CONSTITUTION
“One God; one aim; one Destiny”;He created of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth:
“One God; one aim; one Destiny”;He created of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth:
“One God; one aim; one Destiny”;He created of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth:
“One God; one aim; one Destiny”;
He created of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth:
We, the Independent Church of God,the Black Jews of the Judean Tribe of Israel, of the United States, and its Jurisdiction, do desire every person, members of the Church after having repented of their sins and being baptized and by burial into water, upon confession of faith in Christ Jesus, and received the unleaven bread and water for Christ’s body and blood, and their feet washed by the Elder as written in John 13; 1:23, having agreed to keep the ten commandments, and having been breathed upon with a holy kiss also being taught how to pray as written in Matt. 16; 9:13. We do try to perpetuate a union among the Black Jews and maintain a correspondence with all other Churches of God throughout the United States and the whole world. We, therefore, propose to maintain and keep the commandments of God and sayings of Jesus Christ, according to the doctrine of the bible.
ARTICLE 1Section I.The district and General Assembly shall be composed of Bishops, Elders, Evangelists and Deacons, and all members of the church, who can furnish a credential by authority from the church shall be entitled to a seat and also the daughters of Jerusalem shall be represented by their Sarahs, and Rachels of each tabernacle, and the Sabbath Schools by their teachers and secretaries of the tabernacle.Section II.The members when thus chosen, when convened, shall be known as the general assembly of the Black Jews Church of God. The Bishop or Bishops shall preside at this assembly. The bible is to be used to settle all questions. All differences to be settled by Matt. 5:8; 18:24. The Bishop and all other officers shall continue to hold their office as long as they maintain sound doctrine and keep the ten commandments which will in no way permit them to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. They must walk after the spirit and not be a Lord over God’s heritage, or infringe on any of the bible rights of the Churches; but shall be merely considered as lights of advisory or counsel, according to their position. All members of the assembly must respect all bible truths.Section III.The Elder of each tabernacle will see that a record be properly kept, giving a full account of all members received into the Church, giving date received and when baptized. In like manner of all sickness, death and expenses of same. A full account of all money received and how expended, always giving dates. Likewise must the daughters of Jerusalem and the Sabbath Schools keep a record done by them. The Elders will bring with them, or caused to be sent to each assembly meeting, a record from the preceding assembly meeting, same to be signed by the Elders, a teacher and district mother of the daughters of Jerusalem.Section IV.Every church in the United States and Africa shall be entitled to three delegates from each tabernacle to represent the church and should any tabernacle be unable to represent herself with delegates, she shall state the reason why in her first communication.Section V.Whenever a tabernacle is organized anywhere in the United States it shall be subject to whatever rules the assembly shall adopt, an Elder or Evangelist shall send a copy of the names of the members and officers to the secretary of the Independent Church of God the Black Jews of the United States, and the secretary shall inform the Bishop or Bishops of the same.Section VI.Each tabernacle shall have one Elder and one Deacon, and the Elders shall appoint his own assistant. There shall be three trustees to each tabernacle, their duty shall be to look for a suitable place in which to hold meetings, and to see after the money and property in general, count the money at least every month and let the balances appear on record.Section VII.The district assembly shall endeavor to furnish a copy of the minutes of all proceedings from every assembly meeting as soon as they are printed.Section VIII.When a question is brought before the assembly by any tabernacle, it must be in writing and put in an envelope thus addressed “The Church Communication,” and when it has been considered and settled upon the word of God satisfactorily, it must so appear in the minutes.Section IX.No Elder shall be allowed to interfere with any tabernacle, but the one of which he is pastor. If he should interfere, the Bishop shall silence him for three months except an acknowledgment be made with the agreement not to be guilty of the act any more.Section X.There shall no officer be removed from his station except a lawful reason be given and the cause stated in writing. Any tabernacle desiring to make a change in her pastor must write to the assembly. In case the assembly is not in session, the church must write to one of the Bishops.Section XI.Every member of each tabernacle shall bring his tithes if possible on the first day of the week at the close of the Sabbath, as it is written in, 1 Cor. 16; 1:2. Shall a man rob God? Mal. 3; 8:10:11, and all the tithes Lev. 27; 20:32, Jesus said, “If ye are Abraham’s children you will do the works of Abraham.” St. John 8:39. Don’t forget God’s tithes if you want to prosper in this life and in the life to come. For we must support the Gospel from the store house. Mal. 3; 10, and if you love God you will also love his cause, and in this way you will help God’s ministers to preach the gospel to every creature throughout the world.Instructions to MinistersAll ministers shall follow these instructions when receiving members into the Church of God; the members about to be received must first make a confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then be baptized by burial into water, then receive the unleaven bread and water for Christ’s body and blood, then have their feet washed by the minister, taught how to pray, then breathed upon the forehead, then saluted into the church with a holy kiss first by the Elders and afterwards by the whole church.Section XII.We believe that every one that has confessed Jesus Christ by regeneration of heart, who desires to eat of the Lord’s body and drink of his blood, has a right to eat at the Lord’s table. 1 Cor. 11:28, Mark 14:14.Section XIII.We believe that it is a sin for the righteous to help the ungodly, to do anything in the name of the Synagogue of Satan. Job 8:20, Acts 17; 23:26.Section XIV.We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and that none go to heaven or to burning hell until after the resurrection and general judgment. Job 13; 14:17, Psalms 115; 17.Section XV.The Bishops and Evangelists and the Presbytery when assembled have the only rights to ordain an Elder.ARTICLE II.Section I.The board shall be called the Presbytery Board of the Independent Church of God the Black Jews, and it shall be the duty of the board during the assembly meeting to recommend all ministers that have been ordained since the last assembly meeting, and to adjust all errors and to empower to discommunicate.Section II.We also demand by the word of God, that every member of each tabernacle, both great and small, to bring all the tithes into the storehouse, or “Will a man rob God?” Mal. 13; 8:10.Section III.There shall be for all the subordinate tabernacles a Sabbath School, and a Sabbath School Fund, and there shall be one teacher, one secretary and one bag carrier of each tabernacle.Section IV.No minister or member shall have power to dictate to an Elder in charge of a tabernacle or to instruct members, except when called upon or by permission of the Elder. When anyone has become a member of the Independent Church of God the Black Jews of the Judean Tribe of Israel, no one has a right to erase his or her name from the church records, as God himself will attend to that, in due time if necessary.Section V.We further recommend that the Bishop or Bishops have, in the absence of the assembly, power to ordain Elders, or dismiss any that preach not the doctrine of Christ Jesus our Lord.Section VI.The Bishops shall have power to appoint Evangelists and send ministers to their respective tabernacles. They also shall state the different districts for the evangelists. The fourteenth day of April shall be the Feast of the Passover. The ministers of God shall teach the principal things that pertain to our salvation.
The district and General Assembly shall be composed of Bishops, Elders, Evangelists and Deacons, and all members of the church, who can furnish a credential by authority from the church shall be entitled to a seat and also the daughters of Jerusalem shall be represented by their Sarahs, and Rachels of each tabernacle, and the Sabbath Schools by their teachers and secretaries of the tabernacle.
The members when thus chosen, when convened, shall be known as the general assembly of the Black Jews Church of God. The Bishop or Bishops shall preside at this assembly. The bible is to be used to settle all questions. All differences to be settled by Matt. 5:8; 18:24. The Bishop and all other officers shall continue to hold their office as long as they maintain sound doctrine and keep the ten commandments which will in no way permit them to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. They must walk after the spirit and not be a Lord over God’s heritage, or infringe on any of the bible rights of the Churches; but shall be merely considered as lights of advisory or counsel, according to their position. All members of the assembly must respect all bible truths.
The Elder of each tabernacle will see that a record be properly kept, giving a full account of all members received into the Church, giving date received and when baptized. In like manner of all sickness, death and expenses of same. A full account of all money received and how expended, always giving dates. Likewise must the daughters of Jerusalem and the Sabbath Schools keep a record done by them. The Elders will bring with them, or caused to be sent to each assembly meeting, a record from the preceding assembly meeting, same to be signed by the Elders, a teacher and district mother of the daughters of Jerusalem.
Every church in the United States and Africa shall be entitled to three delegates from each tabernacle to represent the church and should any tabernacle be unable to represent herself with delegates, she shall state the reason why in her first communication.
Whenever a tabernacle is organized anywhere in the United States it shall be subject to whatever rules the assembly shall adopt, an Elder or Evangelist shall send a copy of the names of the members and officers to the secretary of the Independent Church of God the Black Jews of the United States, and the secretary shall inform the Bishop or Bishops of the same.
Each tabernacle shall have one Elder and one Deacon, and the Elders shall appoint his own assistant. There shall be three trustees to each tabernacle, their duty shall be to look for a suitable place in which to hold meetings, and to see after the money and property in general, count the money at least every month and let the balances appear on record.
The district assembly shall endeavor to furnish a copy of the minutes of all proceedings from every assembly meeting as soon as they are printed.
When a question is brought before the assembly by any tabernacle, it must be in writing and put in an envelope thus addressed “The Church Communication,” and when it has been considered and settled upon the word of God satisfactorily, it must so appear in the minutes.
No Elder shall be allowed to interfere with any tabernacle, but the one of which he is pastor. If he should interfere, the Bishop shall silence him for three months except an acknowledgment be made with the agreement not to be guilty of the act any more.
There shall no officer be removed from his station except a lawful reason be given and the cause stated in writing. Any tabernacle desiring to make a change in her pastor must write to the assembly. In case the assembly is not in session, the church must write to one of the Bishops.
Every member of each tabernacle shall bring his tithes if possible on the first day of the week at the close of the Sabbath, as it is written in, 1 Cor. 16; 1:2. Shall a man rob God? Mal. 3; 8:10:11, and all the tithes Lev. 27; 20:32, Jesus said, “If ye are Abraham’s children you will do the works of Abraham.” St. John 8:39. Don’t forget God’s tithes if you want to prosper in this life and in the life to come. For we must support the Gospel from the store house. Mal. 3; 10, and if you love God you will also love his cause, and in this way you will help God’s ministers to preach the gospel to every creature throughout the world.
All ministers shall follow these instructions when receiving members into the Church of God; the members about to be received must first make a confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then be baptized by burial into water, then receive the unleaven bread and water for Christ’s body and blood, then have their feet washed by the minister, taught how to pray, then breathed upon the forehead, then saluted into the church with a holy kiss first by the Elders and afterwards by the whole church.
We believe that every one that has confessed Jesus Christ by regeneration of heart, who desires to eat of the Lord’s body and drink of his blood, has a right to eat at the Lord’s table. 1 Cor. 11:28, Mark 14:14.
We believe that it is a sin for the righteous to help the ungodly, to do anything in the name of the Synagogue of Satan. Job 8:20, Acts 17; 23:26.
We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and that none go to heaven or to burning hell until after the resurrection and general judgment. Job 13; 14:17, Psalms 115; 17.
The Bishops and Evangelists and the Presbytery when assembled have the only rights to ordain an Elder.
ARTICLE II.
The board shall be called the Presbytery Board of the Independent Church of God the Black Jews, and it shall be the duty of the board during the assembly meeting to recommend all ministers that have been ordained since the last assembly meeting, and to adjust all errors and to empower to discommunicate.
We also demand by the word of God, that every member of each tabernacle, both great and small, to bring all the tithes into the storehouse, or “Will a man rob God?” Mal. 13; 8:10.
There shall be for all the subordinate tabernacles a Sabbath School, and a Sabbath School Fund, and there shall be one teacher, one secretary and one bag carrier of each tabernacle.
No minister or member shall have power to dictate to an Elder in charge of a tabernacle or to instruct members, except when called upon or by permission of the Elder. When anyone has become a member of the Independent Church of God the Black Jews of the Judean Tribe of Israel, no one has a right to erase his or her name from the church records, as God himself will attend to that, in due time if necessary.
We further recommend that the Bishop or Bishops have, in the absence of the assembly, power to ordain Elders, or dismiss any that preach not the doctrine of Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Bishops shall have power to appoint Evangelists and send ministers to their respective tabernacles. They also shall state the different districts for the evangelists. The fourteenth day of April shall be the Feast of the Passover. The ministers of God shall teach the principal things that pertain to our salvation.