The Elkhorn Association of Baptists now in session at Clear Creek meeting-house, Woodford county, Ky. second Saturday in August, 1836, to the churches and members whom she represents, sendeth greeting: —DEAR BRETHREN: — Agreeably to the usual custom we address you a circular letter, and have chosen the subject of Ministerial labor and support in the churches, as best suited to the present crisis. It is a fact, dear brethren, that some of the churches in our body are entirely destitute of stated preaching, and but few are supplied, statedly, more than once a month. Now, dear brethren, we cannot reasonably expect ever to prosper and increase as a denomination while we continue in this situation. We deem it important that every church should have her own pastor to dispense the word of life amongst them; and that they should meet on every Lord's day for worship, whether they have preaching or not, by which means gifts in the churches would be developed and improved, and in a reasonable time our languishing churches might be supplied with diligent and faithful pastors, who would spend their time and their talents in the service of God and the building up of the churches — in proclaiming a crucified and risen Savior to a perishing world. But, beloved brethren, we should bear in mind at the same time that our ministering brethren are flesh and blood as well as the rest of us, and while they are laboring for the churches they ought and must be supported by the churches; for the great Apostle to the Gentiles says 'that the laborer is worthy of his hire;' and again, 'thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn;' and again, 'they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple;' 'and they that wait at the altar are partakers with the altar 'even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel shouold live of the gospel.' We are aware brethren that some will say that this had no allusion to carnal or earthly things, to those things necessary to teh support of this mortal body, and only means that they that preach the gospel should first be partakers of the grace of God; but those that take this view of that passage of scripture would exclude Paul from any participation in the grace of God; for in the verse next suceeding the above quotation, the Apostle says, 'but I have used none of these things.'
For a detail of the business transacted by the Association we refer you to our minutes and to your returning messengers. Now dear brethren, let us endeavor to be united and firm, and contend earnestly (but no angrily) for the faith that was once delivered to the saints; and let us with one heart and one mind pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send out more laborers into his harvest.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
___________ The following is a copy of the first page of the association Minutes. The copy is not clear.
There are eighteen churches; total membership is 3,277. The largest membership of churches: Great Crossing, Scott County — 428; Bryan's, Fayette County — 192; Stamping Ground, Scott County — 329; David's Fork, Fayette County — 480; Mount Pleasant, Jessamine County — 216; First, Lexington — 188; African (care of 1st BC, Lexington) — 566. There were 69 additions by baptism, 69 by letter, 20 restored, 90 dismissed by letter, 28 excluded, 19 died.
[These Minutes and Circular were in The Baptist Banner which was published weekly in Shelbyville, Ky., by Ransdell & Parrott, at $2.00 per annum in advance; John L. Waller, editor. This document was listed as an "Extra." The document is from Southern Baptist Historical Library & Archives, Nashville, TN and was provided by Stephen duBarry. — jrd] 
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