In November 1681, the Baptist Church in Boston granted a letter of recommendation and approval to William Screven “to exercise his gifts in ye place where he lives or else where as the providence of God may cast him.” Well, in the providence of God, eventually Brother Screven led a group of baptized believers from Maine down to South Carolina to start what is probably the first Baptist Church in the South.
Prior to that move, the church in Boston wrote the following letter, dated July 26, 1682 which shows how some Baptists carried out the work of church planting.
“Upon serious and solemn consideration of the church about a motion or request made by severall members that lived att Kittery [Maine], y(et) they might become a Church & that they might p-ceed therein provided they were such as should be Approved for such a Foundacon work, the Church [in Boston] gave there grant and att ye time Appointed did send severall messengers to make y strict Inquiry and Examination as they ought in such A case…
The Church of Christ at Boston… haveing taken into serious consideration ye Request of our Brethren at Kittery Relating to there being A Church by themselves y(et) soe they might Injoy the precious ordinances of Christ which by reson of distance of habitason they butt seldome could enjoy have therefore thought meet to make Choice of us whose names are und’written as Messengers to Assist them in ye same and coming up to them we have found them A Competent Number and ye same faith with us for upon carefull examination of them in matters of Doctrine and practice & soe finding one with us by there (we hope) Conshiencous Acknowledgm(ent) of ye Confession of faith putt forth by ye Eladers and Brethren of ye Churches in London and ye contry in England dated in ye year 1682.
And they haveing given themselves up to ye lord & too one Another in A Solemn Covenant to walk as said Covenant may Express & alsoe haveing Chosen theire officers whome they with us have Appointed and ordained, we doe therefore in ye name of ye lord Jesus & by the Appointm(ent) of his Church deliver them to be a Church of Christ in ye faith and order of ye Gospel.
Signed by us in ye name of ye Church the 25 of 7 mo 1682. Isaak Hull, Thomas Skinner, Phillipp Squire
– Source: “This Day in Baptist History,” Cummins and Thompson