Constitution

Article I. This Body shall be known as the Wiseman Baptist Association.

Article II. These Associations shall be composed of members duly chosen by regular and orderly Missionary Baptist Churches within our bounds.

Article III. The letters from the Churches to the Association shall give the number of members of fellowship, received by experience and baptism, received by letter, received by statement, restored, excluded, and dead since last annual meeting.

Article IV. Each church shall be entitled to four messengers.

Article V. These Associations shall elect annually as officers, a Moderator, Clerk and Treasurer whose duties shall be to serve their brothers and sisters in their several capacities.

Article VI. These Associations shall never interfere with the independence of any church or claim any ecclesiastical power or rights of supervision over any of the Churches.

Article VII. It shall be the object of these Associations to promote the union of the faith of the Gospel with our educational and mission interests.

Article VIII. These Associations shall meet annually on Friday at 10 o’clock a.m., after the third Sunday in October, and continue two days, the meetings to be held at such places as may be agreed upon by the Association at its annual sitting.

Article IX. A majority of the members of any regular meeting shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business.

Article X. It is expected that these meetings shall be missionary in practice as well as theory.

Article XI. New churches may be admitted into this Association, who shall petition by letter and messengers, and on examination, if found orthodox and orderly, may be received and made known by the Moderator’s giving the right hand of fellowship to the messenger’s present.

Article XII. The Association may exclude from the union any Church or Churches that are heterodox in principal or disorderly in practice.

Article XIII. No proceedings shall be had against any Church except on charges preferred by a sister Church, which shall first have followed the direction of Matthew 18:15, in attempting to bring it to repentance.

Article XIV. The Association at its sittings, may welcome any visiting brethren present, who shall have liberty to join in the discussion of any report listed in the Order of Business, but shall have no vote in any action of the Association.

Article XV. Any alteration may be made to this Constitution at any regular meeting, by a majority vote of the members present.

Article XVI. All questions arising before this Association shall be decided by a majority vote, except in the reception of Churches in our fellowship, and that such reception be by a two-thirds vote

Article XVII. If any church fails to represent one or more years, and then desires to reenter the fellowship of this Association, there being, evidently, a reason for not representing, there must be a motion for their reentering the Association to be carried by a two-thirds vote. This action is to be taken after permanent organization and at the time to receive petitionary letters.

Article XVIII. No preacher shall preach before the Association two years in succession.