1842

This is a record of activities of First Baptist Church of Washington, Georgia, during the church year shown in the title above and ending September 30 of that year.

The church elected Jesse Mercer as pastor on January 20, 1828; he died in Butts County September 6, 1841, and was buried in Penfield. Columbus Franklin Sturgis had been working with Jesse Mercer before his death and may be considered to have succeeded him as pastor.

Columbus Franklin Sturgis, 1809-1877, served for a time as Jesse Mercer's associate and also his successor as pastor of the Washington Baptist church. It may be considered that he became pastor upon Jesse Mercer's death in September 1841 and left the pastorate sometime after October 1842.

The first Bible and hymn book for the pulpit were purchased in 1842 at a cost of $9.75.

The church had as pastor at tbe end of the church year Columbus Franklin Sturgis.

The Georgia Baptist Association of churches met at Long Creek Baptist Church in Warren  County on October 7, 8, 10 following the end of the church year. This church elected as messengers to that meeting the members shown as labels below.

The church letter reported members gained by baptism: 35, gained by letter: 0, lost by dismissal: 5 , lost by exclusion: 3, lost by death: 3, and total remaining: 182.