Georgia Baptist Mission Board

[1] Resolved, that we suggest for our consideration, and respectfully that of sister associations in this State, the propriety of organizing a General meeting of Correspondence.The convention was formed at the instigation of Adiel Sherwood, who drew up a resolution to be presented (by Charles J. Jenkins, since Sherwood was, at the time, an outsider in Georgia Baptist circles) at the Sarepta Baptist Association meeting, held on the 21–24 October 1820 at Van's Creek Church near Ruckersville.

Sherwood's original text read simply "to sister associations in this State.

[4] Mercer had earlier helped to form the General Committee of Georgia Baptists, in 1803, and the Powelton Conferences at the turn of the century,[5] which had foundered over concerns that its stated goal of "the increase of union among all real Christians" indicated open communion, and possible union of Baptists with Pedobaptists, leading to its dissolution in 1810.

[3] to form plans for the revival of religion, to promote uniformity in sentiment, practice, and discipline, to augment the number of pious, intelligent, and laborious ministers, to act in unison with the Christians of other denominations on the general interests of the Redeemer's kingdom.In June 1822, delegates from the Georgia and Ocmulgee Baptist associations met at Powelton in Powelton Baptist Church and agreed upon the constitution of what was then called The General Association.

[7] In the 1823 session, the Sarepta association, which, ironically, in 1821 had reversed its position on the necessity for a state convention, and which had not sent a delegation to the 1822 meeting, sent corresponding delegates to the General Association, meeting again in Powelton.