Articles of Faith for the Providence Church
October 5^th 1850 constituted on the following confession and decorum.
1^st We believe in one only living and true God denominated in the scriptures Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Father is immaterial, without body or substance, wholly and purely spirit, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. He cannot be comprehended by any creature and can only be known through the medium of the son. John 24.2, II Corinthians 3.17

2^ndThe son is both spirit and matter, both God and Man. His manhood was not mortal nor corruptible but undefiled and separate from sinners every way adopted to magnify, satisfy and suffer the penalty of the divine law. All of which he has done to the full satisfaction and justification of all his covenant people. John 1.14, I Timothy 6.16, Matthew 1.20, Acts 2.27, Acts 2.30, Acts 13.37, Hebrews 2.9 and Philipians 2.8

3^rdThe Holy Ghost is the spirit of God who by his divine energy sanctifies, quickens, renews and teaches and preserves all the chosen of God to eternal glory. These three are so mutually joined together that they cannot be divided but compose the one and only living and true God. John 14.26, John 15.25, John 16.13, I John 5.7

4^thThe scriptures of the old and new Testament are the word of God given by inspiration of God and the new Testament is a sufficient rule for all the saints either for faith or practice to the end of the world and any attempt by any man to form new rules for Christ's house is an insult on the wisdom of God and a display of mans ignorance and folly and must be dealt with as a transgressor. II Timothy 3.16 II Peter 1.20

5^thGod made man upright and pure from sin of the earth. A natural man, God gave him a righteous law which he transgressed and fell into a state of sin and misery with all his posterity and all became morally dead in sin and misery, and rendered them all helpless rebels exposed to endless ruin. Genesis 1.6-19, Romans 3.9-20

6^thThe scriptures do fully set forth a covenant between the Father and Son for a chosen people out of time in Christ before the world began, who in time are called by Christ quickening them, the spirit instructing them and bringing them to Christ a full and suitable savior in every way adopted to their necessity and poverty. Psalms 89.3, Jeremiah 31.31-35, Hebrews 8.7- 10.16

7^thIt is the duty of all such persons that are thus taught to be baptized by immersion upon profession of their faith in Christ. A person that has themselves been baptized and believe in the same, by a regular baptist church, by the laying on of hands of the presbytery and all those that are thus inducted into church order and continue steadfast in the apostle's doctrine has a right to the Lord's table and no other, and the church's duty to observe his stated communions. Matthew 28.19, Mark 16.15-20, Acts 2.41-47, Matthew 25.46, John 5.29

8^thThe first day of the week, or Lords day, is to be observed as a day of religious worship and all worldly business should be laid aside, works of mercy and necessity excepted. 1 Corinthians 16.2, Revelations 1.10

9^thWe believe that all the saints will be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time and all the wicked will be sentenced to eternal woe at the general judgment from which their will be no appeal or release. 1 Peter 1.5, John 10.28, Matthew 25.46, John 5.29, Revelations 20.14, Romans 8.28-39

10^thAll baptized believers should unite in church order to maintain the worship of God and each one should attend all the appointed meetings of the church in good season. Acts 2.41-42, Hebrews 10.25, Romans 15.11-12

11^thIn a well organized church there should be elders or pastors and deacons. The elders or pastors aught to be experienced men that are qualified by the spirit to rule by the word of God. I Timothy 1.3-7 and 5.1-20, Titus 1.5-9, I Peter 5.1-4, II John 1.1-3

12^thTeachers are the called of God to the work of the ministry whose duty it is to feed the flock and not please them and to administer the ordinance of God's house. Matthew 9.38, Luke 10.1-12, Matthew 28.19, Mark 16.15-16

13^thDeacons are to see that the poor are instructed and their temporal wants supplied. Acts 6.1-7, I Timothy 3.8-15

14^thIt is the duty of each and every member to be careful of each other's character, person and estate. To be punctual in all our dealings amongst ourselves and towards all men. To be kind, charitable and tender to all, especially the house hold of faith. Acts 2.44-47, Romans 16.1-27, I Corinthians 16.1-3

15^thIf any trespass against another he is to take the 18^th chapter of Matthew as a rule in all cases of private offenses. Matthew 18.15-18

16^thPublic is where the law of Christ is transgressed all of which is public property and aught to be publicly confessed. Such complaints aught to be brought in writing and the church is the highest tribunal on earth and from her decision their can be no appeal but to God. Yet, in difficult cases the advise of the distant brethren is both duty and safety in doing church business. A majority of votes must govern, yet all pains should be taken to reconcile differences of opinion. I Timothy 5.20

17^thWe believe it is the duty of the churches to aid with substance their ministers that he may go and preach to the poor and destitute as God gives ability, but no sum given nor services rendered can give one saint supremacy or dominion over another. But all are equal in the church of Christ as to dominion and the new testament authorizes no other society except the church of Jesus Christ. We believe that as citizens of a free and independent government that we are in duty and bound to support the constitution and laws of our country in a peaceable manner with substance having respect to magistrates and those in power who administers the law of our government for the benefit of this life. But at the same time we are conscientiously opposed to the bearing of arms in warring against our fellow man as we profess to be followers of the meek and lowly Saviour and from the following scripture we believe the bearing of arms for the purpose of killing our fellow creatures is contrary to the teachings of Christ. Matthew 16.24-26, Romans 8.12-39, I Corinthians 3.1-23, Galations 5.1-26, John 18.36, Matthew 5.7,9,21,39 and 44, Matthew 26.52, II Corinthians 10.4

18^thWe, those whose names are under signed do now in the presence of God, Angels, and men give ourselves to God and to one another, for time and eternity and do promise to watch over one another for good as time and opportunity may offer to the end of our day. In witness where of we each for ourselves do freely set our names:

(original organizing members)
Abraham Truex
Sarah Truex
Elias O. Pitman
Sarah Pitman
Jacob Francis


*as copied from the Providence Primitive Baptist minute book.