance-like state, as if dead. They would soon revive and rise up praising God for his love. Others would "dance" in a heavenly state without levity while praising God in prayer and song. Still others would run into the woods as if running for his life until he fell from exhaustion./4
While admitting that some of what he saw in these revivals was fanaticism, it changed lives, therefore Stone would not condemn it. "The effects of this meeting through the country were like wildfire in dry stubble driven by a strong wind."/5 No doubt the unified efforts of the differing denominations in preaching the gospel had a powerful impact on the life and thinking of the still youthful preacher.
But what of The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery? To that we will next direct our attention.
1/ Elder John Rogers, The Biography of Eld. Barton Warren Stone, (Cincinnati: J. A. & U.P. James, 1847, as reprinted in the Cane Ridge Reader, edited by Hoke Dickinson, 1972), 34.
2/ A rebuilt Red River Meeting House still stands today three miles (5 km) east of U.S. Highway 431 along Route 663. See: www.redrivermeetinghouse.org/
3/ Elder John Rogers, The Biography of Eld. Barton Warren Stone, (Cincinnati: J. A. & U.P. James, 1847, as reprinted in the Cane Ridge Reader, edited by Hoke Dickinson, 1972), 38.
4/ Ibid, 39-41.
5/ Ibid, 37.
SUNDAY JULY 25th ~ PRIVILEGED TO SERVE:
SONG LEADER ____ AM - Martin Harrison PM - Martin Harrison
OPENING PRAYER _ AM - Craig Grisham PM - Dan Smith
SCRIPTURE READING ~ AM - Assigned by Austin Essner
LORD'S TABLE__ Bread _________ AM/PM - Bill Reiss
__ Fruit of the Vine_ AM/PM - Lynn Terry
PREACHING ____________________AM/PM - Tony Essner
CONTRIBUTION _________________AM/PM - Bill Reiss
ANNOUNCEMENTS ______________AM/PM - Joe Espenschied
CLOSING PRAYER _ AM - Garry Stanton PM - Bill Hunter
Wednesday (28th) Closing Prayer: Charles Treadwell
Building Maintenance and
Preparation of Communion Trays
Bill & Vickie Walters
July 25th - August 7th
JULY SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS:
Baptismal Assistants ____ Martin & Vickie Harrison
Flowers and Food ______ Craig & Charlotte Grisham
Meet and Greet ________ Tony & Jeannie Essner
Nursery Attendant _ 25th__Kaci Baker
WELCOME Whether you are new in town, seeking a new church home, or just passing through, we're glad you are visiting with us. So that we may have a record of your visit, please fill out a visitor's card that will be picked up by one of our young men during the service. Please stay for our Noon Potluck. No need for visitors to bring a dish as there's always more than enough to go around.
Come back soon and allow us to become better acquainted with you.
UPCOMING JULY SPECIAL EVENTS
25th Potluck
25th Men's Monthly Meeting Following Potluck
25th Fourth Sunday Evening Singing
28th Tyler Knapp ~ Birthday
29th Garry Stanton ~ Birthday
30th Carolyn Turman ~ Birthday
31st High School Class ~ Get-together at
Susie McConnell's Home on the Ouachita River
High School/Young Adult Class
will meet for a day of fun, fellowship, fishing, and other water festivities on Saturday July 31st at Susie McConnell's place on the Ouachita River. The class will meet at the building at 10:00 AM Saturday and carpool from there. Please inform the Grishams if you are bringing friends, so that an adequate quantity of food will be readied.
The Ladies' Tuesday Evening Dinner is on August 10th, 6:30 PM at Jose's, 5361 Central Avenue. All of the women are encouraged to attend. Please RSVP on the sign-up sheet in the foyer. For more info contact Tammy Hines.
Southern Christian Home's truck will be here August 17th. That is only three weeks away. So let's start filling the pantry shelves with food and other needs. At this time, no canned vegetables are needed. They especially need cereal, fabric softener sheets, paper towels, salad dressing (Italian, ranch, Catalina), shaving cream, spaghetti sauce, trash bags, Velveeta, Ziploc bags, and particularly funds for meat. The list of other basic needs is located near the pantry.
Needed: Storage Cabinet W/lock
The Cradle-Roll Classroom needs a cabinet that can be locked to store Bible class material. A lot of work has gone into making these visuals and cassettes. A cassette player also needs a secure storage spot. Contact Charlotte if you can donate a suitable locking-type cabinet. If one is not available, the teachers would be grateful for any donations of money to be used for that purpose.
On July 17, eleven Senior Seekers had a nice get-together that included brunch at Perkins. Betty Richardson indicated that a good time was had by all. Singles are especially invited to join in these fellowships.
Please Pray For:
Alford, Jim friend of Dan Smith; cancer
Anthony, Halea business associate of Tammy Hines; able to work, but still has serious health issues with her legs
Avala, Pam aunt to Melissa Partain; health issues
Blair, Monty son-in-law of Tony & Jeannie Essner; gastric issues; results from tests indicate everything is fine.
Broadwell, Janet health issues; cancer
Bryant, Dawn cousin of Tyler Baker; cervical cancer; tests may indicate surgery
Buckley, Buck father of Brian Buckley (church webmaster); cancer
Burtsfield, Renea career change; continuing education; recovering from podiatric surgery
Cheatam, Ann friend of Tammy Hines; difficult cardiac procedure
Cooper, Sharon business associate of Tony Essner; cancer
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill those working day and night for successful capping of the breached oil well; recovery and cleanup of the Gulf; those that have lost family members and are dealing with the shock; and those that are terribly affected by the ill-effects of this environmental and economic disaster
Diggs, Terry friend of Dan Smith and Hot Springs attorney; resides in Bonnerdale; afflicted with prostate cancer
Dunn, Mary senior member; complex health issues
Espenschied, Tabetha health issues
Gooden, Tom Ed cousin of Bill Hunter; treatment for lymphoma (second stem cell transplant); able to return to work
Government Officials 1 Timothy 2:1-3
Hawthorn, Ceal recovering from injuries suffered in fall from horse
Hines, Tammy encouragement
Hobby, Calvin family of; difficulties with and maintenance of family unity
Hunter, Bill upcoming surgery; cancer
Jenson, John T. cousin of Buddy & Carolyn Partain and Susie McConnell; serving in war-torn Afghanistan
Jordan, Brenda chronic illness
Knight, Dorothy 27-year-woman with mental capacity of 8-year-old missing since July 6th from Ward, AR. Police ask that if you see her, don't approach, keep an eye on her and call Ward Police Department at(501) 843-6351.
Kostelaz, Cami health issues;
Cami's grandmother, recovery from hip replacement
Kostelaz, Ed expecting knee surgery soon
Land, Steve Airport Rd. church; recovering from surgery
Long, Dwight recovering at home from partial hip replacement
Magness, Shelly chronic issues with hip replacement
Mitchell, Leona mother of Vickie Walters; health issues
Morris, Thearlene "TK" friend of Buddy & Carolyn Partain; cancer treatment; tests, esophagus obstruction;
TK's aged mother: leukemia
Nichols, Annika 6- year-old niece of Lindsey Leavitt's Heber Springs neighbor; stricken with leukemia; treatment at ACH, Little Rock
Pam aunt to Kaci Baker; health issues
Partain, Buddy vision difficulties, left eye; procedures to be successful
Partain, Genevia health issues; encouragement
Richardson, Jerry health issues
Roper, Jordan son of Dr. Roper; kidney failure; needs transplant
Smith, Jack church of Christ, Airport Rd.; recovering from successful kidney removal; cancer-free
Spencer, Don recovering from job injury that required eight heavy stitches
Stevens, Kim friend of Mary Lynn Terry; cancer
Tarr, Bela friend of Dan Smith
Thomas, Jane friend of Essner family; cancer of the uterine lining; successful surgery removes a; traces of the cancer
U. S. Service Personnel Out of harm's way abroad and their safe return home
Woodall, Mike cousin of Dan Smith;
Mike's wife Lou, afflicted by leukemia
Worldwide Victims of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, floods, volcano, storms, wild fires, and other devastating and catastrophic events
Jack Smith and Steve Land of Airport Road church are recovering well from recent surgeries. Both men's surgeries were successful, and Jack Smith is now cancer-free.
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING" ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ~
"THE EFFECTIVE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN CAN ACCOMPLISH MUCH." ~ James 5:15 ~
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